Would you throw out a book with an inscription?

[clutterwarrior]

I was sorting through the children's books to donate, but I find myself hesitating to throw ones that have inscriptions, and I am wondering if it is 'wrong' somehow to throw them. My parents both have the habit of always writing inside books they give, so we have quite a lot of books over the years with things written inside the cover from them. Perhaps because they live so far away, I feel a sense of guilt about throwing a book that has their words written in it.

However from the decluttering books I have been reading, it often says to not think of the thing as the person, i.e. the book is not my mother, just because she wrote in it, and it really is just another unwanted gift isn't it?    Can I toss them without guilt?

[woodchick]

I say yes!  Donate them :)  

If you're feeling nostalgic you could take a photo of the inscription to remember it by.

I buy second hand books and I love finding ones with inscriptions in them.

[clutterwarrior]

Quote:

Originally Posted by woodchick 

I buy second hand books and I love finding ones with inscriptions in them.

So as you actually buy them with inscriptions I am wondering what goes through your head, do you never wonder how they could have thrown out a book with a loving message written in it?  Sometimes when I have seen books in 2nd hand stores with inscriptions, I find it touching reading the nice words someone has written, like from a grandparent to their grandchild, and it strikes me as odd that they tossed the book, yet here I am thinking of throwing our own books away.

I suppose the thing is one can't keep everything that has nostalgic or sentimental value. But books are hard enough to toss without having a message written in them! 

[CynthiaCharleen]

I have struggled with the same question. I saved so many books that I could not find the ones that really meant something to us. I agree with the suggestion to only keep the ones that are really of value to you. It is nice to find books with inscriptions on them in resale shops or other places. I often wonder about the people who both gave and received the gift.

I especially enjoy getting to share in the moment with them, even though will never know them personally. I vote for giving some away so others can share the moment.

[woodchick]

Originally Posted by clutterwarrior 

So as you actually buy them with inscriptions I am wondering what goes through your head, do you never wonder how they could have thrown out a book with a loving message written in it?  Sometimes when I have seen books in 2nd hand stores with inscriptions, I find it touching reading the nice words someone has written, like from a grandparent to their grandchild, and it strikes me as odd that they tossed the book, yet here I am thinking of throwing our own books away.

I suppose the thing is one can't keep everything that has nostalgic or sentimental value. But books are hard enough to toss without having a message written in them! 

I never think anything bad of the persons who passed on the book.  Many of them are kids books and I'm sure they just outgrew the book or it wasn't a classic or something. Just because the inscription has passed out of their hands doesn't mean that they don't remember the love from the original gifter.

I will usually reinscribe the books myself adding my note with the original.  I kind of like to think that someday someone else will get the book and add a third.  I love imagining about the previous owners of books (or anything, really. I'm an antiques and history buff!)

[crunchy_mommy]

I would definitely go ahead and get rid of them... We have second-hand books that were inscribed and it's fun to read them and I don't think anything badly about them. I've also gotten rid of not-great books that happened to have inscriptions from family/friends. It just doesn't bother me.

Maybe if you want to 'keep' the words, you could scan/photograph each inscription page? And someday make one of those photobooks with all the photos of inscriptions?

[doubledutch]

yep!  i've given these away, and i also love when i find books with inscriptions at the thrift store - or with a child's first and last name, address and phone number.  that cracks me up.  why do kids do that?!

[philomom]

Keep one or two for each kid and discard the rest.

[Serendipity]

I would take a picture and donate the books, unless the kids want them. I don't think it's careless at all.

I held on to two cook books for years that my cousin gave me for my wedding. She died of Leukemia and I couldn't stand the thought of getting rid of them with her writing in them. I finally tore out the inscriptions and donated the books. I think I'll frame them in the kitchen, or just photograph them.

[mumkimum]

I'm assuming that you aren't getting rid of every single book with an inscription - if you need, mentally note one or two really loved and special ones to save.  Totally okay to pass a book on even with an inscription.  I have quite a few with inscriptions to other people.  If the book is really important, I might put a bookplate or pretty paper over it, no big deal.

[mamayogibear]

Yeah this! It makes shopping at thrift store a bit more interesting. Only recently my dd has begun to ask 'who wrote that?' and I explained to her how it used to belong to another little girl just like her and someone who loves them wrote in the book but when she was all done with it and read the story so many times she knew it by heart she wanted to give it to a kid that would love it as much as she did. This then resulted in my dd packing up her 'done' book to give to little girls that want to hear her favorite stories.

Quote:

Originally Posted by woodchick 

I say yes!  Donate them :)  

If you're feeling nostalgic you could take a photo of the inscription to remember it by.

I buy second hand books and I love finding ones with inscriptions in them.

[clutterwarrior]

Originally Posted by mamayogibear 

Only recently my dd has begun to ask 'who wrote that?' and I explained to her how it used to belong to another little girl just like her and someone who loves them wrote in the book but when she was all done with it and read the story so many times she knew it by heart she wanted to give it to a kid that would love it as much as she did. This then resulted in my dd packing up her 'done' book to give to little girls that want to hear her favorite stories.

Oh that is a lovely way of putting it...I think you have said the magic words that make me feel OK about it now.