What would you do if you saw someone writing on a book?

[RenaissanceWoman]

I don't mind people writing in or highlighting text in books. It gives me insight into what's important to other people, not just me.

[suzy1124]

I wouldn't do anything since it is none of my business.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mega-dittos!

[robind13]

nothing, It's not really any of my business

[Kershhie]

I would secretly freak out but probably not say anything unless I was their friend then I would probably interrogate them because my friends already know what I'm like.

[L25]

i will wait for them to have a break. and then i will go and approach them saying "excuse me" or "sorry". and i will add "i couldnt stop noticing you are writting a book". i will say that i wish that book will turn into a great one and best seller. i will wish them whole heartly and i will leave.

[DATo]

Well, I think the only sensible thing to do would be to call the police.

(How do people dream up these questions?)

-- November 13th, 2014, 3:38 pm --

i will wait for them to have a break. and then i will go and approach them saying "excuse me" or "sorry". and i will add "i couldnt stop noticing you are writting a book". i will say that i wish that book will turn into a great one and best seller. i will wish them whole heartly and i will leave.

Writing ON ... dear L25, not IN. No one writes ON a book and then publishes it (with the possible exception of the Sumerians).

-- November 13th, 2014, 3:42 pm --

If I saw someone writing on a book I would squirt them with mustard from one of those squeezy bottles. If no mustard were available I would use catsup. If no catsup could be found I would throw acorns. And if I couldn't find any acorns I would throw a squirrel ... that's what it gets for hiding all the acorns.

[Ama Idim]

I don't write on my books but when I see someone writing on a book, well, there's a reason and it's the person's book so I don't care much.

[Mallory Whitaker]

If the book isn't their property then it would bug me. I write in my books all the time though.It really bugs my best friend. It's just...something I do. I have a million notebooks around that I try to keep track of quotes/notes but I always end up losing them. I don't lose books. Books look empty to me without some highlighting or notes.

[Anirudh Badri]

If the book belongs to them, then I have no problem with it. I write on a lot of books that I own, especially ones which are very challenging. The note-taking helps me make sense of it, so I do it a lot. My copy of the Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham is littered with notes.

[Angela Stripes]

Die inside.

Hahaha yesss!

I'd restrain myself from asking them what they wrote. Finding scraps of paper others have left behind brings my heart smiles.

Although I don't jot notes or annotate my novels, when I have written in books, it feels like journaling. Responding to the art, and taking this particular copy and making it mine. I also have gone through phases of bending a paperbook backward while I read, dog-earing, ect. Seeing the effects of such habits have wrenched my heart like wringing out a wet towel, so naturally, I've given them up. But there is something to be said about responding to a book like that. Its a relationship, then

[Afuglsan]

I'm split. If they're writing things down to help them remember or analyze or even question the text, I get it. Especially in a textbook. At the same time, your heart feels for the book.

[Elle Howard]

I would mind my own business. It is their property so they can do as they please. You never know if they are actually writing in the book or on a paper. There are too many people in the world looking for verbal/physical confrontations. Better to just walk away.

[maiamalanee]

As a literature major turned creative writing major, I completely understand if it's a student writing in the book. I'm taking notes all the time in my books for research for my writing, but it's usually a copy, and my clean version is at home. If it's a kid, then I would probably tell the parents.

[IanYanny]

I would mind my own business. It is their property so they can do as they please. You never know if they are actually writing in the book or on a paper. There are too many people in the world looking for verbal/physical confrontations. Better to just walk away.

I agree. As long as it is not my book.

[Star88]

In high school, our teachers encouraged us to write in our books, so I am used to it now. Before, it felt like vandalism.