What the Strand Team Loves to Collect
There are a million collections waiting to be started — but if you’re looking for some inspiration, then the Strand team has you covered. Here are the book collections we have sitting on our own shelves.
Elise, Communications
“I collect editions of Tolkien’s works. Collected, single volumes, different covers, everything, including the History of Middle Earth volumes that are currently out of print. Also, comics. I’m gradually amassing a collection of every issue Black Widow appears in.”
Nancy, Owner
“I like to collect books and works featuring past presidents and their families. Two gems in my collection include an autobiography by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt with an actual letter to her mother-in-law tucked inside. It’s like having a real piece of history. The other is a signed proof of President Obama’s Dreams From My Father.”
Greg, Design
“I collect vinyl and books. Very selective with vinyl (it’s expensive) but not so much with books (they’re cheap). I tend to collect authors I love and, otherwise, classics I find for cheap. I worry about edition, condition and aesthetic value with vinyl but not usually a whole lot with books. Those purchases usually have more to do with price and my current interests. I also collect films.”
Sky, Books by the Foot
“I’ve been waiting my whole life for this question! I collect mass markets with covers designed by Edward Gorey, New York Review of Books editions, Persephone Books (a British publisher of out-of-print female writers), Modern Library or midcentury editions of my favorite books, copies of Hamlet, obscure female authors, and romance novels from the 10s, 20s, and 30s.” (Note: the header photo is of a portion of Sky’s collection!)”
Jenna, Books by the Foot
“I collect the different editions of the Harry Potter series. Cormac McCarthy books, interesting books on animals, diseases, and the Salem witch trials — hardcover books with beautiful/interesting designs on the jackets are the most ideal.”
Fred, Owner
“I’m a big fan of Matisse — and I used to collect anything that even mentioned him — even if it was a tiny mention. I had to reduce that when I moved into the city but I’ve been collecting books about him, of his work, for over 50 years.”
Sarah Strub, Warehouse
“It sounds like there are a lot of more exciting book collections than mine, but I collect Elfquest comics. Mostly I look for the black and white edition that was out when I was a kid, but I LOVE finding rare and oddball books from their long and patchwork publishing history! My latest find is a copy of the first edition of the Elfquest tabletop game, which is an unplayable mess but also a prize as a far as rare and unusual items go. I display them all together on an Elfquest-only shelf in my apartment, although I’d love to get the map that came with the game framed someday.”
David H., Second Floor
“I collect autographed first edition WWII fiction by US and UK authors.”
Leila, Buying
‘If you want a collection of vintage/retro/turn of the century erotica, I’ve got it. Like, three shelves of it.”
Aya, Books by the Foot
“I collect books by these publishers: Solar Books (a now defunct publisher that was a scam owned by the Creation Books guy — also a scam!), Twisted Spoon Press, and Exact Change. Also Thomas Mann hardcovers (John E. Woods translations only!) and books by Anna Kavan, Unica Zurn, Mary Butts,Tarjei Vesaas, and Leonora Carrington.
There is more but I feel like this is way too much already, and also do we really want to know about my serial killer bios? probably not!”
Jane Jaiswal, Rare Books Room
“Different editions of James Joyce books, particularly Dubliners and A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, which is one of my favorite books.”
Kelly Hopper, Main Floor
“I collect EROTICA. Erotica book titles- like the classics (Story of O., Little Birds, Story of the Eye, etc.) and also erotic art and erotic book plates! It’s a small but sensual collection.”
Constance, Main Floor
“I collect flip books, Nabokov (Vintage International editions) books, books about paper cutting art/sculpture, and terrariums.”
Cassandra, Tables
“I collect found ephemera! When I was on the main floor entering titles and working behind the buying desk, I would take out all the bookmarks, airplane tickets, love letters, breakup letters, etc. that our sellers left in books. The photos and postcards go up on my wall at home, everything else lives in a box on my desk.”
