The Hundred Books Meme

I've seen a few versions of this around. The Ironic Catholic posted it last week and, as I haven't posted anything in a while, I decided to play. Besides, I was curious to see how I'd do.

Bold--I've read it.
Italics--I want to.
Nuttin'--I don't care.
Dripping with blood--you give it to me, I'll burn it instead.

1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4. Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6. The Bible (Have read most of it)
7. Wuthering Heights --Emily Bronte
8. Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9. His Dark Materials - Phillip Pullman (Wouldn't burn it, and am mildly curious, but wonder if all the hype is merely because of the thinly-disguised atheist prosletyzing
10. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens (But it's been a while)
11. Little Women - Louisa M Alcott(Ditto)
12. Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy (Selection for HS senior lit class)
13. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14. Complete Works of Shakespeare (Checked the Table of Contents on my copy and worked out that 17 plays, the sonnets, and The Rape of Lucrece are under my belt already!)
15. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16. The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17. Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks (Sorry, not familiar)
18. Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19. The Time Traveller's Wife - (Sorry, I guess I'm a modern fiction illiterate)
20. Middlemarch - George Eliot (Read about a third of the way in, years ago)
21. Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell (I'm in Georgia--had I not read it already, I think it's required by law)
22. The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23. Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy (Not sure I want to. Generally use it as a metaphor for any exhaustingly long written work.)
25. The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams (Along with the various sequels.)
26. Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh (At eighteen. Want to read again as I think I missed a lot of the religious aspects.)
27. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky (Hon Daughter #1's a Dostoyevsky fan and assigned me The Grand Inquisitor last spring.)
28. Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29. Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll –(A favorite)
30. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame (Parts, if not all)
31. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33. Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34. Emma - Jane Austen (Made daughters watch the movie. Should have made Son #1 watch it too, before he started fancying himself a matchmaker.)
35. Persuasion - Jane Austen
36. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini (Read & liked A Thousand Splendid Suns, but my bro tells me this one is a bit two-dimensional.)
37. Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres – (Not sure if I want to--the title is intriguing.)
38. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
39. Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne (Several times)
40. Animal Farm - George Orwell (Though I guess it's a period piece now.)
41. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown (Mildly curious because of the hype & the fact that I've encountered too many people who actually consider it historical.)
42. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Got about halfway in, once. Suspect that a better knowledge of South American history or at least Cliff's Notes would make it easier to follow.)
43. A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
44. The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
45. Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
46. Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
47. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood (Somewhat curious, but it would probably make me mad.)
48. Lord of the Flies - William Golding (I've read part--but it's been a while.)
49. Atonement - Ian McEwan
50. Life of Pi - Yann Martel
51. Dune - Frank Herbert (Another period piece.)
52. Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
53. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
54. A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
55. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
56. A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
57. Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
58. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon (Nice Holmesian hat tip, though.)
59. Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
60. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck (Another HS assignment.)
61. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
62. The Secret History - Donna Tartt
63. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold (Somewhat curious; don't think I could stand the subject matter)
64. Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas (Years ago)
65. On The Road - Jack Kerouac
66. Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
67. Bridget Jones' Diary - Helen Fielding
68. Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
69. Moby Dick - Herman Melville (Read several chapters as a kid; couldn't get through the long days at sea. Would like to try again.)
70. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens (Read Classics Illustrated version as a kid.)
71. Dracula - Bram Stoker (You have got to be kidding!)
72. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
73. Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
74. Ulysses - James Joyce (Did read Dubliners in college, though, which was all right.)
75. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
76. Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
77. Germinal - Emile Zola
78. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
79. Possession - AS Byatt
80. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens (Read, seen play, used gallons of Final Net on daughter's hair to form ringlets for darn play--really love the Muppets' version best, though.)
81. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
82. The Color Purple - Alice Walker
83. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
84. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert (Probably ought to.)
85. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
86. Charlotte's Web - EB White
87. The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom (Intriguing title.)
88. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Have read some of the stories.)
89. The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
90. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad (Will need to be duct taped to a chair and have eyes held open with toothpicks before I watch Apocalypse Now, though.)
91. The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
92. The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
93. Watership Down - Richard Adams
94. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole (Bro recommended it--but then he sent me Straight Man by Richard Russo for Christmas.)
95. A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
96. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas (But it's been a while.)
97. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
98. Les Miserables - Victor Hugo (Ought to--but oh, my, is it long!--Read the Classics Illustrated as a kid and saw the musical. Will that do?)
9. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain (HS)
100.The Outsiders -S. E. Hinton, I presume. (Upper ES)

