# Unusual book on your shelf **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 5, 1999, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-book-on-your-shelf/8046 "1999-09-05T05:22:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 1999, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-book-on-your-shelf/8046/1 "1999-09-05T05:22:00Z")
What book do you have in your collection that none of the other Dopers have? For example, I have a copy of _The Complete Plays of W.S. Gilbert_ (most of which were put to music by Arthur Sullivan). I’ll bet no one else has that one, right? (And save your jokes about show tunes.) ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 1999, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-book-on-your-shelf/8046/2 "1999-09-05T05:32:00Z")
_A History of the Breast_, by Marylin Yalom. Crud, I’ve got a lot, unless there are other Dopers out there who are into typography, design, or erotic art. And does anyone else have an OED? * * * “Eppur, si muove!” - Galileo Galilei ---
**Author:** ![Doobieous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Doobieous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doobieous)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 1999, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-book-on-your-shelf/8046/3 "1999-09-05T05:51:00Z")
The only book I have that i dont think anyone else here would have is: Chinese Characters: Their origin, etymology, history, classification, and signification by Dr. L. Wieger, S.J I bought it because it has the seal forms of the characters 🙂 (Not all, but mostly for the “Primitives”. I also find it interesting (Gives some insight as to why a certain character has this or that element). ---
**Author:** ![Persephone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@Persephone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Persephone)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 1999, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-book-on-your-shelf/8046/4 "1999-09-05T05:53:00Z")
I have the Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces. An ex-boyfriend of mine picked it up for me at a yard sale, for a buck, along with a beat-up bookcase (which is what he was actually looking for). A friend of his who was with him asked him why he was buying that “weird book.” My boyfriend replied, “because she’ll read it.” And I have. Three times. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 1999, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-book-on-your-shelf/8046/5 "1999-09-05T06:06:00Z")
I have the OED - compact (i.e. magnifying glass) edition. My dad has the complete Gilbert & Sullivan. ---
**Author:** ![Bluepony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Bluepony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bluepony)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 1999, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-book-on-your-shelf/8046/6 "1999-09-05T06:19:00Z")
Cristi— I have two editions of \* The Northon Anthology of World Masterpieces \* (the fifth and sixth editions). My wife and I never sold back our college textbooks, they’re just part of our library. * * * “…send lawyers, guns, and money…” ``` Warren Zevon ``` ---
**Author:** ![Temujin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Temujin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Temujin)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 1999, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-book-on-your-shelf/8046/7 "1999-09-05T06:40:00Z")
At a garage sale, I bought a book printed more than 100 years ago titled ‘‘In Tune with the Infinite.’’ I have a 1970s edition of ‘‘The Urantia Book.’’ I also have an anthology of Mongolian short stories printed in Ulaan Baatar before Mongolia became a democracy. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 1999, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-book-on-your-shelf/8046/8 "1999-09-05T08:27:00Z")
> [@](#): > > I’ve got a lot, unless there are other Dopers out there who are into typography, design, or erotic art. Gaudy, you can’t be too suprised that a bunch of us are into erotic art. I’ve got a bucnh of books on my shelves about it, issues that go back about 2 years. Well maybe we have different definitions of _art_ I’ve got _Where the Sidewalk Ends_ by Shel Silverstein, not that rare, but it is an original print given to me at birth. ---
**Author:** ![E1skeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3da27b/32.png) [@E1skeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E1skeptic)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 1999, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-book-on-your-shelf/8046/9 "1999-09-05T08:52:00Z")
> [@](#): > > …a bunch of us are into erotic art. HUSTLER, PLAYBOY, GENT, SWANK, JUGGS… do these qualify? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 1999, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-book-on-your-shelf/8046/10 "1999-09-05T09:33:00Z")
I think I’ve got about 4 full sets of the works of Sir Walter Scott laying around. I did my senior (high school) paper on him and whenever I found an old cheap set at a used book store, or even a partial set, I would pick it up. ---
