Weird Bookmarks

Is it the stress of these times, the offbeat humor of a younger generation, or the feeling that printed books are a “lagging technology” as the digital transition proceeds apace that has generated a number of new clever but unsettling bookmark designs? I began noticing these bookmarks-with-a-difference during the last year or so, and thought it was time to do an inventory. 

The first entry was announced in January, 2009 and has generated a great deal of attention on sites devoted to technology gadgets. Known variously as the USB Bookmark or the Four Eyes Bookmark, it has evoked a number of comments comparing it to traditional markers, They include:  “Bookmarks, you know the things you used to put in books to keep your place? Yep, those, not the digital version, but the crappy old ones? Guess what, SolidAlliance is now proposing a new kind bookmark that mixes old and new. . . . In the shape of a pair of glasses, or a feather, here's a new kind of USB Bookmark with 2GB of internal memory, which can store many things like . . . your digital bookmarks.”

Of the two styles, the one with a thin, flat pair of black horn-rimmed glasses attached to the USB has attracted the most commentary since “its geek chic silhouette pays tribute to nerd culture.” If you’re not sure how to spot a nerd, one reviewer provided helpful identifying clues:  “Think of the term ‘nerd’ and you will likely identify this type of individual with a list of visual cues. Ranked highest among these would be the classic thick black frame eyeglasses. Nerds can be found around the world, going against the grain of popular culture. These socially awkward misfits partake in cerebral activities such as academic reading and technical gadgetry.” Clearly, this bookmark aims to capitalize on nerdly habits and predilections.

Another reviewer assigned it a place in the annals of “nerd-dom”:

Looks like the good old nerd glasses are back. They never left really. Worn by the likes of Buddy Holly in years past and every other hipster in the present, nerd glasses are all the rage. Among nerds. Here they are in a new form. . . . Bullies might have to change their taunt of “Four eyes” to “Four eyes, two gigs.” These will likely fly off the virtual shelves as everyone loves nerdy stuff. But, a bookmark? Really? What the hell. You saw what dork specs did for Superman. They fooled everybody into thinking he and Clark Kent were different people. Of course there’s always the chance that people in Metropolis were just plain stupid too. Anyhow, get a pair and nerd it up Poindexter.

The discerning Wired magazine couldn’t decide how to categorize it but managed to come up with a backhanded compliment: “In fact, these glasses leave us rather confused. It’s as if the designer, Willie Tsang, took a whole bag of concepts, shook them up like Scrabble tiles and pulled out this rather dyslexic design. Still, while they might be ‘conceptual’, they’re not a mere concept. These spectacles, USB stick, bookmark, or whatever it might be, can be had. 2GB and unlimited place-marking for $30.”

Another reviewer opined that “something as high-tech as this would go better with an e-book.” It’s not only printed books that seem old fashioned to this crowd, however. A commenter who thought it was pure genius nonetheless wondered “can’t you read books online? Does anyone really use a USB anymore?” Other than the generic e-book, no one suggested specific books to pair with the device, but perhaps nerds read only technology manuals. On second thought, that seems highly unlikely since no one reads the manuals.

If these bookmarks are intended to appeal to nerds, the next unusual bookmark goes for the opposite end of the spectrum, promising to be “the hottest way to keep track of what page you are on.” This bookmark is die-cut plastic in the shape of orange flames extending from the top and side of the book.  It’s alarming and intriguing at the same time.  One reviewer sums it up nicely along with suggestions for appropriate book pairings: “Are you diving into a smoldering novel? Browsing through some incendiary literature? Give the book-burning-bunch something to get hot about with this flaming placeholder. Wedge it snugly between the pages of your favorite edition of ‘Fahrenheit 451’ and let this stylized flame show you quickly to your saved spot. You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them!” If this bookmark entices readers to pick up their books, then it’s surely a good thing.

