Hi all;

This is about the only forum I have where I can ask about book collections to my fellow 'book geeks' - and I say that as a term of endearment. Anyhow; I am just curious if anyone is as OCD as I am collecting signed copies from some of my favorite authors. I know we all like collecting signed Cussler stuff but I wanted to know what other authors you had signed copies of. To the best of my knowledge the below list is authors I have collected signed books from - all obtained in person or verified through a reputable bookseller or third party authenticator in some cases - ie Mickey Mantle since he is forged so often. Anyhow, my collection as I recall:

Clive Cussler: 44 signed books including a full set of HC 1st editions in mint VG to new condition. Also have numerous collectors editions from Cahill and Norwood which I like a lot!

Kathy Reichs ('Bones' inspiration): 10 signed HC 1st editions.

Stephen Ambrose: 4 signed copies (3 HC 1st editions and one SC first edition)

Lee Child: 5 signed HC 1st editions.

Bernard Cornwell: 3 Signed copies(2 softcover, 1 HC 1st edition)

Jack DuBrul: 3 signed copies (3 HC 1st editions)

Mickey Mantle: 3 signed copies (authenticated; 2 HC 1st's and 1 SC 1st)

Gen. William T. Sherman: signed 2nd edition memoir.

Gen. James Gavin: signed HC 1st of his memoir.

Maj. Richard Winters (Band of Brothers fame): signed HC 1st of his memoir.

Sgt. Bill Guarnere and PFC Babe Hefron (Band of Brothers fame) signed HC 1st of their memoir.

Col. Greg "Pappy" Boyington: signed HC 1st of his memoir.

SGT. James Megellas (Most decorated WW2 member of the 82nd Airborne): Signed 1st edition hardcover of his memoirs.

Martin Cruz Smith: Signed 1st edition HC of 'Wolves Eat Dogs."

Ken Follet: Signed 1st edition HC of 'Hornet Flight'

Robert Ludlum: Signed 1st edition hardcover of 'The Bourse Ultimatum.'

Jack Higgins: Signed 1st edition HC of 'Cold Harbor.'

Ann Coulter: Signed 1st edition HC of 'How to Talk to a Liberal (If you Must)'

Shelby Foote: Signed 1st edition HC of one of his Civil War trilogy books.


How about you all, I am sure many of you are like me with collection old, collectors, ARC's and signed books outside of Clive. I cannot be the only one this anal retentive in trying to build up a nice library of collectible books. What do you all collect ouside Cussler?

Hope you all are well! :)

Jamie

Edit: Admins; please feel free to move this if it is in the wrong forum. I myself moderate a board with 100,000+ members so I know how it gets so feel free; this just seemed like the correct place to post this. :)

I have signed books by Lisa Whelchel, Kim Stanley Robinson, William Paley, Ron Chernow, Pete Peterson, Jean George, Linda Dano, Clive Cussler

Very nice Tony. Addicting little hobby isn't it? Sometimes costs me more than I like but I search for deals or get my own copies signed. Nice to know I am not the only one. Good luck with your growing collection, though I am sure your Cussler one dwarfs mine per our chats ages ago! :)

Hope all is well with you!

All the Best ~ Jamie

I have one from Clive, one from Nora Roberts and one from Phil Donahue. But the one I cherish the most is Clive's. beer:

Holy cow, Jamie. Don't worry about the up-front cost you're accruing, you'll get a better return on investment with those books in 30 years than you will on any 401k plan! yike:

As for me I have a signed copy of Mick Foley's autobiography Have a Nice Day! as well as a signed copy of one of Mark Victor Hansen's Chicken Soup for the Soul Books (Teenager I think).

Thanks to Julie I have a signed copy of Treasure of Khan as well. :D

Hahaha! Yeah, that thought crosses my mind here and there. That they're as much an investment as a collection. Not that I have any plans to part with them unless it is a VERY extreme circumstance. I am figuring in another 20 or 30 years those Mantle books and my signed Dodd Mead will be worth a nice chunk of change if I wanted to sell. :)

I've bought quite a few signed books in the past year or so but the vast majority are WWII aviation memoirs signed by veterans and/or the authors. No signed Cusslers yet. I'll try going off the top of my head...

Um...

Five of the Many by Steve Darlow - signed by author and four of the RAF Bomber Command crew featured.

Alamein to the Alps - signed by author

Voice from the Stars - signed by author, RAF pathfinder pilot

The Day I Owned the Sky - signed by Flying Tiger Robert Scott

Down to Earth - signed by the biographer

Three Times Lucky - signed by the author

Blood and Iron - picked up for $10 and signed by author

The Samson Effect (thanks Julie!) - signed by author

That's all I can remember at the moment, think that's most of them anyway.

Good one Jamie!! I don't have a 401K so the books are mine!

Jimmy Gordon (thanks Liz)-Caribbean Calling

The Enigma-Mike Wall (personalized to me)
The Gathers-Mike Wall (personalized to me)

The Samson Effect- Tony Eldridge (personalized to me)

Native Tongue ARC-Carl Hiaasen

Memnoch the Devil-Anne Rice
The Vampire LaStat-Anne Rice

Cabal-Clive Barker (personalized to me)

Florida Roadkill-Tim Dorsey

The Beatles-Julius Fasts

Pandoras Curse ARC-Jack DuBrul
Charon's Landing ARC-Jack DuBrul
Havoc ARC-Jack DuBrul

The Clive Cussler Code-Sean Ellis and Tony Krome

All of Wayne Valero's books

Over and Above the Pacific-Charles McKew Parr

1912 Facts about Titanic-Lee Meredith (personalized to me)

Movie Edition Sahara book-Matthew McConaughey

Such an addiction! It's crazy. Good few weeks though. I used my expected tax return to add some titles to this collection. They include:

A signed HC first of Ken Burns 'The War'

A signed HC first of Nelson DeMille's 'Up Country'

A signed HC first of Tom Clancy's 'Debt of Honor'

A signed (and authenticated) HC first of Mickey Mantle's last book 'All my Octobers'

A signed HC first of Jack Higgins 'Night of the Fox'

A signed HC first of Jack DuBrul's 'Havoc'

A signed HC first of Martin Cruz Smith's 'Red Square'

A signed (Limited Press) HC of Martin Cruz Smith's 'Polar Star'

A signed Slipcase edition of Clive Cussler's 'Plague Ship'

A signed 'Proof' (similar to an ARC) copy of the latest HC trade edition of Clive Cussler's Mayday. The one with Pitt lighting the flare on the cover.

A signed HC first (Norwood Press - Limited to 100 copies) of Clive Cussler's 'Dark Watch'

A signed UK first edition HC of Clive Cusslers 'Vixen 03'

A signed UK first edition HC of Clive Cussler's 'Sacred Stone'

8 more signed Lee Child Books 7 HC firsts, and one SC first (only edition was SC) - completing my set.

11 signed Lee child ARC's - 1 short of the set by the author - I need that one signed as well. It was cool how I got these. Wrote to him but since he was on a book tour he can't sign mailed books right now so he sent me bookplates for them with a promise to flat sign the originals when he has a chance. What a great guy, very down to earth!

Also damn happy to have added the complete set of Lee Child ARC's, a set of Kathy Reichs ARC's which she said I could mail to her for signing, couple of Bernard Cornwell ARC's, and a couple of Martin Cruz Smith ARC's.

God I feel like a loser but I think I am among good company so I don't hide my nerdiness! :)

yike:

I have been cranky, stressed, and annoyed lately. For whatever reason pissing my money away makes me feel better for a short while and I get very little post purchase regret when it is spent on books. :)