Now I suppose you'd like the story of how I acquired each copy. And if not, then oh well. Because I'm going to wax poetic on you about them anyway! (Besides, you can always stop reading this post, right? Although I do hope you won't! :)
Copy #1 - The brown Barnes and Noble paperback edition (it looks maroon in the picture, but it's really more brown in real life)- I bought it because I wanted to read the book and I didn't believe in ereaders at the time. (Now I'm fully on board the ereader happy train, in case you didn't know. ;) I bought, I read, I sighed with happiness at the close of the final page.
Copy #2 - The black and white hardback edition - I found it at a library sale for a couple dollars and though I knew I already owned it, my first copy was paperback and I thought it'd be nice to have a hardback edition. I was right! :)
Copy #3 - The blue dress and umbrella paperback edition - Another library sale find! I'd never seen that particular cover before and it was too pretty to pass up. A perfectly logical reason.
Copy #4 - The gorgeous blue and brown Books-A-Million hardback edition - I already told y'all how I acquired this one, so I won't detail it all again. But suffice it to say it looks beautiful on my shelf! And by this time, I'd decided that it was awesome to own several different copies of a favorite book. One does what one must, right? And clearly I must own four copies of Persuasion! (Or more. You know. For future reference. Just in case the need arises. :)
Do you own multiple copies? If so, which book(s)?
*looks over to her copies of FANGIRL*
ReplyDeleteI bought myself the UK edition of Rainbow Rowell's FANGIRL and recently I also bought the Spanish edition :) I'm contemplating whether I should buy the amazon special edition...like, I don't NEED it but I WANT it hehe. I don't know why Rainbow's book struck me so much or why I feel the need to own multiple copies when I've loved plenty of other books (but I don't show this much fervor for them). But I can't help it *o*
And all those editions are so pretty! I especially love the blue editions <3
I love that, Sandy! Fangirl is one of my favorites as well. Such a fab story!
DeleteAnd for the record, we "hardcore" readers always NEED another copy, right?! ;) Sometimes it's completely unexplainable why we feel the urge to own a book or five. I didn't really understand why I wanted more copies of Persuasion, I just knew that I did. And I say we're awesome! :D
I like the white and brown copies. Both are quite pretty!
ReplyDeleteIs it bad that I own two copies of Little Women, but haven't read either yet? But, in my defense, one was a copy given to me by a librarian because someone donated it and they didn't need a copy. And the other one had such a lovely cover, and it was, at the most, 3 dollars.
I also have two copies of the same book from the Mandie mysteries because I already had one, and someone gave me the other. And then I have an ARC of the first "Remnants" book by Lisa Bergren, and the actual copy. The ARC is not as lovely as the actual book (my actual copy is even signed!), but it was the one I read... It will have to go off my shelf soon because I'm running out of room, but the thought hurts. Perhaps I'm too sentimental with books but I don't really care. :-)
Thanks, Grace! And it is NOT bad at all. I have several books sitting unread on my shelves, and if you happen to own more than one copy of such a one then that means that you're guaranteed to be able to find a copy once you decide to read it! A win win situation. Especially if one was given to you! Even better. ;)
DeleteThe signed copy definitely has to stay! No question. But I do get how you feel. I tend to take a lot of books to used book stores, but my house is still overflowing with lots and lots of stories. We booklovers do what we must, right? Sentimentality for stories is awesome in my opinion!
Oh yeah!! I love getting various copies of my favorite books, it's so hard to resist the urge to get a new pretty cover :D
ReplyDeleteI keep telling myself that I don't need another copy but it's hard.
Exactly, Alex! It's VERY hard to resist those fabulous new covers. Book publishers know precisely how to hook us! And I'm just letting them. Happily, I might add! :D
DeleteI loved reading this post! It's nice to see other people who love to collect editions of their favorite books, because no one I know in real life understands. :D I have many editions of Jane Eyre, and love to add to my collection! Your copies of Persuasion are marvelous - I love how different all the covers are!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Charlene! And I know exactly what you're talking about. Several of my real life friends don't read much and so my house with all it's books piled everywhere is just a bit overwhelming to them. And to own more than one copy of a book? Nowhere on their radar! It's good to be reminded we're not alone in our bookish ways, isn't it? :)
DeleteThe fact that all the covers are different certainly helps my enthusiasm to collect them. I won't say that I'll never own two copies that look alike, but I'd definitely prefer not too. Keeps my shelves looking fab!
