Books, Collecting, Care, Pretentiousness, Anality...

[[Syl]]

I have a poem on that very sensation somewhere (at home... I'll look it up when I get back). Equating the smell of dust and decaying paper to what people must smell like to God.

[Roland of Gilead]

I'm just like you, Fiz. If I was the first owner of the book, when I'm finished reading it, it still looks to be in mint condition. With hardcovers, I always remove the dust jacket when reading.

The only flaws on books that I purchased are "eye-tracks."

[birdandbear]

I'm a very selective collector....can't afford to get serious. My prized possessions are my hardback DT collection. I have the first four in the new hb's with the revised Gunslinger, two hb copies of Wolves of the Calla (the regular edition, and an artist edition, signed by the Bernie Wrightson), the artist edition of Song of Susannah is already on order, and the crowning glory (if Grant will let me have one) will be The Dark Tower, signed by SK and Michael Whelan.
These are my babies, no one borrows them, they never leave the shelf. Although I have read the revised Gunslinger, and the artist Wolves ('cause I had loaned out the regular one) I treated them like glass and you can't tell they've ever been opened.

My other prized collection are my hb copies of TCTC. It took nearly 10 years to find them all in hardback.....TIW was the last, about a year ago. I was ecstatic. They are all in good condition, except for a couple of the dustjackets. They likewise never leave the shelf......unless I can't find the paperback I'm looking for....

Other that that, I try to take care of my books. I don't abuse them on purpose of course, and my kids are learning that a book is to be treated with reverence. But I consider well-earned battle scars to be the mark of a good book. A taped up cover is a badge of honor. A pizza smear on a page just means that I was too enthralled with the story to put it down long enough to eat.....and the book is all the more admirable.

And I will dogear a pb, but only if I can't find a bookmark.

Have you ever seen someone bend a book completely backwards while they read it? So that the covers are touching? That makes me want to grab the book away and whack them with it.

[Roland of Gilead]

Bird and Bear, when I see someone bend a pb completely back like that, I"m thinking, "Oh, yeah, so that's how those paperbacks in used bookstores that look like they spent time in a meat-grinder get that way."

[aTOMiC]

I try to treat every book I have a well as I can. I have a complete set of Gap hard backs that I bought sealed in plastic. I have 3k comics that are individually packed in plastic bags and backing boards. I don't think I'm anal about it, that seems to be a pretty standard practice with collectors. If any of my books are in a bad way I probably bought them in that condition because I was too broke to buy a better copy but I'm always out to try to improve the quality of my collection.

[CovenantJr]

Have you ever seen someone bend a book completely backwards while they read it? So that the covers are touching? That makes me want to grab the book away and whack them with it.

Bird and Bear, when I see someone bend a pb completely back like that, I"m thinking, "Oh, yeah, so that's how those paperbacks in used bookstores that look like they spent time in a meat-grinder get that way."

Heh, I'm glad it's not just me.

[Edinburghemma]

I always bend books right back, until I hear them scream. I am a pacifist and take out my otherwise latent sadism on books.

[FizbansTalking_Hat]

Ooooh, would never allow you to borrow or touch my books Edin.

I rarely let people touch my books in general, b/c I fear that someone who just doesn't care will break a spine out of habit when glancing at the book.

I also do not lend books, and if I do, which is rare, usually I don't, but if I do, I will go out and buy a copy just for lending for them, then I won't really care what they do to it, or if I get it back, but most of the hardbounds and 1st editions I have, don't get touched except by me.

Call me, weird, pretentious, anal about books but thats how I am. Cheers.

[Edinburghemma]

Wow, life is too short. Some books obviously I care about not damaging, but paperback fodder. Hell no. Charles Dickens would turn in his grave!

[Roland of Gilead]

Fiz, I'm with you again. I rarely lend books, because I fear the condition in which it will be returned, and also, I drive myself crazy if the book isn't returned in a reasonable length of time. I once lost my first edition copy of Legends for six months, because I lent it to a WOT fan who only wanted to read Jordan's story. If he read that story one paragraph per day, he could have returned it quicker than six months. And I was reduced to the extremely irritating position of having to ask for my own property back.

The only book I frequently lend is A Game of Thrones - because I have an extra copy and don't care when it comes back. Which, of course, means that I always get it returned on time and in good condition. Murphy's Law in reverse.

[Usagi]

I treat my books like crap. But that is mostly because I buy all my books used and they are already crap.
Except my Manga....I have all the Sailor Moons in mint condition lol

Once I get a job I plan on collecting a few series and will treat them better than I do myself lol ^_^

[___]

Have you ever tried Ebay or Amazon? I'm practically tripping over SRD hardbacks on those sites

[Furls Fire]

Ebay is a great place to get books. I got all the Earthsea books for a song on ebay. Brand new too!

[dANdeLION]

I keep my books as well as I can, but I'm not afraid to read them. When my first born started walking, I put all my books in individual plastic bags. My wife thought that was anal, until one night when Tommy was sleepwalking. He went directly to my bookshelf, took off his diaper, and urinated on the bottom row of books. My wife then thought I was a genius.

[danlo]

Did you find him sleepwalking? And if so did he murmur "Don't touch me" whilst in the act?

[Furls Fire]

Oh sweet mercy!!! I just blew coffee all over my monitor!!!

[FizbansTalking_Hat]

Har Har, so funny.

[sindatur]

I will open my books almost flat, but not beyond that. I take great care not to damage covers and dustjackets, but, I'm not anal about washing my hands before picking one up (Although I don't have much reading time, so most of my reading is done in bed before going to sleep, so I have just finished showering). So my spines have some wear, but not too bad.

Dog-earring and tearing/marking on the pages is a major taboo for me, won't ever do it. What's this about not being able to find a bookmark as an excuse to molest the book? Don't you have junkmail or notepads by the phone or refrigerator? Any old piece of paper will make a satisfactory bookmark if you can't find one. No excuse for that IMHO

So, like Covenant Jr, I am middle of the road, what I am careful of, I am very careful of, but, some things I just don't bother with.

I did commit a major book crime once though. My paperback copy of HP and the Chamber of Secrets, I was reading at work during lunchtime, and left it in my car for several days. 105 degrees farenheit is a very common temperature in the summer here, and a car in that heat, without shade, destroys the glue. Since then I do not leave books in my car.

[danlo]

I did that once with a video rental. Christ it cost enuf to smooth that damm store's feathers! Where is here?

[sindatur]

I did that once with a video rental. Christ it cost enuf to smooth that damm store's feathers! Where is here?

HEHE, a friend of mine did that once too. They don't play well anymore when they look like a hotwheels racetrack

Edit: Here would be Sacramento, CAlifornia.
(Sorry, didn't catch that was a real question at first, thought it was part of a silly signature)