Indonesians Who Love English Books discussion

So, what started it all? Do you remember the very first English book you read by yourself? Do you still have the book?

I was just rummaging about to look for the first English book that I read, and it was this book: (I just searched and added the cover image to GR myself).

It was a book about a group of children trying to find the owner of a lost cat. I read it when I was about 10, took it to school, got in trouble because I was caught reading it in class.

I don't have the book anymore for ages now, funny enough, I still remember one quote from the book: "Cat? I hate catamarans!" It came from a man being asked if he knew anything about the cat. Not until quite recently that my husband became boat enthusiasts that I finally know exactly what a catamaran is (it's a sailboat having two hulls set side by side).

Share yours!

No idea. I guess it must be something as part as school assignment and since I don't remember, reading them must be felt as chore for me.

Then my second cousin gave God of Small Things as my birthday gift and it becomes a turning point. I suddenly realise, hey, I could enjoy a book written in English, that's nice :-).

The book is still with me and still one of my favorite.

Lucky you. I went to crappy schools which never gave me reading assignments in any language. EVER! Any books I had my hands on came by my own volition.

I have fond memories of God of Small Things myself. I found it in December 2001 in a used book shop in Pangandaran, after I spent a week holing up with some hippies on the beach, drinking beer and smoking weed (and then the nerd in me just had to look for some books to read). I spent several nights sitting on the beach in darkness accompanied by several candles reading it by the secluded part of the beach.

I forgot what the first English book I ever read. But as long I remember, the earlier English book I have read is The Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne.

The first English book that I read was Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. After that, I was hooked on books. I immediately fell in love with Harry Potter and everything literary. I was in the third grade I think when I first read it. I remember deciding to pick up the book because my library teacher was reading it to us in class, and I preferred to read it myself. I used to read so late into the night (still do, actually) and I would always arrive late at school. Ahh, good times :D

Does an English dictionary for kids count? ;)

Well I think my first "real" book in English was... Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (the original British version). I thought I wouldn't be able to finish it, but I just couldn't wait for the translation to come out, so I bought it anyway.

That changed my whole reading habit.

My first english books? It was one of those antique (=1960s-1980s edition) Mills & Boon romance from my high school library... I don't remember the title anymore, but one thing for sure, I was in my 1st year of SMA and I tried to note down the words I didn't understand. I even especially bought a brand new notepad just for that purpose. But after a couple of pages, I got tired of writing down the words & looking up the dix, threw the notepad away, and went on reading anyway. Turned out the dix was unnecessary! :-D
Since then, I got hooked!

I grew up surrounded by English books, but it did take a while until I could actually read them properly.

One of the earliest English book that I read partially was, believe it or not, The Story of O, which my dad left in the bathroom, and I picked up to read. I think he didn't realised at that age I could already read in English pretty well. I couldn't read the book completely until much later though, it took some effort for me to digest the book back when I was 10-11.

The very first English book I read was Johnny Tremain in 7th grade. Part of the reading list my teachers assigned during my first year in an NY school system.

My first english book was one of those goosebumps series from RL. Stine. Being a boy, I followed it up with the manly choices of sherlock holmes and little women (hehe). I admit being a little overconfident at the time, but these continued to be one of my most prized collections. So much that I completed all of holmes stories and found myself the sequel to little women, Little Men.

I'm guessing picture books don't count? :P
My first "real" english book must've been something written by Enid Blyton, the Faraway Tree books or some such series. They were lovely!

Oh my Jati, in the What Are You Reading thread I thought you were a girl! hahaha. I'm so sorry. And kudos with Goosebumps. It was definitely one of my early reads too, lol.

Rachel wrote: "Oh my Jati, in the What Are You Reading thread I thought you were a girl! hahaha. I'm so sorry. And kudos with Goosebumps. It was definitely one of my early reads too, lol."

that's not the first time. sadly. well, what i lack in manly name, i try to make up in facial hair. which is also sadly inadequate. hahaha..

Hmm, I think the very first English book that I get to lay my hands upon was Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.

