April 23 is a symbolic date in World Literature, it is the date that William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes both died. UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization) thought it natural choice to celebrate World Book and Copyright Day. April 23 is the day to recognize the scope of books and pay tribute to authors.
Lying in my bed as a small child, my parents read The Jungle Book, The Wizard of Oz, and most of the classic Grimm’s Fairy Tales. With one color picture per fairy tale, the witch’s house made of candy in Hansel and Gretel is a favorite, burned in my memory to this day. Some stories were scary but the characters possessed superior fighting skills, good heads for observation, and uncanny instincts for people and their personalities. I had faith that the small children in the stories would prevail and outsmart a witch with nefarious intentions.
During my second year of college, I interned with Head Start. My job was to research the impact of reading aloud to toddlers. I visited 30 families that semester and introduced their little ones to Goodnight Moon, a true classic. The study proved unequivocally that owning and reading books has a positive effect on language and brain development.
Books are the barometer for the stages of my life. Charlotte’s Web, The Secret Garden, Eight Cousins, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, and Little Women were some treasured books in elementary school. Gone with the Wind, Tess of the D’Urbervilles, The Good Earth, The Heart of Darkness, Wuthering Heights, The Old Man and the Sea, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Brave New World, The Catcher in the Rye, Crime and Punishment, Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn, The Grapes of Wrath, To Kill a Mockingbird, 1984, and A Separate Peace are a few of my teenage favorites.
I grew up in a family of readers, I get a little edgy if I don’t have a queue of “to be read” books on my nightstand. The first weeks of “lockdown” in 2020, having read all of my new books, I was forced to re-read books in our home library. Ironically, I found Albert Camus’ The Plague which I had read in French in high school, luckily this copy was in English. The book, which takes place in 1940 is full of symbolism, especially the absurdity of life.
The characters in the book are just living their lives and a plague involving lots and lots of rats simply arrives, there’s no real explanation for it. When local people start dying, the authorities order everyone to stay home. Penguin Classics, publisher of The Plague, struggled to keep up with the demand of the book as it became a bestseller during COVID. Camus’ daughter, Catherine said that the novel had newfound relevance in that “we are not responsible for the coronavirus virus but we can be responsible in the way we respond to it.”
My youngest child, Cece lived in London for six years, four of those attending college. During our visits, my husband, Matt and I would take the Tube to get around the city. We were impressed that the majority of our fellow passengers spent the travel time reading books or newspapers as people worldwide are increasingly choosing their phones over books when they travel. Some say that trend is affecting our ability to concentrate, increasing our stress levels and worsening our language skills. Books on the Underground has launched an initiative that leaves books at tube stations for people to find, read, and return for others to discover.
I enjoy reading a real book and shopping in bookstores. Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach and The Tattered Cover in Denver are two of my favorites. I’m always searching for that life-changing book and I rely on my “bookish” friends for their suggestions. My most recent thought provoking book is When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill.
In honor of books this year UNESCO challenges us to get inspired by finding and reading more paper books. The Dorchester County Library is an amazing resource, I order books from the Library’s website, then I receive an email when the books are ready to be picked up.
“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” – Frederick Douglass
Kate Emery General is a retired chef/restaurant owner that was born and raised in Casper, Wyoming. Kate loves her grandchildren, knitting and watercolor painting. Kate and her husband , Matt are longtime residents of Cambridge’s West End where they enjoy swimming and bicycling.
Susan General Barrett says
Wonderful article!! I always have a book (or stacks of books) close by..since, I too, was a little girl!!
Started with my maternal Grandmother who I was named after & spent all my Summer’s with in Westchester County, NY. I think of her all the time & how she influenced me & my life in so many ways. Thank you Nonna Susan..for always loving me and spoiling me!!❤️❤️