Books You've Bought to Give Away

Over in Stasia's thread, I commented that I'd bought 32 copies of Montana 1948 the day after I finished reading, so I could give them to my friends. That book is space, succinct, and powerfully affecting, and most of the people I gave it to were knocked out by its beauty, its harshness, and its fearless exploration of the agonizing death of childhood that comes to us all in the end.

Bonniebooks, in post #160, passed the deceptively simple comment that to read Montana 1948 would seem to be a way to get to know something about me. After all, I spent my own United States dollars on getting and mailing this book around the world.

What book have you bought multiple copies of, intentionally, with the purpose of giving them to friends and loved ones, and what might it say about you?

I've bought 2 copies of His Majesty's Dragon so I could pass one around to friend's at work.

This isn't spam. I just saw this on author's FB. If you have a kindle you can download the book for free. Not sure how long this will last but wanted to pass on the information.

http://www.amazon.com/His-Majestys-Dragon-ebook/dp/B000GCFBQA/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8...

I've never actually done it yet, because books are quite expensive here in NZ. But I seriously wanted to after reading The Omnivore's Dilemma. (Just waiting for the day when I come across a heap of them in a garage sale somewhere …)

Edited to add: correction – I have bought copies of Omnivore's Dilemma and given them to all my family, but what I haven't yet done (but would like to) is buy copies to put up for mooching etc.

I have purchased and freely distributed multiple copies of Semaphore by G. W. Hawkes, an author I feel deserves much wider exposure than he has received so far. He was my daughter's Creative Writing professor and undergraduate advisor, and still co-directs the Creative Writing program at Lycoming College (my alma mater as well). I think this is a beautiful little story. My daughter's review of it is the only one on LT. I'd love to see that changed. I currently have two give-away copies available, and will ship them out to anyone who asks, in FCFS order.

I also push copies of To Kill a Mockingbird on people who admit to me that they have never read it. I always have a spare paperback copy around just in case.

The obvious inference that can be made about me is that I'm a sucker for coming-of-age stories well-told and affirmative.

Interesting. Back in the late '60s when I was in college, my grandfather sent me a copy of Gibran's The Prophet. We often traded books back and forth. I remember reading Oranges by John McPhee and getting a second copy for him. A slim little book but, since he lived in Florida, apropos. He wrote me that he stayed up all night to finish it!

Today my tastes are very diverse but mostly quite different from most of my friends/family so no multiple copies there. But, if I really like a book and know I will re-read it, I may buy different formats of the same book for myself. I'll start out with hardcover, add a softcover for portability, and now am adding audio CDs and downloads.

I've purchased numerous copies of A Prayer For Owen Meany to give away. Like Linda (message 4), I also buy copies of To Kill a Mockingbird. I also buy and give away copies of Jane Eyre.

>1 richardderus: Richard, that is indeed a wonderful book, discovered by chance by someone in my bookclub looking for a short read for one of the summer months. What a find!

I can't recall doing anything as dramatic as you did. Mostly, I've lent books to people and ended up buying myself replacements when the loan didn't come back.

Not Wanted on the Voyage by Timothy Findley. Four copies so far, and am heading to the store for a fifth.

Wow I wish I could buy 32 copies to give away! It would cost too much in NZ.

I have started to buy as gifts books that I've read borrowed from the library and made me feel that a particular person I know would also love it.

So far this year I have gifted: The Book Thief, Brooklyn, The Help, The Lace Reader based on my own reading this year. I think it's nice to say "I have read this and I think you will like it too" rather than give a voucher.

Oh noooo...yet another book.

Um, on topic: I have purchased multiple copies of two different books: The Book Thief and A Death in the Family with the specific intention of giving them to, not to say forcing them on, my relatives and friends. I found them both amazing in completely different ways. Fortunately most people who know me are familiar with and fairly tolerant of my quirky tastes and desire to proselytise good reading.

The first book I ever bought more than one copy of with the specific intention of loaning/giving it away was The Long Walk by Slavomir Rawicz. This survival story is so inspiring - I think of it whenever I'm feeling inadequate and soon realize how good a life I have. Other books I've enjoyed giving away are The Case of the Missing Books by Ian Sansom (sooo funny!) and How Reading Changed my Life by Anna Quindlen.

I have handed out multiple copies of Jane Eyre, The Count of Monte Cristo and books by Pearl Buck. I give Little Women to my nieces when they turn 10. I regularly buy Georgette Heyer for friends who need a book to read on vacation.

If I could pick one book that I think everyone should read, wait, nope, I can't.

I have recently been on a "bender" of giving copies of Setting the Record Straight:American History in Black and White. It is probably a YA level book, but all about black Americans who fought in the Revolutionary War, served as Speaker of the House, and in the House of Rep. all before 1800. Man, the stuff they don't teach you in school. This book blew my mind.

