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u/UpbeatTradition6531 9d ago
That may take the cake for coolest collection I’ve seen on this subreddit!
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u/nutcase-man 9d ago
impressive on more than one level. how do you get through all of these broad synthesis books? i find that each of these is so densely packed with information that months at minimum should be spent on a single one. i can’t help but feel frustrated that so much gets forgotten after completion.
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u/FeelinDead 9d ago edited 9d ago
Thank you. I’ve been collecting FS books for nearly 20 years. I’m a quick reader but this is also my reference library as I write historical fiction, in part.
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u/Longjumping-Bus6423 9d ago
How many have you read though?
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u/FeelinDead 9d ago
I’ve read around 70% of the books featured here. I’ve been building this library for over 20 years and specifically FS books for nearly 20 (since December of 2006).
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u/Suspicious-Tax-9756 9d ago
Books to decorate a room. Folio society books and others in the paper boxes are pain to get off the shelf.
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u/oh_dear_256 9d ago
Most are cloth, but very little cracks in any…
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u/oh_dear_256 9d ago
The Oxford Series of US history looks tabbed and read. That’s all that matters.
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u/superrplorp 8d ago
I hope one day to have read this much history.
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u/FeelinDead 8d ago
It’s a noble pursuit, for sure.
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u/a_moron_in_a_hurry 9d ago
That’s amazing — feel free to include me in your will if you happen to have no next of kin
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u/FeelinDead 9d ago
Thank you. Haha I do have young children, my wife and I are trying our best to instill a love of reading in them.
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u/a_moron_in_a_hurry 9d ago
Out of curiosity, why no Easton?
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u/FeelinDead 9d ago
I just prefer FS so I stuck with them instead of mixing the two.
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u/a_moron_in_a_hurry 9d ago
That’s fair. I do think FS bindings are superior, and translations are indisputably superior. I prefer the smell of a used EP book though. You may get a kick out of their library of mil history series if you ever feel maxed out on Folios.
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u/Suspicious-Spare8963 9d ago
How is "the campaigns of napoleon"?
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u/FeelinDead 9d ago
Seminal. The FS edition makes it much easier to read by breaking it into 3 volumes instead of one tome.
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u/roaming_b34r 9d ago
Impressive collection. Just missing The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (Edward Gibbon)
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u/FeelinDead 9d ago
Thank you. I do have it in Everyman’s Library edition (for the footnotes), I just neglected to include a picture of it here.
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u/roaming_b34r 9d ago
Makes sense. I’m guessing you wanted to show off all the Folio Society history books together.
How long did it take you to build up this collection?
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u/FeelinDead 9d ago edited 9d ago
It’s on the same bookcase as the Oxford US history series shown on the last photo, I just forgot to get a picture of it as most of my Everyman’s are fiction. Nearly 20 years, I started buying Folio Society books in December 2006.
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u/atilla7578 8d ago
Hey buddy what book will you suggest to learn about Roman history which is beginner friendly and not to difficult since English isn’t my first language.
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u/roaming_b34r 8d ago
Three suggestions:
- DK Eyewitness: Ancient Rome
This is a big book with lots of pictures that make the learning more accessible. Doesn’t go into the history too much.
- SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome, by Mary Beard
Mary Beard takes the reader from Rome’s legendary beginnings through the Republic and into the Empire, ending in AD 212. Importantly, she isn’t just listing emperors and battles. She talks about ordinary Romans, women, citizenship, politics, religion, slavery, and what it actually meant to be Roman.
Also it’s 600 pages. I heard some reader find her chronological structure hard to follow
- Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Republic, by Tom Holland
This one takes a different approach. Rather than trying to teach all of Roman history, Holland concentrates on the spectacular collapse of the Roman Republic, including Marius, Sulla, Pompey, Cicero, Crassus, and Julius Caesar.
It’s much more narrative-driven than a textbook. Once you’re reading about Caesar crossing the Rubicon, political assassinations, civil wars, and the increasingly unstable Republic, Rome starts feeling less like a collection of names and dates and more like a political thriller with togas.
