While I was reading my last novel (Mark T. Sullivan’s Triple Cross – ‘afterthoughts’ coming soon), my wife reminded me of something I do but had kind of forgotten I do:
When I’m reading a hardback book I take the dust jacket off and put it in a drawer until I’m done with it.
Why do I do this? Well to keep the dust jacket in pristine condition of course. My wife thinks that’s a bit of an eccentric thing to do, but I beg to differ. Surely I’m not the only one who does such a thing? So I thought I’d use the opportunity of today’s Daily Bookshot to try and find out.
So fellow readers, when your reading a hardback book is it dust jacket on, or dust jacket off?
About Rob
Of course I take it off… except most of the times I don’t put it back. I don’t really like dust jackets.
I take it off, too, not merely to protect the dust jacket but because it’s easier to hold the book without it.
Yeah, DJs off in my humble opinion.
Easier to hold the damn book, you don’t damage the DJ, simples.
The only time I ‘like’ DJs is when they are covered in that thick, clear plastic to hold the thing in place…is that just a library thing? I think it probably is (in the UK at least)
Dust jacket off, of course!
I usually start with it on because I like to use the flap as a bookmark, but it can make the book harder to hold, so I’ll take it off if I get annoyed, which usually happens with longer books.
(But I mostly read paperbacks, so it’s not an issue.)
It’s rare that I have a hardcover book these days. When I do, I leave the cover on and use the flap as a bookmark.
Maybe I don’t deserve hardcovers.
Off because the dust jacket is a nuisance while reading..
I always keep them on because they don’t make much effort to make hardcovers look good without them and I like the cover art. My son is totally against them though and I have a stack of kid book dust jackets on the top of the bookshelf, waiting for the day when he will let me put them back on. The funny thing is that most of his hardcovers have the identical artwork on the book itself. I guess I could probably let those ones go.
says:
I tend to flip between the two options. I must admit to using the flaps as easy book marks, but I have been known on a book I know I will keep to remove the dust jacket for protection.
says:
Thanks for all the feedback guys. Looks likes it’s a fairly even split between leaving the dust jacket on and taking it off. I’m genuinely surprised.
One thing though. Am I wrong to wince at the very mention of using the cover flaps as a bookmark? I know it probably doesn’t do that much damage. But it’s going to do enough to make it lose its pristine qualities.
Oh and Mark I love those thick clear library covers too, especially on paperbacks. You can buy them for home use but I think they’re expensive.
Thanks again guys
Warmest
Rob
I am just now getting into hardcovers, and having become annoyed with dust jackets, I went googling to find out what the accepted protocol is.
My instinct is to just throw them away: not only are they a nuisance, but imo books look far better without them. I prefer the dignified jacketless condition in which I find them in my university library, not the glitzed-up tawdry look from having a shiny jacket that seems to demean the book’s inner value.
Jackets seem like something that should just be on pop books (as a crutch to make sub-par pop content seem of higher quality); they just don’t seem right on academic-caliber books.
[/snobbery]
says:
Hi James,
Thank you for your response. I don’t think you’re a book snob at all. I can understand why certain books, especially academic ones, can look ‘spoiled’ by a tawdry dust jacket.
I’m not sure if I could go as far as ‘throwing them away’ but I too definitely prefer my academic titles to be jacket free.
Looks like we agree on something
Warmest
Rob