Open Door

by Steven Gilbar

Book Overview

Twenty-nine writers, including Dickens, Kipling, Mencken, Welty, and Dillard, recount their first memories of reading. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0879239212
• ISBN13: 9780879239213
• Release Date: September 1994
• Publisher: David R. Godine Publisher
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.3" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

How did you learn to read?

I am amazed that I am the first to submit a review on this fascinating little book.It was first published in 1989.The preface is by Barbara Bush who was the Honorary Chairperson of The Year of the Young Reader,a national campaign initiated by the Library of Congress to encourage young people to love books and reading. Here we read about 29 of history and literatures' most interesting and celebrated writers recalling their discovery of books and reading.Most of these writers' experiences are in their own words and from their own works. Most people would probably answer my title question with a simple,"In School".What is so surprising is that most of these writers could already read before they ever went to school.Not only that,they had cultivated their love of reading on their own and not in school. H.G.Wells was reading Wood's "Natural History" at 7 or 8.He was doing this on his own.In fact he had minimal encouragement; "Both my parents were doubtful of the healthiness of reading,and did their best to discourage this pouring over books." Harper Lee who won a Pulitzer Prize for "To Kill a Mockingbird". When her first grade teacher asked if she knew the letters of the alphabet she had written on the blackboard;she found that not only did she know them but could already read "My First Reader" as well as quotations from "The Mobile Register";and was quite literate.The teacher looked at her with distaste and told her to "tell my father not to teach me any more,it would interfere with my reading."After telling her teacher that her father didn't teach her,she learned on her own.The teacher thought she was lying and said."Let's not let our imaninations run away with us,my dear,"she said."Now you tell your father not to teach you any more. It's best to begin reading with a fresh mind. You tell him I'll take over from here and try to undo the damage--" "Your father does not know how to teach.You can have your seat now." After reading this book,it's worth taking a little time and thinking about how you learned to read and more importantly what it was that created your love of reading.I am sure your own experiences were similar to those of the great writers covered in this book.