| Author | Message | ||
     Giancarlo (Giancarlo) Username: Giancarlo Registered: 11-2008 Posted From: 85.116.228.5 |
I used to dust my bulwark of books very often, then, in spite of my affection, I gave up because of some sort of neurotic inhibition: I started a resistance and now I seldom, almost never, go about cleaning, not even vacuum cleaning, my bookshelves. It does feel me quite guilty, so I'm sometimes plagued by sadomasochistic scenarios of dust-mites picnicking over the pages or some kind of bookworms tunnelling thru, fattening with my favourite authors. Now, in spite of being disturbed by it, I find this to be a pumped up fantasy about improbable yet not impossible going-ons in my darkness of unknowing. Though I'm living this as a symptom, I find some tricksterish game taking place in my mind. Am I about to become a victim to the "Conqueror Worm", its "vermin fangs in human gore imbued"? I am being semi-serious about the issue but I am frequently visited by the Worm idea which I have then to entertain more symbolically than factually. But what the facts could be about the probability of mites actually nibbling at the books? Or is it my personally lived horror story? Yet, I've philosophically given up dusting my books: let the Worm have its way. Worms in my Heart, so it's even too natural to suspect them where my Heart's projections are. Am I the only one to have a "gone bugs" issue here? Enough with delirium....maybe I should see a priest...better than a psychoanalyst, anyway...I studied as such but rejected the company as soon as I discovered what's behind the backdrop. Now I am only analyst to myself and a bad one to boot. Thank you for listening. | ||
| Weber_gregston (Weber_gregston) Username: Weber_gregston Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 194.176.105.56 |
Can i have some of what you're drinking? | ||
| Giancarlo (Giancarlo) Username: Giancarlo Registered: 11-2008 Posted From: 85.116.228.5 |
Wine from the renowned vineyards of Frascati...have bug-eyed ETs landed down there, maybe? I'd better go for beer! | ||
| Joel (Joel) Username: Joel Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 217.37.199.45 |
Here's a thought, Giancarlo: the image of 'the worm' in Gothic literature is an impossible amalgam of the maggot (which is not found underground unless in buried organic matter) and the earthworm (which does not eat decaying flesh). So the Conqueror Worm is not a real entity. Paper mites are real, so it's wise to dust your book collection and keep it clean and dry at all times. Don't worry, be happy. | ||
| Weber_gregston (Weber_gregston) Username: Weber_gregston Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 194.176.105.56 |
"and the earthworm (which does not eat decaying flesh). " But will eat you alive if you're buried alive and hence, still fresh... mwa ha ha ha | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 82.38.75.85 |
>>Paper mites are real, so it's wise to dust your book collection and keep it clean and dry at all times.<< Now I'm starting to worry. I haven't had a really good spring clean of all my books for ages!! And it's not just my books - it's my autograph collection too!!! Argh!!!! | ||
| Stephen Walsh (Stephenw) Username: Stephenw Registered: 03-2009 Posted From: 194.32.31.1 |
The vast majority of my books were bought second hand anyway so I tend not to worry too much about them - within reason of course. I never buy a second hand copy that's in a terrible state though and I'm near fanatical about avoiding broken spines - and tend not to buy them unless I know I'll never see the book again. | ||
| Giancarlo (Giancarlo) Username: Giancarlo Registered: 11-2008 Posted From: 85.116.228.5 |
No worry, Caroline! "Paper mites" are mythological parasites. There are, at most, "booklice" which eat thru mould and cover paste. Their damage is insignificant and undetectable by the bare eye. The best policy would be, of course, dusting, airing and keeping the environment dry so as to prevent mould. It would be a bit of a problem if you had a collection of untenanted medieval tomes, or you were living in a damp-climate country. Dust, however, is 90% made of disintegrated organic matter, manly human and animal, such as skin, hair and nails. Though this seems to make matter worse (the mere thought of it), a darkening of enthusiasm would keep us from worrying too much about what is, after all, the all-too-natural stream of world-things (people included) running their way to nothingness or whatever one may imagine the goal to be. A Zen monk would probably allow dust to have its spiritual course, which would not prevent him from a domestic sweeping of his library...if he had one. | ||
| Weber_gregston (Weber_gregston) Username: Weber_gregston Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 194.176.105.56 |
When I were a littlun all those years ago, the book cupboard I kept my books in got a bad case of woodworm. We realised this becaiuse they were eating the books as well as the cupboard and we had several books with little tunnels bored through them by insect/worm teeth. | ||
| Giancarlo (Giancarlo) Username: Giancarlo Registered: 11-2008 Posted From: 85.116.228.5 |
Yes, but I gather woodworm damage to be independent of dust and so to be impervious to cleaning and airing. Keep your eyes suspicious for little holes multiplying on the timber... | ||
| Giancarlo (Giancarlo) Username: Giancarlo Registered: 11-2008 Posted From: 85.116.228.5 |
...as a sequitur, who cares after all? As Beckett has it, "nothing to be done". We've just to mind our riverrun. | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 82.38.75.85 |
Sorry I haven't responded any more on this thread .. too busy dusting!  |