Friday, June 04, 2010

Book Memories

Books have always been an important part of my life.  From the time I could read, I have been reading constantly.  Certain books brings back memories from years ago or gives me a warm feeling inside each time I read it.  I even remember the one and only book my mom took away from me and I have yet to finish reading it to this day.  Mom rarely censored our book reading since she was an avid reader as well.  The Apartment was a young adult book that I was reading in either late junior high or early high school and I left it on the couch one night when I had gone out.  Mom picked it up and read part of it and thought a story about a young couple living together and not married was something I should be reading.  Silly parents. :) I need to see if the library has it and finish it.

At the end of elementary school, I read the Anne of Green Gables series for the first time. I had started many times before that to read them but I would always start to picture the movie and never able to finish the first book.  Finally, I did.  Up until sometime in college, I re-read the series each summer. My sister and I both would.  We shared her set she had received as a gift one year and those poor little books were in pieces by the time she got a new set a few years after she got married.  The Anne books would take me into a world that I would be immersed in.  There were days during the summer when I would read almost 2 of the books in a day.  All I did was read; stopping only to eat and pee.  The Nancy Drew books were the same way, I would read 2 books a day most days. 

This year I started acquiring the Ramona books (since like most of the books I read as a girl belong to my sister) for myself.  I read one in between heavy reading.  It gives my brain something to read that does not require thought and it brings back warm memories.  I guess I’m hoping that if I have kids one day they will enjoy reading the same books I did.  The Nancy Drew books were DeAnne’s as well.  I borrowed them from here a little bit ago to do the same as the Ramona books.  Just something to read when I’m not ready to get back into something heavy. 

This week a friend reminded me of another set of books I was in love with growing up; Lurlene McDaniel books. All her books were about teenagers with either cancer or some other health problem that only had a few months to live.  The first book I read of hers was Six Months to Live. It started a series about a girl named Dawn Rochelle who had leukemia.  I’m hoping that all these books are in one of the boxes I have in my attic or somewhere at my parent’s house.  I feel the need to add them to the list to re-read. (Not that I need to add to the long running list of books to read. :))

I keep thinking of this book that I read either in elementary or junior high school, but cannot think of the name of it.  I want to say it was a year book, like 2026 or something like that.  It was set in the future and the main character was moving to the moon as one of the first families there.  I need to see if I can find it.  Maybe I need to make a trip to the library back home to see if they still have it.  I remember where it was in the old library, but it moved years ago. 

I know I’m not the only one who has memories from books!  I would love to hear about the books that hold a special light in your eye or bring back certain memories.

3 comments:

Casey said...

I have only within the last few years gotten back into reading, which I loved to do when I was younger, before high school really. I think I got so busy with life after that that I couldn't find time to read. I also went through this phase when I couldn't finish any book. It didn't matter what it was. I'd get about 3/4 through and put it down, or one even had one chapter left! I know that sounds crazy. Now I'm enjoying it again and have a list, much smaller than yours, "to read". I used to love the Sweet Valley Twins and also some scary books that I can't remember, but there were a large series of them. I hope you enjoy Redeeming Love. When you're done I might reread it with a study guide. I love how books can add to who you are. And, P.S., we're half way through the comeback sauce - it's DELISH!

Lisa Blair said...

I read and reread the Little House on the Prairie books. I loved them. Once I got a little older, I still wanted to reread them, but my mom wouldn't let me check them out from the library anymore! She made me check out stuff that was a more advanced reading level. Looking back, I guess it was good to move on, but remember being so upset about it when I was a kid!

I was like you - I would read all day some days in the summer. I read the Babysitters Club series, but I don't remember loving them like I loved the Little House books.

I never read the Anne books, but I bet I would have liked them.

Leah Maria said...

Casey: I have a bad habit of reading 2-3 books at once; I start one then pick up another.

Did you hear that they are lookin at making a movie of the Sweet Valley Twins/High? I read a few of those, but not all.

I agree with you on that books can add to who you are. I always love finding out what people's favorite books are and why.

Glad y'all like the comeback sauce!

Lisa: I had forgotten about the Babysitters Club series. I read those as well. My cousins and I even made a home movie of a Babysitters Club reunion. I think DeAnne (or mom) gave all those to a cousin who was younger than us when she started reading them.

I never did get into the Little House on the Prairie books, but I know so many people who loved them.

You should pick up the Anne books (or borrow them from me) sometime. They are such a wonderful read.