From a homesick restaurant to Athenian Murders

In May of 2003 I became a BookCrosser. Reluctantly, at first... I thought it was a time-consuming constant worry about your books. You had to register them, write something about them, make stickers, leave them in parks, hospitals or trains, etc. But in a few weeks I went wild.

I discovered all the forums, sent books all over the world, and loved the RABCK system. I could send people books without getting books back. And I was sure they loved the books. Fine. That was one of my bookcrossing targets: more fun and less books.

And then, one day in July of 2003, someone asked me for one of my favorite books, Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant by Anne Tyler. What to do? I spent a good day thinking. Then another day. I considered that I got the book from another bookcrosser, but still hesitated. I even slept a night on it (figuratively, of course), and finally decided to allow the book to travel on. I made a nice package of it and then had a last touch in the post office. It was gone. To Portugal. And to be honest: soon forgotten. Not Anne Tyler's story, but the book.

Until last week. Suddenly, a package on the doormat. From Portugal. The Athenian Murders by José Carlos Somoza. This more-than-kind bookcrosser waited until she had a book from my wishlist and sent it to me as a surprise. I have had many happy returns for the books I've sent out, but this was by far the happiest.