Growing up, a large part of my summers was dedicated to completing the Seattle Public Library summer reading program. There was usually a map or passport of some other delightfully designed piece of paper on which you would collect stamps, one for each book read. When you collected enough stamps, you would get a special surprise treat.
I was a voracious reader. Many a night was spent reading books under the covers till five in the morning by the light of my glow in the dark cross ( a first communion present). They were adventure stories, or historical fiction: Where the Red Fern Grows, Mandy, Encyclopedia Brown, My Side of the Mountain, The Egyptian. Most of my reading selections were about kids making due in extraordinary situations.
I haven’t really read all that much this summer. One book has traveled with me as I wander around in a nomadic phase of life (I’m between houses), The Sound of the Silver Horn by Kathleen Noble. The book outlines the lack of female hero narratives in Western culture and how that impacts the lives of modern women. It’s a stunning, revealing, look at how culture can shape personal identity. I highly recommend it. So I’m still reading about adventures, and looking for a narrative that inspires or connects with my own.
I just found this lovely clip created to promote Moonrise Kingdom, this year’s Wes Anderson film. It has inspired me to make a summer reading list for myself… there’s still some summer left.
