Do you write in books when you give them as gifts?

[BroccoliSpears]

Why do you or why don't you?

What do you write?

Does nobody care?

no, in case theyhad already read them, maybe when my dc's were younger but if to an adult then no or even a dc's friend.

is it a hard back book or one that was specifically asked for?>

Yes if it's something special, hardback, that will be kept and maybe handed down. Family only.

So would write in children's books for 1st birthday etc and have books handed down which have writing from ages ago which is nice. May consider writing in a book for a parent or DH if it was a special one.

I just put to so-and-so, happy whatever, sign and importantly date.

No writing if it's anything else.

No I dont write in books.

Yes, I do. And I always ask people to write in books they give me as I like the association.

No, because as a child it used to wind me up if aunty mabel had 'ruined' my book by writing in it Book plates are a good idea, but I would only place it in the book, not attach it.

No, along with bending corners its a pet hate of mine.

I don't but don't mind if others do for me or mine. Although then I feel guilty if I want to get rid of the book.

DH has a hardback edition of The Wind in the Willows which was a Xmas gift from his parents when he was 5 and his mum had written in it. It is very precious as she died when he was 11.

I like it if his grandparents write in my ds's books, as I think that way it makes it extra special.

However, I would never write inside books given to friends, and never, ever inside a first edition of a rare book. That's just wrong imo.

If the book itself is of any value like a first edition, the author's signature only is fine, but no message.

I sometimes do if I am giving them as presents, particularly if there is a particular association (e.g. for dd1's birthday we took a couple of her friends to see an adaptation of Treasure Island at the local theatre, then she gave them a copy of the book as a little present and wrote in them 'Thank you for coming to my party' so they'd remember the occasion). I very rarely part with books anyway, so it wouldn't occur to me that the person might want to get rid of it.

If I'm the author and I'm giving a copy to someone then I always write in it, though I never really know what to write in that case ('Don't be too bored'?).

Just to add, I don't mind if others write inside books given to me. If I end up with duplicates, I normally pass on the "clean" ones.

Never. I hate it when people do that, especially when i have been and got myself a first edition hardback and given it to them to wrap as a present for me.

The only person i have ever asked to write in a few of my books was Douglas Adams.

i don't, in case the person has the book and wants to exchange it.

the two people i usualy always buy books for (my bf and grandad) will ask me to write in the book after they've opened it, which I am happy to do!

i like it if people write in books for me, makes it more personal.

Ellbell - are you an author?wow!

I do. I always date it too.
I love to look back at books I was given as a child and read the messages that were written - often by people that have long since died.

I think it's lovely when I buy a second hand book and there's a message in it from someone. I have a really old book like that and it just feels so nice, thinking about the original owner and giver. But then again, I'm soppy!

If someone gives me a book and they haven't written in it, I always ask them to.

me too solo! most of my books are 2nd hand and it is a lovely feeling when you find a really old one with a message in

Yes if they are gifts, I have one book in particular I give to new friends, someone did it for me and its like passing on the tradition.

Well I don't and that's purely because of my mother. I ahve in my possession an old Mrs beeton, not sure of teh date but it belonged to my Gt Granny. On the front inside page my mother ahs written my Gt grannys name, then realised she has written her maiden name, so has crossed it out and put in correctly, then she ahs written my grannys name, doen the same again with the maiden name, thenw ritten her own name and her address at the time, which is then crossed out and her married name added, then her address when she married dad (still with me?). Finally she has written my name, and address when I lived at home, which is then crossed out and my married name added and my address when I first got married.

All of this in biro, and the crossing out is more like scribble, so you can hardly read whats written.
She writes inside the Dses books as well and gets it all wrong and they are full of crosses out
It has annoyed me with the Mrs B book, as its very old, but now its just a bloody mess inside

minorbird, please tell us which book you give.

I don't think any of us pro-writing people were suggesting that we would start defacing old or rare books or first editions!

I don't think I've even ever seen a first edition!!!

YEs, I do.