Forgotten Memories of My Childhood

I was over at Blogaway's and she mentioned some of the books she read during her childhood. Her blog made me realize that I've left behind a certain type of book I was passionate about. This has spurred me to find a book dealing with culture the next time I'm at Barnes & Noble or the library.

As far back as I can remember I always liked to read. Visiting the library or checking out the magazine section in my grocery store was most often the highlight of my week. Of course visiting the library was always the best fun and something I did regularly. As a matter of fact I was just at the library last night for a study session.

While I can't remember all of the books I devoured, I can remember those that mattered most or left a mark on my world-rather positive or negative. Here they are in no particular order.

1. Charlotte's Web. What little girl didn't cry over the description of how the cleaning crew was clearing debris from the fairgrounds, unaware of the dead spider in a nondescript box thrown in with the rest of the trash?

2. Mystery of the Witch Who Wouldn't. I wanted so much to be Aurelia and blow holes in clouds and read minds. Sometimes I still do.

3. To Kill a Mockingbird. This made me so sad and left me with a lot of questions about race relations in America. The answers were provided by my community-the church, my parents and a growing awareness of being a black girl growing up in the shadow of the Black Panthers and Watts riots.

4. Grapes of Wrath.

Wow! Human resolve. Human perserverance. Tragedy. I cried a lot through that one too.

5. Heidi. I didn't want to be blond, I just wanted to be able to eat some of the foods she and her uncle ate.

6. Everything by Agatha Christie. I had just discovered this used bookstore that sold books cheap and gave you a discount if you returned books. I never returned any of her books. If I had to name two of her best, "By the Pricking of My Thumbs", "Elephants Can Remember".

7. Pipi Longstocking. I always felt bad for Pipi after I discovered she lived alone. Never mind that she was rich and strong as two oxen. Because I was surrounded by family everyday, it made me sad that this little girl had to live alone with pets.