Although I cannot read a book without a pencil or a pen in my hand, I cringe at the thought of folding down a page. So when I read, in addition to something to write with, I must have something to mark my spot with. I prefer an actual bookmark, but also use postcards, envelopes, or a folded review. My collection of bookmarks lives in a pottery vase on my side table, where I can easily pluck one out.
I love this column at Bibliobuffet: “On Marking Books.” In late September, Lauren Roberts, the editor at Bibliobuffet, wrote about a bookmarks festival and that she was giving away bookmarks! All you had to do was email. So I did and that photo is a sampling of what fell out of my envelope. She might still have some left…Her recent essay is on a cheese-y bookmark. Ha! Take a look at it.
Here are close-ups of some of the bookmarks Lauren sent me:
But wait, there’s more…
If you want to pay, I discovered @calligbyerin on Twitter. She makes bookmarks to order with your favorite lines from books. Here are two I ordered:
I include a photo of one of my bookmarks with each month on the updates page.
Do you have a favorite bookmark or a favorite way to mark your spot?
Cynthia, if you don’t subscribe to Glimmer Train, I highly recommend that you do. Not only is it chocked full of wonderful stories, poems, and essays, it arrives with a beautiful bookmark. I’ll try to snap a picture of one and send it to you on Twitter.
Oh, yes. I love those bookmarks. And The Paris Review comes with one too, or my last issue did. And July 2009 on the Updates page is a photo of the one that came with an old issue of Hayden’s Ferry Review. Off to check out your photo.
My little granddaughters made me several on cardstock one year, each hand-drawn and embellished with a ribbon. I keep mine in a potter jar too, on my hall bookshelves.
Linda, I still have some my kids made with leaves : )
Cynthia, I loved your entry on bookmarks. My bookmarks live in a small, decorative bag next to my favorite reading spot. Silly as it sounds, I like to use a marker that fits whatever I am reading. Choosing the just-right marker adds to the joy of reading for me.
Welcome to Catching Days, Beverly. Actually, reading what you wrote, I realize I do the same thing–unless I’m just grabbing for the nearest thing, which could be my schedule for the rest of the day. Thanks for leaving a comment. I hope you’ll be back.
Back when I didn’t have much time for reading I put a paycheck in a book and didn’t get back to it for two months. Needless to say by the time I found it I had already replaced it. Now I always find something a little less important like a real bookmark.
Hi Melissa! Sorry to be so late in replying. Wow, a paycheck. In August, I put a birthday card (with $20 in it) in a book and haven’t found it yet. One of these days… Nice to see you here. And thanks for sharing your bookmark story.
Aww, Cynthia, what a lovely thing to say. You are always such a great person–in addition to being a great writer. I hope you enjoy those bookmarks. And every year BiblioBuffet will be the online distributor for them so be sure to remind me around August to put some aside for you!
Lauren, thanks for the bookmarks. I’m already enjoying them and looking forward to next year. Fun!
I collect bookmarks too. Whenever I see a bookstore I go in and they always have free bookmarks. My favorites are those I picked up on trips. they are like souvenirs.
Tricia, so many of my bookmarks are from bookstores that I visited while traveling–they definitely help me remember the places I’ve been.
And I think every book ought to come with a bookmark from the store where it was bought.