The 11th Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Throw Books Away!

Seriously – these books, tied in their cute pink ribbon, were in the TOSS pile at the library. Our branch is a collection spot for used books that patrons no longer want. We sell the “gently used” books at our quarterly book sales and use the funds for many of our library programs.

Louisa May Alcott’s treasures were deemed “unsellable” because of their age and were destined for the recycle bin. Oh no!! I LOVE old books – especially the ones with pages falling out and bindings in shreds. I have quite a collection of vintage books – including my grandmother’s 1st edition The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton. I could not let these eight gems go. I checked the inside pages and most of them are from 1936-39 and they belonged to Anne Elizabeth Findley. Thank you Miss Findley!

My new possessions include: Eight Cousins, An Old Fashioned Girl, Rose in Bloom, Little Women, Little Men, Aunt Jo’s Scrap Bag, Under the Lilacs and Lulu’s Library.

I’m afraid if I remove the pink ribbon – they may all fall apart!

On a personal note, I hope you will be patient with my blog and upcoming book reviews. Since the beginning of the year, my responsibility as chairman of my children’s elementary school PTA fundraiser has taken over my life. I’m trying to obtain silent auction items, write fundraising letters, sell tickets – you name it – and doing it in a very recessed economy where no one wants to donate anything to a non-profit. Because of that, my book reading has taken 2nd, even 3rd place on my priority list. I will be posting book reviews as much as my time allows. But I’ve realized more than once in recent weeks, I can’t do it all. So, for now, I will be wearing my fundraising hat, and hopefully book reviewer hat when this event is over in March.

At least I had my book rescuer hat on today!