Thursday, February 12, 2009

Reverence for the Written Word

Helen Scott Taylor will be back tomorrow to choose the winner for The Magic Knot.
Now, on to this week's rambling's with LKap. All comments today will be counted in the contest.


I was reading a magazine the other day and realized how I abuse these poor things. I am one of those people who can read a book and you probably couldn’t tell I’d ever cracked it open. Yes, when it comes to books, Anal retentive is an understatement in what you’d call me.

I will not crack the spine, I will not turn down pages, I absolutely hate stickers – which poses a problem when you get them signed and they put the “autographed copy” sticker on them. Those I have learned to deal with (although truthfully it still bothers me). When I get published I will really have to think of something else, I can’t be the only one out there with this problem.

So what is it about a magazine that I can fold, roll, crumble, rip out pages and thoroughly destroy that is different?

Authors are authors right? These people write and some write very well, but I see this as different somehow. Depending on the magazine you read, these things actually cost more than some books. And not to mention they’re in color. I mean really, most books you get the cover only in color.

I never gave this much thought until one day I was reading a magazine and started tearing off the pages one at a time after I read them. Then, I threw them away! Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to throw a book away – I think it would have to be caught in a tornado and practically shredded before I’d do that. And still I’d think about it and hope when it dried out it would be okay.

I grew up in a house that revered the written word. My mother at one time was just like me (or rather I am just like she was—please don’t tell her I’m admitting to this). Now the woman can mutilate a book like nobody’s business – the horror I tell you! Even books I don’t care for, I have a hard time getting rid of.

I don’t have time any longer, but I would never – I mean never - not finish a book once I started it. I was raised knowing someone put a lot of thought into each word. Now of course I understand it even more. But a magazine—not so much.

Still don’t understand why, still tear off the pages as I read them—and throw them away.

Anyone else out there like me? Or do you secretly bend your book pages too?

17 comments:

Luna said...

I am the same way as you when it comes to books! When I am reading, I treasure every word and never skim through a book.

But, yes, it is different with magazines! I never really thought about that. Interesting...

Hope you are having a fabulous week!

PatriciaW said...

On this issue, we're identical twins. Hey sis!

LKap said...

Chasing the Moon -
This is why I ramble - thoughts like this that if you think about them long enough you're like..HUH
But I'm glad you treasure books too!

Patricia -
Hey sis, what's up? It's crazy I know, those thoughts that make you go hum.....
Keep writing and reading, and don't bend those pages...LOL

Vicki said...

I never tear out the pages, but I'm not careful with magazines.

With my books, I don't turn down the pages, but you can always tell the paperbacks that have been a major favorite.

The spine is creased. It's like I open the book up far enough to jump right in the page and walk the journey side by side with the H/H.

LKap's on the other hand, yeah, you'd think she never read the books on her shelf and trust me, she reads all of them.

Anonymous said...

Tara here.....I am i sonie cracker! Do you know how hard it has been for me over the years to borrow your paper backs?????? The awkward positions i have had to asume in order to peer into the shadowed pages to read without opening them all the way? Sometimes I would just have to go out and by my own copy so I could read the book in a relaxed state of mind. I'm going to have to side with Vicki on this one. On the other hand...I will not bend pages. Ever.

THe eND

Anonymous said...

Tara again...what the hell is a sonie cracker? guess I should spell check first. What that should say is spine cracker.


THe eND

donnas said...

I never torn out the pages of the magazine as I read them. But I so totally do everything else you metionsed. Its the biggest problem I have when it comes to buying used books or loaning books out to people. I cant stand a cracked spine or beant pages. And I cant start a book and not finish it. No matter if I hate it, I have to finish the story and just know I probably wont read anything by that person again.

bacchus76 at myself dot com

LKap said...

Tara -
heehee, maybe you should borrow Vicki's books...LOL. I'm not that harsh, well maybe I am, but you've read some great books too.
V -
Okay I get it you and Tara I've scared to death - I'll try not to be so OCD TRY....LOL

Donnas -
As you can see I have my Beta reader and my CP scared of me. If it's an author I don't particularily like - oh well I pass it on and what someone else does is their business, but not my keeper shelf. Thanks for stopping by.

Norene said...

Norene

I have to say, books over magazines for me....I also treasure every word in a great adventure:)

LKap said...

Norene -
Thanks for stopping by
I know how much you love books - stick with us we'll show you some great ones ;-)

Jill James said...

I started reading at 2 1/2 and in all that time I have one book I didn't finish once I started it. See, it still haunts me. I was like 16 at the time and someone left it at the dentist office. I read it while I was there and didn't take it with me. Stupid! (slaps forehead) They probably wanted to pass it on and I left it.

Malicious Intent said...

You are gonna go nuts, but here is a scavenger hunt for you. I have a collection of old books. I grabbed a few down, see what history you can find on them.

The French Revolution 1909 edition
William O'Connor, Morris
New York, Charles Scribner's Son

The Kings Henchmen, hand written note with year of 1928
By: Edna St. Vincent Millay
Harper & Brothers Publishers
New York and London MCMXXVII

Easy one here
"We" by Charlies Lindbergh, 1927 edition

A beautiful and mysterious copy of Tennyson's Poems - Alta Edition
Alfred Tennyson - Poet Laureate of England.
Philadelphia: Porter & Coates
No year, but I guess 20's or so.

Real mystery find.
A small suede cover copy of A Christmas Carol Dickens
Inside first few blank pages, fine linen with a floral print.
Borse & Hopkins - New York

Well there ya go, a few of my well kept books, which is amazing in this house.

LKap said...

Jill -
That is amazing to only have 1 book in all that time you haven't read. I can't say the same anymore I seem to put down more than I read these day.

Malicious Intent -
That is an AMAZING collection of old books. I always wanted to collect old books, but have no where to keep them. I have a few, but nothing that impressive. Awsome!!

Malicious Intent said...

If there is an interest I will pull down a few more. Got a few goodies up there still.

I got many of these from my grandfather when he passed and when I helped run a book sale every year as they didn't have room for them and often got a truck full at a time from estates being cleaned out and no one took the time to see what was there. If it looked old, liked the topic or not, I snagged it.

LKap said...

Malicious -
I tend to like old journals - I love peeking into someones life and wondering what they were feeling.

Malicious Intent said...

Hmmmm, must explain our desire, even need to blog.

LKap said...

Oh yes I play havoc over at Wicked Writers
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wicked_writers/