The Read With Us Lounge: My Mother’s Influence

I would not be the reader that I am today were it not for my mother.

She read picture books to me when I was a child. She supported the efforts of my kindergarten teachers, who had me reading before first grade. She brought me to the library every week. I still remember the thrill of finally being old enough to browse the children’s room by myself while she headed to the adult section to choose her own books. We would meet back at the circulation desk, where she would look over my selections. She asked me questions, encouraged me to talk about what I’d read, and even about the books I’d decided not to read.

She encouraged and nurtured a strong reading habit because she herself was an avid reader. She was almost always in the middle of a book, usually a current bestseller. She loved historical fiction, women’s fiction, and the occasional mystery. I remember many evenings, especially when my father was traveling for work, when the two of us would sit together in the den, each reading our own book instead of watching television.

When I was in seventh grade and had exhausted the children’s collection, she signed the permission slip that allowed me to get an adult library card. The very first book I checked out from the adult fiction section was The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough.

I only remember one time she objected to something I was reading. I was in eighth grade, and I’d borrowed Go Ask Alice from a friend without telling her. She found it in my room, took it from me, and read it herself. Then she came back and talked with me about it. She had concerns about the language and the subject matter and wondered if I was too young for it, but instead of simply forbidding it, we had a thoughtful conversation and came to an understanding.

Looking back, I’m so grateful that my mother raised me to be a reader. She taught me to love libraries, literature, and the joy of talking about books with other people. Those gifts have shaped not only my career, but so much of who I am.

Who influenced you as a reader?