The most embarrassing book that had a huge impact on me at the time I read it was Bram Stoker's Jewel of Seven Stars which I read and reread in the 6th grade. Shortly thereafter, the King Tut exhibition came to town. /1
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I was deeply disappointed at the distance between the actuality of ancient Egypt and Stoker's portrayal. No 7-fingered Egyptian priestesses & murderous mummy cats who might well come back to like. I got over my disappointment & tried to learn hieroglyphics anyway. /2
jul 22, 2025, 3:42 pm • 1 0 • view
Similarly, a book that changed David Hartwell's life was Tom Swift & His Television Detector. It was, as I recall the story, the first science fiction he read. /3
jul 22, 2025, 3:42 pm • 2 0 • view