Hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
I don’t know if I’ll be able to come up with a full ten answers for this week’s prompt, but I do have some fun bookish memories to share with you all.
Bookish Memory #1: Falling asleep while waiting for my dad to come home from a late night at work. I always wanted him to tell me stories about his childhood again. He had a marvellous way of turning his childhood into something just as exciting as any novel! I especially loved his story about accidentally setting his bed on fire when he was pretending to be big and powerful like Superman. He threw one lit match on it and then tried to blow it out just like Superman would do. (The fire was soon put out, and he never tried anything like that again. It was truly an innocent mistake). Sometimes I’d quietly retell his stories to myself as I waited to see if
he’d be home soon!
Bookish Memory #2: My mother reading the first few Little House on the Prairie books to me. I took over reading them as soon as my reading skills were strong enough because I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next and she needed to look after my younger siblings.
Bookish Memory #3: Being so bored in church that I read portions of the Bible that weren’t being discussed during that week’s sermon. I was a preacher’s kid, so I had plenty of opportunities to “read ahead” so to speak.
Bookish Memory #4: Occasionally getting away with reading secular books during long church services. Shh, don’t tell my parents. 😉
Bookish Memory #5: Discovering a fairy tale my aunt had started writing but not finished when she was a little girl. So far as I can recall, it was about a princess and a magic necklace. I added a few more scenes to it and then tucked it away where I found it. Maybe someday another little girl in our family will find it in that cupboard and finish it!
Bookish Memory #6: Being excited to start high school and later on college because of the wonderful new school libraries I was about to gain access to! I remember staring into the dark windows of those still-empty libraries just before the school year began and wishing they’d open early for me. I would have promised to leave everything exactly how I’d found if I could only browse the shelves for an hour and take note of which books I’d hope to check out first.
Bookish Memory #7: Memorizing the summer hours of our local public library and timing my walks there so I could arrive first thing in the morning or later in the evening depending on my work schedule. I knew exactly how long that walk took and was often the first (or last) patron of the day. Let’s just say that July and August are quite hot and humid in the Midwestern portion of the United States. You do not want to be walking around in the full heat of the day for too long. Sunburns and heat strokes can happen terribly quickly if you’re not careful.
Bookish Memory #8: Attending the annual book sale and book/art festival in support of that same local library. I’d often find a few secondhand books that piqued my interest after I’d bought a slice or pie or some other treat. We lived in a small, sleepy town, so events like this were a big deal for everyone who loved the local library!
Great list. Number 5 is an especially good one. I love the idea of another young family member finding that story and continuing it. 🙂
Thank you! Maybe that will happen someday. There are a few children n the family who are about the right age for it.
I wonder how many kids got into reading after they tried to read a book themselves that had been read to them first. It seems like reading aloud to children is so important.
And I can imagine you in church reading any part of the Bible that you could find!
Probably quite a few of them!
And thanks. haha.
I wish our library had been walking distance—I would have gone every day!
My post is here— https://fiftytwo.blog/2021/11/30/ttt-bookish-confessions/
Happy TTT!
Lori
https://fiftytwo.blog
It’s a marvellous thing for sure! I hope you live closer to a library now.
I can remember my mother reading Little House books to me as well! Such a great memory.
That’s lovely!
Yes to book sale events! I always looked forward to the scholastic ones.
Genesis @ Whispering Chapters
Very cool. 🙂
I love number eight, I grew up in a small town too, and one of my favorite memories from childhood is walking down to the small used book store, picking out a couple titles, then dropping by the little convenience store that was next to it to get a treat before heading to the park to read.
Oh, that’s so cool!
What wonderful memories. I have my 1971 Little House on the Prairie set in my bookshelf. How neat about your aunt’s fairy tale. What a special memory that is. Thanks for sharing your memories and for visiting my blog today.
You’re welcome. Thanks for stopping by.
Wow, you have some amazing bookish memories! I loved “Bookish Memory #3: Being so bored in church that I read portions of the Bible that weren’t being discussed during that week’s sermon.” that just made me laugh! And “Bookish Memory #5: Discovering a fairy tale my aunt had started writing but not finished when she was a little girl. So far as I can recall, it was about a princess and a magic necklace. I added a few more scenes to it and then tucked it away where I found it. Maybe someday another little girl in our family will find it in that cupboard and finish it!” So cute!!
Aww, thanks!
Fantastic post. I loved hearing your stories.
Thank you. 🙂
What great memories! I love that you found the fairy tale from your aunt and added to it. It’s exciting to think someone else might do the same down the line.
Thank you. 🙂
Little Huse and ‘reading ahead’ in church, libraries and summer reading! I hear ya! Good memories, all!
https://pagesandpaws.com/2021/11/30/ttt-bookish-memories-and-coming-home/
Heh, thanks!
Great list! I was a huge fan of the library (and still am), so I can totally understand your fixation about them.
That’s awesome. And thanks.
Such wonderful memories. Love of books and reading sure shines through, with you and your family. Being read to is such a happy memory. Happy reading.
Thank you very much!
This is such a heartwarming list!
Aww, thanks!