If I encounter a used copy of Marilyn French's The Women's Room, I buy it. At one point, I owned 9 copies. I give them to folks who I want to educate about the early days of this era's feminism.

Hmm, well, I bought two extra copies of Homer's Odyssey to give to my sisters. That says we are all cat lovers. I've also bought multiple copies of local cookbooks to give away but I tend to think that's more because they were pretty books and I like to leaf through recipes more than I like to cook. Also lots of children's picture books whose names escape me now.

>1 richardderus: - I adored Montana 1948 and would have loved to have bought 32 copies to pass along!! Thanks for the reminder that I'm due for a reread.

Most of mine are non-fiction, professional books. The Dance of Anger: A woman's guide to changing the patterns of intimate relationships by Harriet Lerner is so powerful I've passed out copies to many friends. Similarly, I keep an extra copy of Michael Yapko's book, Breaking the Patterns of Depression, on hand to share with people. Even bought a copy in Spanish. Also multiple copies of The Passionate Mind: bringing up an intelligent and creative child by Michael Schulman.

Fiction are children's favorites, where I want to keep my own copies and also have them to lend to kids at my schools: The Little White Horse and Linnets and Valerians by Elizabeth Goudge and Dragon Magic by Andre Norton, The Little Princess and The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

oh no another book I have to read--thank you Richard!! Montana 1948 sounds awesome.

My book was Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi. I loved the story about a midget during Nazi Germany. I bought an extra copy and passed it to a coworker.

My friends and family are not readers. My SO does ask me for recommendations for his sister. Which makes me feel good.

Oooh, funzies.

The only book I ever bought multiple copies of to give away was The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. I think I bought 3 copies and gave them to two best friends and my sister. I loved everything about it: the characters, the story, the underlying story, and just wanted to share the pleasure with people I loved.

Great topic, Richard. I'll be coming back to see what books everyone else thinks are worth spending their own hard-earned money passing around. And doubtless my TBR pile will grow exponentially. :)

I've bought and given away several copies of Marilynne Robinson's Gilead. My husband has far outdone me, however. I don't know how many copies of Illusions he has given to friends over the years. Every new employee (on the management level) in our business gets a copy of Good to Great.

Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman, a book that I consider every reader should have in his or her library. I have no idea how many copies of it I have bought and given away.

Interesting. I have bought several copies of Little Heathens by Mildred Armstrong Kalish to give away because I was so charmed by it, and immediately thought of several people I hoped would read it. I actually read a library copy, and have not bought a copy for myself, though I eye it occasionally and wonder if I need one (I think perhaps I do). I've also bought multiple copies of Peace Like a River (Leif Enger), Crow Lake (Mary Lawson), and The Book Thief (Markus Zuzak.

Talking about giving books to friends and loved ones, I didn't think of this before but just realized I've given all my kids a copy of A Wrinkle in Time. And I gave a copy of Slaughterhouse-Five to the oldest when he was 16 or 17 (and will the others when they are about that age).

I've never bought multiple copies of a book at one time, but I've given Women in the Material World, Holidays on Ice and I Thought My Father Was God as gifts quite a few times.

#18 Storeetllr: The Sparrow is my giveaway book too! Wonderful wonderful experience, that book.

#20, I also have given away a lot of copies of Ex Libris. I've given Fierce Pajamas, an anthology of New Yorker humor to people who are sick or in the hospital, both because there's a lot of funny stuff in it and because all the stories, etc., are short, good for people who don't have much concentration, and because they can pick and choose what they feel like reading. I also give people copies of Here Is New York by E B. White.

Here on LT, the books I've probably pushed the most are Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and The Straight and Narrow Path by Hoor Tracy.

The Mists of Avalon ~ I keep an extra copy to loan, and I have had to purchase that extra copy several times..( 4 maybe? ) because after reading it, those I loan it to love it as well.

I loved this book. It felt absolutely true and right. I don't mean the story of Morgan, either. IT was the spiritual ring that it had.

Stranger in a Strange Land ~ is one that I have read countless times since my first go at it as a teenager. Each of my kids were given a copy, as well as my nephew. This is another one that I usually keep a loaner copy, but I recently gave that to Justin at work and told him to keep it.

I have no idea why I have always loved this book so much. I think it was the essential vulnerability of Michael that attracted me to him.

Lace Reader ~ I simply loved it. I have a loaner copy as well as my keeper of this one too.. and gave a copy to my daughter. I also bought a used copy to donate to my library at school, and it vanished without a trace within days, was never "checked out" and has never returned. Does that count?

Well.. I love Salem Massachusetts. I love stories of strong women. I love the books about special "gifts". I loved the Island. I loved this book.

