I Cannot Live Without Books!

I love books! As Thomas Jefferson is quoted, “I cannot live without books.” That’s the way I feel. I would rather have a new book than almost anything else. I said almost, because I also love shoes, and music, and make-up, and travel. But, when all is said and done, I love books.

But they must be good literature, or history, or at least based in history, or informative and enduring like the classics. No trashy novels here. I love to browse the bookstore, though truly good books are often times missing from the bookstore. Most stores now cater to trendy bestsellers, games, kindle or nook books, coffee.

One of the best bookstores I have ever been in is Bauman Rare Books, with some very beautiful locations across the country, and lucky for me, one located in The Shoppes at The Palazzo, in Las Vegas, NV. It is more than a bookstore actually, featuring incredible first editions of antique as well as more current literature. David and Natalie Bauman began the company in 1973 with their love of literature and history. A trip to Bauman’s is like a trip to a fine boutique museum.

They send me a beautiful quarterly brochure of books available for purchase. Naturally, I have my favorites that I would like to have grace my library, but I must admit, they are a bit pricey! How about these, for example:

Edward Gibbons Decline and Fall (of the Roman Empire), 1776, First Edition, 6 volumes, for a mere $36,000.               







George Vancouver's Voyage, First Edition, 1798, one of the most important accounts of the exploration of the Pacific Northwest, for the adventurer! $72,000!

 

 

 





 Isaac Newton's Opticks, 1704, First Edition, a treatise on Reflection, Refraction, Colors of Light. Feed your inner nerd with this one!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas Paine's Common Sense, 1776, $35,000, First Edition, a little dog-earred, but a gem non-the-less, for American Revolution historians.

 

 

 

 

 

So, I say, if you're looking for a nice little gift for me as a thank you for all this research I bring to you on a weekly basis (ha ha!), how about looking at a book for me! HIne, hint: I kind of like Gibbon's Decline and Fall!!