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Tuesday, February 02, 2021

A Nostalgic Top Ten Tuesday, Or, A TTT In Which I Admit to Being Really Old


I'm old.  Let's just start with that.  I know I'm not the most senior book blogger out there—in age or in the length of time I've been blogging—but I'm certainly on the "aged" end of both spectrums.  Don't faint, but I was born back in the Dark Ages: 1975.  Gerald Ford was president of the United States, bell bottoms were all the rage, "Love Will Keep Us Together" by Captain & Tennille was rocking the No. 1 spot on the music charts, and James Michener held that honor on the New York Times bestseller list for his novel Centennial. The big news that year was, of course, my birth in a little tiny town in Washington State.  Just kidding, although it was eventful since I arrived in the middle of a big snowstorm that stranded my mom's ob/gyn at the bottom of the hill to the hospital, leaving an intern in charge of my arrival (which probably explains a lot about me).  Ha ha.  

If you were starting to wonder what all this rambling has to do with the price of gas (it was 53 cents/gallon in 1975), it's because of today's nostalgic Top Ten Tuesday topic:  Top Ten Books That Were Written Before I Was Born.  Since I'm so ancient, there are a lot of books that were penned long before I showed up on this earth.  I'm not a huge classics reader, so I haven't actually read most of them.  Ten favorites did come to mind, though.  

If you want to join in the TTT fun and share your own list, click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the info.

Top Ten Books That Were Written Before I Was Born     



1.  To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (published 1960)—This timeless classic is my favorite book of all time.  I re-read it every few years because I love it so much.


2.  Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (1868)—I adore this book as well.  I've read it numerous times and am actually listening to it on audio right now.  Although it's definitely outdated in some ways, it still delights me with its warmth and charm.  


3.  Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (1936)—This sweeping one-hit wonder has always captivated me.


4.  Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (1908)—There's just no other character quite like Anne Shirley!  You have to love her fiery personality and all the many scrapes and adventures it gets her into.


5.  A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (1843)—This holiday classic is the only Dickens book I've actually read (it's short), but I adore it so much that I re-read it every year to help get me in the Christmas spirit.

6.  Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene (1930-1985)—Although some of the installments were published after my birth, most of these beloved mysteries came out before I did.  They were huge favorites of mine when I was young.


7.  And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (1939)—I love mysteries, but I haven't read very many genre classics.  This famous locked-room whodunit is the exception as I've read and enjoyed it several times.  


8.  Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (1847)—It's actually only been a few years since I first read this classic.  I adored it and need to re-read it soon.


9.  Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder (1932-1971)—I was a huge Little House fan (both of the books and the t.v. show) when I was a kid.


10.  Poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (about 1839-1892)—I've never been a big poetry fan.  Most poems are too abstract for me and just make me feel dumb.  Longfellow's poetry is different.  It rhymes!  It makes sense!  Admittedly, I haven't read all of his verse (not even close), but I've always liked what I have read by him.

There you go, ten of my favorite books that were published before my birth.  Do we have any in common?  Which of your most beloved reads preceded you into the world?  I'd truly love to know.  Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

Happy TTT!

64 comments:

  1. I read three of the books you have on your list. Lol. I probably have a lot of these type of books on my shelves -- unread.

    Thanks for sharing, Susan!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm not big on classics, unfortunately, so I have a lot of them sitting on my shelves unread as well. There are many that I WANT to read, I just never actually do it, you know?

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting!

      Delete
  2. Great list! I really want to read some more Agatha Christie too - I loved 'The Secret of Roger Ackroyd'. There was a really good film of And Then there were none a couple of years ago as well - It had a great cast anyway!

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    1. Really? I've never seen a movie version of ATTWN. I'll have to see if I can find it somewhere online. Sounds fun.

      Thanks for stopping in, Catherine!

      Delete
  3. Reading your list is like a trip down memory lane - so many good ones here! Can you believe I STILL have not read Gone with the Wind though??

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    Replies
    1. Really? It's a great book. I first read it when I was in high school, I think. I re-read it after a visit to Atlanta and the Margaret Mitchell House as an adult. I hope you get to it eventually!

      Thanks for coming by, JoAnn!

      Delete
  4. My daughter was just asking me last night if I read any Nancy Drew books and I told her Yes! I think she would like them. Thanks for stopping by :)

    Colletta

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    Replies
    1. I haven't re-read any of the Nancy Drew mysteries as an adult. I wonder what I would think of them now??

