Have you ever held a book and wondered where it had been before you came to own it, or where it will end up once you have finished with it? Well, welcome to the world of bookcrossing.

It would make someone’s day if you add a journal entry to tell those who had the book before you where you found it. You can remain anonymous if you want to, though if you create a screen name you will be able to get notification each time someone else journals this book.

When you have finished share your thoughts on the book, then please release the book (and make a journal entry stating where you left it) to let it continue on its journey.

Following this book on its travels can be very fun.

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This book has been released to raise awareness of Hands Around The World, a small charity that seeks to help vulnerable children around the world, encouraging enthusiastic and well-prepared short-term volunteers to offer practical help, skill-sharing, support and friendship. Click here, if you would like to find out more about what we do.

In 1958, The Dud Avocado became a surprise bestseller on both sides of the Atlantic. It was published in many foreign languages and has never been out of print.

The Dud Avocado follows the romantic and comedic adventures of a young American who heads overseas to conquer Paris in the late 1950s. Edith Wharton and Henry James wrote about the American girl abroad, but it was Elaine Dundy's Sally Jay Gorce who told us what she was really thinking. Charming, sexy, and hilarious, The Dud Avocado gained instant cult status when it was first published and it remains a timeless portrait of a woman hell-bent on living.

“I had to tell someone how much I enjoyed The Dud Avocado. It made me laugh, scream, and guffaw (which, incidentally, is a great name for a law firm).” - Groucho Marx

"[The Dud Avocado] is one of the best novels about growing up fast..." -The Guardian

"The Dud Avocado is the story of a young American girl Sally Jay Gorce's rite of passage; a charming and hilarious novel which gained instant cult status on first publication and remains a timeless and inspiring portrait of a woman hell bent on living."

Elaine Dundy comments:
This novel has a special place in my heart. It was my first novel and because of the warmth of its reception over the years, it has become a dearly beloved child to me.I remember so well how I actually began writing it: One morning I opened a notebook and wrote: "I was walking down the street one day when suddenly-" A good beginning, I thought: I'm setting Sally Jay up for all hell to break loose. But what street was she walking down? As the street grew clearer, I saw it was in Paris. It was a boulevard. And some months later, that first sentence finally became "It was a hot, peaceful optimistic sort of day in September. It was about eleven in the morning I remember and I was drifting down the Boulevard St. Michel thoughts rising in my head like little puffs of smoke when suddenly…" And I had to figure out - suddenly what? Somebody stops Sally Jay, of course. The man she will fall in love with? Undecided. Sally Jay is an actress and Larry who stops her is an actor and they already know each other and they go to a café when suddenly again-what? She sees her lover, an Italian Diplomat…." And I was off.

Picked up from the HATW office; looks like it could be an interesting read.

I am all packed, and will be heading off to Thailand in a couple of days time, taking this book with me. I have joined the 15th Set It Yourself Challenge: January to March 2011 , as the timing fits perfectly with my trip.

Sally-Jay is a very fickle person. She falls in and out of love easily, and just moves from one affair to another. I did not find her character very likeable; she came across just as a spoilt american girl, living off her uncles money. Her adventures seemed pointless, and I rolled my eyes at the ending.

What is quaint is the 1950s dialogue; and it is a 'period' novel that covers still relevant issues. I can see why it could be viewed as controversial at the time of its original publication.

As I am in Bangkok, there is no way that I could resist visiting the 2011 International Book Fair and leaving a trail of books behind me.

If you were lucky enough to find this book please journal it to say where you found it, and then what you thought of it.

When you have finished please release it. Keep its journey alive!