Writing your name on inside cover of a book. Yay or nay?

Funglegunk

I was reading a book passed down from an uncle recently and saw his name written on the left corner of the top page, along with the date he bought the book: over thirty five years ago.

This gave me a nice feeling of nostalgia, imagining my uncle reading a book (that I love) at an age younger than I currently am now.

So, do you write on the inside of your books?

Permabear

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Plazaman

Depends on the book, if it's just a novel your going to read once and pass on or leave somewhere then no but the like of reference books or books you know you'll read many times then its a nice idea. (I have a dictionary that I still use with my name on it from 1979)

Permabear

Permabear wrote: »

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:eek:
I'm shocked and appalled.

But no, I don't ever write in books.



It's YEA or nay, not yay or nay...

Eliot Rosewater

A while back I designed labels with my name on them, and stuck them on the inside covers of all my books (about 120) at the time. I'm now regretting it as they look pretty ugly, being strong bleached white stickers on the more sallow tones of publisher-grade. I can't take them off either, as they'll cause a bigger mess. Grrr!

As regards annotating, I find it great. I read The Catcher in the Rye recently and made a good few notes on the side. I can now take it down from the shelf and flick through to see nice extracts, or little interpretations I had of various parts. When I was discussing the book with a friend I flicked through it, and could show them stuff I had gotten out of it.

Permabear wrote: »

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That's a nice idea, writing the date! Place of purchase wouldn't look so great for me: most of mine were bought online. Online shops lack the refinement of the high street!

dr gonzo

Permabear wrote: »

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Thats nothing, I've a friend who, when finished reading a book will just throw it in the bin :eek:

I find the image quite humorous because its something ive never come across but if anything is inexcusable its that haha.

bigsmokewriting

dr gonzo wrote: »

Thats nothing, I've a friend who, when finished reading a book will just throw it in the bin :eek:

Now that's just upsetting! At least give it to charity or a school library or something!

DonnieScribbles

dr gonzo wrote: »

Thats nothing, I've a friend who, when finished reading a book will just throw it in the bin :eek:

That's mental, I hope it's the recycling bin at least!

I don't generally write my name on books, but whenever I'm abroad I try buy a book in the language of that place and I usually write the location and date on those.

Alter-Ego

Its not something I do but it would be interesting to write your name on a book, give it away and have it turn up years later in a charity shop.

Funglegunk

bluewolf wrote: »

It's YEA or nay, not yay or nay...

You learn something new everyday! :pac:

Denerick

I annotate history books quite regularly, just to keep up with what is going on. In fact I remember reading one book out of the college library (Charles Townshend, 'Political Violence in Ireland') where there were at least four different people conducting an argument on each page. The first guy appeared to be a terrible bore; underlying tiny factual errors for example, or stressing anything said with conviction was 'not considered a consensus view', or something like that. Then person 2 came along to correct person 1. Person 3 was evidently having a laugh and scrawling abuse on the side of the page, thinking nobody would read the book after him. Person 4 was me. I had a jolly old time indeed.


I was always a rather strange young man...

metrovelvet

For a while I wrote in "Stolen from Ms. ______ ______" because I noticed that any book I ever lent out was never returned.

Earthhorse

I like a bed to look lived in but I prefer my books to look as they did the day I bought them; brand new. This is because they'll be spending most of their time on my shelf where their purpose is to both to look good and make me look good.

In all seriousness though, I do like keeping my books in prestine condition. I can't stand it when my brother picks one up and opens it in such a way that the spine will crease. It drives me mad.

I do have a friend who occassionally gifts me books and writes insulting, hilarious dedications in them, which I treasure.

Kensworld

I'd be the same Earthhorse. I like to keep my books in perfect condition. If I ever loaned one of my books to someone I'd ask them the look after it well and not to turn down any of the pages.

Plowman

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goose2005

But think of it! If you become a famous author, your great-grandchild will be able to dig your signed copy of "Candide" out of the attic, and sell it for 20 superdollareuroyuans and buy a gram of ultraheroin. Then it'll all be worth it.

Demeyes

I don't write my name in now but I've only really started buying my own books in the last year or two. I like the idea of writing when I read it in there though. It'd be interesting to see how long ago I'd have read some of them, or see the gaps between re-reads years down the line.

eskimocat

Books to me are like a comforter, they get carried everywhere, taken from downstairs to upstairs and back down again, off to work, in the car, into town etc. How often I actually get to read the book when I carry it about is limited but hate to find myself with a spare 10 mins that I could have read a bit more.

The more I love a book the more battered it gets as I re-read them over and over. So some books I have been carrying around periodically for over 20 years! lol

Eventually when a book is too battered to valiantly carry on, I buy a replacement and carry it instead, but the old faithful earns a rest in my library, to be carefully dusted, and lifted out on occasion, just for the memories.

And yes I do write my name on them occasionally. And when I have a pen handy the month and year that I bought it. I bend my pages, use bookmarks, use paper clips as markers and generally break all the "rules" but I must say, my books tend to last, ok they may look like they have seen life, ( which they have) and so what if they have developed a few wrinkles, that's what happens us all!

