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The Book That Made Me
A book for book lovers!
The Book That Made Me is a celebration of the books that influenced some of the most acclaimed authors from Australia and the world. Inspirational. Affecting.
A perfect collection of personal stories for book lovers!
Personal stories by fantastic authors such as Markus Zusak, Jaclyn Moriarty, Shaun Tan, Mal Peet, Ambelin Kwaymullina, Simon French, Fiona Wood, Simmone Howell, Bernard Beckett, Ursula Dubosarsky, Rachael Craw, Sue Lawson, Felicity Castagna, Benjamin Law, Cath Crowley, Kate Constable, James Roy, Alison Croggon, Will Kostakis and Randa Abdel-Fattah. Also features black and white cartoons by Shaun Tan!
All royalties from the sale of the book will go to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. The book will also include the ILF logo and information about the organisation.
The Book That Made Me is a celebration of the books that influenced some of the most acclaimed authors from Australia and the world. Inspirational. Affecting.
A perfect collection of personal stories for book lovers!
Personal stories by fantastic authors such as Markus Zusak, Jaclyn Moriarty, Shaun Tan, Mal Peet, Ambelin Kwaymullina, Simon French, Fiona Wood, Simmone Howell, Bernard Beckett, Ursula Dubosarsky, Rachael Craw, Sue Lawson, Felicity Castagna, Benjamin Law, Cath Crowley, Kate Constable, James Roy, Alison Croggon, Will Kostakis and Randa Abdel-Fattah. Also features black and white cartoons by Shaun Tan!
All royalties from the sale of the book will go to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. The book will also include the ILF logo and information about the organisation.
256 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2016
36 people are currently reading
1408 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
July 18, 2021
I don't know why I am like this but I love being like this. Because I love reading the reading experiences of everyone - their first books, their early reading memories, how they become readers and what makes them readers today. As long as it is books and reading, I am so ready to listen or read about it.
I loved this book. I was craving for a book about books for weeks and I got this at the right time and ..whoa, it didn't disappoint me.
I can relate well with the authors on how a particular book or books influenced them and make them become better authors or just authors in the first place.
Except for a very few chapters which I found difficult to get into or unable to connect with, I found this collection a rather satisfying read. I have learnt about books I never knew existed! And yes, reading books about books make me add a lot of books to my tbr pile. And this one was no exception.
Loved it.
I loved this book. I was craving for a book about books for weeks and I got this at the right time and ..whoa, it didn't disappoint me.
I can relate well with the authors on how a particular book or books influenced them and make them become better authors or just authors in the first place.
Except for a very few chapters which I found difficult to get into or unable to connect with, I found this collection a rather satisfying read. I have learnt about books I never knew existed! And yes, reading books about books make me add a lot of books to my tbr pile. And this one was no exception.
Loved it.
May 11, 2016
Well, it's my book, so I may be biased, but I didn't write most of it, and I sincerely think the contributions are all 5***** worthy!
August 21, 2016
The Book That Made Me is a wonderful anthology of authors and the books that shaped their lives. It was incredibly charming with an abundance of humour and charm and the underlying message from the majority of authors is about representation and finding themselves within the pages of books.
Author Will Kostakis, who rewrote stories of how they should have been more inclusive, Randa Abdel-Fattah who read books where the diverse character was painted as exotic and found herself within the pages of Melina Marchetta's Looking For Alibrandi.
Ambelin Kwaymullina who writes about the Dreaming and the Western Australian Pilbara where the Palyku community inhabit.
Fiona Wood who had learnt her early life lessons through Anne of Green Gables. One of my favourite authors in Rachael Craw, who dreamt of raven haired, fair skinned, freckled girls unlike snow white who did a lot of housework, fell unconscious and then married the first man that kissed her.
It was the story of Benjamin Law that had me sniggering and laughing out loud. Benjamin's sister seemingly influenced what he avoiding reading, such as VC Andrew's Flowers in the Attic series, imagining being locked in an attic, poisoned and making out with his sister. Reading Dolly Doctor and questioning the amount of feminine discharge female's produced. It was absolutely hilarious. I hadn't actually heard of Benjamin Law before, but I certainly have now.
The story that I found represented myself as a reader was Sue McPherson's experience, who like myself, wasn't interested in books as a child or teen.
