Kolya on 13/11/2009 at 01:59
"Momo" is a book about time by Michael Ende written in 1973.
In it the grey cigar smoking men convince everyone to save time at their time savings bank. They also try it with the girl Momo who lives in an abandoned amphitheatre and whose only wealth is always having time for everyone.
Quote:
"All that matters in life," the grey man went on, "is to climb the ladder of success, amount to something, own things. When a person climbs higher than the rest, amounts to more, owns more things, everything else comes automatically: friendship, love, respect, et cetera..."
"Isn't there anyone who loves you?" Momo whispered.
Enchantermon on 13/11/2009 at 02:31
Quote Posted by Scots Taffer
. . .
Choose Your Own Adventure novels, where I'd always keep my fingers strategically placed in case I decided to backtrack my choices.
Yes! I'm glad I'm not the only person who did that.
Actually, come to think of it, maybe those were my first books.
Tonamel on 13/11/2009 at 02:49
For whatever reason, mention of the CYOA books (and come on, was there anybody who DIDN'T read those while keeping all of their fingers at strategic pages?) reminded me of the Encyclopedia Brown books, which I definitely read before The Dark Is Rising.
The only story from those I remember was the mystery of all the proceeds from a Left Hander's Convention being stolen. EB noticed that one of the attendees had one sideburn longer than the other, but the long sideburn was on the wrong side of his face, thus proving that he was right handed, and had no business at the left handed convention except thievery!
SD on 13/11/2009 at 02:49
Probably some Enid Blyton rubbish like Secret Seven when I was 4 or 5. Also an abridged version of Zadig around the same time.
I remember Choose Your Own Adventure, they were certainly no Fighting Fantasy.
demagogue on 13/11/2009 at 03:46
Yeah I remember some CYOA books! One I remember pretty well still.
If I dig into my memory more I can remember earlier books...
I remember one book about a flying house powered by worcestershire sauce and something about E=MC^2.
I definately remember A Dog Called Kitty; the author was a childhood friend of my parents.
Our 4th grade teacher read us KonTiki and a book where all I think I remember is them running across a train bridge to beat a train (like Stand By Me, but not that).
Then I remember a youth fantasy book where only the royal family could drink a certain kind of wine, and the main character was only a half-brother so it would burn his lips -- so he just brought it to his lips -- but not kill him.
I wish I could remember the titles of some of these books.
Enchantermon on 13/11/2009 at 04:01
Quote Posted by Tonamel
. . . the Encyclopedia Brown books . . .
Oh yeah, those were pretty sweet. Didn't discover them until later, though. Similarly, the Clue books were good fun. I own one of those.
Ah! I just remembered. I know exactly what my first books were without a doubt. The Boxcar Children.
Tonamel on 13/11/2009 at 04:09
I'd completely forgotten about the Boxcar Children! Those were definitely in the mix, but I couldn't say where.
Scots Taffer on 13/11/2009 at 04:14
Quote Posted by SD
Probably some Enid Blyton rubbish like Secret Seven when I was 4 or 5.
Yeah, definitely read some Hardy Boys in my youth.
june gloom on 13/11/2009 at 04:26
Same.
Also Maniac McGee and other books by the same author.
frozenman on 13/11/2009 at 04:40
Quote Posted by Renzatic
I can't quite remember that far back, either. I'm sure I read a picture free book before this, but the first I recall would be reading A Wrinkle In Time back in the 1st grade.
Then I got ballsy and tried reading the sequel, A Wind In The Door, in 2nd Grade. Confused the ever living shit out of me. Had no idea what mitochondria were..but hey...I rolled with it.
:thumb:
This is just what I was going to say. These were definitely the first books I ever sat down and read. My grandma used to have a little book-store out of her house (Vermont...) and she gave me a set of A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind n the Door, and A Swiftly Tilting Planet (I think that was the name...) I still have this image in my head of a street where every house is the same and boys are all bouncing balls in the front yard exactly the same...
