Take a Book, Leave a Book

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How many of you have stayed at a hotel, AirBnB, rental condo, or hostel that has a free book library? By free book, I mean leaving a book of yours, and taking a different one. Other names for these are free community library, free lending library, and take one, leave one. I have seen them in other places as well, on cute little Cul de sacs in my neighborhood, the YMCA, and Friends of the Library. Trading books has probably been around even before the public library. Maybe old Ben Franklin was onto something? Though it is contested, most of us credit Ben Franklin in 1731 for starting the first free public library in the (future) United States. Growing up, we always had a library card. On Fridays, when my Mom did the weekly grocery shopping, we were allowed to walk to the library, after school, until she picked us up. Of course, we made a few stops along the way, like the soda fountain at the drug store, or the hobby shop next door. But all of us who travel seem to have a book (or in my case, several) in our carry-on bag. Kindle users, you are out of luck! And many of us trade books, though our taste in reading may differ dramatically. I tend to carry light reading, with my favorite being John Grisham. But I have attempted to widen my horizons to Tom Clancy, and Robert Ludlum. But the point is, the books are light reading yet entertaining. And I read mostly at the airport or on the plane. To quote Fodor's, the honest nature of the free book economy is part of what makes it so special. Books congregate on these shelves from around the world. I imagine every time a book changes hands creates a story in itself. Wouldn't it be interesting if we wrote our name and location inside the front cover? Of course, the books have no logic or Dewey Decimal System to organize them. Fiction and non-fiction mix like long lost cousins. Children's books sit between adult mysteries and biographies. The lack of organization makes this a grand adventure. I specifically recall such a free book exchange in Hanoi. I was reading that awful book about Pat Tillman, the NFL player who quit football to join the Army Rangers. It was a little too graphic for me. So, about halfway through the book, I exchanged it for another forgettable book. But the point is, the exchange was free, and I ended up changing my mind set completely. So, next time you are on the road, and get bored, try the free book exchange.

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