I would be a happy bunny if I only got books for Christmas - piles and piles of lovely books - but what I really love is a second hand book where you find something interesting left by another owner nestled amongst the pages. I just love it when you find an old train ticket which marks a page and you can imagine the reader hunkered down from Newcastle to London reading Great Expectations and drinking extortionate and quite revolting coffee - Pip kept him going on that journey for sure. Or a shopping list on the back of an old envelope - bleach, gorgonzola, tin of bears (let's hope that the writer just has appalling handwriting), balsamic vinegar, plums. Imagination running wild.
Anyway, I know not everyone has my love of second hand books, but I do love to give them away to friends and family almost as much as I love to receive them. The libraries in my area do this really great deal where you can fill a carrier bag with books they no longer lend out, for a pound - yes £1. The best thing about it is the eclectic mix you pick up - classics and cowboys, thrillers and theology - stuff you might well not pick up from the normal library shelves and would definately eschew if paying full (or charity shop) prices. I have had some real crackers and if you can get a little collection together of similar style stuff, they make great stocking fillers. Check out your own library for these great bargains (also wonderful if you want to find books on the best B&Bs in 1974!)
May I also draw your attention to a wonderful website where you can sell your own old books and buy other second hand ones - www.greenmetropolis.com is a real find for the bibliophile and the browser alike -you pay £3.75 for a book and receive £3.00 for selling your own - plus for every book sold they make a donation to the Woodland Trust - take a look sometime.
Go second hand - you never find a crumnpled postcard of Bridlington in a new book do you!
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