Take, for example, one of the most reprinted books of all time and my personal favourite, Pride And Prejudice. While first editions are certainly coveted, newer editions have their own charm. Reprints And Editions: How Far Is Too Far?Ĭlassics are often reprinted every couple of years, and each edition has something special to add to the book. Whether we decide to buy paperbacks or hardcovers, we are all in agreement that a book can be loved in any avatar it graces us with, and the more, the better. Wouldn’t you buy it? I was bewitched, and found myself clicking on “add to cart”. It’s easy to give in to the whim of buying these beautiful copies, which add some elegance to our collection.īuying hardcovers of books we already have is harder to justify, but imagine this: You come across a hard- bound version of The Complete Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes, with timeless illustrations, gold embossing on its edges for half the cost of the usual hardcover. Hardcovers look much better on our shelves and the reading experience is certainly enriched. Often bought to indulge ourselves, these expensive and heavier copies are not for regular use. While paperbacks have their own merits, hardcovers are a world apart, with their beautiful spines, and often come with jackets, or cloth-bound or leather-bound covers. When I found a paperback, with an elegantly designed cover for a mere 100 bucks, it seemed only logical that I buy it. However, years later, once this copy was worn out (and filled with oily fingerprints), I found myself constantly on the look out for a newer copy. Paperbacks also tend to be cheaper, easier to carry around, and much more cost effective to replace if lost.Īs a fan of Sherlock Holmes, I have owned a copy of his short stories ever since I was a child.
This copy, a well-worn book that travels with us, is often home to scribbled notes, highlights and dog-eared pages. The ongoing battle between paperbacks and hardcovers is a never-ending saga, but people like me have managed to find a middle ground – why not buy both? Many of us have at least one copy of our favourite book. What is this strange urge to buy a new copy of a book we already own? A physician, John Ferriar, termed this need as “bibliomania”, and Thomas Frognall Dibdin, author of Bibliomania, Or Book Madness: A Bibliographical Romance, provided a list of copies such people might hoard: “ First editions, true editions, black letter-printed books, large paper copies uncut books with edges that are not sheared by binder’s tools illustrated copies unique copies with morocco binding or silk lining and copies printed on vellum.” Our bank balance, sanities and parents don’t understand – but some of you do, don’t you? An irrational habit, buying multiple editions of the same book is more common than you think. A nostalgic bunch, we take pride in every book we own, even the oldest and cheapest copy of a book, and often seek to procure multiple copies of the same book.
”Īs bibliophiles, our greatest dream remains our very own personal library, the ultimate haven. “ No gentleman can be without three copies of a book: one for show, one for use and one for borrowers.
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