Confessions Of A Book Collector

I used to work at a thrift store, and I must say that I have always been so fascinated by the items that people donated. I worked in the e-Commerce department where I would list items that would potentially make a lot of money on eBay. I have seen a lot of items I never knew I would come across in real life. I have seen rare trading cards. I have seen vintage wardrobes and jewelry. I have seen gorgeous antiques. I have seen pure gold coins worth at least five thousand dollars. I have seen huge, bizarre paintings. I have seen military attires from major wars. I have seen an old family album with actual pictures from the early 1900s. I came across so many different objects that I want to say that I have seen them all, but I know I have not.

As a former employee at a thrift store and as an all-time thrift store shopper, the one thing that I enjoy seeing the most are books. In fact, books are the best birthday and Christmas gifts for me. Sure, I do not mind fancy jewelries, the latest appliances, the coolest technologies, and Visa gift cards. However, I would much rather receive books than any of those things.

When I shop at thrift stores like Salvation Army, Goodwill Store, New Life Thrift, and other places, I normally browse at the book section other than the clothes and the bric-a-brac. I would come across the most interesting books. There were books I never knew they had. I would find the same books that can be ordered on Amazon. The only difference is the prices at the thrift stores are a lot cheaper – even if the books are in excellent condition. There were books I completely forgot about. I mean the same books that I used to have, misplaced, and forgot about. When I see the book that I had in the past, my initial thought would be “hey, I remember that book.” I will not forget the vintage books I have seen. Some were first editions. I would run into books about strange or unique topics and right up my alley.

The Beginner’s Guide For The Recently Deceased by David Staume

When I first saw this book, I thought about the film Beetlejuice. Remember the Handbook For The Recently Deceased that Barbara and Adam found after they perished in a car accident? I got a kick out of the book title when I found it. The author provides a better understanding on what we will find in the astral world once we die. There are metaphysical theories in the book that made sense.

Change Your Energy by Krista N. Mitchell

I did not think I would find a book about healing crystals in a thrift shop. Personally, I enjoy collecting healing crystals. They are gorgeous to look at, and based on my experiences, they can shift a person’s energy in a positive way. If I want to collect healing crystals, then I should collect books on healing crystals so I could know how to use them in order to experience the benefits. I like the part when she indicated that different crystals can be combined to amplify your manifestations. The book is well-written and fun to read.

Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain

When I was in college, someone I knew recommended this book to me. At the time, I did not have a full understanding on visualization until after I bought this book. I read the book and immediately fell in love with the idea of using my imagination to manifest the things I want in life. Of course, it takes work, and it is not an overnight success. Therefore, persistence is the key. I thought the exercises were easy to follow. Also, reading the book gave me a sense of empowerment. Unfortunately, I misplaced the book and never saw it again. Eventually, I forgot all about the book. I remember stopping by the Goodwill store one day just to see what books were available. I was not sure if I was going to find a book that interests me. But when I saw the book title and author, immediately, I remember reading the book. After I bought it (again), I decided to reread it as a refresher. After all, this book got me interested in creative visualization in the first place.

Develop Your Psychic Skills by Enid Hoffman

Self-help books are one of my favorite genres to read. I enjoy the idea of practicing self-improvement. With that being said, I find it fascinating when a self-help book has something to do with the paranormal. This book caught my eye at a thrift store, and I could not help but pick it up from the shelf. As I was flipping through the pages for about ten minutes or so, I was impressed that the exercises to improve my intuition and other abilities were easy to understand. As a result, I purchased the book. I have not finished reading this book, yet. However, based on what I have read so far, I can tell that this book can potentially transfigure my life.

Magickal, Mystical Creatures: Invite Their Powers Into Your Life by D. J. Conway

Finding this book tells me that you can run into strangest topics. After all, I do unashamedly find myself strange. Ever since I was a kid, I always knew that humans and animals were not the only creatures on Earth. I have always believed that there were mysterious entities roaming the planet – even those we never heard of. In my writing, I would include enigmatic beings; that is how fascinated I am about mythical creatures. It felt unreal when I saw this book. Immediately, I thought it would be useful to keep it as a reference when I write my stories. The book goes into details about the creatures I knew and the ones I never thought of. I find it interesting that the powers of these entities can assist on psychological and magical levels. One thing is for sure, learning more about these creatures sparks some story ideas for me.

