I heard about Bookworm (2018) by Lucy Mangan on Twitter, I think, or perhaps another blog – but as soon as I’d heard the subtitle (‘a memoir of childhood reading’) I knew that I had to read it. I think it was in a Weekend Miscellany.
Thankfully Square Peg sent me a copy, and I wolfed it down – it’s very hard to imagine any bibliophile not loving this book. Though I also said that about Howards End is on the Landing, and look what happened there. No matter; I’m going to maintain full confidence with this one.
Mangan was a very bookish child – in the way that only those of us who were also very bookish children will understand. Books were her sanctuary, her new worlds, her adventure, her heartbreak. This total immersion, and self-definition as a bibliophile, is the keynote of Bookworm, and it will make every avid childhood reader thrill with recognition. We feel her pain when reading is socially unacceptable in the playground, and when her parents restrict her reading to certain rooms, to encourage her to be more sociable. (Yes, reading at the dinner table was – is? – banned in my home. And yes, like Lucy I turned to cereal packets or anything else I could read, when desperation hit.)
Through the chapters, Mangan takes us from her earliest reading memories until the end of childhood. To be honest, the tales of picture books interested but did not beguile me. I don’t remember which picture books I read – except the Mr Men, and I don’t think they got a single mention in Bookworm. Was Mangan born slightly too early for them? But once we got onto other books – well, firstly it was a nice surprise to discover that I have read more classic children’s literature than I’d supposed – but mostly, it’s wonderful to read how well Mangan describes the all-encompassing experiences these books were.
Enid Blyton gets a section (hurrah!) – without a doubt the defining author of my childhood. Narnia gets a section, as do Little Women, Roald Dahl, Richmal Crompton’s William books, and both books that Rachel and I are discussing in the next episode of the podcast – The Secret Garden and Tom’s Midnight Garden. Even Sweet Valley High, with which I was obsessed for a couple of years. Even if you haven’t read these books, the enthusiasm with which she remembers them is a delight, and mixes frothy enthusiasm with plenty of reflection and contemplation. Occasionally the tone becomes a little too self-consciously Caitlin Moranesque, and the odd sentence reads a little awkwardly – the bookish kid trying to fit in with the cool gang – but most of the time she isn’t trying stylistic tics; she’s just revelling in the absolute joy that books can be. (There are also one or two tedious moments against Christian faith, and one truly shocking anti-Catholic moment that should certainly have been cut, but I’ll tidy those under the rug for now.)
Along the way (because it is a memoir of sorts, after all) we learn about her character, her friends, her family. I loved the way her father would occasionally suggest a book, with a subtle gleam that acknowledges that this is a book he loved in his childhood. I loved the depiction of a slightly anxiously moralistic child, who definitely didn’t want to read anything anarchistic or rule-breaking in books (no thank you Fantastic Mr Fox). It reminded me of my own fastidiousness as a child, that made me unable to enjoy The Twits (the idea of the food in the beard still makes me gag).
And mostly I just loved with a wonderful nostalgic journey this. I love any book about reading, but one about the world-opening potential of reading to a child is rather lovely. And it’ll certainly lead you heading straight for the children’s section of the library, to relive all the classics that filled your world and expanded your imagination however many years ago.
I was thrilled to discover how many of the childhood books you mentioned I had read too. But then I grew up on a slightly isolated wine farm in South Africa, where, after the school bus had deposited you on the nearest corner to your farm road, where Mama waited to.pick you up, you were on your own to amuse yourself after your homework was done — & you’d usually done that during the bus trip. Hours & hours of time to read, & parents willing to buy the books for you, as we were too far away from a library. How lucky a young bookworm I was! No wonder I grew up into an Eng. Lit. Academic !
I am so excited about this book! I love Mangan’s writing, especially when she is writing about books, and know I’m going to adore this. Even when she writes about books I don’t know or don’t particularly feel any attachment towards, she makes it utterly compelling because you can feel how much she loves them.
I love the premise and even the cover is fabulous. Bookworm captures me too, from early years.
I can’t wait to read this book. Books about books are some of the best books and a book that discusses many of my childhood favorites is going to make me overwhelmingly happy. Sections about Little Women and The Secret Garden? Be still my heart.
No reading at meals? Well, we needed to see your face sometimes!
Ah, that all sounds very familiar – no reading at meals indeed! Mind you, I have that rule now with my children (although it’s more about devices nowadays).
I loved this book, as you know, and here’s the review I was asking about! I will link to it at the bottom of mine, as it draws out different aspects to mine. I don’t think I was allowed to read at the table, either, but that didn’t work, as I certainly do now!
Sounds like a book I need to pick up! Fab review!
The form section (“leave a reply”) on this blog post was already filled in with somebody else’s name, email address and website in the boxes. i.e. Name: kaggsysbookishramblings. This includes Karen’s email address which is supposedly private. Eeek. This can’t be right can it? I have a screenshot I can send you if you want.
Thanks – I keep thinking I’ve fixed this, and it keeps coming back. I’ve gone to the wordpress.org support forums for help now…
As someone who sat reading the HP sauce bottle over and over again at the table, this book is obviously one I have to read…. ;)
I love this Blog so much! I bought both Susan Hill memoirs on your recommendation and enjoyed them enormously. I then bought copies as presents for friends. I am now going to buy and read the Lucy Mangan memoir. I hope Waterstones/Persephone books give you a percentage from the books they sell as a result of your lovely blogs.
I am looking forward to reading this at some point – lovely review! Though I feel compelled to point out that I think Lucy Mangan is about my age and the Mister Men books were definitely around then. ;) Perhaps she couldn’t think of much to write about them? Someone gave me a couple for my daughter and I was surprised at how intolerant they were (eccentrics needing to be taught a lesson, ugh).
Oooo, I can hardly wait. *wriggles in seat*
Reading certainly “banned” at my dinner table (as a child and as an adult) BUT not people rushing off to get books to provide the answer (or at least supporting evidence) to help a lively discussion.
So much love for this book around at the moment. I’m going to give in and buy it I think. Books were such a wonderful refuge for me too as a child, that I can see will find lots to feel nostalgia for. Sweet Valley High completely passed me by though .
Thank you for the chapters
Hi – Lucy Mangan here (I hope that’s okay – I’m not really sure of the etiquette in these situations, having never been in such a one before!). I just wanted to say thank you for such a lovely, generous review, and to say that there is a mention or two of Mr Men; about loving them as a child but finding them very…umm…unsatisfactory now that I am going back and reading them as an adult (to my son). I’m so glad you enjoyed the book. I hope your readers do to, and thank you again.
Lucy xx
Wow! I loved your book and I did think the Mr Men books were mentioned there. I disliked them then and haven’t bought them for my sons (and am very glad no one else did either). It might be because they were read aloud as a bedtime story on a nightmare Brownie pack holiday that prompted me to drop out of Brownies. I was 8 as were most of the girls there and those books seemed far too young for us.
I have just finished reading Bookworm and loved it. I am a good twenty years older than Lucy but we have both read so many of the same childhood books. At the end of the book Lucy mentions some recent teenage books that she has read as an adult and, again, our tastes are so similar. We share a love of France’s Hardinge.
Thank you Lucy, I have chortled at so many of the passages in Bookworm and also identified with many of the delights of being a bookworm. You are indeed a kindred spirit.
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