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I’m not very sentimental about books. I don’t collect first editions, and my shelves aren’t filled with pristine hardbacks or beautiful dust covers (I’m actually not a fan of dust covers). Honestly, I prefer used books because they don’t cost as must as new, and I like the idea of giving used books a second life.
This summer, however, my dad gave me a book that is the oldest book I now own. It’s a small volume printed in 1832, which makes it 193 years old. Whoa.
The book is titled (deep breath):
Memoir of John Mooney Mead, who died at East Hartford, Conn. April 8, 1831, aged 4 years, 11 months, and 4 days: with an appendix containing extracts from a memoir of his father, Rev. Asa Mead.
Talk about a title!
A Family Connection
This book belonged to a relative of my dad’s. Unfortunately, we don’t know much beyond that – when she received it, why she kept it, or if it was treasured possession. But now it belongs to me, and it’s been fascinating learning the story behind it.
A quick check on eBay revealed something else surprising: it’s now my most valuable book too, as it’s currently listed for $269.
About the Book
- Published: 1832, American Tract Society, New York
- Author: Rev. Asa Mead (1792-1831)
- Subject: brief life and passing of his son, John Mooney Mead, who died just a month short of his 5th birthday
I wouldn’t think that most 5-year-olds have much life experience to warrant a memoir, but John Mooney Mead’s father thought he did, and so he wrote this book. But in the 19th century, Christian biography and memorial literature often highlighted even short lives as testimonies of faith.
According to the book’s preface, Asa Mead wrote this in part to grieve, but also because friends and members of his community requested he record his son’s story.
Themes in the Memoir
Like many other works from the 19th century American Tract Society, this small book combines grief, faith and inspiration. The main themes are:
- Parental love
- Christian faith
- Remembrance of a loved one
It aligns closely with other contemporary literature of the 19th century, which often offered personal consolation and moral encouragement for readers.
Is it a First Edition?
In researching online, my copy appears to be a first edition. That makes it not only the oldest, most valuable books I own, but also my rarest.
A Bookish Question for You
I never thought my oldest book would be a 19th century Christian memoir of a nearly 5 year old boy handed down through my family. Who would? It may not be the prettiest book I own, or even the most interesting to read, but it certainly has the most history.
👉 What is your oldest book?
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