Trip Down Memory Lane

Trip Down Memory Lane

• Feb 5, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Every week they post a new topic/Top Ten list and invite everyone to share their own answers. I'm so obsessed with lists!

Top Ten Best Bookish Memories

1. Grandmothers Who Love to Read

I've mentioned this on the blog before, but I'm blessed to have two grandmothers who both love to read. It's so fun to be able to talk books with both of them, especially since my parents are huge readers. My Grammy would actually buy me books for birthdays and holidays and would always write the date and a sweet note on the first page. I love pulling them off my shelves and looking at what she's given me over the years. Such sweet memories!

2. Savannah From Savannah in Paris

I went to a small private high school, and one thing I got to do through school was go on a two-week summer trip to Europe with some of my classmates. It was an incredible trip for many reasons, but there is one bookish memory that fits with this theme. My friends I fell in love with the Savannah books (Savannah from Savannah, Savannah Comes Undone and Savannah By the Sea) by author Denise Hildreth. I got everyone hooked and Savannah from Savannah made the rounds with my group of friends. We didn't get to visit Paris, but we did have a long layover in the Paris airport. While many students slept, my friend I pulled out our books and spent some time with our new Southern sister. The picture on the right shows my copy today - worn in and well-loved from all its adventures abroad! 

3. Dear America With My Cousin

My cousin, Rachel, and I would usually see each other in the summers and during Thanksgiving break. We didn't live in the same state, so we had to wait for family vacations to spend time together. And when we were little, we fell head over heels in love with the Dear America books. We were so obsessed with them that we once tried to convince two little girls we were hanging out with at the playground that our names with Elizabeth and Marie and we've moved to Arkansas from England and France, respectively. I still get tickled thinking about it today!

4. Read-Alongs With My Cousin

Rachel and I still live in different states (sad!), but we also still love to read. Recently, we've started reading books "together" (at the same time) and texting or calling each other to discuss said book. It's like a book club with two members. Our current read is Les Miserables and there's nothing I love more than a text from her saying things like, "Here's to hoping you read the nun section tonight..." These will be bookish memories I'll cherish forever!

5. One Year Anniversary in Seaside

I know I included this in my review of The Lost Girls, but it still makes the list. My wedding anniversary is July 2, and we happened to be at the beach last year to celebrate. My husband and I enjoyed a delicious dinner in Seaside, followed by a stop at one of my favorite bookstores - Sundog Books. Of course, I couldn't leave without buying a book, and I decided on The Lost Girls. I'll always love this book because of the memory of buying it on my first anniversary. Such a special day!

6. Pride and Prejudice From Japan

I just included this in my post from last week about collecting copies of Pride and Prejudice, but it's worth repeating because it really is one of my ten best bookish memories. My husband sometimes has to travel for his job, and he spent a few weeks in Japan at one point last year. He asked the translator with them to write down Pride and Prejudice in Japanese on a little slip of paper. He then took that slip of paper with him all over the city - visiting bookstores and trying to find me another copy for my collection. He gave me the two-volume copy when he got home, and I've never been so happy to have married a man who understands the way to my heart.

7. Jane Austen Museum in Bath

I studied abroad in Oxford, England, during college. It was an incredible experience, and I have many fond memories from the trip. But my best bookish memory involves convincing a few other girls to spend one of our weekends in Bath - where we visited the Roman Baths, a fashion museum, Stonehenge (which isn't too far from Bath) and... the Jane Austen Museum! Sadly, I'll never be able to go to a Jane Austen (tear) so it was really fun to be able to spend some time in a place dedicated solely to her. Plus, I picked up a copy of Pride and Prejudice in the gift shop!

8. Reading Harry Potter for the First Time

I was really late to the whole Harry Potter obsession. I was convinced I wouldn't like them, so I avoided reading them for years. Then, right after I got married, my husband wanted to have a marathon of all the movies. I decided I didn't care about reading them first (regret that now)... and then I fell in love and bought them all from Target in a moment of obsession. And I read them like a crazy person! It's a favorite memory for two reasons: 1) the books are just so special and memorable and 2) we lived in a different city for two months after getting married and that's where I bought these. They always remind me of that time right after we got married!

9. Scouring San Francisco for Bookstores

I was in San Francisco last year for a work trip, and I had some time in the afternoons to scour the city. I found two of the coolest independent bookstores while there - and I love the memories I've got of wandering the city and searching through two stores for a few special books to take home with me. I love finding an independent bookstore in any city I visit when traveling, if possible, and buying a book while I'm there. Got to support bookstores in every city!

10. Getting My Kindle(s)

My husband bought me my first Kindle two years ago while we were still dating. I had been researching them for months - trying to decide if I wanted to take the e-reader plunge! And I was so excited when I opened the box and found a Kindle inside. He definitely knows how to make this bookish heart happy! And this year he got me the new Paperwhite, which I'm so obsessed with! I've read so many incredible books on both of these devices and fell in love with reading on them. I still buy hard copies, but I'm definitely reading more and more on my Kindle!