I love everything about this! I am so happy that you found such a beautiful bookstore in Portugal! My forever 9 year old son Andrew was a voracious reader too. Andrew's Book Club was created in his honor. I pick a book that he loved each year at Christmas. These books are given out just before Christmas to people who were important in Andrew's life. His birthday is 12/28. The recipients of the books are asked to read the book to the special people in their lives on Andrew's birthday. He would have been 23 this year. The books are well received & those involved love the warm reception they receive when they deliver the books to the members of Andrew's Book Club. I choose the book to be given out each year. It was easy to pick the books in the beginning because Andrew loved books. It has gotten a little challenging choosing a book as the years go on. Andrew provides guidance to me when I have some difficulty picking a book. It's amazing how he is able to do that! Happy Heavenly birthday to your Mother. I hope that you & your family have a very Merry Christmas!
If I love to read today, some 70+ years later, it's from getting and reading many books beginning when I was just a kid. No coercion from the old folks but it took getting books I must have expressed interest in.
I totally agree with your mother, if you have a book you are never alone. I love that while reading you can escape to wherever the book takes you. I always have a book on my nightstand. I am currently reading The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, a British writer.
We stood longingly outside of that bookstore last month...who knew that you needed a timed ticket to enter? A long wait & quite pricey...now I wish we'd gone in, so thanks for the pictures. As to books, our grandsons' are wrapped & ready.
My mother also loved reading and really fostered that in me. I remember what a treat it was to visit the library and check out books! One favorite back then was Rumer Godden's Candy Floss. As a very little girl, I loved the books that were read on Captain Kangaroo (tv show). Once I was an independent reader, I devoured Adopted Jane, Ellen Tebbits, the Beezus & Ramona books, and everything written by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (Black & Blue Magic, Egypt Game, etc).
I hope you all continue to make wonderful book-related memories this holiday season!
This piece is the one Ask Amy post I always looked forward to reading in the Baltimore Sun over the years. I really enjoyed how it promotes reading. It did this for my nieces and nephews when they were younger to get them to enjoy. Now they are major Dog Man and Wings of Fires fans. Who knows how it will mushroom in the future. Thank you for this piece Amy!!!
I was introduced to Wind in The Willows by my mother who was a reader---we didn't get a tv until I was 10 (in the 1950's) so it was always reading after dinner and before bedtime. I still love Wind in the Willows--the animal friendships are so comforting when solace is needed--and I have given copies to my young relatives.
I don't ever remember not loving stories ... hearing them and reading them and eventually writing them for a living. My Mom made sure I had all the books I could ever need. Stacks of them in my bedroom. This saved me -- because even when I was nothing more than a solid "C" student without any interest or drive to study for my school classes, I was reading what I wanted and learning so much. It's hard to describe how much I love that my Mom did this for me.
Today I am asking for help, from Amy or from any subscriber here. I spent 3 hours in 2 days trying to get help from Substack and I failed. It's almost as if Substack set it up to be that way.
I somehow bumbled along & created a substack page as if I was going to start a column. I'm a subscriber, not a columnist. I googled, I went through Substack help..no luck I followed directions. I can't somehow delete the darn Abbywrites' Substack Page. I got to the danger zone at the bottom, which offers the option of canceling ALL of my subscriptions. I do not want that, I want to delete Abbywrite's Substack Page.
Any help from anyone would be so welcome. Thanking all in advance. Apologies to Amy for the intrusion.
while I can't say my busy Mom read to me, I learned from her example. She always read every night and I picked up the practice. Eventually as I grew older we started sharing books. I still share books with my neighbors.
I still remember the excitement of entering the Hudson's department store in downtown Detroit, where there was a bookstore on the Mezzanine, and purchasing the next book in the "Mrs. Piggle Wiggle" series. And, the next book in the "Eloise" series, and the next book in the "Jennifer" series and the next book in the "Betsy, Tacy and Tib" series. The prices ranged from $1.50-$2.50 per hardcover, illustrated books with beautiful dust jackets. I always said as a teen that I would never be the one to say, "Those were the days", but, Those were the days.
I enjoyed this column so much! I am a huge fan of reading--not only am I in three book clubs but I lead one. My memories involve having my aunt visiting my family from her home 3000 miles away, taking me to a local bookstore and allowing me to choose any book. My all-time favorite book is "Black Beauty" (Anna Sewall). I got my first copy of it more than 60 years ago (I have several now!) on one of those trips to the bookstore with Aunt Marion.♥
I love everything about this! I am so happy that you found such a beautiful bookstore in Portugal! My forever 9 year old son Andrew was a voracious reader too. Andrew's Book Club was created in his honor. I pick a book that he loved each year at Christmas. These books are given out just before Christmas to people who were important in Andrew's life. His birthday is 12/28. The recipients of the books are asked to read the book to the special people in their lives on Andrew's birthday. He would have been 23 this year. The books are well received & those involved love the warm reception they receive when they deliver the books to the members of Andrew's Book Club. I choose the book to be given out each year. It was easy to pick the books in the beginning because Andrew loved books. It has gotten a little challenging choosing a book as the years go on. Andrew provides guidance to me when I have some difficulty picking a book. It's amazing how he is able to do that! Happy Heavenly birthday to your Mother. I hope that you & your family have a very Merry Christmas!
