Friday 12 July 2013

French Books Drive Me Crazy






On the left, you have a stack of English printed books. On the right, you have a stack of books printed in France. See anything that's COMPLETELY wrong with this picture, to the point you wish you could reach in and fix it? 

See it? 

Yes! It's the French books. The spines are printed upside down and it drives me bananas! I wish I could rip them off and stick them back on correctly. I don't know why they're printed like that, but I going to assume it has something to do with readability when stacked vertically on a bookshelf. Still, they drive me nuts. The only solution I've found is to stack French books upside down so the spines read properly and then top it off with an English printed book. Interestingly enough, I have a few mangas which are printed back to front, but they don't bother me at all. I think it's because I expected the back to front print when I bought them. 

Anyway, that's my stupid rant for today. I'm going to be MIA all of next week, the kids are on summer break and I'm taking them to visit family. 

Have a great weekend everyone, and may your worst problems be the print alignment of your book spines.


50 comments:

  1. Haha, I know what you mean. That would drive me bonkers, too.

    Have a great weekend as well as a great next week and see you when you get back :)

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  2. See you when you get back. Lots of things can drive us bonkers.

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  3. That is really odd. No matter how you stack them, they are still upside down.
    Enjoy your time with family!

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  4. Interesting. I never knew that.
    I would be frustrated, too. I feel your pain.

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  5. Yea, that is kind of annoying.

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  6. If you stack the French books face down, they read correctly, I think. But who stacks their books like that? I guess the French do.

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  7. How odd? I wonder why they do that. Have a great week.

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  8. I wonder what the reasoning is behind that. Have they not noticed they are backwards from other countries?

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  9. So, you're saying than when the books are stacked vertically, standing upright, it's perceived the titles are easier to read UP than to read DOWN? That would drive me nuts, too!

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  10. Mark: Thanks Mark!

    Sheena-kay: My list is loooooong, lol. (:

    Alex: Thanks Alex!

    Melissa: Crazy isn't it?

    Sara: Yep. (:

    Richard: That's correct. Stack them face down and they read properly. But I hate knowing they're stacked that way, you can't admire the front cover when they are facing down.

    Jo: Hi Jo. Yes it's odd and I think they do that specifically to drive me crazy. (;

    Diane: I think it has to do with being able to read the titles easier when on a bookshelf... I don't think France is the only country that has the titles on upside down, but it still drives me crazy.

    Dianne: Yes, I think that's why they're printed that way, and it's been like that for generations. Apparently it's easier to read for bookstore owners... still looks weird to me though.

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  11. I think it's harder to read regardless of which way the books are stacked. Silly French people.

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  12. Crazy French - I can see a gaelic shrug if you ask them why they do it that way. Have a good time with your family.

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  13. Missing you already, you smiling trouble maker! Have a wonderful time on your jollies. See you when you get back :)

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  14. mshatch: I do too. Silly indeed. (=

    Sally: LOL! I can picture that too. :D

    Mark: Me too! Psst: It's all in the smile, MK. ;)

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  15. Things like that bother me too, and makes one wonder, Why?

    I know about the Manga books reading differently, which goes with their culture of reading, but perhaps the French printers are set to print that way for some obscure reason decades ago.

    Have fun with the kids and family!

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  16. Elise!

    Yes, you've been wondering why you haven't yet received a comment from that amazingly nice dude, Gary. My friend, your wait is over! :)

    Talk about being in a bind over a bind. Those French, mon dieu and ooh la la! :)

    Enjoy your weekend and your family time.

    Sadly, I must go now.

    Gary :)

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  17. See. I always knew there was something underhand about Les Bleu and now I know why :)

    Happy weekend - and fun with les little uns :)

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  18. there's a law you MUST buy furrin books? :P lmfao

    have fun mit der rugrats und fambly ;)

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  19. That's really weird about French books. All the French books I've seen had their spines in the right direction, though maybe it's because they were older or editions published outside of France?

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  20. Have a great time with the kids and visiting family! :)

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  21. LOL that is weird. Just buy all french then at least it will look the same

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  22. Yes, I noticed that right away! That would drive me crazy. Like you though, the mangas I have don't bother me at all. It adds character to my bookshelf.

    Enjoy your family time! :)

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  23. Didn't know that about the French books. I do have mangas and as you say, it doesn't bother me. Have a great week with your children and family.

