Photos of my personal signed book collection The Xavierite
In the era of digital, new media, there is still something special about owning physically signed novels. Whether it’s a signed first edition by a favorite author or a signature collected through Barnes and Noble’s online shop, these copies provide a sort of satisfaction beyond the content of the words inside.
It is very recently that I’ve come across signed copies of books, and since then, I have only purchased them. It started during the Xavierite trip to the ICPA awards. We visited a bookstore downtown, where I came across the title “What Have We Here?: Portraits of a Life,” by Billy Dee Williams. At the time, I was ecstatic to have found the book, and didn’t realize it was signed.
To me, finding this book signed was significant. Not only did it make it a memorable find, but it made that already memorable weekend even more unforgettable.
After finding Williams’ book out in the wild, I stumbled upon a signed copy of Arnold Schwarzenneger’s book, “Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life,” at my local Barnes and Noble. Being a celebrity autograph collector myself, I had immediately become wide-eyed because I knew how much the resale value was.
I buy signed books for the sentimental value, and the rarity. In my case, I am a fan of Arnold’s work, so it wasn’t like I was buying it to re-sell it even though I’ve seen it go for over a thousand dollars. The book is currently one of my prized autographed possessions.
One of the coolest things about signed books is that most come from in-store book signings. Just last year, actor Bob Odenkirk and his children had a signing for Anderson’s Bookstore in advertisement for their new book, and I was in attendance. It was an absolute pleasure hearing about their experiences as writers and illustrators rather than actors and comedians.
Seeing him sign the book in front of me was so surreal. It made me think to myself, although I wasn’t there to see it, notable celebrities such as Chris Pine, Stanley Tucci, and Jamie Foxx literally had my books in their hands. Due to this, I hope to attend more book-signings in the near and far future.
It also brings about a unique reading experience which honestly hypes me up to keep turning pages. It makes it seem like the messages of the book are more human, and bring about their personality. I also believe that signed books make the celebrities look better in the public eye, rather than cooped up in Hollywood surrounded by their riches.
In fact, I’d say that purchasing signed books makes me appreciate the authors even more. Sure, the writing is good, and the messages are inspiring, but the fact that they went out of their way to hand-sign thousands of copies for those interested is incredible to me.
It also makes me happy knowing that actors are creating children’s books, and signing them too. In my own collection, I have children’s books signed by Jake Gyllenhaal and Chris Pine. In the future, when I have a family of my own, they will grow up and realize the stories that they read when they were little were more than just sentimental, they were valuable.
Something that I have never done though, is purchase a signed-book from an off-brand retailer. I would far rather enjoy the experience and feelings of walking into a bookstore and stumbling upon a book I have been eager to read, signed by the author themself.
While signed copies of books may cost a few dollars more than a regular paperback, the benefits outweigh the sacrifices. Signed books aren’t just items on a shelf, they are treasures that wait until they’re discovered by the collector or even the average shopper. They provide a reading experience and a certain excitement unlike any other, that technology will never be able to replace.