"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—this brilliant coming-of-age memoir captures a girl's intellectual awakening with a vividness that 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.
It is a time and place captured with unforgettable clarity—a world built from moments of both breathtaking wonder and startling discovery.
