2026 February questions meme.

[pattrose]

4. How old is the oldest book you own?

I have Ten of a large series by Dell Shannon. (this author is a woman) They are cop mysteries. I just love them. They are from the 60s so they are dated but still good reading. Wonderful case driven stories. I fell in love with the entire station house. Each book was like watching a great episode on tv. Then I have a set of ten by Ed McBain. It was another series that I loved. They were written in the 60s also. Gosh I was young when I got those books. The next set were from țhe 70s and 80s. His name is Lawrence Sanders. He's my favorite by far.
The First Deadly Sin. (1973)
The Second Deadly Sin (1977)
The Third Deadly Sin (1981)
The Fourth Deadly Sin (1985)
The Sixth Commandment (1978)
The Tenth Commandment (1980)
The Eighth Commandment (1986)
The Seventh Commandment (1980)
I own some cook books that are from the 50s and the 60s. I save books for a long, long time.

How about you? How old are your oldest books?

Comments

[sallymn]

Many any of my books are at least 20, 30 or more years old...

[pattrose]

We hang on to things we want to keep. And it’s great that we both saved them.

[malinaldarose]

My oldest books are from the late 1800s. I have original Nancy Drew books from the 1920s. The copy of Jane Eyre I read as a young teenager (and which I incorporated as a prop into my Halloween costume last year) is from the 1940s. But my mother is an antique dealer and all of my oldest books were gifts from her. (Well, not the Nancy Drews or other Stratemeyer Syndicate books; those I started collecting on my own.)

[pattrose]

Wow. I’m impressed. Now, your books are old. I have some classic ones but I bought much later. It’s fun collecting them.

[malinaldarose]

I do love my books.

[lucy_roman]

I have a book called The Big Book of Great Short Stories which is late 19thc.

[pattrose]

Now that’s old. 😁

[tinnean]

I have an original copy of Junior Miss 1943 that belonged to my youngest aunt. (who passed away the following year) Having said that, my oldest book is Don Q's Love Story, which was published in 1923. I also own the Ballantyne editions of the Tarzan of the Apes and John Carter of Mars series, which were released in the early '60s. Bobby's promised me he'll give them a home after I'm gone. :-D

[pattrose]

Those are wonderful books. That’s sweet of Bobby.

[galadhir]

I have a pair from 1790 which I bought mainly because they were from 1790, and have never tried to read for fear that my hands would harm them. One really needs restoration because its front cover is detached, but the other is in perfect condition. I must get that first one fixed!

[pattrose]

How cool. That’s exciting.