101 Books, Number 43

Favorite Books from Throughout My Life

 

my copy

43: The Klondike Fever: The Life and Death of the Last Great Gold Rush, 1958, by Pierre Berton (1920–2004)

I read this book as I began

My life as a big Klondike fan.

Oh, I’d been teaching London’s Wild—

In ignorance—just like a child

Who says he’ll be X, Y, or Z

When he is only two or three

And knows nought of a life’s demands

And thinks that wishes are commands.

From Berton I learned, oh, so much—

Historian—he had the touch.

I traveled to the Yukon then—

And saw the places they had been

To search for all that yellow gold—

Where London’s stories would be told.

So thanks, Professor Berton, for

Your lessons—oh, I learned some more

In other books you later wrote—

Niagara was so good (take note!).

But Klondike Fever—I’d been sold!

And off I went in search of gold.

*Niagara: A History of the Falls, 1992

101 Books, Number 44

Favorite Books from Throughout My Life

44: Dandelion Wine, 1957, by Ray Bradbury (1920–2012)

The first page caught me—quickly so.

Yes, Douglas Spaulding, 12 years old—

The summer—all he’d learn and know—

The warmth of humans—and the cold.

And so I read it—several times—

Then gave it to my students, too.

They loved his kindnesses, his “crimes.”

They followed all the things he’d do.

My copy’s very battered now*—

It had such long and loving use.

So buy the book (I don’t care how!)—

And read it quickly—no excuse.

And you will love this gentle tale

Of growing, coming into age.

So many other books will pale

As you slide through each artful page.

We saw the author years ago

In Akron**—such an evening treat.

He didn’t live much longer, no.

Death gives to each the last defeat.

*see pic

**April 13, 2000

101 Books, Number 45

Favorite Books from Throughout My Life

45: Our New Friends, 1946, by William S. Gray (1885–1960) and May Hill (1884–1969), illus. by Keith Ward (1906–2000)*

These readers starring Dick and Jane

Were simple stories—very plain.

There was, I know, a lot of fluff:

A dog named Spot; a cat named Puff.

Well, Our New Friends was for Grade One—

And I, a very lucky son,

Was reading it at Adams School—

And thought that I was awesome—cool!—

For I could navigate a book!

And read the words! Just listen! Look!

Oh, not much challenge to the tales—

Quotidian—uncluttered trails.

But reading them, I was so proud—

As proud as it could be allowed

Way back in 1951

When books, I saw, were so much fun.

*I still have my boyhood copy of the book—see pic!

101 Books, Number 46

Favorite Books from Throughout My Life

46: The Poetry of Robert Frost, 1969, by Robert Frost (1874–1963)

His roads diverged. His horses thought

It was a little queer

To stop out there—the darkest night—

Without a farmhouse near.

He wrote about both ice and fire—

Of hired men dying, old.

Of witches and of men who knew

Varieties of cold.

I’ve read his verse since I was young—

I’ve memorized a lot.

I mourned back then, in ’63,

When he left Camelot.

I taught his work for many years—

Had students memorize.

(I don’t regret my doing so—

Is that a big surprise?)

And in my lofty pantheon

Of poets I adore,

Old Frost is near the top. Oh, Death

Denies when we need more!

101 Books, Number 47

Favorite Books from Throughout My Life

47: Collected Poems, 1937, by Edwin Arlington Robinson (1869–1935)

I’m not sure of the origin—

Not sure why I began

To read and love the poems of

This most amazing man.

He led a very quiet life—

Was always somewhat shy.

But when his pen touched paper, well,

His voice soared to the sky.

I’ve read his works—but all of them?

(I’m not too sure of that).

But this I know of Robinson:

He sang on pitch, not flat.

And “Richard Cory”? Probably

His most re-published lines,

But others—oh, of Mr. Flood*

And Cheevy**? Tasty wines!

I visited his homes in Maine***

(His grave is also there)

And read all books about his life

And memorized with care

The poems that I love the most

From this great poet’s hand.

Dive in and read him when you can—

Then you will understand.****

*”Mr. Flood’s Party”

**”Miniver Cheevy”

***born in Head Tide, lived in Gardiner (also buried there)

****He won three Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry

101 Books, Number 48

Favorite Books from Throughout My Life

48: The Red Pony, 1933, by John Steinbeck (1902–68)

Another book I read (and why?)

In high school when I had to try

To make myself read anything,

Save comic books (to which I’d cling).

I don’t remember very much—

Just Steinbeck’s very gentle touch—

And sadness at the very heart,

A trait of Steinbeck’s finest art.

As years went on, I read much more—

The Grapes of Wrath? Oh, to the core

That book so much affected me—

The Joads and all the tragedy.

And Charley-travels (with his pet,

His dog that surely did forget

The journey that the author took

And wrote that most revealing book*

About our country—USA!

He saw our strengths and flaws each day).

He died in 1968–

But left his books—some truly great.

*Travels with Charley, 1960

101 Books, Number 49

Favorite Books from Throughout My Life

49: My Name Is Lucy Barton, 2016, by Elizabeth Strout (1956–)

I had not read the books of Strout

When I read a review

Of Lucy Barton. Afterwards,

I read the others through.

Her style is so remarkable—

Those many tangled tales.

And so some book stores earned from me

Some bucks from "several" sales.

And Olive Kitteridge? Well, we now

Are streaming that fine show—

And you can see it, too, as well—

It’s there on HBO!

I’ve loved her books—yes, all of them.

But now I am perplexed:

I wonder when on earth I’ll get

To read the one that’s next!