Found: The Best Lost, Tossed, and Forgotten Items from Around the World

by Davy Rothbart

Adult/High School–Since elementary school, Rothbart has been collecting things he finds–in the trash, on the bus, on the ground. When he decided that others might be interested in them, he cut and pasted the best ones into a fanzine called Found. Other people quickly began sending him items, and the magazine grew into this "best of" collection. It contains predominantly handwritten notes, but there are also photos, drawings, e-mails, grocery lists, and even a picture of a kitten that was found in a library book drop. Many of the finds are compelling on their own, but what really entertains is the imagined possible backgrounds. One must wonder about the story behind the note, "Don't take matress. Leanne died on it. Shame on you. Apt. 306." There is also an interview with cartoonist Lynda Barry, and a poignant one with a man who found a message in a bottle 19 years after it was sent to sea. Though many of the items will bring laughs, there are also sad ones–lots of breakup notes and those written by children to their estranged parents, and some moving flyers from the World Trade Center collapse. Some of the pieces were obviously written by high-school students and passed in class. Reluctant readers will enjoy browsing through the silly, the sexy, and the scatological, but this book will appeal to anyone's inner eavesdropper and packrat instincts.–Jamie Watson, Harford County Public Library, MD
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor, Art, Sociology, Cultural, Pop Culture, History

252 pages, Paperback

First published May 4, 2004

About the author

Davy Rothbart's magazine Found is dedicated to discarded notes, letters, flyers, photos, lists, and drawings found and sent in by readers. The magazine spawned a best-selling book, Found: The Best Lost, Tossed, and Forgotten Items from Around the World, published in April 2004. A second collection was published in May 2006. The magazine is published annually and co-edited by Rothbart's friend Jason Bitner.

Rothbart, a former Chicago Bulls ticket scalper, often tours the country to share finds and invite others to share their finds with him. His brother, musician Peter Rothbart, often accompanies him on these tours.

The Lone Surfer of Montana, Kansas, a collection of Rothbart's short-stories, was published in August 2005 by Simon & Schuster. A shorter version of the same book was previously self-published by Rothbart's own production company, 21 Balloons Productions (named after Rothbart's favorite book, The 21 Balloons, by William Pène du Bois). An Italian edition, Il Surfista Solitario del Montana, was published in 2007 by Coniglio Editore. In 2008, actor Steve Buscemi optioned the book for film adaption, to be developed by Olive Productions; Buscemi has written the screenplay and plans to direct.

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know about you, (really, I don’t) but when I was little, I was one of those kids that LOVED finding stuff. Especially if it was on the ground, with a few shoe prints embedded in it, maybe torn, OOH! Gum wrappers!
Anything shiny set off a Pavlovian response and I’d scamper towards it gleefully. Fastened to a gutter? No problem. Sticky? Bring it on. Drifting across a busy street? Set me free.

Now, my Mom… Oh, yeah.. Mom. I think I gave her a mini cardiac infarction every time I dropped her hand and lunged for one of my treasures. She would try to pull me away, slap my hand, scream. It didn’t matter… no one was getting between me and that beer bottle cap. She’d find me crouched over a used scratch ticket digging away the unscratched areas with dirty fingernails. She’d dig through my pockets and find crumpled receipts, pigeon feathers, one time she knocked me over trying to stop me from picking up a used condom (it looked like a balloon!), okay, for that, I thanked her later.

This continued on through high school and somewhat through my time in Boston. I would chase down papers and read torn term papers completed by Harvard students. ‘Move out’ day was like a holiday for me. Boxes of stuff left out on the street! I could just have my pick!

