Thread

Chopping up books when they're physically too big

229 points · 211 comments · matt_kirkland

prydt · 1789501820 · focus · HN ↗
I came to a similar realization recently. I used to care so much about how pristine my books looked and then I realized that some of my favorite books I have found in used bookstores are ones which are written all over and have a well-worn feel to them. I now annotate all my books with pencil and also write my name in them. I love seeing a history of who's owned a given book when I open the front cover and see a name and phone number.
1. jimnotgym · 1789503426 · focus · HN ↗
  I once read that the only way you can actually damage a book, is by not reading it.
  1. WillAdams · 1789516514 · focus · HN ↗
    Well, one can damage a hardcover by not opening it properly the first time:
    <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/lifehacks/comments/7sry7v/open_a_hard_cover_book_without_breaking_the_spine/" rel="nofollow">https://www.reddit.com/r/lifehacks/comments/7sry7v/open_a_ha...
    (which was a lesson in 2nd grade, when we got our first-ever hardcover textbooks)
    yoz-y · 1789543760 · focus · HN ↗
    Wow. I’m almost 40 and never knew this!
    WillAdams · 1789550587 · focus · HN ↗
    Yeah, really, Barnes & Noble marketing is missing a beat by not printing that as a bookmark to include with new book sales after asking the question at the register, "Has the person you are buying this hardcover for ever opened a new book correctly?"
    Oblig. XKCD:
    <a href="https://xkcd.com/1053/" rel="nofollow">https://xkcd.com/1053/
    (which I kind of wish was comic #1,000 so it was easy to remember/link)
    account42 · 1789553078 · focus · HN ↗
    A better solution would be for them to just pre-open the books so you don't need complex rituals to read them.
    WillAdams · 1789585677 · focus · HN ↗
    If I buy a new, unread book, I expect to be the first person to open it.

Open on Hacker News to reply ↗

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.