Top Ten Books I'd Save If My Home Was On Fire

Tuesday, February 21, 2012


This week's Top Ten from The Broke and the Bookish asks for Top Ten Books I'd Save If My Home Was on Fire. I picked books that I love for both their content and sentimental meaning.

1) Jane Eyre – I have a copy from 1943 with wood engravings by Fritz Eichenberg that my best friend gave me for my birthday last year. I love it.

2) The Book Thief – This one has been “loved.” It has been highlighted and cried on and I’d hate to lose it.

3) Pride and Prejudice – My beat up copy has my underlines and highlights from the different times I’ve read it. I love seeing what
stood out to me each time.

4) Travels with Charley – A lovely old edition that my Mom gave me before she died.

5) A 1945 edition of Winnie the Pooh that I bought in England.

6) My 1960s copy of To Kill a Mockingbird

7) My Mom’s Bible – Being able to read her notes when I can’t talk to her makes this the most valuable book in my library.

8) My signed copy of The Giver – I loved Lois Lowry’s books so much when I was young and going to hear her speak was such a treat.

9) My signed edition of Looking for Alaska – I loved being able to meet John Green almost as much as I love his books.

10) A Room of One’s Own - I bought this paperback from the Shakespeare and Co. Bookstore in Paris.

Photo from here.

14 comments:

Sandy Nawrot said...

Not only are these books precious to you, I bet they would be worth a pretty penny as well! That is some collection. Better have them on a special shelf so you can grab them quickly.

Amanda said...

Oh gosh first I have to say that I adore your burning house picture. :D Cracked me up this morning.

I've been reading these and seeing a theme - so many people (including me) are saving books that are irreplaceable for one reason or another.

Kat @ NoPageLeftBehind said...

I love vintage copies of favorite books! If I was in a real rush...I know I'd just run over to my vintage book pile and grab a handful :)

Tanya Patrice said...

Loved the house on fire picture to accompany this post - and just wow - you have an amazing collection of books.

Care said...

This would be a difficult list for me to create since I don't really keep books. But would probably need to grab my FatherInLaw's copy of Moby Dick.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Sandy - Most of them are pretty beat up, but I love them!

Amanda - I think those are the important ones to grab. I can buy another copy of most books, but there are some you just can't replace.

Kat - That's a good idea. Mine are all in one spot too. The Huz will be dragging me out the door and I'll be stacking more books in my arms if our house ever burns.

Tanya Patrice - Isn't that photo cool! I've got some books I really love.

Care - I wish I could be better about letting books go, but if I love it I want to keep it.

Cookie said...

Jane Eyre is on my list too! And my collection of Jane Austen, but I guess you're choice of just Pride and Prejudice would be lighter (and that one is my favorite).

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Cookie - I wouldl love to take my whole collection of Austen too. Persuasion is actually my favorite, not P&P.

Jenny said...

Today's question makes me sad and I don't want to think about it. In my mind, I always have renter's insurance and a completely accurate catalogue of my books on LibraryThing, and the insurance company is super impressed with me for being so incredibly organized. Not that I've thought about this too much or anything.

Jenners said...

What a wonderful collection of books. I want you to put them in something that you can easily grab if (God forbid) there ever is a fire!

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Jenny - I have all my books catelogued on LT as well, but I hate the thought of losing all of my notes in them.

Jenners - That's a good idea. I was talking to The Huz about what we should grab if the house was on fire and he looked at me like I was crazy and said, "You don't grab anything, you get out. Your house is ON FIRE!" He has a point.

Trish @ Love, Laughter, Insanity said...

Without googling the Jane Eyre copy, I'm wondering if we have the same book! With the green cover? I also have a Wuthering Heights of the same edition. The copies I have are ones I received from my great aunt when she died. They were actually her first husband's who died at sea during WWII (south pacific). He inscribed his name, the date, and his station in them, so they're invaluable to me.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

Trish - I bet it's the same copy! I just googled the Wuthering Heights copy and I want it. What a wonderful thing to have from your great aunt!

MedSchoolWife said...

EXcellent picks!