Bookish Surprises

This is a lesson for anyone who finds themselves in possession of an old book.  Always carefully look through its pages….and then do it again.

Not long ago my future husband and I purchased the remnants of a storage locker unit.  I soon found myself in possession of 150 old books.  I was ecstatic.  My hubby-to-be was indifferent but pleased to be giving me something that evoked so much excitement.  So many wonderful treasures came from that storage locker.  Several of those books will find there way into future blog posts I am sure.  They are too awesome not to share.  However, an important lesson came from one of the books.  I learned that it is best to check the books for items left behind TWICE.

Yuck.  A textbook.  Who wants to own that?  Especially one meant for really smart science people.  No thanks.  However, do not allow yourself to be swayed by the subject matter of an old book because each book holds its own unique personality.  You just have to be game to find it!  Roughly six months after first coming into possession of this book I was going through my stash with a fellow old book lover.  She gets the excitement of going through old books.  I was thumbing through this book and came across some old money!

 I went through more of the book and found more money…then  more money…and then some more!  In the end I found twenty one dollars.  One ten dollar bill and the remaining in dollar bills.  The notes themselves ranged from the late 1950s and early 1960s.  They were perfectly pressed within those pages.  It was so much fun finding that money.  Along with the money, I found scraps of paper with mathematics equations scribbled on them and one more thing that truly made this bookish surprise incredible.

An awesome photo of a lovely old granny.  This photo was printed on Kodak film in the sixties.  How adorable is this old lady? How beautiful is that snap shot?  Discoveries such as these make your mind wonder.  Was this a birthday gift from someones grandmother?  Was it a twenty-first birthday gift since the monetary value in the book was twenty one dollars?  Did this granny have this book in her house just so she could safely hide some cash in her home?  I mean what robber would thumb through a math book?  This was one brilliant granny if that is the case!  Maybe this woman is some brilliant physicist that time forgot because some stupid man stole all of her world changing discoveries.  The possibilities are endless.  Oh the places your mind can go when you discover things in old books.

So my lesson has been learned.  I will now check and then re-check all future old books purchases.  I will also leave the surprises within the pages….unless it is incredibly valuable.  Sorry posterity but all valuables will be cashed in…however the memories of bookish surprises are forever!