About Us

Marc Kuritz is the proprietor of Churchill Book Collector. Of antiquarian bookselling, Marc says “That’s just a fancy way of saying we cater to the notion that books can be compelling physical artifacts, not just convenient collections of words.”

Marc’s education and early career were in politics and public policy. Before he became a bookseller, Marc also served as a policy and resource development consultant to non-profits. Why Churchill? A bibliophile and policy wonk was bound to fixate on a two-time prime minister who won the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Marc claims the final push to turn a longtime avocation into a vocation was parenthood: “Unlike children, good books stay where you put them, cultivate humility without humiliating you in public, and are patient while you try to figure them out.”

We specialize in works by and about Sir Winston Churchill, offering both a singular inventory and approachable expertise. We also offer collectible works by all authors.

Churchill's official biographer, Sir Martin Gilbert rightly called Churchill's long life "remarkable and versatile". Statesman, soldier, war correspondent, ardent social reformer, combative cold warrior, painter - Churchill was many things, but perhaps above all a master wordsmith.  

As it turns out, when Churchill wasn't busy trying to govern the British people or saving the free world from tyranny, he wrote. Prolifically and compellingly.

Churchill published 58 books, 260 pamphlets, and more than 840 feature articles. His speeches fill 9,000 pages. He won the Nobel Prize in Literature. And writing was his part-time job.

Our specialty is helping Churchill's words find your shelves.

Our extensive inventory represents decades of experience with the myriad works by and about Churchill. Our diverse offerings include a robust selection of scarce and fine examples of Churchill’s writing – of course first editions, collectible editions, and signed and inscribed material – as well as a stock of more affordable copies of works by and about Churchill.

Our specialized expertise remains Churchill-related. Nonetheless, we feature a growing selection of non-Churchill material and can certainly help with collecting or selling other authors.  

The book trade has changed a lot since our days of seeking delightfully dusty old bookstores and introducing ourselves to the resident cats and proprietors (in that order of course). Even though much business is now online, we try to bring the same level of personal care and attention that a collector might find in a traditional “bricks and mortar” bookshop.  

Our descriptions are reliably detailed, accurate, and forthright, always accompanied by images of the actual item offered, so our customers can come as close as possible to a visceral feel for what they are buying. We endeavor to answer inquiries fully and swiftly. We pack and ship all of our orders with care and attention.

We are able to advise and assemble full collections, working closely with individual collectors to identify and accommodate their preferences and budget. We are also able to help commission preservation cases and fine bindings.

Paul Shelley has partnered with Marc in Churchill Book Collector for more years than either cares to confess.

A lifelong resident of Edmonton, Canada and a software developer in his other professional life, Paul first became interested in Churchill when his father loaned him a paperback set of books by Churchill for a road trip with some friends. “The fact that I actually took the books with me and read them on the trip tells you why I was pretty much destined to become a Churchill specialist.”

Marc and Paul met - wait for it - over the sale of a Churchill book. Not long thereafter they decided to work together.

We have considerable experience with most of the myriad works by and about Winston Churchill. We are committed not only to helping Churchill’s words find your shelves, but to sharing our bibliographic experience via our online Guide to Churchill’s books, our blog and videos, and direct communication. What we know we are happy to share. And what we don’t know we are eager to learn. Please feel free to contact us with questions and comments.

If you seek something you do not find in our current online inventory, please contact us; we may have it in unlisted inventory. If not, we will likely be able to find it for you. Our inventory may be searched online via this website or you may visit us in San Diego by appointment.

We also welcome contact about books you seek to sell. While we are always interested in acquiring works by and about Churchill, we also invite you to offer collectible works by all authors. We buy, and in some cases consign, fine and collectible individual items, as well as entire collections.

Both Marc and Paul maintain extensive personal collections, Marc's focused primarily on fine and/or inscribed British and U.S. first editions. Paul's is more ambitiously committed to the daunting “completist” goal of securing reference copies of every edition, printing, and state of published works (in the English language) authored by Churchill, with a particular affinity for rare Canadian editions.

Cheers!