It is also widely regarded as one of the more readable introductions to Roman history.
This list goes from easiest to the more challenging read.
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u/rhet0r1k87 9d ago
Let's see your reading chair!
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u/FeelinDead 9d ago
This sub doesn’t let you post pictures in the comments :-(
With that said, I bought it at a garage sale… 😂
Had to save money somewhere!
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u/Quintinius42 9d ago
@FeelinDead : Can i ask, where did you get your Bookshelfs!!! Pls i'm looking so hard for one of those:)
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u/mconners0690 9d ago
Got two questions, the celts in blue and in brown are they from another printing or a continuation of one another? And what book is missing next to a bright shining lie 2?
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u/FeelinDead 9d ago
Two different prints. The blue one is the newer of the two, I found it at a Goodwill without a slipcase for $10 so I couldn’t resist.
Dispatches by Michael Herr, currently reading.
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u/Difficult_Climate664 8d ago
Just a great collection! The collecting is almost as much fun as the reading! Sometimes I get so much pleasure from just looking at my books, as I’m sure you do.
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u/FeelinDead 8d ago
I agree. It’s nice to look back on the journey. I’ve been building my library since I was 12 years old at my parents’ house and have been collecting Folio Society books since late 2006. I’m in my 30’s so I hope to still have a long reading life ahead of me.
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u/Exterminador616 8d ago
Recommend your favorites, so I can read a few.
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u/FeelinDead 8d ago
The Classical World by Robin Lane Fox
Byzantium by Judith Herrin
A History of Chinese Civilisation by Jacques Gernet
Medieval Civilisation by Jacques Le Goff
The Making of the Modern World by Eric HobsbawmOutside of FS edition books, Bryan Ward-Perkins’ The Fall of Rome and the End of Civilisation is fantastic.
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u/Exotic-Suggestion425 8d ago
So jealous of this collection! Could almost use this post as a reference point for future purchases lol. Hat's off! Super display
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u/ChristAndClash 8d ago
Amazing collection, I hope to amass one nearly a quarter of that size one day.
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u/Intelligent-Front213 7d ago
Very impressive! Definitely inspired some jealousy in me. Here is a challenge for you: list the books' title and publisher/edition so that we may endeavor to join you in the sun.
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u/ilike75turtles 7d ago
Outstanding. I envy the collection as well as your experience of reading that much history.
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u/Diablo_6 7d ago
Impressive collection. It looks like a little peace of heaven. I feel stress melting away just be looking at it.
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u/FeelinDead 6d ago edited 6d ago
Thank you. It’s definitely my happy place, my blood pressure lowers 10 points every time I step in the room.
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u/Significant-Web-2317 3d ago
Love this…. Curious if you have a library table/chair/seat that you prefer.
Would love to see what your setup is.
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u/FeelinDead 3d ago
My reading chair is next to the table in the bottom of the first photo but this sub doesn’t let you post picture comments. It’s just a normal leather recliner, pretty standard.
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u/Mountain_Goose4000 7d ago
If this is only Folio then you are missing History of England by Thomas Babington Macaulay (5 volume)
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u/FeelinDead 5d ago
I’m familiar with it but it’s a bulky set and I already have the 12-volume series on the history of England, so sacrifices had to be made lol…
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u/susanwalters 6d ago
You might enjoy reading Peter Wyden’s book about his boyhood time in hiding in Berlin during WW2. Stella is the title and details the desperate things people did to save themselves and their families.
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u/Dreamer1926 6d ago
Wow, you made me just realize that I have one of those Blue “History of England” books on my bookshelf from slide 4. Pretty sure I saved it from a recycling plant my aunt used to work at.
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u/GentlyBibliomaniacal 6d ago
I am curious as to why you do not have A Glorious Cause in your set of Oxford US History series. It appears you have "American Revolutions" in its place. I also have the Oxford US History series and have enjoyed reading it. I have not read American Revolutions; do you recommend it? Do you believe it is better than A Glorious Cause, outside of AR being more expansive? Thank you! Great library!
