Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted at That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week you compile a list of ten books which coincide with that week’s theme. You can find everything you need to know about joining in here!
This week’s theme is ‘Books That I Refuse to Let Anyone Touch’, suggested by Savannah Grace @ Scattered Scribblings.
I’m not quite so anal that I won’t let people touch my books, although I don’t to let my sisters’ children near them if they have grubby hands, but I do have a few books that I would never lend out. I think around 99% of book lovers have at some point experienced the horror of lending a book to someone who hasn’t taken good care of it.
My sisters can be the worst for this, which is why I don’t tend to lend them books anymore; I once discovered two books from two of my favourite series shoved in a box with a bunch of my nephew’s toys months after I lent them to my older sister and kept asking for them back. I also once lent a book to someone at uni and then never saw it again but, in that person’s defence, he bought me another copy of the book and even gave me a gift card to apologise which was very sweet of him.
In general, though, I’m not the kind of person who tries to keep a book pristine. For example, I love books with cracked spines on bookshelves because they look like they’ve been read and loved. To each their own, of course, but I just don’t like people who do like to keep their books pristine telling other readers they should do the same.
All that said, there are some books that are very special to me that I will never lend out to anyone, even if I can trust them to be careful.
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo: I finally read this book last year and fell in love, and my sister very kindly got me this gorgeous collector’s edition for Christmas. I’d be happy to lend Six of Crows out, but never this edition.
Signal to Noise by Silvia Moreno-Garcia: This is one of my all-time favourite novels, I know you’re all sick of me waxing lyrical about it by now, and like a few of my other favourite books it’s a novel I’m lucky enough to have multiple editions of. I’d be happy to lend out the copy that I read, even though it has sentimental value, but my copy of this edition is signed and I’d never part with it.
Witch Child by Celia Rees: Speaking of signed books, I got my copy of Witch Child signed back in 2012, I think, when I got to meet Celia at an event. I was too shy then to tell her how much this little novel impacted what I read and write today and I could never lend it out. It’s too special.
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison: This is my favourite novel and another one I have multiple copies of – I actually have five different editions of this book at this point – and the hardback edition is just too pretty and special for me to lend out.
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller: Again, this is another favourite that I have multiple editions of. I’d happily lend out the edition I read, but I treated myself to this beautiful edition after I fell in love with it and I’d rather keep it on my shelf.
Witchcraft by Suzannah Lipscomb: Suzannah Lipscomb is one of my favourite historians, I love her documentaries, and in December I got the chance to meet her when I went to her talk at London’s HistFest where I got my copy of this book signed. It’s too special to lend out now!
Rival Queens: The Betrayal of Mary, Queen of Scots by Kate Williams: Kate Williams is another historian whose documentaries I really enjoy and another historian I got to meet last year at Gloucester History Festival, where I got this book signed. She was really lovely and chatted with me for a good few minutes despite all the people she’d already spoken to, so this is another book that’s too special to lend out now.
Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling: I primarily ignore whatever Rowling says and does now, but this series was a huge part of my childhood and my teenage years. I love the books, of course, but I also saw the very first film when I was 10 years old and then saw the last film the summer after my first year of university when I was 19. This series book-ended my formative years, I couldn’t part with them – especially now that the editions I own aren’t the editions that are sold today!
Which books made your list this week?
Jessticulates 
I’m happy to lend out most of my books, but I have a few from my childhood that I’d like to keep forever. My family members have a habit of losing books. They can’t touch my special ones!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh my god, that Six of Crows special edition! I would’t let anyone borrow that one either.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That Six of Crows edition is gorgeous. I wouldn’t lend it out either.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t lend out my HP books anymore! Somehow I lost three of the seven books 😦 (I am pretty sure I lent them to my sister and didn’t get them back!)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve lent books that have never returned so many times, I don’t lend them out anymore.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wonderful list! These editions are gorgeous. Thanks for sharing the links!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Signed books for sure — I’d never lend those! I love that you have so many copies of the Goblin Emperor. (I still haven’t read it, but I swear I will!). I tend to buy multiple versions of books I love — I love seeing all the different covers next to each other.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That Six of Crows edition is so beautiful! I don’t blame you for holding on tight to it😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I genuinely wish I had more of your attitude of liking books to get a little loved! I have an unhealthy anxiety about my books sometimes, haha, but I’m working on it! I LOVE that collector’s edition of SIx of Crows, it’s definitely fair to not want to lend it out. I also love that cover The Goblin Emperor. The Harry Potter books are so special, also–especially having out of print editions. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Little children and books are a dangerous combination. Whenever my niece or nephews wants to look at one of my books, I always ask them if they’ve washed their hands. They know I tease, but also I am serious. That Six of Crows edition is so beautiful. This is the second time being tempted today by it!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think if I had really special editions of a book, I wouldn’t lend those out – I’d probably be too nervous to even read them myself!
LikeLike
I wish I still had my original Harry Potters in good condition. They’ve been read to pieces, the hardbacks don’t even have covers anymore, they’re like big manuscripts. I’m keeping my illustrated editions nice though 😀 I try not to borrow books off people, especially pristine book people. If you can’t bend the spine how are you supposed to read it? I don’t get it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I see I’m not the only person with multiple copies of books. One for me, one to lend out.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some books it’s just hard to lend out haha! I’ve had a few experiences like that too, and it’s definitely made me more leery, although if someone REALLY wants to read something I’d probably do it. But I might be nervous about it ha ha!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, I rarely get the books I loan out back. That’s why I make sure I only lend out books I’ve already read (or don’t plan to read at all) and ones I don’t care if I get back. That way I’m never disappointed 🙂
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like my books to be pristine but I would never tell people how to keep their own books. Each to their own.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, I’ve had many bad experiences lending out really anything. It either doesn’t come back or it comes back damaged. It’s super frustrating. Great list, SoC made my list as well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I understand your trepidation at loaning out copies of books you love. Interesting that one of your books is Witch Child. It’s a 1001 Children’s Book, and it’s a book I cannot find here in the US.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think you’re right about just about every book lover having a bad experience lending out a book. It makes total sense to be cautious about this.
My TTT.
LikeLiked by 1 person