I am that rare creature -- a female stamp collector, so I can empathize with Simon Garfield's collecting obsessions. I too gave up collecting over a relationship. In his case it was to pay for a divorce settlement, in mine my ex resented that if I had any hobby it took away from the time I was expected to be adoring him. Garfield's personal story is carefully interwoven with what is in effect a history of stamp collecting and collectors, primarily in the UK. His particular focus was on errors, so there is much word play there on the errors of life as well. The Error World is an excellent autobiography as well as a rumination on the compulsion to collect. ( )

Better for residents of the UK. ( )

We are all of us collectors. Be it books, baseballs cards, or Barbie dolls, what we gather into our lives defines us in some way. Simon Garfield’s life seems to be one of not only collecting, but of crisis and loss. From his first experience with stamp collecting, he was hooked, but his pseudo-obsession with philately would cost him more than money. In his The Error World, he looks at the history of both stamp-making and stamp collecting as well as the trajectory of his own life in relation to his hobby.

Stamps began in Britain in 1840 and from there began a worldwide obsession with acquiring newer and interesting pieces. The 1840 Penny Black started the whole thing. Stamps are now printed in every country and include an almost infinite variety of subject matters. There are those that just collect British monarch stamps or island airmail stamps or stamps from a certain decade. Garfield concerns himself with errors. At various points in the printing process, ink can be misapplied or entire figures can be missing from the stamp. Errors, because they are inherently rarer than the stamps themselves, are a bit more valuable and have more character. Garfield details the history of famous collectors and the prizes they sought after, counting himself among their number.

Garfield’s collection of stamps is counterpointed with his collection of experiences. His father died early in his life and then his mother, and he can’t quite ever keep his relationships or his collections whole. He cheats on his wife and has to sell his collection to pay for the divorce. Garfield’s life is unfortunately underwhelming when set against the field of philately (which is saying quite a lot, I believe), but the stories he tells are genuine. In the end, the book reads fast and has a good amount of information about stamps, so it’ll fit nicely in a free afternoon. ( )

I was excited to read this book, figuring either it would be a great memoir, or a great book about stamps, but this book was neither. Though I did enjoy reading about young Simon's growing love for stamps, I would have like the personal element of the story to be introduced much much earlier. After a promising tidbit about the role of stamps in ending his marriage, Garfield then reverted to long reflections on stamps; his wife and his adult relationships are never even factored into the story.

Perhaps a more knowledgable reader will enjoy the detailed discussions of specific stamps, but for me, the appeal of this book was supposed to be the personal connection, an element I found lacking. Though Garfield is an excellent writer, I just didn't feel a connection to the story or to his obsession with stamps and other collections. ( )

Interesting book on one man's journey of collecting and identifying stamps with printed errors. ( )