Voyeuristic Tendencies

Do you pick up notes you find on the ground (sometimes)? Or open envelopes found in old books(always)? How about reading a grocery list left behind in the cart( usually)? Reading used notebooks in a garage sale(yes) or inscriptions inside used books (guilty)?

These voyeuristic tendencies must satisfy some kind of primal need since I think that most people are curious to see what others are thinking, feeling, doing. This explains the premise of Found Magazine.

The magazine can be a bit overwhelming to read in one sitting, so I keep a copy at my desk and read a few pages here and there. First published in 2001, this unique magazine has an interesting slant on collecting subject matter.

"We collect found stuff: love letters, birthday cards, kids' homework, to-do lists, ticket stubs, poetry on napkins, doodles-- anything that gives a glimpse into someone else's life.

Another site is called Forgotten Bookmarks. Michael works in a used book store and blogs about "the personal, funny, heartbreaking and weird things I find in those books."

Abe Books website has an article called 'Things Found in Books' and it lists things such as old baseball cards, a pinky ring, photos,etc. Very interesting reading.

Highlights of LetterNews

There are two feature stories in this month's edition of LetterNews, the e-newsletter for Letters & Journals. If you don't get the newsletter that was sent out Monday, August 30, you can read the articles on the website.

The first article, by Debra Illingworth Greene, is 'Lost and Found: A Journal Story' which tells the story of one lost journal and how it made the journey back to its owner.

The second feature is by Kathleen Cleberg who reviews 'The Spirit of Letters', a book about great artists who painted people reading or writing letters such as this famous painting by Vermeer. If you're interested in purchasing this hardcover book, I found some copies for sale at www.abebooks.com,  a website that sells new and used books.

(Photo: Girl in Blue Reading a Letter, Jan Vermeer from 'The Spirit of Letters' published by Hallmark in 1961.)