I had to stop reading this post to tell you about a 3’6 edition of Rebecca which belonged to my mother (as a child I thought the numbers stood for 3ft 6inches, a very short person!)
In 1942 my father was in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and when he had shore leave my mother travelled to Portsmouth to visit him. As she boarded her train for the return journey he handed her a hardback copy of the said book. She was working as a landgirl, living in a Romany caravan on a farm at the time so he had inscribed it to “my darling gypsy”. Nine months later my brother was born!
Unfortunately I don’t have the book.
Back to the rest of your post while I drink my coffee.
Mind you, Gwyneth perhaps wouldn't've have marked page 49 if she'd intended not to read beyond 50. Oh golly, now you've REALLY got me wondering.....! 🤣
“The book had been printed in Bungay, Suffolk, England, but thanks to the rubber-stamped text in purple ink on an early page I can see that Frank had bought it at a bookshop more local to him.”
Lovely little detail!
I’ve been known to haunt a few used bookstores and when a copy has a stamp or two it just hits different. I think of it like a passport, and in your case it virtually is.
My favorite stamp was a reader’s stamp. It said, ‘to those who read this, I’m dead.’ I suppose a little grim, but as someone who will only reluctantly allow my books to be sold once I die I identified strongly with the sentiment.
And gosh, I hadn't ever thought of the passport nature of stamps in books, but I certainly am now - that's a really interesting take.
'To those who read this, I'm dead' - oh gosh. Makes sense, though.
In a similarly morbid vein - sorry - I saw a picture online recently of a lady's suit which had been given to a charity shop/goodwill. Pinned to the lining was a note: 'Bury me in this.'
There is a book store in Connecticut that fills a house, and then has a number of out buildings filled by genre. One contains mysteries, another contains sci fi. It is my favorite store (except I really like hardware stores too)
It is called The Book Barn. They have goats as well. And free coffee and cheezits. So, a lovely place to go. I got a first edition of The Turn of the Screw there. And they have art books and science books as well!
A bookshop with its own GOATS!!! That's right up my street, Julie! Two of my favourite things in one place - sorry, three, because despite all of my banging on about tea I would absolutely welcome free coffee!
And a separate outbuilding for each genre? I think I need to move to Connecticut.....
A guinea was a pound and a shilling - so 21 shillings. Trading horses still happens in guineas, which I think is really interesting, albeit crazy.
"Bids are still made in guineas for the sale of racehorses at auction, at which the purchaser will pay the guinea-equivalent amount but the seller will receive only that number of pounds." (Wikipedia)
The important thing to remember, David, following on fro Rebecca's explanation, is that it was always important to price thing in guineas rather than pounds, otherwise for every 20 items sold you would effectively lose £1. This was highlighted in an Agatha Christie film. Someone asks the lawyer (I think) if his fee will be £2000, to which the lawyer responds: no, guineas
I read to the bottom and had to look up when the song by Tom T. Hall came out with Harper Valley PTA. 1968, and became a major international hit single for country singer Jeannie C. Riley. (I’m sure it was inspired by the book Peyton Place.)
Hall said the song was based on a true story of a “free spirited single mom who challenged the small town’s social conventions, where she too showed up at a PTA meeting and berated the members for their indiscretions and hypocracy.”
I too was raised in a small town in New England and the song came out when I was sixteen and rang so true for that era. What am I saying for THAT ERA? It seems in the small town I now live, not more than 40 minutes north of where I was living at 16 yo, the double standard is still alive and well and the hypocracy lives on. I could tell some saucy stories of what it was like as a Hog Farmer’s daughter growing up in white bread America in the 1960’s.
It seems the more things change, the more they stay the same--or go backward... and I’m gonna quite there.
As usual another tres interesting read--really Gail, you can do better that,--Ok, another AWESOME post! And thank you for pardoning me if I wanted to skip over the schematics of cavitation. I got down about four paragraphs before my mind took a vacation...🤗
I should very much like to have one just like it. Do you know where I can find one online to buy? He's soooooo cute! I also noticed the duck. I think the duck and bear are pals and I will draw them as such!
