I sat entire summers under our enormous tree in the front of the house devouring all of the books stashed away in boxes in the basement -Katie Kittenheart, Pippi Longstocking, Sister of the Bride, and eventually, Little Women and The Effects of Gamma Rays on Man in the Moon Marigolds. Then I read new or borrowed ones like the entire Little House on the Prairie series, Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, Dr. Kildare (these three collections arrived one day on the doorstep from a favorite aunt, throw aways!), and eventually, Are You There God, It’s Me, Margaret?

And then there was The Catcher in the Rye. Its stream of consciousness style and nonchalant-take-it-or-leave-it-feel unlocked within me my own need to purge words. Poetry, voluminous letters to friends and siblings, extra credit essays done for fun, and literary magazine entries all began to flow freely and with an ease I still cannot explain. I became (and still am) obsessed with lyrics and movie quotes.

I have some more contemporary favorites whose work I find unforgettable - John Irving, Wally Lamb, Nick Hornby, Stephen King, to name a few…and one book that stands out as a fave, just in case you’re curious - A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers. Also, I’d like to give a shout out to Michael Cunningham’s The Hours, both the book and the movie. Exquisite.

It’s all words…just words…only words…but their strength and reliability are unflinching.