In New York I met my match. There were actually people who did this STUFF for a living!!! They’d set up ratty old blankets on Second Avenue and hawk their wares. These people were hard core. They actually went trash hunting. We’d see baseball gloves and old photographs, used journals and books with the covers ripped off. Maurice would always try to pull me away (he had witnessed a few ‘move out’ holidays) but I’d linger and then the seller would try to talk me up. ‘Come on… look here. This dude is naked!’ (The poor man) Then Guiliani came along and my fun was seriously curbed. I had to go back to finding my own treasures and since I’d taken a health class or two, I wasn’t so enthused to pick up a dog eared composition book that had survived a rainstorm (barely)

Now, I’m old and have children and I think the latent germophobe gene has emerged. If one of my kids gets all saucer-eyed over a muddy tennis ball, I’m on their ass quicker than a wink. The Purell is out and I’m my Mother, screeching out the virtues of cleanliness making references to godliness and such. I carry wet wipes with me and love the sound of a street sweeper early in the morning. What happened to me?

Luckily, I came across ‘Found’ It has given me back that joy of unearthing relics and creating lives out of them. Seriously. That’s what I thought I was doing. I was Indiana-motherfucking-Jones!

But, DAMN, why didn’t I think of it? Noooo, some hipsters came across the idea to compile these and make a whole magazine out of it! Then one book, then more! I coulda been…

Whatever. This book was fun. I needed fun. It had hate letters left on cars: ‘Thanks to you, my handicapped wife could not get into our house. I hope you die on the way back to Michigan. Redwings Suck. Fuck you!!!’ and ‘Inconsiderate must come to the minds of all that think of you’ and ‘Curtesy Notice: There will Be a funeral Wensday held at the Hells Angels CluB house. We woulD greatly appreciate your parking space for out of town guests. Thank you Frisco HellsAngels”

Hee.

There are To Do lists!

To Do
Turn in library books
Find out about college
Mail Dads Shit
Pay bills in advance
Write Crystal
Hide Guns
Pack
Get medication
Do taxes
Sew PC up
Change adresses
Pay Columbia bill

And

To Do
Email Corey
Introduce him to lesbians
Continue to convince self that I’m not in love w/ him


You can’t make this shit up. Okay, you can… but whatever, they’re still fun.

Instructions!

1. Suck hard and light bowl on fire until chamber is filled with white smoke
2. Exhale 1st Hit
3. Lock valve at intake
4. Relax. Tell a story
5. Unlock valve at intake
6. Clear chamber
7. Repeat iF Necessary
8. Make Food!!!!


Daily Affirmations!

You fuck up you always fuck up your a fucker just like all the other fuckers you call fucker you are a fuck up you always try but you always fuck up try harder it just takes longer just to make the fuck up time more suspenseful you always fuk up you alwaysfuckl up what have you done good what haven’t you fucked up nothing you fuck up everything you are a fuck up I love you I can’t get rid of you but what do you do with a fuck up nothing because they always fuck up because you are a fuck up you always are a fuck up because you are a fuck up fuckup being a fuck up and fuck up.

Love Letters!

Dear Delane,
You and I are just friends. That’s the way I wish to remain. I like you but only as a friend I would be happy if this doesn’t effect our bond--as friends
Please understand it is not because your black. It’s not because your not handsome enough it’s just because you and I are friends. And that’s it.
The reason you can’t be my boyfrient is because I am not attract to you as you are to me. To be honest, I just want us to be friends that’s all. It’s your choice wheather you want to be my friend or not. Julia.

Okay… you get it. Okay, one more:




Just so you can see for yourself.

Not all of these are fun. Some are sad, some tell stories, lots of messages in bottles, who does that? I want to meet them.

[Valerie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The bad news about this book is that it looks like it was made on a copy machine (and not a very good one). I'm sure that was supposed to be part of the charm, but still - it's a bit rough. The good news is that you can get past that pretty quickly just checking out all the scraps, lists and notes that the author has collected. He's the creator of Found Magazine, and this book represents some of the best finds over the years, all "litter" or found material gathered by the author himself or submitted by friends and readers of the magazine.