He's gorgeous! I'd bought him decades ago in a gift shop - now gone - in the town I'd gone to school in. I've just Googled 'jointed yellow wooden bear' and found this vintage German one on eBay.com (but being sold in the US, shipping to US only) - I'm sure there are others around, too: https://www.ebay.com/itm/145288710918
I hadn't realised that the design had been around for so long - mine was bought when it was new, but it must have been from an existing, long-standing design.
Speaking of 'standing', that eBay page has got lots of pictures showing the bear in lots of different positions - it'll give you a good idea of what they can do when they're put through their paces!
I collected little duck ornaments when I was a child and teenager - ducks are still my favourite animal. The one you can see there on my shelf is made from carved soapstone, and I've always really loved it because it reminds me of a soapstone ornament that my grandparents used to have on their mantlepiece above the fire.
Thanks, Rebecca! I'm drawing your bear this morning in 10 different ways, after encouragement from Terry to try variations in style in the way I draw. I'll post it today. I love that little bear and thanks for the links, and I have a duck you would absolutely love! I'll try and find a picture of it. I bought it in Germany in 1994, I think, on a work trip to Cologne. I loved finding kids' book stores there and bought a yellow and black striped wooden duck on wheels with a pull string, inspired by a German children's book about a tiger. It's one of my favorite wooden things. I love the duck ornament history, too. In collecting vintage things here in the US, I prefer "smalls" as they're called, all those little animals, ornaments, heavy metal oddly shaped things, that many over look. I love to surround myself with them, including acorns. :-)
I often think about Frank and his wife, Carissa! I wish I knew her name.
I might see if I can find that contemporary book on pumps in a library somewhere to do a parallel exploration of both books - at that price it's not an investment I care to make right now! 🤣
In a bookshop in Westleton I came across a similar inscription. The owner and I had a discussion about what happened to these people? Why did the book end up in a used bookstore 50 years later? Very poignant. It's here, under Barnabees Books, if you're interested:
Thank you so much for linking to your post, Terry - I've thoroughly enjoyed reading it again! 'My' inscription was from Frank to his wife, whereas the inscription in the book you found shows that it had been a gift to a husband. How heartening to have found evidence of the romantic nature of both genders!
Books are universal, and something to cherish - that's what that tells me!
Building on your Singapore vanished street, I always find it interesting, and sad in a way, to see the changes in one's local area. The central library where I live has photos of the area going back 100 years. It's fascinating.
Yes, I'm the same, Terry. I guess progress and development are necessary (I'm minded of that political slogan from the film 'Muriel's Wedding', which I think was 'You can't stop progress!') but it does feel sad to me when places change without recognition.
In my youth I watched a TV series called Peyton Place, starring Dorothy Malone and a very young Mia Farrow. It was ridiculously over the top. But then I read the book and discovered (a) it was very enjoyable and (b) that the TV series bore almost no resemblance to the book 😹
Great history of books and I do think all follow my big rule as an author: "Only buy a used book if the author is dear"; otherwise the author never sees a dime ... Excellent post, Rebecca, as always.
I so entirely enjoyed the rabbit-hole journey about the Rebecca book. So glad to find a kindred spirit who will Google an address from 1948 to see what it looks like today 🤣 Thank you so much for the mention - and also, Amie's window post was one of my favorites, too! So entirely heart-warming 💕
Such a seemingly incongruous gathering of books. They have nothing in common other than to let you practice one of your primary arts, Rebecca: sleuthing! You are so good at it. This post reminds me a bit of your "found grocery list" posts and how you were able to build a story by seeking out easily over-looked clues. You are one of the finest Sherlocks I have ever ( not yet ) met. Jim is your Watson, I presume?
I agree with Sharron! Funny enough, earlier today, I opened a book from the library to find a previous reader’s hold slip (with their name on it) tumble out. Now it has me thinking about who this person is and who past readers are to begin with! I don’t think about who thumbs through the pages before me very often.
