Booking Through Thursday is a weekly meme about (mostly) books and reading.
This week's question is:
All other things being equal – do you prefer used books? Or new books? (The physical specimen, that is, not the title.) Does your preference differentiate between a standard kind of used book, and a pristine, leather-bound copy?
I was going to say that my ideal personal library consists of nothing but new books, but then I realised that if they were to remain that way, I could never read them. The thing is that once a book is read, it is no longer new. Even though I try to be very careful when handling my books, they inevitably end up looking less new after a while.
I buy a lot of used books or get them through BookMooch, BookCrossing or the library, and I think it is a wonderful way of saving money as well as the environment. I am somewhat selective when buying used books though; if it is in really bad condition, like partly illegible or pages are falling out (or if it smells of cigarette smoke – major turn-off for me), I will of course pass. But some general signs of wear and tear don't bother me at all. The only exception is a favourite book; if I know I want to keep it forever, I will buy a new hardcover simply because it will last longer.
5 comments:
Good thoughts! I like the variety of old and new, but have special feelings about them...
Here's MY BTT POST
Great thoughts! Ideally all of mine woudl be new as well!
http://bookskidsanimalsandmore.blogspot.com/2011/02/booking-through-thursday_24.html
A lot of my books look new even though I have read them. I don't do it on purpose I think I am just a very careful reader.
Sally.
Good point about once you read them then they'd be used! I really don't mind if mine are used as long as they are 'gently used'!
Fairly clean and with good contents, that's important: http://mostraum.wordpress.com/2011/02/24/booking-through-thursday-something-old-something-new/
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