Another bookmark plays on the shock value of seeing something disquieting and damaging attached to a book. Usually called the “Liquid Bookmark,” this custom design by Kouichi Okamoto of Kyouei Design is made of silicone and appears to drip over the outside of the book. In an article titled “Bloody bookmark saves your page with liquid evil”, the reviewer suggests “What better way to mark the page in that Halloween horror novel you have been reading than with this bloody bookmark?” Murder mysteries, hospital settings, and war stories also come to mind, but those connections may be too direct. He offers additional interpretive suggestions for the gray and white designs: “The set also comes in “mercury” and “milk” versions, but those are for . . . depression and parenting books maybe?”

In case you become entrapped in a book that is boring, ponderous, impenetrable or never-ending, the Help Me Bookmark can come to your rescue. Its colorful plastic hand reaches out from the depths of the book. Whether it is ready to seize a handhold or slap a “high five” may depend on the nature of the book from which it hopes to escape. The word “bookmark” is cut out of the shaft. Interestingly, if you flip it over, the word “book” reads correctly either way. 

Possibly the weirdest of the lot and definitely the one with the most clever descriptions is known as “Dead Mark.” The manufacturer describes him in this manner: “Poor Mark! He has met a sticky end, a squishy end to be more precise, his floppy body trapped within the pages of your book, scrabbling to get out, all the while happily keeping your place. You know, keeping the page of that point in the story where the man gets crushed by a giant encyclopedia. Forget pressed flowers and old receipts, Mark is the future and what else will he do now he’s dead!”

Another fan gives him a more appealing introduction: “Wanted: good-looking fella seeks book-loving gal; easily flattened by all the attention. If he's your guy, meet Dead Mark, the only man you'll ever need in your life. Never mind the ominous-sounding name, Markie here'll never give you grief. Instead, he'll bring along plenty of enjoyment between the pages. Just one wee catch: he's a little yellow-complexioned, and comes related to Dead Fred, Hanging Harry, Splat Stan, and Stress Paul.” His companions serve as a pen holder, light pull, coaster, and stress reliever, respectively. Is Dead Mark the perfect gift for a sadistic friend? One site notes that too much knowledge can be dangerous and pairs Mark with the perfect book cover. Google helpfully offers these suggestions from a search on “dead mark” bookmark:  Is Shakespeare Dead: From My Autobiography by Mark Twain, The Dead by Mark E Rogers, and Is He Dead: A Comedy in Three Acts by Mark Twain.

Whether burning, dripping, squashed, or just nerdy, these oddments mark your place in arresting new ways. Electronic bookmarks will never beat even these non-traditional markers for interest, variety, and even shock value.  

Bookmark specifications: USB Bookmark
Dimensions: 33mm x 152 mm
Material: Polyvinylchloride
Manufacturer: Willy Tsang, Designer; SolidAlliance
Date: 2009
Available: Geek Stuff 4 U

Bookmark specifications: Burning Bookmark
Dimensions: 3 3 / 4 x 7”
Material: Plastic
Manufacturer: Gama-Go
Date: 2008
Available: Gamo-Go   

Bookmark specifications: Liquid Bookmark
Dimensions: 2 x 10”
Material: Silicone rubber
Manufacturer: Kouichi Okamoto designer; Kyouei Co., Shizuoka, Japan
Date: 2009
Available: Kyouei Design

Bookmark specifications: Help Me Bookmark
Dimensions:
Material: Plastic
Manufacturer: Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability
Date: 2009
Acquired: eBay; also available at JetsSoBox

Bookmark specifications: Dead Mark
Dimensions: 4 x 5”
Material: Silicone rubber
Manufacturer: Suck UK
Date: 2009
Available: Suck UK


Laine Farley is a digital librarian who misses being around the look, feel and smell of real books.  Her collection of over 3,000 bookmarks began with a serendipitous find while reviewing books donated to the library. Fortunately, her complementary collection of articles and books about bookmarks provides an excuse for her to get back to libraries and try her hand at writing about bookmarks. Contact Laine.