In the post prior to this one I commented about accumulating. That practice of just buying any and all books that you come across. Accumulating does not make a collection. It makes a mass of books with no direction or purpose.
Collecting is completely different.
When I was in college I was reading more science fiction and horror. Mostly Stephen King and tie-in SF novels with a spattering of William Gibson. On the non-fiction side of the spectrum I was still reading history and science. I was unconsciously focusing my book buying to those four specific “genres” which in turn began to focus my collection.
Fast forward to about three years ago when I decided that I was going to put together the definitive Horror collection so when I died it would be installed at my alma mater Gettysburg College. Though I was collecting Stephen King books to read and inadvertently beginning my horror collection I did not jump head long into collecting horror until then.
This is when my accumulating became collecting to a point. With my horror purchases I had a focus but my interest in SF and the non fiction areas of History and Science still had to be dealt with.
On Not Really Collecting Nonfiction
I really don’t collection nonfiction. I enjoy reading it but I don’t really collect it. My science and history collections are rather unfocused, mostly conforming to my interest at the time in learning certain things. Even though I am focusing on a certain subject that does not necessarily make it a collection.
Recently I came across two series from different publishers that I would like to complete. One is Great Discoveries from WW Norton and the other Eminent Lives from HarperCollins. Both have some interesting books in them and future books to be released. I will keep purchasing them but they won’t really construe a collection.
My history purchases usually run a wide spectrum from ancient history through English history all the way to the two World Wars. It really depends on what my fancy is at the moment. So here again there is really no focus on what I purchase.
With my nonfiction subjects I read I do not seek out first editions or signed editions of my books. That too is another sign of accumulating more than collecting. As long as my copies are in good condition I don’t mind if they are reprints or other editions. Though I do prefer hardcovers.
On Collecting the definitive Horror Library
I have decided to put together a definitive collection of horror books. When I made that realization in my head a few years ago I had no idea what a definitive horror collection would consist of. Hell, I still don’t think I know what it would consist of but I know a little bit more about what I want it to consist of. And that is what helped me move from accumulating horror books to actually focusing my collection buying.
I still, on occasion, buy books that are horror but not necessary for my collection. Keeping so focused on collecting would make me miss some stuff that I would otherwise enjoy to read even though they wouldn’t fit.
Collecting books relies on several aspects in order to make a truly great or even good collection. Editions, condition, author, books, impact, influence, and several others. In horror, like in other genres, there are books that should be the core of the collection. Off the top of my head I would say DRACULA, FRANKENSTEIN, DR. JECKYLL AND MR. HYDE, THE MONK, most of POE’S work, and of course many others, would make up a could core group for a horror collection. Finding first editions and maybe manuscripts for those books is difficult and expensive and right now out of my league but I have them on my list.
From that core you can start to look for Authors and their works that had great influence on the genre and ones that have come to great acclaim. Maybe there might be one book from one author that is a great example of a starting point to a sub-genre of horror but that author no longer writes or never wrote a second book.
Then there is the question of editions. First, limited, limited lettered, signed, and a slew of others. What editions would you want to have in your collection? First editions for many books are easy to find in fine condition and depending on your budget they are affordable. Limited editions depending on the publisher and author may be harder to find. Some limited editions are also not really worth the paper they are printed on. And this challenge is something I have to deal with when I decide on what to buy.
My next entry will talk about my collection and what I look for and how I try to insert a logic into buying which rarely works when I hit a book store.
