I would put the books on a copy machine, page by page and share the copies.....and not let the originals out of my sight. I know how things "get lost" and those who would treasure them might never have a chance to see them.
Linda C

If they are a treasure, then don't mail them. Others may not feel the same way or put them aside and they'll get lost or thrown away, even by accident. I learned this the hard way with someone of my own mother's.

What about photocopying the best, and mailing out the copies? I just worry that if you mail out the notebooks, they have a chance of being lost forever.

I will copy and use some of the recipe's, but who would the books be lost to? I have no children or grandchildren, nieces or nephews. It sounds sad, but it isn't really -- that's life. Don't you think these little special books can be an inspiration for others. A sort of "pay it forward". If you received something similar in the mail, wouldn't you want to do something to pass them on and preserve those recipes you were interested in? If they got lost in someone's home, so be it. They would be lost in my own home eventually anyway.

Scan them if you have a scanner, and then you will have digital copies, but keep the originals in a safe place. I'm not sure how much of my grandmothers' writing were kept, but on occasion, someone in the family will dig something up and read from it. Some of the writings are very funny, although that was not intentional.

When the favorite L.A. showroom salesman for the furniture company where I work died, someone put together a small cookbook of his recipes that he had made to share with employees and clients. They were mostly coffee cakes, cheesecake, cookies, etc., but they were a nice way to help remember him. I made several of the recipes from the book, although I don't know where it is now.

Lars

Scan and assemble into a multiple page pdf that can either be shared as is or printed.

Lars, I mean this as a compliment. As we say in my family...You seem to have taken after your Grandmother :-)

Your writings, at times, are very funny to me. Although, sometimes I feel that you do not mean for them to be intentionally funny. I love reading your posts!

I have a few original recipes from family that I keep in a small notebook in my kitchen. I think I'll scan them and do as you all have said. I've already passed the recipes on to family that cared enough to ask for them.

Annie, what about a good close friend and their children? Share the stories of your Mom, become the grandmother/auntie and pass it on to them. Or leave them to a historical society, culinary institute, etc.

Scan or copy the originals, pass them out at will, but keep your Mom with you.

Peppi, also no kids or nieces/nephews. I am adopting the neighbor kids....

You all give me a lot to think about. I thought it was a slam/dunk do what you want ok case. But thanks to you all, I'm seriously considering/reconsidering.
Annie

Annie, I love your idea of honoring and sharing your Mom. If I was someone who loved your Mom, I would be thrilled to receive a copy of her recipes in any form. Personally I would not want to part with the originals, except to a close loving family member, but it hasn't been 5 years for me. I hope you proceed with your idea in whatever way works for you.

I think sharing the recipes with family is a lovely idea and keeps your Moms spirit alive. Every family has recipes that they share and enjoy but many also have a few that they hold dear and secret within the family.

My family has 2 very special recipes that I am not allowed to publish they are our family's alone. They are recipes that we use frequently to entertain and to bake and treat people in our orbit but the recipe stays with us. But if you are looking to share childhood tastes with family members I say do put together a cookbook of moms specials.

Food is meant to be shared. If you have the kind of family that will make and share the recipes then your mom can live on by bringing joy to others. You can request that the recipes stay within your family that's only fair and if you don't think that person will honor your request then don't give them a copy. It's your choice, you know what your mom would have wanted.

But do make master copies of all the things she passed to you. Having them in a locker that you hold dear is as valuable as an inheritance. Honestly I'm ebullient for you and your discovery.

I agree with all the above, but just want to add, that the USPS isn't always reliable, (sorry susieque!) and I'd not want to be mailing these around to the family because they might just disappear or become damaged!

Scan the pages and email them. That way people can choose whether or not to keep them, but you are not parting the originals - which are indeed a treasure, if only to you - for now.

I'm another who likes the idea of sharing the recipes but keeping the originals, at least for now. From the response, you'll probably be able to figure out who, if anyone, in your family should get the originals.

I'd copy them and then proceed with your original idea - during chats with relatives you send them to you might come across the ideal person who would really treasure the originals and who might have someone to eventually pass them on to.

I'm very sentimental and it sounds like you are too, but not everyone is. We have a couple of recipes scratched out on the backs of envelopes and things like that from my grandmother, but that's it. My sister actually made my mother write out some of her basic recipes - gravy, meatballs, alia oglio, etc., by hand and give us all a set so we'd have them in her handwriting because of those few scraps being all we have from our mother's mother.

Anyway, I think that's a great idea, and even tho you don't have someone to hand them down to, someone who gets the copies as they're passed along might contact you and want the originals. At least that way you know they'll be treasured and passed along and not end up being thrown away or lost or damaged. And the notes your mom added to them will make them even more special.

But when you get right down to it, the recipes themselves and the joy they'll bring to people who prepare them, then share them with their families and friends are the most important part. But like anything, having something original, written in the person's hand, always makes it more special.

Lisa

Make copies

my mother had at one point copied all her recipes into a spiral note book. After she passed away it was discovered in a box in my attic. my wife unbound the wire and then had enough copies made to give to each of my siblings and their children. All of them appreciated it. The only contentious issue was raised by my oldest sibling when i was asked why I got to keep the original and why she didn't since she was oldest.

As I recall i responded with something about possession being 9/10 of the law and i wasn't my fault she missed it when she walked out with the jewelery and family photos that we were all assured we'd get copies of but have never seen in 2 years.

So avoid the hassle and just copy it

Another idea: Get a few bound composition books and hand copy the recipes in each. Copy a few titles or notes from mom and add them in. Visit you photos and get pix of mom or pix of the parts of the world where the recipe originated, maybe a little history on an ingredient and create your own family cookbook/scrapbook and give it to your siblings next Christmas. It would be a gift they would cherish and hand down, a real homage to your mom.

You wise and wonderful people have certainly given me something to consider more seriously. Thank you all for your opinions. This is what I've decided to do after listening to you and reading your posts.
I will l scan my mom's recipes to save for myself and to share with others that are interested. I will talk to my sister and brother (neither of which have children, either) and we'll choose a cousin to send the books to. My mom was close to her nieces and their children and I feel confident that whichever cousin/niece we choose the books will be passed on to their daughter and grandchildren with the proper respect and authorship. I'll include a letter to substantiate the books and hopefully provide meaning to future generations.
Thank you all for your input and and insight. I have also found a journal and recipes written by my grandmother that is 100 years old. I will pass one or two comments and recipe's onto you all, along with a recipe from my mother's books on another post, just for fun.
Thanks, again.
Annie1971