It was lovely to be able to connect with some of Australia and New Zealand's finest authors on a level beyond the worlds they create for us. Wonderfully written and a brilliant introduction to both new authors and much loved favourites. Really enjoyed it.
Author Will Kostakis, who rewrote stories of how they should have been more inclusive, Randa Abdel-Fattah who read books where the diverse character was painted as exotic and found herself within the pages of Melina Marchetta's Looking For Alibrandi.
Ambelin Kwaymullina who writes about the Dreaming and the Western Australian Pilbara where the Palyku community inhabit.
I want everyone who will come after me to inherit an Earth bursting with diversity - of species; of voices; of cultures; of ideas.
Fiona Wood who had learnt her early life lessons through Anne of Green Gables. One of my favourite authors in Rachael Craw, who dreamt of raven haired, fair skinned, freckled girls unlike snow white who did a lot of housework, fell unconscious and then married the first man that kissed her.
It was the story of Benjamin Law that had me sniggering and laughing out loud. Benjamin's sister seemingly influenced what he avoiding reading, such as VC Andrew's Flowers in the Attic series, imagining being locked in an attic, poisoned and making out with his sister. Reading Dolly Doctor and questioning the amount of feminine discharge female's produced. It was absolutely hilarious. I hadn't actually heard of Benjamin Law before, but I certainly have now.
The story that I found represented myself as a reader was Sue McPherson's experience, who like myself, wasn't interested in books as a child or teen.
It was lovely to be able to connect with some of Australia and New Zealand's finest authors on a level beyond the worlds they create for us. Wonderfully written and a brilliant introduction to both new authors and much loved favourites. Really enjoyed it.
November 16, 2019
Australian authors write about books that influenced their lives. Found some new titles and authors I'd like to check out.
July 20, 2016
So I might be biased as a contributor to this anthology but damn it, I don't care. This is a delicious book full of heartfelt, hilarious and poignant insights into the impact of literature on impressionable young readers. It's so much fun to see what books influenced which writers and how they shaped their work. :-D
September 28, 2016
What an interesting read this was. Thirty two authors reflect on the book in their childhood or youth that changed them forever. In their case, the one particular book set them on their course to become a writer. It was like having 32 wonderful conversations with a fascinating group of people. I had not heard of many of the authors which shows I should read more young adolescent fiction or fantasy fiction. The editor very sensibly includes a list of every book that is mentioned plus she gives brief biographical details of each of the 32. You could use this book as a reference point for Book Club selections. One book that totally entranced James Roy was Ivan Southall's Josh which won the Carnegie Medal. He was taken by the fact that Southall's use of sentences broke every rule that James Roy had been taught. He recalled reading " Josh drowning." And he knew in that moment that authors have true freedom of creative expression. Each reflection is only around 5 to 7 pages long so this is an easy book to pick up and select an author at random.
April 19, 2020
In 2017 at my favourite Sydney literary event, the Sydney Writers’ Festival, I was browsing Gleebooks’ pop-up bookshop, which is always a source of unique treasures, when I discovered The Book That Made Me, edited by Judith Ridge. The book is a collection of mini-bibliomemoirs. They are personal reflections on books that had a profound impact on the writing life of some well known Australian and New Zealand authors. Each story led me down new pathways, introducing authors and books unfamiliar to me.
All thirty-two mini-bibliomemoirs are interesting, in particular Alison Croggon’s story of reading J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings in one 24-hour sitting when she was ten. (I’ve never been able to achieve a reading session for longer than a couple of hours straight. I can manage a couple of two-hours-sessions within a day, but never straight through.) To be able to do read The Lord of the Rings in one sitting at the age of ten, well … that’s a person who I would identify as a seriously focussed reader. There was so many more anecdotes within each story; it was a good read.
The book supplied some very useful indices, i.e. writers mentioned in the collection; books mentioned in the collection, and; short biographies of each of the contributing writers.
An enjoyable well structured book.
All thirty-two mini-bibliomemoirs are interesting, in particular Alison Croggon’s story of reading J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings in one 24-hour sitting when she was ten. (I’ve never been able to achieve a reading session for longer than a couple of hours straight. I can manage a couple of two-hours-sessions within a day, but never straight through.) To be able to do read The Lord of the Rings in one sitting at the age of ten, well … that’s a person who I would identify as a seriously focussed reader. There was so many more anecdotes within each story; it was a good read.
