That’s Buy A Friend A Book Week!
I’ve just been notified that this is the week to buy a friend a book, which is my kind of week. So if you’d like a book from me, leave a comment by the end of the week (Saturday night) and I will choose the recipient at random. You’ll get a book of my choice — probably one of my favorites, but something I think you’ll like, too.
And, stealing an idea from Simon at Stuck in a Book, tell me in your comment: what’s the best book you ever received as a gift?
Shelf Love 
Hello!
Well, I’ve already mentioned Five Get Into Trouble on my blog, so I’ll go with a more recent gift – The Mitfords: Letters Between Six Sisters, which my friends/colleagues Lucy and Clare gave me for my birthday last year.
Here via Stuck in a Book. :-) For my last birthday my eldest daughter gave me a boxed set of the first ten Just William books by Richmal Crompton. I was thrilled to bits.
Hello! I’m going to say the Laura Ingalls Wilder boxed set my mother bought me when I was a child. Please throw my name in.!
the best book i ever got would have to be the harry potter books. My parents bought them all for me!
I would have to say “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” which my friend got for me. Loved the book. And it seemed kind of symbolic to give a friend a book about a strong friendship.
In all honesty, I have only received two books as gifts, and none of them were my favorites, although they were nice gifts. But if I had to choose out of the two I would say the Harry Potter The Deathly Hallows book. I’d also like to be added to the giveaway, thank you :)
The best book I ever got as a gift was Truck: A Love Story by Michael Perry. My husband gave it to me. I’ve found, sometimes, that people give you books they want you to like, or that they like, rather than thinking about the kind of person you are and what you would actually like. I was a little skeptical, given the title, but once I started reading, it was a great sigh of relief, “ahh … he really DOES get me.”
I think I would have to say Matilda, it made me who I am today…a bookworm!
Hi, found you from Simon’s blog … Hmm, I suppose I should give you a different answer from the one I gave him. I will say the Folio edition of ’84 Charing Cross Road’ that I was given one christmas, it’s got some wonderful illustrations in it!
Come on over to my blog and enter my BAFAB draw – it’s great to share the love isn’t it?!
Thanks to everyone who has stopped by so far! Great to hear your memories of bookish gifts — I particularly appreciate socialmoron’s story, as it is so similar to mine (my father gave me a book I expected not to like, and then loved — he really did get me, after all.)
Looking forward to making the draw Sunday!
Found you via Cornflower. My favourite book gift as an adult was one from my dad the Christmas I was expecting my first child. It was a boxed set of all of Jane Austen’s novels (I know, that’s more than one book). Fab.
When I was younger (around 4-5), I really hated books and didn’t want anything to do with them. My teacher found out and sent me a big box of books, like the Little Engine that Could and Phil the Ventriloquist. After reading those books, I became a bookworm. :)
~ Popin
Trying to think of a different book than the Blyton mentioned on Simon’s blog: I think I read Drabble’s 1992 edition of the Oxford Companion to English Literature to death in my late teens when I realised just how many authors and books there were out there to sample. I could browse it for hours. It was not strictly mine, as it belonged to the nice young man in the flat below mine at university. It was also not strictly a gift, but he did eventually bestow all his wordly goods on me when we got married. Does that count? Actually the Drabble was just about the extent of his wordly goods at the time, but that’s student economics for you!
I am also running a BAFAB week draw which you’re all welcome to enter http://juxtabook.typepad.com/books/2008/06/buy-a-friend-a.html , and I will add your giveaway to my BAFAB round-up.
I have a history of being given terrible books, actually, or perfectly good books that I just don’t have any interest in. For example, my mother used to give me books about cats, not because I was interested in books (although clearly I was, I used to carry home enormous grocery bags full of books from the library each week) but because I wanted and could not have a cat.
(People also used to give me cat posters, stuffed toy cats, cat-themed clothes, and so on – none of which had the essential catliness that I desired. Now I have seven cats and tons of books about OTHER THINGS.)
I think the best book I’ve been given is A Gentle Path Through the Twelve Steps, by Patrick Carnes. It was given to me very generously by my first sponsor in a twelve-step program. The book itself was very helpful and has a ton of fantastic exercises that can be used to deal with all kinds of life issues – it’s not specific to dealing with alcohol or bad relationships or money or anything like that.
But also, it was a big deal to me that a near-stranger was willing to just up and give me a new book. I got to learn to trust people a little more and accept help a little more, and not have to try to afford this book to work from on the little I made at the time from various side jobs.
Off to sort out and post my own giveaway!
I’m going to have to say The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans. Given to me by my parents, I just loved that book and read it a few times, my mother continued to buy the rest of the series for me every Christmas after that!!! :)
Thanks for the generous give away!!! :)
came here via Simon..
When I was about 7 my parents gave me two of the Jill books by Ruby Ferguson. It was only in the last couple of years (ie 40 years on) that I realised Armada paperbacks were abridged versions – but I still love them.
Every Christmas my Mother gets me the latest “Ideals ” book I don’t know if alot are familier with these but they’re beautiful books. If those don’t qualify as a book that’s fine because i have only been given 1 book as a adult and It is called “Swiming Lessons” by Mary Alice Monroe I was a little thrown by the name but it was a most enjoyable read and one of my favorites.
I just love receiving books as gifts. One that I received and will always treasure is A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell. I give a special friend a book every year and she is greatly appreciative. I love books and have always immersed myself within the pages of books throughout my life. They give me pleasure and entertainment like nothing else.
Please count me in!
The best book I received as a gift is “What My Mother Doesn’t Know” by Sonja Sones.
Hmm, I already mentioned Winnie-the-Pooh. The New Dictionary of Thoughts is one my mom gave me (well, let me take?). She has her notes beside some of the quotes from when she was my age or younger, which makes it an even better gift.
The best book I got was from my sister. She gave me Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone many years ago! Well, when I finished the book, I really liked it and was glad that she gave it to me.
i wanna join BAFAB! :)
the best book I ever received was this inspirational book for moms. I’m a newbie mom and the experiences mentioned there were close to my heart.
a very apt, appreciated and treasured gift can be!
The Count of Monte Christo from my brother. One of the greatest books by a master soryteller.
And please throw my name into the hat!
I’d love to be entered!
One of the best book gifts I ever received was as a child, when I got the entire “Little House” series from my parents. I read and loved all of it!
My fave gift would be Earthly Pleasures by Karen Neches :)
Thank you for the chance!
Best book received? The Secret Garden from Mum about 50 years ago! Please put my name in the draw. Thanks.
Hmmmm … but how do we KNOW you will pick a winner at random!?? … best book as a gift = anything in hardcover because I don’t allow myself to buy hardcover and full price books – I’m too cheap! Specific one I remember: Harry Potter #3 (in hardcover) for Christmas from the mother-in-law. :-)
Every Year my mom gives me a copy of the Christmas Ideals Book, she’s done this every year for the last 10 years. Outside of those A story reading book would be “Swimming Lessons” by Mary Alice Monroe which is wonderful!
hi! the best book i ever received as a gift would be the inspirational book for moms. i’m a first time mom so it was just befitting. :) treasured it.
if you’re sending international, do toss my name in the hat, please :)
The best book I received as a gift was Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck. I received it from my mom, because it is her favorite book!
Water For Elephants, such an amazing book!