Mina by Marie Kiraly

When I first saw the film Bram Stoker’s Dracula, I had the urge to read the book by Bram Stoker. It was in the mid-90s, and I decided to read the actual novel. It became one of my favorite stories. I remember shopping at a thrift store, and I was not really looking for a book at the time. I was looking for some decent sneakers. I was in line, and I glanced at a book on the counter. I did not know the book title and thought nothing of it. By the time I reached the front counter to pay for my sneakers, I saw the title and author. I did not understand why the book was on the counter. To confirm, I asked a possible stupid question, “Is that book for sell?” The cashier told me it was. After I learned that someone changed their mind about purchasing the book and decided to leave it on the counter, I picked it up and saw that the story is the aftermath of Dracula by Bram Stoker. After I bought the book, the story became a page-turner for me. I guess you can say that I am glad that a customer changed their mind about buying the book.

The Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov

I knew a few people who recommended that I should read The Foundation by Isaac Asimov. Initially, I had no desire to read the book until I learned what the book was about and the fact that it was science fiction. If a story is about a group of scientists trying to save humanity and build a new civilization in a galactic war, then of course, I would like to read about it. I went to a thrift shop near me a few years ago, and I had no plan to purchase a book. I did plan to browse at the books that were available out of curiosity. The Foundation Trilogy captured my attention for three reasons. One, I recall hearing positive reviews by the people who suggested it to me. Two, this was a trilogy, and I never knew that there was a trilogy. Three, this was a vintage book. It was copyrighted in 1951.

I knew that if I did not purchase the book that day, I would not be able to find it anywhere else. To me, it was now or never. I realized that it was my only opportunity to own a book like it. I mean – what are the odds to find a similar one later in life? After I bought and read the book, I had no interest in giving it away or selling it – especially a vintage classic. I am a book collector for crying out loud.

Vampires: The Occult Truth by Konstantinos

Do you believe in vampires? I know I do which is why this is one of my favorite books I found at a thrift shop. I have been so fascinated by vampires ever since I was a kid. I remember watching actors like Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee in these classic vampire films. Of course, there were other vampire flicks like Salem’s Lot, Fright Night, Near Dark, The Lost Boys, The Hunger, John Carpenter’s Vampires, and of course, Bram Stoker’s Dracula; I could go on and on. Even though the stories were fiction, there was something in me that believed that vampires do exist. It was not that I want to believe. It was more like I had this strange feeling. This was a little over ten years ago. By that time, I had already watched the film From Dusk Till Dawn for like the millionth time. As crazy as it sounds, I felt that the more I watch vampire films, the more I believe that vampires do exist. I decided to do a little research online about the existence of vampires, and I came across a few eye-popping sources. I was shopping at – you have guessed it – a thrift store one day, and I was not there to continue my research on vampires. Yes, I wanted to find some interesting books on any topic, but the vampire-related ones did not cross my mind. Sure enough, this book appeared as I was browsing. I could not wrap my head around the fact that there was a book about the existence of vampires at a thrift store. Vampires: The Occult Truth had some information I already knew from my online research and some information I never knew.

Conclusion

I am highly positive that there are other books I have that are far more interesting and unique than the ones I have already mentioned. I will say that I am ashamed to admit that I do not feel like going through bins and boxes of books to name and rate them. I am not sure how many books I have bought at these thrift stores altogether in all my years of shopping. However, I am confident that it was probably close to five hundred books. Does that make me a hoarder though? I am not too thrilled about the idea of hoarding. I despise hearing the word “hoard.” When I think of the word hoard, I would because it reminds me of the television series Hoarders on A&E. The sight of objects piling up all over a room makes me feel uneasy and claustrophobic. I am not passing any judgement by the way. In my case, I would avoid filling my rooms with mountains of books that would take me a lot of effort to maneuver around. Besides, I like my floors. I do not consider myself as a hoarder. It sounds so negative. A book collector is a more appropriate term for me. I am able to manage these books and decide whether or not I will give them away, sell them, or keep them forever. Either way, the books will be read if they have not been already.

The books I have mentioned can give you an idea of what I am into. I am not ashamed of sharing strange and rare book topics. Sure, I can find the books I want on Amazon, eBay, or at Barnes & Noble. But by browsing for books at a thrift store, I would see books I never knew existed nor thought of. It is almost like a journey for me at the thrift store. I knew that I wanted a book there, but I never knew what I would find. It is usually a surprise when I shop for books. It is always a hit or miss when it comes to the most interesting books. You would be amazed by what you will find on the shelves just by taking the time to look around.