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To get irritated at others writing comments in books?

(42 Posts)
Doodle Mon 25-Jun-18 13:56:01

I am currently reading a library book and keep coming across pencilled underling with ??? or !!! written next to it. Words have been crossed out and replaced with other words. It really spoils my pleasure when people feel the need to do this. If I find what I think is a mistake in a book, I ignore it. Does anyone else get irritated by this, or are you a book 'editor' too? ?

janemar Mon 25-Jun-18 14:13:20

I suppose I am a book editor somewhat, in that I report errors on Kindle, however I would not in a printed book as there is no point, nothing could be done about the errors if the publisher does not know about them.

Luckygirl Mon 25-Jun-18 14:14:47

Oh, don't get me going on this!!! It drives me up the wall!!!

Even on pages with no pencil comments, you are waiting for the next one to crop up on the next page. Grrr!

Maybelle Mon 25-Jun-18 14:36:41

Really annoying, read one library book that was censored. Every expletive or mild bad language was tipexed out. Plus whole passages were deleted with a black market pen.
Reportedly to the librarian who tried to see who had it recently.
If the person doesn't like a book the close it and don't read it !

Nannykay Mon 25-Jun-18 14:51:48

Oh that really gets me, I was brought up to respect books, I was bought colouring books, and annuals for children when young, and was allowed to colour as appropriate, but nowhere else. My school was very hot on it, I remember once I was called to the front of the class because my teacher thought I was writing in a text book, I wasn’t, I was tracing a diagram, yes it was homework I should have done for the next lesson buts that’s not the point !, the teacher really told me off and couldn’t tell what I was really doing. I was always given the old text books then until I could prove I respected them, couldn’t do that now a days, poor little darling might cry.

Purpledaffodil Mon 25-Jun-18 14:51:57

Absolute vandalism! I wouldn’t even comment in my own books, let alone a library volume.
Many years ago I was a school librarian and spent many happy hours with sellotape pulling off badly spelled rude words written in biro. ( My particular favourite was “buger of”.At least the pencil ones could be rubbed out?

henetha Mon 25-Jun-18 16:29:39

I agree, Doodle. I read lots of library books and regard people who write comments in them as vandals!
Books are sacred to me, to be loved and cherished, even when I don't actually own them.
So, no, you are not being at all unreasonable.

sodapop Mon 25-Jun-18 20:10:42

No you are most definitely not being unreasonable Doodle like other posters I was brought up to respect books and hate it when readers deface them.
As purpledaffodil said its vandalism.

Grandma70s Mon 25-Jun-18 20:51:34

I don’t mind the occasional pencilled comment or correction in books, unless the book is a beautiful edition. There are books and books.

As a child I coloured in the pictures in my own books if I wanted to. Nobody policed my reading. I wouldn't have done it in a library book.

pollyperkins Tue 26-Jun-18 08:49:13

Grandma 70s -I did too. All my Famous Five books etc had coloured in pictures. I can't see what's wrong with it if it's your own book. I would never write in or spoil in any way a library book or a book I borrow from someone though.
To me a book is for reading not wrapping in cotton wool. The more dog eared a book the more it's been read and loved. Like a battered old teddy!

Witzend Tue 26-Jun-18 09:00:14

The only books I've felt the need to write in, or underline anything, was when they were my own and I was writing essays on them for an OU course. There would be a stack of post-it notes to mark the places, too.
With hefty reads like Middlemarch, I don't know how I'd have managed otherwise.
I would never make any mark in a book that wasn't my own and unless writing essays on them, have never felt the need.

Newquay Tue 26-Jun-18 09:04:57

I DO correct grammar mistakes in books-shock, horror-but would never deface a book otherwise. As OP says though it's good to see a book well used and therefore presumably well loved.

Shazmo24 Tue 26-Jun-18 10:24:51

When you return the book show the librarian

mabon1 Tue 26-Jun-18 10:24:57

Yes it is irritating and disrespectful of the wonderful services the libraries provide for free.

Jaycee5 Tue 26-Jun-18 10:27:08

It is annoying. It pulls you out of the story and reminds you that it is words on a page. Not that you forget that but it breaks the mood of the book.
Philip Larkin used to write in books including library books and the scribbles are said to give insight into his character. I am not sure that that can be applied to many people though.

humptydumpty Tue 26-Jun-18 10:35:55

Newquay, why do you correct grammar mistakes? IMO they are annoying, but less annoying than seeing someone's writing in a library book!

GrandmaMoira Tue 26-Jun-18 10:38:51

I hate seeing writing in library books and cannot write in books even if they are my own. I have just finished an OU English Literature module and used post-its to mark points, I could not write in the books. After four years with the OU, this was the first year I let myself write in the module text books (which are mine to keep) but only in pencil.

JanaNana Tue 26-Jun-18 10:56:19

I don,t like this either. Have had some library books that have been completely spoiled by the various comments and corrections, added by a reader who thinks they know better than the author of the book. I also don,t like turned down corners to mark the place and people who eat really messy food while reading, and allow it to drop onto the page of the book sticking the pages together. Luckily we don,t have too many of these books in our library but there is one author in particular that I used to read and given up on now as I can,t be bothered with all the extra "graffitti" that comes with it.

inishowen Tue 26-Jun-18 10:57:01

The only writing I've seen in a book was when someone left their email address and suggested contacting them to chat about the book. I didn't!

sarahellenwhitney Tue 26-Jun-18 10:58:25

This is vandalism so report it to the librarian who will know from records who borrowed the book on previous occasions. A large notice should be on view to the public that should there be damage to a book, which is what has occurred to the book you borrowed then those responsible will be prosecuted.

humptydumpty Tue 26-Jun-18 11:01:47

.. or required to pay for a replacement book...

NemosMum Tue 26-Jun-18 11:09:22

I'm a volunteer in a community-owned library, and this drives me mad! It is criminal damage!

Margs Tue 26-Jun-18 11:22:32

Well, "additional" pencilled-in comments are out of order but so is.......turning over the corner of a page instead of using a bookmark. Occassionally I come across library books that have had this 'vandalism' perpetrated upon them and it drives me nuts!

pollyperkins Tue 26-Jun-18 12:02:11

I agree with regard to library books or borrowed books. What I do with my own books is my affair, surely. Actually I don't write in them (except text books in pencil) but have been guilty of turning down corners as my book marks are always disappearing. At choir we are TOLD to write (in pencil) on scores but we do rub it out afterwards. If I didn't write on them I'd never remember what we were told to do! I think this is standard practice for music. Using pen in unforgivable though.

Tweedle24 Tue 26-Jun-18 12:34:18

I too think of this as vandalism. I can’t bear to see writing or any other sort of defacement in books, including turned down pages and spines broken where they have been folded back.
As a child, all my books were covered with brown paper as soon as they arrived in the house (no plastic sheeting available then).