If I had all the money in the world, I would buy all my books new. Not used. Straight from the book-printing factory place…or whatever.
I have very few used books in my collection, but I’ve rented A LOT of books from the library. And those library books have passed through many hands and many homes.
Some experiences were good. Some were not so good.
Here are the not so good…
(warning: if you are a bookworm that suffers from a weak heart, then do not continue. These stories may cause heart failure and many other issues)
01. Crumbs between the pages
I mean, REALLY? Do you eat over your book? You could’ve at least shaken the pages out before returning it to the library for another poor chap to find.
02. An obvious history of dog-earing and such creases and bends
A book that’s been abused by dog-earing is never the same. I hate it when I rent a book that’s obviously had it’s pages bent. Not just intentionally, but by misuse. You know, like when you find a book partially open on its pages laying under a bunch of stuff and the pages are all bent and twisted and hopeless? *shudders*
03. Stains on the pages
I don’t know what kind of a person sips a drink hovering over their open book. I just don’t.
04. Crushed bugs between the pages
What a lovely surprise when you flip the page to find a little dead flat friend just waiting for you to find him.
Honestly, yes, it’s a struggle reading out of doors and not getting bugs stuck in the book. But wouldn’t a sane person check to make sure each page is clear before flipping it?
05. Missing pages (!!!)
The times that this has happened to me I could probably count on one hand. But one is one too many. I’ve found that a few of the last pages of a novel were missing. Maybe loose binding, but someone along the way must’ve noticed the pages were falling out. They could’ve, oh I don’t know, LEFT THEM IN THE BOOK INSTEAD OF LOSING THEM.
06. Beaten covers
I don’t care so much about library books, but if it’s a book that I’m keeping for my permanent possession, I DO NOT want the cover to look beat up. Paperbacks are pretty each to damage, but it’s just beyond me how some people ruin hardback books.
And finishing this post I realize I may be something of a book snob. XD
What’s your experience with used books?
30 Comments
I haaaate to admit it, but I see my books as friends. I hate tearing them, but a lot of creases eventually disappear… right??? And the crumbs… ahem, that just shows how good the book is: the reader couldn’t put it down and probably tried to keep crumbs away from it, but crumbs go where crumbs go. I have also found a horse fly smashed in a brand new book. So y’know, it kind of just happens. Idk. And the drinks… I never drink anything except through a straw over a book, and I’m careful. But. What if those stains aren’t only drinks? *shudders*
So I basically just criticized your post, but I still understand where you got all the opinions!!! I agreed with the beaten cover one mostly… XD sorry!!!!!! But I guess I got a little defensive cuz almost all my books are used.
Lol, I totally get that XD I know my opinion of buying books new when I can isn’t that popular 😉
Ugh, these are so true!! The dead bugs… *shudders* Also, the pages missing? You’re totally right: once is more than enough times to experience that.
One of my worst used book experiences was one time I purchased the Hobbit at a library sale and didn’t check the inside. Bad idea. Someone had used pen and highlighter all over its pages. Messed up my whole experience.
Oh my goodness PEN AND HIGHLIGHTER. That is terrifying. XD
I’ve always thought about all that stuff like a story within a story. I mean, if you just have a pristine book, it’s just the story that there. But if you’ve got a couple of water stains or a tear, maybe a beat-up book, you can imagine a whole other story inside.
Of corse, I grew up buying used books and didn’t get my first brand new book until I was about thirteen, so I guess I’m just used to it. XD
That’s a really good point, Mikayla! <3
Oh, and you forgot the often putrid or sour smell that can accompany library books/former library books/used books and the like. Ugh. I could not agree with you more; new books are so much better! ALL of thee reasons you mentioned in this post are why I hate library books. But then there’s the issue of paying for new books, so I am forced to make use of the library. OPEN LIBRARY BOOKS WITH CAUTION. Oh, and always always ALWAYS wash your hands afterwards!! I was a germaphobe about library books before covid-19 existed. XD
Great post, Jenna! 🙂
*the reasons
Oh yes, the smell as well. *nods* I never thought about washing my hands after reading a library book but now I just got the chills and I’m going to start doing that. XD
On the other hand, I like to see a well-worn book with multiple signs of notes being taken on the pages. It shows me that someone thought a lot about that book, and it’s almost as if the former reader is sharing his or her thoughts with me.
