Welcome to Bookish Nostalgia for September 2018. I've kept records of books I read for over 25 years and I enjoy looking back through my reading journals to see what I was reading 5, 10, 15, and 20 years ago. Let's see what I remember about what I was reading in those years:
September 1998 - Dove in the Window by Earlene Fowler - I loved the 15-book mystery series that Earlene Fowler wrote from the years 1994-2011. The Benni Harper books, set in San Celina, California, and all named for quilt patterns. Dove in the Window is the 5th book. I was fortunate enough to get to see Earlene at an author event a few years ago in Arizona. And I was happy to tell her how much I had loved her books. Wish she was still writing them.
September 2003 - Distant Shores by Kristin Hannah - This author is one that has come to great acclaim in recent years with her books The Nightingale and The Great Alone. I haven't read either of those, though they are on my massive TBR. I read many of her books back 15+ years ago and Distant Shores is one that I enjoyed very much. She has a way of telling about women and their lives that is very comforting.
September 2008 - Counting On Grace by Elizabeth Winthrop - I'm finding that many of the books I read in 2008 are ones suggested to me by my co-workers at the library during that year. I was working with several younger people who were getting their MLS degrees and they kept suggesting books for me to try. Counting On Grace is by an author that you might know better as the author of The Castle in the Attic. In 1910, Grace goes to work with her mother in the textile mill to be a 'doffer' for her mother's loom. This job is best done by right-handed individuals and Grace is left-handed - there are mistakes. The story tells of the early days of outrage about children working at such a young age. It's a really, really good juvenile fiction tale.
September 2013 - The Stand by Stephen King - Last book I'll mention today is one of my favorite books ever, ever. I first read The Stand when it was originally published in 1978. I was in my senior year of college and I can still remember how it gripped me. Good vs. evil - told in a very different way from what I had read before. In 2013, I listened to it for the first time. Again, I loved it. I've been meaning to read it again at some point because I put it on my Classics list. I though that 2018 would be the year, but I'll probably push it back to 2019. Have you read The Stand? Yes, it's long and it's very good.
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And so we end this month's Bookish Nostalgia. Hope you'll join me again next month to see what October books I remember from my journals.
I didn't realise Kirsten Hannah was publishing books as far back as 2003! I did read and love The Nightingale and I have Firefly Lane on the TBR.
ReplyDeleteYes, I just looked and her first book came out in 1991! Think she did strictly romances at first and then morphed over into more family tales and then historicals.
DeleteI really miss Earlene Fowler's Benni Harper series. I also got to meet her a couple of times when she came to Arizona. I love her sense of humor.
ReplyDeleteI know - I miss them too. And, yes, I saw her at Lesa's library along with Carolyn Hart. What a pleasure that was - two of my all-time favorites in one place.
DeleteI haven't read The Stand and I'll be honest, I had to pop over to Goodreads to find out what it was about because the book I thought it was, wasn't. (Hope you're still with me.) I probably won't be reading it as I'm not that fond of dystopian, apocolyptic type books. I say 'probably' because part of me really hates missing out on a really good book. LOL
ReplyDeleteIt's good, but it likely wouldn't be for everyone, Cath. Definitely at good vs. evil tale.
DeleteI think The Nightingale is on my Kindle but I just haven't had time to read it. Anyone I know who's read it loved it.
ReplyDeleteI've heard the same thing, Mary.
DeleteWe both read Counting on Grace in the same month and year?!!! https://lettersfromahillfarm.blogspot.com/2008/09/book-reportcounting-on-grace.html
ReplyDeleteHmmm....maybe you're where I got the idea to read it or visa versa. I had already read Castle in the Attic a long while back.
DeleteI haven't read any of these, but they all sound good. I started THE STAND a couple years ago and I'm not sure if I'll go back to it or not. I'm putting these others on my (also massive) TBR list. Thanks for the recs, Kay!
ReplyDeleteAlways happy to add to your list, Susan. You certainly add to mine. LOL
DeleteI just put Distant Shores on my TBR list. I read the Nightingale, Firefly Lane, Fly Away, and last week The Great Alone (amazing and my favorite!)
ReplyDeleteGreat! I love being able to suggest another book to someone that enjoys an author.
DeleteI haven't read ay of these books, although I'm going to take a closer look at the Kristin Hannah one.
ReplyDeleteI think I'll go back and take a closer look myself. Lately, I'm finding myself wanting to turn a bit to reading older books instead of just the new and shiny. I can feel a shift in my reading focus coming. Ha! Not a bad thing, actually.
DeleteThe Stand does go very quickly for such a long book, I agree. :-) It's the only book here I have read. I have heard of Fowler, and don't think I have read any of her books. Not even pre-blogging, but it's hard to say.
ReplyDeleteYes, you should try Earlene Fowler's books if you get a chance. I think you'd like them.
DeleteI devoured all the Benni Harper books after a friend lent me the whole series one summer! Miss her writing these.
ReplyDeleteI used to read every single Kristin Hannah book back in the day. Now I still pick them up, but not every one. And, lol, I just mentioned in my newest post about reading older books and that I saw The Stand mentioned on someone's blog-- it was you, and I didn't recall that (because, well, senior moment! Thanks for sharing your book memories here.
I love sharing the memories of the older books, Rita. And watch for my post tomorrow (and I'll get by and read yours today sometime). I'm going to be changing it up a little regarding my reading. ;-)
DeleteI enjoyed Distant Shores, too. And The Nightingale is so good! I think it's my favorite of Hannah's. And, yes, I read The Stand and loved it! I always say that I want to read it again, but it's so long. Maybe I'll give it a listen on audio...
ReplyDeleteThe Stand is very long and the audio is, of course, incredibly long. However, it's done well. I'm going to try it again in 2019.
DeleteI have that Kristin Hannah on my TBR because I thought the cover was so pretty! I need to try The Stand or really any Stephen King (I've listened to The Good Marriage but that's it). I've seen the Earlene Fowler series but have never actually read them somehow. I'd really like to fix that!
ReplyDeleteLots of choices, right? I think you'd like the Earlene Fowler series, Katherine.
DeleteI love how you can look back and see what books you read twenty-five years ago! Amazing. And so much fun. Thank you for sharing your old reads with us.
ReplyDeleteYou are most welcome, Deb. I love going back through my old journals and plan to share more about older reads in upcoming days.
DeleteI've tried reading The Stand once but it was a long time ago and I had borrowed it from the library and didn't finish it before it was due. I really should try it again. I know so many readers who love that book. So fun to see these posts and see what you were reading years ago.
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy looking back. The Stand is certainly long. It takes a while to read. Ha!
DeleteI like this nostalgia post. I'll have to look back and see what I read in previous years. I don't know if I can go back 20 years, though, as you did, Kay. Good for you!
ReplyDeleteI love doing these posts, Lesa. Really sparks some memories.
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