Bookworm: A Memoir of Childhood Reading by Lucy Mangen

[HumphreyCobblers]

Anyone else reading this?

I am a third of the way through and I am enjoying it so much. I recognise so much of what is in this book. I have slightly irritated my DH by reading bits out to him from nearly every page as I laugh in amused recognition at her experiences. It slightly reminds me of the childhood favourites threads you often find here, the first time I saw one of these I felt I had found my people.

I have just got to the Enid Blyton chapter and am in whole hearted agreement with her discussion on the limitations of updating vocabulary, having similarly struggled with working out the definition of 'colours' in school stories.

She definitely mentions the Noel Streatfield books, almost definitely Laura Ingalls Wilder, and not Susan Cooper.

Well ,she missed out on Susan Cooper!

I also loved Nina Bawden, and When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit. Mrs Pepperpot. When Marnie Was There

Ah,memories... I can't remember all that much about the books, but can picture all the covers!

I missed Susan Cooper too. I only read The Dark Is Rising last year as part of the Twitter reading group. Astoundingly good.

I never read Susan Cooper as a child either, and still haven’t! I know she gets a lot of love on the 50 books thread so I should probably seek her out.

I'm loving it and have just got to page 100, where she says she's an mner. I'm that sad that I feel very excited. Great book Lucy, but no mention (so far) of Marianne Dreams, a classic.

I noticed a few I would have included. My own funniest book ever was the Bagthorpe Sage. Definitely would have included The Dark is Rising. And The Ghost of Thomas Kempe.

I have started the Chaos Walking Trilogy now, so glad she recommends it as it is totally amazing. If a bit distressing.

I didn't see 'Miss Happiness and Miss Flower' mentioned either. Or 'Witch Week'. Or 'Tilly's House'. Or 'Flossie Teacakes' Fur Coat'.

I actually tried to find a copy of 'Private - Keep Out' because I remembered it when she mentioned the "leg doesn't bend there" bit, but it's not only out of print, the few copies I could find on eBay are really expensive. She should use her platform to get it back into print again for me

Half way through. I was heartened in the opening to discover I was not alone in my crush on Dickon.

So far she could be me Though I think I was evidently dull, as the age she mentions reading certain books I was older reading them (not massively older, year or two, I certainly was done with Blyton by 8 (unless I'm recalling my age wrong).

Speaking of memory, did Lucy met Aslan on her first visit? I don't recall, even though I've reread them as an adult.

I'm sorry to be a pedant but I feel Lucy would approve - it's Mangan.

I really enjoyed it but I confess to skimming over bits where it was a book/author that didn't mean so much to me. I loved that feeling of knowing that there was/are others out there like me. If only we had known in the 80s... Probably would have been too busy reading to care.

I was disproportionately upset that the chapter entitled Darkness Rising was not, in fact, about The Dark is Rising.

Lucy, if you are reading this can you please add some kind of appendix or sequel to rectify this omission.

I really enjoyed this. It even inspired me to go and read Tom's Midnight Garden for the first time (how did I miss it as a child?)

I've just started it; so far it's a lovely comforting book - like a woolly hug in a book.

I loved it - she seemed to have read all the books my DDs read (DD1 is the same age), and most of the ones I read (including Teddy Robinson