An American Childhood [B2228]

1988 PB (2002 printing) in nice clean condition. A book that instantly captured the hearts of readers across the country, An American Childhood is Pulitzer Prize-winning author Annie Dillard's (1945 - September 15, 2026) profound exploration of what it means to be awake and alive in the world. Dedicated to her parents-from whom she learned a love of language and the importance of following your deepest passions-this brilliant coming-of-age memoir captures a girl's intellectual awakening with a vividness that will resonate with anyone who has ever recalled with longing playing baseball on an endless summer afternoon, caring for a pristine rock collection, or knowing in your heart that a book was written just for you. It is a time and place captured with unforgettable clarity-a world built from moments of both breathtaking wonder and startling discovery.

A vivid mid-century childhood: Step into the streets, backyards, and leafy neighborhoods of 1950s Pittsburgh, a world of snowball fights, terrifying nuns, and the startling beauty of a girl skating alone under a streetlight. A mind in the making: Follow a young girl's journey of discovery as she unravels the world through library books on everything from microbe hunting to rock collecting, finding the universe in a drop of pond water. Unforgettable family stories: Meet a father who quits his job to chase a dream down the Mississippi, and a mother who teaches her daughters to question everything-a family full of wit, love, and complexity.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "Poetic. This short autobiography should be read in pieces, as you might read poetry or from an anthology. It takes a while to digest her inner thoughts and ruminations - and it is well worth the effort. All those many years ago, she wrote these words. And now, just now, she is gone."; "Had a hard time getting into this in the beginning but glad I took a break and picked it up again. Slow but very well-written description into the inner life of a young precocious girl. Great passages on her burgeoning interest in science, sketching, Pittsburgh history. In the language of the over-curious mind."; "I wish every book was written by Annie Dillard."