Hello! My name is Jamie Dodge. I love learning, teaching, reading, writing, sewing (especially costumes), road trips, and learning languages (though I’m terrible at the latter). I’m a sociologist, a mom, and, like most people, I juggle a lot of other roles that may or may not become relevant to this website.
Over a decade ago, I started a blog about books called booksbecomeyou.com. I got to share the impact certain books had on my life, I made some book friends, a few authors communicated with me, and several publishers sent me review copies. Then I got busy, developed other creative interests (sewing costumes and dresses, crocheting, etc.) and my little blog was seldom updated. A few years ago, I recommitted, but hackers had pretty much taken over my site to the point where I felt overwhelmed and I decided to, at least, post book reviews on Goodreads – I thought, who really reads blogs anymore anyway (except myself)?
Now I am feeling inspired to dig in a bit further into books than I can on Goodreads, and I’d also like a forum where I can combine my various creative pursuits. I’m not going to call this a blog, and the name has changed a little – booksbecomeyou.net this time around. I plan to post book reviews, but also document and possibly market my sewing projects and other creative ideas and interests. I might end up being the only reader, or maybe this will be a way to build community, something that is not always easy for an ambivert like me.
In order to combine past and present, I dug up the text from this section of the first incarnation of Books Become You, copied below:
‘Salutations are greetings,’ said the voice. ‘When I say “salutations,” it’s just my fancy way of saying hello or good morning.’ – Charlotte’s Web, by E. B. White
In this way, Charlotte the Spider introduced herself to Wilbur the Pig. I am Jamie. Welcome to my blog. One of the most exciting things about books is that they change you. Some of the best ones stay with you forever, entering your thoughts even years after you read them. The quote above, for example; I hear it in my head every time that greeting is used. You might say that Charlotte’s Web
Charlotte may have taught me a new vocabulary word, but I learned other things from her too, about friendship, loyalty, resignation, and even grief. When my daughter, Noa, read the book in kindergarten, I asked her what she took from Charlotte – she thought for a minute, then replied, “I already knew that it’s sad when someone you love dies. You feel very sad, but then you have to stand up on your feet again because people need you. In the book, Wilbur was very sad, but then Charlotte’s babies were there and Wilbur had to keep on going with his life.
That’s what this blog is about, how books we read actually shape us into the people we are. I will write about the books I read and how they become part of me. My favorite genres are biography and social science, but I have a fairly eclectic reading list. We are book worms, and you will probably hear from (and will surely hear about!) other readers in my family as well. You are enthusiastically invited to participate too – What are you reading? What are you learning? Who are you becoming?
Welcome to Books Become You. Thank you for finding me. Talk to you soon!