The Books That Formed Me

I’ve been listening to Ann Hood’s audiobook MorningStar about the books that influenced her, and I’m reminding of the books that most influenced me, by the time I was in the third grade, it was obvious that though I was dyslexic, that I struggled with some things, reading was not one of them.

I read The Pinballs as a little girl, about a family who took in foster children, a book that I probably still have somewhere dog eared from over three decades of wear, and then Nonna would take me to Book Sales, telling me I could feel up as many bags as I wanted with her encouragement I read thick biographies of Martin Luther King Junior, learning at an early the power of love and hate.

In fourth grade I loved The Doll House Murders, by Middle School I learned of Helen Keller, spent as much time in the library as possible, getting lost in A Wrinkle in Time!

In High School. my backpack was filled to the brim with books, I Never Promised You A Rose Garden, dealing with mental illness, A Night Without Stars, Baby Alicia is Dying, And as many books by Lurlene McDaniel. I read poetry by Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson!

By Sophmore year I had a teacher who seemed determined to break anyone she could, calling. someone stupid because they mispronounced a word on the Iliad, calling students liars as they brought in doctors notes, calling us Retards! This women had no business teaching yet here she was!

The year before my freshmen year, I had Mrs Quinn, she encouraged me, I had started writing stories…