**Author:** ![Jvanhorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jvanhorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jvanhorn)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 1999, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-book-on-your-shelf/8046/11 "1999-09-05T13:43:00Z")
I’ve got most of the Dave Dawson series, printed during WWII. Also the Power Plant Series, from the 20’s, about steam engines, boilers, etc. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 1999, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-book-on-your-shelf/8046/12 "1999-09-05T13:48:00Z")
I have an autographed copy of the book _Socko!_, subtitled, _Every Riddle Your Feet Will Ever Need_, by Stephen Manes. An extract: What do London policement wear to keep their toes warm? _Bobby socks_ Where do elite feet do their shopping? _Socks Fifth Avenue_ What kind of socks save burning buildings? _Fire hose_ … well, it goes on. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 1999, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-book-on-your-shelf/8046/13 "1999-09-05T14:55:00Z")
I have a whopping big copy of the anonymous fifteenth-century _Prose Merlin_, sent to me by one of my former professors, who edited it. Bet nobody else has that! ---
**Author:** ![Gilligan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Gilligan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gilligan)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 1999, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-book-on-your-shelf/8046/14 "1999-09-05T16:05:00Z")
_Food in History_ by Reay Tannahill; a study of food and cooking and their impact on the course of history. _Beyond Boardwalk and Park Place_ by Gunther and Hutton; a proposal of additional rules that overcome Monopoly’s weaknesses. _Cartoons Even We Wouldn’t Dare Print_, Naional Lampoon collection ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 1999, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-book-on-your-shelf/8046/15 "1999-09-05T18:13:00Z")
Wisconsin Death Trip by Michael Lesy – newspaper stories from the turn of the century – moral of the book? we’ve always been a sick society Actually, since I’ve purchased three copies of this to replace loaners that didn’t come back, there could be at least two more out there. ---
**Author:** ![David\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 1999, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-book-on-your-shelf/8046/16 "1999-09-05T19:12:00Z")
_Terry McMillan: The Unauthorized Biography_ by Diane Patrick. I’m pretty sure I’m the only one here with this book because I’m not even sure it’s out yet (or if so, just barely). 🙂 I received a preview copy from St. Martin’s Press because I recently asked for a preview copy of their unauthorized biography on Dr. Laura. I guess they figured I’d want to review this one as well. They were wrong. It’s only on my shelves 'cus I haven’t figured out what to do with it yet. ---
**Author:** ![David\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 1999, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-book-on-your-shelf/8046/17 "1999-09-05T19:28:00Z")
Found a few more from tiny publishers that I’m bettin’ nobody else has: _The Right Way to Do Wrong: An Expose’_ by Harry Houdini _Keeping Carnies Honest: A Police Officer’s Field Guide to Carnival Game Inspections_ by Lindsay Smith & Bruce Walstad _Gypsy Talk: Law Enforcement’s Guide to the Secret Language of the American Gypsy_ by Dennis M. Marlock _The Change Raisers_ by W.M. Tucker _Sting Shift: The Street-Smart Cop’s Handbook of Cons and Swindles_ by Lindsay Smith & Bruce Walstad _20 Years a Fakir_ by S. James Weldon _Crooks, Con Men and Cheat_ by Eugene Villiod ---
**Author:** ![kanashimi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@kanashimi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanashimi)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 1999, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-book-on-your-shelf/8046/18 "1999-09-05T19:48:00Z")
“A Black Theology of Liberation” - James Cone read during an early phase of my fascination with African American culture. * * * “With enough courage, you can do without a reputation.” - Rhett Butler ---
**Author:** ![Babar714](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@Babar714](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babar714)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 1999, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-book-on-your-shelf/8046/19 "1999-09-05T20:44:00Z")
I got two cool ones: 1001 dirty/vulgur/erotic/gross limericks and The Home Physician, a medical book for families dated around 1880. It’s very cool to just read about all these hidious remedies. Talk about the cure being worse than the desease! ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 1999, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-book-on-your-shelf/8046/20 "1999-09-05T20:53:00Z")
_The 13 Clocks_ by James Thurber. Most excellent. * * * **\>^,^\<** “Cluemobile? You’ve got a pickup…” OpalCat’s site: [http://opalcat.com](http://opalcat.com) The Teeming Millions Homepage: [http://fathom.org/teemingmillions](http://fathom.org/teemingmillions) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-book-on-your-shelf/8046.md?page=2)