I felt kind of sad reading your early memories. I don’t remember my parents ever reading to me. that did not stop me from growing up to love reading possibly because I was a shy kid and I was able to have amazing adventures through the books I read. In high school I used to cut classes and go to the library to read. Once the librarian snuck up behind me, saw what I was reading,(an Edger Rice Burroughs book) and pulled it out of my hands and told me I shouldn’t be reading that kind of junk. He said he knew I was cutting classes but would stop letting me in if I continued to read such things. That greatly angered me so I got a large sized science text book cut out the center so I could fit my paperback book inside and always got a seat against a wall.
I just finished reading the 10th book in the amazing series by Stephen R Donaldson.https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/12980.Stephen_R_Donaldson
I’m sorry, Fred. I wish your parents had read to you.
Your story about hiding “forbidden” books inside of a science textbook is hilarious. I’d never heard it before! The next time we’re in the same room, I’d love to hear more stories from your early years if you’re willing to share them.
What did you like about that Donaldson series the most?
I loved everything about the whole series. The author delt with every aspect of human nature. Good vs evil, personal failures , creatures of every kind imaginable, Giants were my favorite people. His writing style was so descriptive that I was able to visualize everything.
I have the first three books in one hardcover, I would love to send it to you if you are interested.
Such lovely memories! I love the one about finding a story your aunt had written. Would be nice to see what’ll happen to that story when the next person finds it and hopefully adds to it 🙂
Aww, thanks.
If I ever hear about a young relative completing the story, I’ll blog about his or her portion of it.
Reading Little House in the Big Woods was special for me as well!
Very cool!
I love the Little House books! I have many good memories reading those books. 🙂
That’s awesome!
Such a great list! I totally forgot about my public library’s book sale. This year I borrowed a library cart from my work (I work at one of the academic libraries in town) and brought it to the sale. Everyone commented that it was a smart idea!
Oh, that’s so cool! What a great idea.
And I’m just a teeny bit a little jealous of your job. Working at an academic library sounds amazing.
The annual book sale sounds wonderful.
Happy reading! My TTT https://readwithstefani.com/ten-books-i-have-a-strong-emotional-attachment-to/
It was the highlight of the year for me for sure! Happy reading to you as well.
I love that list. So many wonderful memories!
I haven’t ever been to a library sale – I don’t think I’ve ever even seen one advertised 🤔
Thank you!
I don’t know where in the world you live, but I’ve seen library sales in the various parts of U.S. and Canada that I’ve lived in.
I have no idea how common they might be in other parts of the world. Or maybe there are parts of the U.S. and Canada that also don’t have them?!
I’m in the UK. I’ve just done an internet search and it looks like libraries give (or sell) their books to independent businesses who then sell them on.
Good to know. 🙂
I loved your first memory. I always treasured the stories my parents would tell me while I was growing up. Now that my dad has passed away, the stories are that more precious to me. I try to share stories with my kids all the time, even if it’s one they’ve heard dozens of times.
Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/unusual-books-i-read-in-high-school/
Thank you!
Sorry to hear about the loss of your dad. I’m glad you’re continuing your family’s storytelling traditions.
Re. Little House on the Prairie. I have the same memory! I loved those books. Actually, we had a phase when I started to read, when my mother and I took turns reading to each other. Then eventually I took over completely and read them for myself.
Aww, that’s adorable! So cool.
These are all so lovely! I especially love your #1, waiting for your dad to come home and tell you stories. And I love that you added to your aunt’s fairy tale. I hope someone finds it someday!
Thank you. 🙂
Aw Little House. I LOVED those books for a while. I used to imagine traveling in a covered wagon. 🙂
#5 is so cool!
Thanks a lot!
I always used to do the ‘reading ahead’ thing in class. It was funny when you knew there was a big reveal coming up and could watch for reactions.
Heh, yeah, that is great!
Your list sparked my memory, I remember being excited about my college library too and then disappointed when it housed very LITTLE fiction, it was mostly research materials. https://cindysbookcorner.blogspot.com/2021/11/top-ten-tuesday-bookish-memories.html
What an interesting memory!
Yeah, college libraries are quite different from public ones. I was a bit disappointed about that, too.
What a beautiful list. Thank you for sharing your sweet memories.
You’re quite welcome.
Such lovely memories! Memory #5 is such a charming one…I do hope the story continues with the next generation!
Thank you. Fingers crossed!
Totally beautiful memories. Loved #s 1 and 5 especially.. And as for #s 6 thru 8, I grew up in a sleepy little town as well, and we had just one school for our town for all grades through grade 12.. but I recall feeling the same about the school library and our town’s library as well.. as for book fairs and book sales, we went to a neighboring town for that and it was a highlight of the year for me
My TTT – My Most Wonderful Bookish Memories
Thank you!
Wow, your town was small! We had separate schools for graedes 7-8 and 9-12, but they were both fairly small.
It’s so neat that you loved yearly book fairs in your small town, too.
I loved reading your memories. Libraries are so important to me, I’ve always joined the library wherever I lived or worked and also made sure my children were also members. Such important places.
lynn 😀
Aww, thank you!
Yes, libraries are very important places, indeed.