139 Inspiring reading

Early reading that inspired me

Glenne's recent blog,135--"The 3 B's," which featured classic children's picture books, reminded me of the books that influenced me from elementary through high school.


It seems like an odd amalgamation but these were the ones that have stuck with me through life.

My first story may have come from My Weekly Reader, those great classroom newspapers. It told of John Adams, who as a lawyer in pre-revolutionary Boston took on the defense of the British soldiers who fired on local citizens in 1770 in what was known as the Boston Massacre. What struck me as a child was that although he was a Patriot and against a British standing army, he insisted that truth prevail in spite of overwhelming public pressure against the soldiers. Throughout my life, his story would come back to me time and again when popular opinion pushed  or pulled me.

I lump the Nancy Drew mysteries and Cherry Ames stories together. Most people remember the intrepid Nancy who led her cohorts in a series a mystery quests. 

Cherry may not be as well remembered, but she was also an inspiring woman who traveled the world as a nurse and also solved mysteries. Both gave encouragement to young girls that they could make their own way in the world.

My father was from Kansas and he told me about Glenn Cunningham, the Kansas miler. At eight he was so badly burned below the waist that his doctors told his parents that if he did not die, he would be a cripple forever. He refused to be a cripple, dragging himself along a fence to force his legs to work. He painfully progressed to running. 

In 1934, he ran the faster indoor mile in four minutes and eight seconds. Some consider him the greatest amateur athlete ever. I am not sure where I read the story of this inspirational runner, but as a young swimmer, no workout seemed too hard after reading his story.

In high school, my heroine was Beatrice in Much Ado about Nothing. She was witty, funny, good-hearted and full of spunk! I wanted to be that clever! Portia, though smart, was too goody-two-shoes and Juliet was a love-struck idiot. (to me!)







In junior high, for reasons I cannot now understand, I read all the volumes of Carl Sandburg's Abraham Lincoln, the War and the Prairie Years. Must have been the spark for my love of all things Civil War!

There are many more influential books I could list, but is does seem that I was drawn to the stories of strong contrarians.  And strong women--when I could find them!

What characters or stories of people influenced you? Please share.

Trish