The Books they gave me.

[Neil]

I love this blog. It makes me delightfully happy/sad. That is all.

http://thebookstheygaveme.tumblr.com/

[Dan, deadpan man]

This is much sadder than I expected.

[Kerry, flame-haired janeite]

Well, if we are going to list tumblrs, here is Awesome People Reading.

[Patty, free birdeaucrat]

Neil, that's way too sad for me! Can we all talk about non-sad stories of people we love giving us books now, as an antidote? The first book the Poet gave to me was "Field Guide" by Robert Haas. I think you would like this book, Neil. Here's an excerpt from one of my favorite poems, Bookbuying in the Tenderloin.

A statuary Christ bleeds sweating grief
in the Gethsemane garden of St. Boniface Church
where empurpled Irish winos lurch
to their salvation.

[Patty, free birdeaucrat]

And Kerry, that tumblr is really cool! But I don't think photos of people reading scripts for their jobs should count. How can we know if they are actually enjoying themselves?

[Kerry, flame-haired janeite]

Patty wrote: "And Kerry, that tumblr is really cool! But I don't think photos of people reading scripts for their jobs should count. How can we know if they are actually enjoying themselves?"

I agree, but the person who posts to that tumblr is probably pretty desperate to keep having things to post!

[Kerry, flame-haired janeite]

My first love gave me a leatherbound copy of Shakespeare's plays for Christmas 1995. He was a good egg.

[Dan, deadpan man]

Hey that's a great tumblr too Kerry. Now I can switch between the two to ensure I never become too sad.

[Shel, ad astra per aspera]

When I turned 17, my boyfriend Mark showed up at my door with a pile of about 10 books.

On a date the night before, during which he played me Brown Eyed Girl and danced with me in what had to be the most perfect romantic moonlight EVER, he asked me which beats were my favorite, knowing how much I liked e e cummings and ferlinghetti. I think he jus assumed I would know the beats.

I still have a lot of those books. The Portable Beat Reader, Collected Poems, 1947-1980, Naked Lunch... and several more.

One of the best gifts ever.

For my birthday this year someone I care about a lot gave me My Reading Life -- a signed edition. It was a thoughtful gift.

[Claudia]

My boyfriend and I broke up on the day you posted this, Neil. If that's not I sign I don't know what - I pretty much have to submit my story.

[Kerry, flame-haired janeite]

Oh, Claudia, I'm sorry about your breakup. I just went through one myself...they are no fun at all.

[Kerry, flame-haired janeite]

I just thought of another book gift I received...when I was young my uncle Mike bought me a beautifully illustrated hardcover edition of The Secret Garden which quickly became my favorite book. I still have it, although one of our family dogs chewed up the corner of it long ago. After reading The Secret Garden I've always wanted a robin as a friend!

This is the edition! Gorgeous illustrations by Graham Rust! The Secret Garden

[Claudia]

Kerry wrote: "...they are no fun at all."

No, but life goes on, and thank goodness for books. I'm sorry to hear about yours as well... how on earth are you reading The Heart is a Lonely Hunter right now?

[Claudia]

Also, I adore The Secret Garden, I have a special hardcover edition myself!

[Kerry, flame-haired janeite]

Claudia wrote: "Kerry wrote: "...they are no fun at all."

No, but life goes on, and thank goodness for books. I'm sorry to hear about yours as well... how on earth are you reading [book:The Heart is a Lonely Hunt..."

Well, mine ended in June so I'm not as fragile as I once was...

[Patrick, photographic eye]

a friend who knew i was pissed at him, bought me an issue of the literary journal, Conjunctions, because it had a steve erickson story that i wanted. at first, i was grateful to recieve it but, quickly, it became this tainted object for me. a compensatory gift. in lieu of an apology- it was as if, here is this thing that i know you want, a suprise, so you can't be mad anymore cause now i did this sweet and thoughtful thing for you.

ugh.

in tandem with some sincere attempt to amend, gifts can be nice. but otherwise, compensatory gift giving
leaves me queasy and cranky.

[Jen]

Hello, all-

This is Jen, Editor of The Books They Gave Me. I'm assembling the stories for a book, to be released by Free Press (an imprint of Simon and Schuster) this fall. I'm on a tight deadline, but I still have room for a few more stories. Please contribute to the book/blog at thebookstheygaveme@gmail.com. Contributors whose stories are included in the book will receive a free copy!

Best,

Jen

[Kerry, flame-haired janeite]

Jen wrote: "Hello, all-

This is Jen, Editor of The Books They Gave Me. I'm assembling the stories for a book, to be released by Free Press (an imprint of Simon and Schuster) this fall. I'm on a tight deadline..."

Congratulations! That's wonderful!

[Patty, free birdeaucrat]

Cool! Congratulations, Jen!