Top Reads From The Rare Collections

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” – George R.R. Martin

Today we bring you some of the top-recommended reads from The Rare Collections recommended by Christo and Brenda. From those books seeped in a sense of history to science fiction, special editions and more. Let’s take a closer look at what this dynamic duo suggests…

Maya Angelou’s Music, Deep Rivers in My Soul.

“We love Maya Angelou’s work, her beautiful writings awakens every emotion while shining a light on important themes such as identity, racism and family. You can’t read her work without being moved.

We chose to suggest this particular book of Dr Angelou’s because it was a groundbreaking edition for the Limited Editions Club (in 2003.) She wrote it as a first edition, especially for the members of the club. It inspired two additional exceptional artists; Dean Mitchell and Wynton Marsalis to also contribute to the project. Dean Mitchell created six gorgeous etchings for the book and Wyntan Marsalis composed music to accompany Dr Angelou as she read her poem. This is included on a CD with the book. The book is a celebration of art in multiple forms and definitely a cherished collector’s piece for anyone.”

Special Edition Books by NK Jemisin

“As self-confessed Science Fiction nerds, we have to recommend books by Nora Keita Jemisin. She is one of the biggest award-winning sci-fi authors of the past two decades and for very good reason. Most notably she is the only author to ever have received three consecutive Hugo Best Novel awards! (This was for her groundbreaking Broken Earth Trilogy.)

You can only learn about her fantastical worlds through reading them yourself. Giving a summary, or any opening other than her own, will do it a disservice. So we will share with you the prologue from the first book in her Broken Earth Trilogy. From that you can decide if you want to learn more about this post-apocalyptic world of hers and the journeys of the people within. Be warned it will take you on a stirring journey but one we feel is completely worth it.”

From the book…

“Let’s start with the end of the world, why don’t we? Get it over with and move on to more interesting things.

First, a personal ending. There is a thing she will think over and over in the days to come, as she imagines how her son died and tries to make sense of something so innately senseless. She will cover Uche’s broken little body with a blanket—except his face, because he is afraid of the dark—and she will sit beside it numb, and she will pay no attention to the world that is ending outside. The world has already ended within her, and neither ending is for the first time. She’s old hat at this by now.

What she thinks then, and thereafter, is: But he was free.

And it is her bitter, weary self that answers this almost-question every time her bewildered, shocked self manages to produce it:

He wasn’t. Not really. But now he will be.”

Collector Editions available…

“We have three sets of Jemisin’s fantastical work that I would recommend. All beautiful Limited Editions (to 300 each) from Anderida Books. Signed by Jemisin herself. Fantastic quality collector’s editions.”

These are:

• The Dreamblood Duology – The Killing Moon & the Shadowed Sun (Signed Limited Edition)
• The Fifth Season, the Obelisk Gate & the Stone Sky (Signed Limited Edition with Custom Slipcase)
• The Inheritance Trilogy – the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, the Broken Kingdoms, the Kingdoms of the Gods + the Awakened Kingdom and Other Stories

Franklin Press Books

“Then for nostalgia and the familiar. We highly recommend our Franklin Press Books for the classics. Not only will they look beautiful in your library, they will take you back to the stories of the ages. Such as Moby Dick, Gulliver’s Travels, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Robinson Crusoe, Canterbury Tales, Jane Eyre etc.”

Rare Collections specialises in collectable items with a special focus on rare books and prints. They have a particularly strong range of modern first editions; signed books; speculative fiction and Livre d’Artiste books, as well as original prints and maps.

For more visit Rare Collections.