The Filipino Group discussion

Do you have any unusual relationship with your book? A weird ritual prior to reading? Or maybe a symbolic gesture when buying a book? Or do you wait for a sign?

Share, share!

I'll go first, I confess-
I am a sniffer. I like sniffing my books. I do not discriminate, I like sniffing old books, new ones, borrowed or bought. So, it follows that my pet peeve are books in stores which are enclosed in plastic.

I'm probably the worst book owner ever. I write on them, accidentally fold the covers of my paperbacks. I read while eating so a lot of pages are covered in weird smears. I used to turn down the corners as a bookmark but I've stopped now but a lot of my books are still dog eared. Half my books are covered in plastic because of a phase I went through last year. My books are on the floor since there is literally no more space on my shelf. And I also tend to buy and buy more books even while I have a MASSIVE unread book tower at home.

Confession session it is. Like Ranee, I love sniffing secondhand books. While brand new is okay, I prefer books with history. Though its hard to come by, I like it when the previous owner writes something on its pages. As if trying to communicate with the future owner. I sign and date all my read books. I also try to design my own bookshelf, hoping one day when all of my kids are old enough, I can finally build my all-glass, with colored glass-etched design, graphicoated to match our interiors, suspended from ceiling or drilled on our wall.
A bad habit of mine: I tend to leave my read book to wherever I last read it. So its practically everywhere from kitchen to bathroom.
At times, instead of bedtime stories, I tell my kids the latest YA fantasy story I've read. Like Cinder, who in my son's imagination is Iron man's sister. Out of pressure, I told them a horror story based on Darren Shan's The Thin Executioner, though I tweaked most of the details, my son never forgot that story. I always catch him staring at that book.

Before I start reading a newly bought book - fresh from the plastic, I make a sort of slicing motion with the side of my hand on every page from first to last. When I was little, I thought it's how you break a book. Now, I find that It's just a really bad habit that takes up almost 30 minutes of my reading time when I could have already finished a lot of chapters.

Kayla, it would be interesting if Marian and I get hold of one of your books and started sniffing it. It would be like this: aha, page 30 smells like coffee, page 45 smells like cinnamon, page 70, is the time Layla went to the bathroom. Hahaha. Joke!

Marian, a dream bookshelf! Actually I dream of having a library, if I ever get to have my own house, one of the rooms is a designated library! Also, I want that ladder that slides from one end to another. I forgot which movie I saw it from but that ladder is a vital part of my library.

Raz, Why do you need to break a book?

like ms.ranee and marian i too snif or smell d book that i woud buy. before my ebook stage, all of the books i own woud bear my symbol
NHAVHIN...it woud be writen at the bottom of the title page of the book, then if i bought it wid a fwnd i include the date n the person..all of my book have dog ears, half of the time i read i'd forget to use book marks. there are also times that i'd leave a book in the last place i've been,wel since mom startd throwing out books,i'm more careful...

with ebook...wel as long as the copy is good i'm good..and if i'm reading a series, i'd try my best to find "all" of the title before reading...

hence i'm a series junkie...
~self proclaimed that is...

also..i sleep wid my books...the hard bound? i turn them into my yapusan...yah tunay yan mga friends...

I seldom sniff very old books thinking that the previous owner might be dead. I just have this scary thought in mind. However, once I learned to love it, no matter how old it is, I'd treat it as brand new and would do everything from turning it older.

Anyway, I do sniff brand new books as it is an addicting habit. But prior to buying second hand books, I usually check first the text style and size.

In choosing the next book to read, I often read the first paragraph of the books to determine which book suits my mood.

Lastly, I sometimes choose book by its cover and stare at it for a long time. Checking and checking every detail of it. Can't just help it.

I rarely sniff books because I have allergic rhinitis so it might trigger it so pass muna.

I always love buying second-hand books and I usually don't cover them with plastic if I'll ever read them. The books I only cover are the ones that are brand new. Not that it is special, it is just that it is so new I don't want to ruin it hahaha also my graphic novels.

I have this certain groupings of genre in my shelves. The topmost is my graphic novels and Gaiman collection. Then YA, Literary fiction, classics, children's, then assorted hardbounds haha

I don't dog-ear but I have this habit of turning the book upside-down open (am I saying the right terms?).

@Ranee I was reading Noli Me Tangere earlier while eating breakfast so now the page when Ibarra arrives at Kapitan Tiago's party has a chicken nugget smear...HAHAHA.

I'm not a sniffer either. I mark all my books though. Instead of book plates, I had a rubber stamp made to accomplish that. Since I don't cover them with plastics, before I read any book, I fit them with a paper book jacket. And I love sticky tabs on my books.

I don't know if this is weird, or maybe some of you have been doing it too...
I love staring at my shelves, just stare at them, sometimes even for hours. It relaxes me, gives me some sort of homeliness. Lately, I've been doing it more often. Maybe because I know that I'd be leaving them behind soon. Those shelves were heirlooms from a great-grandfather, more than a hundred-years old each. The hubby and I turned it into a project to restore them, took us months - oil-stain curing, glass refitting, scavenging for antique door knobs and hinges, etc. And only those very special hardbound collections goes into it.

