The topic for this edition of the Carnival of Genealogy is: Reading!
OH Boyyyyyy, said in the way Sam Beckett from, Quantum Leap, mutters as he is yet again finds himself in a new body. I am not sure how much my ancestors read, I can tell you that at the homes of both set of grandparents there were books galore. Both of my Grandmothers were teachers, that does not necessarily make them readers, but those who understand how important reading is and to encourage us to read.,
I remember cozy nights at Nana’s where she would tuck us in to bed and read from Winnie the Pooh to us. To this day Winnie and his friends are some of my favorites, there are some wonderful life lessons in those book. In their upstairs bedroom there was a book-case next to one of the single beds and in it were farm manuals, science magazines and the Readers Digest, I am going to guess there was some bedtime reading going on there. I know Grandma Terrill read because in the summer when it was nice and we were visiting she would allow me to return her books to the library at the school next door.
My mother is an avid reader, I can recall a time when she would take out 5 or 6 books from the library and have them all read before the due date and returned to get five more. I am not sure if she still reads to that extent, but I do know that she still reads a lot. I know one of the books that she is in the middle of reading Albion’s Seed a huge undertaking all in itself. I am sure she has at least one or two more books that she is reading as well.
With all of this said, I too have the reading bug! I have been known to finish a good book in less the 24 hours, forsaking all other tasks! Much to the chagrin of the rest of my family! For some reason, they get hungry and need clean clothes! Go figure!
I started reading chapter books fairly early. My first recollection of finishing a chapter book was Little House In the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder and of course I finished the rest of the series that year. I moved on to such books as Nancy Drew Mysteries,which how many I devoured am I not sure! In the mix through my middle and high-school years you’ll find the likes of “Little Women“, “Jo’s Boy’s“, “Little Men“,”Airport“, many novels written about the British Royal Family. King Henry the VIII and his wives being my favorite subject. Those were books I read for pleasure. I took many Literature courses in High-school and read books and stories by, Poe, Bradbury, Frank Herbert, John Steinbeck and many more. In this mix is a Bible that Mom and Dad gave to me for my 13th birthday. I still have it, it is well read and in sad shape. That Bible is now on a shelf so it can last a little longer. To be replaced by another that is getting to look rather rough as well!
I still read, I haven’t read a novel in a while. I might have to think about finding one, although when Mom finishes reading Albion’s Seed it will be the next thing on my reading agenda and I understand that is a large undertaking! The literature that I read know is either books about Christian discipleship, church history, or history in general. I have always loved history, I am a family historian and genealogist and the history that I now read revolves around my ancestors or places where they lived and died. The Bible is still by far the most often read. I do have a Kindle Fire that I love and I have several books downloaded on it at a time! I really like it, although I wonder if I needed a Fire….I get distracted by the internet LOL and all the fun apps!
The love of reading came from my mother and grandparents, where it came from before that I am not sure. Maybe that will be a mystery that I will unraveled in time!
I would love to hear what you’ve read and why.
Happy Hunting!
