Working so close to beautiful rare books, classic vintage vinyl and unique ephemera certainly has an effect on staff here at World of Rare Books HQ. We get some absolute gems through the door, some of which (we find) are very hard to let go. We’ve taken the time to talk to the people that keep World of Rare Books running, to find out which items are their top picks.
See if any of them strike your fancy…
Rob – Megadeth “Rust in Peace”
“The highpoint of Megadeth’s 30-year career – the multi-platinum Rust in Peace. Frequently appearing not only at the top of reader’s polls for top rock / metal albums, but also in essential albums of the 90’s & 1001 albums to hear before you die. To me it’s memories of long nights at festivals & concerts, and good times with friends. One of those classics I’ll still be listening to when I’m in my rocking chair – it raised the bar for the genre.”
Matt – Gabriel Garcia Marquez “One Hundred Years of Solitude”
“One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. A beautiful story filled with magic, tragedy and joy that is brought to life by the use of an elegant turn of phrase and a penchant for fantastical realism. Since being introduced to this book by a South American friend, it has remained a fixture in my top 10 favourite novels of all time.”
Les – Denys Watkins-Pitchford “Bill Badger’s Winter Cruise”
“This is my current favourite book, purely for the memories it stirs. As soon as I saw it come into the warehouse, images came flooding back of trips to the library as a young boy, reading books by torchlight under the bed clothes, it really did happen not just a cliche! Bill Badger was one of the first books I read after choosing it myself and it instilled a love of reading at an early age which has stayed with me.”
Holly – Dire Straits “Dire Straits” LP
“A favourite for so many reasons! Love the changing mood and emphasis on guitars/vox.. I first heard this as a teenager and have returned to it periodically – in the past year or so it has become a favourite soundtrack for running to, but equally brilliant for just chilling out at home, as long as the volume is pushed sufficiently high!”
Clare D – Jane Austen “Pride and Prejudice”
“A well-known classic that definitely stands the test of time. It is a light hearted read and enjoyable read which quickly became one of my favourite books. There have been many reproductions of the story through the years but nothing beats the original.”
Charlie H – John Fowles “The Magus”
“This is a scarce signed copy of possibly the greatest novel of 20th century angst. As ever with Fowles, it explores the limits and possibilities of the novel form itself.”
Sarah – Lewis Carroll “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”
“I’ve always been a fan of Fantasy Fiction and Alice in Wonderland has always been one of my favourite stories. I think I first discovered it at a very young age watching the Disney cartoon but as soon as I was old enough to read the book – I did. From early on, I just fell in love the nonsense of it all. Not to mention Alice’s inquisitive nature, which is very reminiscent of my own.”
Joy – T. S. Eliot “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats”
“Some light-heartedness from Eliot. Full of humour and mischief; I loved reading these poems and exploring the illustrations as a child and today enjoy reading them to the younger generation of my family even more.”
Mike – George Orwell “Nineteen Eighty-Four”
“We’re in a world where we cannot rely on the truth from the media, a world where our thoughts are posted online for the world to criticise and a world where we are obsessed with our ‘telescreens’ that tell us what to do. Orwell’s prophetic view of the future is more relevant now than ever. I can only hope this fiction is also read as a warning for future generations as well as a fascinating trip into sci-fi dystopia.”
Do you have a favourite book? Is there a vinyl record that you think is a must for any collector? Let us know below as we’d love to hear your thoughts.