Secret Library

[NickAdams]

I have many books; Most are kept in a bookcase, but I hide many. I fear that a friend might ask to borrow one.

Which books do you keep hidden?

[PeterL]

Books can be replaced, and I'm not ashamed of any of my books, so I don't hide any away.

[Captain Pike]

I actually have more books than bookshelf space. I just liked the look, the smell of books. My dad is real forgetful. He'll come over and pick up something like "the works of Poe", and then trundle home with it! I know what I'm down to only one Sherlock Holmes book.

[kathycf]

The books that are hidden behind other books in the bookshelves are only "hidden" because I don't have enough bookshelves. I have lent books to friends before and gotten them back in bad shape...or my sister who "forgets" to return the books altogether. I wouldn't hide any of my books on purpose though.

[NickAdams]

Firsts editions or out-of-prints?

[kathycf]

Firsts editions or out-of-prints?
I'm sorry, is that a question directed at a specific poster, or is meant to ask generally would we hide first editions/out of prints if we had them?

[NickAdams]

General.

[bazarov]

I am glad when I can borrow them, my friend will only get smarter :banana: , but I never forget who did I gave it to. I like them too much. :)

[kathycf]

I don't own any expensive books, but I would like to think if I did, I would still lend them if a friend requested. A friend is more important than money. Now, that isn't to say that I wouldn't nag at them to take care of the book and return it in the same condition they received it. :)

[manolia]

That doesn't seem a bad idea at all..I am still missing a Lovecraft copy i lend to someone.

[Idril]

There are certain people I avoid lending books to at all costs because I never get them back, my sister being the worst offender. I don't talk about books to her anymore for fear she may say something like, "Oh, that sounds good, could I borrow it?". :rolleyes: As for those people whom I feel confident will return my books, the only ones I consider off limits are the special edition LOTR books and The Wrong Boy by Willy Russel just because it was a hassle to get a copy of it in the first place. It wasn't being printed in the US anymore or something so I had to import it and it cost a small, relative, fortune and I really like the book so I would want to replace it if it disappeared...of course now that I know I can't find it anywhere here, I can skip all the fruitless searching and go straight to amazon.uk...but still, it's the principle of the thing. :p

[nps_marina]

You could get an Ex Libris- you know, like a bookplate that says 'this book belongs to me, remember to give it back eventually, won't ya'. Or something.

I kind of know fairly well who has books of mine and, as long as they know also, I don't care how long they keep them.

As for my sister, we know whose books are whose (we can be fairly possessive about our books, I guess we both believe that our shelves portray a lot about ourselves), but since I can always wander to her house and grab a ton of books and keep them for ages, so can she with mine. And then, it works the other way around- I can wander to her place, scan the shelves, and snatch all my books back.

I dunno.

I am a but possessive about books but, seriously, they are all average copies that you could find anywhere. I have a few hard to get, not because they are collectables but because merely they are not so famous, but none of my friends has ever displayed a killer love for David Eddings, so...

[Geoff Shipley]

I don't really hide books, although sometimes i feel i should. For the simple reason that my brother rarely finishes anything. Every time i come home with anything interesting he tends to drop what hes reading to pick that up, and by the time he's halfway done with it theres always something else. So if i do hide anything its out of fraternal love:)

I do have a problem with people returning books to me. It doesn't bother me for the most part. I always have a giant list that i need to get around to anyway, but every now and then i'll remember a reference or something that i just need to look up, and alas the books not there. I try not to lend out anthing i use on a daily basis, mostly things i reference often like Edith Hamilton's Mythology, or my copy of the Old Testament. Luckily my friends don't share my fascination with theology very often, so i dont have to worry about that too much.

[grace86]

Ha well, none of my friends in RL share my fascination in books. I mainly have to hide them away because otherwise someone will damage them--I don't have shelves yet. Leaving them out on my dresser or table top usually means that they are coasters...grrrrrr:flare:

As to hiding books: Since no one borrows them I don't have to worry about it. I have a couple hard to find and signed ones that I take extreme care to package when I have to put them in storage.