I note that nothing here got marked in red. That's partly because I'm not that technically savvy, but partly for philosophical reasons. While I wouldn't recommend every book out there indiscriminately, there is little I'd torch (to include much that is badly written and badly researched.) It's good to know your enemy, and what better way to gain info that to read what he/she writes?

Few read this blog, but if you happen upon this feel free to play.

Meme Miscellany

Recently, the Ironic Catholic posted a "meme" that seemed interesting. I don't usually go in for these things, but as I am short on both time and material, I figure I can give it a try:

1. What do you hope to accomplish with your blog?
The blog is as much a writing exercise as anything else. It also serves as a means of expression that otherwise would be left to letters to the editor or asides to friends.

2. Are you a spiritual person?
A little, but not nearly enough.

3. If you were stranded on a deserted island, what three things would you want to have with you?
food, water, and a radio

4. What’s your favorite childhood memory?
Driving to Missouri on family vacations. In the days before mandatory seatbelt laws, my brother and I would take over the tailgate of the stationwagon with pillows, toys, etc. All the while, my parents would have the front seat to do grownup things, like drive and navigate. Add to that the anticipation of the vacation to begin. Very unsafe for us in the back in retrospect, but very fun for a kid.

5. Are these your first (tagging) memes?
no

6. Eight random facts about me
- Missed playing for Coach Boone of "Remember the Titans" fame by one year
- Am a self-taught guitar player
- Wear glasses
- Learned to fence at age 40
- Picked up second major in college so as not to be shown up by C
- Have horrible handwriting
- Am a lifelong Washington Redskins fan
- Have very little cartilage left in one ankle

I will tag C and Rambling Speech , should she wander by. Have fun!

mi, mi, meme

MrsDarwin of DarwinCatholic recently tagged us on the following meme. It was begun by Scott Carson of An Examined Life, who seems to post some very interesting articles if I could only figure out how to get his text to display:

Who are the five Catholic (or Christian) bloggers whom you would most like to meet in person, but have not (yet)?

My list:
1. The Darwins, of course
2. The Ironic Catholic & Spouse
3. Sister Mary Martha (and I won't mind if she does turn out to be a middle-aged guy in a wifebeater t-shirt posing as a sister)
4. Father Stephanos of Me Monk, Me Meander
5. One from the Coptic Orthodox Church, Neferteeti

Tagging The Rambling Speech Therapist, whom we have met, and any of the above who wish to participate.

Meme of Five

I took a few days off from posting, just because I needed a break. Besides, school takes priority over my scribblings, and we've had a lot to do lately. I'll try to write something next week.
I did do some reading, and found a couple more good blogs courtesy of Boeciana. These were her own Living Scotland and
Laodicea, and Geoffrey Chaucer Hath a Blog. The two former cover Catholicism and life issues from a Scottish perspective; the latter should be great fun if you're medievally inclined--all posts done in Middle English! Some of them are quite long (the latest, Serpentes on a Shippe, runs to five chapters,) so I will have to get D to show me how to read them offline again. (Cautionary note: If Middle English is not your bag, be very, very careful when purchasing T-shirts from this blog. Some of them will leave you red-faced should you wear them in the presence of English Lit majors or Creative Anachronists. All ME cognates are not what they seem!)

We were (collectively, we presume) tagged for the five-people-in-five-categories meme by the Ironic Catholic.
I'm submitting my answers below; D's on his own for his answers. The question is:

Which five _____ would you want to meet to hold a deep conversation? (people may be living or dead.)
I don't like that sentence; it throws off my grammatical Feng Shui. Let's try it again:
With which five _____ would you want to meet to hold a deep conversation?
Much better!

