Literary Injuries

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Have you hurt yourself because of a book?

― aimurchie, Thursday, 29 April 2004 03:21 (twenty-one years ago)

I've strained my back moving box after box after box on moving days. And as mentioned on another thread, I currently sport a bump on the head from a heavy book. I've also busted a gut laughing at David Sedaris. I mean, I was sore the next day, no kidding.

― Rabin the Cat (Rabin the Cat), Thursday, 29 April 2004 03:38 (twenty-one years ago)

I am responding with a broken pinky finger - full text on the ILILB thread. If David Sedaris makes you laugh, you must read "A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again" by David Foster Wallace. many people think of him as a novelist - which I'm sure he would prefer - but his humorous essays are beyond belief. Also "Girl With Curious Hair" - some short stories - proves that he is brilliant. I like him better in the short and sweet genres. (But I love him always) Let me know what YOU think.

― aimurchie, Thursday, 29 April 2004 04:08 (twenty-one years ago)

You don't have to wait for the late reviews- I've read all that DFW has graced us with, every footnote and annotation. I'm always happy to find his work in my Atlantic or Harper's. I was at first impatient with the footnote device, but he wields it so well and so humorously, I quickly was drawn in. I can thank my husband for introducing me to Wallace's work in 1999. (I think it may have been an important courtship ritual for him.) Wait, I speak untruth! I've not yet read "Everything and More". It's on the husband's side of the bed in one of his stacks. Maybe I can get the cat to dig it out for me...

― Rabin the Cat (Rabin the Cat), Thursday, 29 April 2004 06:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Eye of the World was so bad it made me punch myself in the head. Does that count?

― Autumn Almanac (Autumn Almanac), Thursday, 29 April 2004 06:34 (twenty-one years ago)

I am the clumsiest man in England so I'm not sure if all the chaos I cause is book related. However, I often read in bed and fall asleep, only to be woken a milisecond later as said book whacks me on the nose.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Thursday, 29 April 2004 07:36 (twenty-one years ago)

that's why you read - because there's absolutely no danger of hurting yourself

― sandy mc (sandy mc), Thursday, 29 April 2004 08:37 (twenty-one years ago)

I've had a shower of books rain down upon my head when a bookshelf above the head of my bed broke. I woke up three days later handcuffed and covered with peanut butter. I don't know if one thing has to do with another but...

― Vermont Girl (Vermont Girl), Thursday, 29 April 2004 10:51 (twenty-one years ago)

YES!!! The first book I read by Andrea De Carlo was a really good book: "Tecniche di seduzione". So I tried to read the others: due di due, arcodamore, treno di panna, uto, di noi tre... SHIT! Terribly boring! Unable to write an interesting story. A continous celebration of himself and his generation. Hateble!
Sorry. My english is really terrible. Did you understand what I mean?

Bed

― Luca, Thursday, 29 April 2004 12:47 (twenty-one years ago)

I tend to read while walking around the house, which leads to stubbed toes, bruised hips from running into doorknobs, things falling on my head, and tripping and falling. I'm a very clumsy person anyway. The books don't help.

― Jessa (Jessa), Thursday, 29 April 2004 12:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Bet I'm more clumsy than you Jessa. 1982 - looked out of a plane window, the engine blew up and we had to do an emergency landing. 1999 - set my office building on fire with a discarded cigarette.

The tree at Gernika died last week. The very symbol of the Basque people. I was there last month.

These are just highlights. I would need an I Love Clumsiness board to detail the rest.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Thursday, 29 April 2004 13:10 (twenty-one years ago)

"I woke up three days later handcuffed and covered with peanut butter." That could only happen in Vermont. Crunchy or creamy?

― aimurchie, Thursday, 29 April 2004 13:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Both.

― Vermont Girl (Vermont Girl), Thursday, 29 April 2004 13:32 (twenty-one years ago)

name brand or organic?

― aimurchie, Thursday, 29 April 2004 13:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Pictures please.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Thursday, 29 April 2004 14:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Handcuffs - chrome, gunmetal, or black?

― Michael White (Hereward), Thursday, 29 April 2004 14:15 (twenty-one years ago)

OK this is maudlin - sometimes it HURTS when you finish a book. You just want to have it again for the first time. Especially when young - I remember lying on the ground and asking Aslan to take me.
However, this is about hurt body parts, not hurt feelings. My broken finger is aching.

― aimurchie, Thursday, 29 April 2004 16:35 (twenty-one years ago)

I have, of course, cut my fingers on the edge of of a page.

― Michael White (Hereward), Thursday, 29 April 2004 16:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Let's make it about hurt feelings as well. My pinky finger is not doing well, but thanks for your concern. I should at least get some props for typing with one hand.

― aimurchie, Thursday, 29 April 2004 16:42 (twenty-one years ago)

How about those times that you overload your backpack with books and when you lean over to get something it flips over your head and you end up flipping over in an awkward somersault fashion? I've had lots of those.

― Jocelyn (Jocelyn), Thursday, 29 April 2004 17:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I was 6 or 7 at the time...running across the living room, I tripped over one of my books, fell, my chin slammed into another of my books, and I lost a tooth. Popped right out.
And yes, I also have knocked myself in the head with an overloaded backpack while leaning over to pick something up.

