What are your most cherished pbooks?

[crich70]

The story of Civilization by Will and Ariel Durant in 11 Volumes and The Oxford Shakespeare. I picked up TSOC set at a used book store for around $45.00 some yrs ago which I thought was quite a bargain because brand new each book costs $25-$30.00 a piece. I picked up the Oxford Shakespeare at Janesville Mall in 1989 after serving on staff at Boy Scout camp. I'd always wanted my own copy of his works.

[Abtacha]

Originally Posted by Nancy Fulda

Dinotopia -- Actually, I don't have this one anymore. I lent it out to a 9-year-old and never got it back. I hope the magnificent illustrations are still being enjoyed.

That's the one for me too, simply beautiful, and the one book that's stayed on my shelf since I got it as a kid.

[AlbertaCowboy]

My 1967 two volume green & black clothbound "The Annotated Sherlock Holmes" compiled by William Baring-Gould that my dad gave me. They were his when he was younger, and they were my first introduction to Holmes. The wealth of annotations and original illustrations still take my breath away.
They're getting a little beat up, but I'll have them rebound for when I give them to my daughter down the road.

[crich70]

Originally Posted by AlbertaCowboy

My 1967 two volume green & black clothbound "The Annotated Sherlock Holmes" compiled by William Baring-Gould that my dad gave me. They were his when he was younger, and they were my first introduction to Holmes. The wealth of annotations and original illustrations still take my breath away.
They're getting a little beat up, but I'll have them rebound for when I give them to my daughter down the road.

I've got that set too. With the dust covers still on them. The dust covers are a bit worn but still intact.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Catlady

My tattered paperback copy of Gone with the Wind, bought when I was in high school and read and cried over more times than I can count. I have several other copies, but that one is special.

My grandmother gave me her copy (printed in 1937) when I was the perfect age. I read and reread it so many times it literally fell apart. I replaced it with a facsimile edition, but I wish I had held onto the other.

Originally Posted by sneakyspider

My mom's copy of the Judy Bolton series, by Margaret Sutton. They used to belong to my Grandmother, and then they went to my mother, and then to me. I used to take a whole stack of them with me when we would go on vacation.

Oh! I wish I had this series!

[poohbear_nc]

Originally Posted by AlbertaCowboy

My 1967 two volume green & black clothbound "The Annotated Sherlock Holmes" compiled by William Baring-Gould that my dad gave me. They were his when he was younger, and they were my first introduction to Holmes. The wealth of annotations and original illustrations still take my breath away.
They're getting a little beat up, but I'll have them rebound for when I give them to my daughter down the road.

This is my pick too! I've had the set for over 40 years and I still go back to them for a re-re-re-re-re....read. A brilliantly executed concept of pushing the limits on a pbook - the annotations & illustrations are magnificent!

[CWatkinsNash]

"Poetical Works of Lord Byron, with Life", Gall & Inglis Landscape Series of Poets. Similar, but not identical to the one pictured here. (The flower arrangement on mine is different.) Undated, but somewhere between 1860 - 1880's. I cherish it not because of what it is, but rather where I was and who I was with when I purchased it.

A small-format printing of Black Beauty by Henry Altemus Company's Vademecum Series, from 1900. This is a book that has just always been around in my life, as far back as I can remember. Small miracle that it's never gotten lost in any of my moves, and I like to think it's with me for a reason.

My signed 20th anniversary limited edition of Bentley Little's The Mailman. Because it's the only such thing I have.

[DrNefario]

Given how unwilling I am to part with any of my paper books, you'd think I'd be able to come up with something here...

[Waylander]

My hardback copies of Lord of the Rings, all illustrated. Also, My Sharpe books, Conn Iggulden books, and Simon Scarrow books, as well as my Sherlock Holmes collection published in old style small size by Penguin's Pocket department.

[issybird]

They include, but are not limited to, my signed copy of Testament of Youth, my Orchard House editions of Louisa May Alcott's books, and my first edition of Graustark (available here at MR) from when I searched for years and years and years to find any edition at all back in the days when looking for an out-of-print book meant haunting antiquarian booksellers and book fairs. Also, Angela Thirkell's complete oeuvre, assembled slowly and painfully and mirthfully.

Heh. I could go on.

[sharphamster]

My ratty 1940's-60's pulp novels from yard sales and second-hand bookstores. I do have epubs of many of them, but I can't give up those lurid, coffee-stained covers.

My father's copy of Studs Terkel's 'Hard Times'. My mother's second-best copy of 'The Hobbit' (she still has her Best one, of course.)

My 1934 edition of Robert Graves' 'I, Claudius' - Ancient Roman treachery and machinations is my comfort reading. Don't judge me :]

And my 50 year old Shop Manuals for my beloved Car - all sorts of interesting (and profane) notations added over the years by all the other Impala repairers that used them before me.

[wawasteele]

My favorite book is The Illustrated Treasury of Children's Literature that my grandparents gave me for my first Christmas. That book starts off with nursery rhymes and ends up with sample chapters from some great books like Robinson Crusoe. Now that I think about it, it probably really helped me with the development of my life-long love of reading. I wish my grandparents were alive so I could thank them.

[gmw]

A large hardcover copy of The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.

A falling apart copy of Odhams Dictionary of the English Language Illustrated. I can't tell you the year of publication, that's one of the pages that's gone missing. This is the dictionary my father used to do crossword puzzles, and it's the dictionary that us kids pestered him to be able to use (which probably explains its poor condition). So many words across such thin pages, and so many little sections of fascinating details at the front and back.

A signed copy of Full Circle by Michael Palin.

Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid, a fabulous feast that can be as shallow or deep as your mood when you pick it up.

My collection of Stephen Donaldson books - I only wish I had the first ones in hardcover too.

There are many more I could list, but these come somewhere near the top.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by sharphamster

My ratty 1940's-60's pulp novels from yard sales and second-hand bookstores. I do have epubs of many of them, but I can't give up those lurid, coffee-stained covers.
....

Yep, I've got a full shelf of ratty ol' paperback SF that I just can't see getting rid of.

[covingtoncat73]

Originally Posted by gmw

A large hardcover copy of The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.

A falling apart copy of Odhams Dictionary of the English Language Illustrated. I can't tell you the year of publication, that's one of the pages that's gone missing. This is the dictionary my father used to do crossword puzzles, and it's the dictionary that us kids pestered him to be able to use (which probably explains its poor condition). So many words across such thin pages, and so many little sections of fascinating details at the front and back.

A signed copy of Full Circle by Michael Palin.

Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid, a fabulous feast that can be as shallow or deep as your mood when you pick it up.

My collection of Stephen Donaldson books - I only wish I had the first ones in hardcover too.

There are many more I could list, but these come somewhere near the top.

Lovely! I got a nice hardcover edition of Wind in the Willows that I gave to my brother and sis-in-law for my nephew.

I'd like to read the Palin book. I loved watching his travel shows.