I just found an original copy of James Mackintosh's Vindiciae Gallicae, and an original copy of John Moore's A View of the Causes and French Revolution. You may think, "So what?" Well, by original I mean 1791 for Mackintosh and 1795 for Moore. As in, a 200+ year old book is sitting on my nightstand right now.
One of my professors asked me to go through some books a relatively famous Napoleonic historian donated to our university. Most of them were from the past 10 years, with some going back to the 60's. And then there were these. Hot dang this is awesome. I mean, they aren't mine or anything. They'll go into the Special Collections wing of the library. But still... 1791, sitting on my nightstand. This is one of, if not the key response to Edmond Burke and I have a copy of it from the year it was published!
Yeah, I am a dork.
Posted by Shan (Member # 4550) on :
Wow! Way cool! You're not a dork. You just have an appreciation for the finer things in life. Posted by scifibum (Member # 7625) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dr Strangelove: Yeah, I am a dork.
Yeah. But it's cool. I got all excited today when my coworker found out that some data integration we were planning to have to do had already been done. Compared to that, you're like Steve McQueen or somebody.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I think you are a dork, but that's ok, most of the cooler people I know are a dork about something. You just happen to be one about history and old books. Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
As cool as an original Vindiciae Gallicae would be, I'd still rather have Burke's "Reflections on the Revolution in France."
At least Mackintosh and Burke eventually came to see eye to eye.
But I agree, old books are awesome!
Posted by daventor (Member # 11981) on :
I don't think you're a dork for that. That's freakin' awesome. Don't really know much about either of those books, but I think any antique books are pretty cool. I like to write, so my grandma on my mom's side starting giving these old books to me (none near 200 years old, though).
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
quote:Originally posted by BlackBlade: As cool as an original Vindiciae Gallicae would be, I'd still rather have Burke's "Reflections on the Revolution in France."
Heh, yeah, I would too. But I'm not complaining.
Posted by Sterling (Member # 8096) on :
I think I'd be a little scared to touch a two-hundred-plus year old book. Still, I agree that it's cool.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
Nah, you are not a dork. The dorks are the ones who have the same emotions about wearing the latest fashion, getting the latest electronic toys or the newest DVD. You are excited about something that is way more cool, unique and interesting than the passing fancies that excite the self proclaimed "cool" people out there.
Posted by Raia (Member # 4700) on :
Sweet! I'm geeking out a little right now, so it's obviously not just you. Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote: I may be a dork
But perhaps a dork is just the thing we're looking for.
Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
quote:Originally posted by The Rabbit: Nah, you are not a dork. The dorks are the ones who have the same emotions about wearing the latest fashion, getting the latest electronic toys or the newest DVD. You are excited about something that is way more cool, unique and interesting than the passing fancies that excite the self proclaimed "cool" people out there.
Hey, cool, a stereotype! It's fine though, because it's against the 'in-crowd'. Posted by Alcon (Member # 6645) on :
That's awesome! I'm so jealous, and here I was thinking my original copy of Arthur C Clark's The Exploration of Space was amazing, but yours is at least 16 times as cool! I love old book, I think if I ever found a book that was 200 years old I would probably almost cry with happiness. I darn near get cold shivers contemplating books that are just 50 or 100 years old. That's history your holding not just in the content, but in the actual physical existence of the thing. There's something incredibly special about that.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Hey, cool, a stereotype! It's fine though, because it's against the 'in-crowd'.
What's wrong with stereotypes? Seriously.
Recognizing characteristics that commonly group together is what the human brain is designed to do. We wouldn't be able to survive or communicate if we didn't do it. Stereotypes only become a problem when we stretch them beyond their limits and seek to apply them blindly to judge individuals.
If I find out you are a Mormon (for example), I am going to presume that you don't drink alcohol or coffee or smoke, that you want to marry and have children, that you attend church on Sunday, have read the Book of Mormon, think abortions are bad, and have generally conservative social values. Until I learn more about you, I will naturally treat you as if you share many characteristics with the majority of Mormons. I won't ask if you'd like a cup of coffee, I won't tell you dirty jokes and I might refer to Book of Mormon characters or church leaders in conversation.
If I'm told you are a member of the "in-crowd", I'm going to presume that you are into the latest trends and fads in clothes, music and popular entertainment and treat you accordingly until I learn more about you.
Face it, stereotypes are useful and we all use them. We all interact with people every day who we don't and can't know fully and stereotypes help us to do that. They are only a problem when they become an excuse or barrier for failing to learn more about people and accept their individuality.
Oh, and if there is a place where the "popular crowd" isn't obsessed with boring stuff like the name brands, famous people, the sticker price of all your accessories I haven't been there yet.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
I love old books. I think that is majorly awesome.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
I have to say, I'm quite glad I posted this here. My wife, however awesome she is, doesn't quite get as excited as I do about these things .
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
quote:I'm going to presume that you are into the latest trends and fads in clothes, music and popular entertainment and treat you accordingly...
Um. How do you treat people who are interested in these things?
Posted by scifibum (Member # 7625) on :
Put on MTV, duh.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
quote:Originally posted by TomDavidson:
quote:I'm going to presume that you are into the latest trends and fads in clothes, music and popular entertainment and treat you accordingly...
Um. How do you treat people who are interested in these things?
Let's just say, I'm more likely to ask them where they got their shoes or invite them to hear the latest band playing downtown than I am to ask them about V.S. Naipaul or tell them about the research I did last summer, and leave it at that.
[ September 06, 2009, 08:45 AM: Message edited by: The Rabbit ]
Posted by DDDaysh (Member # 9499) on :
I love really old books too, but I don't have anything that old. The oldest one I have was printed in 1898 and it's in terrible condition! It's a pretty interesting story though, about an "Indian" boy!
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
I found another one that's from 1794. Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Very cool, Joshua. It's fantastic that you're having the opportunity to go through this trove.
The best I've done in terms of discovering an old book was coming across a copy of New Temperance and Prohibition Songs in a mouldering heap of books in a barn once.
When I was getting my classics degree I was talking to a guy who was interviewing for a professorship in the department, and he told me about doing something similar to what you're doing right now, and coming across a flower that had been pressed into a book hundreds of years before.
![[The Wave]](graemlins/thewave.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)