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Found inscriptions in charity shop books

Found inscriptions in charity shop books
Posted 14 May 2009 by Nikesh Shukla

Being a serial charity shop book-buyer, I come across customised books, usually a dedication or a doodle, and very occasionally a one-word unrepeatable review of the book. It's often from a lover or dear one, something that says something about the gifter and the giftee. One such dedication I've come across was in a secondhand copy of American Psycho that I bought from Barnados in Brixton.

Sean,
I hear this book is the exact mix of anti-capitalism and excessive violence that you love so much.
Enjoy.
Happy 16th birthday!
Love, grandma


Everytime American Pyscho catches my eye on my shelf, I wonder how Sean turned out after his 16th birthday. We are linked together through the thinnest of strands but I feel like that private glimpse into his life has bonded us forever. So I've compiled my five favourite repeatable charity shop book customisations for you, that either I've stumbled across or have been told about:

> War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy- Happy birthday! Thought you could do something constructive with all that time you spend on the loo. Love, mum


> Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King by JRR Tolkien (after Frodo has destroyed the ring)- You can probably save yourself another week's reading by inserting the words 'and they lived happily ever after' here. Nothing much happens for the next 100 pages. Believe me!


> Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus by John Gray- Maybe I should have bought you this before we got married. Happy anniversary!


> The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown- Your sister said you were a fan of religious mysteries and evil monks. Ergo this seemed perfect!


> Join Me! by Danny Wallace- I read this and really felt like joining a cult afterwards. If you know of one please email me on.... [email removed]


Add your own if you have any!

 

UPDATE:

 

After yesterday's blog on book inscriptions and customisations, I posted the link on our Twitter page and asked our followers to add their own. We got some really amusing ones in so I've collated them for you here:

@emma_caywood: In A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius 'New Trier New Schmeer, Lake Forrest Rules!' (Dave Eggers and I went to rival high schools)

@timnunn: I bought a copy of Stud Terkel's Talking to Myself in Oxfam. Later found he'd signed it 'Oh memory!' Brilliant.

@blazingmodesty: 'this is partly to make up for all the mistakes i've made so far and all the mistakes I will make in the future...'

@TBD_Jason: I have Murray Walker: Unless I'm Very Much Mistaken signed by Jamie Oliver. A work signing but there were no Jamie books left.

@KieraG23: every bday growing up my grandad bought me a dictionary & wrote 'Now that you have reached the age of reason' inside.

@OMaraBooks: Roger Moore to our PR Ana 'If I sell 3 copies, your fault; If I sell 30,000 all my wit and charm!' True that.

@OMaraBooks: James Elroy, The Cold 6000 'FEAR THIS BOOK'

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