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Reader's Paradise

SF collection

19 years ago

I've just spent several, fascinating days cataloguing a SF collection. My ex and I were crazy about SF in the '50s, '60s and to some extent the '70s and we bought and read everything we could lay our hands on - and there was plenty of it about. Paperbacks, English and American authors. Then, when we split, we agreed that he would keep 'custody' of the books until....

Well, he died a couple of months ago. It wasn't expected and it was very sad - he was a good friend of mine. And so, here I am with 570 books (more - there are quite a lot of duplicates). It's fascinating to look at them, remember (but I've forgotten a lot), and wade through authors such as Asimov, Bradbury, Sturgeon, Frank Herbert, Robert Heinlein (wonder what happened to Stranger in a Strange Land, though. It's gone missing), Clifford Simak, Piers Anthony, John Wyndham - stop me, somebody or I'll go on for ever! Unfortunately, the books are so dusty they've set off my lurking chest condition, but now it's all done and they're all boxed up.

I can't keep them. except for a few (some Bradbury, Matheson, Bester) I've no room for them. And I can't cope with the dust which I've boxed, together with the books! I shall take expert advice (I know one or two experts in the field) on the best thing for them all. But it was nice to meet them physically once again. There we are.

Dido.

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Comments (6)

anyanka
19 years ago
There's a faint irony in the fact that these science-fiction novels, which usually deal with the future, took you on a mental trip into your past.

[P.S. Big Sturgeon fan]
dido1
Original Author
19 years ago
Hadn't thought of that.

Found a duplicate copy of Caviar, so I'm keeping that.
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Chris_in_the_Valley
19 years ago
Were those Science fiction novels published in hardback in the UK? For the most part they were paperback here and all mine are crumbling. Do you have many of the Tor doubles (I believe it was) that were published two to a binding? Turn it upside down and around and you get a new novel. I've gotten rid of my Farmer. Piers Anthony will probably go next. I cannot do it in one fell swoop.
janalyn
19 years ago
Mine were paperbacks as well. I could never afford the hardcovers. They have since decomposed in my storage room, so it wasn't too hard saying goodbye to these old friends. It's one of the reasons why I now give all my paperbacks away after I read them.
cindydavid4
19 years ago
di, my sympathy on the loss of your friend.

In the meantime - you might ask one of the experts to take a glance at them to see if they could be sold. If not, find a local school, library, women's shelter or senior center that would probably love to have them.
dido1
Original Author
19 years ago
These are all paperbacks. Only a few are actually American publications - Ballantine, I think; and possibly Digit. The rest are things like Penguin, Panther, Corgi, Sphere etc. American books were re-issued in great numbers by English publishing houses of the 50s & 60s.

On the whole, they're not in bad nick. But, as I said, exceptionally dusty! I think there are places which might be interested in them as part of archives. If not, then I live not far from Hay-on-Wye (don't all drool at once. It can get quite boring there - and I can't hang about in the depths of those bookshops for long because of the dust on my chest)

Started reading, again, Bradbury's 'Something Wicked This Way Comes' - irresistible. (someone mentioned it on another thread a few days ago)

Cindy, thanks for your sympathy. He is missed.

Dido.

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