I've read for as long as I can remember. My grandmother had a shelf filled with those Golden Books. I remember one about a white kitten who was the last of her litter to be chosen, and she ended up jumping into a container of blueing. I love revisiting old favorites. They're like old friends. There's a certain comfort in picking up a book and knowing you're going to love it.
I was asked to visit a 5th grade bookclub as a guest. I got to pick the book. I picked, Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time. I pulled my copy off the shelf. The poor thing is falling apart. The binding's unglued and from time to time pages would slip as I read. But I read it regardless.
I remember hearing that L'Engle passed away last year at the age of 88, She wrote the book before I was born. It was rejected for more than two years, more than twenty times and finally was published the year before I was born. She wrote a strong 12yo heroine, Meg. And I remember really identifying with Meg when I was younger. She was an odd child and knew it. Not that I'm saying I was odd....okay, so I was odd! LOL I loved finding someone who thought the things I thought, felt the things I felt.
Reading it as an adult, I'm struck by how true-to-life Meg is. I love the Murray's family dynamic. And I love that ultimately Meg saves her father and her brother...with love, not by karate chopping, weapons weilding ways. As a romance author, I like that Meg's greatest strength is her ability to love.
Anyway, it's an old favorite. I can't wait to go to the book club tonight and talk about it. I'm just hoping the girls loved it as much as I did! Have any of you read any old favorites lately?
Holly
www.HollyJacobs.com, RT Reviewers' Choice Award for The House on Briar Hill Road
SAME TIME NEXT SUMMER, Superromance, 8/08
EVERYTHING BUT A BRIDE, 8/08
ONCE UPON A THANKSGIVING, American Romance, 10/08
ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS, American Romance, 12/08
I didn't discover L'Engle's
I didn't discover L'Engle's books until I was an adult and I loved all of them! They were strange and wonderful and as another odd one (my sister once accused of my picking my friends to embarrass her - I just found them interesting), I would have loved to read about Meg "back when." I am sure your group will love them too as every young girl sometimes feels misunderstood or somehow not pretty or smart enough. As an adult, it has amazed me how many of the girls I thought were widely popular have talked about how insecure they felt - and then they say they envied me my confidence back then! Of course, we laugh when I admit that I felt the same way about them.
Cynthia
The Little Girl in all of us
Cynthia,
That's just why I think these books have stood the test of time...they really speak to the little girl in all of us. The one that still sometimes wonder if she's good enough, smart enough...well, just enough!
I'm glad you discovered the book!
And I LOL at your sister wondering if you picked friends just to needle her! I never had a sister...just brothers. Lots and lots of brothers! SIGH.
Holly
www.HollyJacobs.com, RT Reviewers' Choice Award for The House on Briar Hill Road
SAME TIME NEXT SUMMER, Superromance, 8/08
EVERYTHING BUT A BRIDE, 8/08
ONCE UPON A THANKSGIVING, American Romance, 10/08
ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS, American Romance, 12/08
Sisters and brothers
I didn't have sisters, but I do have brothers who thought that I was wierd and did things to embarrass them. Now, doesn't everyone choose the cup from which to drink tea with especial care? After all, one day you might like a delicate bone china cup and the next you might want a fire engine red mug.
Obviously, I loved L'Engles books too.
"Perhaps what the average member of a group is capable of doesn't limit what a given individual can accomplish." -- Boston Globe, letter to the editor
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Frenchie, Oh, I so get the
Frenchie, Oh, I so get the cup thing. I have a huge Minnie Mouse mug that's perfect for my morning coffee...the day's not quite right if it's dirty. No one else messes with it. But later in the day, for my tea, I vary. I have a friend's mug I use a lot, but sometimes, I trade off for one of the good bone china ones! Boys don't get things like that. Especially when those boys are brothers. SIGH.
Nice to hear from another L'Engle fan. I felt horrible last year when she died. She was 88, I think. And that's a nice long life. But there's something terribly sad when we lose a favorite author. I heard a NPR interview of a shuttle pilot, Janice Voss, who said AWIT was one of those books she fell in love with. Madeleine sent her a copy and she took it up on her fourth shuttle mission, then sent it back to L'Engle when she got back. Now, that's cool!
Holly
www.HollyJacobs.com, RT Reviewers' Choice Award for The House on Briar Hill Road
SAME TIME NEXT SUMMER, Superromance, 8/08
EVERYTHING BUT A BRIDE, 8/08
ONCE UPON A THANKSGIVING, American Romance, 10/08
ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS, American Romance, 12/08
Another fan
I loved AWIT when I was a child, and I was fortunate enough to find that and several other of her books at the library. I used to go back and reread those and a lot of other favorite children's books over the years, but lately, I've been too busy. Maybe I shuold make time for a little reading and reminiscing...
