Buying a used book that has a dedication written in it.

[chazraps]

Anyone else feel some type a way about getting these?

[Hit Girl]

Jan 16, 2015 16:17:12 GMT -5 chazraps said:

Anyone else feel some type a way about getting these?

I don't know what this sentence means, but yes, once my uncle gave me some old books. Turned out, they were all from his ex-girlfriend.

[Deleted]

If you mean as in someone wrote in it while gifting it to someone else? Then, yeah. I think its cool. Makes me feel like ... I dunno...like I'm reading a part of someone else's history. They read it. Loved it and someone else enough to give it as a gift.

If you mean the author just dedicated it to someone, then no.

[chazraps]

Jan 16, 2015 16:59:32 GMT -5 @personman01 said:

If you mean as in someone wrote in it while gifting it to someone else? Then, yeah. I think its cool. Makes me feel like ... I dunno...like I'm reading a part of someone else's history. They read it. Loved it and someone else enough to give it as a gift.

Yeah, that's what I mean.

I got this book listed as "Acceptable" from Amazon and it arrives in mint condition EXCEPT for, written on the first page, "Happy Birthday Ashley! I [picture of a heart] U, Suzy. 2007"

Did Ashley have a happy birthday? Did she have a falling out with Suzy? How did this book go from Ashley's possession into mine and were there any people in-between?

Not to pass judgment on Ashley, I truly do hope she had a happy birthday and has many more to come, but I'm of the belief that you never give away a gift. Maybe this doesn't necessarily count because it was probably several years later she sold it, but how would Suzy know that on Ashley's birthday this year she won't be looking through her personal library and remembering that book from eight years ago.

I'm well aware that I'm overthinking this so much that the verb "overthinking" doesn't feel strong enough, but now I'm concerned that troubles have befallen Ashley that would require her to sell the book. Or is she no longer with us? Or was it stolen and she's dying to be re-united with it?

I know it came from a Texas Goodwill, so if any of you know of a girl named Ashley who lives in Texas and has a birthday this year, I have some questions for her.

I do like the idea of "Reading a part of someone's history" though. I hadn't thought of it that way. That's pretty cool.

[Mister Pigwell]

I think it's fascinating when it happens.

What's even better though is when there's old papers or love letters in them.

[Hawk Hart]

I once bought a used book that had a hand written dedication and signature from the author in it.

[DSR]

I used to work at a Thrift Store, and people donated personal stuff all the time. Family photos, video of their parents' 50th wedding anniversary, notebooks from high school with notes about who they're crushing on, etc. I felt very weird going through that stuff.

[Next Level was WRONG]

My copy of The Three Musketeers has "Dec 25th 1959. Merry Xmas Son from Mum and Dad" on the first page.

[Deleted]

I got a book once that was inscribed on the title page: "To Ted...........see you soon."



...............Ted died, you guys. That is what I think happened there.

[chazraps]

Jan 16, 2015 22:02:32 GMT -5 @knapp said:

I got a book once that was inscribed on the title page: "To Ted...........see you soon."



...............Ted died, you guys. That is what I think happened there.

This one I have to know, what book was it?

[Sir Woodrow]

I bought a used copy of The Silmarillion that from looking in the inside cover was an award handed to a kid from his school, after reading the first 20 pages I think the book was actually punishment

[Cranjis McBasketball]

I once bought a copy of Catcher in the Rye with tons of insane writings all over the pages and the name Mark David Chapman on the first page. I wonder what happened to that dude??

Seriously though, that book is somewhere, someone must have it.

[Amazing Kitsune]

It upsets me, generally.


Except when I found a series of books from the 19th Century with letters from the Early 1910s on the inside. It was a complete set of a series and a bookstore was about to throw them out to make space--so I got them for free. They're good books and I found a lot of letters (Still in tremendous condition, from a Judge in Ohio to his brother (A Sheriff/Oil Speculator in Texas), Valentine's day cards, and old catalogue pages (Used as bookmarks) on the inside.

[Zombie Mod]

just want to point out that Ashley can be both a male & female name.

[Mid-Carder]

There's something extremely evocative about someone's handwriting

[Chip Chipperson]

I didn't know that people actually wrote inside books unless it's by the author or the name of a child who might lose it.

[chazraps]

Jan 17, 2015 6:59:01 GMT -5 Zombie Mod said:

just want to point out that Ashley can be both a male & female name.

Sure, in the same way any book is a children's book if the kid can read.

[Zombie Mod]

Jan 17, 2015 19:01:34 GMT -5 chazraps said:

Jan 17, 2015 6:59:01 GMT -5 Zombie Mod said:

just want to point out that Ashley can be both a male & female name.

Sure, in the same way any book is a children's book if the kid can read.

I'll tell my cousin to change his name then.

[Deleted]

Not with a book but I have a signed postcard from Lloyd Waner (baseball Hall of famer albeit one of the worst) and it still had the mailing address and stamp from when the person sent it. Waner signed both sides too.

[Johawn]

I once bought a first edition Enid Blyton book (I wasn't looking for first edition, or even particularly an Enid Blyton book) that didn't have a dedication in, but some writing by the original little girl who owned it;

"If this book should chance to roam
Box its lugs and send it home

Georgina, aged 9"

I haven't seen the book since I was probably about that age myself, but for some reason I never forgot it and it always makes me smile.