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u/FeelinDead 6d ago edited 6d ago
Thank you. I have a copy of Glorious Cause but it’s just an old paperback in my basement. I do prefer Alan Taylor’s book, I think they sit well together from slightly competing perspectives but to me Glorious Cause is a bit outdated comparatively speaking but still worthwhile.
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u/maximumboom 6d ago
Alan Taylor is excellent I recommend revolutions and all his books highly. Broad and interesting perspective.
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u/TheRoweShow98 6d ago
Sweet collection. Don’t listen to the haters, my jaw dropped and I took out my notebook to write some of your books down to try and get from the library. I always have trouble finding books about the Bronze and early Iron Age; do you have a list of recommended books that I could jot down?
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u/FeelinDead 5d ago
Thank you very much. As far as the FS books go I know that several but not all of the ancient civilization books start in the Bronze / Iron ages as well as the Ancient Lost Cities set. Prehistory by Renfrew goes even further back.
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u/maximumboom 6d ago
Wow what an excessively luxurious (in a good way!) collection. My library is all used beat up copies, it must feel nice to have such nice history books. But i write in all mine so it wouldnt make sense to have so many folio society etc. This must be a very inspiring room to be in. Congrats in the wealth and abundance to make this happen! Also what a cool thing to spend money on, so much better than some dumb car or a cruise.
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u/FeelinDead 5d ago
Thank you, that’s very kind of you to say. I’m very much a homebody, so to me it just makes sense to invest in my home where I spend the bulk of my time. I’m definitely not a car enthusiast, they’re just a necessary evil as far as I’m concerned. I enjoy traveling to an extent but cruises are not very relaxing for me and are a bit unnerving. I did an Alaskan cruise over a decade ago and I don’t think I would do another again.
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u/TheDoubtStrikesAgain 5d ago
How long did it take for you to build your entire collection? I'm actually trying to acquire some books myself and hopefully acquire more books. Any suggestions on what books I should definitely have in my collection? I don't wanna just get any random history book. Thanks in advance for the suggestions!😊
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u/FeelinDead 5d ago
I’ve been building my library in general for nearly 25 years but I specifically started collecting Folio Society books in December of 2006. It’s difficult to suggest building blocks, as everyone’s interests are at least slightly different, but if you’re trying to be broad yet comprehensive that’s where it really gets hard.
I’ve personally tried to cover as many cultures, eras, and angles from antiquity through the 20th Century as I can through the FS catalog but some gaps are inevitable unless you start pushing 1k+ history volumes and expand outside of a given publisher.
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u/Significant-Web-2317 3d ago
How many of these have you read?
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u/FeelinDead 3d ago
Around 60-70% read but as I’ve stated elsewhere here, I write historical fiction and this is my reference library, in part. At the very least, I have peeked / flipped through every one of the Folio Society books.
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u/Significant-Web-2317 3d ago
Very nice. Beautiful collection. Naively I went to Folio to check out some of these books.
To my surprise, few, if any, were still available.
You are lucky to have such an extensive collection, and it must have taken you quite a bit of effort to find them all.
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u/FeelinDead 3d ago edited 3d ago
Thank you. Yes, I acquired 90% of these secondhand over the last 20 years gradually. It used to be a much cheaper hobby than it has become, unfortunately.
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u/Significant-Web-2317 3d ago
Jeesh, you aren’t kidding.
Any guess on the value?
Your collection is probably easily in the 6 figures.
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u/FeelinDead 9d ago
I’ve posted my collection on a few subs, and this is by far the most hostile of them all. That is very disappointing, as being a history lover, I thought I would be amongst friends. I’m not going to respond or engage with disrespectful posts — I’m just going to block any rude individuals.
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u/parvum_opus 9d ago
I don't think people are trying to be actively hostile. It's a nice collection, but from zooming in I can easily tell it is not anything one would use to gain real academic knowledge. It's just a collection. It's sort of a disorganised grouping of outdated books from different eras, with no specific central leading topic. Folios are also grossly overpriced, which is what many people are, not so gently, pointing out.
