Special Guest Blogger: Robin's Book Meme Comes Calling

Okay - here goes:

Number of books - less than Ev and Kwach - I tend to let them travel to other homes, and they don't always come back. I'd say I have probably hundreds, with hundreds more wandering around somewhere, hopefully being read and enjoyed.

Top five books of all time: Lonesome Dove, by Larry McMurty. I read it once a year - it's tradition. And I always wish I could have lived during that time period.

Gone to Soldiers, by Marge Piercy - WWII, but not told in the usual fashion - lots of peeks into the French Resistance, as well as women who flew planes, worked in the factories, etc. Wonderful book!

The Omnivore's Dilemma, A Natural History of Four Meals, by Michael Pollan. Again, sort of an historical look at our world, except in a strange way - and I am able to bore my children and helpless shopkeepers with all the useless information contained in this book.

My Side of the Mountain, by Jean Craighhead George - boy runs off to the wilderness, tames a peregrin falcon, and lives in a tree - how cool is that!

Rowing to Latitude, Journey's Along the Arctic's Edge, by Jill Fredston - gives me hope that someday I may be able to do something like what they do - plus, they make the far north seem like a wonderful place to be.

Five books this year: Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen, circus post depression - cool book.

The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger - takes place in Chicago about the time I lived there - good references to music, concerts, very interesting concept.

This Cold Heaven, Seven Seasons in Greenland, by Gretel Ehrlich. She is a magical writer, who makes Greenland seem like a place I want to be for at least a year.

Arctic Dreams, Barry Lopez - incredible book about the Arctic

Field Notes from a Catastrophe, Man, Nature and Climate Change, by Elizabeth Kolbert - NOT a feel-good book, but very interesting and good.

I would have added books by Isabel Allende, but Ev did that already. I also would have added "The Risk Pool" by Richard Russo, or many things by John Irving, but I couldn't fit them into either catagory. I guess I'm throwing them out for whatever they're worth. Oh yeah, and "The Fifth Sacred Thing" would be book six.

Thanks for starting this thread - now maybe when I wander the aisles of bookstore and/or library, I'll have more in mind than "just something good!"

Robin

PS - hope you're feeling better.