Book Adoption

Last Friday, while I waited to pick up my car for its usual service, I went to the local Borders bookshop for a quick browse and stumbled upon The Shadow of The Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Since I have a few hours to kill, I decided to sit down and read the prologue of the book.

Don’t worry, I’m not here to write a book review. But one of Zafon’s inventions in the book has brought back some almost forgotten memories. In The Shadow of The Wind, there is a place called the Cemetery of Forgotten Books and the protagonist, a young boy, was taken to the Cemetery to adopt a book. The “adoption”, as my interpretation, is about the impact and effects a reader got from h/her first few reading experiences.

The adoption idea had inspired me to share with you some of my most treasured reading experiences.

Little Mermaid

I was only about four or five years old when I read of the story of Little Mermaid. One thing about the story which still haunt me was the agony Little Mermaid experienced after she was transformed into human being. Her feet were in tremendous pain whenever she walked.

The impression of Little Mermaid in pain was so strong to my, then, young mind, I have been associated it with “pins and needles” all these time!

The Mist of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

I grew up with King Arthur and His Knight and The Round Table. The story was so deeply ingrained in my mind that when I finished reading The Mist of Avalon, I was in major shock but yet extremely excited.

It was the first time I read of a story which was told in another Point of View. It completely changed my perception of the traditional King Arthur tale. This book had major influence on how I approached to my writing subjects.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

What more can I say? Mr. Darcy has been my dream man since I was a teenager.

Remembrance of Things Past: 1 by Marcel Proust

I read the set of books (3 of them in total) in one year’s time decades ago. So pardon me if I’m a bit hazy about the book.

I was head over heels to the French who could use up to 3 or 4 pages to describe a room. (I mean this as compliment). Since then, I haven’t found anyone who could do that!

Fellow creatives, I’d like to invite you to share with us some of your most treasured reading experiences in your blogs. It could be of books, drawing, movies or anything that has major impact / influence to your chosen art form.