Which Book Started Your Love Affair With The Written Word?
Tuesday, October 9, 2007Posted in: memory lane, reading habits
Well mine started with Anne of Green Gables, and I haven’t looked back since.
I still love it today as much as I did all those years ago.
My questions for today are;
A: What was the one book that turned you onto reading, period, and how old were you at the time?
B: Which book turned you onto romance novels? How old were you?
By the way, does anybody remember the Seniors category books? I think they were supposed to be a slightly more adult version of Bantam’s Sweet Dreams series.
Ahhh Sweet Dreams… my fave SD author was definitely Janet Quin-Harkin. I wonder whatever happened to her?
Jesus, those SD covers were pure cheese weren’t they?
Updated: Found some more Janet Quin-Harkin books. By the way, she also wrote the Sister, Sister books. I never knew that. I guess you learn something new everyday.
Awww… aint Memory Lane grand?
Sarah McCarty
October 10
12:18 am
The first author I remember reading and glomming was Rudyard Kipling. I was really young. I pulled it off the shelf at the library and got hooked. The author that started my love affair with the West was Zane Grey. And actually romance. Many of his books had a romance element.
The author that got me hooked on big romances:Roberta Gellis. Love her medievals. The author that led me to explore the romance genre Kathleen Woodwiss.
Kat O+
October 10
12:21 am
I’ve always loved books, and I have my parents to thank for that. I think my first keeper was a Nancy Drew novel, The Ringmaster’s Secret, which I got when I was around 6 or so.
I can’t remember the exact romance novel I first read or how I got into it. Either my Mum bought me my first Sweet Dreams novel (incidentally, one of my favourites was Never Say Goodbye by Janet Quin-Harkin) or I read a HQN novel in my grandmother’s garage (it ends with a kiss). I would have been no older than 10 years old. I do know that the first M&B with sex that I read was Charlotte Lamb’s Secret Obsession, which had kissing cousins. It wasn’t a particularly good book, but I wore it out reading the sex scenes furtively, even though my Mum had read it first and told me it wasn’t appropriate for me. I would have been around 12 at the time. I was susbscribing to HQN and systematically going through the library’s adult paperbacks by the time I was 14.
Hey, you didn’t tell us your answers to the questions. 🙂
Kat O+
October 10
12:25 am
Oh, and Choose Your Own Adventure books. I loved those!
bettie
October 10
12:31 am
I’d always read, but when I was 9, Anne of Green Gables and the other Anne books started me on a reading bender and made me into the voracious reader that I am today. My copy was 300 pages, and I read it in three days. I wasn’t a particularly fast reader, but I knew where all the flashlights in the house were.
An added bonus from Anne: A couple of years later, I finally met one other girl who’d read and loved the Anne books. We’ve been BFF for 15 years. And we still argue about which one of us is Anne and which is Diana. :o)
Tracy
October 10
12:32 am
When I was a kid I loved the book “Courduroy”. I would read it over and over and over again.
I’ve LOVED to read since I was little. I have always had a book to read.
First Romance books were the Sweet Dreams. I started reading those in about 5th grade I think. I remember my fifth grade teacher finding the book: “The Truth About Me and Bobby V” in my desk and raising his eyebrows LOL
The first “adult” romance author I remember reading was Mary Higgins Clark. I know her books are primarily mystery but there is always a romantic element.
Then I started reading whatever I found in the library LOL I would say the first romance author I found that I read consistently was Debbie Macomber.
Karen Scott
October 10
12:40 am
The Truth About Me and Bobby V”
Oh my God, I so read that particular SD book!
Kat, like Bettie, I always read, but Anne of Green Gables took me to another level. I started reading Sweet Dreams books shortly after I read the Anne Books, and it was round about the same time that I found the Sweet Valley High books. After that, romance-wise, it was the Seniors books, then Mills and Boons, then eventually Harlequin Desires. I was in heaven cuz those books mentioned body parts and everything.
I used to hide them from my mum, because she really wouldn’t have approved. *g*
bettie
October 10
12:40 am
Oh, and first romance–I don’t remember. I was 11 or 12. It was some Regency my mom had read. Georgette Heyer, I think. I know that a couple of months later I’d gone through about 2 dozen Cartlands and decided that Barbara Cartland was my idol, and I wanted to be a writer when I grew up. I also wanted gaudy jewelry and lapdogs.
avidbookreader
October 10
1:29 am
I started with something taboo and has a ick factor in it, VC Andrews baby, Flowers in the Attic! In high school, that was the rage. A girlfried of mine at the time was reading them and crying her eyes out and I was like: what are you reading? I’ve read the entire series and the Casteel series as well. Some good reading there. Also, not very familar with those titles you have listed, but I have enjoyed Judy Blume’s stuff, one book in particular, Forever, was like passed around to all my female cousins and I never got it back.
Ann Bruce
October 10
1:42 am
Judy Blume’s Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. I didn’t learn English until late in the first grade, so probably around then or early second grade.
