I'm "It"
Rozanne tagged me and thank goodness. I was about to scrape the barrel and whine about children's TV, which would have everyone blacklisting me for good. Actually, I must mention that I am being driven slowly insane by a song in Sara's favorite episode of Dora the Explorer:
Oingy, boingy, boingy, bing
Will get these magic rocks to sing
Oingy, boingy, boingy, bing
Will get these rocks to sing
{repeat}
{repeat}
{repeat}
{drive forks into eyes}
If you see me scuttling from bush to tree, muttering in Spanglish, please, pretend you don't see me.
So, books. Books. Did you know I used to tell people in all sincerity that I wanted to be a librarian when I grew up until around the age of 10? I wanted to read all the books. You'd think I'd have better, or at least more impressive taste, but I don't. So, here goes, in all honesty, the 5 questions:
1) You're stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you save?
I took this to be more of an altruistic choice, rather than personal, and therefore must go with George Orwell's 1984. I read it in high school and it really did change me. I still remember parts of it vividly. I haven't read it since and don't intend to. Once was enough.
2) Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character?
I gotta say, "No." Sorry. I'd like to be more interesting than that but I don't really do the crush thing. I'm weird like that. I get crushes on characters on behalf of other characters, but not for myself. I must have been a matchmaker in an earlier life.
3) The last book you purchased?
Last week's trip to the bookstore:
-Reading Lolita in Tehran, Azar Nafisi
-Good In Bed, Jennifer Weiner
-A very cool, very intricate pop-up book of Alice in Wonderland, adapted from Louis Carroll. Got it for the kids, will keep it forever. It takes at least an hour to read aloud, if you don't dawdle. We got the Wizard of Oz, which is also a work of art, the month before. Colin is fascinated by them.
4) What are you currently reading?
Finishing The DaVinci Code, by Dan Brown. Good but not amazing. I think my expectations were too high. It did make me get out my old art history book, though. Before that, I read Cold Flat Junction, by Martha Grimes. My mom got me most of her Richard Jury mystery series for Christmas in 2003 and after I consumed them, I have started on her set of Emma Graham books. Languid. Lovely. 12 year-old heroine. Start at the beginning of the set. I am a mystery buff and hold everything up to Dorothy L Sayers as the standard. Agatha Christie's Miss Marples are right up there, too. Comfort food.
5) 5 books you would take to a deserted island?
I am going for love, sanity and escapism, not anything deeper. These are the ones I love best:
-The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien. Sorry, complete unabashed paste-eating nerd here. I have even played Dungeons and Dragons in my day, although never through the night, and, therefore, not over the edge. Hey, where are you all going? Wait! I take it back! I never really enjoyed it. Honestly! Well, maybe I did, but I never made up my own dungeons.
-The complete works of Jane Austen. Enough said.
-As big an anthology of P.G. Wodehouse's Jeeves and Wooster as I can find. There will be an unlimited stash of port on this island, in a crystal decanter and a crystal port glass, right? That just goes with the books.
-The Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries of the incomparable Dorothy L. Sayers. If I ever had a crush on a character, it would be Lord Peter. Thank god Harriet Vane was such a close friend (cough), so I could have the crush on her behalf.
-I am torn between all the Harry Potters, including all the ones yet to be written and an amazing astronomy book and I really can't decide. It would depend if the astronomy book came with a telescope. If not, Harry wins. If so, Harry may still win as I can't imagine going through life without getting to read the rest of the series.
There.
Fantasy, mystery, British satire. If there were a #6, Douglas Adams' 5 book The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy trilogy would come. Hey, every contest deserves a 1st runner-up. That way I could combine fantasy, British satire and astronomy all in 1 book. There would, of course, have to be a limitless supply of gin-and-tonics.
So, let's see, I tag: Lioness, Mojavi, and if they read this and feel up to it: Linda and Christine. Spill your guts, answer the questions, air your dirty laundry. Show us a bit of leg or a bit of soul. Or both. You're among friends.
Oingy, boingy, boingy, bing
Will get these magic rocks to sing
Oingy, boingy, boingy, bing
Will get these rocks to sing
{repeat}
{repeat}
{repeat}
{drive forks into eyes}
If you see me scuttling from bush to tree, muttering in Spanglish, please, pretend you don't see me.
