My Life In Books Tag
I haven't done a tag in a minute and I found a new one, so here we go!
1. What's the first book you remember changing your perspective on something? - It's probably not the first, but its the one I remember right now is The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction by Alan Jacobs. This is the book that convinced me I don't have to read books from a prescribed list. As a person who is pretty Type A(wesome), I like to follow the rules and plan ahead and check things off a list. However, in the world of books, that doesn't really work because of that pesky thing called taste. If I'm not enjoying it, I won't read.
2. What’s a book that made a big impact on you when you were younger? - "Younger" can mean a lot of things here. When I first got out of college and back into reading for fun, I read anything and everything. Which means a lot of crap. I had no way to differentiate the wheat from the chaff. In high school I read what my friends were reading. I'm trying to remember what book may have given me direction after college. That may have been when I discovered books about books. And books about Jane Austen and her books. That would be highly impactful, especially for my lifetime reading path.
3. What book/books made you realize how much you loved reading? Or got you back into reading? - I learned to read when I was 3 years old, so I didn't remember what I read for a few years. The first one I definitely remember is Yertle the Turtle and other stories by Dr. Seuss. The book that let me know I could read grown up books was Jane Eyre. My third grade teacher, Mrs. Osborne, read it to us in class and my sister gave it to me for my 10th birthday. I still have that copy.
4. What were some of your favorite books/series in middle school? - I don't remember a lot of what I read, except that my friend Bethany and I read a bunch of Agatha Christie together.
5. What’s the best book you read in a high school and/or for a high school class? - Ok. Here's the thing. I read Pride and Prejudice in 10th grade and hated it. I was too young to grasp the subtle change in Mr. Darcy's behavior and was so mad when Lizzie married him. I DID like Wuthering Heights. Keep in mind that I read this while I was sitting at home with Mono. I read the whole thing in one day. I blame it on being a very sick teenage girl with a penchant for drama.
6. What’s a book you wish you had been able to read in high school? - The Hunger Games would have been rad to read in high school. Alas, it was not published, yet.
7. If you went to college and read books are there any that changed your life? - College is where I re-read Pride and Prejudice and finally got it. I feel in love. Then I read all the other Austen novels. Based on the path my life has taken, I'd say that's a change. Including the fact that my hubby wanted to propose in Austen's country.
8. Is there a book quote that changed the way you live? If yes, what is it? - I don't know. Well, I can think of one. When I was a stay at home mom, and the kids drove me bananas, I read 1 2 3 Magic which was great for getting the kids in line and keeping me from yelling all day everyday. That worked great.
9. What’s the most meaningful book you’ve read this year? - That would probably be Stamped. It's a YA version of Ibram X. Kendi's Stamped From the Beginning. It showcases the history of the U.S. and how racism informed it's construction and policies up to today.
10. Everybody goes through hard times, are there any books that pulled you out of that? - Probably. I can't remember any of them now, of course.
11. Do you have safety/comfort books? Or know any books that make you feel at peace? - I have a few. So Many Books, So Little Time by Sara Nelson. The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction by Alan Jacobs. Nerd Girl Rocks Paradise City by Anne Thomas Soffee.
12. What book(s) can you not wait to read to your kids? - First of all, my kids are grown. Second of all, I let them choose what they were interested in reading. I don't remember being like, "Oh I love this one, we need to read it!" I was more interested in what was new in children's publishing. I don't hold out much hope for grandkids, but if that day comes, I will probably do the same thing.
So there's the tag. Do you have any answers for these questions? Let me hear 'em!