Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Book Meme

Barbara at Ramblings From An English Garden tagged me for a Book Meme last week. I've been thinking about the answers and have even gone to sleep pondering about the books I would put in various categories in the meme.

I'd like to tag a couple of people for this meme because I'm curious to know how they will respond. Bethany at Red Yarn, Heather from artgirlATL, and Ellen at Happy Wonderer. And of course, if anyone reading this post wants to jump in and do it, please feel free to do so, and let me know. I'm always looking for book suggestions.


1. A Book that Changed your Life: "Dick and Jane", my first grade reader. This is the first book I remember reading to myself. Learning to read (this book) changed my life.

2. A Book you read More than Once: I have read many books more than once. I can think of two in particular. I read "Dr. Seuss's ABC Book" so many times to my four children that I can still quote the whole book from memory. I have also read all the books in the Little House series more than once (Little House in The Big Woods and The First Four Years and all the others in between).

3. A book you would take to a Desert Island: Besides the Bible. "The TMF Cookbook" which has information on how to cook anything a deserted island's flora and fauna could offer me for food.

4. A book that made you laugh: James Herriot's books make me laugh every time I read them. "All Creatures Great and Small", "All Things Bright and Beautiful", "All Things Wise and Wonderful", "The Lord God Made Them All". I laugh out loud, belly laugh, hysterically howling until I can hardly breathe when I read Herriot's accounts of a country vet's life in Yorkshire.

5. A book that made you cry: I honestly can't think of one right now, although I know I have cried reading books.

6. A book you wish you had written: I wish I, instead of Barbara Walker, had written "A Treasury of Knitting Patterns" because if I had written it that would mean 1. that I had been able to sit around all those hours and KNIT and 2. that I would have a lot of money from the sales of the book. I asked The Professor this question and he said he wished he had written "The Godfather" because the author made a whole lot of money from the book.

7. A book you wish had not been written: I am having a hard time thinking of a book I wish hadn't been written. The only book I can think of might be the psychology book I was supposed to read for my Psych.101 class in college. It was so boring that I, even I who was a good, obedient student and always read all my texts, I did not read it and ended up getting a 'C' in the class, the only 'C' I had in my whole college career.

8. Two books that you are at present reading: "The Green Year" by Barbara Webster, which is the book, the perfect gift, I received from my brother and sister in law for Christmas, and Elizabeth Wayland Barber's "Women's Work, the First 20,000 Years: Women, Cloth, and Society in Early Times".

9. A book you are going to read: One of the books on my to read list is the book my friend MS2 (Margaret Stringer) wrote about her experiences as a missionary in Papua, Indonesia: "From Cannibalism to Christianity". I'm going to sneak a second book in here because it is related to this first book: "Hostage 22 Years in the Jungles of W. Papua, Indonesia" by Yohana Mayor and (her father) Mr. Dominggus Mayor, translated into English by Margaret Stringer.

10. A book you read and never figured out: Mike loaned me a book that I started reading, got totally confused and bored with and never finished it. "The Years of Rice and Salt". I don't remember the author. The premise, sort of, was an alternate history of the world if everyone in Europe had died from The Plague; at least, I think that was the premise.

14 comments:

kate said...

Your last pick has me in stitches - of laughter that is not wool!

I liked reading your choices - the Dr. Seuss one and 'Dick and Jane' brought back many, many memories.

The Herriott books are great. I enjoyed them immensely.

Tracy said...

Such fun reading your book list! I loved reading all the James Herriott books. As a child I loved Beatrix Potter's books and borrowed them continuously from the library to read and look at the lovely watercolor illustrations. Oh, lovely the sweet little-man addition to you family. Wishing you all a sweet day on Valentine's Day ((HUGS))

Anonymous said...

Hi Willow,
Boy how I cherish the memory of Dick and Jane. I honestly can still sense the joy and excitement of holding that book in my hand and being able to read it. I can even see the book mark. I'll put my thinking cap on and think about these questions. thanks for the tag...

Bethany said...

It was fun to read through your list and I have to admit... I got my first ever "C" in Psychology (third quarter) because I was so bored, it was spring, and those darn graduate students like to play mind games on the test!!! I loved psychology except for that quarter! I will play along but give me a bit, so I have time to think! Happy Valentine's Day! Off to make watermelon hearts!!!

roxie said...

The TMF Cookbook? Sounds too cool for school! I'll have to search for that one. What a delight you are!

Heather said...

I get it. Ok, I'll post this as soon as I get a minute to think on these. Thanks for tagging me.
Hugs and MoonPies,
Heather

Robin said...

I loved Dick and Jane too! And Sally and Puff the kitten! What fun memories.
I did the meme on my blog - you'll have to check it out!

Yolanda said...

I loved reading this.thanks for sharing it.

Elizabeth said...

This post really got me thinking....
I totally agree about James Herriott's books.
Wonderfully funny.
Did you ever read The Diary of a Nobody by George and Wheedon Grossmith?
Written in the late 19th century.
I am a total nut for LONG books.
Do you remember the Melanie song from the 60's/70's - in which she says 'wish I could find a good book to live in'?and brand new pair of roller skates.......
Love to the baby!

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

I enjoyed reading through your book meme. Barbara tagged me too; I'm still thinking about my choices.

Ah yes, the Dr. Seuss ABC Book. There was a time when I, too, could recite it from memory, but not anymore.

If I'm ever stuck on a desert island, I want to be with you and your special cookbook!

Knitting Linguist said...

These are great! I'm thinking I should go get one of Herriot's books as an audiobook to listen to while knitting. I hope you like Betchen's book!

Anonymous said...

I love Herriot's stories!

Barbara said...

Interesting to read your book meme. You certainly got to it a lot quicker than I did.

Anonymous said...

Hi Willow,
My book meme is up at my sight. It was fun. Hope you are having a nice day...