Always love the detective work and piecing that Rebecca does.
I had to stop reading this post to tell you about a 3’6 edition of Rebecca which belonged to my mother (as a child I thought the numbers stood for 3ft 6inches, a very short person!)
In 1942 my father was in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and when he had shore leave my mother travelled to Portsmouth to visit him. As she boarded her train for the return journey he handed her a hardback copy of the said book. She was working as a landgirl, living in a Romany caravan on a farm at the time so he had inscribed it to “my darling gypsy”. Nine months later my brother was born!
Unfortunately I don’t have the book.
Back to the rest of your post while I drink my coffee.
Oh wow, what an amazing story - I'm so glad you shared it!
I hope that your Navy father and his 'darling gypsy' didn't name your brother Rebecca! 😉
I'm a 6ft Rebecca, not a 3'6 one, but it's nice that we come in all shapes and sizes. 😁
I am ALL about old book! My barn-board bookshelves are living proof.
Thanks for the 💜
Yay for old books! Thanks for reading, Amie! I loved exploring these old friends.
I was thinking of you just the other day, actually - I'm hoping to explore some old recipe books - ones with lots and lots of handwritten marginalia!
Love to see the dog ear on page 49. I wonder if they have my 50-page rule: if you’re not into a book by page 50, move along to something else.
OOOOOOOOH Tom, I hadn't thought of that!
Mind you, Gwyneth perhaps wouldn't've have marked page 49 if she'd intended not to read beyond 50. Oh golly, now you've REALLY got me wondering.....! 🤣
Page 50?? If I don't like a book by the end of page one I'm off
I only give a book about 10 pages to prove itself. Films, however, I give 10 minutes. Then I shout, "Too stupid!!!" and look for something else.
Re films, Sharron - you and I are SO alike!!!!!!
Frankly, I'm impressed that you read to the end of page one, Terry! I'd imagined you were more of a 'judge a book by its cover' kind of chap......!
😉😉😉😉😉
I only colour the first page in, but if I can colour the cover in I don't even bother opening it
🤣
😂
“The book had been printed in Bungay, Suffolk, England, but thanks to the rubber-stamped text in purple ink on an early page I can see that Frank had bought it at a bookshop more local to him.”
Lovely little detail!
I’ve been known to haunt a few used bookstores and when a copy has a stamp or two it just hits different. I think of it like a passport, and in your case it virtually is.
My favorite stamp was a reader’s stamp. It said, ‘to those who read this, I’m dead.’ I suppose a little grim, but as someone who will only reluctantly allow my books to be sold once I die I identified strongly with the sentiment.
Thanks so much, Max!
And gosh, I hadn't ever thought of the passport nature of stamps in books, but I certainly am now - that's a really interesting take.
'To those who read this, I'm dead' - oh gosh. Makes sense, though.
In a similarly morbid vein - sorry - I saw a picture online recently of a lady's suit which had been given to a charity shop/goodwill. Pinned to the lining was a note: 'Bury me in this.'
Oh dear..... 👀
There is a book store in Connecticut that fills a house, and then has a number of out buildings filled by genre. One contains mysteries, another contains sci fi. It is my favorite store (except I really like hardware stores too)
It is called The Book Barn. They have goats as well. And free coffee and cheezits. So, a lovely place to go. I got a first edition of The Turn of the Screw there. And they have art books and science books as well!
A bookshop with its own GOATS!!! That's right up my street, Julie! Two of my favourite things in one place - sorry, three, because despite all of my banging on about tea I would absolutely welcome free coffee!
And a separate outbuilding for each genre? I think I need to move to Connecticut.....
And cheezits. Small square cheese crackers!
Thanks for explaining British money in the footnotes- although I still don't know much a guinea equals...
A pleasure, David!
A guinea was a pound and a shilling - so 21 shillings. Trading horses still happens in guineas, which I think is really interesting, albeit crazy.
