b00k

[Rye]

Yeah, I tend to buy pretty often from used book-stores/street vendors, so I'm pretty used to messy pages and stuff.

I also forgot to mention that a lot of my books have water stains because I alwwwways read in the bath tub and sometimes the corner dips in! Woops!

[Raistlin]

I don't understand why the hell people would be happy to deface a textbook but not a normal book. That really does make no sense to me. A textbook should be treated with even more respect, not less.

1) For me personally, it's not a consideration of value. I don't dog-ear my own books simply because I've never seen the point in it. I don't particularly care about the condition of my personal books, and many of them are very, very worn (just no dog-eared pages). I have dog-eared pages from various books I've bought for classes because I do see a point in it -- specifically that it saves time when looking up certain passages for writing up an analysis.

2) There are different definitions of "value" that some people might apply to certain kinds of books. Regardless of the value of the books (especially for resale), their own personal books may hold such a high sentimental value that they would care more about their condition than a textbook. I don't particularly understand it (since as long as it's readable it should be fine, and you can just buy another copy of a novel for $5-10), but that seems to be some people's justification.

[Lunatic_High]

I myself will always use a bookmark, especialy if the book I'm reading is either new or in a good condition.

[The Summoner of Leviathan]

I use some form of bookmark, often it is merely the receipt from the purchase, or a piece of paper I find lying on my desk.

[rubah]

Just because something isn't a big investment doesn't mean you shouldn't treat it well. Maybe you'd maltreat a low-end camera, Miriel, but I'd probably try to at least take a little care of it, because then it could go to someone else. You're supporting local economy, yes, but you're also filling landfills and denying just a little more the opportunity to read the people who can't afford to buy new books.

Same goes for books. I learned through many issues of Archie comics what happens when you set books down flat on their pages, so I never do that anymore xD

Anyways, dog-earring doesn't make sense as a place holder anyways; if you read the book subsequent times, the old dog ears will still have a small fold in them (or worse, break off entirely)!

Writing in a book may seem just as bad as folding pages, I guess, and really, I'd probably write on a piece of paper I was using as a bookmark (you guys should see the page I used for Anna Karenina. Quotes over every inch of that thing), but at least it helps to further understanding, imo

[I Took the Red Pill]

Just because something isn't a big investment doesn't mean you shouldn't treat it well. Maybe you'd maltreat a low-end camera, Miriel, but I'd probably try to at least take a little care of it, because then it could go to someone else. You're supporting local economy, yes, but you're also filling landfills and denying just a little more the opportunity to read the people who can't afford to buy new books.

have you actually found a book that was rendered unreadable or, christ, even less readable, by dog-earring? Because I haven't, and I doubt I ever will. maltreatment of a camera can result in it becoming unusable. making a small, temporary, triangular fold at the top of the page, affecting at most 5% of the page, is not analogous.

the old dog ears will still have a small fold in them (or worse, break off entirely)!

no.

[Tavrobel]

I don't understand why the hell people would be happy to deface a textbook but not a normal book. That really does make no sense to me. A textbook should be treated with even more respect, not less.

I don't get it, either. Textbooks can be resold, even if you don't like them (especially if you don't like them), so one would think that in order to preserve the money you get back, you'd want to be as careful with the book as possible, right?

One would think that the price of the novel is only balanced by the potential of sentimental value.

have you actually found a book that was rendered unreadable or, christ, even less readable, by dog-earring?

Yes. I used to do it all the time to my books when I was younger. Then I grew up and realized that books have resale value. Though you may consider this far more destructive than what you would logically assume, it still happened.

I've had to go so far as to re-purchase the same book multiple times, one that I use for actual reading, and one just so that it looks pretty on the bookshelf. Example, I have had three copies of the Silmarillion. One I regularly read, one I marked up from the LotRish days of Starcraft (it's a long story), and one that sits on the bookshelf next to the Tolkien Reader's Companion and Children of Hurin.

[Moon Rabbits]

Wow, I'm shocked by these answers! I'm a bibliophile, but I dog ear all the time. The only time I don't is when I borrow a book. To be fair, I picked the habit up off my Mom. I also highlight or underline things I like and small comments in the books. A worn book is a loved book, for me (a favorite book was read so much its cover just fell off xD)

of course I dog-ear my pages. it's a smurfing piece of paper.

These are me answers.

[blackmage_nuke]

You can tell from just looking at my books, which ones have been read a billion times. They're literally coming apart at the seams and I have to hold loose sheets of paper and stick 'em back into the book as I'm reading.

I c wut u did thar

(SPOILER)because its literature...

[Rye]

Yeah, my dog ears always ended up undoing themselves as soon as I opened the book to the point where the pages weren't even really creased when I read it again. I can never tell where I've dog-earred previously. The only damage that I dislike doing to books is when I have them all in my purse (at any given time, I could have 3 books in my purse), sometimes a corner of the cover will bend and it makes me sad, because the covers are pretty. Unless I have to choose by translation or edition or something important, I'll almost always shell out more money to have a prettier cover. I just have to!

