When I think about books that influenced my life, I think of the landmark books. The books that were an accessible introduction to an author or a genre.
The WednesdayWeekly Blogging Challenge is a weekly blog hop hosted by Long and Short Reviews. Last week the group talked about things they were thankful for while I, Canadian that I am, discussed my favourite writing books. This week’s topic is books that influenced my life. How about you check out everyone else when you’re done here?
Honestly, I thought I’d already written this post, so I wondered when I didn’t see the alert this morning when it should have posted. That’s what I get for planning the post, but not actually writing it. Oops.
Books that influenced my life, Part I.
Two of the first books that influenced my life are Salem’s Lot by Stephen King, and Lovers and Gamblers by Jackie Collins. I’m pretty sure they’re also the books that labelled me as ‘precocious’ by my late maternal grandmother, who gave my Mum an earful when she found out I was reading horror and…whatever we’re classifying 80’s Jackie Collins books. Romance? Strange dumpster fires we can’t look away from while hoping for a happy ending?
To be fair, I have a hard time classifying Collins or Danielle Steele or Sidney Sheldon, or any of those doorstopper-sized ‘adult books’ as romance or thrillers or even literary. Postmodernist Popular Fiction? If someone knows the technical term, I’m all ears. Suffice it to say, Lovers and Gamblers was my introduction to the basic romance genre. And my Mum was worried about me reading her Rosemary Rodgers books, ha….
Salem’s Lot gave me nightmares. I have vague recollections of Mum getting dressed down by my Gran, while my grandfather and I traded uneasy looks. See, my Gran was so hung up on the content of the book that she missed the stamps from her city library on the cover.
Yes, the person who gave me the book was her husband, my Grandfather. And thus a love for Stephen King and horror novels was born.
Books that influenced my life, Part II.
The next books that influenced my life were a little different. I first read Interview With The Vampire sometime in the early-to-mid 80’s. Even then, the book cover looked old and worn out. It’s probably because so many people had checked it out of the library.
I read Neuromancer a few years later, before I went off to college. I was glad that I did! A few of the teachers in the art college I attended were huge fans of Gibson, and were certain the world was going to go through some massive aesthetic change.
It did, but not in the cyberpunk direction they thought. There’s still time, though. The Star Wars prequels were shiny and awesome in comparison to the original movies. I’m sure we have time to get grungy with the rust of ages 😉
Those are some of the books that influenced my life! What has influenced you? Leave a comment down below 🙂
I can’t remember when I read my first horror-type book. It was probably Dean Koontz (who I prefer over King) and likely in high school. That’s when I really started reading kissing books, too. :: shrugs ::
I’m glad you didn’t give your grandfather up, lol!!
I wouldn’t be surprised if Mum figured it out on her own…he was her father after all. She probably chewed him out using Morse code so the rest of us wouldn’t have to hear it 😀
I went through a huge horror phase in my early teens; but then, I read the most appalling things with no regard for whether they were age-appropriate, and Firstborn seems to be continuing that family tradition. Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Robert R McCammon… later Clive Barker and Anne Rice and whole bunch of others. I’ve read some of William Gibson’s short stories and enjoyed them, but somehow I never got around to reading Neuromancer. (The cyberpunk novel that most influenced me was Walter Jon Williams’ Hardwired.)
All of that to say, basically, great choices!
My list is here.
I’m in my 40’s, and I’m pretty sure some of the books I’m reading now are still too mature for me 😉
While Anne Rice is one of my early influences, I started drifting away from her in my 20’s. I like Gibson when I need to slow down and think. The Peripheral stumped me for a bit. I haven’t read Koontz since the 80’s or 90’s, and while I’ve heard good (?) things about his Odd Thomas series, I just haven’t been in the mood to pick it up.
The Husbeast insisted I read Clive Barker. It was awesome. I wish I’d found The Thief of Always earlier…
Now to go check out your list! 😀
Ooh, Neuromancer is a good choice! I should have remembered that one, too.
My post.
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