EPISODE · Aug 15, 2025 · 27 MIN
From the Bible to Tolkien: the risks & rewards of collecting rare books
from Holy Smoke
The Bible is widely said to be the most published book of all time. Despite this, many older versions of the Bible are still sought after. This is because, as Tom Ayling tells Damian Thompson on this episode of Holy Smoke, there is a great deal of diversity amongst the editions precisely because it has been so widely published. Tom, a young antiquarian bookseller who set up his own business, joins the podcast to talk about the risks and rewards behind collecting rare books.Tom explains why, for him, books are ‘most than just a text’; takes us through the various religious books in his collection, from old editions of the Holy Bible to the Book of Common Prayer; and reveals some of the more amusing mistakes he has come across. For more from Tom, go to: www.tomwayling.co.ukProduced by Patrick Gibbons. Photo credit: Tom Rowland (Tom W. Ayling Ltd).Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What this episode covers
The Bible is widely said to be the most published book of all time. Despite this, many older versions of the Bible are still sought after. This is because, as Tom Ayling tells Damian Thompson on this episode of Holy Smoke, there is a great deal of diversity amongst the editions precisely because it has been so widely published. Tom, a young antiquarian bookseller who set up his own business, joins the podcast to talk about the risks and rewards behind collecting rare books.Tom explains why, for him, books are ‘most than just a text’; takes us through the various religious books in his collection, from old editions of the Holy Bible to the Book of Common Prayer; and reveals some of the more amusing mistakes he has come across. For more from Tom, go to: www.tomwayling.co.ukProduced by Patrick Gibbons. Photo credit: Tom Rowland (Tom W. Ayling Ltd).Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts. Contact us: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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From the Bible to Tolkien: the risks & rewards of collecting rare books
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