Hummingbirds Daughter ~ I have two copies, one for loaning and gave two copies away. One to my daughter and one to my friend. I wanted first to protect Teresita, ("the real-life "Saint of Cabora"), and then to learn from her. I look forward to the sequel, and come to think of it will have to email the author and find out when it is coming:)

Dandelion Wine ~ Oh my, I love this one, it is filled with seven kinds of magic~ I have given copies of it.. or Bradbury omnibus volumes. I do love Bradbury. I have given away .. probably six copies .

True Compass~ Is one that I wanted for myself, and upon reading had to buy for my kids. I bought four copies to give for Christmas gifts for them last year. I not only admire Ted Kennedy, but having met him on several occasions, LIKED him so much. You could feel his gentle goodness. Even so, I had no idea just how far this goodness extended until he passed, and I watched his memorial on tv. The beautiful stories brought tears to my eyes, and an ache to my heart. This book has nothing to say of that. It is a book of gentle wisdom and the simple story of a little boy ( somewhat lost in a large family ) who became a great man.

This is a fantastic thread and I am enjoying it a lot.

I have also fallen victim to it! lol and just ordered used copies of Gilead and
Montana 1948 , not to mention Delta Wedding after being sucked in by the
suggestions they toss at you when you buy a book.. and stop laughing rd.

Good thing its payday :)

I just remembered that a few years ago, when things were particularly tense around the office, our usual Christmas luncheon was not even mentioned, and the holiday being on a Monday we didn't get the customary half of Christmas Eve off either, I bought three Dover editions of A Christmas Carol and anonymously left one on each of the partners' desks. They probably knew it was me, but not one word was ever spoken about it. It didn't improve things, but I felt a little better.

LOVE that one :) good for you :)

This is a great thread. Hard on the Wishlist though.

I forgot to list books I like to buy for little kids:

The Monster at the End of this Book
Where the Wild Things Are
Barnyard Dance
and of course Goodnight Moon.

I've given away many books but I find that sometimes a book that has a tremendous impact on me does not have the same effect on others. That said I have given away many copies of Stones for Ibarra by Harriet Doerr; spare evocative prose; wonderfully written stories that catch the essence of Mexico in the 50's and 60's but that are evocative and bittersweet.

Another book that I continually give away to both children and adults is Shel Silverstein's Where the Sidewalk Ends, wonderful, silly memorable poetry that is enjoyable for anyone who reads it.

I gave so many copies of Montana 1948 to people because its theme...abuse of power and the ways in which that propagates through a social system...was so very, very raw for me at that time.

I lost my beloved Bland Jentry Carr to AIDS in 1992. He was only 35. Also in 1992, my closest friend dumped me, simply refusing to speak to me at all. And that same year, my second ex-wife came at me with some very hurtful and untrue allegations.

The novel, published and read in 1993, addressed the sense of a powerless person that victimization is best left unspoken, that hurts delivered to you, the powerless one, would somehow be seen as *your* fault...and how, in a beautiful, painful, and very courageous moment, this was disproved; a choice was made that set the truth up as social fact; and the consequences, painful and life-changing as they were, were known and accepted in advance by the prime mover in the story.

How strongly this affected me I can only hint at. I felt changed, inspired, by this book. It helped me end a decade and a half of fearful hiding. I confronted the women who had wreaked havoc on my life, my mother the pedophile, my first wife whose drunken driving killed our son, my second wife the bigamist, and told them all to leave me in absolute peace.

They didn't, but I'd said it, and I'm glad I did. Most days. And Montana 1948 played a large part in that immense sea-change in my life.

The Edward R. Hamilton, Bookseller, catalog used to have a $1 section in it. If I spotted something acceptable among those books I would order ten copies and give them away in my church book group. Sometimes, including recently, there has been a $1 box at Borders. Recently I picked up six copies of an Iris Murdoch novel to give to members of the group.

There are people who will turn them down. I don't put any conditions on them, although I say that if they read the book and like it they ought to suggest that the group discuss it in the future. I allowed to one person last night that it was her decision whether to use it as a trivet under a flower pot.

Robert

Wow, Richard. As Bonnie said so well, "sometimes a book that has a tremendous impact on me does not have the same effect on others." It must be hard for the book to live up to its effect on you when others read it. I found it fine, but a little flat in character development. Not nearly the profound impact you experienced, but of course I didn't come to it with the same background. When a book speaks to me like that, it's a wonderful thing, and I usually don't expect anyone else to "get it" in quite the same way.

32: richardderus

Thank you for sharing the "why" behind your feelings for Montana 1948--I am very impatient to get my copy from the library (it's In Transit--what lovely words).

I had read Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking a few months before my father passed away. I immediately got a copy for my mother because I thought it might help her deal with the loss of her husband of 52 years. It might have--she's doing fine--but it was also a beautifully-written book.

Karen O.

