Dedicated To...

Dedications in Books, Inspired by 'Dedicated To...The forgotten friendships, hidden stories and lost loves found in second-hand books' Compiled by W B Gooderham

For someone who can't break the spine of a book, won't lend out books to anybody and who glares are people if they dog ear a book, I have a surprising fascination with dedications in books. Somehow it's perfectly fine, actually it's wonderful, when people write dedications in the front of books. It's the exception to my 'crazy obsessive neat book lady' rule.

I once received the sixth book in Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events as a gift, with a dedication written inside (I would show you a picture but unfortunately it's packed away). 

Upon receiving that I read the rest of the series with the exception of the last 3 books which I thought myself too old to read by the time I was ready for them. Of course now I know better, I was not too old. I'm still not too old but I don't own them and I have forgotten much of what occurred in the first ten books. 

My point, before I started on that tangent, was that the gift of one book inspired me to read nine more. Gifts of books, providing that it is the right book, can have huge effects on the way we read, think or even feel about the people who gave us that book. A book gifted to you by somebody will surely alter the way in which you remember that person. The gift of a book, move over a book with a dedication is for me a very thoughtful and special gift. A gift to be treasured and kept. 

Of course books don't always remain in their original owners possession which, despite how sad it makes me, was the basis of a book I purchased a few months ago named 'Dedicated To...'. This book is a collection of dedications written in books which have been collected and made into their own book. This book was something I wanted the moment I heard about and really want other people to hear about too.

Here are two of my favourites, the first is a note of love and the second...well not so much.

The covers of the books are also shown alongside the message and also transcriptions of the illegible ones.(The message in the above picture was from 'The Tao of Pooh & The Te of Piglet by Benjamin Hoff) Many of the books are very old books and many of the dedications are dated. 

In case you can't read this, it says:

 Dear John Hughes

     Go shoot yourself

 Henry

 May 58 (I think the name & date are right)

(This was written into a copy of 'Jungle Lore' by Jim Corbett)

I just love this one because it's so unlike many of the sentimental dedications yet still very honest.I can't help but wonder what John did to upset Henry (?) so much but this book definitely made me think of all the possible scenarios which could have led to such a gift.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A little while ago I wanted to read I Am The Messenger by Marcus Zusak but I could only get a used copy.  When this copy came is was in pretty good condition and was excited to see a dedication inside the book.  It's not the most unique or funny.  It doesn't denote the end of a great affair or the beginning  of a marriage.  It isn't a note of love or hate. It is simply a note in a thoughtful gift, given to say thank you and goodbye. I own a new copy of this book now and even though I dislike the cover of my first copy I won't give it away.

Instead I'm going to begin a collection of used books with dedications. As of this moment that's a total of one but I have a lot of years of collecting to go.  The total is two if I count the book I've been given (The Lemony Snicket one) which I think I will.  

I like to think one day someone will gift me another book with a dedication, hopefully not one that says 'go shoot yourself' but hey I love them so much, I'd take it.

Here is the message I found inside my copy of 'I Am The Messenger':

In case you were wondering it says:

Dear Alex,

There is nothing like a good book - hope you enjoy this one. 

You have been a pleasure to meet.

Love

Sue & Luis

Olivia

Joseph

&

Simon

xxxxx

Aug 2006

Bloomington, Indiana USA

I felt a little bad that 'Alex' had given this book away but it was obvious the book had been read so I accepted that and the fact that most people probably don't hold such sentimental value to books they're given. It must be a bookish thing, or maybe it's just me. 

Thanks for Reading.

With All My Bookish Love,

Jess

xoxo

(All pictures (except for the 'I Am The Messenger' one) are from the book Dedicated To...)