diff --git a/homedecor/books.lua b/homedecor/books.lua
index 0a6cfc6b..725e77ae 100644
--- a/homedecor/books.lua
+++ b/homedecor/books.lua
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ local bookcolors = {
 
 local BOOK_FORMNAME = "homedecor:book_form"
 
+local player_current_book = { }
+
 for c in ipairs(bookcolors) do
 	local color   = bookcolors[c][1]
 	local color_d = S(bookcolors[c][1])
@@ -19,9 +21,15 @@ for c in ipairs(bookcolors) do
 	local function book_dig(pos, node, digger)
 		if minetest.is_protected(pos, digger:get_player_name()) then return end
 		local meta = minetest.get_meta(pos)
+		local data = minetest.serialize({
+			title = meta:get_string("title") or "",
+			text = meta:get_string("text") or "",
+			owner = meta:get_string("owner") or "",
+			_recover = meta:get_string("_recover") or "",
+		})
 		local stack = ItemStack({
 			name = "homedecor:book_"..color,
-			metadata = meta:get_string("text"),
+			metadata = data,
 		})
 		stack = digger:get_inventory():add_item("main", stack)
 		if not stack:is_empty() then
@@ -44,7 +52,7 @@ for c in ipairs(bookcolors) do
 		groups = { snappy=3, oddly_breakable_by_hand=3, book=1 },
 		walkable = false,
 		stack_max = 1,
-		on_rightclick = function(pos, node, clicker)
+		on_punch = function(pos, node, puncher, pointed_thing)
 			local fdir = node.param2
 			minetest.swap_node(pos, { name = "homedecor:book_open_"..color, param2 = fdir })
 		end,
@@ -67,8 +75,17 @@ for c in ipairs(bookcolors) do
 			})
 			local text = itemstack:get_metadata() or ""
 			local meta = minetest.get_meta(pos)
-			meta:set_string("text", text)
 			local data = minetest.deserialize(text) or {}
+			if type(data) ~= "table" then
+				data = {}
+				-- Store raw metadata in case some data is lost by the
+				-- transition to the new meta format, so it is not lost
+				-- and can be recovered if needed.
+				meta:set_string("_recover", text)
+			end
+			meta:set_string("title", data.title or "")
+			meta:set_string("text", data.text or "")
+			meta:set_string("owner", data.owner or "")
 			if data.title and data.title ~= "" then
 				meta:set_string("infotext", data.title)
 			end
@@ -78,31 +95,6 @@ for c in ipairs(bookcolors) do
 			return itemstack
 		end,
 		on_dig = book_dig,
-		on_use = function(itemstack, user, pointed_thing)
-			local player_name = user:get_player_name()
-			local data = minetest.deserialize(itemstack:get_metadata())
-			local title, text, owner = "", "", player_name
-			if data then
-				title, text, owner = data.title, data.text, data.owner
-			end
-			local formspec
-			if owner == player_name then
-				formspec = "size[8,8]"..default.gui_bg..default.gui_bg_img..
-					"field[0.5,1;7.5,0;title;Book title :;"..
-						minetest.formspec_escape(title).."]"..
-					"textarea[0.5,1.5;7.5,7;text;Book content :;"..
-						minetest.formspec_escape(text).."]"..
-					"button_exit[2.5,7.5;3,1;save;Save]"
-			else
-				formspec = "size[8,8]"..default.gui_bg..
-				"button_exit[7,0.25;1,0.5;close;X]"..
-				default.gui_bg_img..
-					"label[0.5,0.5;by "..owner.."]"..
-					"label[0.5,0;"..minetest.formspec_escape(title).."]"..
-					"textarea[0.5,1.5;7.5,7;;"..minetest.formspec_escape(text)..";]"
-			end
-			minetest.show_formspec(user:get_player_name(), BOOK_FORMNAME, formspec)
-		end,
 		selection_box = {
 		        type = "fixed",
 				fixed = {-0.2, -0.5, -0.25, 0.2, -0.35, 0.25}
@@ -121,6 +113,31 @@ for c in ipairs(bookcolors) do
 		walkable = false,
 		on_dig = book_dig,
 		on_rightclick = function(pos, node, clicker)
+			local meta = minetest.get_meta(pos)
+			local player_name = clicker:get_player_name()
+			local title = meta:get_string("title") or ""
+			local text = meta:get_string("text") or ""
+			local owner = meta:get_string("owner") or ""
+			local formspec
+			if owner == "" or owner == player_name then
+				formspec = "size[8,8]"..default.gui_bg..default.gui_bg_img..
+					"field[0.5,1;7.5,0;title;Book title :;"..
+						minetest.formspec_escape(title).."]"..
+					"textarea[0.5,1.5;7.5,7;text;Book content :;"..
+						minetest.formspec_escape(text).."]"..
+					"button_exit[2.5,7.5;3,1;save;Save]"
+			else
+				formspec = "size[8,8]"..default.gui_bg..
+				"button_exit[7,0.25;1,0.5;close;X]"..
+				default.gui_bg_img..
+					"label[0.5,0.5;by "..owner.."]"..
+					"label[0.5,0;"..minetest.formspec_escape(title).."]"..
+					"textarea[0.5,1.5;7.5,7;;"..minetest.formspec_escape(text)..";]"
+			end
+			player_current_book[player_name] = pos
+			minetest.show_formspec(player_name, BOOK_FORMNAME, formspec)
+		end,
+		on_punch = function(pos, node, puncher, pointed_thing)
 			local fdir = node.param2
 			minetest.swap_node(pos, { name = "homedecor:book_"..color, param2 = fdir })
 			minetest.sound_play("homedecor_book_close", {
@@ -141,15 +158,16 @@ minetest.register_on_player_receive_fields(function(player, form_name, fields)
 	if form_name ~= BOOK_FORMNAME or not fields.save then
 		return
 	end
-	local stack = player:get_wielded_item()
-	if minetest.get_item_group(stack:get_name(), "book") == 0 then
-		return
+	local player_name = player:get_player_name()
+	local pos = player_current_book[player_name]
+	if not pos then return end
+	local meta = minetest.get_meta(pos)
+	meta:set_string("title", fields.title or "")
+	meta:set_string("text", fields.text or "")
+	meta:set_string("owner", player_name)
+	if (fields.title or "") ~= "" then
+		meta:set_string("infotext", fields.title)
 	end
-	local data = minetest.deserialize(stack:get_metadata()) or {}
-	data.title, data.text, data.owner =
-		fields.title, fields.text, player:get_player_name()
-	stack:set_metadata(minetest.serialize(data))
-	player:set_wielded_item(stack)
 	minetest.log("action", player:get_player_name().." has written in a book (title: \""..fields.title.."\"): \""..fields.text..
 		"\" at location: "..minetest.pos_to_string(player:getpos()))
 end)