Today I reorganised my growing collection of first editions…
These are my Booker Prize winners, in chronological order, starting with the very rare Something to Answer For by P. H. Newby, the first winner of the prize.
There are still some to find, (and some of these are only paperbacks) but now they fill two shelves.
And then there are my Miles Franklin winners. Most of these are not first editions, because they can be hard to find even in tatty old paperbacks, and at the moment I’m concentrating on the Booker Prize winners.
ANZ LitLovers LitBlog 
Wow! What a brilliant thing to collect! I take it the Newby must be worth a bit.
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By: kimbofo on June 7, 2009
at 11:25 pm
The last time I looked it was, but that was in the 40th anniversary year when all things Booker were in the news. But the ones that are most expensive are the ones I haven’t got, especially Midnight’s Children because those authors are collectible in their own right, I guess. Even a second printing of Midnight’s Children is $US650…
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By: Lisa Hill on June 8, 2009
at 12:20 pm
Hope this doesn’t sound too much like bragging….but I do have first editions of all winners and short listed books since 1969. These collected over about the last 20 years and are published by UK sellers
If anyone requires any sort of information regarding certain books or jackets I’d be happy to assist
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By: Paul Higgins on September 27, 2009
at 2:48 pm
Wow, that would be a wonderful collection, Paul. Actually, I’d be interested to know which ‘first edition’ of Disgrace you have? I’m a bit confused about what’s available for that title. Lisa
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By: Lisa Hill on September 27, 2009
at 3:40 pm
Hi Lisa, the true 1st impression was printed by Biddles Ltd of Guilford in Surrey. Not sure why but subsequent editions were printed by Clay. In both cases the publisher remained Secker and Warburg.
Hope this helps.
Considering your age….as indicated by your photograph…I’d say you’re off to great start with your Booker collection!
Best wishes,
Paul.
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By: Paul Higgins on September 28, 2009
at 3:29 am
Ah, Paul, surely you noticed that the photo is B&W? I thought the pudding basin haircut was a dead give-away for my age and generation *chuckle*.
Voss is a tricky one. My edition is a first edition UK Readers Issue, not the 1957 first UK Book Society issue distributed prior to the Eyre & Spottiswoode trade edition, and that brings up the question of just exactly what is a first edtiion. There are books and websites devoted to this, of course…
Not being a really serious collector, what I like is to have the book as it was (as best I can find it) when readers first found it in bookshops. I like the quaint covers and jacket designs that convey the period. Every now and again I can afford an autographed one, and then there’s the frisson of reading the book that the author has actually held in his/her hand!
Lisa
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By: Lisa Hill on September 28, 2009
at 7:02 am