incredibly gripping (not at all serious) dilemma:

[skinny minnie]

So I bought the soon-to-be thru-hiker a book to read while on the trail as a gift.

My dilemma is thus:

A., I haven't finished reading it myself.
B., I know he isn't going to carry it with him the entire way so essentially it's like buying a book and throwing it away, which kills me a little inside.
C., I have the resources here at work to photocopy the entire thing, but then I'm killing trees. But then again, that would allow me to finish reading it and would save it from being thrown away.

I'm pretty sure I should just suck it up and give it to him. But now you've gotten a little taste of the incredibly monumental issues that I ponder on a daily basis while "working". You're welcome.

[TOW]

just read it before you give it to him, after he's finished he'll probably pass it along to someone else who will enjoy it.......

[skinny minnie]

No time. Stuck at work all day, running errands on my lunch break, then headed off to see him for one last night before he leaves on a plane for Georgia the next day. Somehow, I don't think he'll appreciate it if I ask him to just hang around and wait while I finish reading his gift.

I suppose I will just pick up another copy at the library eventually. And it does make me feel better to think that it will wind up getting passed on.

But then I have to stop whining and really, who wants to do that?

(It's a really slow day at work, I'm sorry!)

[1azarus]

...use zoom reduce on your copier so you can copy two pages at once onto an 81/2 x 11. copy half the book, then put the pages in and copy the last half of the book on the back. then you can feel, well, if not really green, at least, say khaki.

do it!

[skinny minnie]

I just might!

[tazie]

?
(It's a really slow day at work, I'm sorry!)

Skinny, can you finish reading it at work?

[hobojoe]

Write in the back of the book: When this book leaves the appalachian trail please mail to: (Your adress) The hiker will pass it on and hopefully it will come back to you, with a bunch of history. I've done this before, I always have them sent to my mom and she loves them. She got a beat up copy of dharma bums with a bunch of my friends signatures in it. She still has it on display.

[Hotrod]

Why not just read the book and then send it to him in one of his mail drop locations. He probably will not read too much the first couple of weeks anyway due to the all the new faces and places.

Also note that a large book is likely to get cut into pieces. I always did this to save weight. Maybe you could read the beginning of the book now, cut off what you have read and mail the rest of the book at a later date.

[Pennsylvania Rose]

Why not just read the book and then send it to him in one of his mail drop locations. He probably will not read too much the first couple of weeks anyway due to the all the new faces and places.

This is what I was going to suggest. And, follow hobojoe's advice and put your name and address in the front cover. Maybe it will even come back to you later.

[Lone Wolf]

So I bought the soon-to-be thru-hiker a book to read while on the trail as a gift.

My dilemma is thus:

A., I haven't finished reading it myself.
B., I know he isn't going to carry it with him the entire way so essentially it's like buying a book and throwing it away, which kills me a little inside.
C., I have the resources here at work to photocopy the entire thing, but then I'm killing trees. But then again, that would allow me to finish reading it and would save it from being thrown away.

I'm pretty sure I should just suck it up and give it to him. But now you've gotten a little taste of the incredibly monumental issues that I ponder on a daily basis while "working". You're welcome.

but another one. i don't see a dilemma

[vonfrick]

why not xerox it smaller, front and back, and put sections in with mail drops? that way he doesn't have to carry the whole thing, and the "actual" book never gets tossed

[jlb2012]

stop at a used book store and buy the trashiest romance novel you can find - it doesn't cost much and he will definately remember it

[Bare Bear]

Pieces of Trail Guide are the only reading worth carrying the weight in my opinion.

[walkinfool]

You may be able to scan it with the photocopier at work and save it as a pdf instead of printing the copy...then you could read it on your computer while he has the book. A lot of newer copiers have that ability now.

-walkinfool

[Frosty]

Rip out the pages you already read and give them to him. He can toss away the pages as he reads them or use them for fire-starter.

Finish the book and put the rest of the pages in a box, along with four dozen home-made cookies, and mail the whole thing to him.

Better yet, mail the box of cookies and pages to me, and I'll mail the pages to him.

[tazie]

(laughing out loud) Frosty, you got my vote for best answer!!

[Dranoel]

You might want to check a local library or Barnes & Noble (grab a tea or coffee to read).

[Smudge]

Lone Wolf for President!!

[LIhikers]

Finish reading it and then mail it ahead to the hiker.
A simple solution to a complex problem