Does anyone have any favorite authors? How do you find good books to read? This age of television and internet being more popular than any other medium means there is little time invested into the reading of great literature. My mother turned me into an early, avid reader when I was 4 1/2 by tempting me with words from The Little House on the Prairie. She couldn't read as fast as I wanted to know what happened to Laura, so before she had finished it, I had picked it up enough to read it on my own. Now, it's all suddenly making sense. This is probably why I've always wanted to have a farm.
One of the best resources I have found for compelling fiction and inspiring writing is a catalog I get in the mail, Bas Bleu. My grandmother, an avid reader, refered to me this amazing wealth of the written word. Everytime this catalog comes in the mail I pour through it for new recommendation. When I was younger, my mother would take us to the library and we would inevitably try to check out more than the maximum number of books. The habit has stayed with me, and was one of the first things I did when I moved. Now, I just tap into my library online to find which books they own. (This is obviously the cheapest way to get great fiction.)
My most recent book was Madeliene L'Engle's Two-Part Invention: The Story of a Marriage. I was so inspired by this book because of her deep faith and creativity as a woman and a writer. I met Madeleine when I was about 12 when my mother read out-loud to us A Wrinkle In Time. Her books quickly became favorites and ever since I have re-read that series several times. Since then, I have been fascinated by her novels, but never searched out her other material. Back when we frequented Montgomery Public Library, there was never anytime else in the children's section under that author's name. (You have to understand it is one of the highest volume libraries in the country...so there was always a shortage of good books.) As an adult however I still like reading children's fiction and try to stay up by reading all the Newberry Award Winners.
To say the least, I was deeply touched by the story of my favorite author's marriage and her faith in the face of the death of her husband. But I was also, I must confess, just as excited when the front page listed about 20 other books by her that I have never read!
I have decided that one of my new life goals is to first read all of her books, and then collect them all!
1 comment:
Hi, I'm a friend of Libby's, which is how I found your blog. I love Madeliene L'Engle's non-fiction, especially "The Two-Part Invention." I also really liked "Walking on Water" which was reflections on the arts and faith. I have to confess, I've never read her fiction! I should though.
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