I would like to think of myself something akin to a book nazi warden (if that was ever possible). I am very particular about keeping my books stain-free, fold-free and dog-ear-free. It distresses me when I find old, ravaged books, scribbled over mercilessly. I’m not a fan about making notes in books, unless these are your college texts and you have to, but even then, I make the effort to make the notations in pencil. C’mon we can show that much respect to books.
Over years, I have lent so many of books to people with a list of restrictions; I feel neither shame nor shyness when I list out my conditions. It may appall and even hurt a few but honestly, I don’t care. These are my books. I’m being magnanimous enough by lending them to you in the first place. A couple of people have refused to take books from me, just because I have so many ‘rules’.
Honestly, the rules are not too many — they’re just about cleanliness, hygiene and good manners. To all the people who find these ‘rules’ finicky, I just tell them to think of something they are fond of or proud of and the feelings they encounter when they don’t get it back in the shape they’ve lent it out.
Rule #1
No leaving your food stains on my books. I don’t want to know what you’ve eaten over the time it’s taken you to read, really. My book is not a coaster as well. From experience I’ve added, neither is it a fly or any other insect swatter. Finding a squashed bug between the pages is not something I or anyone else would appreciate.
Rule #2
No dog-earring my book. You need to mark where you’ve left off, take a piece of paper and place it there. Don’t fold the page, ever! Use train or bus tickets, newspaper shredding, a flyer about someone’s garage sale, a feather even (provided it has no blood stains on it) anything (thin and flat) actually will do. Besides, if you love to read, wouldn’t you have a bookmark? No book lover I know, doesn’t possess at least one bookmark.
Rule #3
No scribbling. You need to find out the meaning of a word, don’t underline the thing! Make a note somewhere else. My book is not your scrap book that you feel comfortable taking down phone numbers, messages and sometimes even recipes.
Rule # 4
No folding my books when you read. Some people have the habit of folding the cover and pages read as they go along, which is okay as long as you do it to your own books. I don’t like seeing my books resembling a palm tree!
And lastly, this is not a rule per se, but if you’ve taken my book, please return it. I don’t set time limits on how soon they should be returned but that doesn’t mean that you can keep them forever.
Read this interesting article I came across a few weeks ago:
I read this...and what does my darling Allie do that very evening??? Tears off two pages of a book I (the husband) borrowed from a friend (who, btw, is as finicky as you n me)!!!
ReplyDeletePS. I have yet to tell her :(