A Body of Divinity by James Ussher.

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baron

Puritan Board Graduate
I need to settle a debate.

Now this book is not new to me I have had it on my book shelf for over a year or two. My wife and I are having diffrent opnions about this book. See it came sealed in plastic and I have it on my shelf just as it arrived. Now my wife thinks this is stupid and wants to rip the plastic off. I said she can rip the plastic off if she is going to read the book. I will most likely never read the book that goes for my wife also. Leaving the book sealed in plastic won't hurt the book will it? My wife think's it will yellow faster without air. I'm not sure I think it's the opposite that air will yellow it out faster. Any thoughts?
 
Any thoughts?

Aren't you just the slightest bit curious as to what is inside? Sometimes just the table of contents can be a blessing to read.

I would imagine the plastic is protecting the book, otherwise publishers would not opt for it.
 
That plastic is at the very least protecting the book from dust, which just happens to be about the biggest enemy of books. (Dust acts like an abrasive).

Eventually most any plastic will dry out and crack or even begin to disintegrate. Some time before that point, the plastic might adhere to and damage the book's dustcover. However, based on my own experience, you shouldn't see any such problem for at least twenty years, maybe more (so long as the book isn't exposed to heat or set under direct sunlight.)

Leave it set somewhere under direct sun or expose it to high heat and all bets are off.

Yellowing of paper is mostly caused by the acid content of the paper. If the publisher was careful to use acid-free paper, then the book will likely last a lifetime or more. Exposure to sunlight (UV light) is another, though lesser, cause of yellowing. Lesser because most people don't leave their books out in the sun for long periods of time. That said, fluorescent lights are a source of UV, and can damage paper over time. There are UV shields that can slip over fluorescent tubes, and these are available from archival supply companies. Or you can simply put your books in bookcases with doors or darkened glass.

Of the old Lenox Library on the Princeton campus, Dr. David Calhoun wrote:

When completed in 1843, the new building of brown sandstone and Italian marble--an outstanding example of American Gothic architecture--boasted handsome woodwork and furnishings of black walnut, windows of amber glass to protect the books from sunlight, and ten thousand volumes.
-- Calhoun, Princeton Seminary, Vol. 1, p. 270.
 
If you do not have any intent on reading it why have it? At least skim through it on occasion, the question-answer format works well with this. That is what I do with my copy.
 
When you do get an opportunity to read it you will find that Ussher is obviously a source for much of the Westminster Larger Catechism.
 
If you and your wife are never going to read it you could give it to me. (Just a thought)

Sounds interesting.

Aren't you just the slightest bit curious as to what is inside? Sometimes just the table of contents can be a blessing to read.

I had the book before and someone borrowed it. I did look at the table of contents but remember nothing. Let me explain it's not that I would not like to read the book it's due to bad eyesight it is to hard for me to read the book. Thats why I purchase everything for my Kindle which I can enlarge.
If you do not have any intent on reading it why have it?

I had bought a bundle of books and that work was included. Now when people ask me the question "have you read all those books on book shelves" I now say of course not see here is a book still in the plastic.
 
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