A quick thought

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This is following on from the previous post. Coping with a hardback whilst reading in bed some of us find tricky, but the problem I have is reading at the table. Hardbacks I can cope with by propping them up on other books to get the slant, and the book then generally stays open of its own accord.

Paperbacks though are a totally different matter. You can't get the dratted things to stay open - or at least I can't, unless I deliberately break the spine, which I can't bear to do. Usually I resort to a peculiar arrangement of jam pots on their sides, propped over the bottom edge of the pages. This is fine until I want to turn the page (and I am a very fast reader) as then the whole thing has to be dismantled.

Does anyone have any better suggestions?

Comments

Vanessa said…
I break the spines.... Oooh, I can hear the sharp intake of breath from up here!
29 November 2007 at 17:21
Jane Badger said…
Sharp intake of breath! It was a shriek, my dear, a shriek!
29 November 2007 at 18:12
Vanessa said…
And I turn down page corners... sometimes I even leave books open and face down. A rebel that's me!
30 November 2007 at 14:01
Jane Badger said…
Alright. I'll come clean. I admit I do sometimes leave paperbacks open and face down.
1 December 2007 at 10:30
Jodie Robson said…
I bought two things called Gimbles - you can check them out here: http://www.gimbleuk.com/

They work okay, though I only use them when my hands are really sore; I get a bit impatient with them because I read fast and I'm always having to stop to turn the page, but they are definitely better than breaking the spine!

I also got something more expensive with clear clips and a prop at the back that will take a hardback - think they sell them in Waterstones - but had to give it to my stepfather so I don't know how useful it is. Had the same stop-start problem. There's also something called a bookchair, which I haven't tried: http://www.bookchair.com/Book-Holder.php
1 December 2007 at 18:20
Jane Badger said…
geraniumcat- thanks very much for that. I'll post that link to my nearest and dearest and see what surfaces in my Christmas stocking!
6 December 2007 at 12:44
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