I've only started to get into the habit of sniffing books. Even if I have allergic rhinitis. Hee. :)

I'm also a massive dog-ear-er. All my books are dog-eared, and the more dog-ears it has, it meant I liked the book very much. I always ask the people who borrow my books not to remove my dog-ears because I like trying to remember why I dog-eared the page when I reread it. (I tried using post-its, but I got too lazy. Oh, but I don't dog-ear books that don't belong to me)

I also don't mind my covers being folded, or the spines breaking. Or the pages yellowing. I like my books to age -- I feel like they have more personality that way. :)

I am not a sniffer too. But I like to highlight favorite lines. I always keep a highlighter with me whenever I read. My copy of Gilead is full of highlights haha. And I also love to highlight even on Kindle. :D

I used to put dates of purchase on the books I buy. But lately hindi na. I guess I just kind of forgot to date especially when I started to read ebooks.

kapag nakabili ako ng bagong book,wrap agad plastic cover!(parang school textbook lang)..sinusulatan ko kaagad ng date at saan binili.

nagbabasa ako ng libro ng nakahiga sa bed o sofa.ewan ko talaga.hindi ako comfortable pag nkaupo ako.

nagbabasa ako before matulog.hanggang makatulog na ako.kahit galing night duty,read any book muna before matulog..paggising,mgbabasa ulit..before maligo,nagbabasa ulit.kahit isang chapter lang..minsan kahit kumakain.

dedma na lang parents ko.kaya nga may mini library na ako dito.

1. I write my initials (ACM) and the date when I bought the book at the lower left corner of the inside cover.

2. I remove the plastic covers of preloved books given to me because I don't like my books covered in plastic.

3. I just started this recently: post-its (the narrow strips).

4. My current reads sleep with me. Which means the bookmarks and post-its are also nearby.

5. I try my best not to crease the spine. I don't dog-ear the corners, write on the pages, highlight the text, etc.

6. I remove the price stickers no matter what, even if it damages the front or back cover.

7. If I super love a book, I'll look for an audio copy. "Look" meaning to rely on my audio book friends or to rely on the pirates. Sorry!

8. And yeah, I sometimes sniff. With a small whimpering voice of satiation. In public. XD.

Just looking at my books gives me a feeling of satisfaction. And even if there are still a lot of unread books waiting for me ( both physical and ebooks)..i still can't fight the urge to buy. I don't like any crumpled or folded part in my book and i put a protective cover ( those self adhesive one ) on my precious collection. I always read before going to sleep..so it stays on my bedside table. Sometimes i read multiple books..alternately.

I sniff books. Whether it's new or secondhand.

I use post-it as a bookmark because I always lose my bookmark.

I'm a night reader, I love reading at night till I get sleepy. Plus the weather is cool at night.

I read paperbacks = day
I read on kindle = night

I read the summary first before buying a book. (sometimes I buy books based on covers haha)

Well this are some of the weird stuff that i do with my books.(Honestly, i don't find it weird, its just that some of my friends insisted that i went from normal to not so normal with my books.) :)

I smell books occasionally! before i go to bed, while i'm reading and when i buy books. Whenever i'm in a bookstore i always compliment the majestic smell of books. When it comes to buying books, it always takes me forever! to really find what i want.-by the way,i am thankful that my friends are sooo patience!

Another thing is, i don't want other people to touch my books. Specially when they need cleaning. There is no one that will clean my books but me. I feel worried that if ever someone touch them, they might get hurt, like torn and folded. It scares me a lot!
Well, luckily my family understands this -i don't know- obsessiveness that i have for books.

Know what, let's have a sniffer's day out! Bookhunting using our nose! Adik lang! Hahahaha.

The only books that I vandalize with notes, post its and highlights are my medbooks.

Ranee wrote: "Know what, let's have a sniffer's day out! Bookhunting using our nose! Adik lang! Hahahaha."

Ranee! i love your idea! Sniffer's day! hahaha. that will be a challenge! :D

Ranee wrote: "Know what, let's have a sniffer's day out! Bookhunting using our nose! Adik lang! Hahahaha.


UY!! Sama ako dyn!!!!!!

gusto ko yan!! tapos the books are like super old n..grabe! iba ang amoy noon!!!

I sniff books before reading. Then I actually kiss the top of the books. Sniff some more. Then glide my hands on the pages. Then I read. :)

I use stabilo / highlighter to remember quotes. and pen to underline some. and sometimes rewrite them on the margins of the pages. just to remember those.

I sometimes dog-ear, but i prefer putting bus tickets or magnetic cards to bookmark them. and I don't sniff, really... it feels weird. :P

i used to have this habit of reading the ending whenever im already halfway through the book. S0metimes, i also read the book summary in wikipedia because you know, i hate surprises and i'm so impatient. But i no longer do it n0wadays because iba din pala talaga ang experience pag natapos m0 ang book na wala kang idea sa ending, especially when there are unexpected twists sa dulo.

I feel VERY uncomfortable lending my books even if I'm the one who offered to do so. I'm OC when it comes to books I personally bought/acquired but can be careless for those which were given to me.

