Quote Originally Posted by TinCow View Post
Ah, a subject near and dear to my heart. It is one of my goals in life to assemble a large historical library, complete with wood paneling, fireplace, leather reading chairs, and those bookcases with the rolling ladders. No such library would be complete without rare and antique books, so I've started collecting them. I'm still starting out so I don't have much yet, but I have ambitions far greater than my wallet at the moment.
Tell me when it's built and I'll bring some top-shelf whiskey. We can sit and drink and talk as men do.

When people speak of luscious libraries my poor heart goes pitter-patter and not in a good way. I had a basement flood after moving into a new house years ago and I lost about a dozen milk crates full of books. Including two-years of Janes Defence Weekly and a half dozen of the large Janes encyclopedias (at $200+ a pop). I didn't lose anything rare, just a whack of good hardcover history books, mostly military, lots of aviation. sniff...

I have yet to come close to replacing my collection, and most of the books I wouldn't buy again as my tastes have changed, but I do have some good books. Very much enjoying the Greek classics and books on freedom and philosophy. My library is modest but growing, and varied enough to keep me returning to it. My WWI section stands at about two-dozen books and grows regularly as it is a subject of interest to me. I have no rare books, though I do have a lovely 1938 edition of "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom" that cost me $20 at my favorite used book store. I also have a first edition of "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote which I bought for $1 at a flea market a few years ago and finally read in one sitting two-weeks ago. Great book.

Right now I'm reading "The Tao of Pooh" that my buddy gave me for Christmas. It's fun.