Bookmark That!

Book lovers have their quirks. One of mine involves dog earring pages of books I own. Blasphemy, some of you may think. But to me a dog eared book is a beloved book. If I also write in the margins, or underline, or star, or highlight, then the book is even more loved.

Occasionally I can’t or don’t want to dog ear a book. Librarians get fussy and really don’t like it when you squinch those corners down. And for that I need a bookmark.

One of my favorite bookmarks shows a squished Garfield with his quintessential thought bubble, “I thought you’d never open this book again.” I think I’ve had this since college. It’s in pretty good shape.

This next bookmark, made of leather, was a gift from my friend Kathy. She brought it back for me from a cruise she went on couple of years ago. It’s not the place or the bookmark but the person it’s from that makes it priceless.

Just yesterday I met the author of The Rent Collector at a book signing. Camron Wright also gifted the bookmark, actually hand signed by Sang Ly, the woman whose life the book is loosely based on. You can rest assured I’ll treasure this one for ages. If you haven’t read this book yet, do so!! Find it as fast as you can, read it. Don’t put it off. You’ll thank me. What a treasure!

Here’s a handcrafted piece of artwork by my daughter. Loaded with love in a book she gave me for my birthday.

Pressed flowers from a home-grown garden in Minnesota made this bookmark an extra special gift.

And this one. A gift bookmark made by one of my daughters who is also an avid reader and chocolate afficianado.

Best one word piece of advice I ever saw in a bookmark.

More often than not the bookmarks I use are whatever is at hand when something else demands my attention. An envelope, a sticky note, a piece of paper torn off something, a ribbon, a paper clip or even a pencil. This book, from the looks of the Christmas themed notepaper marking my place, was getting read near the holidays. I find the book it sticks out of kind of ironic, or coincidental. Not sure if I learned much from the book, but friends and most people do bring me joy.

Marking up books so I can find stunning passages, or underlining brilliant bits of wisdom, or dog earing a page I want to find easily and quickly, are all just ways of letting a book feel the love right back at it. I find it odd that I, apparently, have a relationship with my bookmarks as well.

Here’s the last one I’ll share with you. Crafted by my daughter it captures my sentiments exactly.

When it comes to books, I suppose I’m just a basket case. Or would that be a book case?