Yes to this! "It is refreshing to feel fond regard for my younger, less-learned self, to be able to relate to her passions and affinities, instead of feeling shame for how much I still didn’t know or understand. To realize that sometimes that young woman was absolutely onto something as she hid away with a book, building a self, a life—a world, even!—with every flip of the page."
This was delightful and brought back two memories:
1) My maternal grandparents, who had an enormous collection of large-print Reader’s Digests, and
2) My paternal grandparents, who had shelves upon shelves of vintage books that I would read voraciously every summer we went back to Michigan. Nothing like reading the (even terrible to me at the age of 10 or so) Elsie Dinsmore series… thankfully, most of the books were infinitely better than that. I also clearly remember long shelves fullllll of National Geographics.
What a delightful essay Kerry! My experience with Danielle Steel as a teenager was through the library. I worked as a library page, and as I shelved books, I would often read the synopsis of covers and by the end of my shift, the one that piqued my interest would come home with me. I went through all of my library’s Danielle Steel collection as well as Sydney Sheldon, and Maeve Binchy. Your essay took me right back to my childhood with books. So Wonderful!
What a great experience, Kerry—thanks for sharing it. For some reason, this past autumn I picked up a novel I’d been besotted with as a tween and enjoyed in high school. And it was amazing! I enjoyed it as much some fifty years after reading it the first time, and it was SO NICE to respect Past Me’s taste and sense and big soft heart.
Yes to this! "It is refreshing to feel fond regard for my younger, less-learned self, to be able to relate to her passions and affinities, instead of feeling shame for how much I still didn’t know or understand. To realize that sometimes that young woman was absolutely onto something as she hid away with a book, building a self, a life—a world, even!—with every flip of the page."
This was delightful and brought back two memories:
1) My maternal grandparents, who had an enormous collection of large-print Reader’s Digests, and
2) My paternal grandparents, who had shelves upon shelves of vintage books that I would read voraciously every summer we went back to Michigan. Nothing like reading the (even terrible to me at the age of 10 or so) Elsie Dinsmore series… thankfully, most of the books were infinitely better than that. I also clearly remember long shelves fullllll of National Geographics.
What a delightful essay Kerry! My experience with Danielle Steel as a teenager was through the library. I worked as a library page, and as I shelved books, I would often read the synopsis of covers and by the end of my shift, the one that piqued my interest would come home with me. I went through all of my library’s Danielle Steel collection as well as Sydney Sheldon, and Maeve Binchy. Your essay took me right back to my childhood with books. So Wonderful!
I Marie Kondo'd my book collection a few years ago; the old Danielle Steel's continue to spark joy
Fantastic, Kerry. Seeking out my guiltiest pleasures this weekend!
What a great experience, Kerry—thanks for sharing it. For some reason, this past autumn I picked up a novel I’d been besotted with as a tween and enjoyed in high school. And it was amazing! I enjoyed it as much some fifty years after reading it the first time, and it was SO NICE to respect Past Me’s taste and sense and big soft heart.
Really enjoyed reading this! Here's to reading -- and ENJOYING reading.
I loved this so much