Book MEME
I got this Book MEME from Andrew, at “The Other Andrew”. His blog is one of my favorites. Please visit him if you have not already.
1. One book you have read more than once:
I reread many favorite books. They seem to say different things at different times of my life. Every few years I reread “Creation” by Gore Vidal. Not only is it a witty book in the “Vidal style”, it is chock full of ancient history. The main character is the grandson of Zoroaster dictating his memoirs in Classical Athens. In his travels he met the Buddha, Confucius, and other religious leaders, so it becomes not only a history book, but a exploration on religion and philosophy.
2. One book you would want on a desert island:
”Ulysses” by James Joyce – I could spend a lifetime rereading it and get more each time.
3. One book that made you laugh:”
Queen Lucia” by E.F. Benson. The ‘Lucia’ series must be the book equivalent of ‘The Women’. Set in England, two matrons battle it out over who will be prima donna of the small town. The ploys of Lucia versus Miss Mapp are hilarious.
4. One book that made you cry:
Most of Dickens. He is one of my favorite authors. I don’t break out into bawls, but I get watery eyes reading the pathos and suffering therein.
5. One book you wish you had written:The Harry Potter books, of course!
My title for the last book is “Harry Potter and the Obscene Royalty”.
6. One book you wish had never been written:
”Homosexuality; A Psychoanalytic Study” by Bieber. Published in 1962 it was the gold standard for the etiology and treatment of homosexuality. It set back mental health care for gay people by 10 years. To read it now is almost funny, if it weren’t completely serious (example; when all else fails to cure homosexuality, consider ECT).
7. One book you are currently reading:
”Nerds Who Kill” by Mark Zubro. He is a pal of mine who writes murder mysteries. He has a few series, and they are all set in Chicago; the main characters are gay.
8. One book you have been meaning to read:
I just finished it! “The Origin of Species” by Charles Darwin. If you want my thoughts on it, see my blog entry from 19 June titled ‘the Origin of Spo”.
9. One Book That Changed Your Life:
”The Phantom Tollbooth” by Norton Juster. This children’s book about going off into another world forever sucked me into the magic world of reading. It took me to the “Lands Beyond’ (please, please, read this book!)
10. Now tag five people:
Rodger at Rodger Dodger
David at David’s Blog
Eileen at Cliffie’s Notes
Joel at Would I?
Daniel at Daniel-Guy in the Desert.
1. One book you have read more than once:
I reread many favorite books. They seem to say different things at different times of my life. Every few years I reread “Creation” by Gore Vidal. Not only is it a witty book in the “Vidal style”, it is chock full of ancient history. The main character is the grandson of Zoroaster dictating his memoirs in Classical Athens. In his travels he met the Buddha, Confucius, and other religious leaders, so it becomes not only a history book, but a exploration on religion and philosophy.
2. One book you would want on a desert island:
”Ulysses” by James Joyce – I could spend a lifetime rereading it and get more each time.
3. One book that made you laugh:”
Queen Lucia” by E.F. Benson. The ‘Lucia’ series must be the book equivalent of ‘The Women’. Set in England, two matrons battle it out over who will be prima donna of the small town. The ploys of Lucia versus Miss Mapp are hilarious.
4. One book that made you cry:
Most of Dickens. He is one of my favorite authors. I don’t break out into bawls, but I get watery eyes reading the pathos and suffering therein.
5. One book you wish you had written:The Harry Potter books, of course!
My title for the last book is “Harry Potter and the Obscene Royalty”.
6. One book you wish had never been written:
”Homosexuality; A Psychoanalytic Study” by Bieber. Published in 1962 it was the gold standard for the etiology and treatment of homosexuality. It set back mental health care for gay people by 10 years. To read it now is almost funny, if it weren’t completely serious (example; when all else fails to cure homosexuality, consider ECT).
7. One book you are currently reading:
”Nerds Who Kill” by Mark Zubro. He is a pal of mine who writes murder mysteries. He has a few series, and they are all set in Chicago; the main characters are gay.
8. One book you have been meaning to read:
I just finished it! “The Origin of Species” by Charles Darwin. If you want my thoughts on it, see my blog entry from 19 June titled ‘the Origin of Spo”.
