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Phases of Literacy
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The Early Years
My early years. My mom used to read a book of 100 famous poems to me before bed. This collection had everything from Shakespeare, to the Gettysburg Address, to Walt Whitman. My favorite entry was the Spider and the Fly by Mary Howitt. -
The Turning Point
My respect for literature was established very early on. My mom used to purchase Disney picture books for me. One day she found me ripping out the pages and she promptly "disciplined" me for my henious crime. From thence forth, I always took care of my books and even treasured them. Even today, if I see one of my books starting to deteriorate, I will go out and repurchase the book in hardback so that I own a pure, flawless copy. -
Third Grade: The Advent of Harry Potter
Mom used to read Harry Potter to me up to the second book. By the third book, I was reading them on my own. -
5th Grade: When Reading Became a Hobby
5th grade when I started to read on a regular basis. I can remember my favorite works from that time. The Chronicles of Narnia, Holes, A Wrinkle in Time, and Lord of the Flies. (Yes, I was ten years old when I read Lord of the Flies for the first time.) -
High School: Phases of Literature
Between 15 and 18 years old, I went through several phases of genre literature. In the 9th grade, I got hooked on this series called the Pendragon Series by D.J. Machale. I loved more than the Harry Potter books. I also bonded with my mom over these books. I would read them aloud to her whenever she was preparing dinner. -
Phases of Literature: Contemporary Comparative Literature
Around this time, I went through a phase where I only ready comparative or historical fiction. I read Amy Tan, Shogun, Aztec, Isabelle Allende, the Kite Runner, Hope: A Tragedy, and The Good Earth. -
Phases of Literature: Contemporary Fiction
Right before college, I read a lot of contemporary literature, primarily written by American authors. For example, Michael Chricton, Fight Club, Stephen King, The Beach, and Cormac McCarthy. -
The College Years: When I Graduated to the Classics
So I finally get to college and suddenly a refuse to read anything that wasn't written earlier than 50 years ago. Some of my favorite classics include Lord of the Flies, Jane Eyre, Watership Down, Upton Sinclair, and John Steinbeck.