On Inscriptions

[robheinsoo]

Here’s one tiny fragment of reality that dwindles as we embrace Nooks, iPods and Kindles: the epigraph, the personalized inscription in a book given as a gift, or in special cases, in books signed by the author.

I own books that I might have gotten rid of except for the strange circumstances behind their epigraphs. I’d say the stories that follow

Comments

[mylescorcoran]

Damn but you sure can write those ecdotes. I'm left hanging, wanting to know more about the Gnostic guy and his odd quest.

[robheinsoo]

Myles, I imagine I'll say more in the new draft of the book you saw an earlier draft of.

[seankreynolds]

So many untold stories packed into one blog post!

[robheinsoo]

It's true that I ran through stories the way you'd run fingers over the spines on a bookshelf.

[brainstormfront]

Great post, Rob, and you're right--the personal connections in inscriptions and signings make a book even more special. It's why I inisist on writing something in every book I give my wife....and I should check that I did so on her birthday books that are to be wrapped immediately for tonight's gift-giving. Thanks for the reminder!

Steven
whose best marginalia/inscription copy is a three-volume auction catalogue of author/bibliophile A. Edward Newton's library with two sets of notes throughout by the previous owner--all guesses on auction prices and then the final bids and initials on who won the items (with some famous book collectors of the 1940's noted in there)

[robheinsoo]

I got to look up A. Edward Newton. You, sir, own an extremely rare bird of a book.

Wow . . .

[ext_306373]

This it the best, most thought-provoking blog post I've read in ages, and I say that as long-term blogger myself, and host of a site with a dozen other bloggers doing yeoman blog service there. You can tell a story, dude . . . bravo!!

I'm sharing. Hope you don't mind. Your writing merits it . . .

Re: Wow . . .

[robheinsoo]

Eric, coming from you that's high praise. Thanks. Of course I don't mind you sharing it: thanks again.