From TV to childhood books

OK, before I start this, I'm going to admit that I am a very sad TV addict. I religiously watch all sorts of stuff, not at all educational, and I am a total reality TV addict. This has no connection to reality TV though, it's closer to my other TV thing which is becoming known in some places as cult TV, things like Dr Who, Lost, 24, Star Trek and so on. With my TV preferences now almost fully exposed I can say that I was watching the first episode of the second series of Life on Mars the other night. I'm getting desperate to know exactly what is going on. Is Sam in a coma, is it all his imagination, or has he actually managed to time travel to 1973? This series is apparently going to be the last - so I hope we actually get to know by the end of it. It's quite strange to watch, sort of The Bill in a UK Starsky and Hutch style, but with a kind of possible time travel sort of twist.

Well, that's what got me going. During the episode Annie Cartwright, "a female in the police at a time when women were often undermined, underused, ignored, and taken for granted" (that still sounds familiar on occasion), managed to persuade the guys to listen to the results of some investigative work she'd done and mentioned Nancy Drew. That immediately started me thinking about the books I used to read.

We travelled a lot when I was younger, so much so that by the time I was eleven I was at my eleventh school! As an only child this meant that, until I'd had time to settle in at a new location, I had to keep myself entertained. This resulted in a very early love of reading just about every genre of fiction going. I still remember my blonde curly haired "cousin" taking the mick out of me as I laid on the sofa or floor reading, my arms tended to extend straight upwards as I got more engrossed. (Unfortunately these days my eyes can't quite cope with that distance.)

I have to admit that I was a total Enid Blyton fan. I think I started with things like Noddy, The Faraway Tree, The Wishing Chair and The Naughtiest Girl, but it soon moved on. I know there are quite a few people who are anti Enid Blyton but I still think she's great. She kept me entertained throughout my childhood and definitely helped me develop my imagination.

I moved on, got into Mallory Towers and St Clares, both also by Enid Blyton, and then also found the Chalet School by Elinor Brent-Dyer. I think it was the constant changing of schools that got me into these.

Eventually I found mysteries. I'm not sure which I got to first, the Secret Seven or the Famous Five, but I think that is where my interest in adventure stories started.

I did move on to other authors, The Hardy Boys published under the pen name Franklin W Dixon but actually created by the Stratemeyer Syndicate. Also created by the syndicate were Nancy Drew and the Bobbsey Twins, more old favourites of mine – you can find more information on these by following the links from the Stratemeyer Syndicate.

Thinking about it I’m sad that with all the moves over the years my extensive collection of childrens books got left behind somewhere. I would have liked to revisit them. I guess if it comes to it I could always borrow them from the library but I do always have a huge pile of books waiting to be read.

Now I'm a tad (ooohh - that gives my age away) older I still have a diverse interest in fiction (I'll probably elaborate on that for me at some point in the future). I'd like to know what everyone else read as a child, and where it has led them to nowadays. Go on; let me know with your comments.