Richard--Great idea for a thread. I know I have given multiple copies of a book away. I just have to remember what they were...But I am actually writing here to gloat just a little. I worked at Milkweed Editions as a lowly unpaid intern way back when (so you won't find my name listed anywhere in the book) and I actually helped edit Montana 1948! Love that book. :)

I second what Bonnie said about a book having a different impact on someone else compared to the impact it had on me. I tend to buy books to give my nieces, nephews and godchildren when they're younger and their personal tastes haven't yet veered towards any particular genre. But once I know what they prefer, I will usually ask them for a book list and then buy some books off that list for them.

There are two books that I frequently gift to reader friends - The Truth by Terry Pratchett and The Picture of Dorian Gray. I love to select books for friends based on their individual interests, but those are two that I'll recommend to anyone who asks.

Richard, I am glad you found a book gave you the support you needed to find your voice in difficult situations and in defiance of horrible women. Your story confirms the power of words to captivate and evoke, and the importance of reading for fulfillment.

Berly, that is very cool...

All the babies my friends have started having are getting The very hungry caterpillar.

I forgot! Ruby by Mary Summer Rain. I have given at least 6 copies away. And also Just So Stories which I used to give as baby gifts and get weird looks . I stopped when I could no longer get the beautiful edition I used to buy..

#30 nancyewhite: Ohmygosh, The Monster at the End of This Book is my all-time favorite children's book - Charlie has both my old copy and a board book version!

This is such a good thread. I can relate to knowing that some books that have really moved me don't have that same effect on others. My favorite author is Dorothy Dunnett, and I have more than one copy of many of her books; but I've learned over the years not to recommend her. I've only been able to convince one other person to read her books who has since become a fan. Everyone else has said she is too hard to get into.

I also like to recommend Georgette Heyer and Lindsey Davis, but I don't keep extra copies of their books on hand.

I enjoy the few Dorothy Dunnetts that I've read and gave away a full set of her Lymond Chronicles a while ago to a friend. Mostly I give away children's books, usually written by New Zealand writers, ones that I know to be good such as Margaret Mahy, David Hill, Fleur Beale. Lately I've started collecting used copies of Patricia Grace's Potiki so I can hand them on.

#24 Yes, scaifea, wonderful wonderful wonderful! Have you only read it or have you listened to it on audio? My first experience was on audio and I was just blown away by it. I ran out soon after and got the hard copy to read, and then ran out again and bought a couple of others, and gave away all 3. :) Now I'm thinking maybe it's time to buy another copy to reread.

The only book that i have actually bought copies to give away is Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey. i have adored this quirky, somewhat bizarre love story...from Jump Street. I've also given away copies of the DVD (for once, the movies does justice to the book!)....guess I'm a tad obsessed, no?

;-}

#30/42: Ahhh! My grandmother had a copy of The Monster at the End of This Book and I read it over and over and over when I went to visit her. So many memories of that one...

#45 Stroreetllr: I haven't listened to it - who's reading it? I'm pretty picky about the readers - they have to be really good for me to be able to endure it.

#45 Not sure who the reader is, scaifea, but believe me, I'm picky as they come, and the reader of The Sparrow was utterly amazing.

Okay, that does it, I'm going to see about getting a copy to listen to on my iPod. I'll let you know the name of the reader when I find it.

Heading for the library tomorrow for Montana 1948. I may be able to get something out of it like Richard. Thank You.

47- My hubby and I just LOVE The Monster at the end of this Book too! (and we don't even have children yet...)

Oh - books for kids - we have a long list of favorites. Good Night Moon, of course, and almost anything by Sandra Boynton, especially Snuggle Puppy and Horns to Toes and In Between. Gossie, Hush Little Baby and Mike Mulligan. I could go on and on.
To brand new parents we always give The Read Aloud Handbook, which is a fantastic book about how to read to kids, including an extensive list of books for all ages.

edited to fix parenthesis/brackets issues

The book I bought most copies to give away has to be (like mckait) The Mists of Avalon I always refer to this book as a turning point in my life in terms of reading and the way I look at life. So I keep gifting it.

Also Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion because they are great favorites.

Rd, read and reviewed 1948...

>54 mckait: So I read, dear Kath, and an excellent review it was!

aww shucks~

I've posted my review of Montana 1948 at long last, if anyone's interested, in my Homeless Reviews second thread...post #2.

It holds up so well to re-reading that I feel like I've come back to an old friend's hearth on a cold winter of the heart.

#57: Richard, I get an error message when I click on the link: Sorry, but the page you requested can't be found.

Fixed the link!

Good! Thanks.

Books I have bought multiple copies of to give away...

The Princess Bride
The Glass Castle
The Shadow of the Wind
The Historian
The Time Travelers' Wife (which my Mother HATED) *sad*

#61 Oooh! Loved all of those. Now I have to go check out your library....