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  24. That's strange that the spines are like that. It would irk me too. Have a great time with the family! :)

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  25. Ir is a annoying quirk, huh? But why do the Brits and Aussies drive on the wrong side of the road? It's one of the mysteries of the universe! lol

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  26. How French is that?! lol Yes, it would drive me nuts, too~ I hope you and yours have a wonderful time visiting!!

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  27. I think it forms part of the essence of "Frenchness"... know what I mean?
    Have a great week with your family!
    Writer In Transit

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  28. I schooled in Japan for a while and the books are entirely backwards from English books--that was definitely difficult to get used to! Anyway, I hope all is well, Elise!! Sorry it took me so long to check in with you!!!

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  29. Hi Elise .. can see your point - I agree that would drive me nutty too ..

    I have a great -ology word for you ... Dirt-ologist .. spotted on a little lad getting into the train on their way to London ... loved it - the sad thing was they were going to Great Ormond Street hospital for sick children .. the Dirtologist = long may he get better and live a happy dirty life ..

    Have a fun time with your family and the kids - cheers Hilary

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  30. Gary: Thank you Gary for commenting. I can now finish this chapter of my life and turn the page. :D

    Mark: LoL! Thanks Mark, should be fun.

    Lawuff: Thanks, wuff. (=

    Carrie-Ann: Strange, they must have been printed else where. The French have been printing like this for many generations...

    Jackie: Thanks Jackie, will do. (:

    Patt: Oh no way, lol! So much gets lost in translation... (:

    Krystal: Thanks, Krystal. And I agree with you about the mangas, it certainly adds variety. (:

    Holy Ghost Writer: Well, now you do! (:

    Al: Thanks, Al!

    Christine: Thanks, Christine. It's funny how these little differences get under my skin. (:

    Lexa: I've wondered that too, lol. But oddly enough it's not the driving that's too hard to get used to. It's mixing up the turn signals and the windshield wipers that drove me nuts!

    Ella: Thanks Ella!

    Michelle: LOL! If it's complicated, and impractical...it's French. (;

    Randi: No worries Randi! Going to school in Japan must have been a great experience. Would have loved to have done something like that when I was younger.

    Hilary: Dirtologist--haha, love it. I hope the hospital can help the little guy though. I think kids that study dirtology are the happiest. Have a wonderful weekend, Hilary!

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  31. Before even looking at your post, I was wondering why the heck they're upside down. That would drive me crazy.

    Have fun on your visits :)

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  32. LOL! I think that would drive me nuts too! I think it is already. Why'd you do this to me?? :)
    Enjoy your time off. Writer’s Mark

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  33. Funny. You're a bit of a perfectionist, eh?

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  34. I have a pretty decent collection of French books, and you're right about the spines. It annoys me, too, so I had to put them on a separate shelf that's out of easy view.

    Happy weekend!

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  35. Funny! I knew something was weird about the books when I was over there but I couldn't remember what it was until just now :P

    Have fun visiting the family!

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  36. Wow, that's interestingly nutso! Thanks for sharing this, Elise. Now I feel like I know a little more about France. :)

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  37. Yes, upside down spines would drive me nuts as well.

    Just stopped by to let you know that you've won a prize for the Paying Forward Awards. Congrats! Please contact me at mishagericke(AT)gmail(DOT)com to claim your prize.

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  38. Oh you don't want to look at Japanese books then lol

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  39. Wow, that would be annoying when you were pulling books off a shelf and browsing.

    I hope you enjoy your family week Elise.

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  40. That is weird! But then, they probably think our book spines are weird! Enjoy your week off.

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  41. Have fun. I'd probably be disturbed if I had to shelve these books. :)

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  42. just goes to show, that if you slip in mud, you will fall down. while you are down, you will be on your backside. while on your backside you will look at those spins and see what they say...finally! hahaha

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  43. I couldn't take the upside down look either. Or the driving on the wrong side of the road ;)

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    1. Scratch that! As soon as I hit publish, I guessed I was wrong...googled it and found they are right. So it's only the books!

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  44. That would really annoy me as well! haha. Silly French books ;)

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  45. That would definitely make me nuts! Granted, my shelves are a mix of Japanese and English already, so I've given up hoping for any kind of organization (thanks, hubby...). Hope you're having a nice week!

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  46. OMG! I never knew! Another reason I should be glad I don't read French. LOL. If I did, I'd have to store them upright.

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  47. oh boy. THat would drive me bonkers too!
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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  48. LOL, Elise. Stacked horizontally, yeah, they bug me too. But I don't think it'd be so bad seeing the spines vertically...
    Some Dark Romantic

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