The book that started your love of reading.
Discussion
Probabley The Hobbit, or Watership down, these transported me into a different world, I think though my Grandad reading the Faraway tree books and Brer Rabbit storys to me as a kid was the beginning.
I always remember reading Salems Lot at about 12 as well, my fisrt Stephen King book, that seemed to move the game on for me, also around the same age I read the cronicles of Thomas Covenant, that was hard going at twelve but by the end of the year I had added Lord of the Rings to that, I was a quite advanced reader.
I always remember reading Salems Lot at about 12 as well, my fisrt Stephen King book, that seemed to move the game on for me, also around the same age I read the cronicles of Thomas Covenant, that was hard going at twelve but by the end of the year I had added Lord of the Rings to that, I was a quite advanced reader.
My parents started off teaching me to read with Enid Blyton's Noddy books, I remember being so proud when I managed to read one of them on my own 
From there I moved onto the Famous Five. I also have fond memories of 'The Tiger Who Came to Tea' and 'The Runaway Roller Skate'.
Growing up slightly, starting secondary school we had to pick a book from the school library. Knowing I'd knock out one of the smaller books in a week, I picked on of the largest. The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks, book one of a series that set me on the road to Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones and most recently work by Raymond E. Feist starting with Magician and woeking my way through the series. All epic scale fantasy leading from one book back at school.
From there I moved onto the Famous Five. I also have fond memories of 'The Tiger Who Came to Tea' and 'The Runaway Roller Skate'.Growing up slightly, starting secondary school we had to pick a book from the school library. Knowing I'd knock out one of the smaller books in a week, I picked on of the largest. The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks, book one of a series that set me on the road to Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones and most recently work by Raymond E. Feist starting with Magician and woeking my way through the series. All epic scale fantasy leading from one book back at school.
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. It was being read to us in first school and I thought the teacher was taking too long to get through it so I asked if I could borrow the book to read at home. She said no as I shouldn't be reading more than a few pages a night so my mum said sod that and bought me the set. Loved them.
This book prize hooked me on reading. Over 50 years ago in last year at Junior school.
The Happy Hollisters and the Old Clipper Ship (kid's mystery tales)
- don't think many 11 year olds would be too impressed by it today though
As you can see I still have the book and got it for Art, my favourite subject at the time.
Perhaps I'll read it again to take me back? I've shopped out my name to save embarrassment!
Strange how life's road leads you. I hankered after a career in art, but it never happened.
Since 1983 it has been nothing but books.
First as author, then in 1987 I started publishing. Had enough of people telling me what to do. Not looked back since.
I remember being told when I started in 1987 that the book was dead and I was mad.
But then I remember being told a lot of things at that time... like the paperless office was imminent!
The Kindle and similar are here, but 'reading' needs the real hardware - paper and boards.
As a kid it was Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl is one I most fondly remember and the Biggles stories when I was about 10.
When I started Secondary school I was reading novels aimed at 6th Formers like Stephen King and thrillers.
It went downhill after that as most guys in their teens when it comes to fiction.
I did English Lit for A Levels so ironically when I started uni it was Andy McNab that started the ball rolling for being an avid reader again.
When I started Secondary school I was reading novels aimed at 6th Formers like Stephen King and thrillers.
It went downhill after that as most guys in their teens when it comes to fiction.
I did English Lit for A Levels so ironically when I started uni it was Andy McNab that started the ball rolling for being an avid reader again.
TheJimi said:
It was Enid Blyton for me, specifically "well done secret seven" - that started me off on the secret seven books, then I went on to the famous five.
A family friend game me loads of Enid Blyton books when I was a kid and I was a big fan of the Secret Seven, and the Famous Five.The book that really kicked me off though was Islands in the Sky by Arthur C Clarke. It was a book week at our school. It sparked my love of science fiction.
No holiday is complete now without a selection of books I've not yet read.
