I'm going backwards and picking up this theme since I missed it before. As you can probably imagine from my current self, I was a bit of a book nerd when I was younger. I'd read just about anything I could get my hands on. Stuff too young for me, books traditionally aimed at boys, pretty crappy formulaic series, aliens, sci-fi, historical, mystery, joke books, random fact books. Like I said, just about anything. As I thought about how I would talk about all these books, I realized I could just talk about one of my favorite genres: adventure/survivalist fiction.
Now I am by no means an outdoorsy person. I love being outside and totally did as a kid. I spent hours and hours outside in the playhouse and swingset and on bikes and playing basketball. I was not a camper. I get sick sleeping in tents. I'm not a hiker or a fisherwoman. But for some reason I loved adventure books. We're talking "My Side of the Mountain," "Island of Blue Dolphins," "The Cay," and "The Hatchet." After reading these books, I used to think that I could totally survive if dropped in the woods with only a hatchet. We all know that's not true, but I absolutely believed it. And that's what the power of books really is. Creating a world so realistic or fantastic or exciting that you get wrapped up in it's reality. You believe that you could be that kid or that you'd want to.
I can't say I read many survivalist/adventure stories anymore, but I've never forgotten that feeling that I might not be the first to die if my plane crashed somewhere. Well, as long as it's not that LOST island. :)
Now I am by no means an outdoorsy person. I love being outside and totally did as a kid. I spent hours and hours outside in the playhouse and swingset and on bikes and playing basketball. I was not a camper. I get sick sleeping in tents. I'm not a hiker or a fisherwoman. But for some reason I loved adventure books. We're talking "My Side of the Mountain," "Island of Blue Dolphins," "The Cay," and "The Hatchet." After reading these books, I used to think that I could totally survive if dropped in the woods with only a hatchet. We all know that's not true, but I absolutely believed it. And that's what the power of books really is. Creating a world so realistic or fantastic or exciting that you get wrapped up in it's reality. You believe that you could be that kid or that you'd want to.
I can't say I read many survivalist/adventure stories anymore, but I've never forgotten that feeling that I might not be the first to die if my plane crashed somewhere. Well, as long as it's not that LOST island. :)
Comments
Post a Comment