The book supplied some very useful indices, i.e. writers mentioned in the collection; books mentioned in the collection, and; short biographies of each of the contributing writers.
An enjoyable well structured book.
November 9, 2019
This was a very interesting book to read. I've thought a lot about books that I have read and that have changed me in some way, so it was interesting to discover what books changed well-known authors. The 31 authors are all published, and well-known, but the book is geared toward mostly Australian and English writers, many of whom American children not be familiar with. That is the only drawback for me. I would love to see a similar book done with American and Canadian authors, including authors who had immigrated here as children.
January 30, 2018
Read this review and more on my blog.The Book Return Blog
'The Book That Made Me' is an anthology by several authors that tells about a book that influenced their life. 'The Book That Made Me' gives us a chance to look inside the authors' mind and how they first became inspired to write.
I am not usually big on anthologies. I'm a cover to cover reader and I don't like to skip stories (even if I don't enjoy them). I find that with most anthologies there are stories/essays I love, a few that are ok, and ones I just don't enjoy.
This was the case with the 'The Book That Made Me'. When I started reading I noticed that I only recognized two authors, Markus Zusak author of 'The Book Thief' and Jaclyn Moriarty (whose sister Liane wrote 'Big Little Lies'). After a couple of essays, I realized why. All the authors are either Australian or New Zealanders. Because of this I didn't recognize most of the books that inspired the authors. This left me disconnected from many of the stories.
There were several stories that were inspirational and that I really did love. For example, Cathy Cassidy's story about her love of 'Watership Down'. Will Kostakis' story of how not liking 'Hatchet' inspired him to become a writer. Queenie Chan's discovery of the Manga 'Black Jack', and Jacklyn Moriarty's discovery of the Roald Dahl book 'The Magic Finger'.
There were a few stories that seemed a little boastful, a few that were a little too simple, and two or three that were entirely off topic.
I did love that photo's of the authors when they were young. The sketches in the book seemed out-of-place and like they were inserted into stories where a photo was not provided.
I loved the idea of 'The Book That Made Me'. I also loved that all the royalties will be donated to Australia's Indigenous Literary Fund. I also liked the index at the end. It lists all the books mentioned in the essays. 'The Book That Made Me' was a very unique and inspirational read and one I may refer to back to. I would like to see something similar geared to specified markets of readers such as the American market, Canadian market, British market etc.This review was originally posted on The Book return...
'The Book That Made Me' is an anthology by several authors that tells about a book that influenced their life. 'The Book That Made Me' gives us a chance to look inside the authors' mind and how they first became inspired to write.
I am not usually big on anthologies. I'm a cover to cover reader and I don't like to skip stories (even if I don't enjoy them). I find that with most anthologies there are stories/essays I love, a few that are ok, and ones I just don't enjoy.
This was the case with the 'The Book That Made Me'. When I started reading I noticed that I only recognized two authors, Markus Zusak author of 'The Book Thief' and Jaclyn Moriarty (whose sister Liane wrote 'Big Little Lies'). After a couple of essays, I realized why. All the authors are either Australian or New Zealanders. Because of this I didn't recognize most of the books that inspired the authors. This left me disconnected from many of the stories.
There were several stories that were inspirational and that I really did love. For example, Cathy Cassidy's story about her love of 'Watership Down'. Will Kostakis' story of how not liking 'Hatchet' inspired him to become a writer. Queenie Chan's discovery of the Manga 'Black Jack', and Jacklyn Moriarty's discovery of the Roald Dahl book 'The Magic Finger'.
There were a few stories that seemed a little boastful, a few that were a little too simple, and two or three that were entirely off topic.
I did love that photo's of the authors when they were young. The sketches in the book seemed out-of-place and like they were inserted into stories where a photo was not provided.
I loved the idea of 'The Book That Made Me'. I also loved that all the royalties will be donated to Australia's Indigenous Literary Fund. I also liked the index at the end. It lists all the books mentioned in the essays. 'The Book That Made Me' was a very unique and inspirational read and one I may refer to back to. I would like to see something similar geared to specified markets of readers such as the American market, Canadian market, British market etc.This review was originally posted on The Book return...
