The Wrapping Game

Have you ever played the wrapping game? Either as a giver or receiver? You know, where the giver wraps the item in as many layers as it can be wrapped in.

Today, AC and I unexpectedly found ourselves on the receiving end of the wrapping game. The mail had arrived and there was a box addressed to me. However, I was pretty sure that it was a book for the library that I'd ordered from a used book seller. As my hands were full at the moment, I asked her to go ahead and open the box (real-quick) for me and we'd confirm what it was.

She agreeably grabbed her handy knife for cutting through layers of packaging tape and cut her way into the box (layer 1).

As expected, the box was quite a bit larger than the book that was shipped. After digging through several pages of newspaper (layer 2), she retrieved the book-shaped item.

I say "book-shaped" as all that was visible was bubblewrap taped around the book with cardboard taped to the front and back sides of the book-shaped item (layers 3 & 4).

As AC was cutting and peeling her way through the packaging tape and scotch tape holding these layers in place, we commented on the excellent care that had been taken in packaging the book. Removal of the bubblewrap revealed the book swathed in a layer of plastic wrap (layer 5) and beneath that was visible a sheet of brown paper (layer 6).

We laughed as AC tore through these two layers. Then laughed some more in disbelief--we found not the book, but yet another layer of plastic wrap (layer 7) and a sheet of clean newsprint (layer 8).

Now well-practiced at getting through plastic wrap and paper, AC quickly removed these two layers. At last, the book!

But the fun continued as we realized the book was wrapped in one last layer of plastic wrap (layer 9)!

What was the book that required such care and work for packing and shipping? A 1906 edition of the Manual of Oriental Antiquities.