I still have the original Narnia paperbacks with the Pauline Baynes illustrations. They're getting a little fragile, but I'm never letting them go.

Hmm, I have my original Narnia books, purchased when I was in elementary school (early 80s). I have my dad's original Lord of the Rings books, though, and they are, well, not in mint condition by any stretch, but it's so great to have old versions, not movie-tie in versions.

so great to have old versions, not movie-tie in versions

Movie tie-in versions are verboten.

Unless they were given to you. My Congo and LOTR are so. But I actually passed on buying a used trade of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen because of the "Now a Major Motion Picture" logo.

Heh, any guesses how many results for an amazon search for Lord of the Rings?

whitefont: over 55,000!

I have the Lord of the Rings paperbacks I bought in the early '70s. Sadly, they could be poster children for the evils of high-acid paper. I recent bought new (but not movie-tie) versions thinking I'd reread them again. My originals are really too fragile to read. Will I get rid of them? Noooo. (Reason No. 312 why Ginger has too many books.)

E.W. Hildick's McGurk mysteries! I adored those books. I must've read six of them during one particularly bad illness, but they were all library books - not from the local library, from some remote one that had an amazing children's section - and I never found most of them for purchase. Although I have maybe two in a box somewhere. Those were so great!

Did anybody ever read the E.S.P. McGee books? I think in retrospect they were not so good, but I was addicted. I think there might have been six of them. Or four. I would read anything with the supernatural in it (distinctly remember "The Girl With the Silver Eyes" as a favorite) but horror? Nope. Read the backs of all the Christopher Pike and Lois Duncan books, but was never brave enough to read them.

Re: Lady of Hay and time travel ...

IIRC, it's more of a past-lives intertwining with present book than a time travel book. But I may be misremembering.

E.W. Hildick's McGurk mysteries! I adored those books.

Yay! I'm glad to have found someone else. Those alliterative titles amused me to no end. The only one I can remember right now is The Case of the Purloined Parrot.

I want to get the Edward Eager books, especially "Half Magic,"

I seem to remember this title, but can't quite remember what it was about. Off to amazon.

I seem to remember this title, but can't quite remember what it was about. Off to amazon.

You had to wish for twice as much of everything to get what you wanted. It was tricky.