Books

I love to read and have a headache today because I didn't get enough sleep last night because I was reading. I was up past 1 am reading. I just had to finish the book, even though I knew it would not bode well for my demeanor on Thursday. So, I haven't been tagged, exactly, but I read Cate's blog and I am going to assume that "you" means "me". So here goes:

Number of Books
Less than I used to. Maybe 100. I got rid of most of my old college text books, and don't have many of my childhood books, unless they're in one of those boxes that my mother so gleefully deposited on my doorstep when I bought my house seven years ago. I have one bookshelf with books that I own. I usually read most books once, like I usually only rent movies once (though if a good movie is on TV I'll watch it; I just won't actually choose to watch the same movie more than once, if I had the option to choose something I hadn't seen. Maybe that's why I usually can't quote lines from movies.) I now have one bookcase of books, just 5 shelves, and one whole shelf is phone books.

Last Book Read
Driving With Dead People, by Monica Holloway. I didn't realize there was going to be a molestation factor until about halfway through, and then I had to get to the end to find out what happened. This is why I was up half the night last night. It was good but not really a happy book.

Last Book Bought
I only buy books now if I know I'll want to own it, if I know it will take a while to get through, or if I'm in an airport and I don't have anything to read. Or, if I'm traveling. I like to go into bookstores in other cities, and usually buy something. Last book I bought: Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight, used $4.99, in Boston.

Five Meaningful Books

It's hard to pick just 5; I'm doing 6 (really, 7 plus the series books).

Anne of Green Gables, the series, by Lucy Maud Montgomery. So romantic. And the Canadian TV series - awesome. Prince Edward Island is on my list of places to visit in my lifetime.

Little House books. I'm not copying Cate, but man, I loved those books and have read them so many times. I want to own them but right now I only have the first one. When I was younger, I made maple candy on snow, from the Farmer Boy book (heat up maple syrup, then squiggle it on snow and it hardens and gets chewy.

How to be Idle and How to be Free by Tom Hodgkinson: These books are changing my life and making me look at my life and my priorities and see where they need to changes so I can be happier.

The Xanth novels by Piers Anthony: These books are fantastic. Full of puns and plays on words, plus magic. For example, a spelling bee is a bee that buzzes around and instead of "z" floating behind the bee, letters spelling words do. See? Cool.

It by Stephen King: I did not like this book but I read the whole 4 inch thick hardcover when I was in middle school or whenever it came out and it really turned me right off of suspense novels. Lesson learned - don't start a scary book in the evening or you'll be up all night finishing it or else you'll have nighmares (see also: Pet Sematary)

We Thought You Would Be Prettier by Laurie Notaro. Laurie Notario is hilarious; I laugh out loud whenever I read her essays.


Well, since Cate is my only friend who has a blog, I'm not tagging anyone.