New edition of Wilfred Owen

[IanA]

The private press Gwasg Gregynog have published a slim (80 page) volume of Owen's letters and poems. I haven't seen a copy but it will be wonderful to hold. A wee bibliographical jewel. I'm willing to bet it even smells gorgeous. I'm sure all interested in Great War literature will want to rush out and purchase a copy.

Sorry? The price? Oh, a snip at £275.00.

[Graham-McAdam]

A nice review of it by Jan Morris in today's Observer:

http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/stor...2146818,00.html

I decided to look out for it. Hadn't noticed the price!!

[PoW1988]

That would be an asset to own...I'll wait for the paperback

Lynz

[Steven Broomfield]

Shame Mrs B has already bought my birthday pressie.

[PBI]

I suppose Them with more Money than Sense will rush out and purchase a Copy.

[Guest tafski]

I suppose Them with more Money than Sense will rush out and purchase a Copy.

so when you rushing out

[PBI]

When i get back from the Bahamas old Chap.

[DaveBrigg]

For the cost of a few pages of plain A4 and some ink, you can download the letters and poems here http://www.hcu.ox.ac.uk/jtap/ and print your own. Anyone want a copy for £100?

[Steven Broomfield]

For the cost of a few pages of plain A4 and some ink, you can download the letters and poems here http://www.hcu.ox.ac.uk/jtap/ and print your own. Anyone want a copy for £100?

I'll swap you for my copy of "Passcehendales - the day by day...."

[truthergw]

For the cost of a few pages of plain A4 and some ink, you can download the letters and poems here http://www.hcu.ox.ac.uk/jtap/ and print your own. Anyone want a copy for £100?

Can we haggle a bit?

[Dragon]

The price presumably reflects the fact that each book is a fine, limited edition book, in fact a work of art, made by traditional crafts-people, possibly hand set, using hand-made paper and fine materials, hand-bound, and illustrated by a leading artist. It would be seen as an investment.

It just isn’t an ordinary book. It’s not unusual to find ordinary publishers making collectors’ editions of new books costing three and more figures.

The pleasure in having a thoroughly beautiful book inevitably costs more than a standard paperback; I used to buy two copies of books: Penguin editions to scribble in and fine editions for the sheer joy of handling and reading a beautiful object. If some people choose to spend money on art, then long may traditionally skilled craftsworkers provide it.

Gwyn

[PBI]

£275 Quid..Blimey,i could have a Weeks B & B in Belgium for that plus Money left over.Think i will pass on the Book.

[Katie Elizabeth Stewart]

Anyone who has seen my profile will know I consider that price too cheap! Do you know where I can get one?!

[IanA]

Anyone who has seen my profile will know I consider that price too cheap! Do you know where I can get one?!

gregynogpress.co.uk

or call 01686 650625

[Katie Elizabeth Stewart]

Merci. I'm on the case.

[truthergw]

When going through some of Newton's papers, Keynes came across an uneaten chop. It was conjectured that the great man had used it as a place marker. I urge you not to follow his example.

[Guest mruk]

£275. That works out at summat like £3-odd a page. I have one here which cost me just short of a fiver. It wants to be gold leaf for that price. I think I'll do a PBI, and pass on this one. I could never justify forking out that amount of dosh--even if it does seem cheap to those who like Owen's work, some of which I even like myself. Not a lot, but I do like a little. £275. I could feed a family of five on that for a year during the war, and still have change left over to hold a street party. Good grief!

Cheers,

Dave

[Katie Elizabeth Stewart]

When going through some of Newton's papers, Keynes came across an uneaten chop. It was conjectured that the great man had used it as a place marker. I urge you not to follow his example.

Wouldn't dream of thus besmirching the pages!

[Dragon]

I didn't say it was cheap and I didn't say I wanted it. I was just putting it in context.

Gwyn

[truthergw]

As you say, Gwyn, it is a work of art as much or perhaps even more than a book. I have indulged in a few ' really nice ' books myself. I have a set of slipcased Decline and Fall, which are really ornaments that people ( after they wash their hands) like to leaf through and admire. I also have a set of grubby and well used Penguins which are the working tools. They have all the foot and end notes which the nice ones don't. All the slipcased books in a nice book case look good. One judges the value and price of a work of art in a different way to a book for reading. I can't bring myself to write in them but I festoon them with stickies.

[Steven Broomfield]

I agree with Gwyn. I have a few books on my shelves which have weighed-in at over £100: it's the value YOU put on them that's important. The sheer joy of handling an old book (I even have some whaih were uncut when I acquired them!) is beyond measure, for people who like that sort of thing.

I could spend the money on booze or fags, or on medals or badges, or even on a season ticket at Chelsea (well, actually, not that...), but books do it for me.

This may sound facile (it's not meant to be), but my collection of 1970's Cambridge United programmes is probably worthless in real terms, but absolutely priceless to me as a memory of a lost youth.

Hey...this is getting heavy.......

[IanA]

A beautiful book is almost beyond price. You may drive equally swiftly and safely in a Toyota Yaris or an Alvis Silver Eagle (the Toyota is almost certainly faster and safer) but the experiences can hardly be compared. Some people might find the Alvis drive more satisfying.

I have several precious first editions which are a joy to read. I probably do get a kick out of the rarity value but it is a tactile, visual, and even olefactory experience which I value highly.

[PBI]

£275. That works out at summat like £3-odd a page. I have one here which cost me just short of a fiver. It wants to be gold leaf for that price. I think I'll do a PBI, and pass on this one. I could never justify forking out that amount of dosh--even if it does seem cheap to those who like Owen's work, some of which I even like myself. Not a lot, but I do like a little. £275. I could feed a family of five on that for a year during the war, and still have change left over to hold a street party. Good grief!

Cheers,

Dave

[MartH]

Reminds me of coming across a very upset book (so called military) dealer in the early 80's at a book fair in I think Midhurst. He'd been offered a copy of the Seven Pillars of Wisdom by an old guy who said it was a rare work and valuable, and the dealer had proceeded to give the standard lecture, chapter and verse on values of books, buying for content, blah blah blah, the full 5 minutes ....and ended with the first edition was not worth much.

The old guy had replied without blinking "Its a subscribers edition you fool, I was one of Lawrence's Amoured Car Drivers in the Desert". With that the old guy had walked off, it would of course been personally annotated by Lawrence to him

Alas, gone are the days when you could rub shoulders with Lawrence's men at bookfairs reminding people that books are more than the content. And I saw the bookdealer 5 minutes after the event, he'd aged 10 years after missing his best buy ever.

Regards

Mart

[Dragon]

One judges the value and price of a work of art in a different way to a book for reading.

Yes. In this case one isn't buying the poems. A limited edition print could easily cost as much or more, and this book is in some ways like a limited edition print. It's a collectors' piece.

I'd love to see a copy.