What book(s) kindled* your love of reading?
- Thread starter Retyred.life
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Gillstay
Veteran
Yes it was not as heavy as i expected, but some sentences were masterpieces as they could fit so much into them.
As a kid I had an ill week and read all the James Bond books in one go. Very memorable.
newts
Veteran
- Location
- Isca Dumnoniorum
To Kill a Mockingbird was a great read in my teenage years as part of English Lit O level (failed that miserably as Chaucer & Shakespeare were pretty dull reading). It was along wait to read another Harper Lee book.
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Alex321
Guru
- Location
- South Wales
Domus
Guru
- Location
- Sunny Radcliffe
i
I think it is. Good spot 👍Is autocorrect turning Nevil into Neil? You are the second person to write that
lazybloke
Priest of the cult of Chris Rea
- Location
- Leafy Surrey
No, I've only read his Tripods trilogy. I got quite excited when the BBC announced an adaptation... except they didn't do all of it :-(
lazybloke
Priest of the cult of Chris Rea
- Location
- Leafy Surrey
Not yet, I did chew through his Tripods trilogy when I was a kid. I got quite excited when the BBC announced an adaptation... except they only did two of the books. :-(
Also enjoyed War of the Words and other H.G. Wells stories, a bit of Jules Verne, and 'The Lost World' by Arthur Conan Doyle.
And in non-fiction I've been absolutely fascinated by the Shackleton and Scott diaries, so am also keen on dramatisations in similar settings; eg 'At the Mountains of Madness' (HP Lovecraft) and 'The Terror' by Dan Simmons.
Time Waster
Veteran
As a young kid I read factual books like my sister's Attenborough nature book from the 70s or 80s. A bit later I got a book from the library of the famous five, secret seven adventure romp. In my case it was two brothers who caught rare species of fish and marine life for zoos. I got to read about natural species, their value to sell to aquariums and a good old adventure leading to capture of some criminals or spies all on a specially converted yacht sailing in tropical seas.
My school deputy head ran a general studies course centred on various art forms like classical music, literature and poetry. He gave us a list of novels every teenager should read before turning 18 with a brief description. I read Peter Ackroyd 's Hawksmoor then on to iirc Robert nye's faust. That last one had a description that basically said it had quite a lot of sex in it. I then went into a spell of reading every book by nye that I could find in the library. Teenagers huh!
Still, it was as good list which led me to read quite a good list of books. I left school and 5 years later I saw a list of 100 books you must read from a major US library. Because of my school, this list and later reading interests I discovered I was actually very far into that list.
Now I've dropped out of a reading habit. When living on my own I often got so deep into a book I'd be up reading it at 3 or 4 am having to get up at about 6 or 7 am. Now I can't read a book unless it grabs me early on. That means crime thrillers or spy thrillers. Hardly good books must pulp bestsellers. I think I need to find a new book to kindle my interest in reading again.
Having said that, when we had the first lockdown I'd just got books in with the intention to try and get into reading. One was an anthology crime short stories from 1800s to mid 1900s. It had a write up about them and the style. Things like locked room murders, remote location with murdered people or those where you know who did it but the story is about how the detective finds that out. Basically something like 20 stories and styles of crime stories. I got really into it, lying on our bed with my partner and son reading too, plus dog. A real family activity.
Anyway the library was closed so I couldn't take them back until they started doing book bags. You'd book 5 books in a few styles you're interested in giving a few notes too. The librarian then picks 5 books based on your requests. After my first bag I was able to give feedback and the guy got to know us and became quite skilled in picking books that suited us. I was like that for 2 or 3 months before work called me in, technically as a supplier of parts to oem and aftermarket automotive sector we were key workers so could work through one needed. Still
It was a nice period of reading books and going out for a walk in the countryside surrounding our area. Longest continuous reading spell, for me since my 20s.
This crime short stories and an Agatha Christie anthology book of lesser known and short stories also helped.
My school deputy head ran a general studies course centred on various art forms like classical music, literature and poetry. He gave us a list of novels every teenager should read before turning 18 with a brief description. I read Peter Ackroyd 's Hawksmoor then on to iirc Robert nye's faust. That last one had a description that basically said it had quite a lot of sex in it. I then went into a spell of reading every book by nye that I could find in the library. Teenagers huh!
Still, it was as good list which led me to read quite a good list of books. I left school and 5 years later I saw a list of 100 books you must read from a major US library. Because of my school, this list and later reading interests I discovered I was actually very far into that list.
Now I've dropped out of a reading habit. When living on my own I often got so deep into a book I'd be up reading it at 3 or 4 am having to get up at about 6 or 7 am. Now I can't read a book unless it grabs me early on. That means crime thrillers or spy thrillers. Hardly good books must pulp bestsellers. I think I need to find a new book to kindle my interest in reading again.
Having said that, when we had the first lockdown I'd just got books in with the intention to try and get into reading. One was an anthology crime short stories from 1800s to mid 1900s. It had a write up about them and the style. Things like locked room murders, remote location with murdered people or those where you know who did it but the story is about how the detective finds that out. Basically something like 20 stories and styles of crime stories. I got really into it, lying on our bed with my partner and son reading too, plus dog. A real family activity.
Anyway the library was closed so I couldn't take them back until they started doing book bags. You'd book 5 books in a few styles you're interested in giving a few notes too. The librarian then picks 5 books based on your requests. After my first bag I was able to give feedback and the guy got to know us and became quite skilled in picking books that suited us. I was like that for 2 or 3 months before work called me in, technically as a supplier of parts to oem and aftermarket automotive sector we were key workers so could work through one needed. Still
It was a nice period of reading books and going out for a walk in the countryside surrounding our area. Longest continuous reading spell, for me since my 20s.
This crime short stories and an Agatha Christie anthology book of lesser known and short stories also helped.
Hicky
Guru
Always reading in our house, we encourage reading….this morning a bit of Benji Zephaniah😎......she's not three and cannot read however that doesn't mean she doesn't like the pictures(we obviously read to her
)
We're lucky to have a fantastic library directly opposite less than 40M from our front door.
)We're lucky to have a fantastic library directly opposite less than 40M from our front door.
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Jotheboat
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Littleborough, Lancashire
Reading v Television
matticus
Guru
Always reading in our house, we encourage reading….this morning a bit of Benji Zephaniah😎......she's not three and cannot read however that doesn't mean she doesn't like the pictures(we obviously read to her
We're lucky to have a fantastic library directly opposite less than 40M from our front door.
View attachment 715424
Hicky wins the thread - although there is a protest in the mail for using a child reading a book bigger than her, a truly unfair tactic!
If you like "Benji", I happened to listen to this great interview last week. Benji turns out to be a thoughtful and lovely fellow!
https://www.adam-buxton.co.uk/podca...pcd-l376z-zjb32-wh9dr-za87b-c8l3j-byyhb-segba
Hicky
Guru
Yet, we're a fan of his. He's a voice of common sense when on QT amongst the idiots. I shall listen when time permits, thanks for the heads up.
Our holiday in the very hot Southern States of America took us to the Court House,it was the highlight for Mrs P she studied it for o levels.
Tail End Charlie
Well, write it down boy ......
- Location
- In green and pleasant hills.
For me, when young it was the series of "Narnia" books, then reinvigorated when older by the Bernard Cornwell "Sharpe" series.
Alex321
Guru
- Location
- South Wales
Oddly, while I have read some Bernard Cornwell, I haven't read his Sharpe series. I have read both the Grail series and the Saxon stories series and enjoyed them.
One day, I may get around to reading the Sharpe series.
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