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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.
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'm so 90s.
...WATERSHIP FUCKING DOWN. Best book ever.
Also, someone gave me Red Planet around 3rd grade, and thus I became a Heinlein/sci fi nerd.
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.
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?
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.
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.