New Book Meme

Update Sunday August 20 ~ photos added at bottom of post

Krakovianka has made up her own meme. My friend Mother Auma has said that I ought to play along. So, since I am Javamom, and I can (am able to) participate, I ought to go ahead and work on it, now (while the kids are off with other friends), so I will (isn't that a cheesy use of CM's quote?)

The task is to name ~

1. One book on your desk right now?

En Todas Partes Hay Tesoros by Bill Watterson - it is Calvin and Hobbes There is Treasure Everywhere en Español.

2. One book with a bookmark in it that you haven't picked up for a few days?

It is also here at my computer desk. This book would be my Español/Inglés Diccionario. It is marked in the letter 'b' page, as I was looking up 'bajada' last week sometime. It means slope (if used as a noun); or it means to go down; to lower or bend (verb).


3. One book marked with a pencil (or other irregular marker) stuffed between the pages instead of a proper bookmark?

Our Guestbook...everyone always sticks the pen inside it after they're finished signing in. Doesn't drive me too nutty :-). It does when our 13 yo son does that to his Chalkdust math book, though!

Here's an odd one. My Charlotte Mason volume number Two, Parents and Children, has (I kid you not) a cracker bag liner at page 116 being used as a bookmark. Who did that?? Yes, there are a few little crumbs in the bottom! Smells like Teddy Grahams that my oldest son stole from a box I never got to enjoy...


4. One book with the cover falling off, or other grievous injuries? Or maybe two books...

I have a simple but lovely leather copy of Emerson's Society and Solitude. It is a tight-back binding with false-raised bands, but both the front and back covers have completely come off. The original marbled endpapers are still there, though, and can be reused when restored.

I also have a gorgeous, 1854 copy of The Knickerbocker Gallery, in leather with raised bands and gorgeous blocking designs/impressions. BUT some ebay dummy desirous of making more money, no doubt, cut out some of the ink drawings of the popular poets/authors of the time. Namely the fireside poets. Ugh. I didn't notice it right away, years ago when I bought it for hubby for Christmas. When I noticed, it was too late to do anything about it. What a way to ruin the value of a book. Grievous, indeed. -sigh-


5. One book you "ought" to be reading, but don't feel like it?

A big Bible Curriculum notebook to preview and test for Harding University called Until Christ is Formed in You. Just haven't had the gumption to jump into it, except when it first arrived.


6. One book sitting on the shelf and enticing you to read it instead of anything else?

Mansfield Park. I am trying not to read it too quickly or exclusively, like I did with Northanger Abbey months ago. On the latter, I did not do much of anything but read for much of two days straight. Hubby's orders! It was amazing to have that freedom. But I couldn't do that every time I pick up a favorite author. I'd feel far too guilty.

7. Your most recently acquired book?



My most recently acquired treasure was given to me by my hubby, much earlier in the summer:

The Restoration of Leather Bindings by Bernard C. Middleton, the (British) master of leather bindings

8. One book on your "wish list?"

Girl Meets God by Lauren F. Winner, recommended by the hs mom of a friend of my teens.

9. One book you literally threw in the trash?

A moldy and badly curved copy of The Magic (or Flying) Carpet by one of the AO children's authors

10. One person who ought to answer these questions? Leslie and Carolina, and anyone else who wants to!

Mother Auma suggested I add ~

#11: One book you are currently restoring? Just one? But today I worked on two. Really.

Little women. This is a 1955 library copy that needs just a little tlc for a mom in book club. Saturday, I color matched some cloth to repair the spine, which is separated from top to bottom on the front.



In the first photo, you can see the spine torn away from the front cover. You can also see the repair cloth in there. In the second photo, the original spine has been glued onto the repair cloth (not with elmer's -bad-, and not glued onto the inner spine lining...so the spine is still hollow, as it should be).

I'm also touching up a copy of Ivanhoe for the same mom. It is from the late 1880's, when gorgeous gilt covers/spines with decorative impressions were the rage, but the papers used inside were very acidic. The brown, crumbled papers really cannot be restored. I can try to stabelize them. I am lining the title page with tinted tissue and adding in a large "puzzle" piece to make up for the chunk that was missing out of it. Then I can paste it back in, along with a loosening spine to stablize it a bit. It is so brittle. That is almost all I can do.