The book was thick and black and covered with dust. Its boards were bowed and creaking; it had been maltreated in its own time. Its spine was missing, or, rather, protruded from among the leaves like a bulky marker. It was bandaged about and about with dirty white tape, tied in a neat bow.
— A.S. Byatt, Possession
What of those books that were once given as gifts and have now found a second home? I treasure those, too.
There’s something magical about discovering an inscription inside a book. As though the book has had its own, secret, past.
The inscription in my copy of Possession tells a story.
Who was Leslie? Why had she lost contact with Jan? Where did they meet again? I like to think it was over lunch in some picturesque garden.
And I love knowing that my copy of I Capture The Castle was once given to Libby for Christmas of 1948.
This concludes the “Unforgettable Book Gift” guest post series. I hope you enjoyed the series and perhaps even discovered some new authors.
Thank you to all of the writers who so generously contributed their words and their time.
Happy holidays, and happy reading!
Vanessa xx
PS Don’t forget to download your free holiday cookbooks, courtesy of The Wild Rose Press!
About Vanessa Westermann
Vanessa is a Canadian crime writer. She is the author of Cover Art and other books. At the heart of all of her stories are strong female protagonists.