Book Stuff that is Valuable to Me

By Brookelorren on 34 Comments

Hello! Welcome to another edition of Top Ten Tuesday, where we talk about a different book topic each week. This week’s topic is ” Books That I Refuse to Let Anyone Touch”, but there are only a few books I won’t let anybody touch, so I decided to twist the topic a bit to make it about “Book Stuff that is Valuable to Me”. As always, it’s hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. Today I’m only listing 8 items. Here we go!

The first book on my list is Stories by Grimm, Andersen, and Hauff. It is copyright 1895 and is in German, with an old-style German font. I’m really not sure where I got it. I found it in a box when we moved to the house we live in currently.

I have a few other old books from the late 1800s/early 1900s. I’ve used one as my boy’s spelling book one year. Another two books I used to read as a kid. I’m pretty sure I got them from my grandma. I don’t know where they are at the moment, so I couldn’t take a picture.

Marie Lu collectibles

The second “book” on my list is actually a collection of books: my Marie Lu collectibles. When I found out that Ms. Lu was going to release a fourth Legend book, I decided to get the original series in hardback. I had been thinking about it already, because when I only had my paperback copies, I was like a helicopter parent whenever I let my family members borrow them. “Are you done reading the book yet?” When I heard that Rebel was going to be released, I wanted to get first editions, but then I learned that Amazon has a “collectibles” option and not only could I buy a first edition, I could buy a first printing. That’s what these are.

Then I have a copy of Life After Legend II, which was a pre-order gift from Wildcard. I’m still looking for someone with the original Life After Legend that’s willing to sell it, in case you have one that you want to get rid of.

Then I also have La Estrella de Medianoche, which isn’t an actual collectible but it comes from Spain. My Day and June magnetic bookmarks are cute too.

You might notice I don’t have a first printing of Champion yet. I actually bought one about a week ago, but the company I bought it from was robbed before they shipped it to me, so they refunded my money and I need to look for another one to buy.

Thank you from Laura E Weymouth

The next item on my list today is a thank you card from Laura E. Weymouth. She sent it to me for pre-ordering The Light Between Worlds. What I thought was most special about this card was that she remembered me from Twitter.

Divergent in Russian

The next book that is valuable to me is Дивергунт, or my copy of Divergent in Russian. I have the book in Spanish and German too, but only on the Kindle. I’ve only managed to read the first 50 pages in Russian, and I don’t have the rest of the set in Russian either. They’re difficult to find now. At one point I saw the Russian edition of either Insurgent or Allegiant selling for over $600! If I want to practice my Russian, there are cheaper books I can get.

When Dimple Met Rishi signed

When I decided to go to the Colorado Teen Literature Conference, I thought I wanted to read one of Sandhya Menon’s books first. And of course, I wanted something for her to sign, so I bought a physical copy. This is my latest signed book.

Bonhoeffer signed copy

My husband is a Blackstone Fellow, and as part of their training, they got to hear speeches from different people. One night Eric Metaxas was going to speak, and I was able to go. I took my copy of Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy along so he could sign it.

Sky Without Stars minus dust jacket

The first printing of Sky Without Stars has a secret under the dust jacket: it either comes with a shiny crown underneath or a shiny symbol (I think of the Regime). I really wanted the crown, and as soon as the book came, I ripped off the dust jacket, and that was the one I got! I was pretty happy about that. I read the ARC, so I haven’t read my physical copy, but I’ll probably read this copy before the second book in the series comes out.

Through the Looking Glass from Grandma

My final book is valuable because my grandma gave it to me: a copy of Through The Looking Glass and What Alice Found There. It’s probably from the 1970s (the copyright page doesn’t have a year on it). My grandma wrote on the inside cover with the date she gave it to me. I was about seven at the time.

When my grandma died, the main non-money thing I inherited from her was a box of books (I got a doll she made too). I always loved her books. She had Anne of Green Gables that I read and several more. She had a copy of a book on Boadicea that I got from her, and I found a bookmark she left it it. It brought out feelings to see that.

So there’s a list of 8 books or bookish items that are valuable to me. Next week, we’re going to talk about ten of my favorite books that came out between 2008 and 2018 (one per year).

34 comments

    1. I guess my grandma realized I was a reader a long time ago, because I don’t think my brother or cousins were given a lot of books like this.

      Reply

  2. That is an amazing collection! I love the idea of having books in other languages, too. I have a Bible in German that my grandfather gave his mother when he was young. It’s held together with electrical tape, but I still have it. 🙂

    Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!

    Reply

    1. I thought we were going to get something like a postcard with her signature on it, but the fact that it was personalized was so sweet.

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    1. I have Alice in Wonderland too, but I couldn’t find it to write this post. I think it’s in the garage. I’m lucky that she was such a reader.

      Reply

  7. This is such a lovely list!
    Personally I think the copy of Grimms wanted to belong to you so it just appeared in that box to find itself a home that would treasure it x

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    1. Haha, maybe. I probably got it from my grandma, but I don’t recognize the writing in the front.

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  10. I have an adult niece who loves anything to do with Alice. Every time I’m in a used books store I look to see what they have, but the older editions in good shape are always beyond my reach. Your grandma sounds like a special lady.

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    1. It’s a good way to get signed copies, first editions, etc. They don’t always have exactly what you’re looking for available, but it’s a good place to look.

      Reply

    1. I didn’t really know about that feature until earlier this year, but I’m certainly going to take advantage of it now!

      Reply

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