Finding Things In Books

@hvedra (1619)
November 30, 2011 9:24am CST
Have you ever found something in a library book or used book that fascinated you? I buy most of my books second-hand from charity shops and sometimes there are things tucked in them. Usually it's just a forgotten bookmark but sometimes notes like shopping lists, recipes or even old photographs. I even tried out one recipe for a pie that was in an old book (it was a nice pie). Do you ever read little notes that people have made in the margins?
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14 responses
@maezee (42003)
• United States
16 Feb 12
Great question! I was thinking about starting this the other day when I opened my new book from the thrift store (I bought an Augusten Burroughs book for 50 cents), and I opened it to the dog-eared page to find a book of 18 "forever" US postage stamps inside! I thought...Well, heck, it's my lucky day! . Besides that, I seem to find grocery lists, old receipts, old library reciepts, to-do lists, and even a "Las Vegas to pack" list. It's kind of cool and interesting imagining who had the book before you, and what their life was like. Maybe we should all try to leave something in there, for the next person.
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• Mexico
5 Dec 11
Hi hvedra: I think it's nice to find something from the previous owner by a simply casualty. I remembered that I have sometimes found on a book a letter. It feels really good when these things happen because you feel somehow connected with this person that left a part of himself/herself on that book. ALVARO
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@rebeka (364)
• Romania
30 Nov 11
I also like charity books....once i found some love letters, and once i sold a book and i forgot a photo of mine inside :)) the guy who bought the book came back to give me the photo....now this is a good idea....
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@celticeagle (157572)
• Boise, Idaho
2 Dec 11
I happened to find a stack of old college psychology books at a yardsale. I bought them for $5. Reading the margin notes was very insightful. It was difficult reading but the notes were interesting and helped me to understand the topic being read. It was great!
• India
30 Nov 11
I was a sworn bibliomaniac in my college life and most week ends, I used to go book hunting to favorite joints that sold old books in that city. I had collected quite a pile of classics and had sort of mini library myself that mates used to borrow from! Apart from scribbled notes in the margin, a very common thing I often noticed was the underlining of parts of text. So I used to kind of feel happy that some one had already done a prereading to highlight important aspects of that book! Not always would it be something that I would have also done; there used to be other sections that the other guy had missed but I used to find worth marking up. Each with their own!
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1 Dec 11
One of the advantages of buying used math textbooks in college was that I sometimes came across answer sheets and/or notes containing fully worked out problems.
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• United States
30 Nov 11
I have found quite a few things in books that have interested me. Then again, I go to a university that has a pretty large library.
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@ladygator (3465)
• United States
30 Nov 11
I have only found one thing that was a note to someone. And there was a cool book at the Treasure Mart. Its a store in my town that has all used things. And its a huge assortment of items from antiques to furniture. They have vintage clothes. And tons of books. There was a scrap book that was put together in the 50's. It was really really cool. It was completely homemade with special paper, pictures and newspaper clippings.
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@AmbiePam (84632)
• United States
30 Nov 11
No, but when I was ten I know someone got a treat when they checked out my last library book. I used my five dollar bill I got for my allowance as a book mark. I tried to go back the day after I realized my mistake, but it was gone of course. I imagine the librarian restocking the shelves took it. Who wouldn't?
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@Porcospino (31367)
• Denmark
30 Nov 11
I was thinking about this topic last night when I was reading a second hand book that I have bought. It a collection of poems and the previous owner has analysed many of the poems and written notes in the margins. I read her notes and it pretty interesting, because sometimes she sees something in the poems that I don't see when I read them and we don't always agree She has also left an article about the author inside the book. It is a newspaper article from the 1970's and I found it interesting to read it and I learned some new things about the author. I have also found many things in the library books that I have borrowed. Many people write notes in the margins if they have to analyse a story, and I have found different things that people have used as bookmarks for instanse drawings, shopping lists, discount cards and a library card.
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@ardoy0731 (7308)
• Philippines
30 Nov 11
I used to buy second hand books too cause it is really cheaper that the new.So far,I haven't found anything in it but there are some personal notes in the book like name of crush or love,dedication to someone.
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@ygna21 (294)
• Bulgaria
30 Nov 11
I used to borrow books from the library when I was a kid...as far as I remember I have found only bookmarks and notes but nothing interesting really. Now I buy only new books so I don't find anything in them :P Wow you found a pie recipe! That's pretty cool ! :) Happy Mylotting! :)
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@ritanoot (123)
• Israel
30 Nov 11
In all the years that i taking library books i don't find something...
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• Indonesia
30 Nov 11
so far, the thing i have found in a library book is a leaf. I don't know who put it in there. but, i'm very sure the book has not been borrow by anybody for a long time. because the leaf is very old.