Top 10 most expensive books purchased on AbeBooks for January 2009
1. YA-WAE PA-HU-CAE E-CAE AE-TA-NAE E-TU-HCE WA-U-N A-H A. Original Hymns In the Ioway Language by William Hamilton and Samuel M. Irvin – $13,500
A rare item of Americana relating to Native Americans. Printed in 1843, this book was one of the first two titles issued from the Sac Mission Press, limited to 125 copies. It is a lengthy hymn book, with the text written in the dialect used by the tribe from Iowa.

2. Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama – $12,500
The 44th president’s first book, this is a copy of the original edition from 1996. Signed by Obama.

3. The Four Gospels of the Lord Jesus Christ by Eric Gill – $11,000
Printed and published at the Golden Cockerel Press, 1931, Limited to 500 numbered copies. With 64 wood-engraved initial letters and illustrations by Gill. (*Link to Facsimile editions)

4. Wonders of the Invisible World by Cotton Mather – $9,500
This is the second edition, printed in London in 1693, This copy also contains a fine engraved bookplate of Samuel Mather (1851-1931), on the front marbled paste-down endpaper as well as a handwritten slip by Thomas J. Holmes, that compares it with the first London edition, giving some omissions, and differences in spelling and punctuation. (*Link to later editions)

5. Lamia, Isabella, The Eve of St. Agnes, and Other Poems by John Keats - $8,500
First edition of Keats’ third and final book, published in 1820.

6. Sonnets et Eaux Fortes by Various – $8,248
A collection of sonnets and etchings published in 1869. 42 original etchings by Manet, Corot, Daubigny, Jean François Millet, Jongkind, Bracquemond, Victor Hugo and others. Limited edition to 350 copies.

7. Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie - $7,400
First edition, first printing from 1981. Uncorrected proof copy in publisher’s original printed wrappers, signed by Rushdie. (*Links to signed first, editions not proof copies)

8. Histoire générale des Antilles habitées par les François by Jean-Baptiste du Tertre – $5,224
Comprehensive history of the Caribbean from the 1600s, as recorded by Jean-Baptiste during his 18-year study of the habits of the people, their storytelling and geography. Published 1671.

9. Aline et Valcour; ou, Le Roman philosophique by Marquis de Sade – $5,224
First edition published in eight volumes in 1795. The book was written one year before the French Revolution while Sade was incarcerated in the Bastille (1780s) and was his first book published under his true name.

10. Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov – $5,000
Signed first edition copies of each of the three Foundation books: Foundation (1951), Foundation and Empire (1952) and Second Foundation (1953).

From a whopping $37,000 for a first edition of Harry Potter and Philosopher’s Stone to a paltry sum of only $3,000 for a set of all seven American first editions, they’re all here. Not available anywhere else – even Flourish and Blotts!

1. Signed Photo of Pablo Picasso. I love Picasso. I love his art, and having seen/read much about him, he seemed like a vibrant, loving, creative, hot-tempered, exciting man to be around. A film about the life of Picasso inspired my first (quite successful) attempt at Dada poetry when I was in University for Creative Writing. Sadly for you folks, I can’t remember the poem off the top of my head (disappointed groans all ’round). $18,000.00

2. Truman Capote’s Birth Certificate. I love Truman Capote. I love his witty, neurotic, New York reputation. I love Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Holly Golightly wildly. I love that he was Harper Lee’s best friend. I love that I’ve not yet read In Cold Blood, but am dying to. And I love that Philip Seymour Hoffman played him, because I love Philip Seymour Hoffman. And we have Truman Capote’s birth certificate! How cool. Crossing fingers for lottery winnings.$35,000.00

3. Virginia Woolf’s Day Planners for Eight Years. Okay, I admit these would probably be fairly mundane and straightforward. “Lunch with Brent”, “Call dentist – have lost crown”, “send Roger for flea-dip” and the like. But I can’t help the hope of glimpses into her life, like she’d have absently scrawled on one Thursday “note to self: Write ‘A Room of One’s Own’. Also, buy pork chops.” $112,480.25

4. Two Life Size Green Eggs – Original Artwork by Dr. Seuss Who wouldn’t want this?! Dr. Seuss was such an integral part of my upbringing. The first taste of environmentalism I recall came in the form of the Lorax. The Cat in the Hat, Hop on Pop, and of course Green Eggs and Ham were all staples in my househould. I still have a stuffed Cat in the Hat doll somewhere, and we still watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas every year.$5,624.01

5. Land Sale Transaction Receipt from 1349 – the Year of the Black Death. Ok. I can be a little morbid. Speaking of the Black Death, have you read The Doomsday Book? If not, and you like science fiction, time travel, or just really good fiction, I recommend it. It’s a book I loved. Anyway, back to the document – imagine completing tedious paperwork while people have ghastly buboes and fevers and are falling down dead all around you. What a conversation piece! $1500.00

6. Charles Bukowski button with art by R. Crumb R. Crumb and Charles Bukowski. What a couple of dirty, lecherous, skirtchasing old boozehounds. God Bless ‘Em. $95.00