"Bids are still made in guineas for the sale of racehorses at auction, at which the purchaser will pay the guinea-equivalent amount but the seller will receive only that number of pounds." (Wikipedia)
The important thing to remember, David, following on fro Rebecca's explanation, is that it was always important to price thing in guineas rather than pounds, otherwise for every 20 items sold you would effectively lose £1. This was highlighted in an Agatha Christie film. Someone asks the lawyer (I think) if his fee will be £2000, to which the lawyer responds: no, guineas
I read to the bottom and had to look up when the song by Tom T. Hall came out with Harper Valley PTA. 1968, and became a major international hit single for country singer Jeannie C. Riley. (I’m sure it was inspired by the book Peyton Place.)
Hall said the song was based on a true story of a “free spirited single mom who challenged the small town’s social conventions, where she too showed up at a PTA meeting and berated the members for their indiscretions and hypocracy.”
I too was raised in a small town in New England and the song came out when I was sixteen and rang so true for that era. What am I saying for THAT ERA? It seems in the small town I now live, not more than 40 minutes north of where I was living at 16 yo, the double standard is still alive and well and the hypocracy lives on. I could tell some saucy stories of what it was like as a Hog Farmer’s daughter growing up in white bread America in the 1960’s.
It seems the more things change, the more they stay the same--or go backward... and I’m gonna quite there.
As usual another tres interesting read--really Gail, you can do better that,--Ok, another AWESOME post! And thank you for pardoning me if I wanted to skip over the schematics of cavitation. I got down about four paragraphs before my mind took a vacation...🤗
Oh, it's so interesting to read your thoughts on Peyton Place - thank you so much, Gail! I must listen to the Tom T Hall song.
I love your description of 'a hog farmer's daughter growing up in white bread America in the 1960s'. 😊
Well done in your attempts to get through the intricacies of cavitation! GOLD STAR!!! ⭐️
Thank you. Whenever they mentioned money in old British stories, I used to get really confused. I won't as much now.
It confuses me, too! I was born three years after decimalisation - amongst my older-than-me friends I call myself the 'post-decimal' one!
Rebecca is one of my favorite novels and to find such a sweet inscription in it --from Singapore!! How fun!
I was so thrilled when I opened the front cover, Jillian!
So many diversions! I love the little bear next to ‘Rebecca’ (the book). Lots to love, as always. You’re an observational genius. Grin.
I noticed the bear, too, first thing! It's one of my drawing projects for today. :-)
Oh Mary, how lovely!!!
He's a cutie! I have fun putting his limbs in different positions!
I should very much like to have one just like it. Do you know where I can find one online to buy? He's soooooo cute! I also noticed the duck. I think the duck and bear are pals and I will draw them as such!
He's gorgeous! I'd bought him decades ago in a gift shop - now gone - in the town I'd gone to school in. I've just Googled 'jointed yellow wooden bear' and found this vintage German one on eBay.com (but being sold in the US, shipping to US only) - I'm sure there are others around, too: https://www.ebay.com/itm/145288710918
I hadn't realised that the design had been around for so long - mine was bought when it was new, but it must have been from an existing, long-standing design.
Speaking of 'standing', that eBay page has got lots of pictures showing the bear in lots of different positions - it'll give you a good idea of what they can do when they're put through their paces!
I collected little duck ornaments when I was a child and teenager - ducks are still my favourite animal. The one you can see there on my shelf is made from carved soapstone, and I've always really loved it because it reminds me of a soapstone ornament that my grandparents used to have on their mantlepiece above the fire.
Thanks, Rebecca! I'm drawing your bear this morning in 10 different ways, after encouragement from Terry to try variations in style in the way I draw. I'll post it today. I love that little bear and thanks for the links, and I have a duck you would absolutely love! I'll try and find a picture of it. I bought it in Germany in 1994, I think, on a work trip to Cologne. I loved finding kids' book stores there and bought a yellow and black striped wooden duck on wheels with a pull string, inspired by a German children's book about a tiger. It's one of my favorite wooden things. I love the duck ornament history, too. In collecting vintage things here in the US, I prefer "smalls" as they're called, all those little animals, ornaments, heavy metal oddly shaped things, that many over look. I love to surround myself with them, including acorns. :-)
Oh, Janosch's tiger duck!!!!! I got to know Janosch's amazing books - and the tiger duck - thanks to my German au pair kids!
