Yesterday UH left a comment that in my honor he was gonna read The Catcher in the Rye this year. He’s never read it before. Which amazes me a little, because I had to read it in high school. I thought it was one of them books that everyone had to read before they graduated (like To Kill a Mockingbird).
His promise to read Catcher got me to thinking about reading influences. Before I became a giant book snob (as opposed to the regular giant I am), my reading was easily influenced. My mamala was probably the biggest influence on my early reading habits. Mostly I would read whatever novel she had just completed. These were usually really bad romances and everything written by VC Andrews. I never picked up her penchant for true crime books (sister #2 did that), but I ate up every bad romance novel she ever brought into our house.
But by the time I was 18, I had outgrown my mom’s terrible taste in literature and had discovered John Irving all on my own. He opened by eyes to all that the written word can be. But I was only a teenager and had no real guidance. That was until I met the Wilsons.
The Wilsons were a couple that I nannied for my freshman and sophomore years in college. They were educators and had a book collection that was absolutely amazing to my naive eyes. Their basement was filled with shelves and shelves and shelves of books. They encouraged me to read anything I wanted. I stood stunned in front of such largess, not even knowing where to begin.
It was Mr. Wilson who encouraged me to pick up Kurt Vonnegut. I was a little leery having tried to read Slaughterhouse Five in high school and not enjoying it so much that I didn’t ever finish it. But he put the book Cat’s Cradle in my hands and I never looked back. I spent the summer tearing through all the Vonnegut books they had Breakfast of Champions, God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, Mother Night, and many many more. I even went back to read Slaughterhouse and loved it.
And the best part was that after I finished the books I’d have someone to talk to about them. It was by far the most amazing book experience of my young life. If I hadn’t lost touch with the Wilsons, I’d totally go back and thank them profusely for introducing me to the majesty of Mr. Vonnegut. It’s just really too bad that you have to wait over 10 years to recognize the positive influence that people have had on your life. You never really realize their impact while you’re living it, and that’s just a damn shame.
In my defense, I must point out that I did read War and Peace the summer after I graduated from high school. In Hawaii. For fun.
oh, no need for defense. there are tons of books i should have read and never, ever did. somehow i escaped formal education without reading Of Mice and Men (or any Steinbeck for that matter), The Great Gatsby (though i read it on my own after college), and a ton more i can’t seem to think of at the moment. that’s what RP2006 is all about baby, reading the classics that somehow passed me by.
Like you, my family inspired my reading habit. I started out by sucking down all of my father’s Civil War stuff (Foote vs. Catton, etc) and his ancient Barnes & Noble history texts from Rutgers U. My mother preferred mysteries and other novels, but never read romances. When I discovered historical romances – GOOD historical romances – I was pretty sure that I’d found heaven. I still read historical romances by the ton (Well, not that there are a ton of decent ones in print these days), devour historical fiction, and read some real dry-ass texts and biographies. I’ll take any of these over “classic” lit any day. Uh, excepting Shakespeare, of course!
Neither Catcher nor To Kill a Mockingbird were assigned reading for me, not ever. FYI.
I did read Catcher once, about 1-2 years ago. Never read TKAM.
Are we going to see Tobias Wolff or what?
i haven’t decided yet. Are you going to see Tobias Wolff?
I already read a great author everyday…
Jodi Chromey.
Everything else is tripe.
I want to go, but only if you’re in the equasion.
I was thinking that you would just be thrilled to go and that most of my enjoyment would be derived from you being so thrilled to be there. But if you’re not going to be all that thrilled, that’s okay too. Either way, I’m only going if you do, with me. But if you decide you don’t want to go that’s cool too.