A Trip Down Memory Lane

It's been a long while I know. It's been a rough few months and a lot has been happening so it's been tough to sit down and write. But here I am now, ready and willing to entertain the masses with my often brilliant and occasionally witty reviews. I had planned on writing of the new Jodi Picoult book due out in October. But I changed my mind. I'm going to leave that for next time and instead tonight I am going to write about books that not only touched me as a person but helped to shape me as a reader. As some of you know there is a post going around Facebook where you tag ten people and ask them to make a list of 10 books that stuck with them. Although I knew almost right away what I wanted my 10 books to be, I realized (as I scrolled through my read list on Goodreads) that there were just so many more than 10 that have stuck with me in one way or another. Realizing this I was inspired to write a post about some of these incredible books.

First and foremost I have to mention a couple of the ones I posted on Facebook, 'Little Women' by Louisa May Alcott and 'Gone With the Wind' by Margaret Mitchell. I honestly don't remember when or where 'Little Women' came into my life but I do have a very clear memory of reading the book. I have this vivid memory of coming home from school one day hopping on my bed, shoes and all, and reading straight through until dinner. I think this was the very first book that I got truly lost in. A simple book I know but one that showed me for the first time what it was to get so swept up that I lose track of time. For this reason 'Little Women' has become one of my favorite books. One that I have gone back to time and again and each time I get lost and with that the memory of getting lost for the first time returns. 

When it comes to 'Gone with the Wind' I have a very clear memory of the first time I read it. I was at a friend's house and we had been playing inside all day and were getting restless. I guess we started getting a little rowdy and loud and her mom told us that we had to do a quiet activity for a half hour. Our options were reading or cleaning. Being more partial to books than household chores I went over to the bookshelf, and thinking a little highly of my reading skills, I picks up their mass market version of 'Gone with the Wind.' In that scant half hour of reading time my whole reading self was turned upside down. I fell in love with Ms. Mitchell's words, her characters the story. It was a big project to get trough it but once I did I realized how wonderful reading a classic could be. Before diving into her world I had been nervous about reading classic literature. What if I didn't like one of the 'great' novels? I feared that people would look at me and think 'oh she isn't a real reader.' But once I made my way through 'Gone with the Wind' I discovered just how great a classic could be and I was hooked. Today some of my all time favorite novels and authors are the classics. All thanks to Margaret Mitchell and her brilliant novel 'Gone with the Wind.'

A book that was not on my Facebook list but had a huge impact on me was 'The Green Mile' by Stephen King. Now growing up I knew who Stephen King was, I had seen 'The Stand' and 'Carrie.' I heard people say that Stephen King was the 'master of horror' but I never had any inclination to go out and read his work. Until that is I saw the film 'The Green Mile' and I discovered that it was based on a book by Stephen King. When I realized that a story of such depth and emotion came from the 'master of horror' flabbergasted me to such an extent that I went right out and bought a copy of the book. And I fell instantly in love. His writing threw me for a loop, and his story telling was out of this world. I became obsessed and decided that I had to devour a much of Stephen King's novels as I possibly could. I now follow him on Twitter, Facebook, I keep track of all the release dates of his novels and I currently have two waiting for me on my nook. He's become one of my top read authors and it was all thanks to that very first read of 'The Green Mile.' 

Another Facebook mention was 'Persuasion' by Jane Austen. I love Austen, I have since the very first time I read 'Sense & Sensibility.' All her novels are beautiful and I have read them at least two times each. But there is something about 'Persuasion' that ha just stayed with in ways that the others haven't. It's a story about a true underdog. Anne Elliot is her family's punching bag in many ways. She was once in love but because her family convinced her that he just wasn't good enough for her she turned down his proposal. Many years later when she has been swindled into coming and taking care of her neurotic sister and her family she runs into the man of her dreams once more. The story from there is all about finding worth within oneself, and learning to maybe do things for yourself rather than everyone else. Imagine a woman in Austen's time writing about that? I just find 'Persuasion' to be inspiring, well written and totally engaging. To this day it is my favorite Austen without a doubt. 

Well friends that is the end of part one for tonight. Part two coming soon with a few more books that have stuck with me in one way or another. In the meantime what are some books that have stuck with you? Feel free to leave them in the comment section! And be on the lookout for part 2!