Friday 6 February 2009

Memories attached to books

Over at Fluttering Butterflies yesterday, Michelle talked about different songs that bring back different memories of specific times in your life.

I enjoyed reminiscing over songs I remembered vividly attached to certain memories. For me, the song 'When you say nothing at all' by Ronan Keating, always reminds me of when my girls came out of hospital after being born eight weeks premature. This got me thinking about books. Do you remember reading certain books at different times in your life?Can you remember what else was going on at the time?

For me this is quite poignant as I will always now remember reading Forged with the Fire at the hospital whilst my nan was so ill. I found I had to finish this book rather quickly so I could break the connection.

I also remember a very bad sickness bug last year where I lost a stone in weight in two weeks, but managed to read all the Stephanie Meyer Twilight books. I was enlightened and lighter!

Though not all the books I have read remind me of sad times. I have a lot of good memories of when I read certain books.

My earliest one is sitting to read Harriet, Emily and Olivia, all by Jilly Cooper, back to back when I finished my O' levels. The bliss at being able to read a book for pleasure instead of for studying.
Reading 'I'll Take Manhattan' by Judith Krantz, whilst on holiday in Woolacombe, after I finished school and not really knowing whether I would go to university or not.

I remember my second trip to Florida, reading The Celestine Prophecy, which was a book that completely changed my view of the world we live in.

My honeymoon in Mexico revolved around too books. Polly by Freya North and Rosie Meadow Regrets by Catherine Alliot.

Devouring the first three Harry Potter books whilst training to be a teacher.

There are quite a few I do remember,but there are also a lot that I no longer remember. I find it strange that my memory sometimes evades me when I pick up books that I have read but don't remember. At least now with this blog I can keep a record of what I have read and I won't end up buying a book I have already read,that has just had a change of cover.

If you would like to read Michelle's post, click on Fluttering Butterflies in the post and it will take you there.

So tell me what memories do you have attached to certain books, good or bad?
Also have you ever bought a book that you have already read and didn't realise?
Do you have any memories of where you bought a certain book?

3 comments:

  1. I love it when people link to me, so thank you!

    And I have a lot of book memories. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck and A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth always remind me of when I first moved to England. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami reminds me of the time I was in hospital for 10 days when Elliot was not yet 6 months old. Before I Die by Jenny Downham reminds me the days before I gave birth to Joshua. I'll always link Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows with my birthday. I remember I first read Twilight in the staff room at Books Etc. Oh, there's so many I can't list them all.

    But like I said in my post, I get a feeling more than anything with these memories. I remember the all-consuming depression I was in when reading A Suitable Boy. I remember my heartache from being away from my son with The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. I feel hopeful and excited when thinking of Before I Die even though it's such a heartbreaking book.

    The things I felt when reading them is something I attach to the book, so they're so connected I can't pull them apart.

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  2. Of course now on the spot not much is coming to mind - the only thing I can remember is that I read The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing while on a trip to Germany just after I graduated from college... and it seems like some combination of the two of them seemed to drop the idea into my mind that I was done with the "dating" scene and really wanted something REAL... And not long after that I started dating my husband...

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  3. nice book memories! its funny how certian books can bring back memories. I remember reading ''Memoirs of a Geisha by the pool in Florida during my vacation a few years back. And reading 'Thrill of the Knight' in the hotel room some late nights while vacationing in Puerto Rico.
    http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/

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