I bought a few books from a thriftstore online..the prices were pretty cheap but the shipping costs were even better. 4. 99 for international shipping. It's hard to find a lot of good reading here in Korea..outside of the classics and some bestsellers, there's not a huge selection readily available. But my Joy Luck Club finally came in the mail. I had almost forgotten about it. It's pretty tattered and worn out on the edges but the print is clear and the pages are crisp so I can't ask for more. I love the smell of the pages. It's a dusty, library smell. It's a smell that stores secrets.

The best part of this old, used book is the handwritten inscription in the front:

For Marcia,
who keeps me smiling!
Best wishes for joy and luck always,
September 8, 89' San Francisco

It's written in blue-ink and in cursive. I love that this book has been somewhere, read by someone before me who was loved. There's a stamp of a name and place and time. Marcia was given this book 20 years ago and now, in South Korea, October 2010 I have it in my hands. I love this book so much more because of this little dedication.

For Marcia, who keeps me smiling.