Friday, January 18, 2008

Friday Five: Read any good books lately?

RevHrod asks:


  1. What book have you read in the last six months that has really stayed with you? Why? Like a number of people, I would have to say Barbara Kinsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Her account of her family's attempt to eat locally was so enjoyable (and sometimes hilarious), and while I don't have the acreage to grow all of our vegetables like she did, I've made a strong effort to eat more locally this year. The organizer of our co-op has provided us with local yard eggs, and we are finding more local sources of fruit and vegetables (because it's nice that the butternut squash is organic, but it traveled here from Chile, out of season...what's wrong with this picture...), and now we even have a nearby source of grass-fed beef. I can't help but think that makes a difference--if not so much in reducing our carbon footprint, at least I know it is making a difference to a few local farmers. And we're eating well, too.
  2. What is one of your favorite childhood books?

  3. Oh, I didn't know where to start...the Little House books, of course...lots of horse books, like Misty of Chincoteague...the Sue Barton series...then I thought of something special. Our public library had an encyclopedia of seashells, with magnificent color plates. I had never seen a beach when I started reading this book, but I checked it out again and again, learning about bivalves, univalves, lion's paws, alphabet cones...such wonderful pictures, and in later years when I did have a chance to find shells on the beach I remembered what I had learned. Now whenever I see the beautiful shells on permanent exhibit at our natural science museum, I remember how I first came to love them, long ago.
  4. Do you have a favorite book of the Bible? Do tell!
  5. I've always been partial to the Gospel of John and its witness to Christ--the seven signs, all the "I am" statements, the mysticism of its approach--all of this has been meaningful for me.
  6. What is one book you could read again and again?
  7. Just one? Impossible. Let's see, I've read the Chronicles of Narnia over and over..Lord of the Rings...Wise Blood...my favorite Elizabeth Bowen book, The Death of the Heart...Irvin Yalom's tales of therapy, Love's Executioner...many more...
  8. Is there a book you would suggest for Lenten reading? What is it and why?
  9. I'm not familiar with any Lenten-specific devotional books, although I'm sure there are many. I will have to see what other people recommend.
  10. And because we all love bonus questions, if you were going to publish a book what would it be? Who would you want to write the jacket cover blurb expounding on your talent?

I wish I could write a good book about Zorra and Amie that dog lovers would understand and enjoy. I'd like Jon Katz, who wrote movingly about his life with his rescued border collie in A Dog Year, to write the blurb.

(Sorry about the wierd formatting and font. Blogger and I fought it out and Blogger won.)

8 comments:

Jan said...

I'm going to have to look up the latter books you mentioned that you'd like to re-read. They're new to me. Thanks.

Lori said...

I love your story about shells on the beach. That is so cool.

(You're not alone with Blogger. It always beats me too!)

DogBlogger said...

Good play! We are hoping to look for some local food sources this year, and we're starting a garden.

RevHRod said...

Thanks for playing. Your shell story was wonderful

LutheranChik said...

I'm loving the Kingsolver book!

One of our best local discoveries are the potatoes grown by our Amish neighbors. I'm not sure what variety they are -- they look like Irish cobblers; rather lumpy and unlovely -- and I'm sure they're saved as seed potatoes from year to year by the local Amish community. They just taste so much better than the ones in the store; some people might be surprised to learn that potatoes can actually HAVE a distinctive taste.

Mary Beth said...

Ah, the evil that is Blogger.

You did good!

Anonymous said...

Your book idea sounds great...reminds me of James Herriott and his books about life as a vet.

Diane M. Roth said...

Scout tagged you over at her blog!