Roger that, I love inventive manuals too. They really run the gamut, from the skimpy and brief (like the ones you find IN the CD case insert. Stupid) to giant manuals for flight sims, or the lovely textbook that was MOO2.
I've saved every manual since the original X-Wing (where my gaming legacy begins). For the most part they're stacked alongside my desk, and are basically desk height now. I've saved all the boxes too, because usually they're pretty cool too. So I want my HL2 box as well!
As far as Strategy guides go, that is a mixed bag. I usually stay away, but does anyone remember the guides for X-Wing and (I think) TIE Fighter? They were hundreds of pages, and had a freakin' story to go with the in-depth descriptions of every mission. Now THAT was a strategy guide. Downhill since then.