Have you ever burned books?

jmalone1994 · Post by **jmalone1994** » 10 Dec 2013, 05:20

No! I've never burnt a book before, or ever come across one that I would even consider burning. I feel like even if I consider it a really bad book it is still the authors freedom to write and its their way of expression so I don't believe in burning books. If that makes sense lol

Fran · Post by **Fran** » 10 Dec 2013, 10:02

Absolutely NOT - no way would I burn a book.
If I don't want to keep a book in my collection then I send it on its travels either via a charity shop or my work lunchroom or to one of my reading friends but I would absolutely never burn it.
As gali says burning books is way too close to the Nazis & the Inquisition for my liking.

Came across this quoted in my current book:
"Where they have burned books, they will end in burning human beings"
It's from Heinrich Heine, German Poet died in 1856 - how prophetic was he?

Artemisia · Post by **Artemisia** » 11 Dec 2013, 23:58

Once, for sentimental reasons. Other than that, no, never.

laurali22 · Post by **laurali22** » 15 Dec 2013, 00:49

I've never come across a harmful book?? Now I am curious to read such harmful book to see how harmful it could be? I never thought of burning a book because to me they are precious, imagine if the world comes to the point where books become close to extinct and rare, I would feel so guilty remembering how many books a burnt. I want to be that one person that has the last books in the world. So then years later this one kid finds me and freaks out because they see a book.

DATo · Post by **DATo** » 15 Dec 2013, 07:18

obiebookworm wrote:Yes I have! Of course, this was many years before recycling. Though I believe in freedom to read, there's a different in my mind between what happens in a library and my personal collection. In the book burning case, I remember having a few books that I felt were not worth passing on to someone else because they had the high potential of hurting someone else, like it did me.

Bottom line, if there is a book in my possession (most likely one given to me) that has the potential of creating harm to another, it gets trashed. :shock:

obie -

I am curious to learn what the books you burned were about. I cannot recall a book I've ever read that I thought was dangerous to me or to others. Would you be willing to share this information?

Fran -

Liked the quote you cited. Reminds me of one by Voltaire ... "The man who says 'believe as I do or God will punish you' will presenty be demanding, 'do as I say or I will kill you.' "

obiebookworm · Post by **obiebookworm** » 15 Dec 2013, 10:03

To DATo: Sure! I'm definitely not into burning books now, but many, many moons ago when I was in my teens I got involved in some really dark spiritual stuff; when I became a believer (in Jesus), I felt a strong conviction and gathered my materials, which included books, and threw them in my parents incinerator (back when those things were aloud).

DATo · Post by **DATo** » 15 Dec 2013, 14:17

obiebookworm wrote:To DATo: Sure! I'm definitely not into burning books now, but many, many moons ago when I was in my teens I got involved in some really dark spiritual stuff; when I became a believer (in Jesus), I felt a strong conviction and gathered my materials, which included books, and threw them in my parents incinerator (back when those things were aloud).

Woah ! I see what you mean. Yeah, that kind of stuff can mess up your mind if you are not careful. Thanks for sharing!

d0dridge · Post by **d0dridge** » 15 Dec 2013, 15:04

I haven't burnt a book before... I have burnt some sheet music that was totally rubbish. I burnt a lot of school notebooks when I finished my exams years ago if that counts.

My preferred method for destroying paper copies of things is gerbils. I have two gerbils who make their nest and bedding from confidential waste, books with no futures and papers.

obiebookworm · Post by **obiebookworm** » 15 Dec 2013, 16:10

To DATo: You're welcome! (I also meant 'allowed' not 'aloud' - didn't have my coffee before I wrote this. LOL!)

cabined · Post by **cabined** » 16 Dec 2013, 18:45

I would also like to know how a book might be classified as harmful? Perhaps emotionally-tormenting, some.. There's plenty of rubbish out there, too, though. Can you remember any specific titles?

Nathrad Sheare · Post by **Nathrad Sheare** » 17 Dec 2013, 06:22

Not consciously... Though I've fantasized about certain books spontaneously combusting...

Aithne · Post by **Aithne** » 17 Dec 2013, 08:35

There's at least one I seriously contemplated burning because its values are so very obnoxious to me but no, I haven't. I was wincing when my tutor cut books up for an art project. Boring or not, they are works of art in themselves and shouldn't be cut up so mercilessly.

d0dridge · Post by **d0dridge** » 17 Dec 2013, 19:07

Did anyone else burn notebooks after exams were finished? I suppose it doesn't really count as 'a book' but some people in my year burnt their textbooks as well as notebooks.