But here, in order of the merely peeving to
the truly terrible, are the things you can do to a book (and this goes for
paperback or hardcover) that can drive me screaming insane.
1.
Writing, underlining, putting
stars, and noting down word definitions on a novel. Here’s how it is: You can
write on the blank pages in the front of the book, and the blank pages in the
back of the book, but not during the
book. Why would anyone want to underline and star random phrases in a novel? (Especially in a Biggles book! It’s
just frustrating reading: “Algy pocketed the gun* a type of weapon and made for the door.”) This is closely
related to point 2, which is:
2.
Giving the plot away in
writing. I sometimes get one of those books that clearly had a high school
student as its former owner….a high school student who seems to believe that
copying CliffsNotes into a novel is the way to pass an English exam. Next to
the chapter 1 heading they’ll write in big sparkling letters: Tom leaves home. Chapter 2: Tom meets John and they make plans to rob a
bank. And then, chapter 10: Tom dies.
(Gee, thanks.) As if that isn’t enough, random objects will be marked with the
word “symbolism”, random sentences will be declared to be “metaphors” or “foreshadowing”.
It’s like having your English teacher at your elbow while reading a book.
3.
People who fold down the corner
of pages in a novel. You can do it in a cookbook, a nonfiction how-to book, a
magazine, even. But not in a novel. Never. Ever. Some people, not content with
merely folding the corner down, feel the need to fold it down and fold it up
and fold it down again like some mini origami project.
4.
People who write on their books
with permanent marker and close the
book before the ink has dried so that you get ink on the pages before the
writing and after the writing. And when I say ink, I mean big blobs of the
stuff.
5.
People who rip pages out of
their book on purpose. I once saw someone
talking on a phone, get out a pen, look around for something to write on, and
then, in desperation, fish a paperback book out of her bag, and rip the back
cover off! No. No, no, no!
*Note: when I say “book”, I’m not referring
to textbooks. As far as I’m concerned, depending on how boring the content of
the textbook is, you may feel free to do anything you like to it.
What are your pet book peeves? Share and
comment below!
All of your pet hates, Soppy, are mine, plus:
ReplyDeleteUsing a book as a coaster; getting half your meal over the pages of the book, Killing insects with a book, throwing a book (note: if you must throw a book at someone do the job properly and use one the size of the encyclopedia Britannica)
borrowing a book without asking first (unless it's me pinching my brother's Biggles books). Throwing books away!!!
My blood boils in sympathy Soppy -
ReplyDeleteI buy a lot of second-hand books too and have encountered all of the horrible offences you mention - grrr!
I could also add people who fill in all the O's P's and D's with ink for the first two or three pages before they get bored doing it - I can't imagine who does this sort of thing but it must be quite common - I've come across it in at least three of my recent purchases!
Also people who scribble on the front of books and ruin the illustrations. Someone drew a pair of glasses and a silly beard on Biggles face on my hard-back copy of 'Biggles Pioneer Air Fighter'. I bought it anyway, but the wanton damage still upsets me. I have to remove the cover every time I read it because I can't bear to look at it. : - (
Sopwith said:
ReplyDelete"3. People who fold down the corner of pages in a novel."
Well now Soppy...?
I cannot for the life of me remember which book it is in, other than it is one I have read relatively recently, but in it, Biggles folds down the corner of the book he is reading to mark his place...
It jarred with me at the time because I exoected Biggles to have more respect for a book, fiction or non-fiction...
SA, the incident in question is in Goes To War. I think we discussed it at the time.
ReplyDeleteAlgy, of course, would never do anything so horrible....
I'd forgotten that I hate people who draw over the illustrations. I once bought an Enid Blyton book where all of the characters had horrible facial hair drawn on by some lunatic. If I ever catch them....
Using the book as a coaster for an iced drink is a lovely way to leave a nasty wet circle on the cover :(
Thank you Soppy. I'd forgotten :-(
ReplyDeleteI agree with you all. I will say, however, that I rather like having little written notes giving the book to someone; I like to feel connected with someone else who has loved the book before me.
ReplyDeleteI do remember the shock when Biggles turned down a page! Someone in Shakespeare did that as well, might be Antony.
Another thing I don't like is people ticking the books in the list on the cover to show they have read them :-(
My stepmother told me once they used to burn books when the owner caught a disease (measles, chicken pox etc). As she is 83 now it would have been in the thirties etc.
ReplyDeleteFB: burning books that's shocking!!!
ReplyDeleteBut now you bring it up, my Gran would never read library books in case she caught germs from the pages....
I could never understand her logic at the time.
Is it possible to catch measles from a book I wonder....?
People obviously thought you could at one point...
(Now casting highly suspicious glances at my pile of second hand books in the corner....)
I don't know if you can catch things from books? I would not really have thought so; but now that you mention it, maybe I should use that thing at the library to disinfect all my books. I believe it's an oven that emits UV light or something.
ReplyDelete