What Marks Your Books?

I think middle school was the last time I used an actual bookmark. Every time you checked out a book from the school library, you were allowed to take one bookmark. (Sometimes, when the designs were really cute, I would sneak one of each--I was a bit of a bookmark glutton.)

Nowadays, my books are marked by post-it notes, receipts, library return slips, or whatever else happens to be lying around. I randomly stuck this Levi's tag in a book a few weeks ago, but have found myself carefully transferring it from book to book. (This picture is from when I was reading American Wife, right now the tag is actually in Gilgamesh.)

I'm not sure why I'm holding onto it, except that I like the weight and size of it in my books. Perhaps it's a sign I should invest in some bookmarks, but I can't bring myself to spend money on something I'm bound to loose. Of course, when I lose this one, I'll have to go buy another pair of jeans just to replace it!

So, this brings me to my question: What marks your books? Have you ever found anything strange in books you've borrowed from the library or from friends? Do you have a favorite bookmark? Does anyone else find themselves giving companies free advertising, like I seem to be, because their labels make great bookmarks?

16 comments:

Unknown said...

I always buy a bookmark from a new place I visit. Like those little collectable spoons but not so cat ladyish. At least not as cat ladyish in my book.

But I'm like you. Usually it's whatever I have around that marks my books. A pen, a scrap of paper, one time another book.

sribbler said...

in our place most of the readers will use peacock feather as a bookmark..

Nely said...

I usually buy the magnetized ones that you can clip anywhere in the page. I sometimes leave off in the middle of a page so I can mark on the side or at the top if I'm just beginning the page. I like these most.

Not to mention I have two little one's running around that tend to want to rummage through my books and they love stealing my book marks. These magnetized ones tend to hold on longer and cause them more trouble (they actually have to pull it off) and this gives me the extra time to run and snatch it from them before I lose the page. ;D


Nely

Charlotte said...

Airline boarding passes make good bookmarks, and I can relive the trip a bit when I find one in a book I've read. I always check for them before swapping the books at www.bookins.com. What I can't stand is getting a Bookins book and finding someone has turned down the corners. I would rather see a book with comments written in the margins than one with turned corners. Just seems so unnecessary.

Becca said...

Hey Meg! I tagged you today for a short meme because you write a terrific blog!

Jo-Jo said...

I usually do use a bookmark...I alternate between a couple of special ones that I have. My favorite is one that my daughter made me when she was in 3rd grade(now she is a high school senior) that says "I Love You Mommy" on it. It also has her class photo from that year and she drew a picture of our family on the bottom of it, including our animals at the time! She thinks I'm such a dweeb for keeping it but I love it!

Anonymous said...

What a great question. I don't remember ever using a bookmark that fulfills its purpose. I was given bookmarks when I was young, not yet a serious reader.

Like you, I pick up whatever lays around and handy to mark my book. I keep my reading notes on post-its or a piece of scrap paper, which I will draw to write the reviews. I use receipts, clothes tags, boarding passes, and now, as today is Chinese New year, red envelops! :)

Btw thanks so much for expressing interest to read Les Miserables. I'll keep you posted!

Lenore Appelhans said...

I didn't need a bookmark for my last book because I read it straight through. But yeah, I rarely use a real bookmark. Though I have many lovely ones, so I should.

Kitten said...

I usually either dog ear the pages, if it's a book that belongs to me. If it has a dust jacket, I fold one of the flaps from the jacket to mark my place.

Right now I'm using an actual bookmark that a friend of mine gave me, because I'm reading a library book that has no detachable dust jacket. It's shaped like an oriental rug and has little fringe on the ends. It's quite cute, although the fringe comes out easily.

Shelly B said...

I just started using the magnetic ones that Nely talked about. My grandmother gave me 2 for Christmas. She got them from the hospital gift shop where she volunteers. You can find them here.

Amy said...

As soon as I saw this picture with the Levi tag as a bookmark, I had to click through...that is so my life! Receipts, scraps of paper, tags, whatever is handy marks my book...I always fear losing the pretty bookmarks! :)

Kristi said...

I have a couple of bookmarks that my daughter made for me - but if I can't find them, anything flat that is laying around is free game. One of my daughters is currently using a paint card from the hardware store - she keeps showing it to us because she wants her room painted!

Serena said...

I love bookmarks but I also love to just pick up random bits and put them in my pages to mark passages...

I miss having postits around all the time to mark favorite passages...those are the best.

Anonymous said...

Post it notes are great but I usually use whatever silly scrap of paper is handy when I need a bookmark. I love your Levi's tag... too funny.

ANovelMenagerie said...

I love bookmarks so much that I started a business making them! If you haven't checked them out... it is www.bookcharming.com.

Sheri
A Novel Menagerie

Penelope said...

LOL. I do the same thing. I use receipts, random pieces of paper, clothing tags, thin cardboard, etc... whatever happens to be handy at the time. I really like clothing tags as well, because they seem the right size, shape and thickness for the job.
I don't believe I have used a bookmark in at least two years...I even remember using a bobby pin a couple times.

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