Before we get to my post for today, I want to announce the winners of “Mr. Darcy’s Magpie.” They are… drumroll, please… Rose and Ginna! Congratulations! I will be contacting you by email soon! Thanks to everyone who commented. I greatly appreciate all your encouraging words! And now… today’s post!
Oh, the pleasures of a good book. On facebook there has been a ‘game’ (for lack of a better word) going around where you post the cover of a book that meant a lot to you without any explanation. I was tagged a few times, but decided I wanted to explain what they meant to me and how I received ‘the pleasure of a good book’ through them. So I am doing that here.
I am going to go back quite a few years, beginning in elementary school. I can vividly remember stepping into our little library and being enthralled. One year I was a library monitor, which meant I got to go to the library early, before the rest of the class. What I was supposed to do, I don’t remember, but I do remember walking around and being drawn in by the number of books, opening them up, and wanting to read many of them.
Ok, so what are some of my memories? One of my favorite books as a child was “Misty of Chincoteague” by Marguerite Henry. Being someone who loved horses, there was no doubt in my mind that it would become a favorite. I always thought it would be fun to go visit the wild horses of Chincoteague.
Another book I recall reading was called, “The Good Master” by Kate Seredy. It was about a Hungarian family, and one scene I recall is the children looking up into the clouds and seeing an upside down village. Maybe that’s why I love to look up at the clouds and try to see things in them.
And finally, I also began reading the Nancy Drew books by Carolyn Keene. I can
look at those older covers now and literally be transported back to the days of riding in the back of our station wagon as we pulled a trailer behind us on vacation (no seatbelts back then!), and losing myself in one of her mysteries.
Jump ahead to junior high (it’s now called middle school), and I remember reading “Call of the Wild” and “The Diary of Anne Frank.” Reading Anne’s diary was difficult, it affected me deeply. I know I did not fully understand it all until much later.
In high school I remember our required reading included, “Les Miserables,” “Comedy of Errors,” and “A Tale of Two Cities.” But the books that really stood out to me included ones I read by Irving Stone. We were supposed to read an autobiographical novel in one of my classes, and the girl sitting behind me recommended him. I chose “Agony and the Ecstasy” about Michelangelo, and loved it. Being the creative person I am, I loved the description of his looking at a piece of marble and chiseling away what didn’t belong to reveal the beautiful sculpture. I used that same concept in my just-released book, “Mr. Darcy’s Magpie.” I then went on to read “Lust for Life” about Vincent van Gogh, and “A President’s Lady” about Rachel and Andrew Jackson.
Finally, the last book I read in high school that deeply affected me was “Jane Eyre.” I can remember being drawn into that novel and then crying at the end of it. I still love the book, have read it many times, and have seen many of the countless film adaptations that have been made of it.
Sadly, I never read any Jane Austen in school. I know that I would have loved her books, knowing how much I loved Jane Eyre and how much I love her now, but her books had never been required reading, and I guess she just wasn’t on my radar. I wish someone would have recommended her. But her “Pride and Prejudice” is my favorite, followed closely by “Persuasion.”
Other books I would add to this list include the Bible, the Elly Griffiths’ Ruth Galloway Mystery series, and the many, many Jane Austen variations, prequels, and sequels written by a host of talented authors in the Jane Austen community.
Do you have any books you remember reading from your childhood or books that have really stuck with you?
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Like you Kara, didn’t know P & P really until 2016 ( can you believe that). There were books asked to be read in school – Og Mandino’s , The Little Prince and Jonathan Livingston’s seagulls.
I think I had some dyslexia as I hated reading – I couldn’t understand the words/sentence or misunderstand the meaning. I tried the Nancy Drew books but unfortunately I never get past the third paragraph for days. I think I only passed my school years because of adrenaline and pressure – not to fail the test as I do not want to repeat the grade/year level.
There were only 2 books that were intersting to me that I had read (multiple times – I guess so I can discern/know their meaning). Some books of the Bible (esp the book of Revelation) and Diary of Anne Frank. These books had lots picture in them that helped me understand them.
Only books/info now I am reading – P & P variatons of various authors and work-related pieces.