The entire Fudge series in hard cover has a prominent place on my bookshelves.
shiloh walker
October 10
2:02 am
Man, I think I remember some of those books… the sweet dreams ones and the seniors’ books. 🙂 Loved them.
And your questions…
A: What was the one book that turned you onto reading, period, and how old were you at the time?
Little House in the Big Woods. Would have been eight. *G* About the same age as my daughter is now and gee, guess what I just got her hooked on? 😉
B: Which book turned you onto romance novels? How old were you?
Hmmmm…. that one is harder. There were the Sweet Valley books, and I remember reading Rosemary Rodgers Wanton when I was like…. 13. But there were lighter romances before that, the ‘teen’ romances that really appealled to me. RR just sort of opened my eyes.
sula
October 10
3:49 am
I think the books that started my love of reading would have to be the Little House books. My dad used to read them to us at night until we were old enough to read on our own. Laura, Mary, Carrie, Grace, Ma, Pa…they seem like old friends to me.
First romance novel…hmm. Probably some inspirational Christian thing. My parents were missionaries and we lived out in the wild jungles. Not a lot of access to libraries there. On second thought, I do recall finding one HQ book tucked away in the mission house bookshelf. I read that thing cover to cover and back again. Even then, I knew I was destined to be a sinner….
memories! 🙂
Jenyfer Matthews
October 10
6:26 am
I remember coming home from school on book order day with piles of books from early on. The ones I can really remember pulling me in were the Laura Ingalls books. I read every one in the series many many times. Also loved “The Little Princess” and “The Secret Garden”.
First romances? Sweet Valley High – I borrowed them from another girl I knew and used to read them during English class.
Jenyfer Matthews
October 10
6:28 am
First adult romance I ever read was “Flame and the Flower” – many many times!!!
Lori
October 10
6:28 am
Wow – the first book I remember loving and reading over and over was Ferdinand (remember the book about the cow under the tree?). As for full-length chapter books, there was this book called Follow My Leader about a boy blinded by fireworks and his guide dog, Leader. I still have it, believe it or not, and both my kids have read it.
As for romances, if “Forever” by Judy Blume doesn’t truly count, then it would be The Promise by Danielle Steel. God, how I loved that book. Also the last Danielle Steel book I truly loved, LOL.
December/Stacia
October 10
8:45 am
Oh! I read Ten-Boy Summer and Just the Two of Us! (And I can’t believe nobody’s noticed, that’s Oscar winner Jennifer Connelly on that cover.)
I always loved to read, but I really dug the YA romance for a while. I remember a few in particular: Supercouple; Love by Any Other Name; I Saw Him First; Yours Truly, Love, Janie (which I found in a bookstore a few years ago and snapped up.) I used to get piles of them out of the library.
Karen Scott
October 10
8:51 am
Oh December, I’m so glad you solved that mystery for me, I knew I knew her, but I didn’t know where from!
Dawn
October 10
11:40 am
Gosh! I’ve been a voracious reader for as long as I can remember, and I think quite advanced for my age.
My mum bought me a batch of the classics – Wuthering Heights, Little Women, What Katy Did – when I was about 9 (otherwise known as the summer I broke my arm). I used to read Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, The Bobbsey Twins.
I think I was around 13/14 when I discovered romance novels and I devoured Victoria Holt novels. Then I found Mills & Boon (can’t remember how) and that was it from then. I particularly remember one M&B called “The Cruiser in the Bay” by Katrina Britt, which was set in the Caribbean with the typical tall, dark and sardonic hero. I also remember getting my sister to read the kissing bits because I was too embarrassed (sp?) to read them myself.
And look at me now, reading erotic romance with people sticking their bits every which way. I’ve come a long way baby!
At my most voracious, I used to read 5/6 books a week.
Eve Vaughn
October 10
12:05 pm
I read a lot of Judy Blume books when I was a kid. My favorite was Super Fudge, which still holds fond memories for me. And I loved Sweet Valley High and Christoper Pike books.
lysrian
October 10
12:44 pm
Nancy Drew was my first…But Judy Blume’s Forever is what got me hooked.
sallahdog
October 10
12:57 pm
This is a toughie for me because I have been hooked on books since I could read ” See Spot Run.” My parents didn’t believe in having a tv so books were always the entertainment choice.
I think the first books that made an impression on me where the “Little House on the Prairie books” and first romances were actually my Moms old Harlequins that I snagged (she liked the no sexin till marriage ones so they weren’t racy)… First romance with “gasp” sex in it were probably either a Kathleen Woodiwiss or a Johanna Lindsay (I remember a kidnap pirate Lindsay one in particular that seemed to jumpstart my puberty.
shuzluva
October 10
2:00 pm
Until I was in third grade I wasn’t a reader. I pretty much read by memorization and didn’t know how to read phonetically which made reading a drag.
Eventually, I learned how to read (!) and read a lot of books before I really fell in love with reading. I remember plowing through SVH, and some other teen-romance stuff, but the book that really grabbed me by the throat was On A Pale Horse by Piers Anthony. The Incarnations of Immortality series brought my awareness of the pleasure of reading to a whole new level.
