Dangerous Words, Books that Kill

[mortalterror]

Can a book break your heart? Has one ever broken your leg? Did you ever stroll down the street with your nose in a book and walk into a lamp? Ever had a particularly heavy one land on you from on high, or flung at you by an angry person? This thread is about book related accidents. How they change our lives and effect us physically. My own long and checkered experience with these silent killers is as follows.

From the Journal of Mortalterror February 14th 2006:
LOVE HURTS
This morning, as I was getting out of bed, I slipped on a glossy covered book and hurled myself head first into the wall. I tried to stand up, to answer the phone that had awakened me, but I was too dizzy. My head hurt worse than anything; so I crawled back to bed and went to sleep, mumbling "You win again, Valentine's Day."

DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU! Speak out! Together, we can end book violence.

[Adagio]

Well literature in general has changed my life but I'd say especially John Keats' poetry and Philip Larkin's The Whitsun Weddings. The Road by Cormac McCarthy broke my heart as did Hardy's Tess and Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. When I was much younger my sister balanced a Complete Works of Shakespeare upon the top of the door. I walk in and it falls on my head. It actually really hurt, although I'm glad it was The Bard that did it.

[Emil Miller]

This thread brings to mind E.M.Forster's Howards End where one of the characters, Leonard Bast, a would be intellectual, is killed when a loaded bookcase falls on him.
A similar thing happens in my own novel Pro Bono Publico when one of the the major characters dies when his wife throws a book at him and he falls and hits his head on a stone fireplace. The symbolism in both cases being intentional.

[wessexgirl]

I'm sure the loaded bookcase has happened to a real writer too Brian, not just a character. I can't remember who it was though.

[mono]

Years ago, while reading The Aeneid by Virgil in a cafe, I met my now ex-girlfriend, the only ex-girlfriend I have no contact with any longer. I suppose I could classify that as an accident . . . :eek2:

[Emil Miller]

I'm sure the loaded bookcase has happened to a real writer too Brian, not just a character. I can't remember who it was though.

That's interesting Wessex. Depending on how long ago it happpened, it might have been the inspiration for the scene in Forster's novel. On account of what happened to Leonard Bast, the bookcase imediately adjacent to where I am now sitting is firmly attached to the wall.

[Phranchesskah]

I've tried moving a loaded bookcase by myself before. It hurt because it was far too heavy when I tried to lift it (and I am rather small), and a fair amount of the books fell out, onto me.

I have had numerous papercuts from new books (a highly underrated type of injury, in my opinion. They bloody hurt!), not to mention aching fingers from holding a book awkwardly for too long. If you look at my avatar you'll see that my fingers tend to bend quite oddly when I am reading. I've actually had little blisters for the same reason on my hands, too (my skin blisters easily). I've hurt my eyes trying to lie down in bed holding the book above my head, because there is always the light on the ceiling in the corner of my eye. This position also causes my arms to ache. Reading in the dark has given me headaches, reading on long journeys in cars has caused me to throw up due to travel sickness. Staying up for several continuous days for the sake of reading has made me quite ill in the past, too. Looking down at a book hurts my neck.

Oh the things I endure for the sake of literature.

Also, does anyone else find that most reading positions are extremely uncomfortable? I am always in some degree of physical pain when I am reading.

[JBI]

I've had books thrown at me before - those can hurt. I think I've also papercut myself before on a book, though I can't remember if that is a memory, or if I'm just imagining it.

[lupe]

During an earthquake, a big book fall from my library to my head - I was lying in my bed. No real injuries, but I took it for a sign and I decided to finally read the book. It was Lucretius' "De rerum natura", which became one of my favourites!!

[jekan blazer]

I've had books thrown at me before - those can hurt.

i have too!!!! no joke!!!

[Veva]

I have an English translation of Brothers Karamozov, the old edition translated by MacAndrew, in my collection. This book was published in paperback in 1972 and everytime I open it I have to fight my senses. This book of mine is really dangerous as it smells of something close to wet dog, burned hair and soil.... :sick:,.... but I still love it...

[Joreads]

i have too!!!! no joke!!!

Jekan why are people throwing books at you?;)


I have walked into things while reading - although I tend to do that when I am not reading as well:)

[Mag Master 21]

EDIT: A girl I dated was really worried because I was reading American Psycho... she honestly was freaked out to the point that she always talked about it.

