The Sheila Variations

The book challenge

I got this from Dan - who tagged me "it".

1. Total Number of Books I've Owned:

Okay, so the "I've Owned" tells me they want to know all in all, as opposed to how many books I currently own. So - I have no idea. I have owned thousands and thousands of books in my lifetime. Thousands. Stacked high to the moon. I have no idea how many books I own now.

2. Last Book I Bought:

Break, Blow, Burn, by Camille Paglia

3. Last Book I Read:

Miracle at Philadelphia, by Catherine Drinker Bowen

4. Five Books That Mean A Lot To Me:

Charlotte's Web, by EB White. I can barely type the title of that book without getting verklempt.

Harriet the Spy, by Louise Fitzhugh. I've never done a post on what that book means to me ... but all I can say is: it had an enormous impact. Maybe the biggest impact ANY book ever had on me. Harriet is basically why I picked up a pen and started scribbling stuff down in a notebook when I was 10 years old.

Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle. The vision in this book - of the redeeming power of love (even in the face of great danger, and terror, and separation from those that you love) has gotten me through many a dark hour. I cherish this book.

Mating, by Norman Rush. I wrote about the book here. I haven't met another person who loved this book as much as I did, but that doesn't matter. This book shook me to my very core. Still does.

Hopeful Monsters, by Nicholas Mosley. I've read this novel so many times my copy is literally falling apart.

5. Tag five people and have them do this on their blog:

(Oh and by the way: FEEL NO PRESSURE to comply, people. Only answer the call if you feel like it. It made me feel like one of those emails that end with: "Forward this to 10 people or your hair will spontaneously combust in 10 minutes." I hate that.)

Bill.
Anne.
Jess.
Curly.
Emily

Posted by sheila