150 of 151 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Compact and versatile book holder, May 12, 2009
Length:: 3:11 Mins
Awesome book holder. Now I can hardly bear to read without it. Was surprised how small it is when it arrived, thought that it wouldn't be very effective. Wrong.
It works great on all the books I've tried it on. Well, okay, I tried to demonstrate it for my friend with one of her law school text books, which is pretty huge, and it was overwhelmed. But on all the novels and paperbacks I've read it's great. I like to read at lunch time and people are constantly stopping and doing double takes and asking about it. I should just get a bunch and sell them at lunch time.
The little 'page slots' are a really neat extra detail. You can put like 15 pages in the slots and it makes it super quick to turn pages without lifting the spring. Hard to describe, but trust me, it's very cool and simple when you see it work.
My wife didn't want to use it on some of her books because she thought it would be tough on the spine, bending it open too far. I guess if you have maybe a 50 year old paperback with a cracked spine thats falling apart, then, no, I wouldn't use this or any other book holder for that matter. The book will be held wide open flat. (Well, that's the whole point really!) When I've finished with a book, I put it back on the shelf and the spines all quickly return to normal and basically look un-read.
Another weird thing is how quickly I read books now. When the book is just sitting there open with no effort, it's like you can't take your eyes off it. Where was this thing when I was in college and had to read 50 pages a night for those Lit classes?
Also surprising is how stout this thing is. It's like it was carved from a solid block of dense plastic. Really well made.
You will pry it from my cold dead hands.
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53 of 61 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Meh., February 13, 2008
The Book Gem is a book holder. It is a clever design and is well constructed. I had high hopes for using it while reading in bed.
It works pretty well for some books, not at all well for others. It is hopeless for large hardbacks; it isn't strong or large enough to hold them in place. For paperbacks, it works but is more hassle than it is worth. You need to be very careful when sliding the pages in and out of the holding slots or they'll tear on the rubber grippers. Transferring groups of pages from the main clips to the holding slots and vice versa is an even greater hassle.
I find it quite useful for smaller crossword books where I need the stability but don't turn the pages very often. For this one specific use, it is great; otherwise, meh.
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26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Ultimate Hands Free Bookholder, August 17, 2008
I hesitated at the price of this when I first bought one a few years ago, a new creation at the time. I actually bought several as I gave the extras as gifts. Now I need more, others have been noticing mine at work.
It more than paid for itself and will continue to do so, the quality is extraordinary. No detail of its design/use has been overlooked.
As it's completely flat when folded, it is extremely portable with sharp edges to catch and crack or crush.
update 2011
I e-mailed to order more grips that had worn out and they sent new ones, in a #10 envelope, free. And will remain free for the life of the product.
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