AbielleRose Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 Hey guys. I was just sorting through some of my books and noticed that several of the dust jackets are ripped or looking really worn. What are your thoughts on them? Are they worth keeping if damaged or do you ever throw the dust jackets away? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 I don't tend to read hardbacks but where it's been unavoidable (Harry Potter, the Harry Patch autobiography I wanted to read for an exam, Stephen Fry in America...) I always take the dust jackets off and store them somewhere. I know that books with dust jackets tend to be worth more to collectors, so I guess they're worth hanging on to, just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 I could not throw them away even if damaged, purely for sentimental reasons. i tent to take the jackets off while reading, as I am now doing with The Passage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 Oh, keep them please! It's true, there is more value, even with a slightly damaged dust jacket. Besides, I always love to remember the cover art of a book. When I buy a hardback from Amazon Marketplace, I never buy one that is missing a dust jacket. I'll buy one that is minimally damaged though. You can scotch tape them on the inside, very carefully to align the sides on the front. Makes it look better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucybird Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 I always take the dust jackets off, they bug me when I'm trying to read. I tend to loose them that way though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauraloves Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 I always take the dust jackets off, they bug me when I'm trying to read. I tend to loose them that way though.e same here. i often find them again though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixie Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 Dust jacket? What's a dust jacket? *Pixie, the paperback queen looks around, confused* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AbielleRose Posted July 12, 2010 Author Share Posted July 12, 2010 Dust jacket? What's a dust jacket? *Pixie, the paperback queen looks around, confused* I've never been a big fan of paperbacks because they get banged up in my purse. I think I'll try and tape the damaged covers back together, though there are a couple beyond repair They are pretty, but I've just never liked the feel of them for some reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pixie Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 I think I prefer paperbacks because they are cheaper and I can fit more on my shelves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Echo Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 I like to keep them, but if they're in bad shape, I'll usually try to either mend them with tape or take them off while I'm reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 I tend to avoid hardbacks because I fret over ruining the dust jacket (among other reasons). But for the books I own that have dust jackets, I remove them when I read and store them in a safe place. As Pontalba said, it's better to keep even a damaged dust jacket. I have a hardback Shel Silverstein that has no dust jacket and the cover is just dark blue and a bit tatty in itself. I wish it had a dust jacket because the cover of the book was quite pretty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 (edited) I adore hardback books, and if I had the choice every book I own would be hardback. I love a pretty dustcover, but the best kind of book IMO will be a nicely coloured hardback with gilt lettering and possibly a light design, with a beautiful, high quality dustjacket. I always take the dustjacket off as soon as I buy the book, and my dustjackets are all kept together in a pile, each tucked inside the one after it. To me, a pretty dustjacket is the equivilant of a movie poster - not necessary to OWN, but when done well, an artistic compliment to the story. My favourite one is the one on 'The Tree Of Seasons' by Stephen Gately. I mean, just look at that. How could anyone not want that? It's beautiful. ETA: I skipped your main question, didn't I? Dustjackets are not so essential, for me, that I would hold onto a tatty one. In fact I'd rather dump a tatty one and have just the book, if the book is in good condition. But that said, I look after all my dustcovers as I would any of my art or posters. In the case of some books, the book itself is prettier than the dustcover - I managed to get a very cheap vintage copy of the Winnie The Pooh reprint from the 1960's, JUST because the (horrid) dustjacket was all torn. The book itself is perfect, and the cover of the book is beautiful (red, with a slightly soft Winnie on the front). So in that case, I just dumped the dustjacket. Edited July 13, 2010 by Nollaig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AbielleRose Posted July 13, 2010 Author Share Posted July 13, 2010 Ooh! If I saw that book in the store I'd definitely pick it up! That's beautiful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 It is, it's absolutely gorgeous. I adore my 'Oscar Wilde: A Life In Letters' one too, because the book is plain black with gold writing, but the dustcover is a beautiful sepia toned photograph of Oscar himself - I'm not keen on books with photos printed directly on the cover, but now I have a lovely picture of Oscar in addition to a lovely hardback of his letters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peacefield Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 Like others, I always remove the dust jacket whilst reading a book so it doesn't get damaged. If the dust jacket isn't in the best shape, I'd rather repair it than go without. Unless it's a particularly pretty spine/cover in it's own right . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gax23 Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 I very rarely buy hardback books but when I do I remove the dust jacket and store it in a plastic wallet in a ring binder with the others. The book looks much better on the shelf without the dust jacket and I always end up creasing or tearing them while reading (but never damage a paperback or 'unclothed' hardback!) so I paradoxically have a better condition book by removing the protection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 Prissy Princess of Preservation that I am, I would never throw any component of a book away; I find DJ's annoying though so I take them off while reading and put them back on prior to storage. Carefully removed DJs will still manage to acquire creases even when lying on top of other books as soon as your back is turned however, which vexes me greatly. What I don't understand is why they don't just all print covers straight onto the hardback, it looks so prettiful and doesn't get tatty! I tell a lie, I know exactly why they don't, it's because printed card covers cost more than plain cloth ones. But stil...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 I believe that originally dust jackets were just that - jackets to avoid books becoming dusty on the shelves in shops. They were meant to be thrown away. That's my understanding of their origin, anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zumii Posted July 24, 2010 Share Posted July 24, 2010 I have a few hardbacks here & there. I tend to take the dust jacket off whilst I'm reading & then pop it back on. For some of my paperbacks I buy book protectors (mainly for the books I plan to take away for the weekend & what not). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finty Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 When I'm reading a hardback I usually use the dust jacket as a bookmark . I'm not very sentimental when it comes to books I'm afraid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Squiggles Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 The majority of the books I buy are paperbacks, but I always keep the dust jackets for any hardbacks that I do buy. I would never throw them out... ever! I tend to keep the dust jackets on when I'm reading them too, although I will take it off for transportation purposes, i.e. if it's a book I'm carrying back and forth to work, in order to save it from being damaged whilst in my bag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vladd Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 When I read a hardback I tend to use the flaps of the dust jacket as book marks. I start with the front flap then when I get further into the book I switch to the back flap. A bad habit I know but there are worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted September 8, 2010 Share Posted September 8, 2010 When I read a hardback I tend to use the flaps of the dust jacket as book marks. I start with the front flap then when I get further into the book I switch to the back flap. A bad habit I know but there are worse. I do the same if the book is not brand new Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephanie2008 Posted September 9, 2010 Share Posted September 9, 2010 I try not to buy hardback books, mainy because they're too heavy and they don't fit on my shelf But when I do read them, I take the cover off. I think it just gets in the way or gets crumpled, so I just read it without that put it back when I'm finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaraBella Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 When I read a hardback I tend to use the flaps of the dust jacket as book marks. I start with the front flap then when I get further into the book I switch to the back flap. A bad habit I know but there are worse. Oooh I do that too lol... I am pretty obsessive about keeping my books in good condition though... I just don't care much about the jacket since no matter what you do they always end up in a mess lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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