My Literary Library

I am often asked which authors do I 'seriously' collect. Since 1978, the list has grown slightly but not by much. Obviously, the total of each author's books has expanded considerably. Very rarely do I add new writers. I am perhaps a first edition 'snob' and I do try to ensure the book is not only a first edition but also has its dust wrapper (that is, if it ever had one), unless it is beyond my pocket. Below are my main collecting fields:

John Buchan (Lord Tweedsmuir)  - all his fiction and non-fiction first editions - all in dust wrappers, both U.K. and USA printings, apart from The Thirty-Nine Steps, Greenmantle (both of which I have facsimiles) and Midwinter. My collection includes all books he wrote prefaces or introductions for, or edited; also a huge library of books and magazines and journals about him and his works. Also a collection of ALS by the author. It is probably the largest collection of his work in private hands.

Susan Buchan (Susan Tweedsmuir) - all her novels and non fiction in first edition and in dust wrappers.

O. Douglas (Anna Buchan) - all her novels in first edition, with half in dust wrappers.

Alfred Duggan - all his novels and non fiction in first edition and in dust wrappers.

Daphne du Maurier - all her novels in first edition, except The Loving Spirit, Rebecca and Jamaica Inn, and in dustwrappers.

John Meade Falkner - all his novels and non fiction in first edition, as well as many subsequent editions and books which include extracts from his works. Also a collection of ALS by the author.

Susan Ferrier - all three of her novels, two in first edition.

Robert Henry Forster - all his novels and poetry and non fiction in first edition.

Constance Holme - all her novels in first edition, with dust wrappers if they had them. Also a considerable collection of ALS and TLS by the author.

Emily Sarah Holt - nearly all of of her novels, many in the rare and hard-to-find first editions. It was unusual for her publisher to date her books, hence the advertisements are the clue.

Sir Walter Scott - all his first editions, except Waverley (too expensive!) and Tales of My Landlord (1st Series)

Robert Louis Stevenson - all his novels and essays in first edition - except New Arabian Nights, The Silverado Squatters and The Amateur Emigrant.

Josephine Tey (Gordon Daviot) - all her novels and plays in first edition, except A Shilling for Candles; with all in dust wrappers except The Man in the Queue, Kif, The Expensive Halo,and The Franchise Affair.

Maurice Walsh - all his novels and short stories in first edition and in dust wrappers.

Mary Webb - all her novels in first edition , except The House in Dormer Forest, with several books about the author, all in first edition.

Stanley Weyman - all his novels in first edition and, where they had them, in dust wrappers.

Apart from Scott, Ferrier and Stevenson, I am also developing a collection of  early 19th century Scottish authors in 1st edition: John Galt, J.G. Lockhart, Mary Brunton and Elizabeth Hamilton.

Also a chosen few of the works of G. A. Henty, J. G. Edgar, Frances Mary Peard, Charlotte Yonge, Henry Newbolt, Allan Campbell McLean, and Iris Murdoch - all in first edition.

My Library - nearly all Literature and History - totals just over 8,000 books. Every one greatly valued. With well over 400 of the 600+ pocket Oxford World's Classics (all first printings with dust wrappers if they had them), self-isolation would not be a problem, whatever world virus was about.