Short & Sweet Treats discussion

This weekend I went shopping at Goodwill and bought 37 books for $50. Yes, I know I have a problem. I couldn't help but wonder how many people touched each of these books. My question is, what is the most interesting thing you've found in a book (borrowed, bought or from the library)?

Great topic Book girl! I haven't found anything interesting in books myself, but I have left things for others. In some library books, I have left post it notes with quotes or things like "Have a good day. You deserve it."
Maybe someone here has received my note!

Today I found a picture of a young boy (maybe 10 or 11 years old) playing a saxophone. The time stamp on it is 2002. It feels like such a personal picture and it makes me want to track down the owner. :)

When I was helping clean books for our Friends of the Library book sale, I found a pressed rose--a piece of someone's life. It crumbled as soon as I touched it--so goes our efforts to hold onto the past.

A very old love letter. It looked to be about as old as the book (50-60 years old at least). Unfortunately, there were no last names and the first names were very common, so there's no hope of ever returning it.

I found a whole collection of pressed leaves in a 100 year old edition of Shakespeare's Complete Works.

For the scariest thing - a recent bank statement complete with name, address, and account number.

This is a little weird, but in a book I bought at a used book store years ago, I found a letter that someone had received from their son who was in prison.

The letter was a story in itself, written in a dry matter of fact manner; yet it was still a bit heartbreaking. It felt like eavesdropping to read it, but I couldn't help myself.

Melanti wrote: "A very old love letter. It looked to be about as old as the book (50-60 years old at least). Unfortunately, there were no last names and the first names were very common, so there's no hope of ev..."

Wow, that's a pretty incredible list!

Greg wrote: "This is a little weird, but in a book I bought at a used book store years ago, I found a letter that someone had received from their son who was in prison.

The letter was a story in itself, writt..."

Awe, that would be pretty sad to read, but I don't think I could have helped myself either.

wow I am really enjoying this thread and seeing what everyone has found. It is so touching and at times sad.

So many interesting finds! I like the idea of leaving cheery notes in books LaLaLa Laura. I'm sure your notes have brightened the other reader's days.

In an old library book, I found an adorable photo of a yellow lab looking a bit put upon, wrapped toga fashion in a blanket or sheet.

In a used book bought online, a large squashed spider. I'd forgotten until this thread that I still have it in a jar, waiting to be id'ed.

Not sure if this counts as it was technically part of the book, but once I borrowed from the library and found at around the 150 page mark that there was a quarter inch section in the middle from another book entirely. The page numbers matched up, and after that bit the book resumed. I wonder how such a publishing error could happen?

I found a LA cafe's calling card in a Richard Brautigan book that I bought online once. Nowadays, it is used as a bookmarker by me.