My previous post earlier today led to a post on Literary Life in response.
In it, Megan shared a horror story of lending a book to a colleague who broke not one, but all of the no-no’s of Book-Lending Etiquette.
While it’s a horrible thing to have happened, I really enjoyed reading Megan’s horror story.
So I’m interested. What’s your book-lending horror story?
Sam van Zweden 
04/11/2010 at 6:55 am
While the return of a hostage in a brutalised condition is a terrible thing, I’d much prefer that to the loads of books I’ve had lost, or even–in the case of very good books or signed hard cover editions–‘lost’. Of course, this leads to the guilty party being immediately struck off the list of people to whom such books can be lent, but the damage is already done. If they ever ask again, I just point them to a book store ;P
04/11/2010 at 10:17 am
I once lent ‘Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail’ by Hunter S Thompson (possibly the best bit of political journalism I’ve ever read) to a pal who first dropped it in the bath (he was a big bath reader) and THEN lent it to someone else and forgot who. I have not seen it since.
We no longer speak.
05/11/2010 at 5:45 am
Thanks for leaving your stories guys – I got worried nobody would respond to my question. There’s no worse feeling!
Phill, I’ve had a few people say that. “They can just buy the book themselves”. And it’s true – it’s just hard to accept.
Mish – that’s horrible. Really horrible. I read someone else’s book in the bath before, but found it so stressful that I couldn’t relax. Baths are meant to be relaxing. Not worth it.