The Next Best Book Club discussion
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Other book related quirks?/bookmarks
I like that idea Abigail. I am going to borrow it. Especially when it's a book that smells bad. Sometimes when I go to estate sales & buy books they smell like old flesh. Now I can change that!
Sorry if I disgusted anyone. It's just a very unpleasant smell and well I will leave it at that.
Like Kirsty, I cannot stand dog-eared books. My mother has that nasty habit and I've done my best to erradicate it, to no avail. *growl*Aaaand... I'm a bookmark-collector. From my vacations, all I've ever brought home as souvenir (besides the pictures) have been bookmarks from the country/city/place I've been in; and whenever my friends travel, I ask them to buy me a nice bookmark as memento.
Funny thing is, the bookmarks I've collected are too nice to actually be used as such (the risk of loss, tear, ...), so I use my own business card to mark the page I'm in. :P
I can't stand dog-eared books! Nothing says "no respect for books" more than that. I used to make my own bookmarks out of the handmade paper and dried leaves and flowers then put them in books when I sold them online. I also used to give them to friends but stopped when I noticed that none of my friends really read all that much. Val, I noticed in one of your previous posts that you run your hands over the book before you read, I do that too! I've done that since I was a kid. This past Christmas I gave my younger cousin two books and when she thought no one was looking, she did it and I've never been so proud!
I don't like the stickers either but if in trying to remove them I make a tear I will leave it alone but it still bugs me.I have a MASSIVE problem in lending books!!!!!!!!
I hate it when people are not careful with my books. THere are only two reasons the book is still in my possiton and that is because I really liked it or I have yet to read it.
YEars and I do mean years ago I lent a brand new book to my girlfriend. I said please DON'T dog ear the pages, don't fold the cover back, don't let your younger siblings get it and please don't leave it on the ground!
Well I finally got my book back and it was alful!
She dogeared the pages put a few creases down the middel of the front cover, and someone in her house spilt someting one it.
I was so mad! I asked her to replace to book and she would not. She even tryed to tell me that that was how the book was when she got it.
(It was brand new and I had yet to even open it let alone read it.)
Ok on a sope box here.
I use a book mark or something no damaging.
I never put a book on the floor.
I just about kills me to lend a book.
In fact the first time since those many years ago that I have let a book it was to my older sister. THis was just with in the last two years I kid you not it was so hard.
I even went so far as to call the local librarys,the 3 bookstores in the area and stoped by the book trading place to no avail.
right up untill I actually handed over the book I was stressing out! She knew this would be hard for me and really tried hard not to laugh.
I am so bad that I can barley let my doughter (who is very careful with books) barrow them. She is just accross the hall from me.
I don't use bookmarks or dog ear books (god forbid). I simply either force myself to finish the chapter or get to a new page that starts with a brand new sentence. It's pretty easy for me to find it. I never have to search frantically to find my place.
Haha, no Fiona, I agree with you. *confession time* My copy of The Secret Countess fell on the floor, I've stained books because I was eating when I read, and I STILL get my book pages wet after I have a shower. *crawls out of thread and joins Fiona*
If I damage the book I can live with it. My books are well handled and if they come in and out of bags that is one thing and they do get drped from time to time. I mean axedients happen but to outright abuse a book that is just bad. I feel that if I decied to keep the book and I treat it well I will have it for many many years to come!:)
Exactly, my abuse is my own to live with in my books. I may drip, rip or scuff occasionally but I never do *GASP* as the woman's day magazine suggested cut them up and make lamps out of their pages! I almost shed tears at that illustration!
Books! You cut cardboard to be the shape you are shaving your book into and unfold the book into a vase shaped circle and glue the cardboard together to make a lamp base. Trash to treasure is their gimmick. The only trash was the article, I felt like emailing them and asking any would be crafters to send me their books instead.
I had to laugh. I will probably find dog hairs in my books in years to come too!
Wow, how-I couldn't even cut my own MAGAZINES. Much less my books! (I'd rather be dead than cut up any books from the The Gemma Doyle Trilogy).
I am pretty case by case about my books. I will dog-ear a page if the book is new enough that the paper won't crumble but not collectable. I mostly use odds and ends for bookmarks or try to memorize the last page I was on if it will only be a short while before I pick it up again. The more well worn the book, the more history that has gone into it before it landed in my hands. I like to think of all the people who have read it before me. My friends and I passed around a copy of Master and Margarita until the cover fell off and was duct-taped back on.The only thing I have a problem with is marginalia. I don't mind a doodle or an insightful comment, but when I pick up a classic, I really don't want to read miles of pink curly script ruminating on the most obvious of aspects in the novel. Does Jane love Mr. Rochester? Yes! Yes she does! It says it RIGHT THERE in the text. I have many books I have deemed unreadable on my shelves because of this.
