Happy Birthday – 1993

Sylvia

No sugar baking
is only one of the
good things we’ve
learned from you.

Glen + Chili

The “I Can’t Believe This Has No Sugar” Cookbook by Deborah Buhr

Found in NYC.

To My Good Friend Darlene,

This book has more
of impact on me than any
other Woman writer in a long
time. I thought the title
was great and felt you
get a big kick out of it
and of course the very good
poems herein. From the first
poem to the last I was
riveted by her state and
true revelations of a woman
who will SURVIVE!

J.L.

The Motorcycle Betrayal Poems by Diane Wakoski

For my WONDERful mother
on her WONDERful 47th Birthday,
here’s to your WONDERFUL presence in
my life and all others around you…
Never forget your own ‘Cabinet of Wonder’

Love,
your WONDERful daughter
October 3, 1996

Mr. Wilson’s Cabinet of Wonder by Lawrence Weschler

Thanks to Leah, who says: “This might not be one of those
inscriptions that’s immediately poignant, but here’s the good backstory:

A couple of years ago, I was in San Francisco and just starting work on my Graphic Design thesis when
I saw a page in an artist’s book that read: ‘Seeing is for forgetting the name of the thing one sees.’

I intuitively knew there was some kind of relevance to my own design/artwork within that phrase, so I
googled it and came across the book ‘Seeing is Forgetting the Name of the Thing One Sees’ by Lawrence
Weschler. I checked the book out from the library – it’s a series of conversations with and about the artist
Robert Irwin. That book and it’s ideas eventually became the crux of my thesis and had a huge impact on my
creative process in general.

After graduating, I moved back to the east coast and spent a month at my mom’s house in upstate New York
while looking for a place to live and a job in NYC. I found one of Weschler’s other books, ‘Cabinet of
Curiosities,’ on her bookshelf, not realizing that my mom was also a fan. I was shocked when I opened it and
read an inscription that I had written to her 12 years earlier, when I was 15 – I didn’t remember writing the
inscription, but it was a good reminder that who I was then is not that far from who I am now.

When I was a kid, my mom has always made me inscribe books that I gave as gifts. I’ve fallen out of that
habit, but I will certainly resume it after coming across the BIP. It’s good to know that there are other people
out there who take an interest in this type of thing. Thanks for maintaining such a great project.”

To Daniele,

With your good
Minnesota background,
this language should
be easy to learn, and
you can practice with
your Dad.

David
12/94

How to Talk Minnesotan: A Visitor’s Guide by Howard Mohr

Found by inscription world champion, Erik Cooke.

May your fondest
dreams be realized.
A sincere wish to
Jim Snider from his
high school coach (A.H. Smith)
Xmas, 1949

Notre Dame Football: The T Formation by Frank Leahy

Thank you to Cheryl of Stella Used Books, who says, “Love your site…
the world needs more reasons to remember why books are wonderful.”

– Four Leaf Clovers –

I know a place where the sun
is like gold.
And apple blossoms melt like
snow.
While down underneath is the
loveliest nook.
Where the four-leaf clovers grow
One leaf is for Hope, one is
for Faith.
One is for Love, you know;
And God put another one
in for Luck.
If you look you will find
where they grow.
But you must have Faith.
And you must have Hope.
You must Love and be strong
and so–
If you watch–if you wait
You will find the place
where the four-leaf clovers grow.

By Ella Higginson

July 6, 1901
Spokane, Washington

(Another pic of the poet can be found here, and this inscription is probably an early draft of this poem.)

Afterwhiles by James Whitcomb Riley

Found at A Castle of Books.

(left)

Pairic G.

A book bought in memory
of my mother, who sang
“Good Night, Irene” repeatedly
one night at my aunt’s
house when drunk. When
I told her I’d sing the
refrain to this particular
song this next morning, she
swore she’d punch me in the
mouth.

My mother, dearly as I love
her, does not remember making
this threat, nor much of the
evening which made quite an
impact (pleasant) on my
12 or 13 year old life.

I never sang the refrain
for fear of Irish retribution.

(right)

“a classic”
…Pairic
Critic-at-Large

Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey

Thank you to Matthew, who purchased the book at an AAUW book sale in Falls Church, VA.