I can't resist passing along gems such as:

Dear Ron,
The longer I think about what I'm doing the sicker I feel. Ron I'm sorry but I don't think that we should continue to have a relationship together, at least not as a couple. I love you but things have not been the same since we found out that we were related. If you no longer want to speak to me because of this, I will understand. I will still come visit you on Sundays if you like, I just don't know what to say to you.
Love always,
Alisha

or

I will kill you if
you touch!!
Don't make me do it, I don't
like violence... but I will
kill you if I have to.
Thank you
P.J.

or how about

WARNING
The iguana is loose on the
porch - Before entering,
make damn sure that she is not
going to bolt out the door when you
open it, Also, be sure to close
screen door til it latches shut!!!!
Thank you

or the heartfelt

Peter! Alias "Chico punk sponge" "thief" "tear drop" "shit stain"
Thanks so much for stopping by for five month's and sponging. Leaving spunk tracks on my clean blanket's. Leaving everything namely bills unpaid. Taking my stereo watch cassette tape.
I know it's a horrible thing having people give you food when your hungry, shelter, tabbaco, money. How could I have been so cruel.
Hey I know the clothes I gave you just wern't cool enough. I know cleaning up after you wasn't good enough. I should have cleaned your room, washed your clothes and wiped your stinking ass. At least that way maybe your sponge freind's could stand your stink!
Let's not forget bringing a wonderful 15 year old fat chick runaway to our place. Of course hiding her here has brought the cop's. The neighbors especially appreciated the cop's busting into their place. They think so much of you now! Gosh golly we all do!
Hugs and kisses,
Chad your friend for life!

So sweet! That "gosh golly" sure was a nice touch!

To get the full effect, you do need to see the book in its entirety with all the scraps and handwriting. There are some really poignant bits, too, one involving the return of a message in a bottle to the family who set it adrift. Or people going out of their way to return found objects still needed by their original owners.

What I like most about this book is that it takes something that's everyday and practically forgotten - discarded trash - and by the simple act of finding it gives it the status of treasure. It makes you want to look around your own world and see if something extra is lying in wait for you. Because it is - you just have to look around and find it.

You can see more at Found Magazine's web site.

[Jeremy · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's nothing I enjoy more than reading things that are none of my business. Each and every time I've encountered somebody's diary in my life, I've picked it up and flipped through, and ten times out of ten the contents are far more compelling than a bookcase full of acclaimed literary classics. Yes, I will read your diary, if you leave it lying around. I'm just that good a friend. Now that tiny locks and keys and lame hiding places have been replaced by a simple click of the mouse for the most part, diaries are no longer a viable source of cheap, invasive thrills, so Found Magazine became the next best thing. I can't imagine how enjoyable and exciting it must have been for Rothbart and company to receive and open the insane things people found on the ground and sent to them. Probably one of the purer studies of human emotions you're likely to find, but beyond that nonsense, it's just a lot of fun to read.

[Tristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

You might not believe this, but I literally FOUND this book today on the street. I was already a big fan of FOUND the zine but I just couldn't bring myself to pay $14 for the book (I know - I'm a terrible person). Low and behold, there it was, in close to perfect condition, on Liberty Street in Petaluma, CA, lying next to a dead plant and an old, broken juicer. If I were a smart cookie, I would have taken a photo, to capture this genius moment, but I was so excited to find this book that I had been coveting but not letting myself buy, that I snapped it up to take home and read right away. This book has something fantastic on every page you open. The Lynda Barry interview is particularly wonderful. You should go out and buy it. No really, you should...

[Jay · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know I'm in the minority, but I had a real problem with Found. The actual "found" content is entertaining, but the layout of the pages was atrocious (lots of photo-ready pages with intentionally visible Scotch tape to mimic the aesthetic of the concept). I had a hard time getting past that. The commentaries that "finders" submitted was equally distracting and unnecessary. I felt the "found" notes, letters, etc. would be more special without knowing the who, what, when, where, and why of how they found it. Editor Davy Rothbart should have let the content speak for itself.

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was fun to read. Some of the notes made me laugh, some made me cry. Most all of them made me frustrated about the American public's inability to write proper English. Davy himself seems like a pretty annoying person -- his affected gangsta commentary seemed out of keeping with the overall effect of the book. But the interviews were interesting -- I liked getting more background on some of the finds. Definitely worth flipping through.

[HeavyReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book at the Spring '09 Friends of the Library book sale. SCORE!

