I love to read, though I confess my time spent reading has dwindled since I became a blogger. The time I used to devote each night to reading before falling asleep is now devoted to reading the stuff you write. Stop writing such good stuff, okay? I need to catch up on some books.
Anyway, several of you have done this meme, and after Shalee tagged me I thought I'd jump in too. Mostly, I'd be interested to read your lists over at your own blog. I'll include a Mr. Linky at the end of this so that you can post a link, if you participate. This meme was originally shorter, but I lengthened it. I love talking about books, and well, no one has ever accused me of short-windedness.
1. Book that changed your life: The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom. If you read ONE book the rest of this year, make it that one. You will never be the same. Other significant books have been Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss and the entire Anne of Green Gables series by L.M Montgomery.
2. Book that you've read more than once: The Anne of Green Gables series. I started reading them when I was about 11 and have read through the entire series more times than I can count.
3. Book you'd want on a desert island: The Bible, of course. And probably a book called "How To Get Off A Desert Island".
4. Book that made you laugh: Thundering Sneakers by Prudence Mackintosh. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Architecture of the Arkansas Ozarks by Donald Harington . Anything by Fannie Flagg.
5. Book that made you cry: The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis (last book in the Narnia series), Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss, The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks
6. Book that you wish had been written: How To Stop the Clocks So That You Can Have 28 Hours In Your Day
7. Book you don't enjoy: I'm not a fan of the Christian fiction genre. Now hang on, before some of you start throwing things at me from every corner of Blogland, let me explain. I love to read good-quality books by writers who happen to be Christians, whether or not their faith makes a specific appearance in their books. But I've tried Christian fiction and find much of it overly formulaic and a bit preachy (I know, I know, of course there are exceptions; I'm speaking in generalities here). Frankly, the idea of Christian marketing in general leaves me a bit cold, whether it's fiction or neckties or--Heaven help us--perfume. I agree with C.S. Lewis (and who on earth would have the nerve to disagree with C.S. Lewis, anyway?) when he said "What the world needs is not more Christian writers but more writers who are Christians."
8. Book you are currently reading: Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. It's my friend Jules' favorite book, and I originally agreed to read it in exchange for a promise from her that she'd watch the first season of Lost on DVD. I'm loving it and am so glad she recommended it. Though she's not off the hook for watching Lost. On my left sidebar is the list of books I'm planning to read next.
9. Book you've been meaning to read: Just tried-- I mean, really tried--to wade my way through Pilgrim's Progress. Just couldn't do it (and I know, there's an abridged version, but I'm funny that way--I'd rather read no version than an abridged version). I'm also hoping to tackle the Grapes of Wrath later this year, now that Chilihead has me turned on to Steinbeck.
10. Book you remember as a real page-turner: Woman In White by Wilkie Collins; London, by Edward Rutherford; anything by Agatha Christie; Ferney by James Long (very unusual book, but interesting); One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus; anything by Sandra Dallas, Margaret George or Tracy Chevalier; Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis. And, of course, the great Harry. I could type a million more, but I have to stop somewhere...
11. Non-fiction books that you have enjoyed: Honestly? I really don't enjoy non-fiction, most of the time. Is that awful? Probably. But the ones that do stick out in my mind from over the years are The Practice of the Presence of God, by Brother Lawrence, Foxe's Book of Martyrs, and Creative Counterpart by Linda Dillow. Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems by Dr. Richard Ferber saved my sanity (and very possibly my marriage! *grin*)
12. Children's books your family has loved: I could list a hundred, but our favorites have been Time For Bed by Mem Fox; anything by Audrey Woods or Eric Carle (and yes, I can do ALL the different animal voices in Brown Bear, Brown Bear, thankyouverymuch), Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin, Jr. ("skit-skat-skoodle-doot" is a regular part of our family vocabulary), I Love You As Much by Laura Melmed, My Backpack by Eve Bunting, Pigs In the Mud by Lynn Plourde, Zoom City by Thacher Hurd, Maybe My Baby by Irene O'Book, and OF COURSE Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (I could recite it forwards, backwards, upside down and probably in Portugese if I tried...)
And no, I'm not getting any kickbacks from Amazon for all these links. Drat.
If you're reading this, consider yourself tagged. I always like to hear what others are reading, so if you participate on your own blog, leave a link below!
