Now, let me introduce my love of books. Mostly vintage school books, but just books in general.
I think my bookworm days started back when I was a child. My mother read to me religiously, and my Nana was an avid reader, so I came by it naturally.
I have read every night for years (I took a short hiatus from reading when I was nursing and had small babies. I found I could not keep my eyes open to read the words "Once upon a time....")
I love series. I have fond memories of going with my mom to get books at Betty's Book Rack, a wonderful independent bookseller. The first series I remember reading was by John D. Fitzgerald called The Great Brain. I was in the 4th grade.
The Great Brain is a series about the escapades of J.D.'s mischevious and money-loving older brother, Tom. The series is loosely based on the authors actual childhood experiences. Tom, aka The Great Brain, is a sweet-talking con artist with a genius for making a profit. Whether he's charging admission to see Papa's new water closet, the first in town or teaching a boy with a peg leg that he is not useless, Tom's great brain turns every situation to his advantage.
If you have not read this series, you really should. Even as an adult, it is funny to read about the things children got away with back in the day!
Then, I moved on to Beverly Cleary and her delicious character Ramona Quimby.
Her escapades always made me giggle. And her relationship with her older sister Beezus, who always did things by the book, made me think of my relationship with my sister. I am sure she will concur that, like Ramona, I was able to fill the role of pesky little sister.
As an adult, my tastes have changed quite a bit when it comes to books. I ravaged the Harry Potter series, along with Twilight. I love fantasy books and my favorite series recently is the Charlaine Harris Sookie Stackhouse Series.
Thanks to my godmother, I was delivered the entire series, and I read the initial 7 books in a matter of weeks. I purchased book 8 and book 9 immediately and am now a TrueBlood groupie.
But, my true love, are the vintage school books I run across once in a blue moon. I was at my local library the other day and they were having a book sale. People purge their bookshelves and donate them to the library. The library then sells them and turns a small profit.
This is what I found:
A compendium of delightful 1930's and beyond vintage books.
All for $.25 each. Perfect for this vintage book hoarder.
The covers are my favorite parts.
Like this precious green linen cover on this mathematics textbook.
Or this music class book:
Or this music book. I love their faces!
This reader just screams 1940's to me:
And this health book reminds me of a time when Health was an actual course:
I love this book with Irish Setters on the front. We had dear friends growing up with an Irish Setter named Tex. Brings back great memories.
I also love the simplicity of this English Textbook:
All of these books are so original and so hard to find.
I am glad I went to the library that day. Glad I had $4 cash on me. Glad some sweet little old lady knew better than to throw these rare books away.
But most of all, I am glad for technology that makes it possible for me to share these finds with you.
