5.17.2005

Five Things About Books

Two of my favorite bloggers (Steve & Talmida) have shared their five things, and so I decided to add my own thoughts.

1. Total number of books I've owned.

No idea how many total EVER, but probably in the 500 to 1,000 range. That said, I'm trying to winnow down my collection in my never ending effort to simplify. From my college books I only have political theory and feminist theory books left. I've sold/given away my Star Wars collection and most of my Phillip K Dick collection. Still have my Oxford Illustrated Jane Austen. I think maybe I'm down to 75 books. That doesn't count the 37 I have out on loan from the Library though! (I still love books, I'm just trying not to let them collect dust on my shelves).

2. Last book I bought.

Part of my efforts to simplify necessarily involves a moratorium on buying books. However, I did buy Prayers for the Domestic Church by Edward Hays and In Search of Belief by Joan Chittister on a recent trip to the best bookstore on earth (Powell's City of Books is an entire City block of new & used books - they give you a map when you enter the door and you need it!). We're reading Sr. Joan's book for my women's spirituality group.

3. Last book I read.

I'm reading at least 5 books at a time (or theoretically I guess I should be reading the 37 books I have out from the library!). So I'm going to clarify this as last book I FINISHED and that would be the ABC Murders by Agatha Christie. Short, sweet and fun I finished this on my trip back from Alabama.

4. Five books that mean a lot to me.

The Inner Voice of Love - Henri Nouwen (My spiritual tool kit - he pulls me back from the brink every time)

Paper Bag Princess - Robert Munsch (I give this to every little girl of my acquaintance)

Pride & Prejudice - Jane Austen (I read this 3 times in a fortnight in 8th grade - and instantly expanded my vocabulary)

Mom's 65th Birthday Memory Book - I put this together, with pages from family and friends from across the globe. It's a bundle of love in one book, and now that Mom's passed away it means the world to me.

The Bible - More and more I'm finding myself drawn to the Living Word of God. Daily scripture reading has blown my world apart more than once. If I could only have one book, it would have to be this one.

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

I will quote Talmida quoting Steve:
"Well, I don't like tagging people, but if you want to participate please do so!"

5 comments:

Talmida said...

ACK! I misspelled Munsch!

Paper Bag Princess is the first of his books I ever read. My mother bought it for my eldest when she was just learning to read.....after that we were hooked, and had to get them all.

:)

lorem ipsum said...

Have you heard of Bookcrossing? It's cool... you trade or give books away to people who might enjoy them, or leave them 'in the wild' for others to find. Most books I leave go unclaimed, but it's still fun to perhaps brighten someone's day with a surprise.

My favorite book is 'A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,' by the way, which I think is a very Catholic book. Of course, I didn't realize this when I first read it... hope it's one of your literary treasures too.

Susan Rose Francois, CSJP said...

I have in fact heard of bookcrossing. I once left some very silly books in the waiting room of my mother's oncologist. Someone who picked up one of them did in fact enter it into bookcrossing. It was neat to track its path.

Steve Bogner said...

A Star Wars collection of books? I didn't know that many books about Star Wars existed, enough to make a collection.

The boys and I are going to see Episode 3 this Thursday after school - and they are really pumped up about it.

Susan Rose Francois, CSJP said...

Oh yes, there are MANY Star Wars books. There's a whole Star Wars Universe beyond the movies (literally).

Ever wondered what would happen if Han & Leia got married and had kids, Luke started the Jedi order again, and some really really bad guys stumbled upon the galaxy far far away....

Well, no need to wonder. You can read all about it as they say.

But then you'd be a true Star Wars geek (like me).