Bookcrossing

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Heya,

something really cool happened to me the day before yesterday.

I came across a random book in public, which I thought was kind of weird. It was Jane Austen's novel "Emma". I picked it up because, honestly, I decided I want to read Jane Austen because she is considered one of the classics usually and I have never read anything by her (not even Pride & Prejudice!).

I opened it up, and on the first page there was a sticker that said something to the effect of "This book is not lost or discarded, it is on a journey! Read it and then put it out to be found once more."

Apparently there's a thing called BOOKCROSSING which is kind of a mix between geocaching and take-one-leave-one libraries. You register a book at bookcrossing dot com, it gets assigned an ID, you put some information on/in it that explains the game, and then leave it in public somewhere. And when people find it, they are encouraged to register their find online using the ID (which notifies you) and leave a comment, then read it and send it on its merry way somewhere else. That way the book travels the world.

I thought this was super cool and a nice hobby to have. You can even go on little deliberate hunts for books; on the website it says roughly where there are still "wild" books to be found, and you can follow the steps to see where it leads you. It ought to be a really cool feeling to leave a book somewhere and get a mail a few weeks later that someone picked it up, read it and left a comment on it! You kind of made someone else's life a bit brighter.

[tarocchilla]

I love stuff like this! i love searching for things, or hiding things to be found etc... unfortunatley neither geocaching or bookcrossing are really popular in my country  
I remembered also about USB dead drops, but my pc is too huge to try the one in my city

Anyways even if i can't always partecipate, i still love these projects/games and try to keep them alive

[k4jtek]

Yeah, that's an amazing idea! I used to do geocaching back in the day though I don't usually have time or will for it.

I remembered also about USB dead drops, but my pc is too huge to try the one in my city

You can use an OTG cable and your smartphone instead

[cinni]

oo i remember hearing about this years ago! such a cool concept, i bet there's other objects suited to that too.. i come across a lot of take-one-leave-one libraries though!

[wris]

I came across the non-profit Little Free Library the other week. It has a map to help you find any near you.

[di]

Bookcrossing is such a neat idea, I have an account and everything, but I don't think it would really take off in my area. It's cool to know people are still trying it though.

Plus, I've started this habit of writing in books that I own. At least when it's a commonly printed book, and I'm enjoying it. So I doubt anyone really wants that. My copy of Emma is basically half-diary at this point.

(Emma is one of my favorite books by the way. The shifts and changes are so intriguing. People find Austen's prose challenging - don't sweat it, if you do - but I hope you do settle in and enjoy it.)

I came across the non-profit Little Free Library the other week. It has a map to help you find any near you.

These things, on the other hand, are very popular here. I love them. Lately, I got a beautiful copy of D.H. Lawrence's Women in Love. I just need time to read.

[ThySonnet190]

This seems neat, I think I am going to give this a try! I have only really heard of Little Free Library (which has been mentioned earlier in this thread), but this takes that idea and makes it even more mobile it seems. I just need to find a book I am willing to part with/buy a copy of and a safe spot to place said book at. My only worry is that it does not seem that this concept is really prevalent in my area which makes me feel a bit anxious over that, but we shall see.