Melody

Musing Mondays

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about the treatment of books!

Do you treat books carefully, or do you just treat them as any other object? Do you have certain things you refuse to do with books (write in them, etc)? If so, what are they?

I love my books. So yes, I treat all of them very carefully, even though if they do not belong to me. I do not bend the book when I am reading, and neither do I dog-ear the page. I always make sure to have a bookmark in hand, or a small loose sheet of paper (another alternative: post-it notes) to mark the page.

However, I did scribble in my school textbooks in pencil during my school days. I wrote notes and highlighted the passages for easy references because I hate to refer to loose sheets and then worrying about losing them.

I suppose all booklovers are the same and treat their books with care, don't you think?

11 Responses
  1. Alice Says:

    Hi Melody, I love my books to death. I wrap each one with plastic protective covers so that they'll last longer - even those I borrowed (weird...).

    I do scribble my books, especially the non-fiction ones. I think I love them so much I need to 'own' them by my markings and thoughts. It's lovely to reflect upon them again years after that and see how different my thinking was then compared to now.

    As for fiction, I use a bookmark and occassionally a mark or two, but I try not to.


  2. Well... :)

    I used to have a bad habit of breaking my spines, mostly when I was in grad school but I've been trying to break myself of the nasty habit. But, I do write my name in my books when I've finished with them (including the date finished). I know it is a big no no, but I love being able to open up a book and see when I read it. Yes I have a spreadsheet for that as well, but there's something about the tangible record to me.

    I don't mark books like I used to (also while in grad school), but occassionally I'll pencil a passage that really speaks to me. Mostly I use the little post-it flags, though.

    Bad book addict...bad bad!


  3. Kim L Says:

    Yes, we should all take care of our books, but I have kind of a bad reputation in this area. I have a tendency to want to read in precarious situations... leading to spills, stains and the like. Shame on me! :-)


  4. Melody Says:

    Alice - Book wrapping is a good idea! But I think I'd not go to such extent... well, you can blame it on my laziness, hehe.

    Trish - I don't mind writing my name on the books but they've to be in pencil (I know, it makes me sounds like an addict, haha), however textbooks is another different matter, LOL. But I jot down notes in pencil, because it's easier to erase and correct them. I think noting down the books read/finished is a good idea, maybe I should learn that from you. ;)

    Kim - I've the bad habit of eating snacks while reading at times, but I make sure one of my hands is free so it can hold/flip the book. ;P


  5. Anonymous Says:

    I forgot what I was gonna say because the thought of your book came to mind before what I wanted to say could bury itself to deep in my memory.

    I do believe you won a book in my last raffle. Might wanna double check to see if that is you.


  6. Iliana Says:

    I never think about it really but I guess I am very careful with my books. I know a lot of times when I've given a book away friends will ask me if I actually read them because they still look new -haha...

    I definitely always use bookmarks and never write in my books. Oh and when I buy used book I'm kind of picky too - I don't want books with highlighting or writing in them.


  7. Ana S. Says:

    I'm careful with my books too, but I also have been known to underline or take notes in pencil in school textbooks.


  8. We do love our books, don't we? :-)

    I have been known to dog-ear when desperate and sometimes I do end up breaking the spine or end up with a crease despite my best efforts. And my worst offense is probably that I sometimes write in my books when I don't have my journal handy to take notes in.

    Bad, I know.


  9. Melody Says:

    J Kaye - LOL. Oh, did I win a book?! I'll have to check your blog. Thanks! :D

    Iliana - I love books that look new! ;) I'm pretty picky about used books too.

    Nymeth - I suppose most of us treat books and textbooks differently. ;P

    Wendy - I know what you mean! I might have done so myself under desperate measures but I try to keep it to a minimal. ;)


  10. Julia Says:

    I treat my books very carefully too. Like you, I don't dog ear the page or bend the book. I don't even recall highlighten book passages in textbooks. Because normally my teachers give us the hand out sheet that had all the answers to it so we can studies it.


  11. Melody Says:

    Julia - That's great that your teachers gave you some notes. We did get those notes at times and I always make sure to file them away before I lose them! LOL.


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