I don't keep my books in wonderful condition and have to admit that in certain volumes I've even dog-eared the pages. But I only ever do that in huge anthologies when I need to find a certain poem or short story quickly.I just like books that look like they've been loved; broken spines are the mark of a well-read book. I used to read in the bath a lot and so a fair few of my older books are water stained with wavy pages. My old copy of Sophie's World split in two, as did my copy of The Golden Compass.
Well-loved books are endearing. More endearing than new books.
Okay, I'm starting to get a little weirded out. Vancover too?
Yesssss...I like the feel of a much-enjoyed, well-loved book that looks the part much more than the feel of a brand-new book.
Most of my books show some wear, mainly from being carried around in my backpack/purse, and I love it. I don't mind the spines having some creases, or the corners being a little battered... it actually makes me smile. I like it that my books have been enjoyed, and that it shows.
With that said, I'll repeat once again that I absolutely cannot stand dog-earing :P The wear that normally comes from being read over and over again, or from being carried around in a backpack, is a completely different thing from intentionally folding the pages. I cannot stand food stains nor water stains, either. ****cringe****
Greetings :)
Dog-eared pages just drives me crazy. For me....it's like nails on a chalkboard. LOL. When I met my son's girlfriend, after finding out that she does this.....I went out and bought her a nice bookmark. I made a gift out of it and made her promise to use it. She laughed, but I think she is at least humoring me and using it.
So here's a question for you all because you bring up a subject I hadn't really considered. What do you think of the "signed by author" stickers. Love 'em or hate 'em?
I've been lucky and haven't bought any books with huge stickers. But I hate them.
Ha! Glad you brought it up. I hate them. I also hate looking at a review online of some really old book - like from the 1950s- and when I check out the book at the library or buy it at the bookstore it has Oprah's big "Oprah's book club" seal on it.
I don't know that I posted on here. I also, peel any sticker off a book that I have purchased myself. If I've borrowed it, I'll leave them alone. I don't know other people's quirks. Also, I use the dust jacket as my bookmark on harback books and dog-ear paperbacks. I am also somewhat quirky about the size of paperback books -- I prefer the longer paperbacks (ie James Patterson's Women's Murder Club size) to regular, "small" paperbacks -- I find they're a little easier to handle. I'd sometimes rather buy a hardback copy, to avoid the small paperback.
Book stickers - don't you just hate it when you've peeled the sticker and left the gummy residue behind?!?
Laura: I will take all of your unreadables. As a broke college student, I have learned to ignore 'marginalia'!LOL
I don't like stickers on books, but I hate the sticky smudge even more. Now that I know about Goo Gone I can get rid of all the stickers.*raises Goo Gone in a toast*
"For the love of clean books!"
Someone mentioned Goo Gone earlier up in this email...
Now I look at a book that she's endorsed and I'm like "Yeah right, you also said I should read She's Come Undone. See how well THAT turned out?".Stephanie, I just spewed water all over my keyboard. That was the funniest/best thing that I've read all day.
I absolutely agree with the posters that won't buy books with pictures of the actors from the movie on it. Just can't do it.Stephanie, I also avoid books with Oprah's seal on it. I tend to not have the same tastes as her for one thing but it also irks me that she's putting a big ole seal with her name on it on the front of the book as if she had something to do with its creation/publication, etc.
Love the bookmark exchange idea. I should do that for all my booknerd friends this year. My favorite bookmark is a 'book thong.' A string or ribbon with beads on either end. Very cute and functional.
Amen, Stephanie! I've read 2 or 3 of Oprah's picks and hated them all. I know--I'm a slow learner. I think She's Come Undone was actually the one that finally broke me!I'm a pretty dedicated library person, so I've learned to overlook a lot in books. I do hate it when people write in a book. Come on, this is a library book! Other people are going to read it! I've only found writing in two books of a trilogy I started, but it drove me crazy! They were totally inane comments, like "Stop your whining" and "More excuses." I actually agreed with what was being written, but it was distracting. I read the books with a pencil in my hand so I could erase all the comments! I never told anyone about it. But I just found out that my sister must have gotten a book that this same person had written in. What did she do? Read the book with pencil in hand, madly erasing.... Must be hereditary!
Blehg. I'm too poor to buy my own books anymore *tear*.However when I go to the library, I can't stand getting paperback. I'm afraid I'll destroy them.
