Yep. You might want. These are fabulous. And presently unique. But even if duplicated, they will remain extremely rare. I’m giddy at the craftsman’s work on them. They are an aesthetic achievement that harkens back to the old days of leather-bound books in private libraries. And I’m auctioning them off to help support my continuing enterprise as an independent scholar. So I have just two simple questions. Do you want an elegant fine bound hardcover edition of my most popular books? And at the same time to help support my continuing work, research, and activism? Then get in on this rare opportunity!
Summer is always slow for paying gigs. So I need to make up a $2000 shortfall in projected revenue for this quarter if I am to hit my target to get through the year. I have several special things in the works to do that. And this is the first: I have commissioned a local master craftsman and bookbinder to convert three of my books into what you see depicted. I have taken one copy each of Sense and Goodness without God, On the Historicity of Jesus, and Hitler Homer Bible Christ, and had them hand-bound in high quality artificial leather by an expert European craftsman, with gold lettering and styling, and stitched pages. Each will be inscribed personally, by me, in pen, to the auction-winner’s specifications (reasonable requests only, of course).
Any of these lovely books will adorn a library in prestigious fashion, old school, reminiscent of the days when monographs were elegantly crafted. It’s why I made them. Aesthetically, this is what books should always look like. But alas, few publishers produce books that look like this anymore.
Four things to note:
- It cost $120 each to do this. So this is serious business! The $160 minimum bid for each of these volumes reflects the need to recoup that overhead as well as make the effort worthwhile. But remember, you aren’t just getting an awesome quality book and rare collectible. You are also acting as a patron of the arts and helping support my continuing work.
- The photographs show the whole set of three titles. But I am not auctioning the set together. Each of the three books is being auctioned separately. So if you want them all, you’ll have to bid on all three auctions!
- If you are outbid, do not despair. If enough demand is shown in the bidding (if I clear at least $220 per volume, and several bidders were near that mark), I will commission more special editions of these books, and repeat this auction in future. Although collectors, take note: never more than a few dozen are likely ever to be made. And probably far fewer than that. So these will remain remarkably rare editions, personally inscribed and originally sold direct from the author himself.
- Remember, shipping is extra. So, you will need to cover not just the amount you bid, but also what it will cost to ship to you what you bought. And if you are outside the U.S., that could get pricey.
The auctions have already begun. They close in seven days. So anyone you know who might want in on this, let them know! And if you want in on this, get your bids in, and keep your eye on the auctions. You can find them here: [Sense & Goodness] [Historicity] [Hitler Homer]. I will greatly appreciate your support. And I think you will greatly appreciate the product!
First, theses are so sweet, I wish I were in a position to get them, but alas my wallet and my desire to never move with books again prevent it.
Second, while it doesn’t impact me in the slightest, I hope you’ll do/have done something to distinguish any subsequent runs from these first three. Maybe it’s beneficial to your auction take if you can guarantee the reprints cannot be mistaken for the originals?
I could. And I might. But that won’t affect collection value. Not significantly anyway. Even if I run ten exact duplicates, they will still be extremely rare, and their collection value will not substantially lower. Especially as there will not likely be any value placed on different decoration etc. That is, even if I had a flat and a ribbed hardcover version circulating, no one is going to value one more than the other (by any significant amount anyway). So it will still be two finebound copies in existence. Any effect that has on value will have been had. The variances won’t matter to valuations in future. Whereas, the ability of collectors to complete a collection goes up if there are multiple identical copies on the market. So it’s six of one, half a dozen of the other as to which is best. I won’t trouble myself yet as to deciding.
Let us all know if you sell any.
I will eventually, even if not at auction.
Hey,
For some reason I can’t really comment to any relevant blog post of yours so I have to write this question here.
Theist claimed, that if we do not have any good explanation for resurrection of Jesus that does inculde natural elements, then only thing that is left is that explanation that has supernatural element (like resurrection is) and that is therefore the best explanation.
If we forget all the natural explanations that would be satisfying, can you say is he right? If we have claim X, and only explanation we can think of contains supernatural element, would it be good candidate to explaine the X, even if propabilities are low? Because, even if they are low, it is still only explanation.
Thanks!
See my comments policy. You will have to wait until I blog again on some similar subject. And comment there within six days.
This is a time management issue.
There were some typographical errors I pointed out befor. Hope these’ve been seen to in this edition
This isn’t a new printing. It’s a new binding.
Incidentally Richard
It seems Josephus, in point of fact, mentions Jesus passim…
You might know him as…Judas the Galilean
See Unterbrink: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Judas-Galilean-flesh-blood-Jesus/dp/0595321976
A
Speculation in, speculation out.
Not a useful thesis.
Value people. If you buy these then don’t have Richard inscribe them with “To William Lane Craig we’re now BFFF. XoXoXo”. That’s not to say you shouldn’t have him sign it. Or write something special. Just don’t add your own name. Unless you intend to keep it forever as a treasure for investment. Otherwise it won’t be as valuable as a simple signing with perhaps something non personal.
Out of curiosity will the page construction be enhanced? Or any special new sections.
I meant to include numbering for collector purposes. Will that be in too?
They will be personally inscribed. I’ll keep a log of that. Which will function as such.
Hey,
I saw a talk by you about a year ago (maybe less) on youtube. You started off by giving an example of an historical event that was supernatural, and had good “evidence” for its historical reliability. Your point was something about having to accept that as history if we accept Jesus as history. It’s very vague in my mind, I think it was an event involving a war or something.
Does anyone know what talk that was (if you can figure out what I’m talking about lol)? I want to see it again.
Thanks
The rain miracle of Marcus Aurelius probably. Sources and discussion in Sense and Goodness without God (pp. 228-31). Although see also the new one, Péter Kovács, Marcus Aurelius’ Rain Miracle and the Marcomannic Wars (2009), with whom I don’t agree a lot (I think he is forcing a square peg into a round hole and thus commits possibiliter fallacies all over the place; but he’s just trying to date the event, not prove much else about it).
Or else, the incarnation of the god Glycon. On which see my talk Miracles and Historical Method. Or the miracles of St. Genevieve.
I am thinking about bidding on Sense and Goodness Without God. That book is one of the seminal philosophy books of modern times, and I would love a signed and custom bound copy. My only concern is that highly valuable collectables like this attract forgers and con artists. I am sure that certain unsavory people are practicing your signature right now. Will you be providing a certificate of authenticity? In case my heirs have to sell this valuable piece, I don’t want them to have to pay an expiry to authenticate it.
I hope that you will consider creating more collectables like this. It would be awesome for you to print out your best blog posts and specially bind them with the finest imitation leather. I also would be VERY interested in bidding on a signed and framed copy of that lovely seminude erotic photo that you did.
Thank you for your outstanding scholarship Richatd!
Your eBay record of sale is the certification. It can be authenticated from there. And that documentation should be passed on to any subsequent buyer so the item can be traced back to me as its original seller.
This sale went okay. But not well enough to warrant continued effort, at least for now. I will take requests for fixed price sales of future fine bound editions though. Anyone so interested should contact me by email.