Reading & keeping books in good shape

[carrie's younger brother]

my mandatory work before i read is i get my plastic cover and cover the book covers paperback or Hardbound or other style of cover, i regretted it when i forgot to cover the hardbound of Finders Keepers and Great Empires from NATGEO (yes, including the jacket, don't ask me how i did it, i may be find it extremely difficult to explain since English is not my native language) and i accidentally sprinkled a watercolor on the back jacket portion. My Doctor Sleep, Shining, It, Mr. Mercedes and almost all of my Neil Gaiman books has a marks of watercolor and hot chocolate on it, and also the ridiculously cheese powder from a french fries that i cooked.

when it comes to books, my philosophy is "the only one that will ruin my book is me and only me" i never allow anyone who borrow my books to ruin the pages or write anything on it, but i found myself making tons of footnotes about "what this word means" (since what i said, English is not my native language). like this page from my Mr. Mercedes Hardbound (actually, ALL OF MY BOOKS are suffering from this footnote phenomena)
View attachment 15035

That photo is just beautiful! Now that's how a book should be read!

 

[César Hernández-Meraz]

I try not to damage the few hardcovers I have (I think it is just the two Percy Jackson series and one Harry Potter book; everything else is a softcover).

I realized recently that I do not mind if softcover novels get their covers' edges slightly damaged. I transport them inside a bag so they are not extra damaged in my backpack, but those small things happened anyway. I did not care too much.

I already take special care with my comic books, but those are finished quickly and can be kept in their special bags. Books spend weeks with me wherever I go.

I am sad that one page of "Duma Key" (my favorite SK book at the moment, before I read "The Stand") was torn. I have thought about buying another copy since then, just because of that one page. It is still joined to the book by about a third of its length, but it feels so fragile...

Sam, I love your footnotes! I have, more than once, felt compelled to do something similar. In the end, I couldn't (and it might not even be practical in my case). I ended up transcribing a lot of the book's contents into text files in my computer. These are for descriptions of characters, which are useful when I want to draw them. Keeping them in the book, even underlined, is not so useful because they are spread into so many different pages.

 

[Arcadevere]

Sam, I love your footnotes! I have, more than once, felt compelled to do something similar. In the end, I couldn't (and it might not even be practical in my case). I ended up transcribing a lot of the book's contents into text files in my computer. These are for descriptions of characters, which are useful when I want to draw them. Keeping them in the book, even underlined, is not so useful because they are spread into so many different pages.

oh thank you! most of my footnotes was a dictionary definition of the words or some flashback from other chapter (since, like what i said a while ago, English is not my first language) and written using a friction pen (a ballpen that can be erased by a rubber friction, like how pencil works), and i'm definitely a lazy person to open my laptop so i never placed any notes in laptop.

but since some of my buddies borrowed my book, mostly, SK or NG books, i put some footnotes in the bracket side with a note "read with caution" because it may be content something that the did not like

funfact about my FK : the very last part

Spoiler: Finders Keepers last paragraph

where it starts with a line "when Hodges was gone, Brady raises his head blah blah blah"

i have a note there written "IMPORTANT : note this part before reading the finale

 

[César Hernández-Meraz]

funfact about my FK : the very last part

Spoiler: Finders Keepers last paragraph

where it starts with a line "when Hodges was gone, Brady raises his head blah blah blah"

i have a note there written "IMPORTANT : note this part before reading the finale

Thanks for not spoiling anything, even inside the spoiler tags (or, if you did, I did not notice, having not read the book).

I could not resist checking inside the tags, and would have been spoiled if you had included something specific.

 

[GNTLGNT]

....I try not get cooties on any book I read, or sprinkle cookie crumbs in the pages-and attempt to avoid greasy fingerprints(at least I don't use left over pizza for a bookmark!)-other than that, I attack that sucker and if the spine gives me trouble I go all chiropractor and crack it....my books are well read and very dear to me....

