Literary surprises!

This weekend after cleaning out one of my bookcases, I left an offering of a pile of books out at the front of my house. I've mentioned before that one of the ways I soften the blow of decluttering books is the hope that someone who loves them as much as I do will stop and pick one up as they walk by my house. I get a little thrill each time I pop my head out the gate to check on them, and notice that one or two have gone. I admit to being a little obsessive about this, and check a little more often than necessary! Within a few hours the pile of books was almost gone, which filled my book-loving heart with happiness.

On one of my walks around the neighbourhood with my big dog Mali, I recently picked up a couple of books that someone had left out in the same way. What goes around comes around doesn't it?

When I opened the book of short stories by Elizabeth Jolley I got a lovely surprise to find a double page from a literary supplement from the Sydney Morning Herald, dated December 31st 1988. The paper is yellowing and nice and big (like the Herald used to be) and contains a short story by Elizabeth Jolley. My Dad's old books, many of which I have inherited, are similar. Slipped inside I often find a newspaper clipping that is relevant in some way; an interview with the author, reviews of other books by the author, or a comment piece that is in some way related to the book's topic. Most of the clippings are adorned with Dad's comments and important parts underlined and marked with asterisks! (By the way I just discovered that the word 'asterisk' comes from the Greek 'asterikos' meaning little star - isn't that beautiful!).When I find one of these treasures I feel like Dad is with me once again sharing his love of books, which is very comforting. Just as I was, I know that he would have been thrilled to know that somewhere, long ago in 1988, someone else was saving newspaper articles for the same purpose!