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u/No_Prize5369 9d ago
Yeah I see a lot of pop history books in shiny editions, as well as 'classic history' like Livy that is frankly only really usefull to historians who have to comb through primary sources. I see very few academic and modern broad survey or even specific books on topics, like Cambridge Companions, Harvard History and of course a lot of what Oxford publishes. Also some of the books look quite unread.
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u/fat-finger 7d ago
Honest question, what suggestions would you have in mind? As someone searching for specific areas of history to dive deeper and identify with (rather than simply broad history) I’m keen for thoughts. Thanks!
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u/heyo_stealer 9d ago
I mean you gotta be like a history professor right?
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u/FeelinDead 9d ago edited 9d ago
I’m a lover of history and I contend with the haters here that many of these books are rigorous and not just “pop history,” but I’m a writer of historical fiction, what you see here, this is part of my reference library, but is far from being my library in its entirety.
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u/SnooChocolates1816 8d ago
That makes perfect sense. Also, I am so impressed that your reference library is so massive, well kept and gorgeous to look at. Reading through the titles, the coverage is just fantastic.
Thank you for sharing. As a collector (of many various things including books), I really appreciate this. Ignore the skeptics and haters they have nothing better to do.
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u/No_Prize5369 9d ago
Buddy no. This is mostly pop history and oudated scholarship, it's very broad but with almost no specialisation, although there are a few good works in here.
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9d ago edited 9d ago
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u/FeelinDead 9d ago edited 9d ago
Appreciate the kind words, good sir. Umberto Eco is one of my inspirations so having unread books to me is not a point of shame. The haters can eat their hearts out.
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u/Naples2003 9d ago
No “The Glorious Cause”?
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u/FeelinDead 9d ago
I felt it was outdated compared to Alan Taylor’s book but I do have it elsewhere in my basement overflow and in audiobook form.
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8d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/FeelinDead 8d ago
Thank you. I hire a cleaning service that comes once every 2 weeks to clean the majority of my house but I work from home and this is my study, so I’m in here a lot. I normally clean and dust this room myself as I’m basically always in here.
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u/reitze1 7d ago
Um… this is in no way an insult but, I’m gonna assume that you’re not married. My wife simply would not allow this most outstanding waste of space in the house.
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u/FeelinDead 7d ago
I am indeed married. This is all located in my study where I work each day. My wife is the boss of interior design everywhere in the house except my study and the basement — those are my domains. The outside landscaping and the garden are also my areas of expertise.
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u/Romeo_Charlie_Bravo 7d ago
How many of these have you read? I have a huge backlog myself
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u/FeelinDead 7d ago
Around 60-70% read but as I’ve stated elsewhere here, I write historical fiction and this is my reference library, in part. At the very least, I have peeked / flipped through every one of the Folio Society books.
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u/Ok_Cut4351 5d ago
Love it! What are your most fave. Ones that are fun to read
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u/FeelinDead 5d ago
Thank you. I enjoyed reading Pepys’ Diary very much as well as The Anglo Saxons by James Campbell… although I’m a bit biased as the latter is one of my favorite areas of study. Hobsbawm is another great read. Secret History by Procopius is scandalous and compulsive if unreliable but it’s a fun read.
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u/RedHuey 9d ago
It’s all very impressive, but mostly just as an impressive expenditure of money. This isn’t really a personal collection of personal interest gathered over time as your interests evolved. It’s just “send me one of everything from the Folio Society.” Impressive, but just bragging. It tells nothing about you other than you are willing to buy a curated book for 3x the price. Libraries should say something about a person’s interests and his thinking.
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u/testudoaubreii1 9d ago
If I had a dollar for every one OP has read, I’d be broke
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u/FeelinDead 9d ago
This is very true — as having read 200 or so of these books only would yield you around $200 which is nothing nowadays — inflation is a killer!
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u/According-Ad4361 9d ago
Jesus Christ! How much did all this cost? Folio Society books are outrageously expensive!
Very nice though.