精品文檔-下載后可編輯閱讀教給我的人生Nature.Nurture.Novels.Ifyougrewuppreinternet―we’retalkingthe70sand80s（“theoldendays”，asmydaughtercallsit）―booksbroughtyouup，1）exertingasmuchinfluenceonwhoyouwereandwhoyoubecameasanything，oranyone.MyschoolfriendsandI，somebookish，othersnot，allreadourselvesintobeingandnavigatedourwaythroughthewildsofchildhoodandadolescencewith2）dog-earednovelsasmaps.Therewasn’tmuchelsetodo.Andyouhadtogetyourinformationfromsomewhere.

Parents―3）laissez-fairebabyboomers（4）helicopterparentinghadn’tbeeninvented）―weren’tparticularlyinterestedand，ifasked，wouldusuallysendyouoffinthewrongdirection，tothewrongbookshelf，tosomethingdusty―“Oh，IlovedVanityFairatyourage！”―notunderstandingourcravingforfatbookswithsilver-5）embossedcovers，smellingofhormonesandairportsandAmerica，pagecornersstickyfromrereading，booksthatshowedusdazzlingnewworlds―outsidethesuburb，beneathourskirts―andhadallthebestlines.

AtatimewhenTVwasrubbish，thelocallibrarywasarefugeandacomputergamemeant6）PacMan，weread7）ferociously，withoutcynicismorsnobbery，inhabitingeverypage，dreamreaders―firstaskids，thenunderthe8）duvetwithacampingtorch，thenasyoungteens―anditinfluencedwhowewere，whowebecame.

It’sallstillthere：wearewhatweread.Thecurrentteengenerationwillleavebehindahugedigitalfootprint―endlessmortifyingphotos，videos，texts―butweleftlittle，afewred-eyedsnaps，somescratched9）vinylrecordsandalong，belovedreadinglistspanningMaloryTowerstoSweetValleyHigh，AdrianMoletoAnneofGreenGables.

Atatimewhentalkingtochildrenaboutemotionswasseenaslargelyunnecessary―“Nope，life’snotfair，”distractedparentswouldshrug―booksfilledinchildhood’sloneliergaps，madeusfeelbetter，alittlemoreunderstood.

Forsweet，brutaljusticetherewasRoaldDahl―VerucaSalthaditcoming.ThesisterlesshadLittleWomen（“WhatwouldJodo？”）.Forthefantasyofheartysiblingadventureonboatswhilewe10）squabbledinthelandlockedshires，TheFamousFive―althoughthebestthingaboutEnidBlytonwasthatshewasso11）prolific，itmeantyou’dalmostneverrunoutofbooks.Andifyouwerea12）latchkeykid，therewasthehappypossibilityofstumblingintoyourveryownsecretgarden，apatchofthe13）recbehindthebrokenswingthatcouldbeyours，somewhereyoucouldreadundisturbedwithoutbeingcalleda14）swot.Whenthingsgotreallybad―bulliedatschool，forcedtosharethedampest，smallestbedroomwithyourmostannoyingbrother―well，atleastyouweren’tatGatesheadHallwithpoorJaneEyre.

When15）pubertyhit，bookscouldsaveyourlife，certainlysaveface.Schoolsexeducationmergedwithworryingdiagrams，forcingustoretreattothewarmbathofJudyBlume’snovels―AreYouThereGod？It’sMe，MargaretandForeverinparticular.IfBlumeknewwhatcrushesandperiodsandbeing13feltlike，JillyCooperknewallaboutthedizzyingpossibilitiesofaridingcropandstuddedourdreamswithRupertCampbell-Black.Inaparagraph，JackieCollinscouldtransportusfroma16）grubbybunkbedtoaHollywoodfourposter.WhileShirleyConran，authoroftheunsurpassableLace，introducedustokick-asscareerwomen.

Wordofmouthwaseverything.Ifyourbestmatedidn’trateit，itprobablywasn’tworthreading.Itwasalwaysaboutthestoryandcharacters，nevertheauthor，whousuallylookedasdrearyasanyothergrownupinthejacketphotoandwho，likeyourparents，somehowgotinthewayoftheexperience.Cultbookswereheatedlypassedfromonegirltoanother，dissectedlateintoasleepover，heldaboveourheadsaswesunbathedcoveredinbaby-oilinparks，borrowed，“l(fā)ost”，reluctantlyreturned.Infinitelyprecious，theywouldtellyouthingsthatevenyour17）ballsiestbigsisterdidn’tknow，thatyourmotherdidn’tthinkyoushouldknow.So18）subversive，theywerethrillinglyneverstockedintheschoollibrary.VirginiaAndrews’FlowersintheAtticwasone，abrilliantly19）implausiblesagaofanevilgrandmother.Betterstill，itwaspartofaseries，likeallthebestbooks.Youcouldcreatecollections.NothingbeatthesightofmysacredAndrewsbooks―allboughtwithhard-earnednewspaperroundmoney―lineduponmybookshelf，inorder.

Weread“proper”literaturetoo，not20）givingahootaboutgenresorcriticalacclaim，onlyaboutthebook.Itrockedoritdidn’t.Itwassilent，oritspoketous―stillthebesttestIthink.IreadJeanetteWinterson’sOrangesAreNottheOnlyFruitoverandover，feelingforeverchangedbyit.TheCatcherintheRyewhisperedinourear，disruptively，likeourcleverest，mostcynicalfriendduringassembly，crossingdecadesan