I have cried and sighed with Anne of Green Gables.
I have loved and wondered with Anne Frank.
I have lamented Scarlett O'Hara's self-centered ego but applauded her stamina and wished I had her waist.
I admired Nancy Drew and her fearless independence and money.
I learned determination and stubborn argumentative ways from Jo March.
I wanted Karen Blixen's sense of adventure.
I helped Charlotte weave her web and fell in love with Wilber.
I wanted Rima's ethereal presence in her Green Mansions.
I wanted Elspeth Huxley's childhood and powers of observation.
I am sure there are more as this was a stream of consciousness post, but these were ones I read when I was younger (Teens and Twenties) that influenced me the most.
Who are some female characters, fiction or non-fiction, in the land of books that influenced you in as a teen or young adult?
That's interesting and a good list of worthy heroines. To be honest I never related to any of the heroines I read. I thought more about the plots but thinking of myself as a particular heroine, I just don't remember any that I wanted to be or who gave me a vision of what a woman could be. I was big on the Black Stallion series as a kid but that had a boy for the hero. I didn't want to be him though. I will have to think about this and see if someone comes to my mind later
ReplyDeleteAs a boy I wasn't into reading about girl heroines. Girls had cooties, and they were convinced I had them too.
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ReplyDeleteOff the top of my head - Agatha Christie. Then it was romance. Victoria Holt, Catherine Cookson, Velda Johnston. Then - S.E. Hinton.
ReplyDeleteSome of the above, plus Emily of New Moon, and the true stories of people like Corrie Ten Boom who helped hide people during WWII.
ReplyDeleteNancy Drew enticed me to love mysteries and Anne Frank to keep a diary. After that television and movies kicked in. John Wayne, Elvis, Matt Dillon and Clint Eastwood were all coupled with beautiful co-stars...ME:)
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat idea for post. I loved Nancy Drew and I went through the library's series of biographies for children. Amelia Earhart was the one that most captured my attention.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I really loved Mary Lennox in "The Secret Garden." I also had a hoard of non-fiction of journals and diaries of girls and women who trekked the Oregon Trail, amazing resilient women.
ReplyDeleteStrange but true, I always admired male adventurers.
ReplyDeleteI read all the books with female heroines but I did not see them as applying to my own life.
Even today, that applies to conversations. I still prefer men, although I read books about female characters happily.
Actually, I have never thought of it before. It’s not that I want to live like the men in stories or real life; perhaps I’ve always just been myself?
I like your selection, I have certainly read all your books with the exception of Nancy Drew nd Rima.
Oh, I like this! I guess my favorite was my daughters' favorite: Pippi Longstocking. She is so enterprising and independent and makes life fun for herself and everyone!
ReplyDeleteI missed most of those but read Nancy Drew and was busy reading Kurt Vonnegut. As for females, I was inspired by Annie Oakley, Erma Brombeck and Yoko Ono!
ReplyDeleteOh man. Jo March. She is one who I felt a kinship with the most. I loved her. And of course I loved Anne of Green Gables but when I was in the musical I played Diana (that was odd for me). I love a strong, feisty, independent woman. :)
ReplyDeleteFantastic post!
Jo March for sure. Nancy Drew for ever. Karen Blixen, just thinking of her makes me wistful. Scarlett O'Hara, Laura Ingles, Ramona Quimby and my all time favorite, Heidi.
ReplyDeleteAs a child, "The Secret Garden's" Mary Lennox, Jo March of course, all the nurse books, actually anything printed. As a young adult I was introduced to Sci-Fi and discovered Anne McCaffrey's dragon books and her wonderful heroines. If I am ill, they still are a good read. Elizabeth Moon, Kirstein, and Bujolds chaaracters carried me through into adulthood when I discovered biographies.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great mind stirrer. Thanks.
OK. I'm a guy. But one of my favorite books is autobiographical, and I loved the self-portrait of the woman who wrote it: It is called "Refuge" by Terry Tempest Williams. (I hope nonfiction counts!)
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