I have a lot of books. LOTS of books, and buying books is a great pleasure for me. I have large built in shelves taking up one whole wall in a spare room, another bookshelf in our bedroom, books here and there and after a big clean up and reorganisation, a large bookshelf full of all the books from my childhood. Looking through my shelves I've made a decision to spend the rest of this year reading back through books that I've loved throughout my life. So far, this has been just so lovely. I am enjoying it so very much. There are books that I do read annually and have done so for many years but I'm working on reading more widely from my collection. I began with
Anne of Green Gables - oh what a dear, sweet joy that read is.
I then moved on to
Indian Captive The story of Mary Jemison, which I first read at age 11 or 12 and it fascinated me, as all American History type books, movies and tv shows did. The story recounts the experience of a white child taken as a captive by Native American's. This practice was not uncommon in the years of pioneering and colonial unrest. Mary, when given an opportunity to return to life with Europeans, decides to stay with her Seneca indian family and lives out her life around the Great Lakes of the US. I found myself equally engaged as an adult and have passed it on to my Mum to read.
Unable to leave the America of pioneer times I selected a battered, copy of
Children of the Oregon Trail, purchased in an op shop during my teens. This book, quite obviously, tells the story of children who partook of that extraordinary journey west over the Oregon trail in covered wagons. When Jeff and I were in Oregon a few years ago we visited the Pioneer museum at the trails end which for me was such a treat. It always amazes me what courage people can find in the face of adversity or the hope of a better life. A bucket list item for me would be to traverse the Oregon trail myself - by car though!
Leaving my short sojourn into life in early America I moved on to my next life long love... England. I am currently chuckling my way through a tired old copy of
Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson. Oh my goodness that man amuses me! Notes From a Small Island details a journey taken by Bill around England, Scotland and Wales mainly by foot and public transport. I love the way he looks at life and situations. A great read, as are all his books. Not a children's book as were my previous two reads but I'm not limiting myself to my childhood bookshelf as I read back through my past. I may well finish this book today on this windy old Sunday. I wonder what will take my fancy next?
I'm fascinated too by the journeys of those who travelled west on the Oregon trail and have a photo of wagon ruts in Wyoming. How they managed it at all is beyond my comprehension - such inhospitable terrain. (I love Oregon too!)
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed Notes from a Small Island too but my favourite Bill Bryson was the Down Under one! I started reading a copy in a hotel in Australia and had to buy it for myself back home.