Enjoyed your post. “Misty” and “The Nancy Drew Mysteries” were some of the ones I enjoyed also. For a time Walter Farley’s books about the Black Stallion and The Island Stallion prevailed. Science Fiction including most of the Star Trek series, Isaac Asimov’s books and others, and now the Pride and Prejudice variations. I’ve read Pride and Prejudice more than once but haven’t read any of Austen’s other books. I do have them and am making them a project over the next year. Don’t you just love books!
The books I remember most from my childhood are The Magic Faraway Tree books by Enid Blyton. I loved her books but these were my favourites followed by her Adventure series. I couldn’t wait for my children to be old enough for me to read the Faraway Tree books to them. They loved them as much as me and I now have them to read to my grandchildren as soon as they are old enough. My other favourite book was one given to me by someone who’s daughter had grown up. I can’t recall the author although I still have it somewhere. It’s called The Land of Little Rain and consisted of stories about a Hopi Indian family. My daughter also loved it. I am so pleased that my children inherited my love of books and are passing it on to their children.
I chose Pride and Prejudice as a Sunday School prize at 13 and I loved it. I read it several times over the years and finally read her others but P&P is my favourite especially after the 1995 series and the 2005 film.
I have read so many books over my life working my way around different libraries but now I only read Darcy and Elizabeth stories interspersed with an occasional ‘re read from my Georgette Heyer collection.
When I was young, I loved Nancy Drew, the Bobbsey Twins and the Little House series. I still periodically read the Little House books. As I got older, I read a lot of the young adult fiction and started reading romance novels. The Second Chance at Love series would periodically have a Regency one. I fell in love with the Regency period and started reading a lot of Regency novels.
Although a lot of the authors recommended Jane Austen, I never read any of them until after the 1995 P&P. I watched the Lawrence Olivier version in my teens, and didn’t really care for it. That kept me away from Austen for awhile.
In my required reading, a few books stand out: Invisible Man, the Autobiography of Malcolm X and anything by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
I still love Regency romances. For several years, Signet and Zebra would have 3-4 new Regencies every month but they have stopped. As I was looking for Regency period novels to take their place, I stumbled on JAFF. My very first one was Darcy’s Story by Janet Aylmer. Then I bought “Darcy’s Voyage” and one of Abigail Reynolds’ books. I have been absorbed in JAFF ever since. I’m looking forward to Mr. Darcy’s Magpie next week.
Books I loved growing up were Charlotte’s Web, the Little House series, and the Chronicles of Narnia series!
Congratulations to the winners!!! So lucky! I can’t wait to read it!
I love this post and the comments. I too didn’t have Jane Austen’s books as required reading in school so didn’t even clue in to Jane until 1995! Now, like others, I devour all the variations, sequels, etc. All I can say is ‘Thank You’!
As a child, ‘Cinderella’ would’ be at the top along with the Bobbsey Twins! I devoured books as an escape. ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘Lord of the Rings’, Jack London, Sherlock Holmes are some of my memorable favourites. In high school we read Homer’s ‘Iliad’, ‘Tale of Two Cities’ which is still my favourite Charles Dickens. There were others, but these stayed with me. I ‘worked’ in the library in high school so found many books to bring home to read…’War and Peace’, ‘Anna Karenina’, the Bronte’s, with ‘Jane Eyre’ still being my favourite of all time. After, ‘Christy’ by Catherine Marshall and later on read tons of historical romance novels (Judith McNaught, Julie Garwood, Nora Roberts, Eleanora Brownleigh, to name a few). Now I break up my Jane Austen variations/sequels etc. with period murder mysteries with Anna Huber’s books at the top, Tasha Alexander, Anne Perry, along with World War I/II dramas. I could go on and on, but for me reading is is more than a pleasure. It is a necessary part of my life that I ‘need’ to stay balanced.
Congrats to the winners. Enjoy the story
One book from third grade really made an impression on me and was the book that awakened my hunger for books and reading: All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor. The book depicted a year in the life of a Jewish family with five daughters living in the tenements of New York City at the turn of the (20th) century. Through this warm and loving family, I was introduced to a very different time and faith, and I loved it. The family celebrated all of the Jewish holydays, and I read the book over and over…until I realized it was a series! Then I gobbled those books up!