September 22, 2017
32 authors, mostly from Australia and New Zealand, contribute short essays on childhood reading that formed them as writers. Fun to read.
October 12, 2016
This was a great book. I always enjoy reading what people say about the books they read as children and it is even more interesting when all those people have turned into authors of one sort or another.
Even though you might think that all the stories would be the same, in fact they are all quite different and all interesting for different reasons. There are several New Zealand authors among the mainly Australian cast of authors and they are mainly writers of children's or young adult fiction. For some writers they were able to pick out just one book that inspired them, but for most it was several. In some cases it was parents that provided access to books, in others a friend or sometimes just a chance encounter.
I loved the fact that Will Kostakis was inspired to write because the book he was made to read at school was so bad that he started writing his own story instead. I liked that others had put books aside for years until at last they picked them up and were hooked.
The book contains the stories of 31 writers, and it points the way not only to their books, but to the ones that inspired them. A magical starting point into hundreds of other stories. Well worth a read, and even better with a worthy cause for the profits - to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.
Even though you might think that all the stories would be the same, in fact they are all quite different and all interesting for different reasons. There are several New Zealand authors among the mainly Australian cast of authors and they are mainly writers of children's or young adult fiction. For some writers they were able to pick out just one book that inspired them, but for most it was several. In some cases it was parents that provided access to books, in others a friend or sometimes just a chance encounter.
I loved the fact that Will Kostakis was inspired to write because the book he was made to read at school was so bad that he started writing his own story instead. I liked that others had put books aside for years until at last they picked them up and were hooked.
The book contains the stories of 31 writers, and it points the way not only to their books, but to the ones that inspired them. A magical starting point into hundreds of other stories. Well worth a read, and even better with a worthy cause for the profits - to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.
December 28, 2016
I love people's stories of the books they love and how reading shaped their lives. You know those "list 10 books that have stayed with you" posts that do the the rounds every so often on social media? I read every bit of everyone's responses. I get a thrill every time someone mentions one of my own favourites and I'm fascinated to hear about all the books I've never come across before. Put that together with all these lovely glimpses into childhood memories and books intertwined with life and I'm in heaven. So, thank you, Judith, for this wonderful collection, it was clearly put together for my particular enjoyment.
June 27, 2019
I'm not exactly sure what I expected from this book. I was hoping maybe I would find book recommendations or fun stories of childhood. Not only did I find neither, but I felt no real point to this book. A few of the stories i loved, however I barely payed attention while reading the others. I have decided i will stick to books with a real plot from now on.
June 4, 2017
An interesting anthology featuring a diverse range of authors. It brought back memories of books that I had read in childhood but had forgotten about, as well as a new selection of books for my future to read list. For Book Lovers.
September 20, 2016
Very enjoyable.
Full review coming soon
Full review coming soon
November 29, 2016
I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!!
June 9, 2019
2.5 I think I would have liked it more if I had known more of the contributing authors, but I do appreciate all their stories of how books changed their lives.
December 21, 2018
The title was similar to another one I was looking up in my library catalog and intrigued me so I checked it out. Turns out it is a collection of essays by writers (of childrens/young adult books) living in New Zealand and Australia. The essays are about these favorite authors favorite or most meaningful books - often from childhood. While I didn't recognize most of the authors it was interesting to see points of view on books from another part of the world. Often they read books set in America and England as children. The interesting part for me was reading how that life was so different from their own - unfortunately, they often didn't say what made their lives so different since they were writing for more of a home audience (not me who experienced and American childhood).
I was losing interest part way through the book and thought about stopping since they were distinct essays so I didn't need to know how a plot ended. However, I'm glad I kept going because one of the later essays I enjoyed and connected with by Brigid Lowry. Plus, Julia Lawrinson wrote about how she "Obsessively identifying with books" which led her to do what I appreciate about books, it allowed her to "identify with people whose experiences were far removed from our own, to inhabit the skin of another for a short, imaginative while."
I was losing interest part way through the book and thought about stopping since they were distinct essays so I didn't need to know how a plot ended. However, I'm glad I kept going because one of the later essays I enjoyed and connected with by Brigid Lowry. Plus, Julia Lawrinson wrote about how she "Obsessively identifying with books" which led her to do what I appreciate about books, it allowed her to "identify with people whose experiences were far removed from our own, to inhabit the skin of another for a short, imaginative while."
