Here's Where You Can Buy Beautiful and Rare Collector's Editions of Books in the Philippines
Every bibliophile adores a handsome book cover. For all the world’s warnings against judging books by their exterior, bookworms for the most part take little to no shame in admitting their favoritism toward designs that make beautiful pairings of art and lettering.
No one needs to repeat the obvious fact that the cover has no bearing on the actual book’s quality—“the icing, but not the cake,” as some might put it. Yes, books are for r-e-a-d-i-n-g. But for the most devoted book lovers, they’re also works of art meant for collecting, treasuring, and celebrating with the world. If you’re on a mission to upgrade from the humble mass market paperback, Omniana’s curated selection of literature in their finest editions is ready to make your bookshelf as brilliant as you.
Independent bookshop and art store Omniana carries a dapper line-up of books—in their words, “from bestsellers to hidden gems from the near and far corners of the world, all of them in their most beautiful covers and editions.” True enough, the shop’s range is highly impressive. They have hard-to-find copies and gorgeous editions of everything, from modern classics like the Slaughterhouse-Five and poetry collections by Rumi, to non-fiction work such as The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela and contemporary favorites like Cho Nam-Joo’s Kim Jiyoung, Born 1992.
Their extensive selection of Asian literature alone is worthy of applause, with best-selling titles by Ruth Ozeki, Han Kang, and our very own Mia Manansala, among countless other extraordinary Asian authors.
Apart from all these relatively familiar names and titles, Omniana also has several books that aren’t being sold yet by the larger bookstore chains in the Philippines. This makes browsing through their catalogs feel like the most effortless, bountiful treasure hunt you’ll ever experience.
The collector’s editions section, of course, is Omniana’s pride and joy. It includes photography collections of esteemed professionals such as Annie Leibovitz, and even the exquisite watercolor painting collection Pancha Tantra by Walton Ford. The most expensive title in the entire shop is the two-volume collector’s edition of GENESIS by Sebastião Salgado, priced at P285,000. Described by Salgado as his “love letter to the planet,” GENESIS is a collection of photographs that were “the result of an epic eight-year expedition to rediscover the mountains, deserts, and oceans, the animals and peoples that have so far escaped the imprint of modern society—the land and life of a still pristine planet.”
If you’re looking to bring joy to a beloved but highly particular bookworm, Omniana also sells digital gift cards that you can send via email. And, in accord with the shop’s complete name, Omniana Books and Artwork, they also sell art from “up-and-coming local artists on the brink of wider discovery.” All art currently available in the shop is made in either acrylic on canvas or pastel on paper.
Reading and art-curating might not be the average Filipino’s hobbies, but in no way does this mean your home libraries or art collections should be anything less than exceptional. Books and art are both paragons of our capacity for beauty and imagination. And when combined—though it can be argued that the line between them doesn’t exist at all—they make priceless additions to any literary enthusiast’s bookshelf.
Omniana ships worldwide, with free shipping for deliveries in NCR. You may browse their selection of books and art by visiting their official website at https://www.omniana.com.ph/.
