Happy new year, TTBOOK listeners! I’m turning this over to a few of you who wrote in recently about books that affected you as children or young adults. We love hearing from TTBOOK listeners — we think of those of you who subscribe to this newsletter as our super listeners and we are especially grateful for you. So thank you. Tell your friends.
Send us more ideas and thoughts at listen@ttbook.org, and always, keep listening.
–Shannon
Responses below edited lightly for clarity and length.
I was born in 1946 and was already an avid reader from an early age. My mother handed me "To Kill A Mockingbird" after she read it in the summer of 1960 shortly after it was published. It became and remains one of my favorite books of all time. It was the first newly published, intended-for-adult works of fiction I had ever read. It changed and charged my reading habits ever after.
–Gary
Books collect me. I love the inscriptions and drawings in them. I am a picture person, primarily — so I have these books for visual reference, to be used in my creations of murals, graphics, Papercutting, paintings, quilts, cakes, and more. Occasionally, I see a book, or it sees me, by jumping off the shelves, smack onto the floor, saying, "READ ME NOW!" On these books, I attach a note: READ! BTW, one of my favorite books is called "Keep Climbing, Girls" by Beah E. Richard's with illustrations by R. Gregory Christie. Thanks for your show today. I'm enjoying the dialogues you have shared.
–Peggy
I always liked to read but "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes set me on a path to study literature and become a lifelong reader—and sharer of books. FYI: This book has never been out of print.
–Linda