So, books. Books. Did you know I used to tell people in all sincerity that I wanted to be a librarian when I grew up until around the age of 10? I wanted to read all the books. You'd think I'd have better, or at least more impressive taste, but I don't. So, here goes, in all honesty, the 5 questions:
1) You're stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you save?
I took this to be more of an altruistic choice, rather than personal, and therefore must go with George Orwell's 1984. I read it in high school and it really did change me. I still remember parts of it vividly. I haven't read it since and don't intend to. Once was enough.
2) Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character?
I gotta say, "No." Sorry. I'd like to be more interesting than that but I don't really do the crush thing. I'm weird like that. I get crushes on characters on behalf of other characters, but not for myself. I must have been a matchmaker in an earlier life.
3) The last book you purchased?
Last week's trip to the bookstore:
-Reading Lolita in Tehran, Azar Nafisi
-Good In Bed, Jennifer Weiner
-A very cool, very intricate pop-up book of Alice in Wonderland, adapted from Louis Carroll. Got it for the kids, will keep it forever. It takes at least an hour to read aloud, if you don't dawdle. We got the Wizard of Oz, which is also a work of art, the month before. Colin is fascinated by them.
4) What are you currently reading?
Finishing The DaVinci Code, by Dan Brown. Good but not amazing. I think my expectations were too high. It did make me get out my old art history book, though. Before that, I read Cold Flat Junction, by Martha Grimes. My mom got me most of her Richard Jury mystery series for Christmas in 2003 and after I consumed them, I have started on her set of Emma Graham books. Languid. Lovely. 12 year-old heroine. Start at the beginning of the set. I am a mystery buff and hold everything up to Dorothy L Sayers as the standard. Agatha Christie's Miss Marples are right up there, too. Comfort food.
5) 5 books you would take to a deserted island?
I am going for love, sanity and escapism, not anything deeper. These are the ones I love best:
-The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien. Sorry, complete unabashed paste-eating nerd here. I have even played Dungeons and Dragons in my day, although never through the night, and, therefore, not over the edge. Hey, where are you all going? Wait! I take it back! I never really enjoyed it. Honestly! Well, maybe I did, but I never made up my own dungeons.
-The complete works of Jane Austen. Enough said.
-As big an anthology of P.G. Wodehouse's Jeeves and Wooster as I can find. There will be an unlimited stash of port on this island, in a crystal decanter and a crystal port glass, right? That just goes with the books.
-The Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries of the incomparable Dorothy L. Sayers. If I ever had a crush on a character, it would be Lord Peter. Thank god Harriet Vane was such a close friend (cough), so I could have the crush on her behalf.
-I am torn between all the Harry Potters, including all the ones yet to be written and an amazing astronomy book and I really can't decide. It would depend if the astronomy book came with a telescope. If not, Harry wins. If so, Harry may still win as I can't imagine going through life without getting to read the rest of the series.
There.
Fantasy, mystery, British satire. If there were a #6, Douglas Adams' 5 book The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy trilogy would come. Hey, every contest deserves a 1st runner-up. That way I could combine fantasy, British satire and astronomy all in 1 book. There would, of course, have to be a limitless supply of gin-and-tonics.
So, let's see, I tag: Lioness, Mojavi, and if they read this and feel up to it: Linda and Christine. Spill your guts, answer the questions, air your dirty laundry. Show us a bit of leg or a bit of soul. Or both. You're among friends.
Labels: I Am A Sheep (Memes)
posted by Diana at 8:21 PM
9 Comments:
1984--Good choice!
I love the reasoning behind all your choices--and your choices of beverages!
I'm normally not much of a fan of memes, but I have to say I'm very much enjoying seeing how this one plays out.
Oh bah! Thanks for the tagging, bcs, as you surely noticed, I still have NOT risen to Udge's six-question challenge. So this will be one more reason to anguish. Oh hell.
And BTW: You included all Harry Potters, which are not one single book. CHEATER! But it's perfectably understandable, Harry Potter takes precedence over any honour code. I plan on cheating my way through it as well.
Oh, and this doesn't exempt you from writing your telly rant, so go on then, to work!
