What books have you recently given away

[Kevin McCabe]

Gave a copy of Karakorum (1961, only English language edition) to an old friend and climbing buddy. Tells the story of the first European expedition verified to have gotten into the area and emerge with a whole skin. Up the Italians!

[Rothgo]

An Omelette and a Glass of Wine by Elizabeth David.
Quite envious to give it away - a present I'd rather like to have kept for myself!

[Pebble]

I read one of those books years ago i think Pebble.
Is he like a sort of Harry Flashman from a bit earlier.
Cant remember what the book was called and have never seen it since but it really stuck with me for ages back then.

The first book is about the Saratoga campaign with Gentleman Johnny.

Next book goes back to his origins a la Poldark and the seige of Quebec. This book is odd as I have read Coram's Boy - the last book to make me cry with the Handel concert at the school appearing in it. Then the reference to the acting/plays in the Pantomime book, it seemed that there was a lot of fiction/non-fiction cross referencing. I did visit General Wolfe's house in Westerham recently, so there was quite a 'conjunction of spheres'.

Jack Absolute is another character from literature - appearing in Sheridain's School for Scandal - which I have not seen, so I don't quite know what part he played.

[thingfish]

I read one of those books years ago i think Pebble.
Is he like a sort of Harry Flashman from a bit earlier.
Cant remember what the book was called and have never seen it since but it really stuck with me for ages back then.

[Pebble]

Feeling virtuous and gave away my Tunnellers of the Great War to our lodger who is doing history at Uni.

I might have a set of Jack Absolute series to give away, if any one is interested and I can find the first one?

[Lorelei]

Since you all are feeling so charitable.......I'm always accepting donations

No need to go for that 5th copy of, Atlas Shrugged though. No offense but I would rather read Britney Spear's autobiography than Ayn Rand.

[Wolfshead]

You mean people actually give books away? What a concept. I think I only give away books when I lend one out and it fails to find its way home.

[Wanderlust]

Don't blame ya', Things. You know, to this bloody day I've still read only the first in the trilogy. Shame on me. I remember when I was reading the first thinking, I've not quite read anything like this. And then let it slide.

Oh, one nasty I almost forgot:

A book given to me by a prof (think I've already mentioned it somewhere in the multiverse), 1491 by Charles Mann (spectacular non-fiction read), was recently `returned' in the form of a water-logged bit of pulp. Apparently emptied out the back seat of the truck into a tub, then forgot to bring it in before the rain. The oversized tome with illustrations and pics galore, is now slowly becoming soil in my composte bin. Pissed? Oh yeah.

Lost a few issues of Skeptic magazine in the process as well.

[thingfish]

Thats harsh WL!
I just lent a mate my read once only copies of the Gormenghast Trilogy with a grim warning about what will happen if they come back wrecked!!

[Wanderlust]

I gave an old friend an hardback copy of Ballard's Chronopolis many years back, and a few years later saw it on another's shelf; it didn't take a lot of gandering to know it was the book I had doled out. Quoth he: "I got it from the local book shop." Very careful about those to which I give books now. When I thought I was giving it to someone who-gave-a-shite, I didn't miss it so much. Now, knowing the givee sold it off for piddle, I miss it much. Ah well, live and learn.

My gal's wee sister (the youngest of six sibling's and about to turn sixteen) asked for a couple of books to use for a school project. My wife loaned her Michael Chricton's Eaters of the Dead. I thought I'd lend wee-sis something I read when about her age, Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five, a book that's always been close to my heart.

So, the lil'un chooses my gal's pick, gets her project done, and EoD comes back in pristine shape. My choice (bought for little at a flea-market and in grand shape) comes back looking as if it had been run over by a centurion, after being eaten and pooed by some unknown creature. Apparently she couldn't read two pages into it.

[Papi]

For the birthday of one of my friends : "La Bête du Gévaudan - A travers 250 ans d'images".
A book which tells the legend of the beast of Gévaudan.

[UncleDes]

Just gave away the Third Policeman (for the third or fourth time).

Des

[Rothgo]

Wiser words never said brother thingfish

[thingfish]

Good to see you still spreading around the good stuff Rothgo!
I just gave my daughters pal an old copy of The Warhound and the Worlds pain a few days ago so we may hopefully have her in the fold before too long.
I mean there cant be a discerning 21 yo fantasy reader who wouldnt get into Von Bek(surely!!)

[Rothgo]

A friend's birthday, and with a sudden rash of HB versions of Revenge of the Rose on eBay of late, I bought one then passed it on. It's the best Elric book IMHO, so hopefully we'll have another brother in a week or so...

PS My poor wife is getting lined up with Gloriana soon, being as she's een reading a bit of historical courtly fiction of late. If she bites, we'll see what happens...