Wednesday, February 8, 2023

My 2022 Library Valentine #WordlessWednesday

At least two of our local libraries have Valentine's Day giveaways, where they wrap books and you, the patron, can take one of the books home and keep it.

This was the display at my local library this year, and a post I wrote about their giveaways back in 2017. 

This is the book I picked last year.

To my surprise, when I opened the book, I discovered I already owned it.  I just had never read it.

To my greater surprise, it wasn't exactly the book I owned.  The book I own is on the left.  What I got as a gift is on the right.

Turns out that something rare had happened between the author and her publisher.  She was allowed a do-over, expanding the book,. She also edited or rewrote certain passages, something that was prompted by various book reviewers.

So, I now own two versions of this book called Orphan Train.   The topic has interested me, every since (back in the late 1970's) I met an older woman in Wichita, Kansas (we worked together for a time), who explained she had been a rider on an orphan train.  I don't know when but the last train was in 1929.  She must have been one of the last passengers.

She never gave me many details; her childhood was a painful time.   

Here's more information on the Orphan Trains.

Thank you, library, for this annual book giveaway.

Joining Sandee at Comedy Plus for her #WordlessWednesday.

13 comments:

  1. A lovely gesture on the part of the library and one that obviously turned out to be very satisfactory for you.

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  2. ...I hope that Valentine's Day is just one of many lovely days for you.

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  3. How amazing that you chose the same book. You are obviously meant to read it.

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  4. I've done this very thing and then have a giveaway for the second book. You made me smile.

    Thank you for joining the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.

    Have a fabulous Wordless Wednesday. ♥

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  5. What a fun library for Valentine's Day ~

    Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  6. Another piece of history I was unaware of. It looks good on paper, but I would guess in most cases those children sent to "rural communities" (the link) were nothing but slaves on farms. And the teaching these children "good morals," nothing but harsh conditions and beatings if they weren't appreciative for the opportunity other orphans didn't have. Perhaps that's why your co-worker didn't like talking about it.

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  7. What a nice gesture libraries are always good for the community 👍

    Have a readtastic week 👍

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  8. What an interesting story, but it's also nice how the books are presented. Enjoy reading your books!
    Happy WW and a fine week! 😘❤️

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  9. I guess the universe really wanted you to read that book. Interesting history.

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  10. How nice to do giveaway by libraries! This is a very nice event to run for the local community

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  11. How interesting that the author was allowed to alter her story after publication.

    And how interesting that you met a rider of the orphan trains.

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  12. The only orphan trains with which I have been familiar were associated with the Holocaust. Thanks for expanding my horizon.

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