Mini-Challenge from Literarily Speaking

The challenge:

In this mini-challenge, I'm asking you to tell me about the first book you remember loving. I'm talking, soul-searing, blood-boiling, can't-get-enough-of-it love. This book doesn't have to be from your childhood but it can be.

Just write up a quick post telling me what the first book you absolutely loved was and why you loved it. If you want to include some stories about your history with this book, please do!


Okay, so this is going to seem weird, because this book is from my childhood and it's not really childhood material, but the first book I remember loving is Fire-Starter by Stephen King.  Which actually explains a lot about me.  I had dyslexia, I guess I probably still do, but it was caught early on (they tried to hold me back in 1st grade but waited until the end of the school year to inform my parents that I couldn't read- Dad went ballistic, so I wasn't held back).  Instead I got to spend a summer getting my IQ tested (quite high, thank you very much, George Mason Uni) so my parents got me a reading tutor (Mrs. A) and by the time I returned to school I was at a reading level high above my grade.  But for years English class was not fun for me, it was all grammar, and I had to fight my way up through the reading group levels every year because the school had me pegged as a poor reader.  Bastards.  But my Dad, God bless his soul, was a voracious reader, and more importantly he was a bathroom reader.  Books were always there waiting for me, most didn't catch my interest at all- a lot of Dick Francis and Tom Clancy.  But one day, I think I was in between 3rd-4th grade, but I can't swear to it, Fire-Starter was awaiting me.  I'm not going to lie, I didn't get a lot of the book the first time I read it, but I clearly remember it and more importantly I remember how empowering it felt to read an adult book, it was like giving the literary finger to Dick and Jane.  My love for reading only increased from that moment on, and Stephen King has had my undying readership since them.  Thanks for letting me ramble!