the scent of books, and the wear of hours of touch

[arethinn]

What books have you worn out, not merely through sheer carelessness (people who purposely crack new books MUST DIE, although I'll forgive adolescent ignorance as I'm about to talk about it), but simply through love and re-reading? Me:

I have a set of Pocket paperbacks of the first four books of Hitchhiker's Guide which I've had for about fifteen years (!), and they are a bit in need of replacement now. Some of the binding is cracking and there's definitely plenty of highlighting and dog-earing, because when I was 14 I didn't know you didn't do that to books. (My book club edition of Mostly Harmless is in great condition, partly because it's in hardcover which endures better, and partly because I've only read it all the way through three times tops, rather than the 32948029384032 times I've read the rest of them.)

Valerie Worth's Crone's Book of Wisdom, which I think has since been reissued under another title. I took this with me to summer camp (ca. 12-14 years old). It got dusty, highlighted, read and re-read. Pages fell out because the binding was crap. I repaired it inexpertly with Scotch tape, and then, when I was briefly in a position to have access to real book-repair supplies in 2005-2006, did a bit better with glue and stronger tape (although completely rebinding a paperback is beyond my skill -- it's actually easier to do a passable job on a hardcover). The spine is completely shot, but I have not yet replaced it, perhaps at least partly out of nostalgia for the sort of magic that interested me and my friends at age 13.

The Lord of the Rings. Set of three, some Canadian printing. Just before the film of Fellowship came out, I figured I should actually read the book, since I never had before. So I bought a copy in an airport bookstore for entertainment on the flight home. Wanting to be consistent, the next time I was back in Canada I bought the same editions of Two Towers and Return of the King. I've tried to treat these gently, but in even ~6 years they've been read so often that there are creases on the spines and the blocks don't lie straight if I lay them flat on a table. Also, my copy of RotK had a flaw that means now there's a crack in the spine glue (dammit!).

Anne McCaffrey, the original Pern books -- Dragonflight, Dragonquest, and The White Dragon, and also the copy of Dragonsinger that I bought from a used bookstore in high school (which was actually the first Pern book I read). 1, 2, and 3 basically see above; I've tried to be nice, but they've gotten worn. 4, Dragonsinger, especially is "soft" since it was an ex-library copy to begin with, but it's of a better quality binding, so despite its greater age has actually survived the best (its spine is curved rather than cracked).

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets. Both bought used (as have been all my HP books, but from GoF onward I bought hardcover). They came with some wear already, but they both have similar spine creases (though no cracks) as my LotR and Pern books. They also tend to bend if I lay them flat (closed); for some reason this is intensified on an airplane (something to do with the air pressure making the pages bend differently?).

P.S. I will never adopt e-books for more than extremely casual ("I don't even know if I care") reading until they can duplicate the smell of cheap "pulp novel" paper. The smell of a bookstore, especially a used bookstore, is a wonderful thing. *fans a book under her nose*

Comments

[r-monoxide.livejournal.com]

I've heard that people retain more of what they read when it is a real book than when they read something online or on a computer screen. I know that I have no patience for scrolling through e-books. I'd rather have something I can read in the bath or in bed.

[arethinn]

In bed: I agree. That's where I get 95% of my reading done.

In the bath: YOU KRAYZEE! I wouldn't object, except I have never managed to keep the book itself dry, and water damage = bad thing.

[nytemuse.livejournal.com]

Likewise. Similarly, you remember something better if you write it by hand than if you type it. *sigh* Now if only I didn't have that nasty carpal tunnel/tendonitis crap going on...

[arethinn]

Is that the secret to my success? I've often had people ask for my notes -- not because they are legible (HA!) but because they are comprehensive. I am a stenographer. It is the way I fix things in my head: having written it once, I tend to remember it.

Interesting.

I suppose really it's because this forces a second processing: in through the ears, out through the hand.

[nytemuse.livejournal.com]

Yeah, probably that combined with using different parts of the brain. When you're typing, it's the same motion your hand makes for every individual letter. The only thing that changes is the relative position. When you write, you're more likely to use different movements/strokes, so it reinforced memory that way.

[arethinn]

Oh, no no! Typing works as well. Better, even, because it's faster (I can't write 75-100 wpm). That's the usual way I learn lyrics, by transcribing them into text files. It's just something about converting what I hear into a purposeful action of writing...

[ninth-myth.livejournal.com]

my copy of the Silmarilion is the most destroyed book i own. re-read many, many times on trips and camps. LOTR isn't doing much better.
the Wheel of Time, the Belgariad/Malloreon & the Elenium/Tamuli, and the Chronicals of the Custodians series were my and my sister's standard summer reading so they're quite worn out.

[shalora.livejournal.com]

P.S. I will never adopt e-books for more than extremely casual ("I don't even know if I care") reading until they can duplicate the smell of cheap "pulp novel" paper. The smell of a bookstore, especially a used bookstore, is a wonderful thing. *fans a book under her nose*

I couldn't agree more. I know that richpizor is a big fan of the e-books, but this is exactly why I am not, though I doubt I'll ever get him to understand that. ;) It's enough that he doesn't bug me about it, I suppose.

As to my books, I've taken to buying favorites, or likely-to-become-favorites (like HP installments) in hardcover, specifically because I re-read books so many times, I need them to last longer! Most of my softcover Mercedes Lackey books, especially the Last Herald-Mage trilogy are in pretty bad shape, due to much loving, as are my own copies of the Dragonriders trilogy, though I recently acquired a hardback version of all 3 in one volume. I'm very glad that my copy of Moreta is also a hardcover, since she is a great favorite of mine, and while the paper slipcover is much abused and torn, the book itself is in fairly good shape, simply with soft pages (and some splatters here and there, for I will eat while reading... or read while eating...)

