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The Child that Books Built

'A memoir about how and why we read as children.' NICK HORNBY
3.45 goodreads logo

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( 991 ratings, 170 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Child that Books Built by Francis Spufford delves into the transformative power of reading and how books shape our imaginations and identities. Through a blend of personal memoir and literary analysis, Spufford explores his childhood experiences with literature, highlighting how stories provided both solace and structure in his formative years. This exploration offers a rich tapestry that connects individual experience with the broader cultural impact of books.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this captivating memoir if you've ever been enchanted by the magic and escape that books provide. Blending personal narrative with literary analysis, it offers a poignant exploration of how stories shape our lives and imaginations, making it perfect for bibliophiles and those fascinated by the transformative power of reading.

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The Child that Books Built is Francis Spufford's celebrated memoir and investigation into childhood and reading.

The Child that Books Built is Francis Spufford's celebrated memoir and investigation into childhood and reading.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

What would you find if you went back and re-read your favourite books from childhood?

In The Child That Books Built, Francis Spufford revisits all those childhood obsessions: fairy tales; Where the Wild Things Are; The Lord of the Rings; The Chronicles of Narnia; Little House on the Prairie; The Wind in the Willows; The Earthsea Trilogy and more.

In these treasured tales, Francis Spufford discovers both delight and sadness—the thrill as worlds of imagination opened up before him mixed with the memories of a boy who retreated into books when faced with a family tragedy.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Child that Books Built by Francis Spufford is widely praised for its introspective and eloquent exploration of how literature shapes a young mind. Readers appreciate Spufford's blend of personal memoir and literary analysis, highlighting how books can provide solace and escape during childhood. Many commend the book for its insightful reflections on the transformative power of reading.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780571346790

Publisher: Faber & Faber

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 04 October 2018

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Faber & Faber

Edition: Main

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 15.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 200.0mm

Weight: 185g

Pages: 224

About the Author

Francis Spufford, a former Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year (1997), has edited two acclaimed literary anthologies and a collection of essays about the history of technology. His first book, I May Be Some Time, won the Writers' Guild Award for Best Non-Fiction Book of 1996, the Banff Mountain Book Prize and a Somerset Maugham Award. His second, The Child That Books Built, gave Neil Gaiman 'the peculiar feeling that there was now a book I didn't need to write'. His third, Backroom Boys, was called 'as nearly perfect as makes no difference' by the Daily Telegraph and was shortlisted for the Aventis Prize.

His fourth, Red Plenty was called 'odd, brilliant and crazily brave' in the Evening Standard, longlisted for the Orwell Prize and translated into eight languages. His latest book, Unapologetic, was described by Nick Hornby as 'an incredibly smart, challenging, and beautiful book'. In 2007 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. He teaches writing at Goldsmiths College and lives near Cambridge.

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