Borrowed book help...

[Pencil Pusher]

I borrowed a book from a friend. She loves it, refers back to it all the time, etc.

So last week I was about to finish it & noticed that it looks pretty beat up. Given how much she says she uses it, it was probably this way when she loaned it to me.

But I can't remember!!:confused: I usually notice stuff like this, & I would feel just awful if I beat her book up! We loan ea other books all the time, & it wouldn't be a big deal, but I'd probably offer to keep it & buy her a new copy.

I know the easy answer is to just ask her, but I know if it were me, I'd just say, "Oh, I don't know--don't worry about it!" So I hate to ask; I'd rather just know for sure.

I guess what I'm asking is--is there a good way to know/figure it out w/out asking? Or is there a good way to ask?

Thanks!

[Whisperlily]

If it's her favorite book, she's a good friend, and you can afford it, why not buy her a new one, simply because she likes the book so much? You can either keep the old one if you think you'll refer back to it, or give her the old one as a "second copy" to keep somewhere handy.

If it's not expensive, it might be a fun way to acknowledge her friendship.

As to whether the book looked well used to begin with? What do her other books look like when you borrow them? Some people really take great care of their books and notice wrinkles, marks or bends... some give them "love" in a different way by really USING their books. Highlighting, writing in the margins, bending down corners, dog eared favorite pages, etc. What kind of Bookie is she?

[Pencil Pusher]

I've seen both. Some books I've borrowed, I know she hasn't read yet, & that shows. Looking at this one again, it's really not that bad. It's just the corners are a little poofy--I know that would bother *me,* but I'm not THAT careful w/ books, either.

Maybe I should borrow some more of her books & compare!:D;)

But, yeah, I've thought about just getting her a new one anyway. I think it's less than $10.

Thanks!