Books

What kind of care do you take of your books? Let's review, shall we?
1. Are you careful with the spines? Or do you crack your books open to make them lay flat?
I try to be very careful with the spines.

2. Do you use bookmarks? Or do you dog-ear the corners? If you do use bookmarks, do you use those fashionable metal ones? Or paper?
I use a bookmark. At the moment my book mark is one of those subscription offer cards that comes in scrapbooking magazines. I have thought about making one but that is as far as that has got.

3. Do you write in your books? Ever? If you do, do you make small marks, or write in as much blank space as you can find? Pen or pencil? Highlighter? Your name on the front page?
When I was at university studying I would highlight important parts of text books. I don't mark books now though.

4. Do you toss your books on the floor? Into bookbags? Or do you treat them tenderly, with respect?
No I don't toss books on the floor normally. They get placed carefully on my bedside table.

5. Do you ever lay your book face-down, to save your place?
Only if it is going to be a short break like 5 minutes or so, but otherwise no.

6. Um--water? Do you bathe with your books? Hold them with wet hands? Read out in the rain? Anything of that sort?
No my thought is that water & paper don't go together to well.

7. Are your books lined up on a bookshelf? Or crammed in any which way? Stacked on the floor?
We have a bookcase that has books crammed on to it. Our reference books a neat & tidy, the other books are a bit more higgledy piggledy.


8. Do you make a distinction--as regards book care--between hardcovers and paperbacks?
No there is no difference, I treat all books the same.

9. And, to recap? Naturally, you love all of your books, but how, exactly? Are your books loved in the battered way of a well-loved teddy bear, or like a cherished photo album or item of clothing that's used, appreciated, but carefully cared for?
I can only read books once, unless of course it was a text book & I had to reread it several times. So my books a loving read, gently & then I try & give them away to other people to read.