There should be laws against this kind of thing

[girlyswot]

So this afternoon I'm working at home and watching the craft shows on the DIY channel at the same time. Right now there is a programme on 'Altered Books'. What!?!?! These aren't 'altered books' these are 'ruined, destroyed and killed books'.

They glue the pages together!

Then gouge holes in them.

All that seems to matter to them is the size of the book. As if it's just an object.

What is WRONG with these people?! Don't they know that books are worlds and universes to explore? Don't they realise that the whole value is in those words they're rendering illegible?

I love beautiful books. But there's something seriously wrong with a person who finds the appearance of a book, any book, more important than its content.

Comments

[kinderjedi.livejournal.com]

*pales* I don't even like dog-earing the pages in a cheap paperback. Crazy people. They should have their library cards revoked.

[tdu000.livejournal.com]

What is the point of this? They must have justified their actions somehow! Is it just vandalism or do they think it's creating a thing of beauty from something that should have been a joy forever? Even bad books deserve better!

[amamama.livejournal.com]

I recently saw a picture in an interior magazine, where they had made a cd rack from an old ecyclopedia. By the looks of it, it was the same, century-old encyclopedia that we have. I't a fantastic piece of work, with loads of info, and the most beautiful illustrations, and seeing it made into a piece of furniture was ... was ... excrutiating. I actually felt my heart hurting.

A few years ago I was invited to join a craft group (mums with kids the same age). I didn't last long, because this was all fake and make-believe (why call it craft group, if you don't bother actually doing it), but the worst was what one of them did to a book. She broke it open and used a hot-glue gun to glue the pages open, "decorating" the cut with glue swirls, the middle pages were rolled up and glued in place. Then she took out gold spray and covered the book in paint, letting the letters shine through here and there. Next step was to add ribbons, silk flowers and plastic cherubs and instruments. Place it in a holder - and voilá! An exquisite piece of *insert appropriate word* to greet guests, as she was going to place it on top of the table in the hall. I was speechless. All the others were ooh-ing and aah-ing, I didn't trust myself if I opened my mouth. Not only did she ruin a book, but the result was so horrid I had trouble believing it. When I told a product designer frined of mine, she just looked at me and said "You should avoid lowering yourself into the masses. It's not good for you." I haven't tried since.