7. Edward Gorey’s Dracula Jigsaw Puzzle. A 15×21 inch 500 piece jigsaw puzzle in black, white and red depicting the poster for the Edward Gorey production of DRACULA in New York City. Edward Gorey is fantastic. If you’re not familiar with him, check him out – he tells twisted tales of ennui and torture and oddities and eerieness, accompanied by dark, ghoulish and demented illustrations. He was very prolific and is now very collectible – there’s a lot there to love. $475.00

8. Einstein’s Notes on Unified Field Theory. A page of a bunch of calculations, notes, theories, all part of Einstein’s second serious attempt to unify gravity and electromagnetism within a single field. Really though, so what? Everybody doodles. Look, I drew a kitty, just now. Didn’t trace it or anything. Nope. That’s allllll freehand. $38,500.00

9. Funny Letter By Mark Twain to a Friend in which he amusedly recounts that reports of his demise have been greatly exaggerated; apparently a Mark twain impersonator had been traipsing about enjoying Twain’s fame, when he died, and was buried, as Mark Twain. $15,000.00

10. Original Screenplay for the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang I love Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. What’s not to love?! It’s cheery, it’s got Dick Van Dyke, it was written by Ian Fleming (of James Bond fame), it has an incredibly nefarious and fearsome villain called the Child Catcher, and now, a new reason to love it – the screenplay was written by Roald Dahl! No wonder it’s so wonderful. $500.00

I love reading. I also love books, and I don’t think the two always go together. Some people are in it just for the story, and would read any old copy equally, others are collectors of visuals or value and don’t even read the books. I love both, and am fascinated and delighted equally by the insides and outsides of books. This bit’s dedicated to the outside, and all the creativity, different materials and thought that goes into them. It’s not all cloth, leather and paper – from goatskin to gold and eelskin to ivory, check out some of these bindings – 30 in all.

Left to right: Mother of Pearl, Rubber, Brass, Fur, Ivory.

To all my friends who last year went “Argh! Why didn’t you TELL ME it was on?!?” when I showed you all my great books – consider yourself informed!

If you live in Victoria and want to attend the the Times-Colonist book sale, dress warmly, bring coffee, and prepare to be patient. Preferably bring someone with you so if one of you has to use the bathroom, the other can hold the line (though if you’re desperate, the person ahead of or behind you might be kind enough to hold it for you – er, the line, that is.).

Last year’s wait was about an hour in line, as I remember – my friend and I arrived about 11 a.m. on the first day. It was entirely worth it. Collectors report some great finds each year, too – serious collectors arrive really, really early.

The prices are pretty great – last year I ended up with 15 books for under 40 dollars. The proceeds from the sale go to benefit the community and literacy. All in all, it’s a pretty great thing.

Last year’s haul for me included:

-Elle by Douglas Glover
-Sideways by Rex Pickett
-Disobedience by Naomi Alderman
-a lovely leather-bound Works of Shakespeare
-a gorgeous little green copy of some of of Robert Browning’s poetry, which I bought because there was a signature in it which read “Clifford Floyd Olson” and I thought I might get to own a grisly collectible. However, upon returning home I learned the horrible serial killer’s name is Clifford ROBERT Olson. Fortunately, I still like Robert Browning. And if Clifford Floyd Olson is reading this – I’m not suggesting you do anything rash).
-Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
-Choke by Chuck Palahniuk
-Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
-Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
-Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres

and of course many more which have now completely left my head.

Regardless, the only real stinker in the bunch was The Pilot’s Wife, and if it only cost me a dollar to learn to trust my instincts, it was worth it. All hail the Victoria Times-Colonist book sale!

Now to box up the books I’m finished with, to donate to this year’s sale…starting with you, Ms. Shreve.

In stark contrast to the synopsis of Glenn Beck’s The Christmas Sweater, this synopsis has me itching to read the book.

In the course of their writing and publishing careers, Russell Ash and Brian Lake have collected hundreds of the book trades most bizarre titles. From unintended double entendres (Making It in Leather) and astonishingly specialized subjects (Great Locomotive Boiler Explosions) to weird books on sex (Sodomy and the Pirate Tradition), and religion (Hell: Where Is It?), the authors have left no page unturned in their quest. Along the way, they have also catalogued some noteworthy authors, including Violet Organ, Fernando Poo, Bishop Frediricus Nausea, and O. Hell. A final section looks at publishing curiosities, from unusual book bindings (a “fireproof” edition of Fahrenheit 451 bound in asbestos boards) to unfortunate tributes (Venereal Disease and Its Prevention, “affectionately dedicated” to the authors wife). Now revised and updated, Bizarre Books is a guaranteed good laugh.

Doesn’t that sound great?

Dave was very friendly to me and very tolerant of my asking a million questions. He was working on a first edition of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s The Blue Castle, and a probably first edition of L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz. Watching him work, and listening to him talk about what he does for a living, I was inspired by how much he clearly cares about his job, and the books he creates, repairs and restores.

The article was featured in the Avid Reader this month. Have a look, and read the whole article!