Booking Through Thursday - Lending Books

Booking Through Thursday is a weekly feature hosted by a blog of the same name, where you answer and discuss the question featured on the blog. This week's question is:

Q: Do you lend your books? Are any out on loan right now? Do you have any that have been loaned to you? Do you think people should make an effort to read the loaned book quickly?

Oh boy, this is a tough one for me. For quite a while I had a very hard time lending my books out. At a certain point, my friends wouldn't want to borrow books from me because I was so anal. I am verrrryyyy easy on my books. I dont open paperbacks too far so as not to crease the spine, I am NOT okay with bent corners, and God forbid someone rips or stains a page. These things are just not okay with me.

I remember when I first really started lending out books to my boss, and I only did it because she lent me a few and we talked so much about the books we enjoyed, I thought it would be fun being able to discuss books we had both read.....

Then I got the books back.. *cue scary music* Oh God, I was distraught, but I tried not to show it, because I know she wasnt careless on purpose. I mean, really, she read the books in a day or two, its just that... she was reaallyyy hard on the books. Its just how she is, even with her own.

So I let it go and cringed every time I handed a book over to her, knowing what it would come back looking like. I got a little better, because I tried to tell myself that books SHOULD BE READ. They are SUPPOSED to be shared, and yes, sometimes people are harder on them than I am. Not every one is an anal freak who barely opens a book when she reads it. Well, that and the stress this was causing me was probably not healthy.

I do have some books lent out now - my cousin is making her way through the Mortal Instruments series, and for the most part they've come back okay. No horrible wear and tear or actual damage. I dont borrow a lot of books though, because as you may have guessed, I like to own my books and I like to have them "like new". I know it saves the earth and all by borrowing from friends and the library and whatnot, but I have an obsession and I cant do anything about it.

As far as people being curteous enough to return a book in a timely fashion, that doesnt bother me too much unless it has been several months. Some people, I've also learned the hard way, dont read as fast as I do. Take my boyfriend for example. I bought him a book for Christmas. He finally picked the damn thing up a week later, and now, about a month later, he is only about 3 chapters in. And I've seen the boy read, and the pace isnt exactly swift. He's just not a quick reader. I do, however, think that if you can read and return a book to the library in 2 weeks or however long they give you, there's no reason you cant do the same with someone else's book which is their personal property treasure.

How about you? How do you feel about lending books out? Please tell me that someone else is as crazy as I am about this whole thing, haha.

Happy reading!
Manda C.