May 3, 2013

Bookish Things (Weird & Otherwise) I'm Guilty Of Doing PART 2

Fact: I don't like coffee. I just like saying Coffee Clutch in my best and deepest New York accent. Considering I'm a New Yorker, I'm pretty freaking good at it. So I've got my tea and I hope you have your heated beverage of choice, because it's time to gab the day away.

Two months ago I wrote a post called Bookish Things (Weird & Otherwise) I'm Guilty Of Doing. I noted that I'd probably write up PART II when I remembered some of my other neuroses. Well, HERE IT IS.

1. Seeking: Uncracked Spine on Hardcovers
OBVIOUSLY I look for the best copy when buying a book, but the most neurotic thing I do while looking for said best copy is opening the hardcovers JUST a crack to see if there's the tell-tale "no one's read me yet" resistance. My favorite thing is opening a BRAND NEW hardcover and feeling/hearing the binding break open for the first time. The other day I lent my friend a book because she left hers at home. I forgot that I hadn't opened it yet. I actually winced when I heard the binding break open for the first time because I wasn't the one to do it. It was my fault, but I hated myself a little bit for it.


2. Don't Bend the Book
As much as I like the crackling of a brand new hardcover, nothing makes me angrier than when people bend the spine of my softcovers. I even sometimes get mad at my past self because I used to do that. Now I'll curl a cover while I read to keep from doing that. Curled covers can be uncurled. Those little white lines that run down the spines of paperbacks cannot be undone.


3. Series: All Hardback or All Paperback
If there's a trilogy (or more/less), all of the book should either be hardcover or softcover. I feel like this is a common thing. They just look better on the shelf that way. But I have to REALLY like a series to replace a book to make it all match. Or the way it looks on my shelf has to REALLY bother me. I'm a whole barrel full of nuts, really.


4. Preference: Softcovers
Number 2 established, I prefer softcovers. It's mostly because they're lighter and smaller. I read ebooks every now and again (which really minimizes weight and size), but I don't really like them. As such, I seek other ways to minimize issues with weight and suitcase size limitations. Although, aesthetically speaking, a bookshelf with a hardcover-softcover mix looks best (unless all of the books are pretty leather-bound books).  Yeah. A WHOLE BARREL OF NUTS.


**And then I have one last item from CASSIE...**
5. eBook or Hardcopy? HOW ABOUT BOTH.
Cassie tells me that sometimes she'll buy a book in eBook and hard/paperback form. It's mostly if the book's a favorite or if a book's really big/heavy, but she WILL buy both. I CAN DIG IT.


That's another 5 crazyperson/weird/other things I (and Cassie) do. Are you like us? Do you do other bookish things you think other people just can't possibly understand? Let me know in the comments below (because I probably WILL understand)!

22 comments:

  1. Hahahah I love the spine cracking one Gaby, you're too much! ;) <3

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    1. I LOVE THE EBOOK AND HARDCOPY BUYING ONE, CASS. <3 <3

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  2. *shudder* I can't imagine what I'd do if someone started bending my softcover books. I used to open them wider than I do since I have a hard time reading the text near the spine of freaking mass market paperbacks *grumble* but now that I've been made aware of how those icky white lines appear on book spines (not the brightest bulb, I'll admit, haha) I am much more careful and obsessively run my fingers down the spine while reading to make sure I'm not disturbing it!

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    1. It didn't used to bother me. I used to be a LOT less precious about my books. But now I'd probably learn sword fighting to keep them safe if I thought that's what'd do the job. So no worries.

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  3. So basically, I agree with pretty much all the things on this list EXCEPT number 5. I've never really had to buy the ebook and the hardcover/soft copy, mostly because I prefer physical over electronic. But the other 4 things? FOR SURE.

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    1. I totally also prefer the actual book to the electronic copy. But I do have a couple of ebooks - mostly ones that were on sale and I was pretty sure I wouldn't buy in hardcopy. But if I feel like if I REALLY like them when I read the ebook, I'll buy a hardcopy for the shelves.