January 25, 2025
It’s amazing that all proceeds from this book support Aboriginal communities so it’s worth supporting 👏
I’d love another version of this book with my generation so I could have connected to more specific book titles but if you’re a Boomer or Gen X (or Australian in general), I think you’d have a lot of fun with the cultural references. There are a few books mentioned that I plan to read now too which is cool.
I’d love another version of this book with my generation so I could have connected to more specific book titles but if you’re a Boomer or Gen X (or Australian in general), I think you’d have a lot of fun with the cultural references. There are a few books mentioned that I plan to read now too which is cool.
April 21, 2025
In this collection each author answers the question: The Book That Made Me. As I read these authors answers I considered what books have made me. From books on my shelf that still bear my first "This book belongs to Mary" stamp to library books I've read aloud to my children and then purchased and my yet to be ready stack. It's an intriguing question, a trip down memory lane, and one that is answered over and over again by these Australian authors.
Bookworm Challenge '25: An anthology or collection
Bookworm Challenge '25: An anthology or collection
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February 18, 2017This is an anthology of stories from Australian authors, detailing the book (or books) most responsible for making them who they are as readers, authors and people.
This is the kind of book that every reader will be able to identify with. We all have books that we can point to that make us US. (Matilda is one of mine, as I'm sure thousands of others will agree.)
The stories are both incredibly familiar to me and incredibly foreign. I haven't read many of the novels mentioned, which is awesome (I plan to hit the library!) but the authors' feelings for them? I do know all of them.
Recommended.
This is the kind of book that every reader will be able to identify with. We all have books that we can point to that make us US. (Matilda is one of mine, as I'm sure thousands of others will agree.)
The stories are both incredibly familiar to me and incredibly foreign. I haven't read many of the novels mentioned, which is awesome (I plan to hit the library!) but the authors' feelings for them? I do know all of them.
Recommended.
December 17, 2019
This book was amazing. I loved looking into the lives of so many different writers. Their backgrounds and the way they wrote their mini biographies really showed who they are as people and as writers. I really cannot wait to read more books by these fantastic authors.
February 13, 2017
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Disclaimer: A free copy of this book was received through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Authors are most often also avid readers - and as such the books they read usually influence their lives. Thirty-one authors write about the books that inspired them, changed them or just made them happy. From first childhood reads to books read in middle age, every reader knows the thrill of finding a book that stays with you.
There are a wealth of different stories in this book, along with comics interspersed throughout. The Book that Made Me captures the feelings all readers know of connecting with a specific book and knowing that you have been forever changed. The stories do start to feel a little blended after a while with ones being slightly too similar to distinguish.
Perhaps the most interesting stories are those written by authors of colour. Through these authors stories the importance of diversity in literature is clearly showcased. Several of the authors struggled to find people of their gender, religion or race in books when they were young. Some write because they want to see themselves in stories now in a way they were not able to as a child.
The stories are poignant, funny, touching and in general very well brought together. The childhood photos of the authors bring an incredible power to the stories that follow making it easy to picture the children they once were. However, too may of the stories felt similar to me - of course everyone’s experiences are unique but a few seemed to hit many of the same notes.
I do feel that this anthology will be better received by older readers who might have read more of the books mentioned (I felt very little connection with most of the life-changing books if I’d read them at all) or for fans of any particular author listed. It’s thrilling to read about other people who love books you also love deeply, or to dive into the mind of your favourite author.
The book is interesting either way, and a short read, but because the authors are strangers to me and the books were not ones I adored, it didn’t quite hit a home run. I still deeply enjoyed several stories, but many of then run together already.
Disclaimer: A free copy of this book was received through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Authors are most often also avid readers - and as such the books they read usually influence their lives. Thirty-one authors write about the books that inspired them, changed them or just made them happy. From first childhood reads to books read in middle age, every reader knows the thrill of finding a book that stays with you.
There are a wealth of different stories in this book, along with comics interspersed throughout. The Book that Made Me captures the feelings all readers know of connecting with a specific book and knowing that you have been forever changed. The stories do start to feel a little blended after a while with ones being slightly too similar to distinguish.
