A Kind Note Found In a Book I Bought

I like to buy used books and always appreciate if there is some clue in them to a previous owner. I bought Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis at the near by Goodwill used book store. A blogger mentioned this book and then I read that Amis is compared as a comic writer to my favorite comedic author, P.G. Wodehouse so I grabbed the book. Not out of someone's hands, ha ha.
Isn't this note kind? "Geoff, Thanks for all you do. It's been a stressful year, so I hope you can unwind a bit with Lucky Jim and start the New Year on a happy note. To 2011. Mike."

Below is the snowman on the cover of the note.

Have you found intriguing inscriptions in used books you have bought?

Books from Library Book Sale

Seven books from the library book sale last weekend. I was good to limit my purchases to seven since sometimes I buy more than 20 books and I am buying faster than I can read. I added 3 pretty postcards to the photo, which I bought online to mail to my dear pen pals.
These books look great. Two collections of my favorite comedic writer, P.G. Wodehouse, "Tales From the Drones Club" and "Wodehouse Is the Best Medicine." Wodehouse lifts my mood to smiles.
"I Dreamed of Africa" a memoir by Kuki Gallmann. The author moved from Italy to Kenya years ago and at the time of writing was living on her huge ranch with her daughter and eight dogs. There are plenty of photos which I appreciate. The book was published in 1991 and is a tribute to the memory of her husband and son.
"The Tiger Ladies: A Memoir of Kashmir" by Sudha Koul. She recalls when Hindus and Muslims lived peacefully side by side in Kashmir, as opposed to recent headlines of Muslim violence.
"Corduroy Mansions" by Alexander McCall Smith. There is a cute dog on the cover, looks like a beagle puppy. I like every book I have read by Smith, about 20 so far.
"Born Standing Up" a memoir by Steve Martin. My friend listened to the audio version of this and loved it.
"Not So Funny When It Happened: The Best of Travel Humor and Misadventure" edited by Tim Cahill.
I see I chose mostly humor and memoirs. Who else likes these genres? Did you find any book bargains this week?

Senior Citizens in New Novels

Now that I have achieved the much wanted (ha ha) title of senior citizen I am finding some novels that have older main characters ranging in age from late fifties to age 100.
Here are a few I have read recently.

"Old Age Private Eye" by A.W. Blakely. The first in the Old Age Pensioner Investigations series about Stanley, a pensioner about 68 years old who is so bored in retirement that on a whim he posts a notice that he is a private investigator. He is amazed when he is hired for a job and finds he needs to hire help so he hires his daughter who is newly divorced and job hunting; the other team member is his trusty dog, Roobarb. The setting is "the heart of England."

"The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules" by Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg. The first book in the League of Pensioners series, all the main characters use Zimmer frames or as we call them in the USA, walkers. The main gal, Martha is 79 and decides to begin a life of crime to free her from her home from the aged, which she compares to a prison. The setting is the Netherlands and she recruits four friends from the home where she lives to form a gang. They pull off some dramatic crimes, and attempt jewel, bank and art robberies. They are so inept sometimes they succeed. After all, who could believe these harmless oldies could steal priceless Impressionist paintings?

"A Man Called Ove" by Fredrik Backman
Ove is a curmudgeon, a widower with a short fuse and he is a mean and prejudiced neighbor to people trying to be helpful. I don't know why Ove is a mere 59 in this novel, he seems like 69 or older. Against his will he is befriended by the young couple who move next door. You will find humor, despair and hope here, and the novel deserves the description of "heart warming." The author is Swedish. I love this book and plan to read the others Backman wrote.

"The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared" by Jonas Jonasson. Alan has no plan except to escape out a window in order to miss his 100 year birthday party at the retirement home. Wow, does he have adventures. He finds stolen money, there are murderous thugs chasing him, he meets a friendly elephant and makes friends along the way. The author is a Swedish journalist. I read that there is a sequel to this book and Alan is 101 in it.
Are there other books you can add to this list? Please add them in comments, I think we would all like to hear about more books featuring senior citizens.