"Manual of Therapeutics" by L. Martinet, translated with alterations and additions by Robert Norton, Publisheed in 1830.

THe book belonged to on of my ancestors who was a surgeon aboard the convict ship Neptune. The ship was carrying 282 exiles to Van Diemans land, who refused to take the convicts, so they were to be landed in Cape Town instead. James Deas died there of yellow fever on 29th September 1849 age 37. The convicts were not allowed to land in South Africa either, and the ship was re-routed back to Tasmania.

We still have his chest, that contains various other books, clothing and some gunpower.

You are so lucky to have things like that! One of my aunts has some German books brought over by my great grandfather when he immigrated to North America. They date from the period when HIS great grandfather immigrated from Germany to Russia. None of us can read German, though, unfortunately.

I have a first edition copy of 'The Silmarillion' by JRR Tolkien.

I also have a lot of pretty old classic novels, you know the sort...

And...I have an out-of-print children's book called 'Beyond the Paw Paw Trees'. I have no idea how I got it...it seems to have just appeared.


Not too old, really.

I have just had a look. In Belfast, Ireland, my family are well know bibliomanics, (the local lending library, sent people to us, we had more of their stock than they had) as with most families, the oldest book in my own collection is a family Bible, it is dated 1897, and the first entry is my grandfather's christening. The oldest work of literary fiction I have, is a first edition of James Joyce "Dubliners"

I have a copy of a book of stories called "Hollow Tree Days and Nights" from 1892, hardback in excellent condition. Also, I was looking in a copy of "The Three Musketeers" from 1923 and I found a receipt inside from a general store in Illinois from 1904. Apparently, *unknown amount* of grain and corn was $1.20. It's very interesting. I have a load of French books from the late 1800-early 1900s too. -M.

"Robbery Under Arms" 1896.

It was thrown away, along with a stack of other old books. Needless to say, we scooped it up.

The oldest book I have is Atlantis: The Antediluvian World, by Ignatius Donnelly, 1882. This was the first scholarly work devoted to the Atlantis theory and has since been largely debunked. It's fascinating reading though and is full of great illustrations.

The oldest book I have is called "The Royal School History of Scotland". It was published in 1873. I haven't read it, I wouldn't dare; it is very frail and is just about to fall apart. It was a textbook used many years ago and I don't know how I obtained it. It must have been in a box of belongings from my grandfather. It is interesting to see all the notes scribbled in by students, dating from over 100 years ago!

The second oldest book I have is an Encyclopedia of English History, published in 1936. It is two volumes and still in good condition. It was given to me by relatives who would otherwise have thrown it out. Although it is so old, most of the information is still correct, and I often dip in to it to read about a particular event.

It is certainly very interesting to read the 'modern history' section, and the opinions they held at the time.

I own quite a number of old books, probably the oldest being a king James Bible published in 1859, which has a personal dedication imside dated 1867. I also own a set of four large, beautifully illustrated books by James Tissot, called "The Life of our Lord Jesus Christ". They are no. 66 of a limited edition of 600, which were dedicated and sent to various persons of world importance in 1899, my own being to Prime Minister Gladstone of Great Britain. I acquired these books in a rather unusual manner. I'd ordered a couple of quite cheap history books from a well known internet bookstore, and a couple of weeks later a very heavy parcel arrived containing the tissot books. I contacted the U.S. supplier about this error immediately, and they told me to keep them with their compliments. The books I'd ordered arrived a few days later.

I have a few late nineteenth-century art books I picked up at book markets.

I have some books from when my grandmother taught school. A McGuffey reader which had the best phonetics you can imagine.

Couple of grammars from the 1880's, a 1929 Child's Garden of Verses and a 1921 Scrapbook by Elbert Hubbard. There are a few more, but those are the ones that come to mind.

The oldest book I have is from the 1970s and is called "Too Young To Die", which is about all the movie stars and singers who died too young.

I have some old medical books, my favourite is an American one called The Household Physician and is dated 1905. It is about 5 inches (13 cms) thick. It makes for interesting and amusing reading, many conditions have weird and wonderful names.

I have a number of old mysteries--like Agathta Christie's, but the book (to me) that is priceless is my mother's 1939 copy of "Heidi" by Johanna Spyri. I never pick it up that wonderful memories of her don't coming flooding back.

Just got an 1891 edition of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey for Christmas from my brother. So now that is my oldest.

I don't have any old books.. not hundereds of years old like some of you anyway! My copy of 'The Hobbit' which my mum bought me frm a second hand book shop is from 1979. My Agatha Christie books are probably older than that but they're at my dad's house so I can't check!

My newest oldest book is one that I am looking forward to reading whilst seated in comfort in my backyard on a warm day.

I bought it on eBay [lol, who called me today to try and get me to do some promoting for them!] and the description of the book made it irresistible to me.

Quote:

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A MAGNIFICENT HISTORICAL RESOURCE ON THE ABOLITION OF THE ATLANTIC TRADE



Hodder, Edwin. Heroes of Britain in Peace and War. London, Cassell circa 1890.



Clothbound book measuring 200x270mm with viii, 320 pages, numerous engraved plates and vignettes throughout. The internal hinges of this copy are split and tender and the bindings are rubbed. Internally this book is in very good and pleasing condition.



Heroes of Britain covers a wide range of heroes and heroism generally – I feel that this book is most interesting for the content of chapters 2 – 4 regarding the English abolition of slavery. Chapter 2 describes the trade in some detail, from capture by Arab slavers in central Africa, the forced march, Atlantic passage, ‘seasoning’ and sale in the markets of Cuba, Jamaica etcetera. Chapter 3 describes the efforts of the English abolitionists (see the frontispiece reproduced in this listing): Granville Sharp, Zachary Macaulay, Wilberforce, Buxton and Clarkson. Chapter 4 describes the challenge of international abolition, the role of the Royal Navy in intercepting the Atlantic trade, slave ships and their cargo as ‘prizes’ for the R.N. Admiralty and the work of the Society for the Extinction of the Slave Trade and for the Civilisation of Africa.



Furthermore the frontispiece and 6 engraved plates depict this monstrous trade in graphic detail.



The book contains much additional material of interest and covers heroism in life boats, colliers, scientific discovery, Afghan Border Wars, Crimea, prison heroes and heroines, arctic exploration, Sir John Franklin, aeronauts, Burton & Speke, Cameron in Africa and an entire chapter on the Indian Mutiny of 1857, covering Lucknow, Delhi, Havelock’s advance and the atrocities committed against British women and children by the mutinous Sepoys. Naturally this account, like most of the mutiny, is filled with indirect allegation and innuendo regarding the heroism (or lack of it) of several notable historical figures.



All in all this is a rather fantastic book and I hope you enjoy it.

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I just cannot see how I could not be motivated to acquire this book.

I have a copy of the Iliad that was published in the 1890's. It was in a charity shop priced 20p.