Jᴀᴄᴜʀᴜᴛᴜ - Tʜᴇ Cᴀsᴛ Oᴜᴛ

When I was young, all books were sacred. Defacing a book earned a punishment similar to cheating or stealing.
In the 90s a guy I knew told me to encourage children to write in their books, attepmting to reduce respect for things written. I thought about this and decided against it, teaching my kids to treat their books well for thrift if not out of respect for the author. However, because of his suggestion, I learned to enjoy keeping notes in the textbooks i've bought- but never in a work of fiction.

What i'd like to know is how you guys feel about it. Are your margins full of scribbles? Do you fold your paperbacks backwards so you can hold them easily with one hand? Have you bought two copies of a book so one will be the reference? Is there a better way of teaching kids what to respect than removing reverence for the written word?

D Pope wrote:When I was young, all books were sacred. Defacing a book earned a punishment similar to cheating or stealing.
In the 90s a guy I knew told me to encourage children to write in their books, attepmting to reduce respect for things written. I thought about this and decided against it, teaching my kids to treat their books well for thrift if not out of respect for the author. However, because of his suggestion, I learned to enjoy keeping notes in the textbooks i've bought- but never in a work of fiction.

What i'd like to know is how you guys feel about it. Are your margins full of scribbles? Do you fold your paperbacks backwards so you can hold them easily with one hand? Have you bought two copies of a book so one will be the reference? Is there a better way of teaching kids what to respect than removing reverence for the written word?

The book itself is an object ... it is the content that matters and is sacred.

Still, I do treat my books very carefully abd refrain from writing in them or bending them. Sometimes I do buy extra copies to keep one in mint condition.

The books by the hacks will one day be burned in one big pile, but it has to wait until I receive permission from the local authorities because of enviromental issues concerning pollution.

It's a bit off topic but I spent a couple of hours calling used book stores around St. Louis last week looking for a copy of Dune. No F*n Luck! I did hear that there were plenty of McDune around...
Maybe that'd be a good thread, the ratio of Frank to KJH in your local used book stores.

Serkanner wrote:The books by the hacks will one day be burned in one big pile, but it has to wait until I receive permission from the local authorities because of enviromental issues concerning pollution.

Let me know when, i'll buy tickets to that party!

Can I use that as a signature?

D Pope wrote:

Serkanner wrote:The books by the hacks will one day be burned in one big pile, but it has to wait until I receive permission from the local authorities because of enviromental issues concerning pollution.

Let me know when, i'll buy tickets to that party!

Can I use that as a signature?

You are most welcome.

I write in books all of the time. Who cares what kids do with them if they own them and they're actually reading them?

That's exactly what i'm looking for Nekhrun! Thanks mate!

Yeah, there are nice editions of books that you keep in good shape, but I bend the shit out of the best books I have in paperback because I read them a lot. If I really like them, I'll write in the margins.

I never write in them nor do I bend them. However, I can read a paperback with one hand without bending it.

I write in books frequently, however I never do it with really nice or signed first editions, and I never do it to a book I don't own. My own books only. Library books included.

YES! This is what i'm asking about!

merkin muffley wrote:Yeah, there are nice editions of books that you keep in good shape, but I bend the shit out of the best books I have in paperback because I read them a lot. If I really like them, I'll write in the margins.

So basically, you look at paperbacks as disposable? (more or less) I also figure you'd agree with Nekhrun about children and books?

Freakzilla wrote:I never write in them nor do I bend them. However, I can read a paperback with one hand without bending it.

Hey! I thought print was dead!

Omphalos wrote:I write in books frequently, however I never do it with really nice or signed first editions, and I never do it to a book I don't own. My own books only. Library books included.

Agreed, ownership is an important part of the criteria. You're good at summerizing, is there a short sweet way to write a guideline including all these views or is it more like 'you can't legislate common sense.'

How about, if you write in a book that's not yours then you get punched in the neck with my foot?

Freakzilla wrote:I never write in them nor do I bend them. However, I can read a paperback with one hand without bending it.

Hey! I thought print was dead!

Some places don't allow access to a computer.

Nekhrun wrote:How about, if you write in a book that's not yours then you get punched in the neck with my foot?

While that may be a little harsh for some of the children, I think you've nailed it!

Freakzilla wrote:Some places don't allow access to a computer.

Oh crap, i'm sorry.
edit; I'm sure the day is coming when that'll no longer be true.

I don't worry too much about keeping (my) paperbacks in good condition. I like to break the spine so it's easier to hold open. I don't ever feel the need to write in the margins though. If I did want to take notes, I'd use a notebook (I think I've done that once or twice). I am really careful with books that I borrow, but I'm careful with anything that someone lends me.

Yeah, like I said before, the only books i've written in were text books or manuals (like a part number to go with approved proceedure) not feeling a need is a good way to think about it.
I think it's very nice of you to respect others things, healthy too! I don't want Nekhruns foot in my neck.

I wouldn't mess up a book I didn't own, though. But I'd probably take it as a good sign if a kid was reading a book with a pen, and was wearing it out by reading it (unless it was a nice edition).

Yeah, that would be good, it's funny though how the old training sticks. It took me along time to realize that not everything written was truth.
Thanks to everyone for your posts!

As long as the book is not being deliberately trashed there is no problem. I have some books that I highlight in, a few get notes written in margins, my hardcovers and special editions are left untouched.

Rob

Almost all my books are second hand - a lot of them from the 60s-70s or before, and, being British most of them are bound pretty shodily, so I don't fold them back on themselves because the chances are the pages would fall out.

Also, because they are second-hand and usually older than I am, there's a sense that I'm not the first person to read them and that I'll probably not be the last. For me that's a strong incentive not the fuck them up.

DuneFishUK wrote:Almost all my books are second hand - a lot of them from the 60s-70s or before, and, being British most of them are bound pretty shodily, so I don't fold them back on themselves because the chances are the pages would fall out.

Also, because they are second-hand and usually older than I am, there's a sense that I'm not the first person to read them and that I'll probably not be the last. For me that's a strong incentive not the fuck them up.

Less than ten percent of my books are "new" Odd thing is the older books are in much better shape. In fact, i've little doubt my older paperbacks are better quality than most newer hardcovers. Hell, going from a new book to an older one, I had to keep checking to see if I wasn't turning two pages at once- there's that much difference in paper thickness!

Again i'm getting a bit off topic.
Has anyone here ever tried to return a book? The normal guidelines for goods & services should apply...anyone want to join with me in trying to return McDune for substandard workmanship or outright fraud? We could have a class action thing here.

Nekhrun wrote:you get punched in the neck with my foot

Wouldn't that, technically, be a kick rather than a punch?

I generally don't write in my books, just use Post-Its. I will underline typos in red, though. (Found one in Kraken just this morning, character name "Dane" mistakenly transposed into "Dean".)


Edit: no def. art. in Miéville book title! Oops!

SandChigger wrote:

Nekhrun wrote:you get punched in the neck with my foot

Wouldn't that, technically, be a kick rather than a punch? )

Not the way I do it.

Hmm... I'm hearing "Pix or..."

How about you demonstrate? On, um, say... Tleszer?