Have you ever read a book that you really, really enjoyed then years later tried to recall the title/author of that book and been unable to do so? Back when I was in middle school and struggling to, more or less, teach myself to read, I picked up a book in the public library. It was a big thick book and with a little bit of fear I checked it out, determined to read it cover to cover.
And I did it. I devoured all 360 pages of that book in less than two weeks. That might not seem like much of a feat but considering that I was- as a 8th grader- reading at about a 2nd grade level, it was quite an accomplishment for me. I read that book and I loved it. It was one of the first books that I truely enjoyed and it opened up for me a love for books and words and reading. My reading level improved very quickly after that.
Because I enjoyed this book so much, I wanted my daughters to read it but I, for the life of me, couldn't remember the name or author of the book. I searched Ebay, Amazon.com, public library sites, and finally I mentioned to someone that I was trying to remember this book and they blurted out the title and author! I was sooo excited. I went on Ebay and found a few copies but they were going for quite a bit more than I was willing to pay for a book- up around $40/copy. Ouch! So I went to www.paperbackswap.com and put the book on my wishlist. Last week I was notified that the book was just listed and did I want it?
OF COURSE I wanted it! It arrived today in near perfect condition and I'm settling in for a good read of an old favorite.
And in case anyone is interested the book is called Savage Journey by Allan W. Eckert. It was published in 1979 and it's about a 13 year old girl who travels to the jungle with her archaeologist father. Her father dies in a freak accident and the girl is forced to find her way back to civilization on her own. Powerful imagery, a wonderful, frightening, bittersweet adventure.
So, with that said, what book(s) have made an unforgetable impact on your life?
Monday, February 28, 2011
Today I'm in the Amazon Rainforest...
Posted by Danielle Marie Peck at 2:20 PM
Labels: Life in general, My Journey, The Real Me
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3 comments:
Great story! I still remember reading Fine Things by Danielle Steel when I was in high school. It was the first book to make me cry...on a city bus, no less! My goal as a writer is to evoke that strong of an emotion in my readers.
I, too, have a book just like that! I can't for the life of me remember the name or author. It's about a young girl, probably pre-teen, who is in the foster care system. She gets put in a home with an older woman and starts gymnastics. I read it when I was in junior high and remember loving it and the girl in the story. Ugh! How did you search for yours?
DD, I posted on a website called Stump The Bookseller and that's how I got my answer. Here's the link: http://logan.com/harriett/stump.html
I hope you can find your book!
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