[Fellow]

When I was a kid I accidentally pulled my father's office bookcase over on to myself. It was a rather large bookcase, and I was a rather small child, but as a child I was more concerned with surviving my father. I survived both and he built the bookcase into the wall the next day. I got to help :)

[Silas Thorne]

:) Interesting topic!
I haven't personally injured myself or others with a book, but in martial arts we did learn how to use books at close range as useful weapons. Basically, jab with the edge of the book, under the nose or into the throat or stomach. Adds extra range to a thrust. By throwing books, you lose your weapon, unless your back is against your library.
I'm sure Bill's Big Book of Plays if applied with vigour to the back of the head could brain the strongest of foes.

[amb]

As a young lad, whilst pulling a book off the shelf, I knocked an iron bookend off, which fell on my foot from four feet up.

[The Comedian]

I once dropped Shakespeare's Complete Works on my left big toe. To which I yelled "Sirrahhhhhh! That smarts." Words, being less heavy in the literal sense, have yet to provide me with a notable physical injury.

[Silas Thorne]

bill's big book of biffo, yes. ;)

[Zee.]

EDIT: A girl I dated was really worried because I was reading American Psycho... she honestly was freaked out to the point that she always talked about it.

One of my favourites

[Moloko87]

I tend to read in bed and gently lay the book on the side of the bed when I'm ready for sleep. One morning I woke up late for work and forgot that I had the glossy covered book by my bed, I took two rushed steps forwards and I slipped on the book and landed on my knee awkwardly. I was still half a sleep and it took me a while to figure out what had happened.

[crystalmoonshin]

I used to read while walking when i was in primary school. One day, I did just that as usual and I tripped over something. I learned my lesson and so now, I quit the habit.

[oblivion252]

3 words - Marquis De Sade.

[dancingbookworm]

Like Adiago, Hardy's Tess really did a number on me.

I have never read a book where my body physically ached in pain until I read that one. As corny as it sounds, my heart ached for the characters, and I did cry.

[Chava]

My bookshelves are falling out of the walls, and I'm too lazy and poor to buy proper shelves. One day the top shelf fell out with all my heavy books and two antique owls that support them. Very clever, Now I sleep with my head in the other en dof the bed, incase it should ever hapen again.

[subterranean]

Once in a while I got a backpain fom carrying too heavy burden. This happened back in college when I used to bring text books as well as other books in my backpack. There were also few instances where I had to do sprint to the gate at the airport because I got lost in the book.

[Schokokeks]

So far I've never suffered any physical harm from books, but it has already happened twice to me that while reading on the train, I missed my stop and went another 200 km without noticing...

[crystalmoonshin]

3 words - Marquis De Sade.

Oh yeah! I remember trying to read his "120 Days of Sodom" but I stopped, having only read a few chapters as I find it too repulsive. Well, at least to me, it is. It made me shudder.

[ntropyincarnate]

Also, does anyone else find that most reading positions are extremely uncomfortable? I am always in some degree of physical pain when I am reading.

Yes! Definitely! I frequently read lying on my side, and my arm hurts from holding the book up when I'm on the wrong page...when I lie on my stomach and read, my elbows wind up hurting...and if I'm sitting, eventually my butt goes numb...:p

One book that I remember breaking my heart is...believe it or not...Anne of Green Gables. I was about 9 or 10 when I read it, and when Matthew died, it hurt so much I couldn't keep reading the book. :bawling: I didn't finish it until years later.

[Mariamosis]

I bought Steinbeck's East of Eden from Goodwill.... the edge of the pages were covered with mold and mildew. I don't know if I had the cold before I began reading it, or if it was in direct correlation to shoving my nose in that book. Good book, though.

Although the worst has probably been my elementary days. Doctors actually believe I formed mild scoliosis due to carrying heavy books in my bookbag during important developmental years.

[windowfriend]

Nice topic. :0

I was wandering around barefooted in my backyard reading--silly of me, I know. Then...not paying attention....off in my daydream world...unaware of the impending danger...


...I stepped on a nail.


Ouch!!!!!!! :flare:


It went all the way through my foot. Needless to say, I will NEVER walk around and read at the same time ever again!

[ntropyincarnate]

I've gotten countless colds from staying up all night reading.

[Stella Mica]

I was reading while washing dishes, with the book held in place by my wooden cutting board, and wasn't paying attention when my cat jumped off the cat tree at an odd angle and the tree fell smack on my head. Never saw it coming.

[Tsuyoiko]

I don't remember injuring myself, but I did give my sister a permanent scar with a book. She walked in on me in the bathroom when I was reading a hardback book of fairy tales, so I hit her on the head with it. She still has the scar.