Seven Books From Adulthood That Have Stayed With Me

World Book Night in the UK is an event where volunteers disperse books to people who don’t normally read as a habit, and as a keen reader myself, it got me thinking about which books have stayed with me as an adult. These are the ones that instantly spring to mind:

KRAKATOA THE DAY THE WORLD EXPLODED by SIMON WINCHESTER – Brilliantly researched and well written book that chronicles the regions socio/political and economic history. The gradual understanding of geological processes and elementary evolutionary studies are explained. Numerous sources detail the human tragedy of the volcanic eruption, the repercussions of which still echo to this day. A global event reported through history, science and sociology.

A REDBIRD CHRISTMAS by FANNIE FLAGG – This is a beautiful heart warming story about community, friendship and unshakeable faith. An injured red cardinal enchants a town, befriends a little crippled girl and heals a broken man. When the bird dies everyone feels lost but his spirit returns to help the girl. A fractured community reunites and couples form over a magical Christmas.

SEABISCUIT THREE MEN AND A RACEHORSE by LAURA HILLENBRAND – Another well researched book that chronicles the story of how three people came together and made a champion out of a small misunderstood horse. I felt every emotion reading this equine sports biography, which details how Seabiscuit became “the people’s champion” thanks to a benevolent owner, understanding trainer and intuitive rider. You can read my Seabiscuit blog here:

https://angiesallsorts.wordpress.com/2014/11/01/seabiscuit-arkle-parallels-between-two-once-in-a-generation-horses/

JONATHAN LIVINGSTON SEAGULL by RICHARD BACH – A beautiful simple book with a great mandate for living that is a perfect example of my mantra, “why be a sheep if you can be a shepherd”. Jonathan remains true to himself and is cast out from his flock as a result. But he receives enlightenment and wisdom which he tries to pass on to future generations. There seems to be a distinct Buddhist element to the story through various levels of consciousness.

UNKNOWN SOLDIERS by MARK LEECH – A Major with no battle experience is deployed to a French village to oversee the clearance of the WW1 dead. Through his interactions with relatives of the deceased and dealing with his battle weary charges, the Major begins to realise the full meaning of soldier solidarity and appreciate the true cost of the war. This is a hauntingly poignant tale which seems to easily convey the colour of World War One, the drab brown of the cloying mud, which engulfed the troops and choked their spirit, but could not destroy the camaraderie of the trenches.

WHO SHOT JFK by ROBIN RAMSEY – Details gathered over the years are condensed into a narrative that offers a brilliant introduction to the subject matter. It debunks ideas along the way, but also highlights areas where evidence has been repeated in different forms. It seems to try to remain objective and neutral throughout, and brings together strands of information from over the “lifetime” of the crime. Depending on your viewpoint the conclusions drawn are outrageous and utterly ludicrous, OR horrifying, audacious and yet shockingly believable.

FIRST MOTHERS by BONNIE ANGELO – Read how a mother’s influence shaped a son’s development until he became the man who called himself President of the United States. This is a fascinating glimpse into the childhoods of boys who grew up to hold the highest political office in the USA. From Franklin Roosevelt to George W Bush, we see how family dynamics and the personalities of the “first mothers” helped mould the characters of their sons, in the formative years.

As a child I was a prolific Enid Blyton reader and my substitute adult equivalent is Maeve Binchy, therefore I deliberately did NOT mention any of her books. I find Dan Brown novels real page turners that provide me with a sense of adventure. The innocent times discovered through my BOBBY BREWSTER childhood reading has been unearthed in the MISS READ series, and the vague sense of wonder I got from Bobby has matured into something more profound in Mitch Albom’s writing. You can read my childhood books blog here:

https://angiesallsorts.wordpress.com/2016/03/08/seven-books-from-childhood-that-have-stayed-with-me/

In closing, an honourable mention MUST go to Fingerprints of the Gods by Graham Hancock, which is indelibly seared into my consciousness for having taken a year (at least) to read! My reading style is one book at a time, with sometimes days or weeks passing between my put down/pick up actions. If scientific concepts are involved I like to puzzle over them to fully comprehend their meaning, and so several parts of this book were re-read as a result. On finishing it, my husband laughingly said “you do realise in the time it’s taken you to read this book, you could have completed a Masters course!”

Seven Books From Adulthood. Image credit abmj
              Seven Books From Adulthood. Image credit abmj

 

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