Good question posed over on Book Lust. I thought I'd post my comments here and expand on them a bit: "And so my question this time is ... is there anyone in your life who had a strong influence on you and your love of books?"
I can't say I was influenced, exactly. I just seemed to grow up thinking reading was akin to breathing or eating, something you did. I don't remember not being around books. My mother was a big reader and my father is a big reader and they didn't really care what I read. My mother took me to the library and picked books for me that she'd liked when she was a kid. And I read the books we had in the house. I was reading adult books by the time I was 10, James Bond at 11. They didn't even mind that I read comics. They'd been comic book fans, too, back in the '30s. :)
I was a quiet kid, the kind who could amuse herself with toys or a book, a comic, anything with words. I read the cereal boxes during breakfast. We always had magazines in the bathroom (when I'd finish with those and no new ones appeared, I'd read the toothpaste tube): National Geographic and Reader's Digest, usually. Now I keep Newsweek in the bathroom. The best light for reading is in there.
Books were places to go, stories about things and people so unlike me, though sometimes similar. But I came to prefer the ones that were different, the stories that took me out of my life. As long as reading could take me places, show me the wonders of the universe, make me feel sad or happy, enrich my life, then by golly, I was going to read. The love affair is still going strong, even though now I write my own stories, too.
I thought I was the only one who read toiletry packages in the bathroom! Now there's some meme material: bathroom reading. My favourite is "Around the World in 1,000 Pictures" from the 50's. The captions themselves are entertaining. "Feminine visitors are thrilled by new "collection"." (that would be Paris) "Swedes love to keep fit." (true, really, but it sounds funny) "Aran Islanders are rugged; not as primitive as shown in movie, Man of Aran." "It's 10 hours by air from West Coast" (Hawai'i--thank God that's no longer true!)
ReplyDeletelol. I think you just gave me an idea for the next Booked by 3. I don't know how I didn't think of it. Bathroom reading! duh :)
ReplyDeleteIf there is no paper reading material in the bathroom, I'll read toothpaste tubes, shampoo bottles, tampax box inserts, the warning label on the blow dryer, and the manufacturer's name on the faucets.
ReplyDeleteI don't ever remember not reading. Sometime in early elementary school, the powers that be gave all of the children reading readiness tests. I flunked, but I was reading 3-4 grades above grade level. The teachers were scratching their heads. Reading was like breathing to me; I didn't need to learn the rules!
lol. I read 3-4 grades above my grade level all through elementary and junior high. I don't recall if we were tested in high school. And I can't remember not reading, either. :)
ReplyDeletefirst, im adding you to my links. this is a great blog! i also have the passion with books since i was a kid. but in the past decade, due to some "unfortunate" and bad choices, that passion had to be moved aside... now im totally free of that misfortune and im bringing out my tons of books that were formerly packed in boxes. hehe.. the prob now tho is i need a bigger bookshelf.
ReplyDeletegonna read more of your blog now... 8)
Hi, Atomic...
ReplyDeleteGreat name there. Welcome, and thanks for the kind words. I'm glad you find the place to your liking. And I might actually get another book finished this weekend, and will get another review up soon thereafter. :)