Esk

iguana

Eliot Rosewater wrote: »

As regards annotating, I find it great. I read The Catcher in the Rye recently and made a good few notes on the side. I can now take it down from the shelf and flick through to see nice extracts, or little interpretations I had of various parts. When I was discussing the book with a friend I flicked through it, and could show them stuff I had gotten out of it.

Years back my husband read a secondhand copy of The DaVinci Code. It was very shortly after the book came out and the hype around it had just started. He hated the book, but absolutely loved that the previous owner had written lots of notes in the margins. Especially as s/he had hated the book as much as he did. So whenever something stupid or obvious happened in the story, there was a sarcastic comment alongside it for him to agree with.:D

Asphyxia

I've never really done it myself but now that you're mentioning it, I think it sounds nice to have a name and a date on it I'd love to hand down my books with a little history on it for my children

Giselle

I like the idea of datestamping a book purchase, but I just can't write on them at all.:)

Demeyes

Giselle wrote: »

I like the idea of datestamping a book purchase, but I just can't write on them at all.:)

You could always just put a little piece of paper on the inside cover with the info on it. You'd just leave it in there and not attach it, the book isn't damaged and you get the little reminder of where you got it or when you read it.

Funglegunk

Bought a book yesterday and wrote my name, the date and where I bought it on the inside page. Felt grand (I didn't have the anticipated backlash of "defacing" a book that I suspected I might), so I'll probably keep doing it.

micayla

I couldn't write on a book, hate the idea of doing anything like that. However, I once purchased a book I already owned while travelling, wanted a good read and knew it'd keep me entertained and then left it at my final destination with a little note in it stating where it was bought and where it travelled to

kickarykee

I don't since I hate writing in books in general.
The only exception is when you give away books and write short dedications into them or have them signed by the author etc.
But not in my own, no.

parker kent

metrovelvet wrote: »

For a while I wrote in "Stolen from Ms. ______ ______" because I noticed that any book I ever lent out was never returned.

I feel your pain, I've a lot of books that have found new homes much to my annoyance!

I'd never, ever write on a book. It is just wrong. Wrong I tells ya, wrong!

Every time I see the thread title, I die a little inside.

parker kent

bluewolf wrote: »

Every time I see the thread title, I die a little inside.

The librarian side of me loses a little of my love for humanity when I see it. Your post is battling it out with the thread title in my head...my thoughts on humanity are on the line in this fight :pac:

Manach

For records purposes, I'd always date it. Then check the margins for how much I can write there to argue against the author.

Giselle

bluewolf wrote: »

Every time I see the thread title, I die a little inside.

Yea, I know what you mean.

ThunderApple

I always write my name on the inside cover with a pencil. Some of my friends like to borrow my books, forget it and put it on their shelves. Sometimes they don't even remember if it was mine but I can always check.
Sometimes I even put a small logo inside. Ex libris. But I'm not a big fan of that because my design is rather poor. When I find a perfect ex libris I'm going to stick it to every book I own.

Chinafoot

Manach wrote: »

For records purposes, I'd always date it. Then check the margins for how much I can write there to argue against the author.

Unfortunately some people do this with library books. I spent quite a while trying to erase someone's rantings in a book about the history of the Arab wars. Writing it in pencil doesn't make it ok.

Writing on a book, be it your name, the date, whatever, is (for me anyway) a very disrespectful act.

JohnMearsheimer

I've never written in a book I own but I am tempted to write in the date I bought a book from now on. I started buying books in my teens in the late 90s. It would have been nice to know the exact dates I purchased some of them, especially the older ones in my collection.

DonnieScribbles

I remembered this video...

http://www.vimeo.com/12879013

and in turn remembered this thread.

Some of you may find this video distressing :P

Personally I'm not bothered about maintaining books in pristine condition, they're just paper and glue to me. It's the meaning you take from them that is more valuable.

diddlybit

I like re-discovering a book I haven't look at for a while with my name and date on it. If the book meant a lot to me, it always brings back memories of my life at that time.

Found some of my childhood books and the inscriptions ran something like this...

Diddlybit,
My Bedroom,
7 Generic Irish Street Name,
Small Backwater Town,
County Wicklow,
Leinster,
Ireland,
EEC,
Europe,
Northern Hemisphere,
The World,
The Solar System,
The Milky Way,
The Universe.

