EPAA

Hello everybody,

Welcome to the inaugural meeting of Easton Press Addicts Anonymous.

My name is Silent (Hi Silent!) and I am an Connecticut Leather Junkie.

I have been purchasing Easton Press books since I was in my twenties. What started as a passion, became a compulsion, developed into an obsession, as has ended up a deep emotional dependency that has ruined not only my life but those of may of my loved ones. I currently purchase Easton Press books about 5 times as fast as I could possibly read them and 10 times faster than I actually do. My family and friends have deep concerns that I care for these books considerably more than I care for them. I dream leather. I live for leather. I need leather.

In joining the LibraryThing chapter of EPAA, I am hoping to meet similar people who can collectively help me manage my obsessions.

Are there any testimonials in the house?

There, there now (pats on back). Let's see if we can help.

1. When you sleep at night do you dream about EP packages just waiting at your door for you to open them?

2. Do you remove the plastic?

3. Do you smell the book just after you remove the plastic?

4. Do you enjoy that creaking sound when you first open a new book?

5. How many concurrent subscriptions do you have going on right now?

6. Do you have that colorful Faulkner set (edited-supposed to be Fitzgerald! - uggg)?

7. Did you get the full set of Dickens before it was discontinued?

8. Did you sign up for the new Reader's Choice 2010?

9. This one is tough, breath deeply - do you have the full Harvard Classics?

>2 bumblesby:

1. Yes

2. Yes

3. Yes (can't do it without #2)

4. Yes

5. All I will say is.......Yes

6. I HAVE TO HAVE IT!!!!!!!!

7. DAMN IT!!!

8. Yes

9. Working on it.

I need a hug :(

1. Yes.

2. Yes - breathlessly ripping it off.

3. Yes. I always smell printed matter.

4. Love it.

5. 3.

6. No - not yet !

7. No chance.

8. No - but I will be ordering some of the individual volumes.

9. In my dreams.

1. Not yet.

2. I have only gotten 1 new book... but the plastic was off quickly.

3. Of course. Smell is a big deal with books!

4. I didnt expect it!

5. 1

6. No

7. Before my time.

8. No

9. No, I put a bid in on a set on eBay though ;-)

1. When you sleep at night do you dream about EP packages just waiting at your door for you to open them?

Yes absolutely. It is very delightful.

2. Do you remove the plastic?

Yes carefully, whilst examining the book. I more than often stand there admiring the design, the level of gilt, endpapers and embossing for ages.

3. Do you smell the book just after you remove the plastic?

Yes. Heaven and it is becoming almost neurotic

4. Do you enjoy that creaking sound when you first open a new book?

The creaking is almost orgasmic. I treat it carefully almost too much ignorantly in fear to think that I will damage the book.

5. How many concurrent subscriptions do you have going on right now?

Just one RC2010.

6. Do you have that colorful Faulkner set?

No. Which was is that?

7. Did you get the full set of Dickens before it was discontinued?

No. Which on is that?

8. Did you sign up for the new Reader's Choice 2010?

Of course!

9. This one is tough, breath deeply - do you have the full Harvard Classics?

I really would love them although I know they will most likely be used for display purposes.

1. When you sleep at night do you dream about EP packages just waiting at your door for you to open them?
Yes, but I don't have them shipped to the door since they might be briefly exposed to the elements. I have a post office box just for my books so they stay climate controlled as much as possible. Limited Editions get shipped straight to work.

2. Do you remove the plastic?
Yes, quickly but very carefully so that I can enjoy 3 and 4.

3. Do you smell the book just after you remove the plastic?
Love that smell. Can someone bottle that?

4. Do you enjoy that creaking sound when you first open a new book?
Yes, I need my fix.

5. How many concurrent subscriptions do you have going on right now?
Do the payments on Limited Editions count? If so, too many.

6. Do you have that colorful Faulkner set?
No, missed that.

7. Did you get the full set of Dickens before it was discontinued?
Missed that too.

8. Did you sign up for the new Reader's Choice 2010?
Yup.

9. This one is tough, breath deeply - do you have the full Harvard Classics?
No, my other subscriptions took precedence and I missed this one too.

1. When you sleep at night do you dream about EP packages just waiting at your door for you to open them?
I don't dream of this but I dream of books all the time...finding them, reading them, shelving them.

2. Do you remove the plastic?
Immediately.

3. Do you smell the book just after you remove the plastic?
I have to say no.

4. Do you enjoy that creaking sound when you first open a new book?
Yes!

5. How many concurrent subscriptions do you have going on right now?
None currently. I had to get my financial future on the right track. :-)

6. Do you have that colorful Faulkner set?
No.

7. Did you get the full set of Dickens before it was discontinued?
No, but I have some of the volumes.

8. Did you sign up for the new Reader's Choice 2010?
I did and then cancelled. See #5

9. This one is tough, breath deeply - do you have the full Harvard Classics?
I don't think I would come close to having room in my home.

Hmmm. Maybe I'm a recovered junkie?

I noted that I had #6 wrong. The colorful set is supposed to be the Fitzgerald collection. Faulkner must have been on my mind for some reason that day :)

..And no, I do not have it yet... Dreaming...

There is, indeed, a colored Faulkner set too, you know; not multi-colored per volume as the Fitzgerald set is but I thought you were referring to the 'William Faulkner Collection', of which each volume in the set originally was a different color leather and was later re-issued with matching brown covers.

Either way, yes and yes.

