Okay, I admit it. I'm a sell out. A dirty sell-out. Basically, when I write about books, or other things, I may or may not add a link to the product on Amazon. If you were to click that link and then buy the product, I may or may not get a small amount of money. Please don't hate me for it. Basically, I see it as a way for me to share my literary gems with you, and for me to be rewarded for the time and effort I put into this blog. I am also hoping that it will encourage me to write more and write better.
Anyway, I'm going to return to writing about (or shamelessly promoting) books. I've been adding books to My LibraryThing list so they appear in the widget to your left. They have been mostly children's books and have given me that warm fuzzy feeling of nostalgia. It was interesting to look back on what my reading habits were, and which authors have influenced my love of books and words.
The likes of Roald Dahl (whose name I still can't spell without checking), Enid Blyton and Michael Morpurgo crop up, but if you were to ask which author was my main influence I would have probably said J.K. Rowling. I read all her books avidly as a child (I think I read The Philosopher's Stone more than ten times).
But there is probably one author that has had an equal influence in my like of literature and books: Terry Deary. My brother and I were huge readers of the Horrible History books. Somewhat unsurprisingly, my favourite probably was Wicked Words. It goes through various aspects of the English language and its literature, from 'Chaucer's chicken' (the Nun's Priest's Tale) to 'Vile Verse'. In true Horrible History style it doesn't skimp on the rude, gross or obscure.
Quick Questions
- What was your favourite book as a child?
- Which author has had an influence over you?
Hi, the library thing is on my right, not my left. But we shan't go on about that...
ReplyDelete1) "Favourite books" is more appropriate. When I was little-little I adored Beatrix Potter. This went into (somehow) Famous Five - and then you got me involved in Harry Potter. I too love the Horrible Histories books. I want to collect them all :( - alas no monies to do so.
2) I suppose in a way Beatrix Potter. In the sense that her stories are all animal stories. I've recently read the entire Duncton series b William Horwood - its basically about groups oyf moles who are waging religious war against one another and following/keeping traditions etc. I like animal stories that are not so much "this is a cute fluffy animal and all the human's love it" - but "this is an animal which is sort of like a human and has its own problems to deal with".
Oh, and LOVING the new look :o)