How Reading Changed My Life (Library of Contemporary Thought)

by Anna Quindlen
How Reading Changed My Life (Library of Contemporary Thought)  
published 1998 by Ballantine Books
binding Paperback
isbn 0345422783   (isbn13: 9780345422781)
pages 96
description A recurring theme throughout Anna Quindlen's How Reading Changed My Life is the comforting premise that readers are never alone. "There wa...more
date added
02-16-07



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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 218)



Tracey
Tracey rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
12/19/07

bookshelves: libraryread
Read in January, 2004
I believe this was a recommendation from Anne Fadiman's Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader - at any rate, I checked this slim volume out from the library & devoured it in less than an hour.

Quindlen looks at her relationship with books, believing that her dissatisfaction with her life (albeit a safe, suburban childhood) spurred her interest in reading, as books could take her to other places and other...more
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Cat
Cat rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
04/23/07

bookshelves: non-fiction
Read in April, 2007
Fav. Quote- "Reading makes immigrants of us all. It takes us away from home, but, most important, it finds homes for us everywhere." Hazel Rochman

It is a book I would recommend to a) anyone who loves books and b) anyone working with youth. Quindlen explains the process of how she became a life-long reader. She also addresses the issue of technology and how that affects literacy. I found the book an important reminder that reading is for enjoyment. I found many of her points interes...more
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jennifer
jennifer rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
04/20/08

bookshelves: editorial
Read in January, 2008
recommends it for: literature lovers
LOVE. LOVE anna quindlen. read to see how one of my favorite columnist fell in love with reading. seems all great writers do. worthwhile to see all the literary influences in her life and humbling to realize, as someone who feels well read, to see how much i haven't read - as "someone who had been a reader all her life, whose world had been immeasurably enlarged by the words of others".
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Haylee
Haylee rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
02/17/08

bookshelves: read-in-2008
Read in February, 2008
recommended to Haylee by: a friend
recommends it for: Readers and writers
Not a bad quickie to pass an hour or so. It wasn't the most interesting reading/writing centered essay I have ever read, but it was still quite good. It's always wonderful to rediscover how many people there are our there who are just like me. She also has some really good book lists in the back and added several books to my "to-read" list. Reader? Writer? Go ahead a pick this one up.
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Donalyn
Donalyn rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
01/27/08

Read in January, 2008
recommended to Donalyn by: Mary Cundiff- my bff
recommends it for: people who love reading more than almost anything else
Anna Quindlen, famous author and columnist, offers a 70 page essay on books and how reading has affected her as a person and as a writer.
If I had tabbed or underlined every breathtaking line about the power of reading, my book would have looked like a porcupine. I share so many of Quindlen's feelings about reading, but she is able to state them much more eloquently than I could.
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Peg
Peg rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
12/27/07

Read in December, 2007
recommends it for: quindlen fans
Her accountof loving reading more than any other activity on earth hits close to home for those of us who also find great sustenance from voracious reading. Of particular note is the appendix with about a dozen lists of her top 10 books in categories such as: 10 books I love to read and always will,10 books recommended by a really good elementary school teacher, etc.
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Debbie
Debbie rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
08/05/07

recommends it for: readers
Always interesting to read about the books that people just can't live without. We know that reading can change lives...so it's cool to learn what books shaped Ann Quindlen's life. Some are books that I love...some I hadn't read. Kind of like a goodreads from her to us!
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Elsie
Elsie rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
03/06/08

Read in March, 2008
Somewhere along the line my love of reading got side tracked but I fully understand where Quindlen is coming from and we have lost something precious when our children's favorite literature is a movie and not a book. Imagination is everything.
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Kathy
Kathy rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
10/03/07

Read in August, 2007
recommends it for: anyone who loves to read
I really enjoy Anna Quinlen's style. I have read several of her other works and have loved them all. I found her book lists, as well as individual books she discussed, to be in line with the style of writing I prefer.
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Emmi
Emmi rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
09/26/07

Read in February, 2001
A nice little book about being a reader. I didn't like when she said that a real reader is also a writer (not always true!!) but other than that I related to it a lot.
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Kristen
Kristen rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
07/29/07

bookshelves: goodnonfiction
Read in January, 2007
A great book about books and reading. The best part of this book was all the lists she has at the end of it. Great reading suggestions.
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Lucy
Lucy rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
05/11/07

bookshelves: books-language, the-mile
Read in March, 2001
A sweet book--I like the book lists she compiles at the end. It always interests me to see what writers are reading.
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Jehnie
Jehnie rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
05/10/08

bookshelves: currently-reading
Read in January, 2008
I wanna be Anna Quindlen. This essay has some great quotes and some great insight into why we read.
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Laura
Laura rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
01/31/08

Read in January, 2008
A lovely retrospective for all of us who had to be forced to "put down that stupid book".
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Charlton
Charlton rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
04/26/07

bookshelves: self-help
Read in April, 2007
recommends it for: Anyone that enjoys reading
Valuable insights into the art of reading by an experienced novelist and columnist.
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Sarah
Sarah rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
11/11/07

Read in December, 2004
i LOVE books about books...
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Jesi
Jesi rated it: 1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars1 of 5 stars
05/13/08

bookshelves: required-reading
Read in January, 2006
recommended to Jesi by: Required summer reading for 9th Grade English Class
Heh. More like hated it.
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Jody
Jody rated it: 4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars4 of 5 stars
10/02/07

 

Melinda
Melinda rated it: 3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars3 of 5 stars
01/01/08

Read in January, 2008
 

Andrea
Andrea rated it: 5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars
06/14/07

 


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book data (includes all editions)

avg rating (all editions): 3.62 (134 ratings)
avg rating (this edition): 3.62 (134 ratings)
number of reviews: 17






other editions

How Reading Changed My Life (Library Binding)
How Reading Changed My Life (Turtleback)









quote

"...the joy of someone who had been a reader all her life, whose world had been immeasurably enlarged by the words of others. " more quotes »