So yesterday morning I woke up and found out that I have to list 10 books that have had an impact on me thanks to Alex, and by extension Tavai! While I’ve read a lot of books, I don’t know how many of them are worthy of actually making this list. There are all these authors that everybody’s read: Robert Ludlum, Sidney Sheldon, Tom Clancy, John Grisham, Stephen King, Dean R. Koontz, R. L. Stein, Francine Pascal and the lot. Are the books supposed to be books that have had an impact on your life or just stories you enjoyed reading because they took you away? I don’t know, but here goes: 1. Fried Green Tomatoes At the Whistle Stop Cafe Fannie Flagg I read this book when I was in the 5th Grade/Class 5/Whatever. I remember loving the book so much that as soon as I reached the end, I turned it over and started again. I remember sitting outside on a Saturday afternoon and trying to get my brother and sister to listen while I read out excerpts because I thought it was so good. Ive been trying to get my hands on a copy to find out if the book is just as good as I remember, but to be honest, Im a bit scared. What if it isnt? 2. The Color Purple Alice Walker I read this book around the same time I read Fried Green Tomatoes, or tried to at least. My parents had a bookshelf that covered an entire wall in the study just filled with books. We were always encouraged to go in and take whatever it was that we wanted to read. So I happened to pick up this one. My Mom wasnt too happy when she found out I was reading it and to be honest, I had no idea what half of it was about (lady bits and all that jazz), but I enjoyed the story so I picked it up again. I stopped after my Mom caught me reading it again and threatened to ban me from reading anymore of her books. I read the book awhile ago and I now know why she was so adamant about taking it away from me. 3. Hat Full of Sky Terry Pratchett I love most Terry Pratchett books, but I loved this one the most. Mostly because of this one excerpt: Do you know what it feels like to be aware of every star, every blade of grass? Yes. You do. You call it opening your eyes again. But you do it for a moment. We have done it for eternity. No sleep, no rest, just endless... endless experience, endless awareness. Of everything. All the time. How we envy you, envy you! Lucky humans, who can close your minds to the endless deeps of space! You have this thing you call... boredom? That is the rarest talent in the universe! We heard a song — it went Twinkle twinkle little star.... What power! What wondrous power! You can take a billion trillion tons of flaming matter, a furnace of unimaginable strength, and turn it into a little song for children! You build little worlds, little stories, little shells around your minds, and that keeps infinity at bay and allows you to wake up in the morning without screaming! Mind Blowing Stuff. 4. The Bible In times of great turmoil, sadness and hopelessness I have found that it has always brought me great comfort. My two favorite verses: Jeremiah 29:11 and Philippians 4:6-7. 5. “All Summer In A Day” Ray Bradbury This sci-fi short story was written in the 1950’s and is set on Venus. We covered this story when I was in the 4th Grad/Class 4/whatever and I still remember it. I remember reading the ending and feeling shivers run down my spine. Read it for yourself and you’ll know what I mean. 6. “Little House” book series by Laura Ingalls Wilder Started reading these books when I was in Class 3. I don’t know why I loved them so much, but I think it had a lot to do with it being a real life account of how life was back then. I first hand account of life on the frontier. 7. Highlights Magazine Okay, so they’re not a book, but my Granny who put the AWE in awesome was always a big encourager of my love for Art & Craft. One of my earliest memories of her is standing at her sewing machine and putting my finger over a knot so she could make a bow for a dress she was sewing for my sister. Anywho, she got me a subscription to Highlights Magazine when I was in Class 2 and I can still remember the thrill of watching my Dad pull it out of the mailbox. 8. The Tower Treasure The Hardy Boys This was the first Hardy Boys book I ever read. I remember Nick (my older brother), gave it to me because we were about to leave for a road trip (Montgomery or Northport) and I had nothing to read. It was the first time I had ever read ANYTHING like it. It blew my mind. Unfortunately, it was also the first time I had ever read in a moving vehicle, so I also got my first taste of motion sickness. However, this book was what inevitably led to Robert Ludlum, Tom Clancy and the like. Ummmmmm..........shit. I cant think of anymore books that should make it to this list. It may not be 10, but at least youve got my best 8. Now as one great person once said One Good Turn Deserves Another. I now nominate Michelle Ali, Elizabeth Rigsby and Sarika Chand to complete the 10 book challenge (also known as a time consuming pain in the A$$). Good luck!
Posted on: Tue, 02 Sep 2014 23:26:44 +0000
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