Okay,
So I'm one of those people who likes to keep their books looking brand spanking new forever. I guess you could say I'm anal but I didn't realize how much until today. One of the girls at work was getting ready to go to the bank (it's the first of the month so she usually spends a couple of hours there) when she realized she'd forgotten to pick up a magazine. Her first thought was to come to me since I usually have at least one or two books in my bag with me. So when she asked me I handed over Wish Upon a Cowboy since I'd just finished it. The first thing she did when I gave it to her was look at it then look up at me right away and say "This spine is already cracked you know that right? You aren't going to think it was me?" I can honestly say there was real honest to goodness fear in her eyes.
Am I really that anal? I must be since someone who never even reads books let alone has conversations about them had a near panic attack at returning a damaged book to me.
I can't help it though I love it when my books look like they've never been read. It took me years to get around to actually buying books from used bookstores and I only started because moving out of my parents place and having to pay "real bills" took a huge bite out of my book budget. Even now when I go to a used book store it's not unusual to find me with multiple copies of the same book spread out on the shelf while I examine every square inch from all possible angles to determine which one is in the best condition and then I have to determine whether I want the one that looks less damaged when sitting on the shelf or when I've got it pulled out and I'm trying to read it.
Now that I'm going back and reading it. I think it might be a little sad. Then again I can't deny how happy I am when I'm looking at all my like new books with their clean shiny covers, unbroken spines and new book smells.
6 comments:
LOL, I'm the opposite. I love well loved books... my favorite books are worn out from re-reading. But I understand your love of new books -- my brother is exactly the same, he reads his books half closed so the spine won't crack. ;D
You would totally hate my books. I dog-ear, the spines are cracked... yup. You're anal. But you're not alone. So don't feel lonely, LOL!
I'm like you... I love my books to look brand new... my brother is the same way... whenever I lend a book to my mother, I always say, 'Don't break the spine!', and she does, every time without fail... lol... I think she does it because she knows it bugs me... But I do love used bookstores, if a book is bought used, it doesn't bother me if it looks 'loved'... lol.. but if I bought it new, I want it to stay looking that way :)
If you're anal so am I :D
My friends make fun of my book obsession/possessiveness. I think they think its a quirk.
OMG that's me. I actually have a little speech I say to people who want to borrow books from me. I've cut off family members from my library b/c they didn't listen. LOL
I'm in the Hilcia/Lori crowd. My books are well-loved. Very, very well loved. I sometimes read them while taking a bath (I can see you cringing at the thought). I also keep multiple copies of my favorites so that when the "bath" version falls apart there is a backup then I go get a new or nicer used copy for the shelf (depending on how much I like it).
Having said that, I am very respectful of other people's book and try my very best to return in the same condition when returned (sometimes I go get then a new one defeating the whole borrowing aspect of it). I know how possessive and territorial I get about mine (even though I'm a book abuser) so try to treat them like my treasured autographed or out-of-print books (those sit on a special shelf and only barely opened).
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