Friday, September 24, 2010
Flashback Friday # think 3 + 10 = (you might think it's unlucky so I won't post it) ~ My Early Book Reading
These books were written after I was too old for them. Clifford's Kitten was copyrighted in 1984 while Disney's Winnie the Pooh came out in 1965.
All about our early reading opportunities and involvement is what Linda wants from us this week. Linda asked several questions. Click her icon, right, if you want to read others or participate in this.This morning Linda has written of many of her childhood books you might identify with.
First,
a little teacher joke from my friend, bornagn901 (I never know whether that will be James or Gwen--the address belongs to James but they both use it when it comes pass-around-joke time):
TEACHER: John, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor?
JOHN: You told me to do it without using tables.
Now, to what Linda asked us to answer:
Did you like to read when you were a child? What were your favorite genres, books or series? Did you read books because of the author or because of the title/plot?
Did you like to read when you were a child? What were your favorite genres, books or series? Did you read books because of the author or because of the title/plot?
I loved to read and would read everything that was around. Back then I liked the scary and adventure type reading. The first book I remember reading (many times) was a Billy Goat Gruff book which I still have but can't find for a picture today. I liked trolls too. Later my favorite would be the Tugboat Annie series in the Saturday Evening Post.
Did you own many books?
I didn't own very many books at all. My favorite was a little book of poems. I still have that book from which my favorite poem was Abou Ben Adhem. I am not sure that my teacher in her heart approved of this poem that I decided to memorize for her assignment.
I dabble a little in writing poetry now, see some of them on my other blog, here.
Did you visit the library often?
The two-room high school for grades 7-10 similarly had bookcases for the library. I don't remember reading any from those.
Was there a summer reading program when you were young, and did you participate?
Summer reading programs were for the town kids.
Do you have any particular memories of your school libraries?
My most vivid memory was reading my Zane Grey magazines from home in the library. I would put them inside 'approved' reading material.
What were your favorites and least favorites among the classics (the ones high school English teachers assign!)?
If you didn't like reading, do you like it more today than you did then?
- - - - - - - -
Per Wikipedia: Leigh Hunt (author of the poem, Abou Ben Adhem), had read in Barthélemy d'Herbelot de Molainville's Bibliothèque Orientale (1781) of the Islamic belief that on the night of Shab-i-Barat, "The Night of Records’ in the month of "Sha'ban" Allah takes the golden book of mankind and crosses off the names of those whom he is calling to him in the coming year, those whom he loves." The poem is by far the most famous that Hunt wrote.
Number 1 3:
Books more current:
William Barclay Commentaries (New Testament); please note my monkey multiplication table toy and Dick Tracy camera from my childhood
Some of the books given to me by my friend, Sam S, before he moved to a retirement home. Sam died about a year ago from Parkinson's disease.
My Black's Law Dictionary from my law school days
My NIV Study Bible appears to be needing a face lift and other books on the shelf in our living room. Someplace here I have my early childhood Bible with pictures but I think it did want to pose for a picture either this morning. The Statue of Liberty on the right is my XX birthday present. We went to NYC that year, 2003, to watch Karen run the NYC Marathon. We got to see her five times by riding the subway to places where she would run past.
Labels: Flashback Friday, Jim's Life
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Ohmygoodness, Jim! Both my parents had to learn "Abu Ben Adhem" when they were in high school, and my mom (my dad passed away in 2004) can still reel it off at a moment's notice!
I even remember the first couple of lines: "Abu ben Adhem, may his tribe increase, awoke one night from a deep dream of peace..."
That brought back some great memories!
I really enjoyed visiting my blog...hope you'll check mine out too!
I even remember the first couple of lines: "Abu ben Adhem, may his tribe increase, awoke one night from a deep dream of peace..."
That brought back some great memories!
I really enjoyed visiting my blog...hope you'll check mine out too!
Great memories! It has been fun to remember things I forgot to include in my post about books as I'm reading what others wrote.
Have a nice weekend!
Have a nice weekend!
Hi Jim, There's lots to remember there and it reminded me of when I was growing up we didn't have a TV so I read action and adventure books instead.
I never heard of Abu Ben Adhem.
Winnie the pooh was a favorite book of mine and Clifford was a favorite of my daughter's.
i distinctly remember loving books as a very small child and still have one or two (in German.0
Winnie the pooh was a favorite book of mine and Clifford was a favorite of my daughter's.
i distinctly remember loving books as a very small child and still have one or two (in German.0
Thanks for stopping by and I like your comparison of blogging friends as pen pals. That's so true!
I really had to be made to read as a child, but reading became a great past time once I reached adulthood. I've never heard of Abu Ben Adhem, think I'll go Google it.
Happy weekend!
I really had to be made to read as a child, but reading became a great past time once I reached adulthood. I've never heard of Abu Ben Adhem, think I'll go Google it.
Happy weekend!
Jim,
I enjoyed your post, as always. Yours is one that I always look forward to. I, too, loved Billy Goats Gruff as a child! (Still do)
How nice that you still have your books, and that you shared photographs. I love it!
Eleven years of night school is a long time. Congratulations on your perserverance :)
Until next time...Kathy
I enjoyed your post, as always. Yours is one that I always look forward to. I, too, loved Billy Goats Gruff as a child! (Still do)
How nice that you still have your books, and that you shared photographs. I love it!
Eleven years of night school is a long time. Congratulations on your perserverance :)
Until next time...Kathy
Put a BIG picture of your monkey multiplication table on your blog. It is so unique!! Glad you let me use it, and out kids, too. Sure made math fun....Louie
# posted by 
: Sat Sep 25, 10:05:00 AM 2010
: Sat Sep 25, 10:05:00 AM 2010
It's interesting how the things I often think of as "classics" aren't really that old. After all, some of them are younger than you! Then again, I might be able to consider you a classic! :-)
I'm enjoying your little thing with # 7+6. You're much more compassionate than I. I remember reading an article about an experiment where students were given tests that had an "A" or an "F" on the top (as the test code). The tests were identical except for the code, but the students who received the "F" version of the test performed significantly more poorly than the ones who received the "A" version. I gave a practical exam once where all the samples were labeled "A" or "F", just out of some sadistical sense of fun. I hope I didn't actually cause my students any mental distress as a result of those A's and F's they had to be writing all over their papers.
I'm enjoying your little thing with # 7+6. You're much more compassionate than I. I remember reading an article about an experiment where students were given tests that had an "A" or an "F" on the top (as the test code). The tests were identical except for the code, but the students who received the "F" version of the test performed significantly more poorly than the ones who received the "A" version. I gave a practical exam once where all the samples were labeled "A" or "F", just out of some sadistical sense of fun. I hope I didn't actually cause my students any mental distress as a result of those A's and F's they had to be writing all over their papers.
I like to ride on elevators that have the thirteenth floor missing on the number panel ;) Books .. and the library are so economical. My daughter, Ann, and I routinely check out the same cook books so we can have them a bit longer :) Nathan enjoys the movies. Hope you and Mrs Jim are both well.
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