Have you ever been shaped by books you’ve read? In junior high and high school, you probably would have never caught me reading a full-length classic. However, around that time the Classics illustrated series of comics came out and I was hooked. I gravitated towards the adventure ones like Prisoner of Zenda, War of the Worlds, and The Mysterious Island. They combined a condensed version of the classic along with engaging art to capture my young mind.
Several years later, they created longer, hardcover versions of the classics which I proceeded to collect like The Red Badge of Courage, Great Expectations, Lord Jim, and The Tale of Two Cities. These ignited my desire to read the actual classics. I eventually picked up several full-length books and read them through, enjoying them even more than the condensed ones.
Shaped by books, I grew to appreciate great works of literature which is something I suspect the creators of Classics Illustrated intended in the first place. They also started a love for action and adventure in the things I read which led me into Christian Suspense novels. My favorite subject was archaeology and searches for Noah”s Ark or other religious artifacts. These novels impact me even today as I”m driven to read about secular and religious archaeological discoveries today.
Being shaped by books has caused me to grow as an individual by fostering a love of learning as well. Non-fiction fact books led me to devour many World War II ones about both the Pacific and European theatres. I learned about the gruesome tale of the Bataan death march and the battles over the sky in Europe. Creating a wider interest in history, I learned about Frederick Douglass and the racism of the slave trade as well as injustices borne by Indigenous tribes here. Reading these books opened me up for self-examination as I considered my treatment of others.
I’m very thankful for the books that have molded me over the years. I am a better person and better writer because of them. Perhaps you want to share in the comments what books you have been shaped by?
https://www.classicsillustratedbooks.com/
My About Page About
