The one that got away

As I have mentioned before, I collect the Barnes and Noble leather bound collectible edition books. Not all, only the ones that I wish to own, and have actually already read, or have a desire to read. I started to collect these books roughly two years ago, three years ago at the absolute most. So beginning in 2012 or 2013 is when I became aware of these books and slowly started to add them to my library.

Apparently in 2009 the complete "Chronicles of Narnia" was produced as a beautiful leather bound edition. At the time $20.00 in stores, and $18.00 online. It was discontinued, as some of these books tend to be as new titles are released. Now it is considered rare, and highly collectible. I have seen them selling on e-bay for anywhere in the price range of $200.00 - $300.00 and upwards. I missed out on this one.

I saw one at Half Price Books several weeks ago. It was in their display cabinet, and priced at $95.00 ... $95.00 is, all things considered, a good deal. But a little much for me. It was there on my second trip, still calling out to me. And it was there again on my third trip. I decided to ask if I could view it outside of the cabinet, since I was curious to look at one first hand anyway. I was actually relieved to see that the book was not nearly as pretty as it had appeared when it was behind glass due to flaws and wear. Blemishes, scratches, and smudges. What was once tempting, was no more. I was not going to pay full price, but was curious to see if they would lower their asking price. No. Couldn't hurt to ask.

I will probably never own this beautiful book. The one that got away.

                                          

Book Lust

The first thing is to admit that you have a problem, and I do not have a problem.

I may, or I may not, have been going book shopping once every week so far this month. My eyes bugging out as I desperately dash around from first Half Price Books, and then later Barnes and Noble on the way home. Possibly hyperventilating along the way. I may, or I may not, have gone home feeling defeated because I only found two books, rather then my preferred stack. I may, or I may not, have been seen salivating over a book that was a little out of my price range, talked myself out of it, left the store feeling okay with my decision, turned the car back around and dashed in and bought it anyway. I may, or I may not, have bypassed those Barnes and Noble collectible leather bound editions because I had already spent so much money at Half Price Books, and then continued to think about them until it nearly drives me mad with frustration and book lust  ...

I may, or I may not, have done all of the above, and am also currently thinking about those Barnes and Noble collectible leather bound editions at this very minute ...

I am thinking about those Barnes and Noble collectible leather bound editions.

Is there something wrong when you want a book, and you can't stop thinking about it until you have it in your hands? Is that bad? Is it bad that I am thinking about going back to Barnes and Noble later this week to get those Barnes and Noble collectible leather bound editions that I bypassed last week? And heck, since I will be right there I may as well go back to Half Price Books too, huh? Let's just realize that I will have no peace of mind until said books are in my possession, so I am doing this for my health, right?

I am a collector. Books are my passion, and books are what drives me.

My Goodreads Reading Challenge

Earlier today, while updating my Goodreads, I became aware that I have now slipped five books behind schedule in my Goodreads reading challenge. I set my challenge at the goal of reading sixty five books for the year of 2015, and have now to date only read twelve of that sixty five. While not a impressive number, I do tend to read mainly classics ... those thicker, smaller print, more tedious reads. I have no doubt in my mind that I could double my numbers by reading less of the classics, but that brings me to my question. Should you read books, just to increase your reading quota?

I have a impressive to read list on the classics, should I really bypass those books that I am eager to read, just to get caught up on a reading challenge? Forego the classics in favor of less appealing, but easier to read, modern books? I rarely read a modern book that leaves something with me, like the classics do. In fact I became so disgusted with them last year that I called it quits, and started to read only from my personal library of classics. I have not looked back, and I have not yet seen a newly released book that has sparked my interest. I doubt that I will run out of material from my personal collection either. Trying to read all of the books in my library truly is the metaphor of Pursuing the White Whale, as I not only own a large number of books, but I am always adding new ones to it. That's not to say that good books aren't being written today. They are just very hard to find.

The Classics may bog down my reading quota, but I get so much more from my reading experience.

His Last Bow by Arthur Conan Doyle

I had a difficult time being drawn into "His Last Bow" by Arthur Conan Doyle. The cases weren't pulling me in quite as easily as they did before. Perhaps I weary of Sherlock Holmes in my Sherlock Holmes reading binge, this being the eighth book with one more to go yet. But as I continued to read, I realized that these were actually some of the more interesting cases to date. I adore the ignorant, brilliant detective. I must beg his forgiveness at my unfaithfulness, in my moment of weakness.

Wisteria Lodge
Sherlock Holmes is approached by Scott Eccles, whom is being pursued by two Inspectors on the suspected murder of Mr. Aloysius Garcia, of Wisteria Lodge. Scott Eccles explains the situation to Holmes. Having just met Mr. Aloysius Garcia, he was promptly invited days later to spend a few days at Wisteria Lodge. His host behaving oddly during his visit the first night. Upon awakening Scott Eccles finds himself to be alone in the house. The Host, the footman, the cook, all having vanished during the night. He is furious, thinking that he was victim of a absurd practical joke, and storms out. He approaches Holmes first, shortly after his arrival at 221B Baker Street the two Inspectors catch up to him. He then learns from the two Inspectors that Mr. Aloysius Garcia was found murdered on the road nearly a mile from the house, his head having received repeated, and vicious blows. A letter from Scott Eccles being found on the body, put the Inspectors onto his trail.
I found this to be one of the duller cases to be portrayed in the book, although there were quite a few plot twists involved.