(Don’t like finding crumbs, though. Nobody wants those old leftovers.)
But I respect your dedication to a book’s wellbeing. That’s a good librarian mentality.
Someone else has said that too! 😉 <3
Oh my goodness…I can relate to every single one of these 😂 Especially the dead bugs. Like, what is WITH that?
XD Thanks, Mary!
As a bookworm, this post is giving me chills. 😖
I can stand almost anything in books, except for when there is dark, sticky, lumpy fragments of who-knows-what clinging to the pages…EWWww…just no. SO GROSS. 🤮
I love new books but I LOVE buying old, beat up, well-used books too. There’s just something about finding an old, forgotten book shoved to the back of a thrift-store shelf and taking it home. ❤️ There’s pros and cons to both, I guess. 😀
Great post, Jenna! (also, kind of unsettling. 😂)
Lol I knew I was going to set off some chills in a lot of readers XD
Thanks for reading, Eden! <3
I enjoyed this. It just made me laugh. Sorry. 😆 Especially the bug one because I was thinking how maybe they accidentally used the book to kill the bug and they didn’t realise ’cause they so into the story! But I get it. It’s hard to read with those things.
Surprising, the books I borrow from my library are not so bad. I got more of that sort of thing from preteen books. YA books are so clean, maybe with a few blemishes here and there. It depends on how old it is, I think. But even then, some “old” books are fine.
What about your own horrors? I accidentally rip out a page in a book once. I was horrified with myself! (I sticky taped it back in so wouldn’t be a loose page and get lost by the next reader.) I also made little tears at the bottom of the pages trying to turn them! With several books. (I’m impressed with myself sometimes. 😂)
*hides face* Maybe I shouldn’t have admitted that…
Lol I’m glad you enjoyed it XD That is true, YA books tend to be better. Lol maybe someday I’ll make a post of my own book-ruining mistakes. XD
Yes, do. I feel it’s only fair for a bookworm to admit their bookish mistakes as well as bookish pet peeves and annoyances. Plus, it will be fun to read (and horrifying 😂).
Okay so library books, not so much bc I can’t stand book jackets, but used books… 😍 I honestly love finding notes and things in books. And once I got the cheapest used copy of this book on Amazon and when it showed up it was signed by the author 💕
Wow, that was a really cool find! 😀
See? THIS IS WHY I BUY ALL MY BOOKS NEW XD
LOL SAME XD
Ermm…
I’m acutally guilty of most of these, unfortunately. Particularly the coffee/hot chocolate/tea stains on library books.
*ducks head in shame and flees*
It’s okay, I won’t attack you. 😉 I can’t say that I’m totally innocent of damaging a book or two.
Once I read a book where someone was writing comments on the pages about the characters…what? Why would you do that? Nothing should be on the pages but the beautiful text of the author! And another time someone has ripped the edge of the page off. Excuse me? And they were both library books.
I do use dog ears though…hehe
I know right? That’s terrible!
…and so is dog-earing. 😉 <3
Oh goodness, this is HILARIOUS. 😂 And also so so true. I get a lot of my books second-hand, but only if they’re in like new condition. (Which thankfully happens more often than not where I find my books?) Library books are another matter entirely. The stains and bug pieces and other delightful finds…those are something I’ve just learned to deal with, I guess. What the previous readers left behind almost tell an even more interesting story than what the author wrote!! 😂😂
XD That’s awesome that you’re able to find like-new used books!
Thanks for reading, Kenzie!
HAHAHA, yep, all these are a bookworm’s greatest fear.
And I verrrrry rarely buy used books…give me the crisp, gorgeous new books any day! 🙂
YES! New, fresh books are always really awesome. 😀