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Booking Through Thursday


Are you a spine breaker? Or a dog-earer? Do you expect to keep your books in pristine condition even after you have read them? Does watching other readers bend the cover all the way round make you flinch or squeal in pain?

I’m most definitely not a spine breaker! I have some books that I’ve read over and over, some that are mass market paperbacks, and their spines are still unbroken. When I go into a used bookstore, I always search for the least used-looking book there. I think I have maybe only one or two books that have cracked spines, and only because I bought them used and that was the only copy of the book that I could find. I never dog-ear, either; I have about 500 bookmarks that they give out free with purchase at the Strand, McNally Robinson (now McNally Jackson), and other places. And it drives me nuts when the book I’m reading gets banged around. I know, that’s the price I pay for carrying books around in my handbag, but I’m very particular that way.

And yes, watching other readers bend the spines of their books drives me crazy. It’s almost as bad as knuckle-cracking, my other pet peeve; it gives me the heebie-jeebies.
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Comments

Anonymous said…
Books should be handled with care and gentleness, just like cradling a baby in the crook.
October 30, 2008 at 2:07 PM
Andi said…
I don't set out to break a spine, but with the noble mass market, I have no problem with it. lol
October 30, 2008 at 3:16 PM
Meghan said…
Oh, I hate knuckle cracking too! I even hate it when a joint on my body cracks by accident. It's worse when people crack their backs or necks. *shudders*

I hate that more than watching people crack spines, too.

- medieval bookworm
October 30, 2008 at 3:33 PM
Anonymous said…
I'm with you and your heebie jeebies! I have often lent a book to a friend and been asked if I had read it. Had one friend hand a book right back to me as I loaned it to her because she would not be responsible for the property of someone obviously so anal. Not anal, I say. Just handle the babies carefully as Matt remarked.
October 30, 2008 at 4:26 PM
SmilingSally said…
I'm a person who has changed from one extreme to the other--a flip-flopper, but I have a good reason.
October 30, 2008 at 5:00 PM
Jeane said…
I avoid buying mass market paperbacks for my collection anymore (and am replacing all existing ones) simply because after several readings the spines do get cracked and then they eventually fall apart. And I try to treat them nice!
October 31, 2008 at 7:47 AM
Poppy Q said…
Hi, my sister in law and I are the same. We won't lend books to book abusers, she won't even give them to her mother as she will bend the spine.

We like our books to look pristine, just like new.

P.S I enjoy your blog, and the Elizabeth Chadwick novel are a good read.

Julie Q
November 3, 2008 at 5:18 AM
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