Seeing more requests to update heirloom books has me torn

I mean, lately I've noticed a bunch of folks bringing in old family books wanting them redone in bright colors or fancy leather. Idk, but it feels wrong to cover up the original binding that has history. Just last week, a customer asked me to put a shiny new cover on her grandpa's journal from the war, and it got me thinking. Maybe it's just me, but I think some things should stay as they are. What's your take on updating heirloom books?

3 comments

3 Comments

matthew5021mo ago

Covering a war journal... that just feels like hiding the history it carries.

jesse8631mo ago

What happens when the damage itself is part of the story? Covering it, like @matthew502 said, does hide the history. It smooths over the real wear and tear that object lived through. That battered cover and those torn pages are proof of where it's been. Getting rid of that feels like losing the truth for a cleaner lie.

bailey.sandra29d ago

Better a covered book than one that turns to dust before you finish it.