I'm so devoid of ideas this morning that I had to resort to a writing prompt site for a blog post. The site has something called "The Imagination Prompt Generator." But it didn't prompt my imagination very well. Most of the prompts it gave me, I could answer in one sentence or not at all. So I chose this one about my 10 favorite books. At least I know I'll have plenty of material.
One of my first memories is of sitting on Daddy's lap while he read the newspaper. Looking at those strange symbols and squiggles on the pages completely mystified me. I knew in my heart that I'd never be able to "read." In fact, I didn't even know what was meant by the term. Sort of like I imagine a person who is blind from birth feels about sight.
But even though the concept of reading was completely foreign to me, I knew I wanted to do it. My daddy and mama and big sister seemed so completely taken with the activity, I couldn't wait till I could learn to decipher those strange hieroglyphs. Truth be told, I didn't know the term hieroglyphs then either, but it really describes how I felt when I looked at Daddy's newspaper or the books that Mama and Joanne read. Of course, they all read to me, as did my Mawmaw. So I knew that somehow those symbols turned into words and stories.
When I entered first grade, I was so very excited. Mama had told me that's where I'd learn to read, and I was ready. And I did. We learned reading by a system called "phonics" back then. We were taught the sounds of letters and combinations of letters instead of simply memorizing each word by sight. I still strongly believe that phonics is the way everyone should learn to read. It gives you a total relationship with the language and makes reading easier, faster, and more fun--in my opinion.
Anyway, I learned all those sounds quickly and had great fun reading the adventures of Alice and Jerry and their dog Jip. I could finish an Alice and Jerry book before Ms. Dill's assignments took us halfway through it.
Later I remember my first reader that wasn't Alice and Jerry. It was a book of fairy tales and folk stories. I took it home and read every story the first night I had it.
Actually reading comprises most of my memories of first grade. The only other things I remember from that time were notable events like singing "How Much Is That Doggie in the Window" before the class and my first boyfriend, whose name was Jackson Gilbreath (or maybe Gilreath). I also remember the Easter eggs that he brought to our Easter egg hunt. They were bright metallic colors with swirls of other colors. They were gorgeous. All the rest of us just had the regular eggs dyed with those little colored pills you drop into vinegar. When the adults took Jackson's eggs away from him to hide them, as they did with everyone's eggs, he cried. I don't blame him.
One other memory I hold in my heart from first grade is when a little girl named Joan, who later became a lifelong cherished friend, returned to school after her mother had died. She looked so sad and I cried for her.
But all the other memories I can dredge up from first grade deal with books and reading. I always always always was the best reader in my first grade class, and Ms. Dill always gave me the task of carrying the books over to the next room, where that class would use them. But I remember one day, I was way off my game. When Ms. Dill held up the cards containing those phonemes and morphemes, my mind was a blank. My hand went up very few times that day, and another girl got the honor of carrying the books to the next room. I was thoroughly humiliated.
It seems this writing prompt has dredged up lots of memories to write about. There are more, but I'll go ahead and list my ten favorite books and let anyone still reading this move on to other things. Just know that, with the exception of the first three, this list is subject to change.
1. Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtrey I read Mr. McMurtrey's Pulitzer Prize winner novel in 1990, just after it was published. I have no idea what drew me to this book. I was not a fan of westerns, had never read one in my life. I can only tell you that the storytelling and characterizations in this book put it at the top of my favorite books list. Nothing has been able to topple it since.
2. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. This is the book that Lonesome Dove nudged off of first place in my list. I read it in 1960, just after its publication, when I was a junior in high school. This book still holds the distinction of the book that I have read most often. I can't tell you how many times I've read it, but I can tell you that my family has worn out three paperback copies of it, most of them by my reading. This book changed my life. I was raised in a time when racism was a fact of life. After reading Mockingbird, I knew racism for the evil it is.
