A Little Free Library, a Lost Book and The New York Times

By: Marilyn Joyce Lehren

Outlets: Village Green NJ

Published: April 20, 2026

Words: 573

Last Updated: 1 month, 3 weeks ago

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When Maplewood resident Graham Goetz spotted a familiar novel in a neighborhood Little Free Library, he borrowed it, thinking he might finally have time to read it.

Instead, he found proof that a college‑era paperback had quietly followed him across states and several years – all the way back home. That full‑circle moment is now captured in The New York Times’ long‑running, reader‑submitted column, Metropolitan Diary.

The College Paperback That Wouldn’t Be Read

His …

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