If I decide to sell a book, I have to check it thoroughly to assess its condition and occasionally, as I flick through the pages, something falls out. These ad hoc bookmarks are usually just scraps of paper, but sometimes I find photos or letters that give tantalising glimpes into the lives of strangers.
Here are some recent favourites:

My name is sarah i live at twenty one enest road kot i live with my pearonts and my to ugly brothers...
This probably took a long time to type - I can visualise a little girl trying to fathom out the mysteries of the QWERTY keyboard. Today she'd just use spellcheck.

The temperature control panel of the Dimplex convector heater has been left open, suggesting grey skies, wet pavements and dark evenings spent in an empty dining room.
But this photo could mark the beginning or end of what felt like a great adventure. If we look beyond the clashing patterns and cheap furniture, this photo might have been taken because someone wanted to bottle the happiness of the moment.

On this piece of paper, someone has written: 'A, a fugitive from justice, prevents B from committing suicide. B is a classy prostitute.'
Oh, that old chestnut.
I wonder if it ever became a finished novel?

Finally, a notice from Christina Foyle, apologising for sending the wrong title to a book club member. She refers to some 'difficulties', which is a slight understatement, given that the year was 1943.

10 comments:
I've said it before, but you MUST turn these into a book, they are just superb.
Number 1 is obviously the first draft of a lost Muriel Spark novel, or possibly a sketch for the play that became 'The Childrens Hour" - who know what stifled passions are concealed within this child's observations, think 'The Go Between' meets 'Sister George" - Grandpa's letter almost brought a tear to my icy heart - and my interpretation of the lady with the suitcase was that Granny was finally being sent off to a home so the kids could sell the house for school fees.
Wonderful.
Another wonderful post: your blog is such a box of delights.
Lovely blog post. Those bookmarks/fragments are so interesting and intriguing.
I hadn't thought of the old people's home angle, but that's a chilling thought! Imagine spending your last days in that room, with those curtains.
These are fascinating and touching. By coincidence, I recently read a very interesting article about 'Plotto' and other such mad script/novel-writing schemes -- http://www.slate.com/id/2221392/ (it's by Paul Collins).
I concur; book material indeed. Quite lovely. The letter from the grandmother too my breath away a little.
You've got such a fantastic job!
If it gives you to eat, it is the best job in the world.
PS - Great blog name, too. It reminds me of a philosophy book I used in high school.
Thanks May, but if I had to name this blog again, I probably wouldn't pick such a pompous-sounding title.
Still, it made sense at the time.
I second depsando. These are really superb. I found the note from the grandad most touching.
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