If I love to read today, some 70+ years later, it's from getting and reading many books beginning when I was just a kid. No coercion from the old folks but it took getting books I must have expressed interest in.
I totally agree with your mother, if you have a book you are never alone. I love that while reading you can escape to wherever the book takes you. I always have a book on my nightstand. I am currently reading The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, a British writer.
I consumed the series -- also great on audio!
Me too!
I love the videos on youtube but this is even better! Continue this work Amy.
We stood longingly outside of that bookstore last month...who knew that you needed a timed ticket to enter? A long wait & quite pricey...now I wish we'd gone in, so thanks for the pictures. As to books, our grandsons' are wrapped & ready.
My mother also loved reading and really fostered that in me. I remember what a treat it was to visit the library and check out books! One favorite back then was Rumer Godden's Candy Floss. As a very little girl, I loved the books that were read on Captain Kangaroo (tv show). Once I was an independent reader, I devoured Adopted Jane, Ellen Tebbits, the Beezus & Ramona books, and everything written by Zilpha Keatley Snyder (Black & Blue Magic, Egypt Game, etc).
I hope you all continue to make wonderful book-related memories this holiday season!
That reminds me how much I loved Rumer Godden’s A Doll’s House.
This piece is the one Ask Amy post I always looked forward to reading in the Baltimore Sun over the years. I really enjoyed how it promotes reading. It did this for my nieces and nephews when they were younger to get them to enjoy. Now they are major Dog Man and Wings of Fires fans. Who knows how it will mushroom in the future. Thank you for this piece Amy!!!
What an amazing bookstore! Thank you for telling us about it!
I was introduced to Wind in The Willows by my mother who was a reader---we didn't get a tv until I was 10 (in the 1950's) so it was always reading after dinner and before bedtime. I still love Wind in the Willows--the animal friendships are so comforting when solace is needed--and I have given copies to my young relatives.
I don't ever remember not loving stories ... hearing them and reading them and eventually writing them for a living. My Mom made sure I had all the books I could ever need. Stacks of them in my bedroom. This saved me -- because even when I was nothing more than a solid "C" student without any interest or drive to study for my school classes, I was reading what I wanted and learning so much. It's hard to describe how much I love that my Mom did this for me.
*************************************HELP****************************
Today I am asking for help, from Amy or from any subscriber here. I spent 3 hours in 2 days trying to get help from Substack and I failed. It's almost as if Substack set it up to be that way.
I somehow bumbled along & created a substack page as if I was going to start a column. I'm a subscriber, not a columnist. I googled, I went through Substack help..no luck I followed directions. I can't somehow delete the darn Abbywrites' Substack Page. I got to the danger zone at the bottom, which offers the option of canceling ALL of my subscriptions. I do not want that, I want to delete Abbywrite's Substack Page.
Any help from anyone would be so welcome. Thanking all in advance. Apologies to Amy for the intrusion.
Abby (who does write).
while I can't say my busy Mom read to me, I learned from her example. She always read every night and I picked up the practice. Eventually as I grew older we started sharing books. I still share books with my neighbors.
My daughter lives far away now but her books are on the way.
Thanks Amy--when our children were young, they would get 3 gifts for Xmas--a book, a toy and clothing!
I still remember the excitement of entering the Hudson's department store in downtown Detroit, where there was a bookstore on the Mezzanine, and purchasing the next book in the "Mrs. Piggle Wiggle" series. And, the next book in the "Eloise" series, and the next book in the "Jennifer" series and the next book in the "Betsy, Tacy and Tib" series. The prices ranged from $1.50-$2.50 per hardcover, illustrated books with beautiful dust jackets. I always said as a teen that I would never be the one to say, "Those were the days", but, Those were the days.
I enjoyed this column so much! I am a huge fan of reading--not only am I in three book clubs but I lead one. My memories involve having my aunt visiting my family from her home 3000 miles away, taking me to a local bookstore and allowing me to choose any book. My all-time favorite book is "Black Beauty" (Anna Sewall). I got my first copy of it more than 60 years ago (I have several now!) on one of those trips to the bookstore with Aunt Marion.♥