― BarbaraJ, Thursday, 29 April 2004 21:22 (twenty-one years ago)

There is a particular kitchen cupboard in my apartment that is possessed. After I walk into the kitchen with my nose in a book to get myself, say, a glass of orange juice, it swings one of the upper drawers open. So,on my way out -*WHAM* !
Now I have a permanent dent on my forehead. Maybe someday it will be seen as sexy. Cleft chins finally attained that title, didnt they? I always thought that kind of chin looked like something to channel the guy's dribble/drool.
ugh. i'll stop now.

― aurora, Friday, 30 April 2004 07:10 (twenty-one years ago)

There's the usual book moving episodes, hoardes of boxes and too little friends to help and the back goes out.

Books raining upon me during a bit of slap and tickle, but nothing like VG and her PB episode (gods bollocks, I'm moving to Vermont for some serious fun - can I find it in any part of the state, VG?).

And then there's the sprained shoulder from lobbing terrifically horrid stenchily-written (I don't care if "stenchy" isn't a word, it is now) books across the room, it keeps my chiro in "pin" money though :D

― yesabibliophile (yesabibliophile), Sunday, 2 May 2004 13:04 (twenty-one years ago)

A girlfriend threw a book at me once and it hit me on the right temple.

― Baravelli. (Jake Proudlock), Sunday, 2 May 2004 20:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Everything you write contributes to mouse shoulder these days, including... POSTING ON ILB!!!!!!!!!

― Ann Sterzinger (Ann Sterzinger), Monday, 3 May 2004 21:41 (twenty-one years ago)

I work in a bookshop and on one of my first days, i was reaching up to get a bunch of books down to clean the shelf and managed to knock the rest of the books on the shelf off and they hit my head. I got sent home after that with suspected concussion. Now when I do it, my boss rolls her eyes and tells me i'm insane. Another time, a customer turned around to show his friend a book and hit me with it. Although he was really good about it and bought me a beer after my shift had finished!

And of course the putting the back out carrying too many books, dropping them on my feet., nearly getitng run over trying to cross the road while still reading etc etc etc

― Rowie, Thursday, 6 May 2004 07:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Ditto on the moving boxes of books - towed a U-Haul trailer 'cross the country (CA to FL) full of books and destroyed my poor car.

I dropped my Christmas gift of The Compact Oxford English Dictionary on my foot and ended up with some lovely bruises.

And I was reading The Tin Drum one day while eating a tunafish sandwich. Got to the part about the mother and the eels and promptly lost all appetite, my lunch, and I've not been able to stomach any fish since then.

― I'm Passing Open Windows (Ms Laura), Saturday, 8 May 2004 07:35 (twenty-one years ago)

OOOh! Literary regurgitation! "Last Exit to Brooklyn" made me throw up and cry all at once (the end).I was reluctant to explain the real reason for my ashen, tear stained face to a friend who stopped by, so I said I was sick. I got lots of TLC but felt ashamed for not admitting the truth.

― aimurchie, Saturday, 8 May 2004 22:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Ah, then I shall do my best to avoid Last Exit to Brooklyn, aimurchie - thanks for the warning.

I have a new injury to report: last night I opened a belated birthday gift from my mother. It was Volume IV (don't ask why she sent that one!) of the Second Edition of the O.E.D. (The rest will follow when I move back to her area, so all the money isn't spent in shipping.) Most awesome.

Anyway.

Then, when I was moving the darn thing, which must weigh thirty+ pounds, I managed to jam it into my breast tissue. Now I'm sporting a lovely bruise and am dreading having to wear a bra tomorrow. Moral of the story? Sticks and stones will break one's bones, and words can also bruise ye.

― I'm Passing Open Windows (Ms Laura), Monday, 10 May 2004 04:33 (twenty-one years ago)

I went for my ancient, huge Random House Dictionary the other night - while posting - to look up "causitry"...and removing it threw the whole bookcase off balance BUT I stabilised it before dying in a hail of books (probably 200 books). I hold Causitry personally responsible for this.

― aimurchie, Tuesday, 11 May 2004 01:15 (twenty-one years ago)

one year passes...

An entire shelf of books fell on me while i was sleeping last week. maria put one on the wall over the bed. it was scary. i was in the middle of a dream and WHAMMO...the really scary thing was that i didn't know where the baby was, but it turned out that he was on maria's side of the bed and maria and him were unscathed. i had a big headache the next day, but no bruises. which seems remarkable considering a big wooden shelf hit my body and face. this was the same shelf that had fallen once before and i told maria that she shouldn't put it up again, but i refrained from saying "i told you so" the next day. i just glared at her murderously instead. to wake up dazed and covered in books...

― scott seward (scott seward), Tuesday, 5 July 2005 01:17 (twenty years ago)

I'm glad it was Causitry who hurt aimurchie and not me. I'd feel terrible!

― Casuistry (Chris P), Tuesday, 5 July 2005 14:21 (twenty years ago)

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