11.26.2010

I'm thankful for...


Jenn (of Jenn's Bookshelves) asks us to...
...write a post about the book you are most thankful for.

What a difficult {and loaded} question.  I could say I am most thankful for a childhood favorite {The Velveteen Rabbit} or the novel that I tore through as a teenager {To Kill a Mockingbird}.  Maybe I could say it was the novel that changed my mind about it all {The Doors of Perception} or the one that made my choice of venue {an in-patient psychiatric hospital for adolescents} for my career in teaching a forever-choice and not just a passing experience {A Child Called It}.  Perhaps I should say I am most thankful for one of my favorite books {like The Dharma Bums, Brave New World, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, Breaking Open the Head, or 1984}.

But I think I will say that I am the very most thankful for my very most favorite and life-changing book ever.  It is the book that is always on the tip of my tongue when asked "what is your all-time favorite book?" or "what is a good book to read?" or "what was the most powerful book you ever read?".  It is also the book I have read and re-read.  Not to mention that I've owned multiple copies of it as well.

Therefore, I give you:
{my current copy}

I read this young, before it was required reading at my high school.  Then I read it again for my English class in high school.  Again over the summers following, and again in an English Lit course in college.  I read it with my summer school class of teenage boys, I've suggested it to our high school students and staff alike.
This book changed me.  I can't remember now what it was that made me originally fall in love, but it definitely solidified my love of literature.  I think I also loved the drama- the drama in the book and the drama surrounding the book.  I've fought for the book in heated debates.  Basically, I love it.  The raw human experience, both within the book and in the world of literature scrutiny.


write to be understood, speak to be heard, read to grow

10 comments:

  1. I love Lord Of The Flies. Such a great book. It's definitely one I need to go back and reread!

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  2. Interesting choice. I liked the novel when I first read it in junior high, but I wouldn't have thought of it today.

    I love seeing everyone's responses.

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  3. Can you believe that we weren't required to read this in high school? I don't recall when I finally got around to reading it. It is quite the memorable book!

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  4. I read this in school and I absolutely adored it. The Velveteen Rabbit was a favorite from my child hood as well.

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  5. Very interesting. I've never read The Lord of the Flies. I need to remedy that.

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  6. This is definitely a book that makes you think. And it stays with you!

    THE VELVETEEN RABBIT was one of the first books I bought my niece. Still love that story!

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  7. Oh wow, I love The Velveteen Rabbit. I've used the book when I did my internship hours for my MFT & MHC degrees.

    And I have to admit, all of your choices are right on target.

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  8. I've never read Lord of the Flies even though I know it is a classic. Reading your post just put it on my TBR list.

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  9. This challenge is bringing a lot of us back to that first book that had an impact on us, and since I didn't really become a reader until my adulthood, I hang my head in shame when I admit that I have never read Lord of the Flies. It's on the list, though! Every so often, I get on a Classics kick and try to read all those books that I *should* have read!

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  10. I've never read Lord of the Flies. I do agree that the most meaninful books - my "all-time favorites" - are ones that have changed me in some way.

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