The Cardboard Box
Miss Susan Cushing receives a small packet, wrapped in brown paper, in the mail. Inside was filled with course salt. Upon emptying this, she is horrified to find two human ears, apparently quite freshly severed. Lestrade asks for Holmes assistance on the case. Holmes soon comes to the conclusion that a double murder has been committed after observing the ears and declaring that they both came from a different person, one being a woman's and the other a man's.
I loved this case, however seemly gruesome it may come across as.

The Red Circle
Holmes is consulted by Mrs. Warren, a landlady, who is uneasy about the upstairs lodger. She only meets him the first time, afterwards he demands his privacy and doesn't want to be disturbed under any circumstance.
Although not entirely a dull read, this wasn't as fascinating a case as some of the others.

The Bruce-Partington Plans
Holmes is approached by his older brother, Mycroft. I was interested to read that Mycroft was part of the British Government. Never before in the series was this mentioned, and I often wondered why he played that part in the BBC television series when not in the book. Mycroft requests Holmes assistance because Arthur Cadogan West was found murdered with seven out of ten pages of the Bruce-Partington submarine plans, one of the top guarded government secrets. Did Arthur intend to sell the submarine plans? And where are the missing three pages?
This was a highly entertaining case, and one that really gave Holmes the chance to dig for clues.

The Dying Detective
Mrs. Hudson, the landlady of Sherlock Holmes, seeks Watson's help when Holmes falls ill. Holmes refuses medical treatment, and when three days have passed he appears to be at deaths door. Mrs. Hudson, fearing that he is dying, insists upon getting help. Holmes will only allow her to go to Dr. Watson. Upon his arrival Holmes will not allow Watson to come within hands reach of him, telling him that he has contacted a coolie disease from Sumatra, highly contagious by touch, and deadly. He implores Watson to wait until 6:00 PM, before he will allow Watson to collect Mr. Culverton Smith, the man best versed in the disease, but also the man that Holmes accused of the murder of Mr. Culverton Smith's nephew.
This was a edge of the seat read, no doubt about it. I was both anxious and concerned, but also in denial. Possibly the best case in "His Last Bow".

The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax 
Lady Frances has mysteriously disappeared. Holmes sends Watson in his stead, as he has pressing business elsewhere. Watson as usual, messes everything up, and Holmes has to swoop in to fix things.
While not a remarkable case, the end had me totally enthralled.

The Devils Foot
The Vicar draws Holmes attention to surely one of the most mysterious cases to date. The Vicar speaks for Mr. Mortimer Tregennis, whom has just discovered that the three siblings that he had only just visited the prior night have had a most unusual event occur after his departure. Something caused his sister to die of fright, and his two brothers to go insane from shock. Sherlock suspects Mortimer of foul play, but Mortimer is discovered the following morning also dead. Cause of death, fright.
This was the best case that I have read to date. It was just perfect in every single way.

His Last Bow
This truly is show cased around Sherlock Holmes last case. His last bow. I did not see it coming, and was pleasantly surprised with the results. It was odd to read of a older version of Sherlock, and Watson.

My Rating : *****

My Book Haul

 This is two weeks worth of book purchases. The first pictured is the recently released Barnes and Noble leather bound collectible edition that I bought through Barnes and Noble two weeks ago. "The Complete Peter Rabbit"  by Beatrix Potter. This book is absolutely, breathtakingly beautiful. Blue leather, with gold gilt edging, a blue satin book mark, and full color illustrations. You can get your own copy here : Barnes and Noble
I collect the Barnes and Noble collectible editions. I find them to be of a high quality, at a reasonably affordable price. I have been very impressed by them, and will continue to collect them.

 This next book was also purchased two weeks ago. I bought it from Half Price Books. "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller. While not necessary one of my finer finds, it is a book that I have been interested in reading for some time now.

 These two books were purchased earlier this week from Half Price Books. The larger red one on the left is "Barchester Towers" by Anthony Trollope, A Franklin Library edition. I found this book in the clearance for $3.00 so I figured that at that price I could take a gamble on it. The smaller, darker one on the right is "The Red House Mystery" by A.A. Milne, also a Franklin Library edition. I enjoy Milne as a author so I was excited to find this book. Prior to now, I did not realize that Milne wrote a mystery.

Now this was the real gem. I purchased this set earlier this week, also through Half Price Books. A Winnie-The-Pooh collectible set of four. "Winnie-The-Pooh", "The House at Pooh Corner", "When We Were Very Young", and "Now We are Six" by A.A. Milne, Easton Press collectible editions. Price will not be disclosed, but I will say that I feel that I got them at a very reasonable price after seeing what they are selling for online.

Sleep Deprived

Please tell me that I am not the only person that chooses to deprive myself of sleep in order to get some more reading time in. 

This will typically happen when I am reading a book that keeps me on the edge of my seat. I am either in the middle of something that is currently taking place, and I want to see it through, or I want to know what happens next. I watch the clock tick by in horror as I desperately glance from it, back to my book. It's a race that I have never been able to win. I swear that I have seen more then one sunrise because of being unable to set a book down. I once even tried to finish reading a book in the dark, by nightlight, when younger because I didn't want my parents to realize that I was still awake. Far too many nights as a teenager resulted in me tip toeing back to my bedroom after spending most of the night reading ... most nights actually.

Most nights however I simply just choose to continue to read rather then heading off to bed and getting my full eight hours of sleep. The power of reading.

                       

The Valley of Fear by Arthur Conan Doyle

Moriarty makes another appearance here. Prior to "The Valley of Fear", Moriarty only made a appearance in "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes". Which I found shameful, considering that he is one of the most interesting criminals to date in the series. Granted that this book is supposed to date back before "The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes", but I am still trilled to be seeing more of him. I did hear that he only makes these two appearances however, so this may be the end of Moriarty for this series.

My Rating : *****