[r-monoxide.livejournal.com]

I have spooky magical elfin powers of keeping books dry in the bath tub.

[nytemuse.livejournal.com]

I didn't say typing would work period, as that's what I use. I agree that it is faster, but I've seen research suggesting students learn more from handwriting notes than typing.
Note-taking as a process actually works best in 4 steps: taking the notes, clarifying/revising, reducing, & review/reflect. The shorthand mnemonic is Record, Reduce, Review. That's why Cornell Notes have gotten so popular. Researchers have figured out that you just can't process the notes while you're taking them down if you're being lectured to, so the idea is that while you're writing, you JUST focus on writing. Then, after you're done, you re-read all the notes you've taken and "do more" with them. Highlight, add headings, add diagrams, more examples, etc. Then you kind of reflect on what was done/learned at the end.

[arethinn]

A trick I suppose sidhe have never mastered.

[arethinn]

*shrug* I think I do process while writing, or something. Diagrams and headings happen at the same time. I have almost never needed to reorganize my notes; I don't gain more from them. The first writing and perhaps one re-reading seems to be sufficient.

[valkyriur.livejournal.com]

I love used book store so much. I'd much rather have paper between my fingers than my palm pilot, that's for sure. The only things I read on my palm pilot are free-source books from places like "sacredtexts.com". I'd much rather have hardcopies if it's worth my while. Until I can find a just flat translation of "The Art of War" without all the babbling of editors, I really don't want a hardcopy. :P That's just me. Then again, there are things I read online that I've bought for hardcopy. I just love hardcopy so much better. Manual search function is better than computer search function.

[twopiearr.livejournal.com]

it is less that I'm a big fan of them per se as that they fit into my life better at the moment - I have to carry the laptop anyway, so if I can just open a file on the laptop rather than also have to lug a book around, yay me. Also when traveling, it's nice to have a selection of reading material in one easy to access device rather than to have to cart multiple books around.

But at the end of the day I am more interested in the content than the format that delivers it. I simply consider e-books to be one of a variety of options to obtain the content. Books on tape converted to MP3 files and stored on the laptop achieve exactly the same purpose; those actually can be even better because it's a LOT more reasonable to listen to MP3s stored on the PalmPilot than it is to try and read any appreciable amount of text on that tiny screen.

[twopiearr.livejournal.com]

The only book I have worn down that completely is a paperback copy of Stephen Levy's Hackers that is glued, taped, and holding on more out of stubbornness than engineering at this point.

[heartssdesire.livejournal.com]

The Hobbit and LOTR trilogy, JRR Tolkien
The Spiral Dance, Starhawk
Several Harry Potter books - 3 and 5 are my favorites

[ahril.livejournal.com]

When my beloved Teacher died, I inherited many of his posessions. One of these was his very well worn copy of the Witches' Bible Compleat. It is signed by both the authors, and the spine is currently held together by black tape. There are many penciled notes in the margins, the edges of the cover are torn and some of the pages fall out if you pick it up too quickly.

He loved that book to death, and I treasure it because it was his. It sits on my bookshelf with many other books that were his. My personal copy of that text is not nearly as worn, but is showing it's age at the corner's where the paint has worn down to the paper.

The one book I have that is rather well worn from love and was new when I received it as a child is Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar. It is my favorite story of all time, and I still read my copy to my children though I have several others in the house. I will never part with it.

I was taught at an early age to take very good and proper care of books, so even the ones that I had as a kid are in relatively good shape, given their age. The books I've purchased as an adult mostly still look new although I've read most of then at least 2 or 3 times. Some of my herbal reference books that I use most often are beginning to show some wear though, bent corners and such.

[billfl.livejournal.com]

* Advise and Consent. I've lost count of the number of copies of this book that I've read into oblivion. The problem, of course, it that it's a huge book, and just the repetitive act of turning the pages stresses them out.

* The Probablity Broach. Nowhere near as thick, but read far more often, with the results being about the same.

* From the Corner of His Eye by Dean Koontz. Somewhere bewteen the two in size and frequency.

* The MST Amazing Colossal Episode Guide. I swear, this one wasn't my fault! I got it home from the mall, and a few days later, a page fell out. Then they started pouring out like cheap store-brand cola. I bought another copy, but really...

* several Star Trek pro-novels, most notably "My Enemy My Ally" and "Uhura's Song"

[lupagreenwolf.livejournal.com]

Jane Yolen's Favorite Folktales From Around the World - I even have it signed.

And I'm with you on the ebook thing. You just can't duplicate the aesthetic experience of a paper book.

over-loved books

[lizzydear.livejournal.com]

The ones I can think of at the moment (after 48 years, I'm sure there are a few more). and some of these had help from my younger sister

the Narnia books (all 7), by C S Lewis
Deep Healing, by Dr. Emmett Miller
The Science of Mind, by Ernest Holmes
Rubyfruit Jungle, by Rita Mae Browm
Wyrdd Sisters, by Terry Pratchett-my first Pratchett
A Different Kind of Woman, by Jane Howard (still hanging in there bacause it's hard bound)
A matched set of Grimms fairy tales and Hans Ahristian Andersen''s fairy tales, hardbound, by barely escaped our childhoods.
My old, hardbound A A Milne books(Winnie the Pooh, when we were very young, etc.)
the cat in the hat, by Dr Suess