Books That Made An Impact

Sunnyfield · ‎04-20-2010

I thought it would be interesting to share books that made an impact on us...especially as children/young adults. Here are mine:

1) A Tree Grows In Brooklyn - I don't remember how old I was when I read it...probaby about 11-12 and I remember being just stunned by it - the difficult lives of Francie and her family - so different from mine - the scene where a man exposed himself (shock!!) - and cryig my eyes out when her father died (how she adored him!) and then when she got flowers when she graduated! It is probably still my favorite book of all time.

2) A Frank Yerby book - I think it was called The Foxes of Harrow - very sexy for its time! I think I was about 13-14 and found it in our attic amongst my mom's stash! Also Forever Amber!

3) The Stranger Beside Me - the first Ann Rule book I ever read and the one that got me intrigued with true crime books - can't remember how old I was when it came out - probably in my 20's?

Those are the ones that come to mind right now...how about you???

Another new name Sue · ‎03-11-2010

As a child, a book called The Lion's Paw by Robb White. It was out of print quite a while but is in print now I think.

Oh and of course, the Black Stallion!! Walter Farley

As an adult:

Bridge Over San Luis Rey by Thornton Wilder.

The last sentence in the book comforted me when I lost my mother.

"There is a land of the living and a land of the dead and the bridge is love, the only survival, the only meaning."

All Quiet on the Western Front by Remarque. WWI novel reminded me of the tragedy of vets returning with PTSD.

As I look at my books, one is about orphans, one is about people who died in a tragedy, and the last is about war. I'm not really a gloomy person. I guess it's the tragedy, the drama. Thanks for asking this, Sunnyfield. I enjoyed thinking about it.