so ... my mum got a chain letter from her mum the other day. Dear friend, This is an informal one-time book exchange club. There is no money involved, so it is legal and can be lots of fun. Please send one used paperback book or audio book that you have already enjoyed to the person on the back of this letter. There is no need to box the book (since it's a paperback) -- a mailing envelope will be just fine. Then forward this letter on to six of your friends and then their friends will send their used books to you! It will be interesting to see what books you ultimately receive and where they came from. You should receive 36 books if the chain remains unbroken. To keep the chain alive: 1. Send your used book to the person whose name and address are on the back of this letter 2. Make 6 copies of this letter and put my address label on the back 3. Send the letter to 6 different people. Along with the letter, include 6 of your personal address labels for them to use when they forward it. Please do this within the next week so we can be fair to all those participating. I have been told there is seldom a drop-out by anyone since you only have to mail one book. Please turn this letter over to see where to mail your book. i know you people on here have done similarish things, so i wondered if anyone would be really excited about sending/receiving a few paperback books. what do you think?
Am exchange in general or in a similar -or the same- form as this letter? I'll simply answer both questions just in case, I guess. Hm, I thought about an on board book exchange a few times. I exchange and get books all the time over a website dedicated to this (it is in German, though). The handy thing is that you get tickets for your books and can pick from all offered books, which is quite a lot by now, so you can save tickets and just get rid of books, or choose freely from a huge catalogue. My idea when I thought about proposing a board book exchange was to organize it very freely - everyone puts up the books he/she wants to get rid of, and everyone else who put up books has the right to choose relatively freely, even if that means that some don't get back a book for theirs, just a few kind words and some extra space in your shelf. That was a very loose idea, though, I admit. I wouldn't know what to do with a chain letter like this, though. I don't know enough people in the English speaking world well enough to send six such letter to, and condemn them to the extra high postal fees of sending abroad. I'd imagine the same problem would arise for a lot of people on board here. I'd have to translate it first and then find someone who'd agree to participate first because I wouldn't just send it asking them to send me a book, partly because many people I know cling to them, some would find it just strange or meet the same problems I do, but also because I'm the one in my circle of friends who owns the most books, and our tastes diverse a lot. Did you have a detailed idea for a book exchange on this Board? As said, I entertained the idea myself and still find it interesting, but I don't know a real solutions to the practical problems such as our members living all across the world and sometimes buying their books in different languages.
at the moment I was only thinking about including some of you in this particular exchange, but I have in the meantime filled out enough envelopes anyway. while we're talking about it, doing our own could be fun. you seem to be the expert, hsing. for this, i'm either going to send my ugly copy of Jane Eyre or a book of short stories, The Dubliners. I've also got some Bill Bryson paperbacks I wouldn't mind giving away. so if anyone else has a similar list, maybe it would work.
At the moment, I am desperately getting rid of books to make space for the baby, but don't have any spare cash (like, any), so can't post them. I wouldn't want to receive, but might be able to send some in a few weeks' time.
I can post a "who-would..." thread tomorrow and then give it plenty of time. How about that? We could then make the concept of the swap depend on how many people would take part in the first place.
I like the idea, but after a suprisingly large phone bill, i'm in a similar way RE cash for posting. In a couple of weeks I could manage to post a book, but would like my book - if anyone is willing to send one there - sent to Oz as I'll be there in a month and a half. We could try to arrange it via continent, or nearest continent, so no one is posting to the exact opposite side of the globe. If this one works out, we could have a blind book sending where you're surprised with a title.
Given past experience with the Australian postal service, that might be sensible, Gypsy. On the other hand, it's nice to receive things from further afield.
I have the exact opposite problem. I'm always able to receive books but I'm totally unwilling to give them away.
How very true, Mal. That's why I hate going to the library even. Right now I've got The Unadulterated Cat from the local library, but I rarely get books from there unless they're too expensive to buy.
