When you give someone a book..

My OH always writes his name in his books, but I don't suppose that counts.

He says it's so if he lends them, the borrower is more likely to return it, as they can't forget who it belongs to!

It's nice to get a personal dedication in the book, especially if it's by the person who wrote it. The only minus is that if you already have a book that has a dedication, you cannot re-gift the second copy if that, too, has a dedication, or even change it at the shop.

In my late teens my father, on impulse, bought me a Complete Works of Shakespeare from a station bookstall. When he gave it to me I asked him to write in it. I'm so glad I did.

In personalized books for my grandchildren I always have a message from me put into them when they are made. I have a couple of books given to me years ago that have personalized messages in. I think it is a good idea.

What a coincidence, I was thinking about this yesterday as I just bought several Christmas books for my grandchildren!

Yes, I do usually write a message for my children or grandchildren. I have books given to me by my mother and grandparents and it's lovely to see their handwriting whenever I open them, and I like to think that my GC would feel the same when they reopen a book from me in years to come.

Sometimes I print book plates to attach if there is not a signature panel in the book. Printed bookplates are also handy if you want to pass on a book that has been signed, perhaps to a charity shop or library.

I have a growing collection of children's books both old and new, usually bought for the wonderful illustrations. Sometimes the old books have inscriptions in them and it always sets me wondering who those people were, and did the child enjoy the book....

When we were children, my sister once picked up a book at a jumble sale to find the inscription was to my cousin from my mum and dad!

I have a hamlyn all colour cookbook signed and dated from my mother in 1977 and also have a lovely first hymn book presented with incription to my grandmother in 1902. I personally don’t write In books

I’d never do it.

As someone who gets upset if anyone turns up the corner of the page to mark the place I don't write in books I give as gifts. However I wouldn't refuse a first edition with an inscription from the author.

Having processed donated books in a charity shop for many years it helped sometimes to date a very old book as publication dates etc are relatively new in the history of books. Some very collectable & valuable books were able to be identified by a message & date in a very old book.

No, I no longer write in the book, as doing so decreases its monetary value if anyone should wish to sell it at a later date.

I enclose a card with a message on it sometimes.

Like German shops Danish ones wrap presents for you when you buy them, but you can add a card by sellotaping it to the outside of the parcel.

I have my mother's book dated 1926 which she was presented for good attendance called "Things will take a Turn".

I never have but reading the above I wish I had——- I bought a beautiful book of 150 Views of The Lake District 40 years ago for 25 cents and it was dated 1900 Head Master,I love it so interesting..I give books to my 7 grandchildren (as they have everything else)they all read them avidly,although I read books on my I Pad I still find it nice to read a real book sometimes.

I don't but always put my name and address in books when I was a child.
"If this book should chance to roam
Box its ears and send it home to:"
Name, address, including country, Europe, The World, The Universe.
Just in case it got lost.

I have my copy of Heidi inscribed from my much loved auntie in 1957.

No I would not deface a book by writing a dedication inside. I would prefer to tuck a card inside with my dedication on it. The card serves as a bookmark.

I haven't in recent years, I used to.My children have lots of children's books with their grandad's copperplate inscription and we would never part with them for that. (We are probably book hoarders).I will now start doing it again, as posters say, not chick-lit or first editions (fine chance) but for nice hardback presents. It's lovely.

No I wouldn't do this, it isn't logical to me, I don't write an inscription on anything else I gift unless it is something they would wear or put on display like jewellery or a personalised plaque. Books shouldn't go dusty on shelves because never to be looked at again cos someone (not the author) wrote in it, they are made to be shared.

Inscriptions from the author make sense though.

I do have a personalised bookmark I treasure though

I had an aunt who always wrote a dedication in books and she worked for a large publishing company. I used to write my children's names in their books but don't any more.
Sometime ago I bought a book at a fete by an author I'd not read before. When I got it home I saw that the author had written a dedication inside to someone with the same name as me!

I still have a book I was given as a prize from school for Good Attendance. I always gave my children a book at Christmas which was inscribed "with love from Father Christmas
" and the year. They still have a couple.

I have a few for Sunday school/ Jucos prizes given for attendance. I was dutifully sent, because my parents wanted a bit of peace and quiet on a Sunday afternoon.
However I picked up an English copy of Uncle Tom’s Cabin in a nearby French village, someone’s library thrown out on the street. Has anyone heard of this Sunday school?

Yes I always write a message.
I have some with more than one message as they have been passed on.
Keep writing and keep reading an actual book x

One of my most treasured possessions is a very old book of Shelley’s poems with a beautiful inscription inside. I sometimes rescue books from charity shops that have inscriptions inside, too.

Yes if it’s a book I think they might keep

I have The Complete works of William Shakespeare given by my grandmother 'Edith, With Best wishes to Elsie (her sister) May, 1908'. She gave it to me in 1962.