I have a dictionary given to my by my then-boyfriend. Later, when he proposed, I put the petals from the roses throughout the pages randomly. 24 years later, he has passed on, and the petals remain a beautiful deep burgundy colour, smooth, papery.
Further to our conversation below yesterday...I just opened a book I bought from a library sale a few days ago and a little business card fell out for the "Oldest Licensed Pub In Scotland"! All the way from Loch Lomond, Scotland. I shall keep it with the book when I pass it on :)
Oh, I loved this, Rosalynn! I can't believe you have to rub out the marginalia of a book before selling it...I LOVE reading the notes in second hand books! They add to the appeal of buying second hand. Also, like you, I love to find other things in books; I've had both library books and second hand books with things like Metro tickets, a plane ticket once, and shopping lists. My favourite though was a library book which had a photograph of a baby in it! I handed it into the librarian, who did a bit of detective work to find out who had last borrowed the book, which I thought was really sweet. The funny thing is, whenever I get a book with something in it, I can never bear to throw it out, and always leave it in there, even if I pass the book on (or when I return it to the library). It feels like it 'belongs' to the book's story, somehow. I have now started storing old postcards or notes in my own books on my bookshelves, so that when I return for a re-read, I get to experience a memory of the last time I read the book :)
Oh, that’s so lovely! I may have to start putting mementos in my books as well. I do always keep the receipts/store bookmarks inside when I buy a book on vacation, for this very reason. Also, your sweet library story reminds me of one of my own. I recently checked out a library copy of Clutter: an Untidy History, in which an earlier reader had underlined several passages related to why we keep things and then wrote (in pencil) “my daughter-in-law does this.” I laughed, but also, as an erstwhile daughter-in-law, felt so much sympathy for her!
I used to find contact lenses in library books - several times. The soft, disposable ones I assumed. Not as bad as a Q-tip perhaps, but a bit off-putting!
When I was a kid, I would often use a flattened (unused) Kleenex as a bookmark 🙂
Now I have a little box on the bookshelf completely dedicated to bookmarks that we get from various stores as well as the ones I design for my job at a public library.
I have one particularly nice bookmark, made of cork, that my parents brought back from a trip to Portugal. It goes with me from book to book, as I usually only read one at a time. If I do have a second on the go, I end up making do with a receipt or some other scrap, because I do not have a proper home for my bookmark collection like you do, but I totally should. I’ve never thought inside the box (of Kleenex) but I do see the suitability!
For me, every book has two stories. The story that is in the book itself and the story of the reader reading said book. I am interested in both and it makes me happy when there's marginalia in my second hand books.
I like finding marginalia and yet personally, I cannot write in books! Even in pencil, it just feels wrong. If I have to make notes, I will write on post-its and stick them in.
I loved reading every word of this! For me every book has a story behind the story in it, the mood I was on while reading it, the season, my expectations of the book, the feel of the book in my hands, the smell, (a library book smells differently then a newly bought one) , how I felt after reading it, they all contribute to the value of the book afterwards. I think I will borrow Kate’s idea of leaving a memento in each book, a sign that will remind me of that time when I read it. And if, in 70 years, someone else finds the little rose petals, the photograph, the postcard from an exotic destination, tucked away in the book ….they can imagine the story the way they want it. I hope that, in 70 years, people will still read paper books and love them…
I have a dictionary given to my by my then-boyfriend. Later, when he proposed, I put the petals from the roses throughout the pages randomly. 24 years later, he has passed on, and the petals remain a beautiful deep burgundy colour, smooth, papery.
That is so beautiful, Chris.
Further to our conversation below yesterday...I just opened a book I bought from a library sale a few days ago and a little business card fell out for the "Oldest Licensed Pub In Scotland"! All the way from Loch Lomond, Scotland. I shall keep it with the book when I pass it on :)
Thanks for sharing! Have you heard that the Oakland Library has an online exhibit of the things people left in their returned library books? It's a very cute one: https://oaklandlibrary.org/explore/?tag=found-in-a-library-book-artifacts%2Cfound-in-a-library-book-notes%2Cfound-in-a-library-book-photos%2Cfound-in-a-library-book-cards-and-letters%2Cfound-in-a-library-book-bookmarks%2Cfound-in-a-library-book-kids%2Cfound-in-a-library-book%2Cfound-in-a-library-book-facts%2Cfound-in-a-library-book-lists%2Cfound-in-a-library-book-creative-writing%2Cfound-in-a-library-book-written-in-a-book
I did not know that! Very cool! Thanks so much for this link :)
Oh, I loved this, Rosalynn! I can't believe you have to rub out the marginalia of a book before selling it...I LOVE reading the notes in second hand books! They add to the appeal of buying second hand. Also, like you, I love to find other things in books; I've had both library books and second hand books with things like Metro tickets, a plane ticket once, and shopping lists. My favourite though was a library book which had a photograph of a baby in it! I handed it into the librarian, who did a bit of detective work to find out who had last borrowed the book, which I thought was really sweet. The funny thing is, whenever I get a book with something in it, I can never bear to throw it out, and always leave it in there, even if I pass the book on (or when I return it to the library). It feels like it 'belongs' to the book's story, somehow. I have now started storing old postcards or notes in my own books on my bookshelves, so that when I return for a re-read, I get to experience a memory of the last time I read the book :)
Oh, that’s so lovely! I may have to start putting mementos in my books as well. I do always keep the receipts/store bookmarks inside when I buy a book on vacation, for this very reason. Also, your sweet library story reminds me of one of my own. I recently checked out a library copy of Clutter: an Untidy History, in which an earlier reader had underlined several passages related to why we keep things and then wrote (in pencil) “my daughter-in-law does this.” I laughed, but also, as an erstwhile daughter-in-law, felt so much sympathy for her!
Love it! 😀
I used to find contact lenses in library books - several times. The soft, disposable ones I assumed. Not as bad as a Q-tip perhaps, but a bit off-putting!
When I was a kid, I would often use a flattened (unused) Kleenex as a bookmark 🙂
Now I have a little box on the bookshelf completely dedicated to bookmarks that we get from various stores as well as the ones I design for my job at a public library.
But sometimes tissues are just what you’ve got!
I have one particularly nice bookmark, made of cork, that my parents brought back from a trip to Portugal. It goes with me from book to book, as I usually only read one at a time. If I do have a second on the go, I end up making do with a receipt or some other scrap, because I do not have a proper home for my bookmark collection like you do, but I totally should. I’ve never thought inside the box (of Kleenex) but I do see the suitability!
For me, every book has two stories. The story that is in the book itself and the story of the reader reading said book. I am interested in both and it makes me happy when there's marginalia in my second hand books.
I like finding marginalia and yet personally, I cannot write in books! Even in pencil, it just feels wrong. If I have to make notes, I will write on post-its and stick them in.
I feel you! Before I was so scared to write on my books now I cannot not write on my books
I loved reading every word of this! For me every book has a story behind the story in it, the mood I was on while reading it, the season, my expectations of the book, the feel of the book in my hands, the smell, (a library book smells differently then a newly bought one) , how I felt after reading it, they all contribute to the value of the book afterwards. I think I will borrow Kate’s idea of leaving a memento in each book, a sign that will remind me of that time when I read it. And if, in 70 years, someone else finds the little rose petals, the photograph, the postcard from an exotic destination, tucked away in the book ….they can imagine the story the way they want it. I hope that, in 70 years, people will still read paper books and love them…
Thank you, Adina! And I fervently hope so, too. A world without printed books is just too bleak for my imagination.