How to open a new book for the first time

This is probably a peculiar question. But, I was wondering, how do you guys open your new books for the first time? Do you open them immediately and start reading? Or, do you "break-in" your books to gently loosen up the pages and spines? I ordered a Thompson's Chain Reference Bible last week, and it came with a pretty nifty pamphlet on the correct way to open a new book. It's the first time I've ever heard about something like that, as I'd usually just start flipping the pages without giving it a second thought. In any case, I did some searching online, and I found an almost similar instruction manual (I've pasted the image below).



Needless to say, I've started to do this for all of my new hardcover books, including my Final Fantasy art books that came in a few days ago . Although, I've never had a problem with broken spines or loose pages before.

I don't do anything special.

I'm more worried about the way amazon packs them. I've returned a few because they bounced around too much during shipping.

Sometimes (depending on what it is) I like to be a little rough with my stuff so If it is going to break I want to know sooner than later so I can still return it lol.

Vitus said:

I don't do anything special.

I'm more worried about the way amazon packs them. I've returned a few because they bounced around too much during shipping.

Sometimes (depending on what it is) I like to be a little rough with my stuff so If it is going to break I want to know sooner than later so I can still return it lol.

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That's making good use of their 30 day return policy. Amazon's packing are usually hit or miss. I ordered a few Batman books from them last year, that arrived pretty banged up. Of course, I made sure to read through them before sending them back .

I think I've handled all of my books with care throughout the years. But, now, I feel compelled to check through them again to see if I've damaged anything .

This is the second time today I've seen something on the interwebz about this. Damn you, knowledge! I thought I had everything figured out already!

Solidus said:

This is probably a peculiar question. But, I was wondering, how do you guys open your new books for the first time? Do you open them immediately and start reading? Or, do you "break-in" your books to gently loosen up the pages and spines? I ordered a Thompson's Chain Reference Bible last week, and it came with a pretty nifty pamphlet on the correct way to open a new book. It's the first time I've ever heard about something like that, as I'd usually just start flipping the pages without giving it a second thought. In any case, I did some searching online, and I found an almost similar instruction manual (I've pasted the image below).

Needless to say, I've started to do this for all of my new hardcover books, including my Final Fantasy art books that came in a few days ago . Although, I've never had a problem with broken spines or loose pages before.

Click to expand...

Thank you for this. I learnt this secret, years ago by my dad and a school professor. Never put into practice, though. Gotta start doing it with my book collection.

Very nice. Thanks for posting. Good to see that the publisher knows that books need to be handled with care and respect.

I generally don't have too much problems with hardcovers. It's the larger-scale paperbacks that you have to be extra careful with. There's nothing I hate more than getting "dimples" on the covers of my paperbacks. I personally know better that I avoid creasing the spine.

But there's nothing worse than lending a paperback to someone who doesn't know how **** I am about my books and handles them like an animal.

I remember I lent a couple of my Calvin and Hobbes compilations to my girlfriend in 9th grade (around 1988), and when I went over to her house, I saw them in a corner of her room on the floor with the covers literally curled over. She was taking the covers and folding them back onto the back cover and going page by page that way, I suppose to handle the book with one hand. I swear I died a little bit inside that day. I used to be particularly meek at that age back then, so I normally wouldn't say anything. But I think I was so appalled by that that I had to say something.

I open up paperbacks about halfway so the spine doesn't wrinkle up.

I must be weird but I love a book that looks kind of dog eared and well read. I understand that a lot of people like to keep things looking pristine but I like when a book is kind of scruffy and messy and looks like it has some history, as long as the pages aren't falling out.