3. David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. Uriah Heep, Dora, the incomparable Mr. McCawber, etal, are absolute masterpieces of characterization. If there is one book that I believe kids should be required to read in high school, or even junior high, it would be this one. I myself didn't read it until college, and I was a little disgruntled that no one had ever told me about it. Of course, all of Dickens's books are delightful, but this is his piece de resistance in my opinion.
4. (Now the list gets harder.) I guess I'd have to put Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell here. I was in high school the first time I read this book. But I was in second grade the first time I tried to check it out from the school library. I had heard Mama and Joanne talk about it so much that I decided I wanted to see for myself what all the shouting was about. I pranced right up to the librarian's desk and asked for directions to this book. The librarian looked at me askance and announced, "You're much too young to read that book." "Oh, but I'm a very good reader," I told her. But she would not be moved. "We don't check out that kind of book to people your age," she insisted. I went away sad.
5. The Shining by Stephen King. Absolutely gotta be the best horror/thriller ever written. I still get scared when I read this one.
6. Watership Down by Richard Adams. I remember that when I first saw the paperback of this in the rack at the drugstore (sometime in the early 70s, I think), my first thought was, "Who would want to read a book about talking rabbits?" But the wonderful characters in the classic allegory will win your heart and their predicaments will break it.
7. The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Magical. That's the word that comes to mind when I think of this book. It's Bradley's interpretation of the Arthurian legend, and she does a magnificent job of it. It's a story that appeals to all ages. Teenagers love it, but so do grandmothers. The romance, excitement, and ultimately tragedy blend together into a perfect narration. (Note: I've never found another of this author's books that I could make it through, but Mists is a keeper.)
8. The Dollmaker by Harriet Arnow. "This is a magnificant, powerful book about a woman's strength, endurance and inner beauty in the face of despair and hopelessness." I borrow the preceding quote from an Amazon review. This books at times will break your heart and at times will make you so angry you could spit. But you'll never ever be sorry you read it.
9. Green Mansions by W.H. Hudson. Wherein Abel meets the mysterious Rima the Bird Girl in the jungles of Guyana. It has been a very long time since I've read this book. But I remember that the setting is so well created that the reader can almost smell and feel the freshness and greenness of the tropical jungle. And I also remember the sadness and heartsickness I felt upon reading the climax.
10. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I was in 4th grade when I read this classic. I remember that I was in the back seat of the car with Mama and Daddy driving someplace early one morning. It was at that point that I was reading about Beth dying and I was crying and trying to hide my tears from my parents because I was embarrassed, but I couldn't stop crying. Either they didn't notice, or they had the manners to not react. I've read the book several times since, and I never ever tire of it.
As I said, the last seven items in this list are subject to change on any given day. But so far, no book has come along to knock the first three from their positions. I don't think one ever will.
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On 07/20/2011, Barbara Anne said ...
I so enjoyed your childhood pre-reading memories of being read to and visiting first grade with you!
As a stellar reader from such an early age, did you ever see the Mary Engelbreit Quilting Treasures (2004) fabric depicting little girls reading and surrounded by books? It's you and me to a tea!
I'll have to give my top 10 books a think... hummmmmm ....
Hugs!
On 07/20/2011, Sharon said ...
Susan - I too just love "Watership Down", one of my favorite books. Have you read another book by Richard Adams - "The Plague Dogs"? Same premise - talking dogs - makes you really ponder alot of things.
On 07/20/2011, Jan S. said ...
I just love your book posts, and this one was terrific! Your synopsis of your favorite books are well-written, and it makes me want to tackle the ones that I haven't already read. Have you thought about starting a book blog? I follow a few of them, and they have led to some good reads.
On 07/20/2011, Bien said ...
I know how you feel about finally learning to read. I too learned in first grade but ours was Dick, Jane and Sally with a dog named Spot and a cat named Puff. I was so excited about finally making sense of the words that I promptly went home and asked for a library card.
