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Discarded delights: The joy of ex-library books (2021)

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109 points MrVandemar | 3 comments | 20 Nov 24 09:58 UTC | HN request time: 0.625s | source
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sofayam ◴[20 Nov 24 11:37 UTC] No.42192915[source]▶
If you are going to collect books as physical objects, rather than their much more convenient digital versions, then it strikes me you should actually find the signs of previous interactions with that object (library stamps, marks from other readers etc) make them more interesting than pristine copies that no one has read.
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dazzawazza ◴[20 Nov 24 11:56 UTC] No.42193045[source]▶
Personally I do like these marks. But I buy books to read, not as an investment. I recently bought a book on "How to survive being gassed" published in 1934. It had a typed A4 sheet of paper in it with a poem about how to identify the different types of gas. Humourous and probably useless but real and very alive.

I also take umberidge with the idea that digital books are more convenient. A physical book is more engaging, more beautiful, more real and more present than a digital book. All things that I find convenient when I want to interact with knowledge and art. Horses for courses I assume.

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criddell ◴[20 Nov 24 16:52 UTC] No.42195806[source]▶
I'm guessing you don't (yet) need large type to read comfortably. When that time comes, you may gain an appreciation for the accessibility features of a good ereader.
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1. dazzawazza ◴[21 Nov 24 10:01 UTC] No.42202698[source]▶
I'm much more comfortable with a magnifying glass tbh. For most books I need my glasses and a good quality reading light though.
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2. criddell ◴[21 Nov 24 14:47 UTC] No.42204787[source]▶
That can definitely work.

Do you use a handheld glass, or do you wear magnifying reading glasses? I've thought about trying glasses and probably should - they aren't expensive. I'm assuming though that I'll end up feeling sick from them because of the distortion around the center.

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3. dazzawazza ◴[22 Nov 24 11:12 UTC] No.42212850[source]▶
I have a large rectangular handheld magnifying glass. I 'think' it was designed for map reading. I only really use it for inspecting electronics though. I can get by with reading glasses when reading a book as long as the light conditions are good. A good reading lamp really helps and I didn't think it would make such a difference.

It took me a long time to get used to reading glasses though. Eventually age just forced the issue though.