Idk if this is the same for anyone else so I thought I’d pop it on here to see opinions.
I have never kept my books in good condition. What I mean by that is I’m happy to break the spine and dog ear pages. If a book is particularly compelling I might not even take a break whilst I’m snacking. Often times this means I also get finger prints in my books. I’m not active trying to damage them or take poor care of them. I routinely make sure to dust my book shelves ect.
To me this makes them feel loved, used and enjoyed- to me. (No hate) but it stresses me out when I see people try to keep their books in pristine condition/ getting vexed if other people don’t do that. (Obvs this doesn’t go for borrowing books from others or library books)
Anyway I’m guessing my question is, are there any other dogearing spin breakers on this sub? Or is it just me?
by nisquo
29 Comments
Sorry man, I am crazy careful with my books. I only buy books with a high reread value and they tend to be higher end versions if possible. Even with books I buy from Barnes and Noble’s I tend to try and damage them as little as possible. My coworker is always reading books and highlighting words and dog earring pages and it drives my ocd up to a ten. I like seeing worn old books and eventually mine will become that but I just want them to last as long as I possibly can.
I’ve never minded broken spines or dog ears either. A worn book has always felt like a loved book to me.
I don’t intentionally break spines but I don’t try to prevent it either. Imo it makes them easier to read anyways.
Worn book is better than never read book.
Marked up book is better than forgotten book.
“Eating and reading are two pleasures that combine admirably” – CS Lewis.
Life is to be lived. Books are to be read. Food to be savored. If the books take a little damage in the process, well that’s the way it goes.
Personally I try to keep my spines intact (I don’t get worry if it happens though) and I avoid Cheeto fingerprints (that’s a weird quirk I have in general though…) but I’ll dog ear books, add sticky notes, and mark to my hearts content.
I am not like this at all but hey- if it’s your book, do what you want with it!
it’s not just you. I have never cared either.
>it stresses me out when I see people try to keep their books in pristine condition/ getting vexed if other people don’t do that.
I can’t say that it bothers me if other people are fussy about their own books, but I do find some of the preachier attitudes obnoxious. I don’t owe other people allegiance to their own personal tics and taboos.
My books are in awful condition. It seems like a whole lot of hassle to try keep everything in perfect condition and then bam, you get a notch on there by mistake and all your efforts are pretty much thrown out the window since the book is no longer in perfect shape. Can do without that. Life is short.
Most of my books I get used. I’ll keep some display books in as good a condition as I can though.
I always buy paperbacks because they are more comfortable to hold in bed and I absolutely hate the idea of opening a book by like 30 degrees to peek inside and attempt to read like it’s some sacred tome and not a 7 Euro paperback. of course I don’t do this with my minalima books but paperbacks just look more charming with those wrinkles in the spine. books are meant to be read!
I take care to keep the dust jackets on my hardbacks clean and I don’t intentionally crack spines unless it’s necessary to actually read the book but that’s about it.
If the spine breaks, nbd. I’ll dog ear or use a random leaf as a bookmark. Reading time is snacking time. I write in books when I feel moved to. I’m sure some archaeologist some day will appreciate my marginalia.
I don’t check out physical books from the library anymore so any book I’m reading is mine to mark up as I please.
I don’t mind broken spines or even annotations, but dog ears are just…NO! They feel unnecessary. Tabs exist, so do bookmarks.
there is no right or wrong but same here. If they look brand new it’s weirdly sterile and I feel like being in a book store. But not the cozy one in your neighborhood but one of those massive chain stores.
I also really like getting older editions. Pages turned yellow, random illustrations. Makes it a bit more special.
I feel to each their own but I’m not a fan of how it brings out people who think “ocd” is just an adjective.
I treat my paperbacks and hardcovers differently.
Paperbacks are handled with less care (a part of me believes this gives them more character in my collection), while there is something about a weathered hardcover that does not sit right with me.
I hate dog ears though!
I have no particular reverence for most physical books except for borrowed books, rare editions, or books with personal sentimental value. I do a lot of reading in the bathtub or while backpacking/camping or on vacation, none of which are conducive to keeping pages pristine.
I’m not precious with my books. I’m ashamed to admit how many have food stains or have been dropped in the tub but I don’t do anything on purpose. I do think those books looked loved For me dog earing and breaking spines are just purposely damaging a book.
