I Murdered my Library is a kindle single by a famous author downsizing her book collection as she moves to a new property. It's full of gems that book lovers will adore and relate to. This particular one struck me:
"The glory for me is how many of the books are in poor physical condition. They are books that have been read and read intensely. They are knocked about and shopworn. I would be ashamed of a book whose spine was not broken."
I know some readers are careful, and hate to damage their books in any way. I am the opposite - I crease spines on purpose to mark my progress, turn over corners, highlight, underline, scrawl my thoughts and sometimes even bend the covers, With a single glance at my shelves, you would be able to work out which books are read, and which are unread. The more battered the book, the more I have loved it - the story of my reading is told by the condition of the pages. The pristine ones nag at me to pick them up as soon as possible.
Of course, I do have some special editions I wouldn't like to damage (mainly classics), but on the whole I prefer the look of a book that has clearly been enjoyed. I love buying out of date, battered copies in charity shops, especially if they have names, notes or annotations in them. Books are extremely special objects to me, but I don't believe that I have to treat them like glass.
How do you treat your books?
I'm sort of in the middle -- I'm not meticulous about keeping my books in perfect condition, but I don't try to wear them out either. And if someone borrows a book and it comes back a little beat up, it doesn't bother me. Some of my very favorite books are pretty worn out though which I do think says something about my love for them -- we have Harry Potter hardcovers with messed up spines and big chunks of pages falling out of the binding. The 2nd Outlander book I am currently re-reading has major spine-creasing as well as one loose page that is driving me absolutely nuts because it keeps falling out -- I really do need to tape that back in before I lose it for good!
ReplyDeleteThe middle is probably the sensible way to be! My original Harry Potters are beat up too - I keep thinking about getting one of the nice new sets, but I'm really attached to my originals.
DeleteAnd I really need to try Outlander. I have the first on my kindle.
When I first started reading this, I was thinking how I always like to keep my books looking as clean as possible and how I definitely never write in books. I still never write in them but my Wheel of Time books are completely battered and I think that out of all of the books that I own, that series means the most. Not because it's the most literary but because it was the first fantasy series that I fell in love with and carried around at all times just in case I found a time I could read it! So you've made me realise that I need to be less prissy and just get stuck in with the books I love so that one day I can just look at my shelves and spot my favourites :)
ReplyDeleteI totally love this post! :)
I love the Wheel of Time too :) I first read it at uni, when I got up to book 8. I'm currently going through a reread, I've just finished book 4 and I intend to go all the way this time.
DeleteI never used to write in books, but I've recently started to - I love the idea of being able to look back and see my impressions of certain lines and chapters. But I never write in 'nice' editions of books though! Lovely post :)
ReplyDeleteGemma
That's what I like about it too. I'm much more likely to highlight & write in my classics, as these are the books I tend to revisit more frequently.
DeleteI don't write in my books, but most of my library definitely looks well read! I've just reread Antonia Forest's Marlow series, and my Penguin copy of Cricket Term needs two hands to read all the way through, the poor thing is so battered and falling apart!
ReplyDeleteRereading favourites is such a pleasure. I have some books that I love, and I can remember where/when I bought them and read them, and picking up that particular edition makes me nostalgic.
DeleteI read this kindle single recently and really enjoyed it too. You can't go wrong with bookish enthusiasm. I really wish I could be like you and show that my books have been read, but I have such a thing about creased spines. I get so upset when I crease one and even my Mum knows to read my books with care. Oddly though, I'm always dog-earing pages and underlining things. It's just the creased spines that get to me!
ReplyDeleteI have a bit of a thing for kindle singles - they are perfect when you're in the middle of a chunky book and need a reading palate cleanser.
DeleteIt seems like we all have our own book related quirks!
I think I'm also somewhere in the middle. I can't write in books, but I happily break the spines. Jan is very pedantic about appearances of books so we often have arguments, when he annouces he wants to replace this or that copy because they don't look pristine. He can't understand how I prefer them to look like they have been read and loved.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you should keep the battered copies and let him buy his own pristine ones! I think this is a bit like bookish marmite - you either like books that look used or you don't.
DeleteI'm the same, and I agree with you entirely - books are not glass. They're made to be read, not handled with kid gloves. The contents are what is important.
ReplyDeleteMost of my books (probably 80%) are second hand, and many in very poor shape, but I'm not bothered by it. I'd never not buy a book because it was in bad condition.
And yes, I deliberately break spines as well to mark progress. The only books I *do* handle very carefully are the old first editions, but then I do see them more as historical artefacts! :)
I really enjoy buying second hand copies, especially of classics. I am partial to all the lovely new editions, especially penguin english library versions, but I much before a pre-loved, falling apart copy from a charity shop.
DeleteOld first editions aren't to be read, you're right that they are more like historical artefacts!
I like my books to look worn. If you looked at my shelf, you'd also be able to see which ones are well-read. But I cannot write into my books. I used to do it, but there have been a few times where I would look at what I wrote several years ago and could only shake my head at myself. So then I stopped. :) I just got rid of about 25 books that I knew I would never read again, but it was still painful to hand them over to the second-hand bookstore.
ReplyDeleteYes, sometimes it can be a bit cringe-inducing looking at old notes, but I do enjoy adding a 'second layer' of notes when I re-read.
DeleteI find it hard to part with books too - even ones I know I will never pick up again.
I, too, read this Kindle single recently.
ReplyDeleteI don't have any problems with writing in my own books (though I seldom do) and love to have a book that looks "read" on my shelves.
I do also love, though, "cracking the spine" on a brand-new reading-for-the-first-time book!
Cracking the spine for the first time feels great!
DeleteI don't like writing in books but other than that I totally agree with you. I love a well loved book. In particular I just re-read The Hobbit by Tolkien (before seeing the last film) however I didn't reach for my beautiful hardback copy, no. I went for the old, creased and battered family copy because the state of it tells the story of all of us who have read and loved it.
ReplyDeleteI'm careful of my books because I want them to last. I treasure the particular editions I have, in many cases, and I don't want them to reach a state where it's hard to read them. Historically I've never written in my books, but more recently I had the idea that I would write in the back of my books the date and a bit about the circumstances each time I read them. It's a small way (theoretically; I haven't started yet) of reminding myself why these particular copies are special to me.
ReplyDeleteI am sharing this post in my FB page ....
ReplyDeleteI actually prefer to buy used books with the spines already cracked and covers a bit beaten up - then I don't feel bad about chucking them in my handbag and cracking the spines more and generally abusing them! I have a very small shelf of pretty editions, but they never leave the house (they never leave the shelf, to be honest).
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