"Never say you will pray about a thing; pray about it." Oswald Chambers
The Hope Chest ||| Hope Chastain, writer's blog
Hope, I frequently go
Hope,
I frequently go back to my old favorites. I mean, I love new books, new experiences, but still, those old standbys are so comforting!
Glad to meet another fan!
Holly
www.HollyJacobs.com, RT Reviewers' Choice Award for The House on Briar Hill Road
SAME TIME NEXT SUMMER, Superromance, 8/08
EVERYTHING BUT A BRIDE, 8/08
ONCE UPON A THANKSGIVING, American Romance, 10/08
ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS, American Romance, 12/08
She recorded AWIT and its
related books -- in her own voice. My local bookstore and my library both have copies (I haven't listened yet, but maybe it's time to).
I read so many of her books when I was growing up . . . they've all fallen apart.
Penn
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Penn, I didn't know
Penn, I didn't know that...that's so cool!! Maybe next road trip I'll try to get one! I don't do many books on tape, but when I'm traveling, they're wonderful! I'll confess, after listening to Harry Potter, I fell in love with Jim Dale's voice!!
Holly
www.HollyJacobs.com, RT Reviewers' Choice Award for The House on Briar Hill Road
SAME TIME NEXT SUMMER, Superromance, 8/08
EVERYTHING BUT A BRIDE, 8/08
ONCE UPON A THANKSGIVING, American Romance, 10/08
ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS, American Romance, 12/08
Hmmmmm
I've heard of her books many times and never went in search of them. You have definitely peeked my interest, maybe it is time to make a trip to the library. Well once I get the brakes on the car fixed, LOL.
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"The past is written in stone, unchanging. It is the future that is yet to be." Michelle Styles
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Funny, I also just reread
Funny, I also just reread an old L'Engle favorite- A Wrinkle In Time, featuring Meg's younger twin brothers Sandy and Dennys.
Brought a smile to my face.
I also own at least three copies of A Wrinkle In Time- it's classic!
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www.laurenhawkeye.com
The Bookclub
Kim, oh, please get those brakes fixed first!! But I hope you find it and enjoy it!
Lauren, I was just talking about Sandy and Dennys's story last night. One of the girls was already on the third book in the original series and was going to look for more.
There were about twenty girls there, and they all loved the book. Please imagine my relief! I mean, I really would have hated it if they hadn't like it! But they did, and we had a lovely discussion. I may be visiting again because I mentioned I was a bit of a...well, geek. Then said, but Book Geeks Rock. They liked it and we're talking about making t-shirts that say as much! LOL Really, it was a fantastic night. I love talking books with other book-lovers!
Holly
www.HollyJacobs.com, RT Reviewers' Choice Award for The House on Briar Hill Road
SAME TIME NEXT SUMMER, Superromance, 8/08
EVERYTHING BUT A BRIDE, 8/08
ONCE UPON A THANKSGIVING, American Romance, 10/08
ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS, American Romance, 12/08
I love love loved A Wrinkle
I love love loved A Wrinkle in Time when I read it as a child--probably 5th or 6th grade. I read voraciously throughout junior high, too. I think I was a bit of an odd duck, definitely not one of the in crowd. Books have always been such good friends.
Cheryl St.John
http://cherylstjohn.blogspot.com/
www.petticoatsandpistols.com
Odd Ducks
Cheryl,
Odd Ducks 'R Us...glad to be in such good company! And somehow it doesn't surprise me in the least that you loved this book!
Holly
www.HollyJacobs.com, RT Reviewers' Choice Award for The House on Briar Hill Road
SAME TIME NEXT SUMMER, Superromance, 8/08
EVERYTHING BUT A BRIDE, 8/08
ONCE UPON A THANKSGIVING, American Romance, 10/08
ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS, American Romance, 12/08
I would order a Book Geeks
I would order a Book Geeks Rock t-shirt. A fundraiser idea? If so, count me in!
Cynthia
Book Geeks Rock!
Cynthia,
You're the second person to say that. Maybe I'll get some made up...I'll let you know if I do!!
Holly
www.HollyJacobs.com, RT Reviewers' Choice Award for The House on Briar Hill Road
SAME TIME NEXT SUMMER, Superromance, 8/08
EVERYTHING BUT A BRIDE, 8/08
ONCE UPON A THANKSGIVING, American Romance, 10/08
ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS, American Romance, 12/08