Sniffing Books!

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RSL Giles St Aubyn Awards for Non-Fiction - Deadline Approaching

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Paul Whybrow

Full Member
Jun 20, 2015
Cornwall, UK
At the end of a working week, I usually treat myself to a longed-for book or CD on eBay. I’ve just purchased a book on philosophy written by Lin Yutang.

The Importance of Living was going for about a tenner new as a paperback, but I was the only bidder on a used hardback copy published in 1947—probably because it’s in well-used condition with browned pages and a tatty cover. Such things don’t bother me: it’s the contents I’m after.

I like that the book shows its age. I wonder how may readers have eyed its pages, gleaning wisdom from the author’s thoughts. That’s something impossible to ponder with a Kindle or smartphone or tablet.


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We’ve previously discussed old books in several threads, including writing on pages and the potential health hazards of insect infestation.

https://colony.litopia.com/threads/bookworms-the-other-sort.3579/

https://colony.litopia.com/threads/do-you-write-in-books.3296/

Should I ever get to heaven (I’m hellbound! :angry-face-with-horns:) it would be nice to think that parts of it smell of new books, while others pong of old volumes!

I’m looking forward to sniffing my latest purchase. :rolleyes:

Do you like the aroma of freshly printed books and of those that are disintegrating?

Do you own any smelly ancient books?

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I love the smell of old books. And new ones. Of any ink and paper actually... When we were small, we used to get a Christmas book/magazine in school (the excitement!) and it had a very specific ink smell. Every now and then, I get a whiff of it and I'm immediately transported back.
 
When I was about 10, I bought a book that smelled of wood smoke. The book shop had a fire and some of their stock survived which they then sold off cheaply because 'they stank'. I actually quite liked the smell.
 
Reminds me of Bibliosexuality, a book about, well, you can guess. Written by a copywriter I used, sweet guy called Clive Sinclair. Who introduced me to the writings of Isaac Bashevis Singer...
 
For a time, I collected first printings. Many came from rifling through dusty boxes at carboot sales, others from dealers. Some I flick through, and some are too precious to touch. But they all smell great in their various ways!
 
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RSL Giles St Aubyn Awards for Non-Fiction - Deadline Approaching

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