I would like to think that if someone asked, I would lend someone my book because I have this great desire to know that the people around me are reading. One time, I lent a library book to a friend, and when he returned it, he had messed up the cover pretty bad. He is on my list for someone not to lend to.

[littlewing53]

i love my books...and when i find a treasure at a book sale, or garage sale, or hidden in a box i am happy for the whole day...hide them, no...many times i have given books away that i cherished...always felt that by giving books away i would find more treasures to read....but hide them no...the few books i have kept over a long period of time i will let people touch them, hold them, read a few pages...but eventually i find myself letting them go...of course, i have no books of real monetary value..

[NickAdams]

One time, I lent a library book to a friend, and when he returned it, he had messed up the cover pretty bad. He is on my list for someone not to lend to.

Hmm ... Lending a library book is a good way to test the waters. I might do the same for borrowers probation period.

Another thing: I don't mark, dog ear or roll my books and I'd like to keep it that way.

[Nossa]

Books here are way too expensive sometimes, I buy mostly second-hand books, and can't even find most of them when I need them...so I hide the books, not with the intention of not lending them to people persay, but cuz the books I have are already used, and so I'd like to preserve them cuz this library I have is gonna remain with me for a long time, hopefully.
If someone asks me for a book that I have, and can't/don't want to lend, I simply just download it from the internet, if possible,and hand it to them on CD...normaly these books are expensive, and that person wouldn't buy them anyways.

[grace86]

Hmm ... Lending a library book is a good way to test the waters. I might do the same for borrowers probation period.

Another thing: I don't mark, dog ear or roll my books and I'd like to keep it that way.

It's also a potential way to rack up library fines! ;) Fortunately, my friend was a frequent user of the library though and understood that one.

Same here, I do NOT like it when pages are dog eared or rolled (oh the poor spine!!)

I am reading a 1970's copy of Don Quixote in paperback...I went so far as to make a paper slip cover :idea: so I would not hurt the cover image.

[Annamariah]

There's not much space in my room, and I have a lot of books there. So my bookshelf is partially hidden behind my bed. I keep there
a) books that I'm don't need too often (It's not easy to get them from there) and
b) books that don't look good (there are a lot of old and miscellanous books wich look like they've seen more than enough of life :D)

[Lyn]

My Don Quixote reading is cursed. Every time I try to read it I just ruin the copy I've got. By dropping it in the sea for example. Or having my neices bury it in the sand. Or somehow it gets lost. Or my dad kidnapps it and hides it in his loft (bizarre I know). I take great care over all my other books, even paperbacks, not even creasing the spines. So I've come to the conclusion its just Don Quixote. I'm scared of reading it now. Never did get to the end. I don't hide books. I've one or two expensive first eds. and I like to show them off.

[NickAdams]

I am reading a 1970's copy of Don Quixote in paperback...I went so far as to make a paper slip cover :idea: so I would not hurt the cover image.

Is it an english translation? If so, did you compare different translations before you purchased it?


I've one or two expensive first eds. and I like to show them off.

What books?

[Nick Rubashov]

I'm reading Lolita right now, and I don't like when people ask me what it's about when they see me with it lol.

[NickAdams]

I'm reading Lolita right now, and I don't like when people ask me what it's about when they see me with it lol.

Why is that?
I haven't read it, but I know what's it's about- the curse of classics.:(

[grace86]

Is it an english translation? If so, did you compare different translations before you purchased it?

Yes it is an English translation. I am afraid that although I know how to generally read Spanish, the beauty would be lost on me if I did attempt it. I didn't really compare translations; I was busy enough trying to find one around here that was unabridged and affordable for a poor college student :p . But the copy I have is translated by J.M. Cohen, it is pretty good so far.

From what I hear about Lyn's experiences, I might want to start hiding it :D

[NotWoodhouse]

I don't really hide books (at least not on purpose). I have more books than shelf space so I end up with books under my bed and in drawers. Occasionally, I'll forget where I put a book, so it's kind of hidden.

[higley]

I hide books from myself.