I was too busy climbing trees, studying ant hills, pretending to be an Indian maiden and drawing to read. Reading was a passive activity and I was a girl of action. Besides, if I read too much I'd have to accept the possibility that the fantastic worlds of my imagining were just that: imaginary. I was a weird kid. But there were two books that effected me very strongly. The book above was an illustrated wonder, fueling my love of art and fantasy. The stories and haunting illustrations spoke of hidden worlds full of magic and played right into my own desire to escape the banal and plunge into a world of magic.
Another was the Secret Garden, one of the first books I actually sat down and read with relish. The notion of a hidden place, where a girl could lose, yet find her true self must have really rang true for me. As an only child I was a sort of sheltered kid, pretty much confused by how people were supposed to intereact. I really did want to escape to a place it didn't matter and my art seemed the fastest route. But these books steered me on my path and informed my art for years. I'm fairly certain they form the bedrock of my creativity, a touchstone for all I want my writing to be.
I just want to thank C for choosing these great topics and getting me to reflect on stuff I would probably not be thinking about at all!
Lisa
2 comments:
"The Abandoned" by Paul Gallico, about a young boy who turns into a cat and has to learn how to be one. I should read that again...
That sounds very intriguing, Loth.
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