Great Reads
I finished Yancey's book on prayer. It was good, not great. Some chapters were thought-provoking and I think my prayer life is better for having read it. So overall, it was certainly worth the read. It's far from my favorite of his works though. The discussion goes on over at Biblos 4 Theobloggers though it has slowed to a crawl because of the holidays. I'm sure we'll pick it back up again as normality creeps back into our lives.After finishing Yancey, I needed a novel. I've filled up on nonfiction recently and I need to feed the fantasy fire. So I started Stephen King's latest, "Lisey's Story." King is one of my favorite authors and so far this book has reminded me of the old King. As I read yesterday, one of the characters challenged people to think of their first really great reading experience. So I, in turn, tried to think of mine.
The first book that leapt to mind was King's own "The Dead Zone." I will never forget Greg Buch giving me his copy during the break in summer school Government class. "I don't read horror," I told him. "Read the prologue," said he. "If you don't like it I won't bug you anymore." I didn't listen to a word the teacher said the rest of the day. Greg got his book back the next day. And the next few months were spent charging through "Carrie," "Salem's Lot," and in one of the greatest reads of my life "The Stand."
But I thought again about the question asked by King's character and I realized that, though "The Dead Zone" was the first book I thought about, it certainly was not my first great read. Casting my mind back a bit further, I started remembering all of those trips to the library on my bike. And the first author I thought of in that context was Robert Heinlein. I loved his science fiction aimed at junior readers..."Podkayne of Mars"..."Citizen of the Galaxy"...even "Starship Troopers"...and I went through all of them quickly. Hungry for more (I almost said "thirsty" but we don't get thirsty for books, do we? We hunger.) I went to the old card catalogue, no computers back in the day, and found more Heinlein in the, er, non-kids section. Y'know...books for grown-ups. I swallowed hard and made my way over. "Stranger In A Strange Land" exploded into my hand and it was all over. I'm not sure, but I think I may have become a man that week. A tiny, bike-riding man, but a man nonetheless.
But I wasn't satisfied with that answer either. Was that really the first great read? What about C.S. Lewis? That Sunday I spent plowing through "The Last Battle" was the first time I'd ever read an entire book in a day and I'll never forget it. But, before that, what about Beverly Cleary? What about...ah...there it is...what about...Dr. Seuss???
And I'm sure that's the answer. My first great love in books came from the Ruth Gibson Elementary School library. Because Dr. Seuss was more than just "Green Eggs and Ham" and "The Cat in the Hat." He wrote stories too, some that rhymed, some that didn't. Remember the Sneetches? The Lorax? Bartholomew Cubbins??? I have great memories of clutching those books in my greedy paws, taking them home and plowing through them. Then returning for more, the librarian chuckling at my wide eyes.
And what about you? Any stories to share about your first great read, your discovery of books and Oh, the places they help us go?
posted by Thurman8er @ 9:08 AM
5 Comments:
Fun post. Thanks!
I wrote up a new post for Yancey today and will put it up tomorrow.
I read all the Star Trek books when I was a kid at Viking and then at Sierra Junior High. Of course, Narnia and Asimov and THE STAND, which I'm not sure was a good thing for a kid to read, even today. I remember reading the Dead Zone. A page turner. But had to get rid of Mr. King. Never read him again until the short novel the girl who loved Tom Gordon came out…
My first book I remember reading, enjoying, and reading again was “The Sinking of the Bismarck” in third grade. No wonder my friend of 39 years gave me the bird. BTW, did you know that the German Battleship Bismarck was ultimately done in by torpedoes shot by WWI era bi-planes called “Sword Fish” flown from the HMS Ark Royal.
Mom made sure I always had books around, and while she didn't do a lot of reading TO me, she was always reading. I remember a learn-to-read book with, "See the B" followed by "See the BEE" and it clicked, just after I turned four. I was the librarian's little helper all through grade school. I'd ride home with a bicycle basketfull every week. I got Little Women for Christmas one year, and read it in bed while finishing off a tin of those little raspberry hard candies. I always associate the two now.
One of my favorite books is Pride and Prejudice, but I hadn't read it until just a few years ago. Life is too short to read a book I don't like, so I'm picky. I re-read a lot of books, and recommend few. I read it while helping my BIL & SIL paint their house before they moved in, so I only got to read it in the evenings. I would think about it all day while I painted cabinets.
I personally like Richard Foster's book on Prayer.
My first books? Well, I read everything in the childrens' section by the time I was 12...a lot of the
Clare Barton books - all about being in nursing school way before MY time, Then I was allowed to go into the adult section, and the librarian lead me to one called "Mrs. Mike", a frontier adventure thing. But the book that left a lasting impression was "Green Mansions". Today, I read anything and everything...love James Patterson, Robert Ludlum, Stephen King. My first SK book scared me to death..."Pet Semetary". Am now reading "Running With Scissors". Am also fond of Tom Wolfe, and just about everything on Oprah's list. Am quite fond of Pat Conroy ("Beaches" - "Prince of Tides") and of course, Diana Galbaldon. Love poetry...Frost, Sandberg, Auden, Naruda...but one book I have was on my nursing school book list...along with the Bible...that was Kalil Gibran's "The Prophet"
Another book that influenced my life was called, "God Calling" written by anonymous women. It should be in every book list ever made...very spiritual. Occasionally, I will grab a Nora Roberts book for escapism...like Nelson DeMille too. I've got a stack of books I've yet to read...including "The DiVinci Code". I think I liked "The Rule of Four"better.
Forgot my favorite science fiction book...called "Island in the Sky" (?) Can't remember if I finished it, but it was really thick.
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