Giveaway winner

The winner of the Nobel set was Meagan, who entered over on Facebook.

Thanks to all who entered, I will have another big giveaway next week.

Giveaway: Nobel Prize Library

Giving away this set of 20 volumes (yes, I know that there are 18 on the shelf, but I have the other two, trust me. They just didn't fit).  Published by Alexis Gregory in 1971. Contains "for each laureate, the presentation address, any acceptance speech, a work of the laureate significant to the judge's decision, bibliography, and a brief explanation of the reasons for the laureate's selection." You can read a bit more and see the full list of authors here.

Contest closed.

Eat, Pray, Give Away

Letter, dated 9-22-2010:

Dear Julie,

This book brought to my mind some of you own life experiences. I thought that you might enjoy reading about someone who has conquered some of the same challenges that you have faced. If you have already read this book, pass it on to a friend.

Love,
Jenny

Found in "Eat Pray Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. Published by Penguin, 2006.

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Maple Sugar

Recipe for making maple sugar:

Heat maple syrup to 238° F on candy thermometer.

Cool slightly then stir  syrup.

Pack mixture in molds or leave in bowl and crumble sugar when it has cooled completely.

Can be used sprinkled over pancakes - pudding - hot rice

Found in "I See By My Outfit" by Peter S. Beagle. Published by Ballantine, 1971.


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Hard Boiled Grandpa

Bookmark, with gift inscription:

TO: Grandpa

From: Rebekah

Found in "The Maltese Falcon" by Dashiell Hammett. Published by Vintage, 1992.

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Rationalization Nation

Bookmark with inspirational quote:

RATIONALIZATION

Allowing my mind to find reasons to excuse what my spirit knows is wrong

Found in "Of Stars and Men" by Harlow Shapley. Published by Beacon Press, 1959.

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Friend Or Foe

 Greeting card from the American Museum of Natural History from 1945-46.

Found in "Our Bird Friends and Foes" by William Atherton DuPuy. Published by Winston, 1925.

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We Need To Go Deeper

Found this book in a book. It's a little notepad / address book, just 3.5 inches tall. On the front is printed:

Compliments of The Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York

Richard A, McCurdy, President

Found in "Measuring Intelligence" by Lewis Terman and Maud Merrill. Published by Houghton Mifflin, 1937.

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Keeping The Girls Occupied

 First few entries in a diary:

July 5, 1980 (Bay Crest)

Today I started my diary and hopefully I will finish it.

Today I helped Grandpa paint the boat and after that I went on a long bike ride with my friend Eric.


July 6, 1980

Today we went to the fish hatchery, Eric came along.

I built a car with Legos and kept the girls occupied.

The waves were big today, you could surf on them.

I forgot to turn the water off in the 3rd floor tub but it had an overflow valve.

Found in "The Charlie Brown Dictionary: Volume 5" published by World, 1973.

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I Am Satisfied

Postcard, dated June 21, 1909.

Printed on the front:

You are the only girl, I ever loved

Written on reverse:

Mr. C. Paddleford
Harpursville NY

I am sorry that you think I would stop corresponding with you if I would start with some one else, never would I do anything like that.

As long as you want to exchange with me I am satisfied.

E.S.

Found in "Eight French Stories" edited by Edward Manley. Published by Allyn and Bacon, 1920.

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Shadows

Silhouette on thick card stock, signed "Geo. S. Payne, 1931."

Found in "Misty of Chincoteague" by Marguerite Henry. Published  by Rand McNally, 1947. 

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Wisdom Of The Galaxy

I can't decide if this is a little bookmark, or something else. If you can't tell from the image above, there's a little "jewel" embedded in the paper.

Found in "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams. Published by Harmony Books, 1979.

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The Final Frontier

This would have been a perfect post... yesterday.

Bumper sticker from the Air and Space Museum.

Found in "The Final Planet" by Andrew M. Greeley. Published by Warner Books, 1987.

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Better Than An Apple

Drawing, looks like it was from a young student to his teacher:

To: Mrs. Parriott

Love: Jaeden 

Found in "Charlie Bone and the Invisible Boy" by Jenny Nimmo. Published by Scholastic, 2004.

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Shell Game

Illustration displaying the markings of various shells of ammunition, date and origin unknown.

Found in "Cassell's New Compact German-English English-German Dictionary" published by Cassell and Co., 1966.

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Twilight

 Short note, looks like the start of a story. Most of the page is missing:

March 31st - '36

Written Feb. 21 '37
Sun. Eve.

Twilight had settled over the small city.

A girl came out of a hotel ...

stepped into a car at the...

(other side)

caused it to glide so easily over the ground and then too, there was the dip in the road just ahead, so the girl said "Let it go."

The machine leaped forward but so did...

dog, from the side of the road, at the...

...instant...

Found in "Apollo: An Illustrated Manual of the History of Art Throughout The Ages" by S. Reinach. Published by Charles Scribner's Sons, 1935.

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Surge

Fabric "SURGE" patch.

Found in "Children of Dune" by Frank Herbert. Published by Berkley/Putnam, 1976.

If you can figure out what "Surge" might be, you're better at searching the internet than I am.

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Eye Roller

Comic clipped from a newspaper.

Found in "Path Into The Unknown: The Best Soviet SF" published by The Science Fiction Club, 1968.

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I Can Has Bookmark?

Cat bookmark.

Found in "Shining Hours" published by Bobbs-Merrill, 1960.

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Bear's Mill

Photo, "Bears Mills" is written on reverse. I'm guessing this is Bear's Mill in the photo.

Found in "This Mother's Daughter" by Nelvia M. Brady. Published by the author, 1999.

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No Witty Title

When I came up with the idea for yesterday's giveaway, I thought it might be an interesting and different twist on my usual giveaways. I have helped out some people in need before; I spend a lot of time on Reddit, and I'm always offering up books to those who need some cheering up. I really like the idea of brightening someone's day, even if it's just for that one day.

I wasn't really prepared  for the emails that started to come in. I was expecting stories of unemployment, local library branch had closed, just moved and needed something to fill the bookshelves, perhaps someone in the service looking for something to read to fill in the lonely hours...

Instead, I got real stories of pain and suffering; heartbreaking tales that forced me to get up from my desk and take a walk before I could come back and read the rest. I said in yesterday's post that I would pick one person for the care package, but I just don't have it in me to exclude the rest.

I'll still pick one person to receive the handmade book so graciously donated by Melissa at www.toboldlyfold.com, but I will do my best to get packages out to everyone who sent me a story. It will take some time, and I'm sure I will have to wait for a few more bookperdiem.com sales to fund the shipping costs, but I'll get them out. I won't publish any of the stories or announce any of the winners, there's no need. I will get in touch with all of you shortly.

What I realized, maybe just at this moment, is that while I wanted to help someone feel a little better about things, change their outlook on life a bit, what I really did was change myself. These heartbreaking stories are all around us, they are happening every day to people you know and love. I'm really trying not to sound like some smug and righteous dope, I promise; I realize that whatever I end up sending might help for one hour, one day, and I'm fine with that. I guess what I'm saying is that I stopped to ask if there was something I could do, and there was. Sometimes, all you have to do is ask.

All of that said, Forgotten Bookmarks will be back with it's regular programming later on today.