An American Childhood

Annie Dillard

Oct 2009 · Sold by Harper Collins

About this ebook

"An American Childhood more than takes the reader's breath away. It consumes you as you consume it, so that, when you have put down this book, you're a different person, one who has virtually experienced another childhood." — Chicago Tribune

A book that instantly captured the hearts of readers across the country, An American Childhood is Pulitzer Prize-winning author Annie Dillard's poignant, vivid memoir of growing up in Pittsburgh in the 1950s and 60s. 

Dedicated to her parents—from whom she learned a love of language and the importance of following your deepest passions—Dillard's brilliant memoir will resonate with anyone who has ever recalled with longing playing baseball on an endless summer afternoon, caring for a pristine rock collection, or knowing in your heart that a book was written just for you. 

Ratings and reviews

This book is structurally well written, but should be filed under philosophy. I got the point early on, but skipped several paragraphs. Heavier reading than I expected!

An all time favorite of mine. It is meditative. It grounds me when I need it. It may be all the details if Annie's childhood, but it is the spirit and the soul of every childhood.

A beautiful book about childhood - elegent, direct, beautiful.

About the author

Annie Dillard is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, An American Childhood, The Writing Life, The Living and The Maytrees. She is a member of the Academy of Arts and Letters and has received fellowship grants from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.