Reddit can be a scary place.
Known as the front page of the internet, many things you find on this social networking service can never be unseen. With subreddits for any imaginable (and unimaginable) topic or interest – from The One True God (Nicolas Cage), Photoshop Battles, Trypophobia (an irrational fear of holes) to Avocados Gone Wild, Celebrity Arm Pits, Birds With Arms and Cats Are Assholes – you are always one click away from regret.
However, it can sometimes be a magical place.
One of my favourite subreddits is I Am A … Ask Me Anything. Here you can find Julian Assange, Astronauts, The President of the USA, Peter Dinklage and so many more interesting people answering interesting questions in the best possible way. Many amazing authors have done IAmA’s, including our very own Lauren Beukes.
There are quite a number of amazing bookish subreddits, with the best one uniting book lovers to “encourage in-depth discussion about all things related to books, authors, genres or publishing in a safe, supportive environment.” Be sure to visit and favourite Books.
Then, the most magical (and potentially, most disappointing) subreddit, and the point of this article:
How do exchanges work?
1. Sign up & get matched
Sign up for the exchange.
The morning of March 16, 2015, we will close signups and our computer program will choose who you should send a gift to (this is the most important part; this is about the giving!).
2. Find the perfect gift & send it
Once you come back here to pick up your match’s information, you’ll have until April 3, 2015, to ship your gift. When you ship it, keep a receipt and come back here to tell us you’ve shipped it.
3. Receive a gift from your match
When you receive a gift, you’ll need to come back here and post an amazing thank you note, hopefully with photos!
I’ve taken part in two bookish exchanges and can say, without any reservation, that it was worth the effort.
My first exchange, the 2014 Book Exchange, was very difficult because my match was hard to figure out.
The Belgian gave me very little to work with, basically just listing books he still wants to read and mentioning that he likes fiction and non-fiction, poetry, literature and fantasy. In the end I sent him a copy of The Way of Men by Jack Donovan which he claimed to be excited about getting and threw in my old copy of The New Century of South African Poetry edited by Michael Chapman and a moustache to add some sparkle to what I did not want to be a lame gift.
My secret Santa, however, showed no initiative. I had listed The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger as a favourite, even mentioning already having a copy, and he sent me another one. Via Amazon. With no note. I had to remind myself of the Reddit philosophy that it is about giving, not receiving, and moved on with my life.
My second exchange, on the other hand, was a great experience.
My Harry Potter Gift Exchange match was a quirky girl from Scotland who felt it important to point out that she thinks it very unfair that she will never be able to read in front of the fireplace in the Ravenclaw common room. She was so colourful I had to limit myself to not go overboard with all the possible things I could send her. In the end I collected random tidbits, including a tiny warm water bottle (to use for warmth when she misses the fire), a plastic tiara (in memory of the famous lost diadem of Ravenclaw) and a copy her favourite Harry Potter book in Afrikaans – Harry Potter En Die Orde Van Die Feniks – because she said she loves foreign languages.
My secret Santa for this exchange mimicked my thoughts and sent me a hardcover edition of my favourite Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone – in Estonian! She also wrote me heartfelt note and included a drawing of Hagrid in the package.
Unfortunately my package never arrived in Scotland – as many parcels from South Africa do, it got lost in the mail. Consequently I have been de-credited on the exchange system and have to send something to someone before I may participate again. Sigh.
If your question is, after having two very mixed experiences, would I do it again, or recommend it to anyone? My answer is yes. Definitely. Connecting with someone so passionate about something that means a lot to me in such a dramatic way gave me a kick I can’t explain. Maybe I will write a haiku about it one day, who knows.
So do it! Sign up for the Reddit Book Exchange, say a prayer to the post office gods and hope for the best.
Don’t forget to share your story with us in the comments below, on Facebook or Twitter!
Book details
- The New Century of South African Poetry edited by Michael Chapman
EAN: 9780868522418
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- The Way of Men by Jack Donovan
Book homepage
EAN: 9780985452308
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- The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger
EAN: 9780140237498
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- Harry Potter En Die Orde Van Die Feniks by JK Rowling, edited by Janie Oosthuysen
EAN: 9780798143783
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- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling
EAN: 9780590353427
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