Friday, December 02, 2005

15 things about books

Robert Gregory Browne tagged me for a book meme. You list 15 facts and personal preferences about books. It's my first meme!

1. Last year about this time I sold off approximately $300 worth of books from my collection. I don't regret it one bit.

2. At the same time, I donated approximately five moving boxes full of books to our AAUW yearly book sale.

3. At present, I own mostly paperback books. I seem to be on an unstated hardback moratorium.

4. I used to buy all my books used. Force of habit from grad school bag lady days.

5. Now I try to buy new books, since I understand better how an author's career depends on that particular exchange of capital.

6. As a child, my mother and I would go I would go with my mother to the downtown Huntsville (AL) Public Library once a week to check out books. We also checked out artwork to hang on our walls. I will never ever forget the smell of that building, especially the children's room, an odor I will always associate with inspiration and delight.

7. It never in a million years would've occurred to me to be afraid of germs in library books, as Anne Frasier noted, but now that I've read THIS, I'm starting to wonder if I shouldn't be more careful. I do live close to Philadelphia.

8. My two children have approximately one-hundred books. The older is not even two and a half. About twenty of these are books from my own childhood. All but a handful of the rest were gifts.

9. We read POLAR EXPRESS to N last night for the first time. At bedtime he made D read it three times before he would allow the light to be turned off. He woke up an hour earlier than usual this morning, shouting, "My Express Book! My Express Book!" I had to begin the reading cycle again immediately. It has continued throughout the day. I cry every time I read the last page.
How many more days until Christmas?

10. My three favorite novels are, in no particular order, ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN (Twain), CEREMONY (Leslie Marmon Silko), and THE CRYING OF LOT 49 (Thomas Pynchon). I own multiple editions of each. I have lots of second favorites.

11. I have about twenty copies of my own book in my closet. I also have about ten copies of my grandmother's book of stories.

12. I own quite a few first editions by American authors. Do I read them? No. They sit on a shelf inside a closet where the light can't get to them. Brilliant.

13. Giving the gift of a book is one of the finest things one can do.

14. I have never seen my mother go to bed without a book in her hand. Ever.

15. I bought my mom a brick at my local library in thanks for instilling her love of books in me.

Oh, crap! I just realized (a few hours later) that I, too, need to tag people. I tag Christa M. Miller, Matthew Masucci, and Jason Evans to participate!

9 comments:

Mary Louisa said...

Me again. Bought my mom a brick. Now that isn't like giving her rocks in her trick or treat bag. Y'all know about the brick pavers that they engrave as a fundraiser, right? Right?

anne frasier said...

oh wow. that brought back wonderful memories of reading to my kids before they went to sleep. they both loved books and had favorites that they never got tired of no matter how many times they heard them. not to get all hallmarky, but those really were some of the best moments in my life.


i checked out the link. yikes! i think my dad's wife had that last year. she was in bad shape for a long time.

Mary Louisa said...

Anne, glad I could spark that memory for you. :)

Patricia Burroughs aka Pooks said...

Glad to discover your blog after being co-tagged by Rob!

And talk about memories -- I forgot you could check out artwork to hang on the walls. I wonder if you still can.

Jeff said...

mary louisa- I agree that books make wonderful gifts. :)

Anonymous said...

Great list! I've posted mine. Thanks for the tag. :)

Tiffany Todd said...

I love those book memories from childhood. My mom and I always curled up on opposite sides of the couch, under the same blanket, on cold winter days and read.
Tiff
http://www.xanga.com/neuroticfitchmom

Jessica Ferguson said...

Came across your blog. I love books, and hit our library sale often as well as used bookstores. Never thought about library books having germs...
The other night, my husband pulled one of our older books from the shelf and ask me what had happened to it. I began my inspection and lo and behold! there's a book fungus spreading through some of our used books. I've never seen such a thing. Anyone have a clue? I've segregated them from our collection. Should I Ask Jeeves?

Mary Louisa said...

Eeeeew. Fungus? Could it be mildew? How sad. :( Let me know what Jeeves says.