Thought you all might enjoy this:

Dave Gomberg
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This is not strictly on subject, but it might interest all of us who
are dredging up favorite books from childhood.  The latest issue of
AMerican Libraries has a report on a poll of all 100 senators, taken
by soime literacy group...alas I don`t have it in front of me.

The question was:  What book most influenced you as a young child?
The most common reply was Huck Finn (13 senators, 13%) followed by Tom
Sawyer with 11, putting Mark Twain in a remarkable position.

I don't believe there were any mysteries on the list, but I could
have forgotten.  (You could make a case for Twain being a mystery,
because of Injun Joe's thefts and because of the "stealing" of
Jim, but we all know that would be pushing it).

Other books included Charlotte's Web and WInnie-the-Pooh (I give
those two pride of place because my choice would be either one),
The Lorax (can any Senator be young enought o have been a young
child when that came out?), Thidwick the Big Hearted Moose, Wind in
the Willows, Little House on the Prairie, etc etc etc.

THen there were the Senators who solemnly told us that as young children
they were most influenced by CHurchill`s autobiography and Plutarch's
essays.  I'm afraid this tells us more about the senators' current
state then there childhood, but maybe I`m just cynical.

Cheers

Robert Lopresti
Wilson Library
Western Washington University