I got the book from my grandfather who, actually, gave it to me as a Christmas present. I was enticed the moment I open its first page. I think it was the very book that ignited my passion in reading and learning English literature.

The book is not in my possession anymore. I gave it to my youngest cousin a few years ago when he started to learn English at school, in hope that it would help him in his lesson or at the very least gave him a great enjoyment while reading it.

My first English book, is well, romance again. I read some Harlequin Nocturne titles, because GPU just publish the novel 2 book for a year. Until then I addicted to read English books. I think its the best way for me to improve my English, and learn so many words, terms, structure and grammar (despite some people once tell me to learn spelling, lol). Mostly book I read now, are in English and I write the review at English too, with exception, if I read the translated version, I write it in Indonesia languange

Aside from the several English children books that I must have read when I was first learning English, the first real novel I read in English language that I remembered was The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy. And then I got hooked on Tom Clancy's novels for the better part of my teenage years.

well novara, i have to say, you had a much better taste in books in your teenage years compared to me during my teenage years. and now i just feel really old after writing that sentence. hahaha..

Mine will be Gone With the Wind by by Margaret Mitchell. My English wasn't very good back then.. I end up finishing a chapter for weeks.. ha..ha..ha.

Well.. call me weird, but I named my daughter "Tara" :-)

I love Gone With the Wind! Loved the book, loved the movie. It's one of my all time favourite :)

Hi all... I don't really remember what was my 1st English book, it might be one of my assignment in my English course at school back then... but my 1st enjoyable English book was Harry Potter, and I also still remember the days I read Gone with the Wind in PC :d

I don't quite remember what first English book I had read. Dated back to my childhood, it was my school's textbook. But, the first novel, I recalled, I've read was Twilight. It was the epic opening for my ironic affection towards English books.

I think it was a kind of condensed classic tale my uncle gave to my sister and then I read it :) , it was about 10 years ago, can't sure what the title was.

I don't remember :D. It was a long time ago. Mostly romance, but lately I read YA novels.

My very first English novel that I read was "The Blue Sky Above" by Marjorie Warby (spelling?)

It was romance, I read it when I was about 14. It's quite thick and my vocabulary was very limited that time, so I didn't finished it.

White Fang by Jack London (Great Illustrated Classics). HUGE fonts with a lot of pictures XD

Hmm.. If book with a lot of pictures counted.. Maybe the little prince was my first English book. I read it when I was around 5/6th grades of elementary.. But my real English novel was pride and prejudice ( until now I didn't really understand the stories), I read it for my school project, if it can be counted . Book I read it without "project" is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Oo, the Little Prince is just such an endearing little book. Maybe you should give Pride and Prejudice another read. It's pretty good, if you're into romance that is. :)

hello all, i've just joined in. this seems like a fun group. my first english book was most likely a picture book which i was probably too young to remember. lol. but the first fiction novel which succeded in turning me into a bookworm was black beauty. it was a gift from my aunt on my birthday.

well hello to you too Seer.. i remember black beauty. although i watched the film first then found the book in the bargain bin on my local bookstore. i think i bought it more because i hated the thought of leaving a booksale with money left in my wallet. LOL. but yes, it was a good story. even better since it was on an 80% discount. hahaha..

Hello Seer and welcome to the club! :)

Hello, all!

The first english book I read that I remember clearly was Tom Brown's Schooldays by Thomas Hughes. I read it because my english teacher assigned us to read an english book dan make a review out of it.

It was a good book and I liked it. It was the book that encouraged me to read more english books though I realise that my english is 'pas-pasan'. :D

Nice to be in this group. :)

Hello Juliana! Welcome to the group! Nice to have you here with us :)

Welcome, Juliana! Keep reading those English books, it will help you learn the language. When I started, my English was also "pas-pasan". :)

My first english book? Gotta be the nursery rhymes, LOL! I remembered thinking why those songs are mean, why jack and jill f ell down the hill, why the ladybugs' house is on fire, why baby fell down the tree with the cradle?

My first english novel? The mallory tower series by Enid Blyton. I remembered reading side by side with the indonesian version, because i didn't feel confident enough.

