Annie Dillard: An American Childhood

As I prepare to teach AP language next year, I will probably be reading a lot more nonfiction in the coming months. This book is one of the ones that I'll be using at least portions of in my curriculum for next year.

An American Childhood by Annie Dillard follows her experiences of growing up in Pittsburgh in the 1950s. Through a series of vignettes, Dillard explores her childhood memories discussing everything from school, playing in the snow, to boys, and into her adolescence. The memoir focuses on her various interests as a child, maturing until she was 16.

This book was a hard read for me. On one hand, it is beautifully written. Dillard has an incredible style and way of capturing the essence of how children see the world and dictate time. On the other hand, some of the stories are incredibly dull. It was also not easy to identify with some of her memories and experiences, and so difficult to buy in myself. By the end, and after some good struggle with the book, I did find myself enjoying it. She has a unique voice that is captivating, and an often humorous outlook on life and childhood that I enjoyed.

Overall, I rate this book ⭐⭐⭐

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