Far be it from me to remove a tag, or to refuse a good tagging . . .
Gautami either showed extremely good manners or poor judgment by tagging me for something called a book meme. So those of you who may have questioned my literary tastes, here's a little ammunition for you:
One book that changed your life?
Herman Wouk’s The Caine Mutiny – it brought together so many themes in life – loyalty, understanding, duty, conscience, personal choice, pettiness – and how those themes interact so often in a tragic manner. To call it a war novel is to ignore its depth. I consider it a blunt commentary on leadership and humanity.
One book you have read more than once?
Bernard Fall’s Hell in a Very Small Place – good history and another tragedy that goes beyond the military setting to examine human folly, frailty and failure.
One book you would want on a desert island?
The Boy Scout Fieldbook (not the handbook) – Everything you need to know about surviving in the wild anywhere, and it’s big enough to make a handy pillow or to kill a small edible animal with its sheer mass.
One book that made you cry?
Richard McKenna’s The Sand Pebbles
One book that made you laugh?
1066 and All That – if you’re a historian, you’ll appreciate it. If you’re a teacher, you’ll take its style as a cautionary tale
One book you wish had been written?
Richard McKenna’s next book – he died before he fully realized his talent for telling a good story.
One book you wish had never been written?
These days? The book that codifies any religion, because any of them is so often misinterpreted that it drives man to tears if not open warfare against anyone with a different book.
One book you are currently reading?
Unfortunately, InDesign CS2 for Dummies – I’m becoming less of a journalist and editor and more of a technician.
One book you have been meaning to read?
Since this afternoon, I've expanded this to four:
Stephen King’s On Writing
Daniel Schorr's Staying Tuned
Charles Shields' Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee
Carson McCullers' The Heart is a Lonely Hunter - I barely remember seeing the movie on television about 33 years ago, but I remembered it wasn't an overromanticized story. In fact, the ending shook me pretty badly at first.
One book that changed your life?
Herman Wouk’s The Caine Mutiny – it brought together so many themes in life – loyalty, understanding, duty, conscience, personal choice, pettiness – and how those themes interact so often in a tragic manner. To call it a war novel is to ignore its depth. I consider it a blunt commentary on leadership and humanity.
One book you have read more than once?
Bernard Fall’s Hell in a Very Small Place – good history and another tragedy that goes beyond the military setting to examine human folly, frailty and failure.
One book you would want on a desert island?
The Boy Scout Fieldbook (not the handbook) – Everything you need to know about surviving in the wild anywhere, and it’s big enough to make a handy pillow or to kill a small edible animal with its sheer mass.
One book that made you cry?
Richard McKenna’s The Sand Pebbles
One book that made you laugh?
1066 and All That – if you’re a historian, you’ll appreciate it. If you’re a teacher, you’ll take its style as a cautionary tale
One book you wish had been written?
Richard McKenna’s next book – he died before he fully realized his talent for telling a good story.
One book you wish had never been written?
These days? The book that codifies any religion, because any of them is so often misinterpreted that it drives man to tears if not open warfare against anyone with a different book.
One book you are currently reading?
Unfortunately, InDesign CS2 for Dummies – I’m becoming less of a journalist and editor and more of a technician.
One book you have been meaning to read?
Since this afternoon, I've expanded this to four:
Stephen King’s On Writing
Daniel Schorr's Staying Tuned
Charles Shields' Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee
Carson McCullers' The Heart is a Lonely Hunter - I barely remember seeing the movie on television about 33 years ago, but I remembered it wasn't an overromanticized story. In fact, the ending shook me pretty badly at first.
posted by Frontier Editor at 13:52
13 Comments:
oh what a great meme! what an absolutely fine one to read! reading has always been a beloved passion of mine.
Very revealing.
Not as revealing as Lulu's . . . nevermind
Well done.
The Boy Scout Fieldbook now why didn't I think of that. There must be a portrait of Lord Screaming Baden Powell in there somewhere...he could become your best buddy ...not quite as endearing as Tom Hank's 'Wilson' but what the hey!
I must find a copy of 1066 and All That...is it cheeky?
Not only was there a portrait of Baden Powell but handy tips on how to make your own drawing of a Boer fortress hidden in a butterfly sketch.
1066 is absolutely cheeky; even cheekier given that it was first printed in 1930 and probably infuriated Ramsay Macdonald and Stanley Baldwin.
Gotta love a book when one of the authors notes on the title page that he's a failed M.A. Oxford
I dont read books so I'm a bit adrift here. But can I second your religious thingy. Right on brother!
Who says I showed poor judgement? This post shows just the opposite.
How did I forget 1066? Must read that again....
Your choice of books impresses me!
So what if you had to tax your mind. Better than the govt taxing you....
BTW, I linked your blog to mine...
1066 wasn't all that.
If your name was Norman, it certainly was >B^D>
"1066 and All That..." is one of my favorite short books. It does a great job of summing up history with a great sense of humor.
Yes Laura, now sum up the book in a 1,000-word essay with special reference to everything you know
Oh goodness! Nothing like a little pressure!
OK now for sure there is something bizarre going on...I am currently trapped between doppleganger ELO posts..I am either losing my mind or I have fallen through a crack in the space/time continuum!
Perhaps the machines have taken over and your not the real fronty..you are the cyborg fronty or maybe even a virtual fronty...oh sh*t I am in the MATRIX...did I ake the RED pill or the Blue one????
Post a Comment
<< Home