After retrieving a number of my books which had been loaned (without permission, by my brother) to friends, I was pleased to find them still in good condition, considering the amount of reading they have had. [Other loans of my books have resulted in them returning twice as thick, with creased covers/ spines, covered in fingerprints, sun bleached, and worse]. This, and the purchasing of four books for myself in the last two weeks got me thinking about what a ‘Well Read Book’ would be like.
Personally I think that after reading, said book will be in almost identical condition, save for a slight opening of the cover if placed face up. The reader will have teased the contents from the pages, not pillaging the contents to leave the book worn, violated and tatty. It should be held tenderly, opened sufficiently to read comfortably but never, heaven forbid, folded to break the spine, leaving the book flapping injured and helpless while you go off to make tea.
Has a book been truly read unless it has given something of its self in the act of reading? Which would if prefer? Does a book like to be read - is its purpose to deliver knowledge or contain it? Is an unread book a book, or something else - a protobook?
Look at your bookshelf - how many worlds are there?, places?, times?, people?, ideas? So much contained in a pigments and processed tree. Yes, you can get more on a CD or DVD, but those do not have the aura (or smell) of books - I have difficulty picturing tiny shops in back streets packed full of second hand CD books.
Two other considerations with books are:
1. Transportation. The book goes a bag or pocket - is there any way to stop the corners getting damaged? maybe adjustable stainless steel book armor?
2. Labels/ price labels. To remove or not remove? Taking them off invariably leaves a rectangle or circle (or whatever shape the sticker is) of glue that collects dust ends up grey and horrible.

Posted in Thinking |