A review by kcrouth
An American Childhood by Annie Dillard

4.0

Starting out reading Annie Dillard's "An American Childhood", I thought "this is not my childhood". But the further i read, the more fascinating this story became, and the more i felt Ms Dillard's story shared with mine. Growing up in a 1950s Pittsburgh society family, the author shares her perspectives and experiences of the 1950s, and of Pittsburgh and American culture during that time. I especially enjoyed the author's views and feelings about the ever expanding world around her as she increasingly engaged it and lived into it. Annie Dillard is the Pulitzer prize winning author of "Pilgrim at Tinker Creek" which she wrote only a few short years after the events in this story. "Pilgrim" is beautifully and thoughtfully written, imparting wisdom well beyond the author's young age. This book helps give a picture of how, when, and where Ms. Dillard came into her wealth of knowledge and wisdom. I loved this book, and, as with "Pilgrim", found myself savoring every beautifully written word.