# What book or series do you feel is worthy of an expensive leather bound set? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [August 4, 2023, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-or-series-do-you-feel-is-worthy-of-an-expensive-leather-bound-set/988056 "2023-08-04T17:27:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-or-series-do-you-feel-is-worthy-of-an-expensive-leather-bound-set/988056/21 "2023-08-06T22:21:40Z")
I found myself with some extra cash a number of years ago (a home repair project ended up coming significantly under budget) and coincidentally came across a discount offer for the Virginia Edition. So I decided to treat myself. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-or-series-do-you-feel-is-worthy-of-an-expensive-leather-bound-set/988056/22 "2023-08-06T22:27:01Z")
My response is just the opposite: I love Hornblower’s self-doubt, his desire to act morally but in situations that make his choices difficult, his fear of failure due to his flaws. Aubrey and Maturin struck me as flat and uninteresting. À chacun son goût! As for expensively bound books, I’m thinking the Collected Works of Marx and Engels, volumes 1-50, would go nicely in the living room bookcase. Even just the Communist Manifesto in red, red leather would be nice, and ironic. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2023, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-or-series-do-you-feel-is-worthy-of-an-expensive-leather-bound-set/988056/23 "2023-08-06T23:34:40Z")
[Savage Pellucidar](https://www.google.com/shopping/product/1?q=frank+frazetta+savage+pellucidar&client=ms-android-verizon-us-rvc3&bih=674&biw=377&hl=en&tbs=vw:g&sxsrf=AB5stBjG1-mnrpq0I9xuSjv4UlT0I3M5uA:1691364930742&prds=num:1,of:1,eto:3903742473294161589_0,prmr:1,pid:3903742473294161589,cs:1) in particular, plus any other ERB books with a Frazetta cover. It’s really just for the cover art, a paperback copy of the book is good enough. ETA: Not sure if that’s the original cover picture. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-or-series-do-you-feel-is-worthy-of-an-expensive-leather-bound-set/988056/24 "2023-08-07T13:47:41Z")
The [original cover](https://www.erbzine.com/mag7/spdj.jpg) (Canaveral Press, 1963) was by J. Allen St. John. Frazetta’s was from the 1973 Ace paperback edition. The 1990 Ballantine edition had [another Frazetta](https://www.erbzine.com/mag7/spff.jpg) painting. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-or-series-do-you-feel-is-worthy-of-an-expensive-leather-bound-set/988056/25 "2023-08-07T14:10:29Z")
Thanks for that info. I’ve seen the 1990 version, it’s pretty good too. Frazetta’s style was perfect for the Pellucidar series. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-or-series-do-you-feel-is-worthy-of-an-expensive-leather-bound-set/988056/26 "2023-08-07T14:24:26Z")
ERBzine has a pretty good directory with publishing data and artwork information. > **[ERB C.H.A.S.E.R Directory](https://www.erbzine.com/chaser/)** > > ERBzine Guide to the Novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs Here is the page for Savage Pellucidar: [https://www.erbzine.com/mag7/0747.html](https://www.erbzine.com/mag7/0747.html) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-or-series-do-you-feel-is-worthy-of-an-expensive-leather-bound-set/988056/27 "2023-08-07T14:55:23Z")
Where is my Discworld set? ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-or-series-do-you-feel-is-worthy-of-an-expensive-leather-bound-set/988056/28 "2023-08-07T16:03:36Z")
It’s still leather if it’s not from a cow? ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-or-series-do-you-feel-is-worthy-of-an-expensive-leather-bound-set/988056/29 "2023-08-07T16:05:10Z")
I think my answer is obvious. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-or-series-do-you-feel-is-worthy-of-an-expensive-leather-bound-set/988056/30 "2023-08-07T18:28:31Z")
[This](https://www.etsy.com/listing/1208277184/leather-book-of-the-dead-necronomicon) is awfully tempting, but only if autographed in blood by the author. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-or-series-do-you-feel-is-worthy-of-an-expensive-leather-bound-set/988056/31 "2023-08-07T18:34:15Z")
For the Aubrey/Maturin fans, this set isn’t leather bound, but it is very, very nice: > **[Amazon.com: The Complete Aubrey/Maturin Novels: 9780393060119: O'Brian, Patrick:...](https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Aubrey-Maturin-Novels-volumes/dp/039306011X)** > > Amazon.com: The Complete Aubrey/Maturin Novels: 9780393060119: O'Brian, Patrick: Books ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-or-series-do-you-feel-is-worthy-of-an-expensive-leather-bound-set/988056/32 "2023-08-07T18:42:47Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > > [@minor7flat5](#): > > > > For me it has always been the Horatio Hornblower series. > > I recently bought the first Hornblower book and found him rather boring. Far too full of angst for me. I much prefer Aubrey and Maturin. In fact, I think Hornblower’s problems arise from his lack of a confidant. I’ve read the first Aubrey/Maturin (recently), and at least one Hornblower (long ago). I very much prefer Richard Bolitho. I’d like complete leather-bound sets of Bolitho, Asey Mayo, Manse Everard, Swallows & Amazons, and John Grimes, as well as various single books by Heinlein and other authors. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-or-series-do-you-feel-is-worthy-of-an-expensive-leather-bound-set/988056/33 "2023-08-07T21:09:19Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > Swallows & Amazons I have hardbacks of Ransom’s Swallows and Amazons, Not leather though 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2023, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-or-series-do-you-feel-is-worthy-of-an-expensive-leather-bound-set/988056/34 "2023-08-07T23:28:56Z")
I feel like I could go for leather bound set of Edward Packard’s “Choose Your Adventure” series… ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2023, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-or-series-do-you-feel-is-worthy-of-an-expensive-leather-bound-set/988056/35 "2023-08-08T16:28:18Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > I have hardbacks of Ransom’s Swallows and Amazons, Not leather though 🙂 I have hardbound editions of the first two, and paperbacks of the others. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2023, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-or-series-do-you-feel-is-worthy-of-an-expensive-leather-bound-set/988056/36 "2023-08-08T17:21:33Z")
TBH, I really like the first, the second is okay, but the others don’t really work for me. I bought the set from a charity stall for pennies. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-or-series-do-you-feel-is-worthy-of-an-expensive-leather-bound-set/988056.md?page=1)