I'm so with ya on Da Vinci Code, LOTR, and Harry Potter. As if you took the words from my own mouth.
Done! Check it out:
http://indigogirl.typepad.com/linda/2005/04/tag.html
Linda
Rozanne- I agree, this was rather fun to write. Thanks again. I've been enjoying everyone else's responses. And what's a book without a beverage. Currently, I'm craving hot, sweet tea with "Reading Lolita in Tehran" and I never sweeten my tea. Go figure.
Lioness- Hah! Glad to know I am adding to your woe. No hurry, none at all. You have guests, after all. I will just sit and haunt your blog. And, yes, at the time, HP is all separate books but in the future, at some point, I am sure there will be a giant compendium of all the volumes, bound in red leather with gilt edging. It is this future volume to which I refer. Did Douglas Adams teach you nothing? Restaurant At The End Of The Universe? I put my penny in my bank account last week to pay for it. (I can always rationalize a good cheat.)
Gerah- Welcome! Oh my, a fellow nerd, I mean Truly Enlightened Soul. We need a secret hand shake or some way to identify each other. Usually when I get brave enough to mention my enjoyment of such things, people back away slowly and mutter about the weather.
Linda- Great! I am on my way over to read your list. I suspect further items of "in common-ness". Scary. Very scary.
Oops, have to work. Will be over ASAP!
Nice choices! 1984 changed my life too. It's kinda scary how much it's like 1984 in 2006. This book was written before the Internet!
I hope you get a telescope because the one thing I can't understand, and I won't since I'm full of willing ignorance, is why Harry Potter is such a hit!? My ears are vomiting from hearing about Harry Potter everywhere there's a hogwart. That's just me though. I was the only one in the whole world who hadn't seen Starwars until a two years ago for this reason: too much buzz. Anyway though, you seem to like a good variety. I must get around to the controversial Da Vinci Code, and I'm wondering, is Reading Lolita in Tehran anything like reading Lolita in Canada? What's the connection? Did you make up Spanglish under the influence of Lewis Carol? Nice. Between the three of yous you should have a book club just like Oprah.
BC- Howdy! I have a massive soft spot for Canadians (hell, even went and married one), so I won't hold your wilful ignorance to the wonders of reading Harry Potter too strongly against you. I will let The Lioness mock you, she is far, far better at such things. I do hope that some day you will don wig and trench coat and swipe the 1st book in the set from a store (some large chain, not a family run bookstore, of course), and read it, at night, under the covers with a flashlight, so no one knows you have read it. It truly is that good and gets better. Hype be damned. Someday. And yes, too fuckin right about 1984. Land of the free, my ass. Even more scary for us as Charles is in the process of getting dual citizenship, so we are sticking our heads above the radar. Lolita in Tehran so far is very good. explores fiction (writing and reading) as the only escape to someone oppressed, such as this group of women in Iran. I think it may nail down some vague issues of mine, such as why do I prefer fiction in my soul and why do I get so very lost in a book. You might enjoy it.
Glad to hear about the Canadian love up in the spot! I remember listening to an interview with an Iraqi girl who loved to read. She was saying things in Iraq weren't very good (this was last year, but here we are again almost on the brink of another war anniversary). The reporters pushed her to say it was better at least than when Saddam was in power. Well, she could go to school in those days was her response. Charles is getting American citizenship? What? Camilla's not a Yankee is she? Anyway, thanks for not being too hard on me for not digging Harry and please holler at my Canadian brother for me. I'll expect some verbal thrashing from the Lioness. She's a protective one of books.
Anyone who doesn't read Harry Potter is a twat. There. Happy now?
(" I will let The Lioness mock you, she is far, far better at such things." NICE.)
Diana, do you read Bagdhad burning? I link to her. Heartbreaking.
1984 gave me the biggest fright, I've never been able to re-read it. Gah! I read it and Brave New World in succession but loved BNW. Only I can't re-read it without thinking abt 1984. And I remember watching Farhenheit 451 when I was abt 11 and my cousin, the bloody idiot, sent me to my room. I've never forgiven him for it, never forgiven myself for having obeyed him - OBEYED! - and never understood why. He doesn't remember it at all. But I bring it up loads. LOADS. Serves him right.
Post a Comment
<< Home