(no subject)

[ewt]

What books have you lost or given away or loaned and you wish you still had them? Why?

Comments

[claire-smith.livejournal.com]

Rob got custody of all the Neil Gaiman books when we divorced, and I still haven't been able to afford to replace them. I really miss those, especially Smoke and Mirrors. And Neverwhere, which you can't buy in the UK edition any more.

(In return I got custody of all the Pratchett books, because the ones which were signed happened to be mine.)

[cartesiandaemon.livejournal.com]

Very little. Mainly because I still want to own all my books, even if that will become impractical, so a book I swapped at school, or books I lent to a friend and now don't know where they are, are unsatisfying, even if I didn't care about them a whole lot.

[pseudomonas.livejournal.com]

I have no idea what happened to my copy of Metamagical Themas by Douglas Hofstadter, and every couple of weeks I keep wanting to refer to it (or refer other people to chapters of it).

[vashti.livejournal.com]

I lent my complete collection of Virginia Andrews novels to an aunt; she never returned them.

I also lost about a hundred computing books to an ex-boyfriend.

[ali-in-london.livejournal.com]

I loaned out my copy of Mind Hacks, which in theory is not lost as the person (who lives within a few minutes walking distance of me) promises to return it via the letterbox every time she sees me. However, I lent it out five months ago. Ironically, the main reason I want it back is to lend it to someone else.

I kind of lost a graphic novel to someone, but I kind of gained a book from them anyway (at least, I think it's their book - I honestly don't remember borrowing it) so I guess we're currently mostly square.

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

Harry Potter, which my mother has stolen, because there are bits of it I sometimes want to read just to remember how they go. Also all my Lemony Snicket books. My mother also used to have all these books with beautiful pictures and descriptions of animals in, insects and mammals and birds, which were lovely and also useful, and she still has them so I suppose it's more left behind than given away. Maybe we could do a swap for the Harry Potters and Lemony Snickets.

[mooism.livejournal.com]

I was going to say my copy of Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway, because I didn’t know where it was and assumed I’d lent it to someone. But I just looked for it, and it’s on my of my bookshelves. Phew. Now all I have to do is reread it.

[owlfish]

My copy of The Neverending Story which I read in elementary school, packed in a box with other books in storage in the basement of our house. We rented out the house for a year while living abroad. On return, I never found the book, and I really did look. Nearly 20 years later, it still hasn't turned up.

[duncanneko.livejournal.com]

The mixed handful of Sandman and both Crow graphic novels that I lent to my half-brother, just before he moved to America. One of these days I'll replace the missing Sandman books so I have a full collection, but they've since re-released them with a new set of covers, so I'm going to have to ebay or some such.

[bob]

my copy of return of the king because:-
a) its the copy of my first reading
b) it matches the others i bought that weekend

after 8 years there never seems to be a good time to bring up with the person i know should have it.

[qadira.livejournal.com]

Where do I even start?! I am a hoarding acquisitional packrat at heart, so I regret the leaving of every single book I've ever lost, given away, loaned, or had ruined. And that list numbers well above 3000 books at this point. Currently the most traumatic would be my collection of classic English Literature texts, and all of my romance novels. Also, Katherine Kurtz's Deryni series. :/

My son laments the departure of all the adolescent mystery books (given away when he was but a teeny baby).

And now I'm going to stop thinking about this question before burning resentment rears its ugly head.

[mstevens.livejournal.com]

I seem to go through many copies of the sherlock holmes books.

[poggle.livejournal.com]

I think the only books I wish I hadn't given to the charity shop is the Dune series. I read 3 books a day so I have to give them away or my house would be full. :( (had to retype this as my :( was split in 2). lol

[fwuffydragon.livejournal.com]

The first Harry Potter book - it was annoying as I own all the others - lent it to my middle sister, who has lost it. My other (little) sister has also lent her exactly the same book, which she has ALSO lost! Thankfully I recently replaced it for 50p from a charity shop.

[the-elyan.livejournal.com]

Loaned and never recovered - "Travels with Charley" by John Steinbeck, because it's a wonderful book. And probably more directly because it's loss is emblematic of a very difficult period in my life.
Mind you, I should be able to get another copy cheap without too much bother.

Had given away on my behalf - a children's book called "Knock and Wait" by my mother, to my cousin, without telling me. It rankled with me then, and rankles with me still - apparently it was "a girl's book", and therefore I was obviously better off without it. Or something

[yaqub.livejournal.com]

My original Edda (collection of Nordic mythology). Sold to a second hand bookshop for lack of money in my student days.

I bet you think this comment's about you...

[pfy.livejournal.com]

That reminds me, I should give those Transmetropolitans back.

(If you did mean me, then which book is it?)