I struggled more with looking up the definitions of words. For example, when looking up the definition for cat I would flip to "c", then to "a" and on to "t". I was so disappointed that cat wasn't the in the "t" section. My mother had a good laugh and then patiently showed me how to actually use the dictionary.
On 07/20/2011, hunnybunny said ...
I really thoroughly enjoyed reading this post and your experiences in first grade. Can I say that i agree with you about phonics. Thing 1 was reading before school because of it and Thing 2 had her struggles until the class moved past sight words. She is now a top reader thanks to phonics.
Your book list looks awesome I love a lot of the books you do To Kill a Mockingbird, David Copperfield, The Shining and Little Women. All great reads. I am going to have to check out Lonesome Dove, I've heard about it before. Maybe here? Thank you for sharing all of this with us.
On 07/20/2011, Kai said ...
How I love this post! And YOU!
On 07/20/2011, AnnieO said ...
Wonderful sharing those early memories with you today! I loved to read from day one as well, and grew up 1/2 mile from a public library. My sister and I walked or rode our bikes there probably three times a week in the summer, and often during school time.
Love your list of books. One favorite of mine that I didn't read until just a few years ago is Pride and Prejudice. I have since re-read it many times. I also adored The Thorn Birds, for the same reasons I loved Lonesome Dove. I do mourn my favorite characters who get killed off, though!
On 07/21/2011, quiltmom said ...
I get more time to read in the summer- though I usually have a novel going at all times of the year. This summer I have read the following: The Postmistress ,Sarah's Key, The 19th wife, House Rules by Jodi Picoult, The Girl who chased the moon and Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen ( I think).
I read the Mist of Avalon a very long time ago and I loved it. It was a book my sister in law gave me as a gift- She has fabulous taste in books.
I still have a few more to read from the library that include more of Jodi Picoult's books as well as some professional reading for my classroom.
Thanks for the recommendations.
Warmest regards,
Anna
On 07/21/2011, Nicole said ...
Great post Susan! My list of favorite books contains many of the same ones as yours.
On 07/21/2011, Dandelion Quilts said ...
I must say...you have 2 of my favorites on your list. My dad actually encouraged me to read Lonesome Dove when I was in 6th grade. Gus is a favorite of mine. I love his antics and was terribly heart broken later in the book. My other favorite was Gone With the Wind. I read that in junior high, again in high school, later in college...need I go on? How can you not appreciate Scarlett and Rhett's story?
On 07/21/2011, Elizabeth said ...
Thank you for sharing your list!
I have to say, The Shining was more terrifying than I had expected. I just read it about a month ago, and boy was I surprised.
Lonesome Dove is special to so many in my family. My brother named his son Augustus. We expect Gus will be quite a character, good-natured and warm-hearted, like his namesake.
On 07/22/2011, Lori said ...
Have you read "The Reading Promise" by Alice Ozma about a girl and her Dad reading together?
http://www.makeareadingpromise.com/ I think you will like it.
On 07/22/2011, Karen S. said ...
I so love all of those books ! Here is one I found years ago that I just loved and have recommended to everyone I know: The Proud Breed by Celeste Deblasis
I have always been an avid reader. That is until I started back sewing, now it seems I only read in the winter :)
If you get a chance to read The Proud Breed I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
On 07/25/2011, Anne Simonot said ...
I remember having exactly the same thought about Watership Down when I first encountered it. But, I read it anyway, and just as you said, the characters in this novel, rabbits or not, captivate you completely. It's still one of my favorite books - time for a re-read, in fact.
On 08/02/2011, Mama Pea said ...
Susan, this isn't related to this specific post, but I've been trying to catch up on your blog. I noticed that I no longer have to type the nonsense characters on the screen to leave a comment. I blog on typepad, too. How did you turn this feature off, if I may ask? I'd like to turn it off. Have you had any problems with spam since you turned it off? Thanks for your help! Stephanie
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