The Traveling “Catcher in the Rye” – Giveaway with strings attached

The best books are not meant to sit on a bookshelf and gather dust, but rather to be read by anyone who will appreciate them.  A few years ago, my friend Sam had a brilliant idea.  She had a copy of “The Catcher in the Rye” that she loaned to anyone who wanted to read it.  After borrowing it, we would each write our names in the front cover, until eventually there was a long list of people and the places to which the book had traveled.  When we were finished reading it, we would pass it on to someone else who might enjoy it.  Eventually, we lost track of the book; it was last seen in Eastern Europe on its way to Greece.  I’m kind of curious as to where it ended up.

Sam and I decided that we would like to start another traveling copy of “The Catcher in the Rye.”  This time, we will include an e-mail address in the cover, and ask that anyone who gets the book send a brief note with a name (real or imaginary) and location.  I’ll then keep track of where the book has gone on my blog.

To decide where to start the book, I’d like to run a giveaway of sorts.  Anyone who comments on this post will be considered, and I’ll draw a winner in a few weeks (let’s say July 22) and send the book to you.  When you’re done with it, pass it on to someone else who might like it.  Give it away to a friend, relative, acquaintance, complete stranger, that guy on the subway, or even on a blog.  Tell them to pass it on when they finish.  Let’s see how far this can go!

Edit/Note:  I’d prefer to start this somewhere in the US, as I’m a broke grad student and sending mail to other countries can get expensive.