My name is Wail and I am an Easton-a-holic.

1. When you sleep at night do you dream about EP packages just waiting at your door for you to open them?

I have nightmares of that look on my wife's face when the mailman delivers them.

2. Do you remove the plastic?

Only if I am planning to read it at the moment, which, of course, I will never have time to do for as many books as I have.

3. Do you smell the book just after you remove the plastic?

With eyes rolling back in my head. If they could bottle that my wife would smell like a leather-bound book. Victoria's Secret, how about something with Moby Dick gilded on it.

4. Do you enjoy that creaking sound when you first open a new book?

How to reconcile that joy with the guilt of despoiling its virginity?

5. How many concurrent subscriptions do you have going on right now?

Do I count 'Limited Editions'? At least six.

6. Do you have that colorful Faulkner set (edited-supposed to be Fitzgerald! - uggg)?

Regardless, yes.

7. Did you get the full set of Dickens before it was discontinued?

Oh what folly to have passed on this one. In my defense, I have not purchased engineer69's multi-million dollar set.

8. Did you sign up for the new Reader's Choice 2010?

Oh yeah! Make that seven.

9. This one is tough, breath deeply - do you have the full Harvard Classics?

Um hmm.

Is there any hope for me! :..(

11 said:"3. Do you smell the book just after you remove the plastic?
With eyes rolling back in my head. If they could bottle that my wife would smell like a leather-bound book. Victoria's Secret, how about something with Moby Dick gilded on it."

That, was great. Sometimes these threads are just full of little gems :)

When you sleep at night do you dream about EP packages just waiting at your door for you to open them?

I have nightmares of that look on my wife's face when the mailman delivers them.

11: Sorry, but I just can't help but laugh. I'm imagining you trying to explain EP's mistake at sending them too often.

1. When you sleep at night do you dream about EP packages just waiting at your door for you to open them?
I do, and for the 2 days that I can work from home each week, I constantly run to the window to see if the mailman has come yet.

2. Do you remove the plastic?
Yup, I don't think I would like them very much on my bookshelf if they were wrapped up.

3. Do you smell the book just after you remove the plastic?
This must be some sort of universal trait among EP buyers....

4. Do you enjoy that creaking sound when you first open a new book?
Sometimes I have to change my pants.

5. How many concurrent subscriptions do you have going on right now?
2 Subscriptions + 1 series that is shipped at once but paid monthly. It would be more if it wasn't for that pesky wife......

6. Do you have that colorful Faulkner set (edited-supposed to be Fitzgerald! - uggg)?
No, I've never really read any of his stuff....yet.

7. Did you get the full set of Dickens before it was discontinued?
Alas, I just found EP in December.

8. Did you sign up for the new Reader's Choice 2010?
No, not too much that looked interesting to me. Maybe Zorro or Spartacus.

9. This one is tough, breath deeply - do you have the full Harvard Classics?
I have a long way to go before I endeavor on such as journey.

You know, I personally think a better question than 9 (I'm not partial to the Harvard Classics which are just a collection of books and poetry which you can easily find in cheaper formats) is:

Do you have any of the Limited Editions, and if so, which ones?

> 15

I agree on the Harvard Classics. I love the look of them though. I have no intention of getting them all but I have ordred the 3 English poetry volumes, which is, in effect, a very nice poetry anthology.

The fact that the Harvard Classics is just a collection of books and poetry to which many casual subscribers would not be partial is just what makes this question so apropos for the EPAA (Easton Press Addicts Anonymous). Whether or not you own this set is a good indication of a true addict.

Of course, there can be many indications, of which the number of 'Limited Editions' one owns may be another.

There are also indications that one is 'not' an addict, which, trust me, is a good thing. Having a close friend that owns a copy of the Kelmscott that they will sell you at cost and passing on it is one. But keep dabbling, astropi. I see an addict in the making.

17: well, I'm actually attempting to downsize a considerable part of my collection. Truth be told, I already HAVE downsized much of my collection :)

I just don't get that. Downsizing? Incomprehensible.

*shudders*

So, if I don't own limited editions, does this mean I'm not an addict? Praise be! This is good news!

I also cannot comprehend why anyone would downsize. To sell one or two you don't want to make room for something else is understandable, but downsizing?

What can I tell you guys... I just don't like to let things get (more) out of control than need be. Also, I realize that some volumes don't give me the same pleasure as they used to, therefore I sold many of them. However, to each their own, and it's not like I'm going to sell all more EP books. No no no! There definitely are some volumes that will be a permanent part of my library :)

>22 astropi:

You sold all the "Yankees" and "Tractor" books....didn't you Astropi.

23: seriously, think I would sell THOSE!
I sleep with them under the covers. Along with my EP Royal Wedding Album.

SilentInAWay - Thanks for referring this post. It has brought me much comfort :-)

>25 GOBOGIE:: You are most welcome. So the next time you eat Ramen at work for three days straight just to make sure that you have enough in your bank account to pay for that extra book you couldn't resist ordering...well, at least you know that you're not alone.

I always thought it would be great if EP printed a bibliographic book that references all their previous publications (with illustrations of course)!

It's always amazed me that there isn't a collective effort on the part of EP to catalog their books over the years.

Perhaps they don't want people like us buying out-of-print books on the secondary market. They want us to buy new books from them.

Some of you might already be familiar with this link. It contains a list of books in several of Easton's series.
http://www.keithwease.com/easton.htm