Books for Soldiers

murasaki · #1 03-29-2003, 08:07 AM

If you have a bunch of paperbacks lying around, there might be a deployed servicemember who can enjoy them.

This website, booksforsoldiers.com, lists posts from soldiers asking for reading materials and gives their mailing addresses. A lot of the servicemembers ask for "anything" or books in a certain genre rather than for specific titles. The requests are separated by service branch. My understanding is that you can buy a new book to send or donate books you already have that are in readable condition.

(Edited to add): Some of the requests come from organizations like hospitals and family support centers that keep free libraries for servicemembers and their families.

Being a book lover myself, I know that I would appreciate this service were I deployed.

--naomi
who's off to the stacks

**theworm**[$] · #2 03-29-2003, 09:02 AM

Thanks, Naomi! This is a great way to help! I'm going to check out my old paperbacks - I'm sure that I have a bunch that I can part with!

**taurusmoon** · #3 03-29-2003, 09:17 AM

What a wonderful resource. Thanks Naomi!

I'll hit my bookcase tonight.

Sara

quasar · #4 03-29-2003, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Although some troops will request "anything," we have found that books on the Apocalypse or end of the world are not as well received as mystery novels for example.

Can I have a Duh?

Janice

arianej · #5 03-29-2003, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by murasaki
Being a book lover myself, I know that I would appreciate this service were I deployed.

So would I. I'm lost without my books! I'll rummage through my own collection, and keep this in mind the next time I go to the bookstore.

If anyone is near a location of the chain Half-Price Books, they're a great place to pick up paperbacks for situations like this. Their clearance section often has used bestsellers and other books for .50-$1.00, and hardbacks from $1-3. I've found some keepers there for myself, and I'm sure I'd be able to find some good ones there. It's a great way to stretch a buck and be able to send more reading material.

http://www.halfpricebooks.com

Ariane

frazzledspice · #6 03-30-2003, 09:01 AM

Another good way to buy books to send is to go to the garage sales. Spring is here and they should have dozens every weekend for you to choose from.

At garage sales, books are hardly ever more than a quarter.

**lynnzop**[$] · #7 03-30-2003, 10:07 AM

Thanks Naomi, great idea!

Lynn

jnbmoore · #8 03-30-2003, 10:38 AM

I hit Goodwill for some to send. I went with classics like Phantom Tollbooth....

Our classic rock radio station was also suggesting prayer books and Goodwill is good for that too. Even a couple of Chicken Soup books

**theworm**[$] · #9 03-30-2003, 11:15 AM

I sent a box yesterday. A shoe box should hold about 8-10 standard size paperbacks. I pulled one out and filled it's spot with some toiletries. The box only cost $10 to ship via priority mail. It seems like an easy and inexpensive way to help, and I think that I'll try to send a box every weekend until the conflict ends.
On a selfish note - it's a great way for me to clear out some room on the bookshelves for more new books for me. On a less-selfish note - maybe it will make a difference to someone over there, and books can be easily passed around and shared.
I'm so glad that Naomi posted this link, and I've e-mailed it to my friends so that they can participate in the program too.

magenta321 · #10 03-30-2003, 11:27 AM

What a good idea. Thanks for sharing.

I've been seeing a lot of "We Support our Troops" banners lately. I've been wondering what people are actually *doing* to support their troops. Then, I felt like a hypocrit, because I haven't done much either.

Now I know what to do.

Thank you.

Grouch · #11 03-30-2003, 12:02 PM

Speaking as one who has a better chance of being deployed to Kuwait than about 90% of the folks on this board, and speaking as someone who is a voracious reader, and speaking as someone who has literally spent hours computing how much space my Charles Dickens and John Irving novels would take up in my duffel bag...

I thank you from the bottom of my bibliophilic heart! While I love toothpaste, baby wipes and cookies as much as the next guy, finding a good book to read in the midst of all that blood, sand and chaos would probably bring tears to my eyes.

(And thank you, Naomi, for telling us about this. I know the chaplains and Morale, Welfare, Recreation folks usually have free paperbacks to hand out, but I'd never heard of this particular program. Very cool!)

quasar · #12 03-30-2003, 12:25 PM

Grouch if it's allowed, you should get a Palm that runs on AAA batteries - all the reading material you could possibly ever want, very little packing space

And anything public domain is free, so you won't have to pay a penny for Dickens.

Janice

Grouch · #13 03-30-2003, 05:25 PM

True, Janice, true. I hadn't even thought of that, to be honest.

Now I'll have room for that bar of soap and deodorant I discarded in my (hypothetical) duffel bag!