Saints:
*Teresa of Avila (One of three female Doctors of the Church--and a woman with a reputation for a wicked wit, too!)
*Catherine of Siena ( Another female Doctor, who brought the church through the Avignon papacy.)
*Edith Stein (Jewish-born atheist philosopher-turned Catholic theologian-turned nun and Holocaust martyr. What a resume!)
*Francis of Assisi (Patron of ecology, preacher to the birds and beasts. Should be great to listen to when inspiration is sorely needed.)
*St. Thomas More (Advocate for female education, philosopher; had the guts to stand up to Henry VIII. Probably one humdinger of a conversationalist.)

Those in the Process of Being Canonized:
*The Georgia Martyrs (Died defending the sanctity of marriage.)
*Bl. Damien de Veuster of Molokai (Needs no intro.)
*Fray Junipero Serra (He's been attacked so much lately for happening to be part of the Spanish conquistador establishment, I'd like to get his take on things.)
*Bl. Kateri Tekakwitha (Even though she's not official yet, there seem to be more and more young girls bearing her name. Besides, a pre-colonial Mohawk Indian would probably have some stories to tell!)
*Ven. Bede (Could probably give a top-notch history lecture!)

Heroes From Your Native Country:
*Thomas Jefferson (Not known for being much of a conversationalist, but perhaps if you got him started on his museum specimens, books, music, architecture, or agriculture...)
*Ironic already used one of these, but John and Abigail Adams. Together over tea, perhaps.
*Benjamin Banneker (Largely self-taught engineer and surveyor who completed Washington, D. C. Once made himself a working clock with all parts of wood. Was also the grandson of an interracial marriage at a time when those were technically illegal, and likely had to overcome a good deal of racism in his life.)
*Ida B. Wells (Gutsy muckraking black lady journalist and newspaper editor who exposed lynching and other abuses in the Jim Crow South.)
*Sequoiah (Devised the Cherokee alphabet and written language.)

Authors/Writers:
*J. R. R. Tolkein
*C. S. Lewis (Could I just sit in with a full meeting of the Inklings at the Eagle and Child, perhaps with a pint of Guinness?)
* G. K. Chesterton (Reputed to be very witty as well as a brilliant Christian apologist.)
*Jane Austen (Well, that could end up being a gossip-fest, and get us both extra time in Purgatory.)
*Mary Wollstonecraft (18th-century feminist, author of A Vindication of the Rights of Women. Personal life unfortunately a bit messy. Mother of Mary Godwin Shelley, although she died before Shelley could have any memory of her. Hence that abandonment theme in Frankenstein.)

Celebrities:
*Roy Chapman Andrews (Swashbuckling naturalist/ paleontologist of the 1920's and '30's-- an Indiana Jones type. Probably had an ego the size of the Gobi Desert, but I really enjoyed his book when I was a kid.)
*Laura Bush (I'm guessing she could use a good mocha latte and conversation right about now.)
*Danica Patrick (And I promise not to ask her how long she's been a woman race car driver.)
*Jim Caveziel (Just how does a devout Catholic survive Hollywood?)
*Reese Witherspoon (She seems almost normal, for a denizen of the 'Wood. Besides, I hear she's a Virginian. Real, not Northern. Just kidding, Dear.)

I'm not sure who to tag, and I don't think D has any ideas either, so I'll just tag (for both of us) anyone who reads this post and feels like participating in the meme.

yestermeme - books

Cminor tagged me for the "book" exercise many posts ago, but I did not answer. Now that we have been tapped again by the Ironiccatholic , I figure I need to clear past blogdebts. Ironic's answer will be posted at a later time.


At first I found the book exercise a little intimidating, not being as prolific a reader as C. But I have done my best to complete the task in the blogospherical spirit:



1. One book that changed your life:



The Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis ; the books are probably the straw that broke the camel's back in terms of going ahead and becoming Catholic. While the "Christ figure" bit has been done and overdone in literature and movies, C.S. Lewis' Aslan was a very strong portrayal of a God of fearful power who could still be approached.