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  4. Oh I loooove the sound when you crack open a fresh, stiff hardback copy. Heaven.

    That Homer Simpson gif just made me laugh really, really loudly in a public place. Thank you very much for that.

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    1. I WILL ALWAYS MAKE YOU LAUGH REALLY, REALLY LOUDLY IN A PUBLIC PLACE. Always. <3

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  5. I try really hard not to crack the spine on my softcovers. But I always end up doing it a bit on the mass market paperbacks because otherwise I have a really hard time reading those ways way by the spine.

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    1. I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. It's such a trial to keep your books pretty when the publishers make it impossible for you to do so and read at the same time!

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  6. It's not the sound I love when you open a brand new book, it's the smell.
    I'm with you on the paperback/hardback debate. I much prefer reading paperback books, not only are they lighter but I find them to be 'neater'.

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    1. OH FOR SURE. Book smells. Oh book smells. Add that to the next list...

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  7. I agree with all of these except buying multiple copies of books. That is too much, even for me. But I also do prefer paperbacks. Thing is, I have this thing about buying books as soon as they come out, so most of the times I am stuck with hardcovers. :(

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    1. Yeah, that's what happens to me with hardcovers also. It gets so expensive and makes me want to cry. What else is new?

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  8. You know, I really like trade paperbacks. I'm not a fan of mass market paperbacks, but trades are sooo pretty. But I also like hardcovers. And I definitely like my series to match too. And spine breaking is a big no-no! Also, now I will be listening to that first creak of hardcover books now :)

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    1. The trade vs. mass market situation is a VERY interesting point. Also, I'm glad I've made you aware of the hardcover opening situation. It's REALLY a delightful sound.

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  9. Eesh! Yes. Breaking ANY of my spines makes me mad. One of my friends looks over my shelves and talks about what she wants to borrow and I'm just thinking, "Okay, but not until I've read them." Outwardly: "Yeah, of course! :)" She still hasn't. >:) Especially not after the extra spine break on my SIGNED Rachel Caine. OH I WAS MAD!

    I'm not a big fan of US paperbacks.. they're way too floppy, they just feel awkward. Luckily I'm in the UK where paperbacks are nice and solid in your hands. :D And yes.. I get grumbly if I get a book online and it turns up floppy or teeny tiny. Just no, paperback makers. No.

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    1. OUCH. Lending out signed books is NOT a good idea. And it's funny that you don't like US paperbacks because they're floppy. I like them better because of that and a couple of UK bloggers I know ALSO like them better for the same reason!

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  10. So reading number I totally remember that I bought Delirium as a large paperback and when the bookstore received Pandemonium, it was a mass market paperback so I just had to replace Delirium for the mass market paperback even though I wanted both of them to be large paperback. Bottom line, no one understood why I was doing it, not even the bookstore people. And I still have to read the books, and I'm weird like that.

    However, I've always, always bought paperbacks and only recently I had to buy hardbacks of books like The Fault in Our Stars and I was like, this feels good. Now I lean more towards hardback even though they're so heavy. I guess I'm adjusting or something. Also, I really don't mind reading ebooks.

    So I agree with all of these things except the last one 'cause I try not to buy several copies of a book except when it's a really, really good one.

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  11. I refuse to lend out softcover books because if anyone is going to bend the spine, it's going to be me. Some of my most read books look bad now :( I'm to the point where I want to buy new copies. I have the bent spine and I try not to bend them (I'm quite good at this now!) but sometimes it happens.

    I don't think you would want to look at my bookshelf, I have mixed series of paperbacks and hard backs. I'm terrible. Some series have to match though!

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    1. Buying new copies is definitely not a bad idea. And I can look at the pretty bookshelf, mismatched or otherwise. I just love books. *pets books*

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