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Books of your Youth

I think every geeky kid has a favourite book or series; something they've read over and over, and retain warm fuzzy feelings for. So, what's yours?

When I was ten years old, I got the first three Redwall books for Christmas. Over the next year, I tore through the entire series up to that point, then reread them over and over. I loved those books so much, I would read them all in esotaric orders; chronologically, by publication, the reverse of those two, in character sets, by theme, whatever. I've probably read them all at least ten times, and my favourites (The Bellmaker/Mariel of Redwall and The Long Patrol) more times than I can count. My earliest forays into the internet for reals were into Redwall fansites.

I recently reread them all to see if I only liked them because I was a stupid kid, and they hold up pretty good to me. The twists are often painfully telegraphed and I'm noticing some wierd moral stuff I didn't see before, but I could definately see all the reasons I liked them in the first place, and The Long Patrol was still completely fantastic. In the unlikely event I ever have kids, I am definately passing these books on to them.

Comments

  • I read these and the Xanth series.
  • Goosebumps and Animorphs.
    I'm so 90s.
  • edited November 2011
    Oh mans, Redwall. I read all of those in 1st/2nd grade, and still have them on my bookshelf. They were fun, but not as good as...

    ...WATERSHIP FUCKING DOWN. Best book ever.

    Also, someone gave me Red Planet around 3rd grade, and thus I became a Heinlein/sci fi nerd.
    Post edited by YoshoKatana on
  • Goosebumps and Animorphs.
    I'm so 90s.
    1000x this. And Lord of the Rings and The Wheel of Time. And The Metamorphosis (the Greek one by Ovid, not the other one).
  • I read these and the Xanth series.
    I was actually mentioned in a Xanth book for giving Anthony a pun that he used.

    One of the books I remember reading as a child was The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. The ending always made me cry.
  • I read these and the Xanth series.
    I was actually mentioned in a Xanth book for giving Anthony a pun that he used.

    One of the books I remember reading as a child was The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. The ending always made me cry.

    Do tell.
  • I read these and the Xanth series.
    I was actually mentioned in a Xanth book for giving Anthony a pun that he used.

    One of the books I remember reading as a child was The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. The ending always made me cry.
    My Physics' teacher's daughter called it "The Crying Book" because her mom couldn't get through the ending without crying.
  • Patricia Wrede: Dealing with Dragons, Searching for Dragons, Calling on Dragons, and Talking to Dragons.

    These are the books you should read to your child if you want them to grow up as a feminist (and you do). Because GODDAMMIT KING IS A JOB DESCRIPTION, WHY DO SILLY HUMANS HAVE TWO WORDS FOR THE SAME JOB?
  • Goosebumps and Animorphs.
    I'm so 90s.
    These and Artemis Fowl.
  • I read the Fudge book from Judy Blume a lot. In fact I think most of the stuff I read was from her. Even the banned stuff.
  • SUPER FUDGE!!! Uncle Feather!!!
  • WATERSHIP FUCKING DOWN
    High Five! One of my childhood favorites too. (of course it was.)
    I really liked Tove Jansson's Moomintroll series. They were very calming and funny, and kinda wistful. I still like to read her stories when I am stressed out.
    I had a lot of individual books rather than series. I read rather voraciously, for lack of a television. I remember actually reading a lot of classics and older children's lit. like E. Nesbit.
  • SUPER FUDGE!!! Uncle Feather!!!
    FUDGE A MANIA! Shelia!

  • I think my top kids book was The Giver. Not sure if that is a kids book or teen book though.
  • edited November 2011
    I read pretty much all of the books these authors wrote; listed here are the ones I liked most.
    Michael Ende: Momo, The Neverending Story.
    Erich Kästner: Emil and the Detectives, The Flying Classroom, Lottie and Lisa.
    Astrid Lindgren: Ronja the Robbers Daughter, The Brothers Lionhart.

    Single books that stood out: Animal Farm, Watership Down, The Tripods.

    I blame The Tripods for making me a fan of science fiction, there was an excellent TV adaptation by the BBC but as usual they spent too much money on books ine and two so they never made it to the third book. Watership down, as pointed out by others in this thread, will fuck you up as a kid. Awesome, awesome book. In a similar vein The Brothers Lionheart traumatized me in the best possible way.

    All in all, I'd go with The Neverending Story as the best book from my childhood.
    Post edited by Dr. Timo on
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