2. One book that you've read more than once:



The Rolling Stones - Robert Heinlein

It was the first Heinlein -- and probably the first science fiction book that I ever read. When my kids got old enough, I insisted that we read it again. The technical mumbo jumbo does not get in the way of the story in any of Heinlein's works, and the theme of family is particularly appealing in this one. Certainly in this early work some of the references are dated (slide rules? what are they?), but the read is still pleasant.

3. One book you'd want on a desert island:



A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court -- Mark Twain

While truly not a practical tome, it is inspirational how our hero improvises and invents he way to a better quality of life, despite his primitive company and circumstances.

4. One book that made you laugh:



The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglass Adams

I find the late Mr. Adams to be perfect in his comic timing and in the rhythm of his prose. Just try saying "Eccentrica Galumbits, the triple-breasted whore of Eroticon five"  or "Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster" or even "Ulan Kaluphid" and you will hear the almost Seussian music to his inventions. Adams' atheism doesn't really seep into his stories until later in the trilogy; so this one is just pure fun.

5. One book that made you cry:



The Jungle -- Upton Sinclair

I had to read this one for highschool, and while I expected gross (and wasn't disappointed), I didn't expect the compounding of misery that the main character had to somehow endure.  I learned later that the book was Sinclairs attemept at socialist proselytizing.

6. One book that you wish had been written:

Rock Stardom for the Mildly Talented -- could be written by any number of people; take your pick

7. One book that you wish had never been written:



Brain Droppings - George Carlin

The former Mr. Conductor spoiled my respect for him gained through his brilliant use of the English language by being just
plain old mean-spirited and anti-child.


8. One book you're currently reading:



Mere Christianity -- C.S. Lewis



9. One book you've been meaning to read:



From Beirut to Jerusalem -- Thomas Friedman
I have read the first half of the book twice; haven't sat myself down to read the second.

And Now, the Book Meme

1. One book that changed your life:
*Gotta be the Bible.
2. One book that you've read more than once:
*The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Also Mary Stuart's Merlin Tetralogy and the whole Laura Ingalls Wilder Little House series. I'm not too obsessive, am I?
3. One book you'd want on a desert island:
*Chesterton's answer to this was A Practical Guide to Shipbuilding, and I guess it would be cheezy to reuse that joke; maybe a really good Desert Island field and tracking guide instead. Or at least The Klutz Book of Knots.
4. One book that made you laugh:
*Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker "trilogy." And Last Chance to See. Especially the Lithuanian ant-proof socks part.
5. One book that made you cry:
*I'm not much of a cryer--I think the closest I ever got was at the end of a stage performance of Amahl and the Night Visitors. It's been published; does that count?
6. One book that you wish had been written:
*Ceiling Fan Mechanics for Dummies. It would take too long to explain.
7. One book that you wish had never been written:
*Most of the really good answers have been given already. I suppose I could toss off The Communist Manifesto or something like that, but I'll take a different tack, even if it's kinda stupid:
Cathy Williams: From Slave to Female Buffalo Soldier looks like it ought to be a fascinating read. It might have been, in some hands other than those of the author's. There being little firsthand detail on the lady's life, he resorted to heavy extrapolation, some of which was all right but much of which was unconvincing. His history was a bit shoddy in a few places--this is the only place I've seen it suggested that Revolutionary heroine Deborah Sampson might have been black. (If she had been, groovy, but there just doesn't seem to be any evidence of it.) He was also a bit repetitious.
The author, if I remember correctly, curates a military history museum. I don't know if he's ex-active duty, but his writing style indicates to me that he is. There is a reason why the military style of writing is not encouraged outside military reports. This book exemplifies it perfectly.
8. One book you're currently reading:
*The Neandertal Enigma by James Shreeve, and Beginning to Pray by Anthony Bloom.
9. One book you've been meaning to read:
*Teilhard de Chardin's The Future of Man. Actually I've read a couple of the essays but it's ponderously slow going and I have to take notes just to keep track of what he's saying, so it may b a while before I get to it again. Also The Feeling of What Happens by Antonio Damasio.
And yes, I do know the difference between one and two. But sometimes it's so hard to choose!

Now it's my turn to tag, so I'll tag DMinor. Also Ramblingspeech and Molly R., should they ever get around to visiting again. Maybe if I send Molly those tofu recipes I promised her...