Reading Roots #5
Readers share early recollections of books they cherished
“I don't truly remember what started it. It was probably because my Mom loved to read. I do remember her reading The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe [by C. S. Lewis] aloud to us.
My first favorite book was Arabian Nights. The first books I ever owned were Christmas gifts from a family friend: Pinocchio and The Wizard of Oz. They had beautiful color illustrations.” ~Andrea
Favorite book that started lifetime of reading: When I was small, my grandmother found a used copy of Grimm's Fairy Tales in an antique/junk shop. The Tales became my preferred bedtime stories and probably engendered a lifelong love of murder mysteries. ~Diane B.
Ed: Diane’s reflection reminded me how guilty I felt as a young adult for reading—no, make that relishing—mysteries. I was still all tangled up with thoughts of Homer and Herman Melville and even Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, for crying out loud. Was I getting soft?
Maybe. I’m sure I would be a smarter a person if I still read serious literature, but I couldn’t help but wonder: Would I be happier? And would I even be living my life?
In those early years, I strove to be more intellectual. Then came my back-to-the-land farm experience, which knocked all pretense out of me. And yet I know there’s a lot of great literature I’m missing out on.
Oh, but mysteries are so much fun, aren’t they?
Has anyone else experienced this? I’d love to hear.
One of the two books that sparked my curiosity were A Wrinkle in Time by Madeliene L’Engle. The other was a biography of Marie Curie. Then I got into mysteries: NAncy Drew, Agatha Christie. Then in college I found Charlotte MacLeod and Marcia Muller.