Things Found in Books. And, of course, Cuba. (1 Viewer)

I've never found anything in a book, but any time I sell a book I always wonder after I've packed it up: "I didn't leave anything in there, did I?" I don't even put things into books, but I wonder anyway.
 
I always like to read people's notations in books, especially library books. Literate people tend to make intelligent graffiti.
 
I am fairly certain that I lost a Passport to either Goodwill or a box of books I left at the curb when I was in my mid-20s in San Francisco. I say that because I never saw it again in the 2 years I lived in that house or ever since. Typical stoner move..

The only thing I would add to that article was UNUSED concert tickets. Back in the day you would put them in a "safe" place and forget where that safe place was... then blame your housemates for stealing them. ..
 
I've come across plenty of bits and pieces in returned library books. Cash and cheques being the most welcome. Never use a $20 bill to mark your page.
 
Old bookmarks, pictures, business cards, pressed flowers, gum wrappers. Never money.

I once misplaced my birth certificate for almost 10 years in my copy of Hemingway's To Have and Have Not. Only noticed when I was trying to get my passport updated to go to Cuba. Ironic, seeing the book is set in Cuba. It was a hassle getting the passport with a photocopy of the birth certificate, but I got it. This was pre 9/11. Found it a couple years ago while rearranging my bookcases, just before I had to get my passport renewed.
 
Cuba? You're full of surprises.

Did the Cuban stamps in your passport ever cause you any problems? Every time I'd have to show my passport when it had Tunisian stamps in it I'd get to spend a few extra minutes explaining them. That was pre-9/11 too. Now any Arabic stamps are probably an automatic trip to the slow line.
 
Canadians have no trouble travelling to Cuba. As long as you don't mind middle aged German men is Speedos. There seemed to be a lot of those.
 
Yeah, it's just not a typical...destination, you might say. Unless you're a middle aged German man, I guess.

Seems like a great place to go to hear music. Seems like a great place to go, period. You know, except for the poverty and all that.
 
Music was great, people were great. Havana is run down but you can see what it once was, and it once was magical.

I took old Levis, baseball tshirts, old baseball gear, over the counter meds (pain reliever, etc.), cologne that I used to get free from work (I don't wear cologne ), American magazines, and passed it out among the locals. they loved that and they remembered me every time I saw them.
 
I found a canceled check from the 80's, receipts, book marks from all over the place, a matchbook, the occasional pic. Many of my purchaces come from thrift stores. The number of them in Philly and the area is endless. I once found a letter written in the early 60's by a young lady to her family. She had just struck out on her own and was nice, naive, sweet. The letter was so dated and simple. A small time capsule.
 
When I was 21, I lived in a cheap rooming house in New York and was dead broke, drinking daily and fucking up in general. One day, the only day I can ever remember really being hungry, and with literally no dough, I opened up one of the 3 or 4 books I owned, just to kill time, and found 8 bucks. It was like a miracle. I remember walking to the closest deli and spending it all on hot dogs and junk food. Soon after, I found another gas pumping gig and was back to the good life. I started reading Hank a couple years later, and was hooked from word one.
 
Hemingway's To Have and Have Not... updated to go to Cuba. Ironic, seeing the book is set in Cuba.
Found in Hemingway's Cuban pool; the beautiful, unforgettable Miss Ava Gardner, swimming naked. Supposedly he decreed the water was not to be changed, a bit unhygienic, but very, very romantic! Don't know what his wife would have thought though.*

Back to reality, 3 yrs ago in a wind and rain battered caravan holiday up north, (only so many interesting things to find on the beach in wellies and raincoats) we went to the nearest town, rummaged in the second hand shops, I bought a couple of lovely old photography books on Scotland from the 50's and 60's, opened one of them and out fell x3 £20 notes! up went our wet weather budget 100%

*read a biography on her last year, if you like "old hollywood" you will love it: Ava Gardner, The Secret Conversations by Ava Gardner, Peter Evans.
 
Found in a copy of The Buk Book:

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