 

[Kurben]

oh thank you! most of my footnotes was a dictionary definition of the words or some flashback from other chapter (since, like what i said a while ago, English is not my first language) and written using a friction pen (a ballpen that can be erased by a rubber friction, like how pencil works), and i'm definitely a lazy person to open my laptop so i never placed any notes in laptop.

but since some of my buddies borrowed my book, mostly, SK or NG books, i put some footnotes in the bracket side with a note "read with caution" because it may be content something that the did not like

funfact about my FK : the very last part

Spoiler: Finders Keepers last paragraph

where it starts with a line "when Hodges was gone, Brady raises his head blah blah blah"

i have a note there written "IMPORTANT : note this part before reading the finale

You know, the first book i read in english (i'm from sweden so english isn't my first language either) i did that. Underlining words i did not understand and then a short explanation. It was Money In The Bank by P.G. Wodehouse. King wasn't around yet i think. We had to write something about it later to the teacher. But it worked. You can see in the book now that the longer you got the less words are underlined. A good way to pick words. Hasn't done it in a very long time since i'm fairly fluent now.

 

[César Hernández-Meraz]

You know, the first book i read in english (i'm from sweden so english isn't my first language either) i did that.

I used the dictionary when reading comics back then. By the time I read my first novel in English I knew enough to only need a dictionary very few times.

My first novel was by Danielle Steel.

And the meaning of "nodding", a new verb for me, was forever etched into my mind. In that novel everyone nodded. I nodded, you nodded, he nodded, she nodded, it nodded, we nodded, you all nodded, they nodded. Everyone seemed unable to pronounce the word "yes".

 

[Arcadevere]

Thanks for not spoiling anything, even inside the spoiler tags (or, if you did, I did not notice, having not read the book).

I could not resist checking inside the tags, and would have been spoiled if you had included something specific.

i was lazy to type the whole paragraph and yeah, i notice it so i stopped at ". . head" and added blah blah blah like you imagine i'm blabbering and you couldn't hear it anymore lol

You know, the first book i read in english (i'm from sweden so english isn't my first language either) i did that. Underlining words i did not understand and then a short explanation. It was Money In The Bank by P.G. Wodehouse. King wasn't around yet i think. We had to write something about it later to the teacher. But it worked. You can see in the book now that the longer you got the less words are underlined. A good way to pick words. Hasn't done it in a very long time since i'm fairly fluent now.

still doing the underline thingy, because i was so excited to see other english word, since i need to practice my english vocabulary because of my pursued program and job. But as i become exposed of english books, the underlined words in every book got fewer, compared to my first english novel that it has, ridiculously, a lot of underlined words as if i need to look up to my big world book dictionary.

I used the dictionary when reading comics back then. By the time I read my first novel in English I knew enough to only need a dictionary very few times.

My first novel was by Danielle Steel.

And the meaning of "nodding", a new verb for me, was forever etched into my mind. In that novel everyone nodded. I nodded, you nodded, he nodded, she nodded, it nodded, we nodded, you all nodded, they nodded. Everyone seemed unable to pronounce the word "yes".

i cannot write any notes in my comics, especially some of my comics are in hardbound or deluxe edition so i always cut papers and write there and put it in the first page (but not pasting it) like a definition of terms in every thesis

my first intrigued english word for me was "Inevitable" and "whimsical". Inevitable because of the Play Dr. Faustus and Whimsical because i read it at Architectural magazine. and YES, the word "nodded" change my life forever *i nodded* *my father nodded at me* *everyone in my household suddenly nodded in approval* lol

 

[Neesy]

my mandatory work before i read is i get my plastic cover and cover the book covers paperback or Hardbound or other style of cover, i regretted it when i forgot to cover the hardbound of Finders Keepers and Great Empires from NATGEO (yes, including the jacket, don't ask me how i did it, i may be find it extremely difficult to explain since English is not my native language) and i accidentally sprinkled a watercolor on the back jacket portion. My Doctor Sleep, Shining, It, Mr. Mercedes and almost all of my Neil Gaiman books has a marks of watercolor and hot chocolate on it, and also the ridiculously cheese powder from a french fries that i cooked.

when it comes to books, my philosophy is "the only one that will ruin my book is me and only me" i never allow anyone who borrow my books to ruin the pages or write anything on it, but i found myself making tons of footnotes about "what this word means" (since what i said, English is not my native language). like this page from my Mr. Mercedes Hardbound (actually, ALL OF MY BOOKS are suffering from this footnote phenomena)
View attachment 15035

In your picture I think a better definition of repertoire (in this case) would be:
"a stock of skills or types of behavior that a person habitually uses"

p.s. this is not a criticism - it is just that the definition you wrote down does not "fit" in this case i.e. in the way Mr. King was describing Brady's Mom.