      Thanks for stopping in, Colletta!

      Delete
  5. Ahem... I'm a bit older than you are and notice I still call myself a bookgirl. Yes, I'm living in denial :)
    Great list of books with so many favorites. And, loved all the tidbits about your birth year!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha ha. Well, age is just a number, right? I had fun looking up what was what in 1975. It seems like SOOOO long ago!

      Thanks for coming by, Iliana!

      Delete
  6. well, I'm way more ancient than you, lol. Still of all these And Then There Were None is my favorite

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha ha. I'm glad someone is! Sometimes I feel like a relic in the book blogging world, so I'm glad there are others my age and older out there with me :) It makes for a nice variety of tastes, experiences, etc.

      Thanks for stopping in, Emma!

      Delete
  7. Lots of great stories in here! And I'm even older than you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree. These are some of my very favorite books of all time :)

      Thanks for coming by, Cindy!

      Delete
  8. You are not that old... I have you beat by 6 years!! I'm in my 50s. :-)

    Love your list of books. I enjoyed reading To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yay! I love that there are so many bloggers out there in their 40's, 50's, and 60's. Makes me feel less ancient! LOL.

      Thanks for stopping in!

      Delete
  9. Oh I loved Little Women and hope to re-read it sometime soon :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm really enjoying listening to the story on audio this time around. I'm glad I'm not the only fan :)

      Thanks for coming by, Lindsey!

      Delete
  10. OK, seriously, Susan, let's not talk about you being old and being born in 1975. I graduated high school that year! LOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha ha ha! Okay, I guess I'm not THAT old, at least compared to some people :)

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting (and for making me laugh), Kay!

      Delete
  11. I’m a 1978 baby so I share your pain! I love your list especially Nancy Drew.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha ha. I actually don't mind being in my 40's. Honestly, you couldn't pay me to go back to my 20's anyway!

      Thanks for stopping in, Heather!

      Delete
  12. If it makes you feel better, you're younger than me. I loved the Nancy Drew and Little House books as a kid. Good times!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It does make me feel better! Thanks, Sam :)

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting!

      Delete
  13. I was a huge Little House fan too. And I love seeing Nancy Drew!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Somehow, the Little House books and show made pioneer/homestead life look really appealing! LOL.

      Thanks for stopping by, Greg!

      Delete
  14. Little House!! I loved Nancy Drew too!! I also don't think you are ancient! :-) Great list of books though!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha ha. Thanks, Leslie! I have a lot of health problems, so I think I feel older than I actually am.

      Thanks for coming by!

      Delete
  15. LOL - you are not old. my daughter was born in 1975 as well. I've read 5 of the books from those years.

    BTW - when I started driving gasoline was 29-30 cents a gallon and a loaf of bread was about the same price. My fits 6-room house with 1-car garage cost $19,000!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Those prices are INSANE. I can't imagine! I remember gas being 99 cents/gallon at one point during high school, but that's the lowest I can remember. And a 6-bedroom house for $19,000? Unheard of!

      Thanks for stopping by, Diane!

      Delete
  16. I was really surprised you didn't get more comments on how young you are. I was born in 1948 and that is something to complain about. Or be happy about, whichever way you want to look at it.

    I do like the books on your list.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've actually been surprised by how many have commented that they're older than me! I love that there are so many of us who are in our 40's and above.

      Thanks for coming by, Tracy!

      Delete
  17. Well, I am 2 years older than you and I don't think that I am old. I am not a kid anymore but I still have a lot of things to do and am able to do them (most of them anyway). Great list. I loved those Little House books and show.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Same, but there are times when I definitely feel my age. Physically for sure. Also, my two oldest have recently moved out (one got married, one went to college), so lately I've been feeling like a veritable senior citizen. It's a different stage of life for me!

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Carole!

      Delete
  18. If you’re old, my dear, then I am about to fall into the grave!! I’ve read all of these 10 books except A Christmas Carol, but I’ve seen many versions of the movie, of course! I have about 50 of the original printings of Nancy Drew from the 40s that were given to me from the assistant to my orthodontist mother when I was 11 because I always carried one of them with me to read while I waited for my appt. I wasn’t born anywhere close to the 40s though! I really need to get them appraised, they might be worth a few bucks. During my 20s I read Gone with the Wind and went on an Agatha Christie kick and read dozens of those because I adore mysteries. Little House on the Prairie books I read over and over again as a child.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, you have to read A CHRISTMAS CAROL! It's a short, easy read. How fun that you have your Nancy Drews. I wonder what happened to the copies I had as a kid - probably got taken to D.I. at some point! I love that yours were given to you because someone could tell how much you loved them - that's awesome. I've never read much Christie, but I've read GWTW several times and I read the Little House books repeatedly as a kid, same as you. Oldies but goodies (us and our favorite books)!

