What book did it for you?

[dwndrgn]

What book started you on the path? Which one made you want to go out and get more, visit the library, haunt the booksellers?

Funny as it is, my dad had a full collection of the Hardy Boys series packed in a box in the attic, along with some other miscellaneous books. Among these uninteresting stories I found a 'The Three Investigators' book. It had a parrot on the cover and since I am an animal lover I decided to see what was what. I emptied that box faster than you can say "Why aren't you doing your homework?" That got me reading. What got me into sci-fi/fantasy was a copy of Nor Crystal Tears by Alan Dean Foster my dad had just bought and had not read yet. Having demolished the box of books, I stole his and read it first. ;D

[brian]

I changed schools when I was 6, and apparently the new school found I had problems reading - I simply hadn't been taught well enough for my age.

So when I was 7, while other kids were reading simple books, I was learning to read sentences - I remember learning long words - such as "newspaper" and "policemen". I never felt bad for doing it, even though I think I was put down a class for it. The teachers must have been very encouraging, because I regarded learning new words and reading longer sentences as an exciting accomplishment.

After I moved out of that class and we all moved up a year, we were shown a long bookcase, with books in different sections all graded according to difficulty. I started at the bottom and was one of the first to finish all of the sections.

One of them I class as the first novel I ever read - it was called "Conrad's War" and I remember a surprising amount about it.

You couldn't get me away from books after then.

Until I discovered the internet. But I'm still reading - lots.

Sorry for the ramble.

[dwndrgn]

When it comes to books, there is no such thing as a bad ramble...at least in my book!

I loved reading for school we always had contests and I always won. I think that is the only thing I ever did well in school! I still have some of the cute, hand-made certificates given to me for reading.

Of course, high school stopped that. They gave us the most boring books imaginable to read. Well, except for "Lord of The Flies" which was interesting but not wonderful (at least to me) and since I sincerely disliked my teacher (she refused to call on me when I raised my hand because I always disagreed with her opinions) I read it beforehand and then told her I refused to read it due to the fact that I had heard it had cannibalism in it. She called a parent-teacher conference and afterward my mom told me that, yes, I was right, she was a *not-so-polite-term-for-women* and if I wanted to bug that woman all day with questions she couldn't answer, I should go ahead. Gotta love my mom! Of course, I was given another book to read (since she didn't want any big scandal) and I read "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" instead.

Now I am rambling!

[Foxbat]

Looking back, I think I was very lucky as a child. My parents used to buy me some abridged classics like Treasure Island and 20000 Leagues Under The Sea.
But it wasn't a book that started me on the path to Sci-Fi...it was me and my dad sitting watching the moon landing and hearing Niell Armstrong's immortal words...still sends a shiver down my spine
As for teachers, they were quite restricting in my day. I remember being told that I couldn't read HG Wells' The Time Machine because I was too young to understand it. I read it anyway.

[dwndrgn]

Phoey on anyone who says you are too young to read something! >

My friend read to her son from books like Harry Potter until he had learned to read by himself. He also has a nice collection of abridged classics and the like. He is a very intelligent, well-adjusted boy. Since his parents are both bright, open-minded people he probably would have turned out that way in any case - but I like to think reading has helped too. I got to read a couple of chapters of Harry Potter to him while we were on vacation once and they took a parents night off to do dinner. Got me so interested I had to read the books afterward myself! ;D

[littlemissattitude]

I honestly can't remember when I didn't love to read. I started with books my parents bought me - and they began giving me books as soon as I could turn the pages, I think. Then, at about the age of four or five I had my first trip to the Bookmobile. Then, when I was six, we moved about three blocks from the library. Back in those safer days, I was making trips there by myself starting when I was about seven. Sometimes, during school holidays, I would go to the library twice in a day. Even today, I am in the library at least three or four days out of the week.

Bookstores are a dangerous place for me to be, as I will spend money there if I have it to spend (which isn't that often these days). I prefer the bookstores that furnish nice soft chairs and don't mind that you might sit down and read an entire book there, rather than buying it and taking it home.

[scifimoth]

Actually old fairy tale books got me started as a kid...
My mom started out reading them to me and pretty soon I was reading them by myself. I always had a love for fairy tales.
I was very thrilled when I found that Tanith Lee had rewritten several old fairy tales and made them adult once more. There is another Author who retold Cinderella in a rather interesting way. (Danged if I remember the guys name though...)

[dwndrgn]

Is it "Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister" by Gregory Maguire?

I haven't read it. I attempted to read his take on "The Wizard of Oz" which was called "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West". I couldn't get through it. I can't remember why, but something about it turned me off and I don't think it is because I'm a big "Wizard of Oz" fan.

Tanith Lee is just one of the writers doing that series of updated/adult fairy tales. There is a group of them. Ellen Datlow, Trina Robbins and Terri Windling have all been doing them. I may have to check these out.

[scifimoth]

Yep, that is the book...I thought it was pretty good.
I have not read the other one though.
I can highly recommend the series of updated fairy tales though. I enjoyed the ones I read...

[littlemissattitude]

Ah, fairy tales. I loved them as a child. Actually I am still partial to them - I'm currently reading a modern retelling of the Sleeping Beauty story: Enchantment, by Orson Scott Card.

Edit to clarify.

[Twelve]

There are a few magical books of my youth...books that had an effect like me as no other book has since then. I realize that it's BECAUSE of my youth that these books were so magical, but....

CHARLOTTE'S WEB...for some reason, I kept reading this book over and over and over again.

THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER AND HUCKLEBERRY FINN...


12

[brian]

Hm, in that latter regard, I remember one from 1917 I would read at my grandparents house - it had been awarded to my great-grandad when he was a boy. All I remember was that it was about a boy befriending a squirrel while on holiday. Not earth-shattering, but I remember I liked to read it when I stayed there. All those old books with dates inside fro the turn of the century fascinated me.

[dwndrgn]

Now you've got me thinking of my childhood faves...two come to mind:
Rikki Tikki Tavi by Rudyard Kipling and
Little Black Sambo by Helen Brennerman
Loved those!

[brian]

Ahhh...I found that last story in a collection of children's stories I read for four-year old Hannah on a night.

Only it's now called "The Story of Little Babaji"- apparently the name was changed in 1996, on account that terminology from 1899 was perhaps not entirely welcome to a contemporary audience.

[dwndrgn]

I remember that there was a lot of controversy over it in the 70's because there used to be a pancake shop in CA that was called Black Sambo's and I was really annoyed at the time that they were going to change the name. I think. Maybe I created all of that in my mind. Hmmm. I was only about 7 or 8 or so. Now I'm going to have to do some research. Sheesh. ;-)