 

[Arcadevere]

In your picture I think a better definition of repertoire (in this case) would be:
"a stock of skills or types of behavior that a person habitually uses"

p.s. this is not a criticism - it is just that the definition you wrote down does not "fit" in this case i.e. in the way Mr. King was describing Brady's Mom.

It's okay, dear. i am a human, and human can make mistakes, the ballpen that i used in writing those is eraseable, i will change it to avoid misinterpretations in future reads not only to mine but for those who will borrow it

 

[Demeter]

I'm having a hard time keeping my books in good shape - the humidity is just too much where I live. I've had the unpleasant surprise to buy new books, put them on the shelf and pick them up a year later only to see the pages yellow and the books look like I've had them for years. Apart from that, I don't write on them, no stains or crumbs on the pages, always use a bookmark (even if it's just a random piece of paper) and rarely allow my friends to borrow them. Husband is trying to convince me to use Kindle more and buy less paper books but it's just not the same...

 

[kingricefan]

I'm having a hard time keeping my books in good shape - the humidity is just too much where I live. I've had the unpleasant surprise to buy new books, put them on the shelf and pick them up a year later only to see the pages yellow and the books look like I've had them for years. Apart from that, I don't write on them, no stains or crumbs on the pages, always use a bookmark (even if it's just a random piece of paper) and rarely allow my friends to borrow them. Husband is trying to convince me to use Kindle more and buy less paper books but it's just not the same...

I used to place my books in plastic covers, the ones like they use for comic books (which is where you can find those puppies, at a comic book store) and it kept them protected from moisture and humidity. You might consider doing that?

 

[Demeter]

I used to place my books in plastic covers, the ones like they use for comic books (which is where you can find those puppies, at a comic book store) and it kept them protected from moisture and humidity. You might consider doing that?

Half of them have transparent plastic covers (there is the option to have your books wrapped at the bookstore I usually go to and I take full advantage of that ). Unfortunately it only protects the cover and not the pages. Thanks for trying to help.

 

[kingricefan]

Half of them have transparent plastic covers (there is the option to have your books wrapped at the bookstore I usually go to and I take full advantage of that ). Unfortunately it only protects the cover and not the pages. Thanks for trying to help.

I'm talking about an actual bag that you can slide the book into and then fold over the top flap of the bag to seal the book inside. It also keeps dust off of the top of the book/pages.

 

[Demeter]

I'm talking about an actual bag that you can slide the book into and then fold over the top flap of the bag to seal the book inside. It also keeps dust off of the top of the book/pages.

Ah. Now that's something I could definitely use. Never seen that for books but I will look into it.

 

[kingricefan]

Ah. Now that's something I could definitely use. Never seen that for books but I will look into it.

Just look for the larger size of the comic protector bags or ask someone that works in the store and explain what you want them for.

 

[Narvic]

Before I start to read a new book, I take off the cover and put it someplace safe, replacing it only when I have finished.

Same here. They really just get in the way when you are toting the book around while yer reading it. If they have poor artwork I may toss them in fact.

 

[Demeter]

Just look for the larger size of the comic protector bags or ask someone that works in the store and explain what you want them for.

Thank you. I'll do that.

 

[Neesy]

It's okay, dear. i am a human, and human can make mistakes, the ballpen that i used in writing those is eraseable, i will change it to avoid misinterpretations in future reads not only to mine but for those who will borrow it

It's great that you are so thorough in your learning - I sometimes want to go look up a word I have not heard before and often will jot it down on a scrap of paper. It's a great way to increase my vocabulary (that is when I am not too lazy to go search for the word, or if I lost the scrap of paper)

 

[Arcadevere]

It's great that you are so thorough in your learning - I sometimes want to go look up a word I have not heard before and often will jot it down on a scrap of paper. It's a great way to increase my vocabulary (that is when I am not too lazy to go search for the word, or if I lost the scrap of paper)

THANKS! actually, it is my nature to discover things that i do not know, when it comes to language
i was searching a word using a Webster dictionary app so i would never go home to open a dictionary (i only open dictionary book when i was in my house because my dictionary has two volumes and it was so heavy)