While I also loved all of the Nancy Drew mysteries (my grandparents gave me the whole hardcover set of #1-#55 for my 13th birthday) and also discovered Trixie Belden, my one great love was Alcott’s Little Women. I had a battered copy at home that had been my mother’s, so I checked out a gorgeous illustrated hardcover from the library every chance I had. My mother took us to the library every two weeks like clockwork, and I checked out that book every time I could. I also read all of the other Alcott books, but it was Little Women that I adored.
In my literature program in college, I somehow never read Austen, but I did discover my now-favorite novel: Jane Eyre. But I did read Austen in grad school in a class entitled “Gender and Satire.” In fact, I had to read three Austen novels and discuss the theme of civility for my major essay: Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Mansfield Park, all of which I loved. In some ways, Mansfield Park is my favorite Austen novel; I adored Fanny and wanted to slap everyone else, LOL!
After I finished my degree, I read Northanger Abbey (which I enjoyed) and Emma which I hated. I couldn’t stand the title character; it was like watching old I Love Lucy episodes when you know Lucy is going to do something idiotic but you can’t stop her. That’s what Emma felt like to me. I held off on reading the final Austen novel until my fourth (and most difficult) pregnancy, and I fell in love with Persuasion.
That’s long enough, but my favorite genres are Austen-inspired novels and mysteries. I love Anne Perry and Victoria Thompson, Dorothy Sayers and Patricia Wentworth, and I’m listening to my third Sherlock Holmes collection on Librivox (David Clarke is an amazing reader!). I also enjoy some cozy mysteries, especially Kate Carlisle’s Bibliophile series. 🙂
Warmly,
Susanne 🙂
Receiving the “Little House” boxed set for Christmas when I was 8 was life changing. That what changed me from a fair reader to an above average reader. Reading that set empowered me. My DH and I and our kids are never without a book. I too read all of Margaurite Henry’s horse novels, Sydney Taylor’s “All-of-a-Kind Family” series and Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. (Like Susan, I too got the boxed sets from my grandparents!) When I was 12 I discovered Louis L’Amour. Strange to see a nerdy, glasses wearing girl devouring Westerns, but I read EVERYTHING he wrote. Lucy Maud Montgomery, Agatha Christie and Conan Doyle as well. “Rilla of Ingleside” had me bawling in the cafeteria. My friends couldn’t believe I was so affected by a book. We had to read “To Kill a Mocking Bird” and “Crime and Punishment” in high school lit, but I didn’t begin reading Austen and the Brontes until college. That was on my own for fun. 🙂 I do not get to read nearly as much as I would like, due to pressure from work. When I do read, it is mostly history: long, deep nonfiction. When I read for fun on vacation, these days, I LOVE Deanna Raybourne. Her writing makes think and laugh outloud. 🙂
I read out loud for bed time until my kids were in 6th and 8th grade. Bless her heart, when my daughter was in 6th grade, after Christmas she said, “Can we read LOTR for bedtime?” We finished it in 5 months! M 9 year old son would roll on the floor playing with Legos while I read. He absorbed a lot more than I thought. Now he’s a sophomore and she’s a first year at college on scholarship! As an early childhood teacher, I nearly cried when I had a parent tell me she didn’t have time to read out loud to her son. Bless all families who take the time to help their children learn the joy of reading!
“It will take me 6 months. Once we start, we will finish. There’s no going back.
Thanks for sharing your passion for reading. I was reading at an early age a voracious reader (8 books a day) and asked for a transfer from the Junior Public library to the Senior one. When I was ten, happily got a Pears Encylopaedia for my birthday where I devoured the stories of famous people.
Read Pride and Prejudice for my English Literature 1958 Exam, looked for and couldn’t find the Greer Garson 1940 version but have now the P & P. Colin Firth DVD which I prefer to the 2005 movie P & P , two copies of the book and a book shelf containing classics and other wonderful books already mentioned for my grandkids.
They have seen theP&P dvd and have all read the Narnia Series, also the younger ones are reading the six copies of my Enid Blyton books. I am very happy to have discovered JAFF and read all your comments.
Funny story was on a visit to ALABAMA three weeks ago, with no Internet and no TV in the house so hubby watched the P & P DVD with me twice and has not teased me since about my fascination with it.
Best Wishes for the sale of your new book