Perhaps the most interesting stories are those written by authors of colour. Through these authors stories the importance of diversity in literature is clearly showcased. Several of the authors struggled to find people of their gender, religion or race in books when they were young. Some write because they want to see themselves in stories now in a way they were not able to as a child.
The stories are poignant, funny, touching and in general very well brought together. The childhood photos of the authors bring an incredible power to the stories that follow making it easy to picture the children they once were. However, too may of the stories felt similar to me - of course everyone’s experiences are unique but a few seemed to hit many of the same notes.
I do feel that this anthology will be better received by older readers who might have read more of the books mentioned (I felt very little connection with most of the life-changing books if I’d read them at all) or for fans of any particular author listed. It’s thrilling to read about other people who love books you also love deeply, or to dive into the mind of your favourite author.
The book is interesting either way, and a short read, but because the authors are strangers to me and the books were not ones I adored, it didn’t quite hit a home run. I still deeply enjoyed several stories, but many of then run together already.
August 12, 2019
A version of this review was published on Lost in a Good Book
I picked up this book because there were stories from authors that I love to read and the premise sounded really interesting. There’s always a risk with anthologies that a reader won’t enjoy all the stories equally and unfortunately this was the case for me. Sometimes it is only a few but I found with this collection I couldn’t engage with a lot of the stories. I wanted to enjoy them, I wanted to read about what books had an impact on these writers but I struggled to get through many of the stories. This may be my own personal issue and perhaps it was because they were personal essays and not fictional stories, but I kept putting the book down and finding reasons to skim.
I shouldn’t be too harsh, there are 32 stories in this anthology and some certainly were engaging; they were humorous and fascinating stories about how a single book, whether it was a massive dislike or a fascination with a concept, changed how the author saw the world and shaped who they wanted to be. Will Kostakis told how his hatred of a set book in primary school inspired him to write his own story, Benjamin Law wrote how he fell in love with Roald Dahl and reading things ten year olds probably shouldn't be reading, while so many more mentioned that books were their treasures and offered them an escape. There were stories from indigenous authors and how their culture and stories impacted them, and there’s also voices from minorities in Australia who talk about never seeing themselves in books and how the culture of their parents affected the books they were exposed to.
These stories opened my eyes to how different people had access to different books, some read the same books I had read as a kid, and certainly the age ranges between these authors offered a wider range of books again. The reasons how and why these books made an impact were interesting in themselves, I only wish I enjoyed more of them.
The format was not only essays, there were lists, comics, dot points, poems, and a few people had more than one book that shaped them. A nice surprise were the Shaun Taun illustrations sprinkled throughout. Tan asked random strangers why they read and seeing the responses sprinkled throughout with an accompanying sketch was an adorable and entertaining way to break up the stories.
Even though it wasn’t my favourite anthology, I still enjoyed seeing how so many books, especially ones I had read myself, had such an impact on these authors. Just shows you the true power of reading and how people can read the same book in so many different ways.
I picked up this book because there were stories from authors that I love to read and the premise sounded really interesting. There’s always a risk with anthologies that a reader won’t enjoy all the stories equally and unfortunately this was the case for me. Sometimes it is only a few but I found with this collection I couldn’t engage with a lot of the stories. I wanted to enjoy them, I wanted to read about what books had an impact on these writers but I struggled to get through many of the stories. This may be my own personal issue and perhaps it was because they were personal essays and not fictional stories, but I kept putting the book down and finding reasons to skim.
I shouldn’t be too harsh, there are 32 stories in this anthology and some certainly were engaging; they were humorous and fascinating stories about how a single book, whether it was a massive dislike or a fascination with a concept, changed how the author saw the world and shaped who they wanted to be. Will Kostakis told how his hatred of a set book in primary school inspired him to write his own story, Benjamin Law wrote how he fell in love with Roald Dahl and reading things ten year olds probably shouldn't be reading, while so many more mentioned that books were their treasures and offered them an escape. There were stories from indigenous authors and how their culture and stories impacted them, and there’s also voices from minorities in Australia who talk about never seeing themselves in books and how the culture of their parents affected the books they were exposed to.
These stories opened my eyes to how different people had access to different books, some read the same books I had read as a kid, and certainly the age ranges between these authors offered a wider range of books again. The reasons how and why these books made an impact were interesting in themselves, I only wish I enjoyed more of them.