I always check the ending of the book to make sure it has a happy ending, or research about it and/or read reviews about it, since I don't really want to start reading a book that will just leave me sad at the end (this infuriates A LOT of people)

I sniff books, too, but limited only to new ones, unless the old books are mine. I'm worried that I might inhale some unnecessary particles in old books.:D

I stick numbers on the left lowermost back cover of the book (for inventory) and write my name and date of purchase on the first page.

I used to remove pricetags off the book, but I stopped doing so and let the pricetags be covered along with the book - except if it's from Booksale. My purpose? To let those who borrow my books realize how expensive books are and they should take good care of it and return it to me. :))

I don't read my books until it's covered in plastic.

I use markers to highlight remarkable phrases from the book. That's why I don't borrow books.

I lend books but borrowers must return it within a month, or I would start asking them on their reading progress.

Parang nafeel ko ang taray ni Aenna. (Note to self, do not borrow books from Aenna unless you can finish it within a month)

Ako, careful sa niregalong book sa akin. Pero kapag ako bumili, ok lang, di ko rin ibinabalot. Mahilig ako magpahiram eh, lalo na kung babalutin ito ng hiniram. Hehe. I like to bookpush books that I serendipitously find interesting pala.

Hahaha! It's okay naman na lumagpas ng 1 month sa hiraman yung book ko basta on the process of reading yung nanghiram. May mga kabarkada kasi ako nanghihiram ng books but di naman pala binabasa, nakatago lang. :))

Ako naiinis ako sa hiram ng hiram katapos di binabasa but I think I did that once to Angus. Haha.

Uo ang taray ni madam Aenna. Haha. Ayaw nya makalanghap ng particles. :D

I don't mark my books but I tried sorting out my shelf arrangment by date purchased. I never mark my books with pens, pencils, etc. I used to cover my books before reading kasi pasmado kamay ko at nasisira yung edge ng cover pagnagbabasa ako.

I always remove the price tags of the brand new books before covering them.

mas na kakainis nmn yung mga hihiram tapos hnd na i babali yung book kasi (1)nasira, (2)nawala or (3)pinahiram nya...

I've stolen three books from our school library (I was convinced that it was the only way to save them from dying of solitude: Freud's and Nietzsche's).. and also, I've
stolen two books from Booksale (When I got outside, I gave the other one to my friend right after stealing it.. And she was so shocked, her face was so priceless. The other one's with my beloved, we own each other's books hahahaha), I was just tripping around, half hoping to get caught while stealing it... I guess I am kurazzy. Hahahaha.

I love sniffing old books... I find the scent so calming though it will trigger my allergic rhinitis...
I highlight my books.... I love putting bookmarkers in between the pages. I fucking hate creases... I sort them by author... I make my mother cover my books.... And I used to lend my books in a condition that he or she will cover it... If I lent you my favorite books, then you are one of the special people in my life... I greet my books "good morning," "good evening," hi hello etc, i waved them good-bye and say hi... sometimes, i kiss them, sometimes, I throw them. Hahaha. I talk to my booksss.. gawwwd

OMG nik..........

I even say sorry if I happen to "hurt" my books..

My room mate also kisses his books.

Doc, yung Murakami book, promise, babasahin ko siya within this year. Tumitiyempo lang ako ng magandang timing. It's not yet calling me eh. :D

really Angus? wow...

Yes, I do that too (sniffinf books), sometimes. But not too often. I also love the feel of the smoothness of good quality paper the book is printed on.

I also like giving away books, especially if the one I'm giving the book to is sincere about reading the material. :-)

@Mark: pareho pala tau, last week i gave a book as a bday present. I remember last month, we had this gift giving, and ang pinamigay ko mga books ko. of course the books represent the personality of each person. As much as i like my books i also like to give them books that would reflect who and what they are to me ...

Hey Nik! You are my long lost barkada! I stole some books in my high school library! It was not much of a library because it was closed for the whole year because my school did not have a librarian. And in my newly graduated self, thought that these books would be happier in my bookshelf than in that room. But I wasn't the only one. My classmate boasts about his hardbound collection of hardy boys c/o you know where, the other one took the time magazine collection and another took a volume of an encyclopedia. I do not know which letter but i bet she could answer any trivia regarding that letter.
Also, i talk to my books, pretending that I am actually talking to the author. i sometimes ask my book, "is the inside of my bag stuffy?" Or something like that then sometimes apologize if I forget to read a portion.

Angus, don't worry i am not Aenna. Hahaha. I have no one month rule. (Peace Aenna) plus, it's always a pleasure to share thoughts about books that I like. And, if you ever find your own well, invite me inside!

@ranee: does it mean i can hiram books from you? hehehehe...

Sure questian! Yes you may!

my mga romance po kau? mga tipo nora roberts? hehehe

Naku, ala ata akong ganun. Check mo na lang booklist ko, then tell me kung may gusto kang hiramin

Hahaha. Naku Emir, that would be the book confession!

the book falls in love with me... hahahahahaha.

ew. you guys are sick bastards. haha

i make love with the book...
i feel the pages getting wet...

no. i leave it to the readers..

I, for one, have very limited patience.