I work in a used bookstore and get a chance to see a lot of inscriptions in books. Some of them are very old. I think the oldest one I've seen was from the late 19th century some time. Some, of course, are very recent.
A book is kind of a personal thing, which makes working in a used bookstore pretty fascinating sometimes. Every book I see there has been owned by someone, and has played some part, even if very small, in their life. What is so great about the inscriptions is that they can tell a person a little bit about the hands the book has passsed through before them. I ask a lot of questions when I read them. 'Who were they?' 'How far has this book traveled?' And most of all, 'At what point did the recipient of this book decide to give it away or sell it, so that it might end up in a used bookstore in Chicago, in my hands?'
Most of the inscriptions are mundane. Some are extraordinary. All of them are unique.
Below is a selection of inscriptions I've come across, and the book I found them in. I'll keep adding as I find new ones, so check back.
-Sam Ramos-
