Slog - Comments on Marginalia http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/marginalia Bookshelves of Doom has links to two amazing blogs. One is a Live Journal collection of things that are written in the margins of used books. A recent example: This was in a copy of Inherit the Wind that I checked out of the public library a few years ago; I had this margin note typed up on my computer along with Mencken quotes: Do you have a problem and no one else can help, and you want revenge, contact us at: Ateam4life@hotmail.com And no, I've never tried to contact them. And BoD also links to The Book Inscriptions Project,... Copyright 2008 Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:24:50 -0800 Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:39:26 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Mr. Poe Inscriptions, or any reader writing for that matter, make the book priceless. Without them, jeez. Max would have never met Ms. Cross.

]]> Mr. Poe http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/marginalia#c1061418 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/marginalia#c1061418 Books Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:39:56 -0800 Comment by Fnarf The coolest things I've ever found were a long short story (I hope) that involved the character being raped in her sleep, that was both a highly-charged erotic description and an outpouring of rage; and a long inscription by the author, historian Bernard De Voto, to a young woman, consisting of effusive praise of her abilities and future, in one of his novels (which are not good novels, but hey, it was a buck).

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/marginalia#c1061484 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/marginalia#c1061484 Books Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:41:13 -0800 Comment by dawicksta I have a friend who frequently receives books as gifts - often the same books (he's one of these lucky people for whom other people constantly feel compelled to give gifts - that in itself has always cracked me up) and he always said he'd wish people would stop inscribing them so he could re-gift. (i think this was after he'd received his 7th copy of TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE) Now when I give him a book I think he might enjoy I inscribe it, BUT on a removable post it note, which I happily inscribed was so he could easily regift. I started it mostly as a joke, but now everyone who knows him gives him books with post it inscriptions!

I tend to be a fan of inscribed used books, but a post it is another option.

]]> dawicksta http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/marginalia#c1061502 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/marginalia#c1061502 Books Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:56:30 -0800 Comment by Sarah I love the Suicide Guidebook inscription on the Book Inscriptions Project site:
http://bookinscriptions.com/books/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/suicide.gif

]]> Sarah http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/marginalia#c1061562 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/marginalia#c1061562 Books Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:35:18 -0800 Comment by Xenu, Warrior Thetan on a similar note, here's another collection:

http://deuceofclubs.com/books/dedicated/index.html

I contributed item 17.

]]> Xenu, Warrior Thetan http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/marginalia#c1061575 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/marginalia#c1061575 Books Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:43:13 -0800 Comment by emmmm haha, the a-team! no way. they're early 20 something grosso oi punks who regularly piss me off by starting fights at nearly every party i go to.

]]> emmmm http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/marginalia#c1061655 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/marginalia#c1061655 Books Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:52:32 -0800 Comment by pretentious i bought a (ghastly, terrible) rod mccuen book at a thrift store only because of the flowery handwriting in the inside cover that said "thank you for YOU."

]]> pretentious http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/marginalia#c1061661 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/marginalia#c1061661 Books Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:56:46 -0800 Comment by Fnarf Rod McKuen is not ghastly and terrible. He is ghastly and MAGNIFICENT. You should hear his record albums.

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/marginalia#c1061779 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/06/marginalia#c1061779 Books Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:39:26 -0800