General Ginger Knits

random thoughts on knitting and the universe

Thursday, April 28, 2005

books

Meme is "a unit of information - stored in a brain or an inanimate storage base" according to Wikipedia. But it did not tell me how to pronounce it. I supposed I've got to go and find a dictionary for that. The lovely Stitchin' Sheep tagged me to complete this book meme.

1. Total Number of Books in Your House:
No idea in truth. Perhaps 30 or 40 maybe 50. Oh, wait, my new other half moved some of his in so perhaps double that. Are you shocked and amazed that I own so few books? It's really true. I do read, a lot; in fact, it's just that when you work where I do there is really no need to own many books. :)

2. The Last Book You Bought Was:
I honestly can't remember. I tend to borrow a lot of books.

3. What Was The Last Book You Read Before Reading This:
I'm currently rereading a fun fiction book titled Peaches and Screams by G.A. McKevett. This author really shouldn't hide behind a pseudonym because she is quite hilariously funny in this series of comic murder mysteries featuring a quick-tongued Georgia gal now living in California. What makes this series different is the fact that our heroine is described as a voluptuous, full-figured lady. If I go twenty pages without reading the word chocolate I'd be surprised! I love the quick way that they read, much like a TV show. They are perfect for immersing yourself in pure fiction for an hour or two at a time and are guaranteed to make you forget your troubles during that time. I laugh out loud at these books so often that my sweetheart probably thinks I'm over the top. Sorry but Yankees and Canadians may not understand or enjoy the humor as much as southerners.

4. Write down 5 (or 6) books you often read, or that mean a lot to you.

An ex-boyfriend introduced my to Spoon River Anthology years ago. Originally published in 1915, this book of poems, or epitaphs, are just as prevalent in today's world. Each poem is actually meant to be the writing on the tombstones of the townsfolk of the mythical town of Spoon River. As with all groups of people, there are good souls, bad souls, with most somewhere in between. You can open up a page at random and begin reading or start at the beginning and read through to the end. There is lots of wisdom between these bookends. It's interesting to read about someone and then several pages later to read about another person who relates in someway (usually negatively) to them. Poor Masters never experienced as much popularity in anything else in his life so much as he did with Spoon River. BTW, my favorite character is Margaret Fuller Slack.

What can anyone say about the Harry Potter series that hasn't already been said? I fought like H-E- double hockey sticks to not read these books. "But they're children's books" I would complain. A couple of years ago I got fed up with being left out of conversations because I didn't know the HP plotline. So when the public library finally got copies of the books on audio tape I figured I'd listen to them in the car on my way to where I was going so that I wouldn't waste my valuable time reading them. Well, I would get to my destination and end up being late going in because I was sitting in the car listening with bated breath to every word that Jim Dale spoke. It's a magnificent series with many twists, turns, and nuances that can be enjoyed over and over again.

I had no idea how The Tightwad Gazette by Amy Dacyczyn would change my life when I ran across the book years ago. Yes, it is a how to save money book but it is also so much more. Based on the lives of the Dacyczyn family, matriarch Amy wanted to have it all, and she managed it by using a myriad of tips and tricks to keep from spending money. It helps you to feel empowered so that you can take control of your money of your life. That reminds me of a couple of other books that are also in a similar vein, Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin and How to Get What You Want In Life With the Money You Already Have by Carol Keeffe.

I could go on and on with the books that are important to me but I'll just leave you with a sort of list in no particular order: Notes to Myself: my struggle to become a person by Hugh Prather, oh and Notes on Love and Courage by the same author; The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot; Endurance by Alfred Lansing; My Life by Golda Mier; most of Andrew Weil's books; Thats about all that I can think of off the top of my head.

5. Who are you going to pass the stick to (three people) and why? Hum, well, how about Amanda and Janice?

Well that was a bit fun. I wonder what ya'll think of my list.

10 Comments:

Blogger doubleknot said...

It has been years since I read the Spoon River Anthologies - it is nice to know that a good book is still being read. Oh, what can I say about the Tight Wad Gazette - a great book that has been around too. All your other choices sound so interesting - sorry except the Harry Potter books - I have just never been able to get into them. Happy reading.

10:33 AM  
Blogger The Stitchin' Sheep said...

The comedy/mysteries sound fun. I enjoy that kind of book to escape, myself. And, your life sounds a bit like mine if you've got that many books on saving money. Do they work? Maybe I should check into those.

2:37 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks for the comment to my blog, ginger! I started a little purse to offset my baby blanket anxiety, but will get right back on my horse (so to speak) so that my baby cousin's baby can get her/his blankie. :)

3:54 PM  
Blogger Dropstitchknitter said...

Thanks for the comment on my blog! It's good to know that there are other knitter on mind altering drugs, too - what, I don't know, but I still seem to be on it!

5:39 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Ginger, I couldn't believe when I read that you had the Tightwad Gazette. I've read all those books (and own them) as well. I think my husband will never tire of thinking of ways to crack jokes about the first one.

8:53 AM  
Blogger Liz said...

Your Money or Your Life is the book that changed my life totally. I knew nothing of voluntary simplicity, but found it was so easy to implement many of the ideas into my life, and I am so better off for it. I also love Spoon River Anthologies...we even staged it as a play way back in highschool.

3:51 PM  
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