9. One Book That Changed Your Life:
”The Phantom Tollbooth” by Norton Juster. This children’s book about going off into another world forever sucked me into the magic world of reading. It took me to the “Lands Beyond’ (please, please, read this book!)
10. Now tag five people:
Rodger at Rodger Dodger
David at David’s Blog
Eileen at Cliffie’s Notes
Joel at Would I?
Daniel at Daniel-Guy in the Desert.
posted by Ur-spo at 7:30 AM
9 Comments:
hanuman! I had 20 people from which to choose; I picked the ones who recently did not seem to have a meme;
I'll tag ya next time.
What a GREAT meme! I am going to play EVEN THOUGH I was not one who was tagged either hanuman...
As for Ulysses - that is the book that I read for insomnia... I consider myself a smart man, but I just can't get this one...
I hear, Sahib, and I obey...
Very interesting meme.I have only read Dickens and Harry Potter--of the books you have mentioned.
Dicken's "David Copperfield" made me very sad, not quite cry.
One book that I have read over and over again is "Catcher In The Rye", although I have read "Night" Wiesel twice already and I have read a "Separate Peace".
My favorite all time book has to "Lord of the Flies" though.
Oh, the book that changed my life was "Diary of Anne Frank". It made me think that someone who lived like her could have such an outlook on life as to say she believed that people were still good at heart. Wow, what a book.
On a desert island I would want "The Little Prince".
One of my favorites, and I have many, would be Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. I've read it several times.
Great post. I fear that you are leading me down the primrose path here. Your blog is making me want to start one of my own (and where would I get the time for that?) Since I don't have a blog but would like to play this game, let me post my own responses here:
1. One book you have read more than once:
"The Poisonwood Bible." Easily Barbara Kingsolver’s best, and a vivid portriat of cultural clash.
2. One book you would want on a desert island:
"Sons and Lovers." D.H. Lawrence is God.
3. One book that made you laugh:"
"The Diamond Age or A Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer" by Neil Stephenson. It’s science fiction set in the near future and suffused with an engagingly sly humor. It’s better if you read his earlier novel "Snow Crash" first. Diamond Age isn’t really a sequel, but there are some subtle references and a surprise cameo appearance by a character from that novel that make the read more fun if you are able to catch them.
4. One book that made you cry:
"To Kill a Mockingbird." Just because the writing’s so damn good.
5. One book you wish you had written:
"The Great Gatsby." F. Scott Fitzgerald is God (I’m a literary polytheist).
6. One book you wish had never been written:
"Cradle" by Arthur C. Clark and Gentry Lee. An embarrassingly painful stinker co-written by one of my favorite sci-fi authors. My closest experience to Purgatory was being stuck for an entire day in the Cuzco, Peru airport with only that to read. Oh, the horror….
7. One book you are currently reading:
Queer Stories for Boys. So far, it’s uneven.
8. One book you have been meaning to read:
Plutarch’s Lives
9. One Book That Changed Your Life:
"Golden Guide to the Butterflies." It was my first field guide. I got it when I was 8. What can you say about the book that set your career path?
I’ll also add a category:
One book that has given you a nightmare: "Brighton Rock" by Graham Greene. The main character is a slasher, and after reading it I had a bad dream about an encounter with him.
OK, does "tagged" mean I post my own answers on ym own blog?
Or I can just do it here.
1. One book you have read more than once: "The Godwhale" by TJ Bass. I have read it around 40 times since I discovered it at about age 11. I can practically recite it.
2. One book you would want on a desert island:
"Floating Dragon" by Peter Straub. This book has everything.
3. One book that made you laugh: "Disco Bloodbath" by James St. James. This is a unique accomplishment for a true crime story.
4. One book that made you cry:
"Legacy Of Courage" by Paula Mints.
5. One book you wish you had written: "Basket Case" by Paul Hiaasen. Now who recommended that one again?
6. One book you wish had never been written:
"The Trench" by Steve Alten. It's so bad it may actually be slightly radioactive.
7. One book you are currently reading:
"Goneboy: A Walkabout" by Gregor Gibson.
8. One book you have been meaning to read: Just one title, huh? Sheesh. I have never managed "The Prince" by Niccolo Machiavelli; how about that one?
9. One Book That Changed Your Life:
"Drawing Down The Moon" by Margot Adler. I got an identity from between the pages of that book.
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