I'm Guilty Too (or a Friday Fourteen)

I had to smile when I saw this post by Ex Libris.  I wonder if all readers do this?  I tend to "collect" authors, too.  Actually with me it is usually a matter of reading a book by an author and enjoying it so much that I have to buy all their other books, too.  Although I have far more than fourteen authors that I collect (particularly mystery series), here is an assortment of authors of whose works I have more than five.

1. Franz Kafka--I have 16 books either by or about Kafka.  Aside from a short story or two, I have read practically nothing by him.  What I have read are his collected letters and various biographies.  He was such an intriguing person that I started buying all the books by him that I could find.  I also visited Prague and saw the house he lived in, and when I lived in Austria I would always think about him when I stopped in various train stations or places he had also been (I had read his letters before living in Austria, so when I got to go there it was a bonus to track down Kafka!).
2. A.S. Byatt--After I read Possession I decided I need to read her other books, too.  I am especially interested in reading the quartet of books about Frederica Potter!  I have about 7 of A.S. Byatt's books.
3. Mary Wesley--I love Mary Wesley.  I am not sure which was the first book I read by her, though The Camomile Lawn is one of my favorites.  I have 9 of her books and I think I have read nearly all of them.  I am missing a few books she wrote and as they have mostly gone out of print here in the US (she passed away a few years ago), so I will need to search out the others either used or in the UK.
4. Sebastien Japrisot--I was first introduced to Japrisot when I came across a reader's copy of A Very Long Engagement.  Luckily after that Penguin started publishing his other works.  I think I have read and own, 7 in total, just about all of his books that have been translated into english.
5. Marguerite Duras-- The Lover and North China Lover (a re-work of the earlier novel) are the two books that I have read by Duras, but I managed to find used copies of some of her other books--9 all told.
6. Edna O'Brien--I read The Country Girls Trilogy and then had to have more.  So far this is the only book by her that I have read, but I have 7 to work my way through.
7. Anita Brookner--Anita Brookner is another author that I am not sure what I read first.  I have about 13 of her books and have read most of them.  I counted 23 listed in Wikipedia, so I have a few more to track down!
8. C.S. Forester--I think I talk enough about Horatio Hornblower here that you know why I buy Forester's books!  I have the entire set of 11 Hornblower books and am currently reading #2.
9. Angela Carter--This is an author I have not yet read, though I have 5 of her books!  I am not sure what the impetus to buy her was--I must have read about her somewhere.  She has been sitting on my shelves for some time now, so I must get around to reading one of her books!
10. Diane Johnson--Le Divorce was what got me hooked on Diane Johnson.  Her novels are sort of quirky.  It has been a while since I have picked them up, but her two recent books are on my TBR pile. At last count I was up to 8 of her novels.
11. Louis de Bernieres--Corelli's Mandolin is one of my favorites novels.  His other books seem so different that I am almost afraid to read them.  Will they be as good?  I have 5 of them.
12. Edith Wharton--She is one of my very favorite authors.  I have 12 of her books--not all of them read yet.  My favorite is The Age of Innocence, which I want to reread.  I also want to tackle The House of Mirth next year, too.
13. Virginia Woolf--The Voyage Out is on my nightstand and partially read.  I hope to finish it before the end of the year.  I have 11 books of hers to read (and someday I may actually get through them all--no matter how slow I go!).
14. Dorothy Dunnett--I am going to read Dorothy Dunnett--I want to read Dorothy Dunnett.  I just don't know when.  Her books look like they deserve total commitment when they are going to be read.  I have 16 (!!) and two of those are companions  (to help sort out all of the many references in the novels).  I am a little in awe of her (and I sort of equate her with Umberto Eco), which is why I have not started yet.  I have the first Lymond book sitting by my bed!

And for extra credit--I must have a good 20 Arthuriana books.  I have sets and individual novels.  I must have the tale told from all the viewpoints as well as the original.  So far I have only read the series by Mary Stewart, but I have started The Mists of Avalon and am greatly enjoying it (though I have only made a tiny dent in the 800+ pages!).

Sometimes I do feel like I am just a "collector".  Books are my "thing" to buy.  But it is really more than that--when I find something good I want to drag the experience out as much as I possibly can (which is part of the reason I buy multiple novels by one author).  What else is there that you could possibly collect (well, for me anyway), that is as good as books?  For the small entrance fee of as little as a few dollars you get to escape this world and this life for one that might be entirely and completely different.  And you get to stay there for as long as it takes you to read the book.  And then you can go back (for free) as many times as you like! Money well spent if you ask me.

Comments

[Dorothy W.]

Money well spent indeed! I clearly don't own enough books, because I can't make my own list like yours -- I have a number of Virginia Woolf's books, and we own a bunch of Dickens and George Eliot, but other than that -- not many multiple books by the same author. I love Edith Wharton too :)

[Danielle]

Dorothy--Had I not worked in a bookstore (and got a discount!), I probably wouldn't have so many books either. There is something about being around them all the time that makes you want to own them! Of course I have no real excuse now since I haven't worked in the bookstore for at least four years!

[Ex Libris]

I'm glad I'm not the only one!! I see we have several authors that overlap. I have lots more I could include (and will at some point in time). Good for you with the Dunnetts! I've read one (The Game of Kings) and loved it! I have several of the others but just haven't had time to get to them. Must make them a priority in '07!

[Andrew]

Historically, I've generally collected publications [Everyman's Library, Franklin's Library, Folio Society], but I'm beginning to feel the urge to collect authors beyond the usual collections of my favourite authors. Now that I'm reliably informed of the better authors out there (reading blogs like this one), collecting them doesn't seem quite so eccentric (even if I don't read them]
:p

[Litlove]

You and I have such similar taste in books, Danielle, that it's scary! I've got lots of Sebastian Japrisot, and Kafka, and Mary Wesley and Woolf, and Anita Brookner, and Angela Carter, and... actually let's do this the quicker way: I must read the one Dorothy Dunnett sitting on my shelves. Oh, and I too am just a little nibble into the Mists of Avalon!

[Les in NE]

As my husband always says, "You can NEVER have too many books!" I have quite a few of Edith Wharton's, too. Isn't she a marvelous writer?!

[Amanda]

I taught Angela Carter's The Bloody Camber this semester and my students loved her. All their papers were written on her and not my man Kafka.

Lots of good reads.
Amanda

[Lesley]

As far as books go, my thought is that some women like to buy shoes, some jewelry ... with me, it's books!

[Danielle]

Ex Libris--I hope to read the first in the Lymond series sometime soon, too. I think it is a book that will need to be read by itself, though (rather than reading five at once like I tend to do!).
Andrew--I figure I will get to them eventually, and you never know when the mood will strike to pick one of them up, so it is nice to have them on hand!
Litlove--it is funny how that works out sometimes...some of my best friends have none of the same reading tastes as I do (though they love books)! It is nice when someone shares favorite authors! Wouldn't it be fun to take a look at each other's bookshelves (I expect I would find more authors I that I would enjoy).
Les--Yes, I love Wharton, too! I have to agree with your husband by the way! :)
Amanda--I think I have that book--maybe I should start there? She seems like an unusual author. I am looking forward to reading her!!
Lesley--I am the same way. I like clothes, but they can be so expensive--same with shoes. But just think of how many books you could buy instead!! :)