To follow-up on Wednesday’s book-giving post, I thought I’d ask you to share the best book-gift you’ve ever received. I follow agent Rachelle Gardner‘s blog and she hit on this topic last week. It’s a great idea, so I’m stealing it.
Here’s mine: The day I was born, Virginia Hoover registered me with Daughters of the American Revolution. An old-maid schoolteacher (who wouldn’t have minded being called one), she was the Keeper of Our History in the little community where I grew up.
Every Christmas there would be one, rectangular package TO: David, Sarah & Daniel; FROM: Virginia & Zoe (her mother who lived to be 100+). It was always and ever a book. And while it wasn’t necessarily my favorite gift then, I’m SO grateful now. King Arthur, Narnia, Frog & Toad–she introduced us to them all.
In my first novel a baby girl is born near the end. I named her Virginia. I just wish the real Virginia were still around so I could thank her for sharing her love of books.
Of course, there’s also the copy of Heidi my mom read to me at least 268 times when I was little and then gifted to me when I was an adult.
I think the best book I ever gave as a gift is probably the first draft of my first novel given to each of my parents. No one but your parents should read your first draft. They, however, will love it. And mine did.
Meet Sarah
I think you already know my story… My Aunt Eunice gave us books every year for Christmas (which we didn’t especially appreciate at the time either!) She always hosted a big family meal early in January after the busyness of the holidays was over and to celebrate several January birthdays. I couldn’t wait to go and savor her homemade lemon pies. After dinner, she gave my sister and I a fair sized box to go into the library and fill with books to borrow. A large room filled with books of every kind… a reader’s parsdise. I took hours to search the shelves and boxes filled with books to get my box full. I don’t remember ever taking them back; Dad must have done that. My favorites of the ones she gifted me were Heidi and the Anne of Green Gables series. The last Christmas that she gave us gifts, she gave me a set of nested stainless steel mixing bowls and I was mystified as to why she would give me that (and missed my book “fix.”) I still have those bowls after 50 years and use them every day. When I pass them on to you, remember Aunt Eunice as well as me. Thank you Aunt Eunice for passing on to me the love of reading and being a part of my every day in the kitchen…
Oh, those are the BEST bowls! Put them with the rolling pin and that pie plate I’ve coveted for years ; )
The rolling pin is only 47 years old, a younger sibling to the big steel bowl I always use for making the crust; but, now, that pie plate is over 100 years old! I say a prayer every time I put it into the oven.