i was reading words long before i could read-- it was at some point age 6 or so all the words came together as sentences and paragraphs, and stories.. and then i was off.. the stupid primers "see dick. see jane. see dick run. see jane run" where quicky abandon for real books.

very early on, i learned store's names and types.. and back in the 50's, there were such a variety.. the one i remember that puzzled me, was the notions store-- since it obviously didn't sell ideas! one of my favorite words as a child was loitering-- which was forbidden on all of the stoops in the neighborhood! and subway rides expanded my vocabulary. expectorating was prohibitted!

i don't remember my parents ever reading to me, (or to my siblings) but my mother read all the time, and we went to the library every week. as soon as you could sign your name, you could get a library card-- and six books a week for your pleasure! age 10 or so, i became methodical, and started reading "young adults fiction" selection starting with A.

we subscribed to Life.. but not to many other magazines.. but there were always newspapers in the house. the Daily news had serial novels up until the 70's (it may have them still, my taste in newspapers changed) so i started reading serial novels quite early-- and then age 12 discovered dickens.. Oh joy-- i also remember at that age reading The Good Earth and being a bit sly about it, convinced my parents (mother) would put a stop to it. i remember thinking it was such a racy book.. all about concubines, and other very adult stuff. (there actually was a point in my life when i was pure and innocent.. a long time ago i'll admit, ) six years later, my reading included O, much less innocent stuff....


my other obsession