The format was not only essays, there were lists, comics, dot points, poems, and a few people had more than one book that shaped them. A nice surprise were the Shaun Taun illustrations sprinkled throughout. Tan asked random strangers why they read and seeing the responses sprinkled throughout with an accompanying sketch was an adorable and entertaining way to break up the stories.
Even though it wasn’t my favourite anthology, I still enjoyed seeing how so many books, especially ones I had read myself, had such an impact on these authors. Just shows you the true power of reading and how people can read the same book in so many different ways.
March 27, 2017
Disclaimer: This book was provided to me by Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and we're in no way influenced by the publisher.
When Candlewick Press contacted me asking me if I was interested in this book I was thrilled. I had thought about a book like this in the back of my mind for many years, and I was so excited to see that someone had the same idea I did and turned it into a reality!
This book was such a fun read! You can easily fly through it in a few hours but I really recommend taking your time with this anthology. The way I suggest reading it is to read one story per day. Each story has something you can take away from it and think about later on or throughout your day. I feel like you will get so much more out of it that way.
One way I do think this book could be unenjoyable for people is that this book only contains authors from Australia and New Zealand. Most of the authors in this book are not internationally known, so the reader may not feel a connection with them or their story. I think the way to fix this is before you read each story to go to the back of the book and read the authors little biography, maybe look up their books on Goodreads as well. Who knows? You might find some new books to add to your TBR list. I would love to do the same thing here with American and Canadian authors as well.
I'm not going to have any spoilers in this review, but there are some stories that I would like to highlight as my favourite. Those are: Alison Croggon, Markus Zusak, Kate Constable, Queenie Chan. Of course I didn't really connect with all of the stories, but they were interesting to read nonetheless.
I really loved how this book really didn't put any limits on the stories that these authors could tell. They weren't restricted to one book, they could do multiple books or a series, and there were many mediums used as well; print books, verbal stories, manga, picture books, etc.
I love books so much, that I was constantly absorbed in each story and I couldn't wait to see how reading and which book or books it was that influenced a person and how it changed them. As readers we each have our own stories and books that we connect with and remember nostalgically and this anthology is a treasure trove when it come to that. If you love reading, I recommend that you go out and read this book.
When Candlewick Press contacted me asking me if I was interested in this book I was thrilled. I had thought about a book like this in the back of my mind for many years, and I was so excited to see that someone had the same idea I did and turned it into a reality!
This book was such a fun read! You can easily fly through it in a few hours but I really recommend taking your time with this anthology. The way I suggest reading it is to read one story per day. Each story has something you can take away from it and think about later on or throughout your day. I feel like you will get so much more out of it that way.
One way I do think this book could be unenjoyable for people is that this book only contains authors from Australia and New Zealand. Most of the authors in this book are not internationally known, so the reader may not feel a connection with them or their story. I think the way to fix this is before you read each story to go to the back of the book and read the authors little biography, maybe look up their books on Goodreads as well. Who knows? You might find some new books to add to your TBR list. I would love to do the same thing here with American and Canadian authors as well.
I'm not going to have any spoilers in this review, but there are some stories that I would like to highlight as my favourite. Those are: Alison Croggon, Markus Zusak, Kate Constable, Queenie Chan. Of course I didn't really connect with all of the stories, but they were interesting to read nonetheless.
I really loved how this book really didn't put any limits on the stories that these authors could tell. They weren't restricted to one book, they could do multiple books or a series, and there were many mediums used as well; print books, verbal stories, manga, picture books, etc.
I love books so much, that I was constantly absorbed in each story and I couldn't wait to see how reading and which book or books it was that influenced a person and how it changed them. As readers we each have our own stories and books that we connect with and remember nostalgically and this anthology is a treasure trove when it come to that. If you love reading, I recommend that you go out and read this book.
February 15, 2017
Tried to read this the other day, but just couldn't get into it. I think my trouble was I didn't have any real idea who any of the authors were who wrote the essays in this compilation. Out of all of them I recognized exactly 1. Perhaps I'd have enjoyed it more if I was familiar with the authors because then what books they found inspiration in would have seemed more meaningful. As it was, I couldn't even finish this. I struggled for days with it, and eventually gave up around the 75% mark. Silly not to just push through that last nagging 25%, but I have too many books on my shelf I actually want to read.