That Terry has a lot to answer for, hmmmm?! 😉
Yes, that's it!!! Janosch's tiger duck!!! And indeed, he does!! 😄
Wonderful story and sleuthing. Love the old note from Frank to his wife. I hope they had a lovely life together.
The pump book! It will be interesting to compare the changes.
I often think about Frank and his wife, Carissa! I wish I knew her name.
I might see if I can find that contemporary book on pumps in a library somewhere to do a parallel exploration of both books - at that price it's not an investment I care to make right now! 🤣
In a bookshop in Westleton I came across a similar inscription. The owner and I had a discussion about what happened to these people? Why did the book end up in a used bookstore 50 years later? Very poignant. It's here, under Barnabees Books, if you're interested:
https://open.substack.com/pub/terryfreedman/p/start-the-week-45?r=18suih&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Thank you so much for linking to your post, Terry - I've thoroughly enjoyed reading it again! 'My' inscription was from Frank to his wife, whereas the inscription in the book you found shows that it had been a gift to a husband. How heartening to have found evidence of the romantic nature of both genders!
Books are universal, and something to cherish - that's what that tells me!
It might have been the same couple 😂
🤣 and awwwwwwwwww and 🤣 all at the same time. #unlikely
Building on your Singapore vanished street, I always find it interesting, and sad in a way, to see the changes in one's local area. The central library where I live has photos of the area going back 100 years. It's fascinating.
Yes, I'm the same, Terry. I guess progress and development are necessary (I'm minded of that political slogan from the film 'Muriel's Wedding', which I think was 'You can't stop progress!') but it does feel sad to me when places change without recognition.
In my youth I watched a TV series called Peyton Place, starring Dorothy Malone and a very young Mia Farrow. It was ridiculously over the top. But then I read the book and discovered (a) it was very enjoyable and (b) that the TV series bore almost no resemblance to the book 😹
Ooooh thanks - I've heard of the TV series, and I must check it out! And indeed the book - once I've finished my current couple of reads....
Great history of books and I do think all follow my big rule as an author: "Only buy a used book if the author is dear"; otherwise the author never sees a dime ... Excellent post, Rebecca, as always.
Thank you so much, Mary! 😊
I so entirely enjoyed the rabbit-hole journey about the Rebecca book. So glad to find a kindred spirit who will Google an address from 1948 to see what it looks like today 🤣 Thank you so much for the mention - and also, Amie's window post was one of my favorites, too! So entirely heart-warming 💕
Awww, thanks, Sydney! I'd put my detective hat on for this one. 🕵️
And it was such a pleasure - those chickadees on the icicles are absolutely stunning! 🤩
Such a seemingly incongruous gathering of books. They have nothing in common other than to let you practice one of your primary arts, Rebecca: sleuthing! You are so good at it. This post reminds me a bit of your "found grocery list" posts and how you were able to build a story by seeking out easily over-looked clues. You are one of the finest Sherlocks I have ever ( not yet ) met. Jim is your Watson, I presume?
I agree with Sharron! Funny enough, earlier today, I opened a book from the library to find a previous reader’s hold slip (with their name on it) tumble out. Now it has me thinking about who this person is and who past readers are to begin with! I don’t think about who thumbs through the pages before me very often.
Always love the detective work and piecing that Rebecca does.
Oh Erika, that's such a coincidence! And isn't it funny how things like that start to make us wonder (and want to write, write, write....?)!
LOL - thank you, Sharron! I enjoyed the detective work!
I have some lists-in-waiting - I'm itching to do another post on a found list, but lots of other ideas keep getting in the way! 😀
When he's not my Watson, Jim's definitely my partner in crime! It's sometimes hard to tell which! 🤣