$200 Well Spent (Books!)

[TheSchoolofAthens]

Earlier today, I had to run a few errands. On my way I saw a half price books and thought it was worth a stop! I walk in and browse. I pick up a few books on philosophy just to put them back down after remembering that I can get ebooks. That is until I see a 54 volume collection of beautiful books, covering philosophy, history, economics, etc. I started to drool. It was $125. But given the condition of the books and the fact that there was $54 of them, it would come down to $2.31 each. Not bad!

 

I picked up the first book and I was immediately wooed. I then noticed the same collection, but slightly newer (from the 60's rather than the 50's) with 10 additional books that are a gateway into the series "The Great Books of the Western World." This series was complete with 64 books for the price of $200. That makes each book $3.12 I couldn't resist! The first passage made the fire in my heart rage with happiness:

 

"I would conclude my letter here if I did not know, from painful experience garnered over forty years, what you will be told by your well-meaning friends. The Hutchins Poll shows they will say, "Too hard," "No time," "Too dull," "What good is it?" Since Mr.Adler and I have not the slightest interest in manufacturing furniture to decorate your living room, and still less in building up your social prestige by handing you, as it were, a poor man's Harvard diploma to hang on the wall, I must trespass on your patience a little longer to expose the absurdity of the popular answers to which I have reffered. Of course, I do not attribute them to you. If you were so unintelligent as to share suh views, you would not be holding this book in your hand; you would not have bothered to open it. No, what I am trying to do is protect you from the slings and arrows of your outrageous neighbors."

 

I knew I needed to read more! Included are the works of many great minds, even the disagreeable ones such as Kant and Marx, but how glorious to have the opportunity to read their original works in such a vintage book. People pay $200 for about three new video games, so I see this collection as a wise investment.

 

I've attached pictures of part of the books below. I believe that 34 books are missing from the pictures as I don't yet have a shelf for them, and they are resting peacefully in a box below the others. Beautiful still is their presence.

[Crallask]

Pretty impressive set.

 

I'd like to collect older books when I get the space and money.