This book has really great stuff in it: notes of love, notes of anger, letters that will break the heart, shopping lists, lists of things to do, photographs, art by kids and art by adults, interviews (including one with Lynda Barry, who is one of my heroes), stories, and lots more.

I love finding stuff. I love hearing about/reading about stuff other folks have found. This book is awesome!

[Katelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of items that have been found all over the world. Forgotten notes, tossed grocery lists, pictures and much more make up this collection. This is definitely a book to pick up and read a few pages at a time. It was very interesting and funny, but I think reading a lot of it at once just highlighted the fact that there's a lot of really bad handwriting out there in the world, along with some very creepy people!

[Sendie P · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have gotten this book in an effort to "discover" a jewel such as PostSecret.

Unfortunately, I have found myself going over numerous pages while reading this book and oftentimes thought that the items found were boring.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not heavy reading by any means... But the first note I opened it to said "It Stayed on the grill BITCH." I am now addicted.

God almighty, WHAT IS THE CONTEXT for that note???

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

entertaining, emotional, and sometimes haunting...take a peek into the lives of people around the world by just taking a peek at their trash...

[Kelly Dienes · Rating 5 out of 5]

i wish that some of the notes were more legible and i wasn’t into the stories of EVERY person who contributed to the book. also the cover and the physical quality of stuff... could be better. but i love this concept and it’s truly fascinating to find something like the stuff in the book. some stuff cracked me up so much. other stuff was super touching. it gets 5 stars for content. this book is super worth picking up

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is voyeurism and mystery in Found, laugh-out-loud hilarity and tragedy too. For the most part this collection is well-curated with only a small amount of mundane to keep the rest honest. It makes a point to place similar objects together, but also to make unlikely pairings as well. The best part: Because Found's contents were never intended to be public, it effectively subtracts any possible exhibitionism, an unwanted trait that sometimes enters the world of similar community art projects--Frank Warren's PostSecret and Miranda July's Learning to Love You More--tarnishing their intended earnestness. (Note: PS and LtLYM are both exemplary collections; the occasional exhibitionist does not cheapen the whole collection. Between those two and Found, it would difficult to choose a favorite.)

It isn't perfect, but the negatives are all superficial. They do not keep this book from being five stars in my mind. Still, they are:
(1) The taped-together, black-and-white, DIY zine appearance seems immature at times. I would've loved some color, especially for the photographs. I wonder if it was a budgeting issue or simply a desire to keep the DIY appearance I presume the magazine had. (Having never seen the magazine, this could simply be pages direct from the magazine for all I know.)
(2) The Found advertisement one-liners that permeate this collection are annoying. Moreso, they seem smug and walk a fine line that can fall into belittle the authors of the found notes.
(3) Far too often there is a break in the flow for an interview or lengthy explanation. I would have preferred longer sections of found items offered without comment.
(4) Speaking of the explanations, many were totally unnecessary, tritely stating the obvious mystery of an object or the questions it presented. Sometimes this had the unintended result of placing more emphasis on the finder than the object. At their best, they offered more detail of where an object was found, which could've easily been part of the credit: [Title] found by [name], [specifics of where item was found, city, state].
(5) The artist-contributed illustrations were awkward for me. I'd turn a page and see a clever little drawing that seemed like a fantastic find(!) only to discover it was an illustration by an artist. I guess there could've been more images in the book if folks submitted more found drawings and photographs, haha.

[Arminzerella · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is addictive. I found it on a list of books for reluctant readers, and thought it sounded interesting. I thought it would contain all sorts of found stuff – you know like the found art movement where you go out into the world and find stuff and then use that in your art. This was a bit different. It has mostly letters, scraps of paper, lists, pictures, drawings, and photographs, along with commentary from people who found these things about where they found them and stories that go along with the objects. It’s fascinating. I stayed up half the night reading them. I think part of the allure is that you start wanting to find these things yourself – see what complete strangers are thinking about and very lightly touch their lives. There’s a bit of voyeur and detective and treasure hunter in all of us. I also found myself wondering if maybe something I’d thrown out had ended up in there – that’s a good hook to keep someone reading to the end. Not only looking for part of themselves in the scraps of lives that have been found but also hoping that your scraps were the ones that touched someone else’s life. Your very own five minutes of fame. It’s a bit racy in parts and there’s lots of foul language and frank discussions of drug use and sex so be aware of that.

