Saturday 4 September 2010

I'm a bit of a prissy-knickers about my Persephone Books collection. No sticky fingers, no reading in the bath, no pushing them into handbags so those dove-grey covers get ugly scratchmarks from bunches of keys.
Perhaps that explains my guiltiest reading secret ... the Persephone pile that as yet remains unread. (I will, I will get round to them soon. Some day when my hands are clean. And I'm not in the bath.)
But imagine my horror when I pounced on a grey cover in the Oxfam shop this afternoon and realised that a previous owner had scribbled comments and made underlinings. In Red Biro.
I was scandalised ... fortunately, it was a title that I already owned. (And I have read it, so there! Though it's not one of my favourites.)
Fortunately, there was another pristine Persephone on another shelf and it still had its bookmark and had clearly never been opened. (Or maybe it had One Careful Lady Owner. Like me.)
So I had to buy it. Didn't I?

5 comments:

The Coffee Lady said...

Yes. Yes you did.

mary said...

Thank you, Sue; I'd feel honoured to be on your blogroll. I wouldn't feel too guilty about Dan Brown. I've just finished The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo! Don't recommend it though. Boring and nasty at the same time. (Book group choice before you ask!)

Darlene said...

I completely agree with you about taking care of your books. Ordering them through the mail has been a huge leap of faith for me as I run the risk of them arriving with a slight dent. But to take a pen to your books is beyond me...very big no no!

Congratulations on your excellent find...enjoy!

Vintage Reading said...

I just can't keep my books looking pristine. Either I splash coffee on them or spill suncream or they get creased up in my bag. And I have a dreadful habit of turning down the corner of the page as a bookmark - even with my Persephones (blush).

mary said...

Nicola, I'm not sure whether to admire your carefree enjoyment - or shudder at the thought of those poor books!