Here is a silly piece entitled 'Why I hate Second-hand books' from the Guardian Book Blog by a boy who needs untwist his knickers a bit, as he is missing out on one of life's great joys for book lovers.
In a similar vein though, I was once away in the country with a group of women, which included a group of psychologists, to celebrate a psychologist friend's impending wedding and we went on a shopping trip in the local town where I found a magnificent second-hand book shop. When we all met up for lunch I, of course, was clutching a bag full of second-hand treasures, which included, if I remember rightly, a collection of T E Lawrence's letters and Scott's Quentin Durwood. One of the psychologist contingent looked with disgust at the pile of books I was so proudly displaying, backed away a little, and asked 'But aren't second-hand books all dirty?'
Occasionally I may have come across a suspicious chocolate-like smear on a page in a book, although to be honest that is usually from my own previous reading. Usually the joy of holding and reading a book that you know a kindred spirit has also held and loved, and breathing in that old book scent far outweighs the occasional dessicated fly between the pages. These people need to loosen up and learn to love the second-hand book shop before they all disappear into history; they are missing out on one of the greatest pleasures I've found this world has to offer.
Sunday, 29 June 2008
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8 comments:
Oh yes! I totally agree with you! My hubby also has this aversion to 2nd hand books (which means I never need to make excuses for buying new books) but I am i heaven when someone gives me abox or a bag of already read books. that's heaven to me!
I love secondhand books. Although i have not had the experience on finding yucky stuff in 2nd hand books. anyway, the adventure of seeing 2ndhand books with whatever is in there is just awesome..whether it be receipts, markings, hair..etc. i just hope i wont see any yucky stuff...
I'll still buy 2ndhand books.
I, too, love second-hand books, but I have known people - one man in particular - who wouldn't buy a second hand book if it wasn't perfect. For me, it's fun to see the flaws.
Hear, hear. I completely agree. Love those second hand books. However, I've never found anything sufficiently yucky within the pages of a book to deter me...yet!
I love new books, and I love battered, second-hand books, but I try to prevent one of the former from becoming one of the latter for as long as possible.
Generally, when I read a new book, I don't crease it, I don't loosen the binding, I don't bend the covers or the internal pages and I don't write my name... there's nothing to show that it's been read.
Except, sometimes, a tiny bit of Marmite.
That article was silly. I really didn't like the way he described libraries. I love second hand books -- they seem rich with history, not gross!
I too love second-hand books. I think of them as well-loved. Only once or twice have I ended up with the icky variety and I just unloaded those on the common reading shelf in my apartment building's laundry room. Just as I love library books. Anyway, who's to say that that brand new book hasn't gone through three or four pairs of grubby hands, sat in a grimy warehouse, or a yucky truck?
I've just finished a second handbook some fifty years old and did not come across one disgusting article on any page, he must be a very squeamish young man. I'm not that surprised that no one has commented in agreement!
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