My first “adult” romance? I really need to think about that, but I’m pretty sure it was the Clan of the Cave Bear series by Jean Auel.
Darlene
October 10
2:15 pm
I’ve loved reading since the first time I saw the picture of the ball next to the word “Ball” and Spot chasing the ball. That would have been kindergarten.
In the 6th grade, when I was 11, I read Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw, and I fell in love with the idea of plucky heroines, mysterious and dangerous heroes, sacrificing all for love and HEA endings. It’s still in print, and I still re-read it every year or so.
Mechele Armstrong
October 10
4:29 pm
I fell in love with reading from the time I could do it and even before. We had a Golden Book, The Wait for Me Kitten. Mom read it to me so many times, I knew it by heart and could “read” it before I could read. Still have that book and passed it down to my girls.
I remember checking out Aristocats many many times in 2nd grade.
My first romance was probably the Flame and The Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss. And I’ve been trying to remember when I read it. I wanna say I was 9 or 10 but am not sure.
emdee
October 10
4:55 pm
In school – Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott. As an adult – The Flame and the Flower by Kathleen Woodiwiss
Emjai Colbert
October 10
5:36 pm
WHOA!!!! I read most of those books in fact I HAVE most of those books in a box in my laundry room. I saved them all these years for my daughters and what do they do????Laugh and hard at the clothes and hairstyles but I think the first one P.S. I Love You is my favorite.
NOw the question is whether to keep them for the gandkids or go ahead and sell them on ebay?
I’m leaning toward keep;-)
Claudia
October 10
9:22 pm
I can’t really remember what I read prior to 5th grade, but I was always in the school library and have fond memories of accepting my fat, monthly stacks of Troll Bookclub fare.
Little Women was my gateway book. in that it was my first “keeper.” It was a 5th grade secret santa gift. The teacher drew my name and I was sure the book would suck, but I became enthralled and read it by Christmas tree light in the living room. Then I discovered Jules Verne’s Mysterious Island and From the Earth to the Moon. Soon after, teen romances, SF/F and Horror became my staple reads.
My first adult romance was a 17th centruy historical about some chick in love with her sister’s beau. She eases his pain by having sex with him on his near-death only to have him think she was her sister. Both mope and whine through the book until a future kiss causes him to remember her mouth and lustiness. That was quite a change from usual 5th grade fare.
I still keep two of my favorite teen romances. Susan Mendoca’s Once Upon a Kiss and M.L. Kennedy’s Love Signs. Guess I’ve always been a Category girl at heart 😉 But yikes! I’ve had these since 1985, and that explains why I had 43 boxes of books during my last move…
I’m buying some Girls of Canby Hall books off Ebay to test if they have the same allure 😀 I so wanted to go to reinvent myself at a boarding school. I also liked that Faith wasn’t just a token black character.
Cindy
October 10
11:29 pm
I’m probably the odd man out. LOL I was 23 years old before I really enjoyed reading.
I was pregnant with my first DD and was bored at home because I had to quit my job (at Penguin Putnam warehouse filling book orders – LOL!!) because I was SO sick during the first 3 months.
That’s when my mom gave me Texas Rich by Fern Michaels. 😀
I’ve loved to read ever since and now my oldest DD also loves to read and I’m always buying her books and encouraging her love of reading.
Now I just need to get the little one started……. 😀
KateS
October 10
11:55 pm
OMGOMG!!! I had all those Sweet Dreams books! Lord, those covers bring back memories. I miss them. *sniff*
~Kate, looking around to see if someone’s willing to sell all theirs…
KateS
October 10
11:56 pm
Oh, and to answer your question, the book that turned me on to reading was “Where’s Goldie?”, a mini-Golden book. I remember my older sister trying to teach me to read, and when I couldn’t read the word “the”, she screamed, “We just went over this on the LAST PAGE, and there were only FOUR WORDS THERE! IT’S THE. THE THE THE THE THE.”
Aaaaand, I was hooked. 😛
vanessa jaye
October 11
1:52 am
The Grimms Brother’s Fairy Tales books. I read every colour in the series several times.
As for romances, I can’t remember my first, but it was probably either Barbara Cartland, or and Old School Harlequin Romance or Presents.
Dionne Galace
October 11
5:00 pm
Jayne Ann Krentz.
I was a wee little girl of 8.
Shelly
October 14
1:16 am
OMG I can’t believe you have the JQH cover of Love Match! It was the book that started me on romances when i was in middle school!
The first book to get me started reading was Bridge to Terabithia when I was in 4th grade.
lisabea
October 16
12:30 am
Harry Cat’s Pet Puppy by George Selden. Yeah. 8 years old. But romance? Forever by Judy Blume and The Wolf and the Dove, Kathleen Woodiwiss.
And if I had a Ten-Boy Summer, heh, I’d have written a book about it too.
Rosemary
October 16
4:58 pm
The Wind in the Willows. I remember it was the first ‘grown pp’ ie without pictures book I ever read. I was thilled to discover books didn’t need pictures, you could make up your own in your head.