I read my first english book sometimes in High school. Borrow it from the library (with "beginner" stamp in the back :))

But I think the first time I enjoy reading in english is when i pick up Robinson Crusoe from my college library. It's almost take me a whole 2 weeks to finish it because it's so hard to understand the sentences. After that, reading Harry Potter seems so easy..:)

hi, all! I'm new in this group actually :)
my first english book is A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket. My mom bought it and asked me to finish it. As a JHS student, I remember I found some I-dont-know-the-meaning words but once I finished it I fell in love with books and glad for it :D

Hello Ringe! And welcome to the group :)

Ah the Bad Beginning, I loved it too way back when. Have you finished all the books in ASOUE? I stopped at the Penultimate Peril. Not that I don't love series, I do, but I've forgotten everything and I couldn't bring myself to go over it to finish the series.

hi :)
I haven't been online for a while, so I'm still new in the group
first English book I've ever read is Clockwork Angel. It was the first English book I bought then

my first English book....shoot! I forgot...ehmm, I guess Someone Like You

Hello! My first post in this group!
Well if you are being strict about it then I cant really remember the "first" English book I read. but I do recall finishing my first English novel which was Deception Point by Dan Brown. The fact that it was quite a cognitive load at first (as I'm sure many of u could relate to) didnt stop me to try to finish the book. Other than occasional peeks into the dictionary or thesaurus, I eventually finished it and I read all kinds of English books ever since.

Falling Leaves: The Memoir of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter This book! A perfect combination of love, family, and history. Much heartbreaking ;_;

Aloha, I'm new member of Goodreads and this group.
My first English book I read was pocket book of Frankenstein. It was my first English novel because I wanted to know about Frankenstein.

Hi, I'm new in the group... nice to meet you all~
I don't exactly remember my first english book I've read, but the first real novel was Harry Potter: The philosopher's stone. It was an old book when saw it, yet that's what made me fall in love with it, I guess. It was kinda easy and fun to read, so since then I've been sticking to fiction-fantasy stuff. Those kind of books could really get your imagination growing! lol

Hi, I just joined this group.
The first English book I read was a book by Chuck Palahniuk but I don't remember the title. Stranger Than Fiction I guess. But I didn't finish it because I didn't understand what it was about. I suppose I have to read it again someday :D

Hello, people. :)
I'm new here and I guess I love English books. That's exactly why I join this thread. (>__<) Nice to meet you all!
My first English book? Hmm, I can't remember it very well. It's a humor book bought by my uncle and not in any of my shelves right now. Well, but my FIRST bought English book is the English version of Soseki's I am a Cat III. It has so many difficult words to begin with and I feel like I want to chew my dictionary right away. LOL. But after a while, well, I learn to read the context and just seek dictionary helps once in a while. :)
And I'm so happy that I can finish the said novel at my hi-school era. LOL. I'm trying to re-read it right now since I have some spare times. :)

Oops, I write too much! (>__<) Anyway, once again, nice to meet ya all and let's be friends! (>__<)

i'm totally forgot! LOL
but i think it was a book on my high school's english assignment.
anyway, i'm new in this group.
nice to meet y'all :)

Hello EVERYONE! Nice to have you all here with us :)

Oh gosh, I think it was a children storybook bought by my mother. I forgot what it's called but it's like a combination of children's bedtime stories, like Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks, Jack and the Bean Sprout and others. I read it when I was kindergarten, together with my mom every night. And... the first English novel that I've read is the Mary-Kate and Ashley series, Two of a Kind. I think the title is "Dream Date Debate". I read it during Grade 3. Both books are still in my room. :D

I... forget? As normal. I'm never really good in keeping good (or bad) memories. All that's in my head are just short-term memories. :(

But as long as I remember I bought Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban when I was very little (a third-grader, I believe). So perhaps it was the first book I read in English.

The first book I read in English was Mathilda by Roald Dahl. Haven't finish it yet since I found the book in Bahasa. The first English-translated-to-Bahasa book that I read was Enid Blyton's House at The Corner.