[Cadfael]

Bit of a wierd one this, but how well do you treasure your books? It does not matter to me if I have paperback or hardback, I always look after them, and get very angry if anyone folds the top of the pages back to bookmark, or bend the spine right back.

I very rarely loan out books, unless it is to someone I can trust to look after them and to return them. My paperback edition of Dune is over 30 years old (the New English Library edition), okay... it is a bit tatty, but I just hate to think of replacing it. I have a copy of the Midwitch Cuckoo's by John Wyndam, my dad bought in the 60's.

In fact... and this is sad... but these books are friends

[Bardos]

My feelings exacly, my friend! http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Erebus]

Have to agree with you there, dennizm!

My books are my treasures and I try to look after them as such. Those who do likewise should feel no shame or embarrassment for doing such!

[Xayn]

Same here. True about paperbacks, but even more about magazines. I got a lot of old paperbacks from my uncle (btw, also including the original Ballantine Books US versions of a few Wyndham books from the 50s) and I treat them very carefully. These old books are very solid though. The glue still holds perfectly, the paper doesn't really yellow much. They don't do paperbacks like that no more... http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/wink.gif
I have a friend who refused to buy the 7 Hawkmoon books in one reprint volume, because the thing was so thick, that even with great care you'd end up breaking the back. So instead he went out and (for quite a bit more money) got himself the old original individual books instead.

[tamlyn]

my sister almost killed me once because of that. she'd tripped over flat onto the slate floor and the drink she was carrying spilt on the floor and on the table. i jumped straight for the book on the table without even glancing in her direction - she'd tripped over before, she'd live. when she complained to my mum, my mum looked kinda guilty - she'd have done the same thing.

[polgara]

My Mum recently chucked away all my teddy bears but it was a choice between them or my polgaras story

tell you the truth i kinda regret the choice
(i miss my teddies http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/frown.gif )

Pol
(crying)

[Rob B]

I usually have a hard time getting rid of my books, unless they are not good. In that case, I'll just take them to a book trader type store.

My books are a place to visit my old friends, in the good ones the characters are real people.

[Cadfael]

If an omnibus edition of a series has been published, I will replace the books I have with it... I have to... I am running out of room. But I still hate to get rid of the old books... I once sent a book all the way to the Philipines, because I knew the person I was sending it to would look after it... and I am a 43 year old hard nosed security officer... but books are my weak spot.

I am gonna be boring and tell you a tale from my childhood http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

In my school, we were allowed to read in the class-room at break times, I am talking about the 60's here, and this was unusual then... anyway, when the bell went, I folded the corner of the page to mark my place, and I heard this screach from the teacher...

"DENNIS MILLER!!!!! come here at once!!!"

She walk over and grabbed my ear (she was an expert at this, she would also grab enough hair, to make you go willingly), and pulled me to the front of the classroom, snatched the book of me and held it out to the class...

"You must NEVER treat a book this way" finding the page and showing them "I am shocked and appaled at you Miller!!"

She then grabbed a pair of scissors and said "I'll sort you out...."

I very nearly cra**ed myself http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif. I had vision of her plunging them into my heart.

But she got an old envelope, cut the corner off, and placed it over the page "Now!!! you never need to be cruel to a book again"

That has stuck with for 30 years, and I still use the corners of envelopes to mark a page http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[Arty]

I feel the same way. If I check a book out from the library and love it, that just means I must buy it for my shelves..err..piles on the floor. Sometimes I buy 2 copies. One to keep and one to loan out. My friends say "Dont you ever READ these books??" Of course I do, I just treat them with the respect they deserve...thats why they still look brand new!!

[MajicK]

I'm very selective about whom I will loan my books to. I once told my sister she could read one of mine but ripped it out of her hand when she dropped a chip on it (not just ANY chip, but one of the double-flavor-blasted types)!