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| The Broke and Bookish |
1. Reading aloud to my daughters. I loved, loved, loved reading to and with my girls. Some of my favorite books/series that we read together: The Chronicles of Narnia, The Harry Potter books, The Borrowers series, and, of course, lots of Dr. Seuss.
2. Listening to audiobooks with the family. I usually have audiobooks going in the car, which includes family car-trip vacations. The two most memorable audiobook experiences were when we listened to: Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman on a camping trip to Washington Coast and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on a Southern Oregon/Northern California vacation.
3. Reading Cold Sassy Tree on the Victoria Clipper en route to Victoria, BC. This was the book that provided a reading catalyst for me after a ten-year reading drought.
4. All-Pierce-County-Read events with author visits and book club discussions.
- Alexander McCall Smith author of the #1 Ladies Detective Agency series. He is genuinely funny and an excellent storyteller.
- Jamie Ford author of The Corner of Bitter and Sweet. This historical fiction story was set in Seattle and Puyallup, where we live. Very interesting.
- Timothy Egan author of The Big Burn and Worst Hard Time. His writing about these two historical events is fascinating and it was so interesting hearing him speak about how he collected the information.
- John Green author of Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars at the WLMA conference several years before he was mega-popular.
- Sherman Alexie author of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian right here in Puyallup and at the WLMA conference. Two times the fun.
- Frank McCourt author of the memoir Angela's Ashes. His lovely Irish brogue was so captivating. He read from his book Teacher Man. So funny and charming.
6. Mock Printz Workshops. I've hosted four or five of them so far and they are so stimulating and fun for a bookish person like myself. Students get jazzed up about books and reading. A very satisfying experience.
7. Meeting President Jimmy Carter as he signed his book after an event I attended in Seattle. I admire this man and what he has done since leaving the presidency so much. It was just a thrill to be so near him.
8. The St. John's Bible Project. An illuminated Bible project that was displayed at our local museum. I was blown away by the gorgeous calligraphy and illumination. Go to this website for a cool example of the Psalms in this project (turn the pages of the book it displays.)
9. Attending the Harry Potter book launch party at Borders Books with my daughters. Sigh.
10. Discussing books with my mom. I have a great relationship with my mother but we seem to have a special relationship around books . She is 80+ years old and I suddenly realized that I won't be able to have these discussions forever. I'd best treasure them more now. I also treasure the memories of mom reading to me and my siblings as children. I have really happy memories of her reading Mark Twain short stories aloud during power outages and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever every Christmas.
What a lovely list - it's so wonderful to see how many of your favourite memories are tied to your family! I'm also infatuated with audiobooks - I moved out of the city last year, so I have a good 1 ½ drive in and the same back each time I visit; I've managed to get through 12 of the Harry Dresden novels so far, as well as a few others (Tina Fey in Bossypants was incredible).
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I listened to Bossypants together on a trip and really enjoyed it. My favorite audiobooks are ones where I learn something or one where the voice actor helps me out with difficult pronunciations, such as fantasy books.
DeleteMeeting Jimmy Carter would have been amazing--what an incredible experience. Author events are the greatest, although we don't get as many big names in Australia. I think I would have an epic fan girl moment if I met John Green.
ReplyDeleteMy list
Reading with my kids is one of my greatest joys - and so far, it seems I have four readers.
ReplyDeleteWow, you've met so many people! Those mock Printz workshops sound like fun.
ReplyDeleteWhat fantastic reading moments! I still love reading aloud with my daughter and she is 12. You've met some great authors, too and meeting Jimmy Carter? Wow, I would love to have that opportunity
ReplyDeleteOops, my comment just disappeared -- excuse me if this is a duplicate! I love your list, especially #1. Reading with my kids has always been a delight, and my grown-up daughter still talks about all the books we've read together.
ReplyDeleteLisa
I love that you read with your daughters! My mom used to read to me and my sister Stewart Little, Charlotte's Web and The Trumpet of the Swan to me and my sisters when we were little=great memories! This is my list http://boardingwithbooks.blogspot.co.il/2013/02/top-ten-tuesday-top-10-bookish-memories.html
ReplyDeleteNow I give book for baby showers instead of clothes or trinkets. I tell all new moms the best gift they can give their child is to read to them often.
DeleteWhat a great list--and bookended with you reading to your daughters and discussing books with your mom! Awesome.
ReplyDeleteHere's my Top Ten.
Your first 2 would be my top 2, also :)
ReplyDeleteI also got to hear Jamie Ford speak - his novel was also OUR all-county read book last year. I was surprised by what an entertaining speaker he was...and very funny!
Frank McCourt is also a favorite of mine - how wonderful that you got to hear him speak!
And you met Jimmy Carter, too? Wow - very exciting!
What a wonderful list, Anne!
Sue
Great Books for Kids and Teens
Book By Book
I really cherish the Frank McCourt talk the most because it was so pleasurable and then he died later that year so I know I will never be able to repeat it.
DeleteJimmy Carter is quite a down-to-earth guy and so wise. I just wish that his time in the Oval Office was tainted by the Iranian Hostage Crisis so his political legacy could be remembered more fondly by Americans.
Oh, and I almost forgot...I also share #10 with you. My mom and I love to talk about books together and share books. She travels over 3 hours each month to come to my neighborhood book group! We went through some really tough times in our relationship when I first got sick...our shared love of books has helped to heal those wounds and rebuild our relationship. Reading is a powerful thing to share!
ReplyDeleteSue
Wow. Three hours for a book club? That is dedication and how wonderful that you two can share that experience together. Did your mother not believe you that you were ill? When I was young my mother, a nurse, would always think that we weren't sick when we were. We make fun of her now for it, but then it was a problem for all of us kids.
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