I'll be happy to exchange a book with you plaid, although I'm not to keen on sending out a chain letter myself. Besides I wouldn't know 6 people locally who read books.
the chain letter in question has been sent on...who knows what will happen to it... but i'm up for whatever we want to do here, I guess. getting mail is always fun. getting packages with books is even better.
I can go in but I'm the one with the problems with the postal system. Strangely this only applies for things coming to me rather than the other direction.
I have a pathetic local post office myself that has in the past often left packages they should give a pickup slip for on our doorstep. Quite frustrating. So now I use my sisters businesses PO box to avoid having that happen, works a charm.
If only the post office here did that... I've tried the home and the work ones and the same things happened. Instead of delivering the package or a slip telling me its there I haven't been told anything so after 2 weeks they send it back and who can be bothered trying again...
As a starting point. Or my book should be small enough to fit in a normal letterbox...in which case I shall wait with baited breath for my Mr Man book
Heh! Would you mind if I just started by offering the books I have on my "Exchange"-desk already? The person to first call dibs gets it, simple as that. All I want is to get rid of them. I then note how many books I have sent to someone. Maybe that involves into some kind oif exchange were people try to come up with something, but don't necessarily have to. We can forge the rules from experience as we go along. My first suggestion would be that for now, requests should only be made by members who registered and posted before this thread was started. Is that alright with you? Here's what I want to get rid of: Sara tanzt, by Erwin Koch, 2003, Hardcover Sourcery, by Terry Pratchett, 2001 Reaper Man, by Terry Pratchett, 1994 Monstrous Regiment (Discworld Novels (Paperback)), by Terry Pratchett, 2004 The Silent Blade (Forgotten Realms Novel: Paths of Darkness), by R. A. Salvatore, 1999 The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents (Discworld) Terry Pratchett, 2003 Franz Kafka.by Erich Heller (German language) 1983 Moving Pictures. A Discworld Novel. by Terry Pratchett, 1990 The Colour Of Magic - The First Discworld Novel, by Terry Pratchett, 1988 Maskerade, Terry Pratchett, 1996 The Spine of the World (Forgotten Realms Novel: Paths of Darkness) , by R. A. Salvatore, 1999 Who is Goethe?, by Katharina Mommsen (English language), 1983 Der Untertan, by Heinrich Mann (German) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 5, by Joanne K. Rowling, 2003 The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family, by Matt Groening, 1997 Die Königin von Saba und andere Novellen, by Knut Hamsun, 1976
alright, this seems like it'll work. as if we all had our little table at the flea market. barter away, etc. I like the making it up as we go along sort of plan. I ended up sending my Jane Eyre to my grandmother's neighbor, so here's what I've got left: The Dublinders, short stories by James Joyce A Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson Neither Here Nor There, by Bill Bryson Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens Myst: the book of Atrus, by Rand and Robin Miller Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen my list is not as extensive as Hsing's, but there you go. sorry I don't have pictures of them. i'll perhaps try and take some, later on. Grace, go ahead and post your list, if you can. and everyone else, go ahead. we'll see where this gets us. really I'm not much of a book owner. libraries work just fine, usually. but those salvatore novels sound interesting. and I'm tempted to claim The Color of Magic, just because it's the first... I'll think about it.
I am about to rush out of the house, but I will go through the books I have left later and make a list. We've already taken about sixty to the charity shop.
I've recently taken about quite a few books to a book exchange myself (netting myself 2 of Robin Hobbs trilogies), so what I have is sparser than I thought: Dark Disciple - Anthony Reynolds Cain's Last Stand - Sandy Mitchell Lords and Ladies - Terry Pratchett
Prodding this kicking and screaming back to life. Yes it has to be kicking and screaming. Would all of those interested please pm me and I'll organize a random ballot so people can be paired up for a exchange, then if we have success we can rotate and re-exchange. Suggestions or objections?
I'd be happy to, except, as I said, I don't want to receive any books. I'm trying to make space for the baby!
Whereas I have to cross out a few books because I've given them away by now. And enter a few new ones.
