Thursday, August 26, 2010

Reading List books that have had the biggest impact on me

There was a time in my life when I was the most voracious reader you would have ever met. I would come home from school and I couldn't wait to get my hands on a book that I had put down the night before. Often times I wouldn't even put the book down because I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next. I hated the thought of not knowing what was going to happen.
I will be the first person to admit that I have shied away from the worlds of books. I don't know exactly why this happened. I guess I just became consumed by other things in my life. I put books aside to follow other paths and I guess I haven't been able to get back to that world.
When I read and really get into a book, which is really rare for me lately, I feel as if im returning to my childhood. It might sound a bit corny but I get a warm feeling inside, I think of my mom and my grandfather and memories that I have with both of them while I was reading and even before I could read. I won't bore you with the details but reading is and especially use to be a huge part of my life.
The following is a list of books that have impacted me:

1.) The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway. To put it simply this book reminds me of my grandfather. I look up to my grandfather more then anyone else in my life. It was almost as if when Ernest Hemingway was writing this book he was taking notes on my grandfather's life.

2.) The Harry Potter Series. My first memories when reading came while reading this series. I remember like it was yesterday lying next to my mom, while she would read me the first Harry Potter Book. Back in the day I use to think that at some point I would receive my very own letter from Hogwarts. I really wanted to be a wizard.... Mr. Coon i'm trusting you here this shouldn't be shared with others haha :)

3.)  Eragon Series, R. A. Salvtore series, Redwall series. When I was younger these were my favorite books. I would literally finish an entire book in one night. If you ask either one of my parents they will tell you that some nights I wouldn't even go to bed because I had to keep reading. Fantasy books have been my favorite type of book since I was a kid.

4.) The Catcher in the Rye, I have read this book twice I hate it but I like it if that makes sense. I enjoy the accurate depiction of a teenager's psyche and in a small way I am able to relate to Holden, a very small way.

5.) Cold Mountain. I think this is the best book I have ever read. I absolutely loved this book. When Frazier wrote this book he obviously wrote it with intended parallels to the Odyssey. In 9th grade I never could relate to Odysseus  it was written in a different time for a different time and therefore I couldn't relate to it or, for that matter, enjoy the book. Cold Mountain tells a simple and refined story about true love and I guess that the sappy side of me could relate to this it in some bizarre way. I have never liked a love story before, but this one connected with me unlike any other book.

1 comment:

  1. Gordon--I'm pretty sure you're not the only kid who ever hoped to get tapped for wizard school, but your story is safe for me (except for the fact that it's now posted on the internet). And I completely agree with you about the many virtues of Cold Mountain. I've even read it a couple of times (print once, audio once). And I'm curious what it is about the Hemingway novel that reminds you of your grandfather. Is he an outdoorsman?

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