Gift books...

[fajrdrako]

From November 6, 2008:

What, if any, memorable or special book have you ever gotten as a present? Birthday or otherwise. What made it so notable? The person who gave it? The book itself? The "gift aura?"

I often receive books as gifts, and often give them as gifts. What could be better? It would be impossible to list all the gift books that I've loved, for one reason or other; or even the ones I've hated. A few that spring to mind:

1. When I broke my ankle in March, several wonderful people gave me books to read while I was immobilized. One of these people was Jo Beverley, who sent me her latest book, and a reprint of two of her earlier novels, and an anthology about dragons in which one of her fantasy novellas appeared. She autographed them for me, too. They were totally unexpected and totally what I felt like reading. Later, Beulah enjoyed them, too.
   
   
2. Every year for Christmas, my friend Lyn gives me a subscription to Daredevil, one of my favourite Marvel comics. I get a year of pleasure from the one gift.
   
   
3. When I was sick once, at the age of nine, my father said he'd get me a book, and asked what I wanted. I said I wanted something by Enid Blyton. He couldn't find anything by her in the bookstore, and I was disappointed. So he gave me a book from his childhood: The Phoenix and the Carpet by E. Nesbit. This became one of my favourite books and one of my favourite autors, ever.

And since we're talking about gift books, one last thought: the invention of the online Amazon wish list is one of the best things ever.

Comments

[xinef.livejournal.com]

Was the Jo Beverly anthology called "Dragon Lovers" or something like that, with a mostly orange cover? If so, I just finished reading it a few days ago. Lent to me by my mother. Really enjoyed it.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Was the Jo Beverly anthology called "Dragon Lovers" or something like that

Yes, that was it! I enjoyed it. Don't at the moment remember the third story, though. But it was fun. I liked the way it was three entirely different romantic takes on dragons.

A good book, to keep my mind off my ankle - but then one of the heroes broke his ankle, and had it cured almost immediately by magic. I was so jealous!

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

When my parents gave me the money to get a copy of Ilgen's biography of Conrad, which I saw online at an affordable price. It's a rare book (the only Italian ed. is from 1890, the German one from 1880).

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

So very wonderful!

[filkferengi]

Christmas of 10th grade, my mom got me a 2-drawer filing cabinet full of French books. I wound up not reading most of them, from sheer forward inertia, but still--Best Fantasy Evar. [Except for that L-Space full of Bujold & Pratchett books. ;)]

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

What a delightful gift!