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Originally Posted by Victoria
In terms of reading old favourites, my views have changed overtime. When I was young, I loved reading! And I was probably naive and took things on faith as well.
Later, in English Lit in college we were taught to scrutinize every author and book. I learned structural analysis though my studies in sociology & social work. Semiotics were in vogue, so nothing escaped. Throw in a feminist and political lens, and it didn’t add up to a very happy reading life.
As an old gal, I still have the ability to deconstruct every book and author I encounter. But for whose benefit? I know I don’t read vicious bigoted trash, so I don’t feel I need to be as vigilant as I was in my middle years. I read for pleasure again. I can still see the flaws and influences and blindspots, if I want to. But I try not to let them overtake my enjoyment of the book.
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Originally Posted by Dazrin
The background on what adoption was like is an area where I have been intentionally ignorant. The hints about what could have been, and what had been for Anne with her foster parent's/guardians, were bad enough. I'm sure it would be interesting in a morbid and educational way but when reading an old favorite like this, I don't really want to delve too deep into parts of it. This re-read and discussion has already taken more of the luster off the book than I expected going into it.
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Originally Posted by Catlady
These comments illustrate why I would never nominate a book that I loved unreservedly as a child. I can and do reread childhood favorites, and I can see flaws in them with adult eyes, but I love them anyway and don't want to lay them open to criticism or have to defend them.
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ALL of these, especially the parts that I bolded! I was so upset by the direction and criticism of the early posts in this thread that I had to walk away for a few days until I could decompress on the weekend.
I don't want the luster to go away of some childhood books, and I don't want to defend it. It takes away from the feelings that you had as a child when experiencing some stories for the first time. Those are happy and positive memories and sometimes character-shaping, and I don't want them to be tainted by adult feelings/knowledge which is why I try not to "delve too deep" or "lay them open to criticism". I still have after all these decades later my childhood box set of the first 3 books. Sometimes I just want to revisit a childhood book and try to relive the happy, naive/innocent memories of reading.