After reading this I had a chance to attend one of the Found Magazine shows – Davy Rothbart and his brother came to Chicago along with Frank Warren (the man who started the Postsecret project). It was really entertaining. Davy and his brother read some of their best finds out loud to the audience (and Davy's brother had even written songs based on some of them, like, Damn, the Booty Don't Stop!), and that really brought them to life, allowed us to experience them as they'd come to see them. I had a super time. Maybe a year later, I got to see a presentation of Dirty Found (same concept, but all naughty bits). There were some pictures I hope that I'll be able to forget some day (forever burned into my retinas, unfortunately). I'd recommend going to a show if you have a chance, it's even better than reading the books.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com

I don't read non-fiction all that often, but I was intrigued by FOUND when it was nominated as a 2007 Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults. And I'm very glad I picked up a copy!

FOUND is, quite simply, a book filled with notes, letters, lists, pictures, and other miscellaneous items that have been found--either in the trash, on a sidewalk, stuck on a windshield, or just about anywhere else--that people have sent to the editors of FOUND Magazine for inclusion.

There is no real index to allow you to search for specific found items, but you can search by state. It doesn't really matter, though, because once you get started, you'll want to read the entire book. There are found items ranging from the funny, to the heartbreaking, to the downright insane ramblings of someone who obviously needs medication.

Some of my personal favorites include:

THIS PHASE OF YOURS found in Hoffman Estates, IL
FIND GOD, START DRINKING found in Lincoln, NE
MY OWN PRIVATE LIBRARY found in Casper, WY
AARON'S ALGEBRA TEST found in Portland, ME

This is definitely an informative and funny read. I'm looking forward to the release of FOUND II on May 2nd, which should be very educational, indeed!

[Merrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes, it is AMAZING the ideas that people have that make them money. In the "oh man, WHY DID I NOT THINK OF THIS FIRST!?" kind of way. See, basically, this guy picks up trash. For a living. Even better, he has other people pick up trash and mail it to him.

Davy Rothbart put a magazine together, basically a scrap book of scraps of paper, notes, drawings, signs, etc that he found. this book is basically a best of the best collection. And it is FASCINATING. Seriously. It's like digging through America's purse/wallet/backpack. Some of it is terrifying, like the "do you want to sleep with me, check yes or no" note found in the hallway in a middle school. Some of it is heartbreaking, like the pained journal entry a man made after discovering his wife had cheated on him. Some of it is simply adorable, like the note written by the "boys of the sixth grade" to the hottest girl in school. There's a telegram from the 20s, sent by a man begging to see if his girl loved him, because his parents were urging him into priesthood, but he'd defy them if only she loved him back.

Sometimes painfully hilarious, sometimes painfully awkward, and pretty much always incredibly fascinating. Human beings are weird.

[carrietracy · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's not hard to see why people like this book. After all we're a country that loves its reality TV. And that's what this is, in book form. It reminded me both of Was She Pretty? and PostSecret Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives, both of which I enjoyed more. I found it very hard to read, especially in terms of deciphering handwriting and making sense of snippets of text and poorly written pieces. It has the feel of something that should be quickly read, but is too dense to breeze through. If you're looking for a window into other people's lives, I'd say go with PostSecret instead, unless you have a lot of time on your hands, a desire to read a lot about sex and junkies and an ability to read chicken-scratch.

[Emily Mellow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't even know which category to place this marvelous book, but I absolutely loved it. It's a great book to share with someone; I wanted to show almost every page to Nik, who picked it up to browse anytime he saw it lying around. It's the kind of book you can read from any page you open to, but I think it's best cover-to-cover. I didn't want to miss a thing.
It's a collection of found letters, notes, drawings, and photos. Everything packed with meaning and mystery, everything created for some reason, then discarded or lost, then found and sent in to Found magazine, and finally printed in this book (names changed to protect the identities of the true life characters). Things from all over the world, and from decades ago. There are some heartwarming stories inside, as well as some heartbreaking ones.

[Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever since coming across this book, I’ve been obsessed. The hilarious, the horrifying, and the heart wrenching accounts of the wonders of everyday life, fresh from the streets where they were abandoned has struck some kind of cord with me, and now I frequent the Found Magazine website, have searched out back issues of Found Magazine, and am amassing my own collection of unique documents left by who knows who (Who IS Steve? one asks, and no answer is given). I can really say that this book has helped me look at other people in a new light, giving me a new sense of empathy towards humanity. Everyone loves, everyone feels pain, and this collection provides a perfect way to view the human condition.

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I found "Found" magazine several years back. It was like discovering King Tut's burial site (to paraphrase from my favorite film). I have always loved reading notes I had found in school, charting the progress of a conversation on a bathroom stall, getting an odd picture of people I don't know in my film development, and I am currently enjoying the journal musings of the 6 year olds in my class. Its these mini treasures that tell me that a. God exists and b. God has a sense of humor. Found is like that. Its like all the good stuff that you sometimes find that makes your day, bound into a book. Fantastic stuff.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fascinating book. It is a collection of items that have been found and sent to the Found Magazine. Most of the items are notes and are hilarious! The first one, the one that started the whole thing, was a note left on his car but was meant for someone else. This is what it said, "Dear Mario, I f*ing hate you. You said you had to work then whys your car HERE at HER place?? You are a f*ing liar. I hate yu. I f*ing hate you. Amber P.S. Page me later" They do not know Mario and thought the letter hilarious (as do I) so they began collecting notes and other items that people have found. Like I said, most of them are hilarious, but some are a bit scary too!

[Peacegal · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Washington Post calls Found a “treasury of trash, a wonderfully weird collection.” I can think of no better way to describe this intriguing book, which is a collection of “lost, tossed, and forgotten” notes, flyers, and photographs on every imaginable subject. Some hilarious, some poignant—all are worth preserving.

I’m giving this book five stars for the presence of the “Loss Cat” alone—my very favorite item in the found universe. Every time I see the little scamp, I can’t stop giggling uncontrollably.

Be sure to check out the book’s inspiration, foundmagazine.com.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was fascinating to read these little snippets of people's lives. Because all of the letters, notes, drawings, whatever are stuff people found there is no background to any of the stuff in this book. Which in a way makes it more interesting, because you can imagine what that person's life was like when they wrote the note, or list, or drew the picture. It's a really ingenious idea for a book and I loved these brief snnapshots of stranger's lives.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the concept of this book- Davy Rothbart made a 'zine of cut-and-pasted items people find anywhere. Out of context, the items are often hilarious and poignant. My millenial brain finds it difficult to read handwriting though, so I skipped over some notes/lists/letters that were written too sloppily. My loss, though, I'm sure.

[SouthWestZippy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Davy Rothbart is the creator of Found Magazine. People send in pictures and notes they have found while cleaning houses, walking or wherever people have tossed or misplace them.
Some things are strange, others are thought provoking, all are interesting. I also enjoyed the scrapbook layout of the book.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm really enjoying this book. I can't help scanning the pages looking for something I wrote as a kid. Very interesting stuff and a fun book to pick up and look thru when you just want a little something to read.

[Mauoijenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had been reading this off and on and finally finished it. I really liked the idea and am now on the look out for any left notes/letters that I might find. Nothing so far. Oh well. Except a magnet (which I collect) and a key. Nothing juicy as a dear john letter or boring as a grocery list.

[Barb Bailey · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is called a treasury of trash, a wonderfully weird collection.....Found. It sould just be called TRASH. Thoght it would be much more enjoyable...like Post Secrets....big mistake on my part.

[Lynnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some are funny, some are sad, some are touching, some are disturbing

Some I want to remember:

* Cupcake, the kitten found in the library overnight book drop

* “Some day, cats will rule the world”

* The to-do list where #1 is to go to church, find God, and get baptized and #2 is to “party a lot” and “start drinking once a week”

* “I retract and ask apology for any bad remarks made about any people or groups except for Barbara Allison Jo Devereaux and her family who have forever earned my enmity and for whom I may return.”

