Things I’ve Found in Books

I consider myself fairly technologically savvy, but despite my willingness to try almost any new gadget, I’ve yet to jump on the Kindle/Nook/Kobo bandwagon.  It’s not that I’m opposed to e-book readers, in fact there are some things that make them very appealing.  I suppose it’s that there are a few things about physical books I would sorely miss.  Here is my top-five list:

1. The smell of a book- There’s just something wonderful about the smell of a book. I’m not sure if I feel that way because of all the warm memories I have of physical books, or because it actually has a pleasant smell, but either way, I like it.
2. The feel of the pages- I was a printmaking major in art school, so I have an affection for ink on paper.  My main area of printmaking was intaglio, which is copper etching (the same way they still make money, btw).  I went into art school as a very impatient person, and came out changed.  The change, in large part, came from my experiences with the intaglio process.  It takes time. There’s no instant gratification or way to hurry things along.  You must slow. down. and… wait.  When I feel the pages of a book, I am reconnected with those moments.
3. It’s hard to break a book- Okay, I admit it.  I sometimes read in the bathtub.  Okay, a lot of the time.  When you’re a busy mom of two boys, sometimes the bathroom is the only place to find some peace and quiet.  There are no distractions, and I take refuge there as often as possible!  I’ve never dropped a book in the tub, but I’d be nervous to take an e-reader near the water.
4. Books never die- Sure books wear out, but they typically last through a long car ride, or a trip to the beach.  They don’t have to be charged!
5. The ability to attach memories to objects- Though this would make some librarians cringe, you can’t write in an e-book.  I love connecting to my personal book collection by underlining, writing notes, and even…gasp…dog-earring pages sometimes!  Plus, the books I’ve received as gifts with inscriptions are special to me and take me back to the moment I first received them.  You just can’t make the same emotional connection with stored data.

Number 5 brings me to the real reason for my post.  I’ve been buying used books for probably close to 20 years, and I’ve found a lot of things hiding between the pages over the years!  I’ve found anything that could possibly be used as a bookmark, and about 2 years ago I decided to begin keeping the items and start a collection.  Well, I’ve filled up a shoebox, and thought it might be fun to share the items I’ve found.  It turns out I’m not completely original in this idea, as there are a few other sites/blogs out there with the same idea.  But nonetheless, I’ll share a few items from time to time.  Here are three to get us started:

 

This first item is a card from a Catholic funeral.  I didn’t grow up Catholic, but my husband did, and said these types of cards are common to be kept as a remembrance.  Here is the back of the card:

This photo was found in a book I purchased at a Goodwill.  It appears to be a guy posing with country music singer, Trisha Yearwood!  

 

The last item is a letter from an aunt and uncle to their niece after her graduation from college:

Maybe one day I’ll give in and make the switch to an e-book reader.  Or maybe not.