Where do old books go to die?
While sorting through the piles of books that fan out from my armchair, I discovered my long neglected copy of Dickens’ David Copperfield. Controversially, the bookmark position revealed that I’d not only failed to finish it like I’ve falsely claimed on the Dickens Challenge Progress Page, but I haven’t even made it halfway. I can’t think how it happened. I must have put it on ice and forgotten about it, getting infuriated with Little Dorrit instead.
I’ve since picked up where I left off and am enjoying it immensely, but my old Penguin edition was in such a sorry state that I fear it’s beyond salvage. The section I’d reached has departed from the spine in a chunk, and each page I turned would detach from its neighbours, to join the bundle of loose leaves threatening to flutter out. If you like to read in the bath as I do, this is an extremely anxiety-inducing state of affairs.
Finding myself in Haverfordwest, with twenty minutes to spare before my daughter’s gymnastics class, I popped into the Oxfam bookshop, where I picked up a replacement copy of David Copperfield for 99p, so thankfully, reading in the bath can continue. Now in possession of an unusable book, I realised that I’ve never had to deal with an old book that has effectively lived its last. What does one do with them? I can’t bring myself to throw it out with the recycling but I really can’t justify the shelf space.
I’ve heard that the pulp of old Mills & Boon books being used to build roads, and while there are plenty of potholes round here that need filling, I’m not sure my skill set stretches to road maintenance. So I’m wondering about getting creative with scissors and glue rather than tarmac. I don’t usually like things that require books being dismantled, but as this one has breathed it’s last, I’d rather turn its pages into something lovely than just dump it after it has brought joy to possibly numerous readers.
I like this simple lantern garland
and these little gift bags and envelopes are useful and very cute.
As David Copperfield clocks in at over 950 pages, I’m tempted to create this, which would elicit envious glances from other parents at the school gate, wet Welsh weather permitting!
Lucy
Sarah
I really like the lanterns, but would you need to coat the pages in some sort of heat proof stuff (technical term)? Although you could not, and then sell to people like me who would quite like to see Agnes go down in flames – admittedly we may be a niche market 😀
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The fire hazard potential of making paper lanterns out of an old tinder dry book hadn’t even occurred to me! You’re right though there’s definitely a market out there. If only it was an old copy of ‘Great Expectations’ I could make ‘recreate Miss Haversham’s demise in your own home’ kits, and sleep easy that despite health and safety issues, at least I’d used the authentic text. 🙂
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Haha! Etsy awaits you!
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Yes, the dress is impressive but not so practical I think!
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True, and it would be a devil to accessorize 🙂
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I love the gift bags and envelopes, I once bought a shopping bag made out of treated sheets of a French newspaper, with cord handles that lasted for ages. However, we probably just all want you to do the dress, and then post a photo of yourself in it. 😀
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Haha, yeah, that’s really going to happen! Now I’ve got to thinking about it, I’m tempted to make a life size papier mache fox and stick it near the entrance to our neighbour’s farm and wait for the boom. They’d probably never speak to us ever again, but it’d be worth it!
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I’d go with the gift bags and envelopes, though that dress looks really fun to make 🙂
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Yeah, I probably will. The dress looks a bit tricky to make, but how cool would it be to wear just strolling round the supermarket or out walking the dog in wellies! 🙂
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I have a built in book case that was plain and boring. I rescued a bunch of damaged books from a charity shop that were going to pulp and used them to cover the case. Wallpaper paste to stick, then clear varnish to finish…it looks great!
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That’s such a great idea! I love when the insides of cupboards or boxes are an unexpected colour or have been decorated differently. I shall have a think where I could do something similar round the house! 🙂
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It’s hard to decide what to do with books isn’t it? I’ve had so many “oh my god, you did WHAT to a book?” reactions. But if the book is done, it’s good to give it another life.
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I couldn’t dismantle a book if it wasn’t already past it, but once it’s gone I think it’s really nice to reuse it creatively in some way, definitely.
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Very creative!
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Thank you! 🙂
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