Can't be certain, as I've been a bookworm as long as I can remember, but a chunk of credit has to go to my 2nd year junior teacher* (modern Year 4, so I was ~8 y.o.), who lent me (in no specific order):-
- The Hobbit
- various Asimov plus a couple of other sci-fi
- The Lord of the Rings (started, failed to progress past Tom Bombadil, revisited it in 4th year junior or 1st year senior (Years 6/7) and finished it)
Oh, and watching H2G2 on the TV (probably a repeat...I was 6 or 7 when first released), which prompted me to find the books, which were the first to have me laughing out loud while reading...
* Very eccentric chap who'd get absolutely nowhere in modern teaching but who developed a lot of the brighter kids at our school far quicker than they normally would have been...guess I can thank the lack of strict curricula, testing etc. for that!
- The Hobbit
- various Asimov plus a couple of other sci-fi
- The Lord of the Rings (started, failed to progress past Tom Bombadil, revisited it in 4th year junior or 1st year senior (Years 6/7) and finished it)
Oh, and watching H2G2 on the TV (probably a repeat...I was 6 or 7 when first released), which prompted me to find the books, which were the first to have me laughing out loud while reading...
* Very eccentric chap who'd get absolutely nowhere in modern teaching but who developed a lot of the brighter kids at our school far quicker than they normally would have been...guess I can thank the lack of strict curricula, testing etc. for that!
TheJimi said:
Anyone remember The Hardy Boys?
Those were marvellous!
I loved them, I moved onto them when I'd done the famous five. Strangely I couldn't get on with the secret Severn. Those were marvellous!
I gave up reading for many years but ive been back at it for 8 or so months, the book that stated me back at it was I am Pilgrim.
I'm now reading at least a book a month.
Liokault said:
The Hobbit.
Totally captured me when I read it at school. So much so that I stole the school copy. I still have it. Is that bad?
I think I concur, minus the kleptomania ;-) Totally captured me when I read it at school. So much so that I stole the school copy. I still have it. Is that bad?
The hobbit as a 10 year old was wonderfully witty, colourful, fantastic and warm whilst at the same time being a great adventure full of imagination and great chracters.
I tried LOTR not long after and realised it was a bit too grown up for my liking.
I think after that I read a few nancy drews' and FF/SS - I also as a kid absolutley loved the Ian Livingstone / Steve Jackson "game novels". I wa shooked on those for years as a young teenager.
Janet and John
Who doesn't love reading? I read all sorts of stuff, novels, non-fiction, magazines, technical manuals and can't imagine NOT reading for pleasure (or remember a time when I didn't).
These days, I have a printed book, one or two printed magazines, three or four e-magazines and one fiction and one non-fiction e-book on the go at any time. I did go through phases of reading much less, but I enjoy having so much to read.
It's nice to see that even my teenage son enjoys the odd book as I understand they're the hardest group to interest.
M
Who doesn't love reading? I read all sorts of stuff, novels, non-fiction, magazines, technical manuals and can't imagine NOT reading for pleasure (or remember a time when I didn't).
These days, I have a printed book, one or two printed magazines, three or four e-magazines and one fiction and one non-fiction e-book on the go at any time. I did go through phases of reading much less, but I enjoy having so much to read.
It's nice to see that even my teenage son enjoys the odd book as I understand they're the hardest group to interest.
M
Edited by marcosgt on Wednesday 17th September 16:41
I used to read quite a lot as a kid but nothing really grabbed me until I came across Asimov and Heinlein which began a life-long interest in science fiction. 
Didn't really appreciate the classics like Dickens and Hardy until I was in my forties. Recently discovered detective/crime novels and quite enjoying them right now - picked up some great reads from the what are you reading topic too. Thanks all.
Didn't really appreciate the classics like Dickens and Hardy until I was in my forties. Recently discovered detective/crime novels and quite enjoying them right now - picked up some great reads from the what are you reading topic too. Thanks all.
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