Hux takes books out from my personal library and he says he only noticed a slight crease in one of my books, and it was a book I read dozens of times. He scolds me, however, on my habit of facing the book down on the bed pages open, because that's supposed to hurt the spine. I do that a lot because I'm a multitasker/I have ADD and sometimes have to go between reading a page online, reading a book, and listening to music. XD

I'm sure Miriel wouldn't toss a point and shoot camera around. That's just kind of silly since they are kind of pricy as compared to a 2 dollar book at a used book store and I'm sure she wouldn't disrespect her own property that she worked hard for in her business in such a way where it wouldn't actually work anymore (drop a camera once and sometimes it's just kaput :x), that'd just be silly. I don't know what that has to do with dog-ears!

[Miriel]

Just because something isn't a big investment doesn't mean you shouldn't treat it well. Maybe you'd maltreat a low-end camera, Miriel, but I'd probably try to at least take a little care of it, because then it could go to someone else. You're supporting local economy, yes, but you're also filling landfills and denying just a little more the opportunity to read the people who can't afford to buy new books.

Lol. Ok.

You can do whatever you want with your books. As far as I'm concerned, my books and I have a very happy relationship. Books are meant to be read, and during the course of many many readings, the books are gonna get messed up. Maybe if you only read a book once or twice, you can maintain pristine condition, but most of my books I've read 5+ times. My copy of the Silmarillion has been read like a dozen times, and it's lovingly battered. My books go everywhere with me. I carry them in my purse and I don't bother to wrap them in tissue paper or anything just to make sure the edges don't get bent. Hell, some of my books have gotten wet from bathtub mishaps. I'm not prissy with my stuff. Things are meant to be used. Nor do I throw away any of my books. I still have my withered copy of Little Woman from when I was a kid. I'll never throw it away, even though I have a new copy. It's a relic from a time when I used to take my books on camping trips and read them from inside a tent. The only books that have ever left my possession ares ones that I've donated to a local after school program.

And yeah, my point and shoot is MESSED up. That's what happens when you take it with you while ziplining or cenote diving or hiking through the jungles of Mexico. You'd be surprised by how resilient cameras can be. I've dropped my in the ocean before and it still worked, although it was funky for awhile. But hey, I'd much prefer my things get beat up during the course of using it and enjoying that sitting very still while very carefully holding my things to make sure they don't get damaged in any way.

[NorthernChaosGod]

Lol. Ok.

You can do whatever you want with your books. As far as I'm concerned, my books and I have a very happy relationship. Books are meant to be read, and during the course of many many readings, the books are gonna get messed up. Maybe if you only read a book once or twice, you can maintain pristine condition, but most of my books I've read 5+ times. My copy of the Silmarillion has been read like a dozen times, and it's lovingly battered. My books go everywhere with me. I carry them in my purse and I don't bother to wrap them in tissue paper or anything just to make sure the edges don't get bent. Hell, some of my books have gotten wet from bathtub mishaps. I'm not prissy with my stuff. Things are meant to be used. Nor do I throw away any of my books. I still have my withered copy of Little Woman from when I was a kid. I'll never throw it away, even though I have a new copy. It's a relic from a time when I used to take my books on camping trips and read them from inside a tent. The only books that have ever left my possession ares ones that I've donated to a local after school program.

And yeah, my point and shoot is MESSED up. That's what happens when you take it with you while ziplining or cenote diving or hiking through the jungles of Mexico. You'd be surprised by how resilient cameras can be. I've dropped my in the ocean before and it still worked, although it was funky for awhile. But hey, I'd much prefer my things get beat up during the course of using it and enjoying that sitting very still while very carefully holding my things to make sure they don't get damaged in any way.

It is very possible to take care of your things while using them.

Use != beaten and battered

My ten-year-old copy of The Hobbit is still in very good condition and I've made it a point to read it at least once a year since I got it.

[rubah]

Lol, Ok.

I'll respect my property and you can do whatever with yours. Maybe our different backgrounds are interfering here. None of the depression-era books I inherited from my grandma had been dropped into bathtubs, laid spine up, although one was dog-earred, and yes Keith, the dog ears did tear off when I tried to straighten them You're mistaken when you assume I am prissy with books and possessions. I just don't abuse them. They last longer that way! You're welcome to spend your disposable income however you like, after all.

[Miriel]

Never said or assumed you were prissy with your things, just that I'm not. But I do know you like to misinterpret things I say as insults toward yourself. Don't worry, I have really little interest in either gaining your approval or offending you.

[Shiny]

I see it this way: I wouldn't defile a dvd, video tape, painting, sculpture, etc. so why would I defile the pages of a book? Gotta respect the art -- plus bookmarks are cute.