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I like to keep my books in good condition because I often donate them when I’m done, but I can appreciate the appeal of a well used book. A few of my old favourites have ended up that way despite my best efforts, and I like that it’s visually apparent which ones I’ve read the most.
I like paperbacks, and they are made to be consumed! Even if you treat them perfectly, in 30 years the acid content of the papers will yellow and become fragile.
I prefer my books staying reasonably nice, but I’m not obsessed with it. Like I don’t purposefully crack spines, but if it happens through years of re-reads, then so be it. I don’t write in the books, but I will take notes on a separate paper. I have dogeared pages, but sporadically and not usually, just not a habit I have more than anything.
I don’t really have a strong opinion on other people’s books- they do what works for them, I do what works for me.
Edit to add: Though if you borrow one of my books, I do expect it back in reasonably the same condition in which I lent it to you. And I get things happen- I don’t loan books that can’t be replaced, but a normal level of respect for someone else’s property is expected. I do the same with books lent to me.
My books get “natural wear” – with a few exceptions (technical books mostly) I don’t do things like highlight or write in the margins & I use bookmarks rather than dog-earing pages, but the dust jacket, cover, spine, etc. will all naturally wear as I, ya know, *read* the thing.
I don’t go out of my way to make it happen, but it doesn’t bother me.
I also have several books older than I am, with natural wear appropriate for their age. It’s just the natural life of a bound-paper book.
I still have my original Lord of the Rings trilogy, in paperback, from the 70s. (Yes, I’m *old!*) The Fellowhip is still held together with packing tape from rereading it over the years. It is a well loved book, and I like it – and all of them – that way.
And I’m not the only one! My adult son has asked if he can have them so that he can read Grandma’s books to his young son. They may not be worth anything monetarily, but they are worth everything emotionally.
I don’t mind scratches on my car but I’m not going to scratch it myself.
I don’t mind dogears in my books but I’m not going to dog ear them myself.
Any scrap of paper or flat object can be a page holder so dog earing is completely unnecessary.
No matter how gentle you are, if you read a book cover to cover it is no longer in mint condition.
>but it stresses me out when I see people try to keep their books in pristine condition/ getting vexed if other people don’t do that.
You’d hate me then lol, I spend forever trying to find the most pristine copy of a book I can find in bookshops and I hate breaking the spine.
Book collector here. I’ve read some of my signed/limited/rare editions, just very carefully: clean hands, dustjacket removed, gentle handling. In many cases, I’ll pick up a cheap used paperback of the title for reading purposes, if for no other reason than because it makes traveling easier- a train commute and vacations are much simpler and I’ve got several copies that are beaten up and/or taped together due to constantly being quickly shoved in a pocket or bag.
As for dustjackets in general: I LOVE them. Especially the genre novels- the artwork is often gorgeous, especially the old pulps. And some of the stylistic designs can be iconic that I consider them inherently part of the book. So I take them off when I read the book & will often put them in Brodart covers for added protection.
It’s unfortunate that so much of the collectible value of a book lies with the jacket but again, some of them are just amazing so I’m really careful with them.
Same OP! I’m reading it, I’m dog earring the page, Im putting the book down on the table open for a minute, I’m drinking coffee and maybe spilling it. Well loved.
I was curious about this the other day and maybe someone here can answer- how do you even trash a spine on a book? None of my books have broken spines and I’ve never taken care with them. Most have corner dings or other damage from being carried in a backpack and tossed around but no broken spines. Spoke with a few friends and none have the issue either.
As for OP, I don’t do actively do anything to damage my books, but they are not precious items. 97% of my books are used. While I have a great appreciation for an old, pristine condition copy of a book, I LOVE reading a book with someone else’s notes or highlighter marks in it. Seeing passages that stood out for someone else in real time is truly special.
That being said, if you dog ear your books you are a criminal and you will not see the light of heaven.
“3.14: No DAE, TIL, or Unpopular Opinion type threads. The answer to any question beginning with the words ‘does anybody else…’ is literally always yes, and the answer to any question beginning with ‘am I the only one…’ is literally always no. You are far from the only reader to have come up with this idea/habit/thought and we are not here to provide you with praise or validation.”
This ‘conversation’ always pretty much the same; some do, some don’t. And it’s never really “totally pristine vs I read” as some tend to think.
From https://www.reddit.com/r/Books/wiki/rules/