27/12/1988

And I was rocking the joined-up handwriting. :cool:

r3nu4l

Brilliant diddlybit, I've never met anyone yet who hasn't done something like that

Most bookcrossers write details in books before they release them, for tracking purposes

I've recently contemplated doing it because there have been times when I've said to myself 'Oh I read that book about 12 years ago', where it would be nice to just lift it off the shelf and say 'Ah, I started reading it on Nov 27 1999' instead! I sometimes buy books and don't read them for over a year so I may start writing my name, the date and where purchased first then follow up with the date I start reading it

It would be nice too because I buy books online, in charity shops, discount shops, market stalls in the UK and Ireland and on occasion, the US It would be very nice to pick up a book and accurately associate it with a particular time and place

r3nu4l

r3nu4l wrote: »

Brilliant diddlybit, I've never met anyone yet who hasn't done something like that

Most bookcrossers write details in books before they release them, for tracking purposes

I've recently contemplated doing it because there have been times when I've said to myself 'Oh I read that book about 12 years ago', where it would be nice to just lift it off the shelf and say 'Ah, I started reading it on Nov 27 1999' instead! I sometimes buy books and don't read them for over a year so I may start writing my name, the date and where purchased first then follow up with the date I start reading it

It would be nice too because I buy books online, in charity shops, discount shops, market stalls in the UK and Ireland and on occasion, the US It would be very nice to pick up a book and accurately associate it with a particular time and place

I'm starting to be converted to this dating the book business.
It would be nice, you're right...

Saffers

I have no problem writing in books (as long as they're my own), but I usually only write or highlight in my nonfiction books. It helps me keep my thoughts in order, especially when I'm studying. I also like to write in my language books, because all the grammar and vocabulary I need for practice is right there.

But sometimes I'll write my name in a novel if I'm letting someone borrow it. Other times I just write down which excerpts I like. It's OK by me if my books are a little worn.

Amalgam

My late father went through a phase of using a small rectangular label, he referred to them as an 'Ex Libris'. Very lightly glued though. Inside cover.

The symbol was an owl done in a print press style, I can't remember if there was a name or initials with the design, hint of Escher about it. I'll try and root one out and scan it.

Travel is good

r3nu4l wrote: »

Most bookcrossers write details in books before they release them, for tracking purposes )

On Book Crossing you can "journal" your books. This means that you can put all your thoughts online, and not write in the book! I've seen some brilliant reviews of books on the Book Crossing website.

No. I could never write notes in the books. Though I do of course, put the book crossing labels on them. They are a bit like the "Ex Libris" book plates. You can get some really nice artistic book crossing labels. I like the idea of being able to track my book as it travels all around the world!

ReacherCreature

I don't write my name in the book. It seems a little strange all right. My aunt signs her initials and the date she purchased it though. Initials may not be as bad as a full name. My paranoia would rocket: are they tracking me or stalking me!?

Permabear wrote: »

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I do, well did, this too. Walter J. Boyne's The Influence of Air Power on History was a large volume of work incorporating early flight into today's military jets. Regular annotations into the margin simplified and made the work more comprehending - for example the RAF/USAAF bomber war over Germany. Before reading the next chapters I'd read my notes and the work was made easier. Flipping through the book, you'll see many notes, some one words or even sentences. It felt strange at first but it's something I liked - must give annotations another spin, but the name in the book? Not my scene.

snooleen

I don't but think I will start writing the date I bought it on the inside cover Nice idea

I often underline lines I love. Wuthering Heights is covered in black, inky lines. It looks awful but I turn the corners of the pages I underline things on and often go to books I love just to read my favourite lines when I feel like it so it makes them a lot easier to find. Shakespeare's sonnets are destroyed with the oul lines as well.

smokedeels

If I give a book as a present I write on the inside cover, wishing the person well for the applicable celebration and my reasoning for giving them the book.

I don't understand why I would write my own name on a book

The Mad Hatter

For a while I used to lightly sketch a rose in the top corner page 52 of every book I owned. Other than that, I'd never write in a (fiction) book.

Earthhorse

Why page 52?

The Mad Hatter

Earthhorse wrote: »

Why page 52?

Absolutely no idea. Probably either it just seemed "right" or I'd already idly done it on page 52 of some book and thought "Hey".

emeraldstar

The Mad Hatter wrote: »

Absolutely no idea. Probably either it just seemed "right" or I'd already idly done it on page 52 of some book and thought "Hey".

I used to always write my name on page 21, right in where the two pages meet. Not sure why really; 21 is my favourite number though.

NewFrockTuesday

I notice when my name id on the book, I tend to get it given back if somebody has borrowed it. No name, it just sits on their shelf until its my turn to pilfer their new buys. I date too. Nice to know when I read it last.

Carawaystick

emeraldstar wrote: »

I used to always write my name on page 21, right in where the two pages meet. Not sure why really; 21 is my favourite number though.

Ha, I go for 23, write my name as close to the spine as possible!

Thoie

I have a tiny little square stamp, with the initial of my first name in a fancy design. If I know it's a book I want to keep (and potentially reclaim from friends later!), I stamp the frontispiece carefully - generally beneath the title and above the publisher name.

It generally blends in quite well as the stamped black ink stands out less than a pen or pencil would. Other people rarely notice it until I take my books back from their shelves

When I was in college I used initial page 23 of my course books near the spine - helped me get a stolen book back once, so was well worth doing.

Thoie

Carawaystick wrote: »

Ha, I go for 23, write my name as close to the spine as possible!

Thoie wrote: »

When I was in college I used initial page 23 of my course books near the spine - helped me get a stolen book back once, so was well worth doing.

That's mad - I'd started typing around 11:15, but got called away, and just came back and hit post, then saw your reply!