I do own several copies of Harry Potter. I have the original hard cover US editions, the paperback UK Signature editions, and I own the leather-bound edition for Sorcerer's Stone. I'd love to also own the new editions with the new covers for both the US and UK.
ReplyDeleteI love that, Jenni! Awesome books and awesome covers just ask to be collected, right? All the pretty needs to be enjoyed! :)
DeleteYou know I do! I have different copies of Tolkien and Lewis. Shocking right? I also have no shame in admitting if I find other cool copies, I'll buy them too!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I'm quite shocked, Jamie! Only not so much, because it doesn't surprise me at all that those two gentlemen take up a lot of space on your bookshelves. Their combined awesomeness is worth it! :D
DeleteThe best reason to have multiple copies of the same book is that they often have different introductions and notes, so then you can learn new things about a story you love.
ReplyDeleteI have um, I think 5 copies of Jane Eyre. And more Hamlets than I ought to -- probably more than a dozen. And several different editions of various Sherlock Holmes books. I also have 2 copies of Persuasion and Northanger Abbey and Pride and Prejudice. Sometimes, this is just necessary, and that's all there is to it.
You are absolutely right, Hamlette! There is always so many more things to be learned about our favorite stories and their writers. And I love that we have access to that! Whether by different copies of the books or any other means. :)
DeleteYES! That last sentence? Well said and I agree completely.
Depends on the book. I don't know that I own multiple copies of anything... though I probably do and am forgetting. Often if a book is re-released with a new cover art and I'm collecting the series (i.e., I have some with the new covers, others with the old), I'll buy the newbies, but then put my old covers in my constantly growing collection of to-be-gotten-rid-of-boxes of books. Way fun post, as always, Kara. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rissi! I can understand the quandary some readers may have. If you have multiple copies, then that's just more shelf space that you can't use for new books! And that is kind of sad. So sometimes, decisions must be made and books must go. Sad but true.
DeleteAnd speaking of re-releases, it kind of bugs me when I have a series with covers that don't match. I know of one particular series I own currently that I haven't corrected this yet, and I frustrate myself! Because usually I ditch the covers I don't like and matchy matchy all the rest. Someday I shall remedy this travesty on my bookshelves! ;)
Love this! Thank you for humoring me! I own the Barnes and Noble one. It looks like you need a fancy Penguin one. I actually don't own multiple copies of books I love. Shelf space is limited as it is, and I don't want to overcrowd with duplicates. I love that you have all those copies of Persuasion! I'm a little jealous.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy you asked, Kami! This made for a fun post. :)
DeleteOooo! A fancy Penguin copy! Great idea! :D And I completely understand your quandary. Sometimes decisions must be made, and books cannot be bought and added to your collection. Even if you really, really want to! Either that, or you have to ditch your current copy. Shelf space can be very precious! Having once only had the space for ONE bookshelf, I understand the pain of limiting how many books you own. Life kind of stinks sometimes, doesn't it? :)
I have multiples of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and Dubliners by James Joyce. Both fantastic books. I agree with Hamlette on wanting different introductions and notes; that's why I have more Joyce. I'd like a new version of A Room with a View by E.M. Forster for that reason, as well as the UK versions of the Harry Potter series (to compare).
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome, Hannah! :) Jenni mentioned the Harry Potter editions as well. I haven't read any James Joyce, but clearly I should remedy that!
DeleteI thought Hamlette made an excellent point. Those different introductions and notes are pretty great to have, aren't they? There's so many things to be learned about our favorite writers and their stories. I love having access to all that info, whether it be in extra copies of books or by another means.
James Joyce is fantastic but intense. I would definitely recommend starting with Dubliners. It's a collection of short stories, so you can get a feel for Joyce without being overwhelmed immediately. Do not for any reason start with Ulysses. I think I've met two people who like it.
DeleteI had a college professor who said his favorite thing about Ulysses was that you could literally open it at any page and start reading, and it made just as much sense as if you'd begun at the beginning.
DeleteUm....what? Really? Okay, I'm thinking that Ulysses is definitely NOT on my TBR pile. Thanks for the suggestions, ladies! As always, I can count on y'all to lead me in the bookish path of happiness. :)
DeleteHamlette, that's probably because the timeline is crazy! I'm always the first on board with literary masterpieces, just saying...don't start with it. :P
DeleteAha! Catch-22 has a weird time-line too. Goes in circles. But it all makes sense in the end!
DeleteDefinitely still thinking that I'll be passing on either of those books. At least for a while. When I've got so many others I want to read! But maybe someday I'll get brave enough to delve into weird timelines. :)
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