"I don't care whether a book is a first edition or not. I'm not a bibliophile in that word's natural sense"

Norman MacCaig is revealing his lack of interest in the worth of a book based upon its edition. He is not a bibliophile, which is somebody who enjoys books and collects them, in the traditional sense. He is not worried about the financial value of a book, or its rarity, but rather with the material of the book itself. He is more interested in the story, the ideas, and the knowledge that a book can offer, rather than its monetary value. He is not a collector of books, however rather a reader of them. He is more interested in the experience of reading a book than in the material value of it. He is not worried about the edition of a book, however rather with the understanding and understanding that it can provide.