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Kimberley!

      Delete
  19. I'm loving your list. It's just loaded with my favorites. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Right? I've seen a lot of my picks on other lists this week, which makes sense - they're classic, beloved books for lots of reasons.

      Thanks for stopping by, Suzanne!

      Delete
  20. I've read pretty much all of these :) And you're not old (although I do feel like that sometimes). Happy reading!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have to say, everyone's comments are helping me feel younger! LOL. I should have told you all my age sooner :)

      Thanks for coming by, Natalie!

      Delete
  21. Great list! I can't believe I forgot to put Nancy Drew on mine, considering it essentially consumed my entire life for a solid 4-5 months when I was 9.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha ha. Same! I was Nancy Drew obsessed for a long time.

      Thanks for stopping in!

      Delete
  22. You're not THAT old. There are a few books here that couldn't get on my list because I'm older than they are!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha ha. I stuck with books that were published WAAAYYY back when so I wouldn't have that problem!

      Thanks for coming by, Davida!

      Delete
  23. Haha, yes, admitting to be really old. LOL.
    I read all of your books except for #s 6 and 10. Mind you, "To Kill a Mockingbird" was written after my time, so know we know it, I am older than you. 😉

    Thanks for visiting my TTT earlier.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I honestly didn't realize how many of us book bloggers are in our 40's and beyond. So awesome!

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Marianne!

      Delete
    2. Oh, I'm definitely beyond, dear Susan. LOL

      Delete
  24. Love this list! I forgot all about Nancy Drew, I read so many of those novels when I was younger. And TKAM is also one of my favorites. P.S. You are not old :) Happy you are blogging.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. There's just something special and timeless about TKAM, isn't there? I never tire of re-reading it and I'm not a person who likes to re-read books, even favorites.

      Thanks for stopping in!

      Delete
  25. I'm born less than 10 years after you, so we aren't old ;) Blogging ain't for the youngin's anymore HAHA!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha ha. We're young at heart! I keep saying this, but I seriously did not realize how many "older" book bloggers there are out there. I love it! Makes me happy :)

      Thanks for coming by!

      Delete
  26. Seeing Nancy Drew on your list brings back a flood of memories. I absolutely loved those books!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Same. They were a big part of my childhood reading and probably the reason I still love mysteries today.

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Helen!

      Delete
  27. I don't read many classics but I'll have to add some Agatha Christie to my list. There must be a reason her books are so popular!

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    1. I've realized that I don't really like Christie's writing style. Her books are easy reads, but they're also just kind of stale for me. AND THEN THERE WERE NONE is the only one I really, really like of hers (although, admittedly, I've only read three). I hope you like her if you try her!

      Thanks for stopping in, AB!

      Delete
  28. That's a great topic and I enjoyed reading your list, Susan. I definitely read Nancy Drew's growing up and I really miss those classic covers, too.

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    1. The classic covers are super fun, aren't they? I smile every time I see one because they're just so very nostalgic!

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Melody!

      Delete
  29. Gone With the Wind is one of the few books I’ve read twice. And I was in middle school (Junior High) in 1975, so you’re just a baby ;)

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    1. I've never been a big re-reader, but I HAD to re-read GWTW again after visiting Atlanta. The story came alive for me so much more after having just visited the area where it was set.

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Annette!

      Delete
  30. We're the same age!! I was also born in 1975 (although I didn't admit it on my post. ;)) AND I was born during a snow storm, too, but in Texas--which doesn't happen anymore. Ha! Love your list!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow, we're like long-lost birth twins! I'm sure snow storms are rarer in Texas than in Washington State, though, so you win :)

      Thanks for stopping by, Dedra!

      Delete
    2. I tried to go check out your TTT post and some random website came up every time I tried to click on a post. Did you get hacked?

      Delete
  31. Little House, Little Women, little Anne of Green Gables...you've hit the trifecta of great girl classics!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Right? Such great books! I'm so glad I read them as a kid :)

      Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, RS!

      Delete

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