Sixty Pounds Of Knowledge And Dreams
Once upon a time in a land far, far away, if you wanted to learn about something, you selected and picked up an ivory, green, and gold key to the world called the World Book Encyclopedia.
It was much more fun than a dictionary, it was better than a thesaurus, it had a slick texture when you flipped pages, and a unique smell although it was a book. With every new year, you would receive a book for the past year and apply labels in the original books referencing you to the new yearbook.
Initially published 100 years ago, the World Book Encyclopedia was and continues to be a window into the world well into the 21st century. More than 10,000 pages of knowledge spread across 20 plus volumes that contained maps, pictures, history, and the list is limitless.
During the long and cold winter nights in North Dakota when there were only three (3) television channels to watch and for this reason, excitement, mystery, knowledge, leisure, and both sides of the story oozed out of these books and opened up my world.
World Book Encyclopedias were the internet of my childhood and provided information instantaneously and could also be used to press flowers or plants if needed. Sure, smartphones are the window into today's world but show me a smartphone with personality.
My exposure to this excellent resource helped me forge my path traveling the world on submarines and ships, moving throughout the nation during my life to explore new experiences, and having an unfillable thirst for knowledge during my fifty plus years on this earth.
Fall has begun, and I yearn to spend the evening curled up on the couch paging through volumes of the World Book Encyclopedia while one of my furbabies cuddle with me. Perhaps, when the temperatures drop a little more, I will add a warm fire and hot Irish Coffee to the experience.
The world continues to change as I do, but I wish some changes would slow down and I could turn back the clock. It is nice to have dreams, but we all know that it probably would not be the same. Memories always seem to have a fondness that cannot be repeated, but I would love to try.
- Do you have activities from your childhood you would love to recreate?
- Do you know of anyone that has later 1960s Worldbook Encyclopedias with Yearbooks available?
I love being fifty plus going on fifteen and appreciate your reading my blog.
Thanks, J
Recent Comments
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Hi Jay!
I loved our encyclopedias, and used them for years to do research for school projects or just to find answers on my own. I’ll have to ask my Dad if he still has them, I wouldn’t mind leafing through them again.
KyleAnn
KyleAnn, I understand and believe I was self taught in many ways because of the encyclopedias. Let me know if you find them. J
Good Morning Jay,
I can fully understand your passion for reading. I was lucky as my Mother used to read to me while I was small. At an early age, I started reading myself and would enter the story and go on a trip.
I do not have those books but I still have the National Geographics my parents would bind of the early fifties. Have you ever looked at this? lots of interesting things can be found there.
www.wdl.org. Have you seen my last post, 2 for 1?
Greetings from the south of Spain, Taetske
Taetske, I do enjoy NG and believe there is nothing like paper. I will visit your latest since I have not yet. Thanks for swinging by. J
Great post! I am someone who loves to have a book in hand rather than a kindle- except when I am trying to look up a definition of something as dictionaries are a bit too large.
I would love to recreate the activities that I would do with kids my age. Adults don't get out as often with intermural sports or clubs, as most of us are too busy with children or life to do so.
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I remember we had encyclopedias and yearbooks. I think I looked at the encyclopedias but not the yearbooks very much. Haven't thought about these in ages.