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Underground > Books, Criticism & Writing >

Trigger Books

23:45 / 24.02.03

Do you have books that evoke vivid memories of a certain point in your life? Can you remember exactly where you were and what you were feeling at the time?

I've always been able to associate music to a particular mood and state of mind but I was thinking that I could apply the same thing to books. Re-reading particular books, especially childhood ones, bring back so much emotional baggage. It's not just nostalgia, I can recall what I was thinking when I read 'The Hobbit' for the first time, I know where I was when I read 'Sophie's World'. Some books have been triggers for me which have really changed the direction of my life. Has anyone else experienced this?

02:28 / 25.02.03

There are some books that I re-read every Spring, or pre-Spring when I need a huge boost of energy and excitement, recreating the excitement I felt reading them the first time. On The Road and Generation X fall into this category. Like 'Kill Your Boyfriend' these books bring back the feeling of being 16 years old and warm weather and all the sunniness and wowness of the time.

The only children's book that I've had affect me was Struwwelpeter. I had forgotten about the book entirely and how much that book scared the bejesus out of me whenever I read it as a kid. But then one day at the British Museum, they had a 1st edition copy on display and WHAM! memories hit me and I had to get some fresh air outside. Very very strange. I love the books now, but that initial shock was something else.

Tryphena Absent

12:57 / 25.02.03

Synners by Pat Cadigan and pretty much every Diana Wynne Jones. Oh and Malory Towers... every exam season I become reduced to childhood and read Enid Blyton books. They inspire calm in me.