* “I don’t care what I do when I’m with you, just so long as I can live every second knowing that I have you to tell whatever hilarious, ridiculous, stupid, mediocre, and/or boring shit I’ve heard. Or better, just hear or see it with you, so we can look at each other, smile (at least), laugh, and, not saying anything, know. … I feel I can do anything with you and I want to.

* The grocery list on one side with a note to self not to reach out to an unrequited love on the back side.

* The rules of Adventure Club including “You have to be nice to squirrels” “How to get in the Club: you need to know how to climb a fence. Need to like Adventure.”

* Note from Davy Rothbart: “I like seeing that people who seem to be living very different lives from me are still experiencing so many of the very same emotions and rafting through so many of the same triumphs and sadnesses. It makes me feel powerfully connected to them - and I don’t know who they are really, just this single anonymous person whose note I’ve found. They end up standing for all people and so by extension I begin to feel a sense of powerful connection to everyone.”

* “Jen - I think I know you well, I work to understand you. Come to know me better and try to understand me…love daddy”

* The child drawing of Jesus looking real bummed

* “David, my mountain man of summer rain, my fantasy lover on the night train!”

* “What’s up dickwad? Sorry about the sssllooowwww response, but I was busier than your dad at Gayfest ‘98… You still liking guys? Nice.”

* “This was a beautiful spot that helped me say goodbye. Thank you”

* Inscription in The Communist Manifesto: “To my parents - May you one day understand the seeds of discontent that motivate my very will to live, and fight for the betterment of humankind. Love, Jon 1998”

* A ‘permit’ written on notebook paper that says “Please admit Josh. 10:55 5/21” with note from Davy: “I passed this find on to my cousin Josh and he has since used it, along with an ID - and a fair bit of bravery and boldness - to gain entrance into Manhattan’s ritziest clubs, major league baseball games, county fairs, private parties, zoos, hotel pools, and the Hungarian Museum of Commerce and Catering in Budapest.”

* Apparently a list for a wedding DJ, stating “no macarena, no grease stuff, no country/western (only 1) (if request), no new hustle (not Stevie Wonder), no Bob Seeger, no Hanson, no U2, no group dancing, no Drop the Bomb, no Superfreak, no 50’s, no Green Day, no Lady in Red”

* The sign “Caution!! Door will swing open and nail you!” and the story accompanying it.

* “A Message from Roger” from the St. Petersburg Times

* The Zippy fan letter cataloging all the highlights of 80’s culture.

* “To Do - Email Corey. Introduce him to lesbians. Continue to convince self that I’m not madly in love w/ him”

* A letter from a woman to her aborted child that she wanted to keep. “I love you, Baby Jacob, and I’ll never forget you for as long as I live. Sorry to say that I don’t think your Daddy cares about us anymore, but I hope someday you and God forgive me enough for what I’ve done and maybe I’ll see you in heaven. I love you Jacob. Mom”

* A roommate wanted list that begins each phrase with “a mother type person…”

* A cool story about finding matching rings in Berea, KY and Clarksville, IN.

* “Everything is going to be all right”

* “Alec Baldwin is never going to love you - dammit dammit dammit dammit”

* An apology note written in French where I learned the new French verb “fuckerait”

[Mary Lou · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked this up at a Little Free Library, thinking it may be amusing or poignant. Maybe some of it was, but the bits I read were just vulgar, sad, and, ultimately, pointless.

The layout was chaotic, reproducing scraps of paper supposedly found on the street, on a bus, wherever, mixed in with ticker-tape typed notes set at odd angles, stating where the missives were discovered. Each page was a dizzying array; a hodge-podge of shapes, graphics, and multiple peoples' handwriting that made my brain overload.

But the true crime here was the content. So much anger and vitriol. Why on Earth would anyone want to immerse themselves in the basest emotions of strangers? Life's short. Look for the good. Never seek out this kind of negativity. And now, I have to go look at pictures of laughing babies and frolicking puppies to cleanse my psyche.