Last week, I read the most interesting thing on
Gothamist... there is a bookstore called
Unnameable Books in Williamsburg with a display of assorted things that have been found in used books over the years. "There are postcards, shopping lists, and concert tickets but my favorites are the cryptic notes." For those who can't make it to Unnameable Books,
AbeBooks has compiled a list of things found in their books (including printed lists of upcoming surgeries at a hospital). I haven't been so lucky to find anything interesting (or anything at all, really) in used books, do any of you have stories about your own experiences?
Maybe an easier one to answer: What do you use as a bookmark? I've heard about people attaching ribbons to the inside of spines, baseball cards, putting a rubber band around the pages you've read already, etc. What might someone in the future find in a book you sold back?
when getting rid of books, i often will put random bookmarks inside for the precise purpose of creating a little moment for the next reader - a baseball card, a ticket stub, or an odd keepsake from travels abroad.
ReplyDeletemany of these items were once saved by me cause they were imbued with meaning. over time, meaning fades. and i wonder if when its passed on to the next reader - do they ascribe meaning? do they opt to use it as their bookmark?
I've been ordering most of my books from Amazon lately so most of my bookmarks consist of my Amazon receipts.
ReplyDeletehttp://cassclutter.tumblr.com/post/38969388
ReplyDeletehi jo, i came across this today and remembered that i first read about tag clouds right here and thought you might like to see this if you haven't already.
Good book! I like just about everything Murakami does - even though it's almost always the same. Sputnik Sweetheart is a good, short read. Norwegian Wood is one of my favorites. I just started his newest book, After Dark - but I haven't gotten very far yet.
ReplyDeleteRight now my bookmark is the Rx that my doc wrote me that I never had filled when I was sick.
I wish I could visit that bookstore.
I have been doing a big collection evaluation project at my Library, and I find tons of stuff in the books. One of my coworkers has started to collect these items and has made 2 collages with them!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, everyone! Aly - next time you are in NY (?) I will take you :)
ReplyDeleteOh, and thanks for the tag cloud lead, Anonymous! I like that the spaces inside some letters are used, pretty neat.
ReplyDeleteI found this fabulous relic in a book recently: http://is.gd/Mz0
ReplyDeleteI'm picking it's from the late 80's/early 90's based on research conversations with my mother ("Did you ever go to this place?!") and the printing.