Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Book Handling

After taking Miss eleven to the airport today and with hours to spare - it was only too easy to immerse ourselves in the bookshop there for a bit (if only Miss two hadn't decided enough was enough - a girl her age has other needs lol!). It was while we were browsing the YA section and I opened up a book and oohed and aahed about the first scene that Shannon (better known here as Miss eleven) gasped aloud and said, "Mum, don't fold the cover back like that!" that I realised how apparently slapdash I handle my books. To me, books are meant to be squished this way and that, held comfortably, become worn with repeated pickups (not that it happens to any of my books too much these days, I have too big a TBR pile to reread many of them) and have that 'loved' look about them.
It begs the question - what type of book handler are you?
Love to hear some thoughts and names =)

13 comments:

Tracey O'Hara said...

I am the same a Miss Eleven. I like my books kept in pristine condition. I don't fold corners, try not to crack the spine and keep it as near new as possible. I used to even cover them in clear contact to keep them perfect.

Christina Phillips said...

Ack yes, I'm with Tracey on this one. I get quite agitated if I see any of the kids folding back the spines!!!

Mel Teshco said...

Hi Tracey & Christina,
Shannon is with you guys on this one. She doesn't even like lending her books out to friends in case they come back tatty =)

Laurann Dohner said...

I'm afraid to even get finger stains on my books (eating and reading...NO NO!) LOL. Always make sure they don't get bent, even watching how far I open the cover to prevent creases. Of course I chalk it up to the years as a kid I practically lived in libraries and would get so angry at finding 'book abuse'. I'd go to read something to find stains over words I couldn't read or the covers falling apart or missing pages! LOL.

Mel Teshco said...

Laurann now I'm feeling alone in my handling of books!! LOL

Andrea said...

Hi Mel and happy new year.
Years ago I read somewhere that there are three types of book lovers.
Courtly lovers-who keep their books pristine.
Carnal lovers-who bend the spines, dog ear pages and maybe even high light text or write in the margins.
And then the rapists whose books are practically destroyed by the time they're finished with.
You sound carnal, like me ;)

Mel Teshco said...

that's interesting Andrea, have never heard that one before! I guess I can live with carnal *mwa ha haaaaa*

Mel Teshco said...

ps - Happy New Year to you too!! =)

Eleni Konstantine said...

Gasp - shock horror - dog ear pages...no, no, no, no, no. I try and keep my books pristine but I'm a klutz so there's usually a crease or two by the time I finish large books.

A friend of mine puts it aptly- 'can't you hear the books scream when you bend the spine'. And yes, it's a cry for help.

But then again when it comes to notebooks, I'm not so good :)

LOL re Andrea's carnal comment.

Laurann Dohner said...

Mel, I don't blame your daughter for not lending out her books. I had a hardback copy of Richard Laymon's Midnight's Lair. I lent it out and they LOST IT! I was never able to buy it again. It went out of print. I loved that damn book! (A tour guide trapped with tourists in an unground cave being attacked by man eating people!) I STILL miss it! You can't buy them anymore unless you're willing to pay like $65 some collector's copy. SUCKS! I keep praying they'll add it to the ebook collection they've put out of his books but last time I checked... NOPE!

Mel Teshco said...

Eleni - I love how your friend brings the books to life by the screaming! lol. I admit I treasure my 'keeper' books and most especially my autographed ones (and of course my borrowed books when I have them) but the rest I'm pretty relaxed with.
Laurann - you must be pissed!! I know I would be. Keep your eye out for it, I'm sure it'll turn up somewhere!

Suzanne Brandyn said...

Hi Mel,
I'm a gentle go by the rules kinda person. Do not turn pages at the corners, always use a bookmark, and treat with care. I guess it's what I learnt at school. Its stuck with me. :)

Sandie Hudson said...

Interesting post Mel, I think it depends on the book for me. Novels are always handled with care, lovely bookmarks and no spine bending. While how-to books, well they have dogears, sticky notes, bend spins and highlighted bits. But that's because they are mine.

What I can't stand is getting a book from the library and find someone has scribbled all the way through it, manners people. If it is in pencil, I have to rub the marks out, very gently so I don't cause more damage.

Sandie

A Quick Update

I'm busy writing for my new publisher (on book 2 now) but I can't say too much on this project series as yet. What I can tell yo...
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