Is it a "quirk" to be reading 4-6 books at a time? I pick them up depending on what mood I'm in...fiction, nonfiction, YA, biography. (Why am I suddenly reminded of Sally Field in Sybil? :/)Mental illness aside, it is a rare book that I read from start to finish without picking up something in between.
Ditto, Susan. I have to have more than one book going. If it is a short little thing, I might finish it in one sitting, but I always have at least four books that I am currently reading. One or two books of study (personal interest not school related as I have recently graduated) and a couple of novels.
I'm a boring old one-at-a-time person. I don't know how you guys do it. I would have Mr. Darcy rescuing Dorothy from the Witch while the Queen of Hearts shouted "Off with her head!" Might make for some interesting twists, but, man, I'd be confused. :-)
Lol...that is a problem sometimes. But I find it helpful too. Certain books are connected with others, and with what I was studying or where I was living at the time. It helps me a little to compound the memories.
My brain can not handle more than one book at a time....It would cause serious overload.I don't know how you people do it.
Thanks to Kellie...I am now obsessed with cross-stitching books marks. When I watch a movie, when I'm sitting at the bar...I'm cross-stitching book marks...Question: How did you fix your edges? I've been blanket stitching all around but I wonder if there is another way I haven't come up with?
I actually buy the aida cloth that is already cut into book mark form. The edges are already finished.When I am done with the bookmark, I iron on felt in the back of it. It gives a nice finishing touch.
Talking about this is making me get the itch...
Although, I still have my daughter's birth annoucement to finish. It's sitting by my chair in the living.
She's 5. Just haven't had a chance to get back to it.
Hm, okay.Lol, don't worry. I have projects that are at least 5 years old and I don't have the excuse of kids. I'm just easily distracted.
Stephanie, have you seen that Oprah has a new book club pick? The Story of Edgar Sawtelle This edition already has her horrible "fake sticker" on it! This was already on my TBR list. Now I don't know what to do about it. I'm really thinking this one may be deleted off my list.
Delete! Delete!I am so turned off by Oprah's list.
Have you guys read the poem about used books in this month's Goodreads newsletter? I could just picture some of you squirming. :-)
I take the stickers off too!I also take on a role of one of the characters and always read their lines out loud or in front of the mirror.
It's so tempting to do in public but I somehow control myself.
I'm also OCD about reading, I can't put the book down or stop reading unless I end a chapter, or if there aren't any chapters (like On The Road The Original Scroll) I just end on a page where there is a full stop at the end.
Kellie, I can't believe there are other cross stitchers on this list. I do it on and off, along with some knitting. I've made a few bookmarks (the pre fab ones, too) and now I'm getting inspired to make some more! I just ordered the Just Crossstich Christmas ornament issue from 1 2 3 Stitch and I'm so excited to get it.
Kellie, forget Oprah, but not the book. This one is a keeper. The public found it before she did.
Oprah! I refuse to buy her book club editions. They're worse then movie cover editions, which I also refuse to buy. I love old books! They tell two stories, I like to imagine a books pevious owners by the wear on the book. My books are always well worn. They get thrown in my bag; read on the bus, in the tub, pool, while I eat lunch, you name it.
I like to buy hard cover editions whenever possible, so used comes in handy. Way more afordable! I also really like big books. I love the heft and weight of a really long book, not to mention the time you get to spend with the story. So my books are usually big and heavy, necessitating a big bag. (I also love big hand bags, but that'a another club.)
Ditto the sticker thing. But I wait to take them off until just before I read them, it's like a ritual preparation. I have used scent cards as book marks, but lately I've been using a picture strip from a photo booth. It's nice to see the faces of my favorite people every time I open my book. :)
I just went back and looked at my recent issue of Bookmarks and discovered I had jotted down The Story of Edgar Sawtelle to put on my wish list. So, maybe this won't be so bad after all.
It sounded good. Especially about the dogs.
I love dogs
I used to be a cross stitch freak!!
I like to stitch bookmarks for the kids teachers for X-mas.
Now, since I'm reading so much, I don't stitch.
But now that football is on, I may pick it up again. To finish the birth announcement
The Next Best Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
Gone with the Wind (other topics)The Road (other topics)
Water for Elephants (other topics)
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle (other topics)
The Shack (other topics)
More...
I would stick yucky smells in Catch 22 and Atlas Shrugged and Saturday... as I hated those books (im evil, I know) and use sweet smells for Jose Saramago, Jules Verne, Cormac McCarthy since I love their novels, and heavy musky smells for all my classics, since they are wonderful, older, though provoking novels....
this could open a whole new world of reading for me!