Thanks all the same to the author(s), publisher, and NetGalley for giving me a copy for review.
Thanks all the same to the author(s), publisher, and NetGalley for giving me a copy for review.
August 21, 2016
A collection of musings by some of our most talented writers. Each presents the reader with a trip down memory lane to show us a particular book and the circumstances that placed it in their hands. For each author, the book discussed holds a special place in their hearts. Some stand out comments, for me, included Mandy Hager telling us that great fiction 'can either provide a mirror in which to reflect what's going on (in ourselves or our world) or it can become a window (to see into a life or a world other than our own).' The late Mal Peet describing his approach to his school library as 'a bookworm dipped in Red Bull.' And James Roy sharing an experience very similar to my own, of discovering that all those strict grammar rules drummed into us at school in the 70s were being gleefully and wilfully ignored by authors all around us! I thoroughly recommend this book. It offers so much. And, of course, this book got me thinking about the book that made ME. Since I'm not an author, it's not the same, but I have certainly been profoundly moved by a huge range of fiction since I was tiny. From my childhood, the picture book, The No Such Thing has lived with me, from my teens, Vivian Stuart's The Settlers series inspired a lifelong fascination with Australian colonial history, and more recently, the works of Tim Winton, Marcus Zusak and William McInnes have given voice to my deep love of the ordinary Australian.
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October 13, 2016A book for book lovers!
The Book That Made Me is a celebration of the books that influenced some of the most acclaimed authors from Australia and the world. Inspirational. Affecting.
A perfect collection of personal stories for book lovers!
Personal stories by fantastic authors such as Markus Zusak, Jaclyn Moriarty, Shaun Tan, Mal Peet, Ambelin Kwaymullina, Simon French, Fiona Wood, Simmone Howell, Bernard Beckett, Ursula Dubosarsky, Rachael Craw, Sue Lawson, Felicity Castagna, Benjamin Law, Cath Crowley, Kate Constable, James Roy, Alison Croggon, Will Kostakis and Randa Abdel-Fattah. Also features black and white cartoons by Shaun Tan!
All royalties from the sale of the book will go to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. The book will also include the ILF logo and information about the organisation.
The Book That Made Me is a celebration of the books that influenced some of the most acclaimed authors from Australia and the world. Inspirational. Affecting.
A perfect collection of personal stories for book lovers!
Personal stories by fantastic authors such as Markus Zusak, Jaclyn Moriarty, Shaun Tan, Mal Peet, Ambelin Kwaymullina, Simon French, Fiona Wood, Simmone Howell, Bernard Beckett, Ursula Dubosarsky, Rachael Craw, Sue Lawson, Felicity Castagna, Benjamin Law, Cath Crowley, Kate Constable, James Roy, Alison Croggon, Will Kostakis and Randa Abdel-Fattah. Also features black and white cartoons by Shaun Tan!
All royalties from the sale of the book will go to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. The book will also include the ILF logo and information about the organisation.
April 2, 2017
I've always been fascinated by listening to stories of the influences that shaped people's career trajectories, especially the paths of writers. In The Book That Made Me, Judith Ridge brings together over thirty writers (from Australia and New Zealand) who share their early influences. At first, I wondered if I would be interested in unfamiliar writers, but this proved not to be a problem. Each essay was honest, poignant, and showed again and again how books can take us out of our everyday lives, help us feel understood, and give us courage. I know that books made a difference in my life; read how they made a difference in the lives of these successful authors.
NetGalley shared an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
NetGalley shared an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 24, 2017
This is a collection of anecdotes from talented writers about books that have been significant to their lives in some way. There is a huge variety, both in the kinds of books mentioned and in the ways they impacted people. I loved it (I think my favourite was Will Kostakis's account of how he was "made" by a book which he hated and put down after 6 pages). This could be an excellent resource for teachers whose classes may be studying one of the books mentioned, a book by one of the authors or illustrators who contributed, or text types such as anecdote and creative non-fiction. Bonus points for all royalties donated to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.
This and other 5-sentence reviews from 2017 can be found on my blog at www.justkeepreiding.com
This and other 5-sentence reviews from 2017 can be found on my blog at www.justkeepreiding.com
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