Who-dun-its were my transition from kids' books to grown-ups' books. I was big on Agatha Christie, Ellery Queen (right about the time of the Jim Hutton TV series), and Erle Stanley Gardner (in other words, Perry Mason).

My brother had the complete Sherlock Holmes which I read in junior high--loved those! Actually, I think I'm going to have to pick them up at the bookstore this weekend (we have bargain classics on sale right now).

I forgot that I read Erle Stanley Gardiner and Ellery Queen, and also old copies of Ellery Queen's mystery Magazine. This was probably also about the time when I read the book Lucy, by Donald Johanson, about discovering the australopithicus skeleton. It also had a lot of soap opera worth antics between Louis, Richard and Mary Leakey. Fourteen was probably one of my biggest reading years, since it was the last summer before I worked, I had no friends who drove, and the library was down the street-- pretty much my whole day was spent reading and I read fast.

This was probably also about the time when I read the book Lucy, by Donald Johanson, about discovering the australopithicus skeleton.

I read that book in early high school, too!! I was already a Johanson fan from reading his National Geographic article about Lucy, the First Family and the knee joint back in 1977 or so (it was the first Nat Geo article I ever read instead of just looking at the pictures), and reading that book solidified my paleoarchaeology geekdom.

(Remember Jon Kalb from that book? He was the cohort of Johanson's who screwed him over when he was trying to navigate the bureaucracy of Idi Amin. Well, I met him at a book convention when he was signing copies of his own book. I was tempted to ask him for his side of the story, but decided not to broach the subject.)

My year of Thomas Hardy. Whom I adored with all the adoration of my little black-clad, black-haired, 14 year old soul.

YES! Thank you. that's who else I was reading at 14.

Remember Jon Kalb from that book? He was the cohort of Johanson's who screwed him over when he was trying to navigate the bureaucracy of Idi Amin. Well, I met him at a book convention when he was signing copies of his own book. I was tempted to ask him for his side of the story, but decided not to broach the subject.)

Oh yes! I had forgotten that-- how interesting. Now I am thinking that the archeology scene of the 70's would be ripe for fanfiction!

Barb, what is RITA? I've never heard of it before.

When I was in junior high, my mom signed us all up for an Agatha-Christie-Book-of-the-Month Club (black leather covers), until we got the whole set. It was very cool to go from the Nancy Drew club to Agatha Christie!

I have this set and I love it. It took over six years to get them all.

Not Barb, but a RITA is an award given to romance authors by the RWA. It's named after the first RWA president Rita Clay Estrada.

....

I have no idea why I know this.

Heh. I was going to say, Aims. Points for useless trivia!