Selecting classics: individual or anthologies?

[BamaTanya]

I was an English major before I became a teacher. And then I homeschooled.

I have books. Tons and tons of books. Many classics, and lots of twaddle. I've bought books because I loved them, because they were assigned, because they were classics, because they were pretty, because they related to something I was teaching, or because they were cheap.

Now I look at my collection and *wish* I had been more selective. I really wasted money on cheap books that now have brittle and yellowed pages. And I can barely wade through the twaddle to find the treasures I always intended to share with my children.

Of course, I can toss or donate all the ones that aren't really of use to me or that don't "sing to me" (a la FlyLady) anymore. But I can't really break my addiction to collecting books.

So . . . if you decided to toss the 25 yo paperback of Canterbury Tales, where would you spend your (still limited) money on your next books? Of course I'll keep the leather-bound Shakespeare my parents gave me at graduation, but will I ever read my thick anthologies of British poetry or the novels of George Eliot? If Wuthering Heights never appealed to me, shouldn't I let it go, no matter its classic status? Do I snap up the next Faulkner anthology I see? Or wait until I see The Unvanquished on a clearance table?

I want to rebuild my library as an investment in future pleasure . . . not just a mindless and cluttered collection.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

I hate holding heavy books. This is even more true as I get older (My wrists hurts - arthritis? My shoulder hurts - bursitis. My eyes don't see so well - presbyopia. My neck and upper back hurt when I hunch over anything for any period of time. And, I'm only 44yo). So, for practical purposes, I wouldn't buy any anthologies, or big, bulky, heavy editions of any book. I know I would never read them.

Just a thought.

[Liberty]

I'm not sure if this helps but my dream has always been to collect the entire Franklin Library, which was a division of The Franklin Mint. They produced fine collector edition books over three decades ending in 2000.

They took the 100 greatest novels of all time and re-printed into the most beautiful leather-bound, gold-edged books. I own one (Pride and Prejudice), that I found at a rummage sale. They are out-of-print, but not that expensive to purchase used (well, sometimes they get pricey). If I had extra money (keyword here is "extra") I'd buy them all. Here's a link at abebooks that has pics: http://www.abebooks.com/docs/Community/Featured/franklin.shtml?nsa=1

Anyway, I am also a former English major finding it impossible to pitch books. My dh built one whole wall of shelves (ceiling to floor) and it's already filled. I still have my college-day anthologies (on the shelf), but prefer to read the individual novels.

[Liberty]

Actually here's a much better link for more info on the Franklin Library:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Library

[shanmar]

...I still love all my varied forms of books! I remember buying them or receiving them. I remember holding them in class. I am a rather eclectic person however, so I like to have all sorts of flavors and textures around me. I purposely organize my books so they are all varied.

My bookstore might be a little messy if I keep that up(eeekkk).

I guess, I shouldn't be posting, because I am not being very helpful!