Cool Book Meme

Deb at San Diego Momma tagged me with a very cool meme; a meme that speaks directly to my book-lovin' soul. Like Deb did, I'm going to give you some background on me and books first. 'Cause I am all about the back story!

I can't remember a time when I didn't love books. My first memories are of the Little Golden Books you could buy at the grocery store. My mom may have been a single mother on welfare who bought our clothes at the Goodwill, but she always seemed to be able to swing a book purchase.

When I was in elementary school I was a latchkey kid. The library was on the way home from school--I was allowed to be at home or at the library until my mom got home from work. I was usually at the library. I wasn't very good about writing my book reports in a timely manner--I was too busy reading books.

My mom used to punish my sister and I both by taking our books away. I used to hide books under the bathroom sink on housecleaning day so I could take extended breaks. Some of the best times I can remember as a family (mom, stepdad, sister, me) were when we all curled up on the (burnt orange) sectional in front of a roaring fire, absorbed in our own books. My stepsisters still tease me about my habit of reading in the car at night. I'd read by the light of the streetlights. It had a rhythm to it--bright, dim, lose the light completely for a second, bright, dim, lose the the light completely . . . Now I wonder why nobody gave me a flashlight!

When my mom died several years ago I didn't realize how depressed I was. She died on May 1 and after the initial flurry of activity I dove into my books. It wasn't until the kids went back to school after Labor Day that I realized that a 300-400 page a day book habit might actually be a sign of something deeper.

Like the rest of you I don't read as many books now that I blog. Combine that with the reading I do for school and my pleasure book reading is down to about 2-3 novels a month. But, I am never, ever without a book.

And now for the meme . . .

1. List three books you’ve always meant to read, but haven’t gotten around to reading.

2. Share the two books that changed your life.

3. Recommend the one book you’ve been talking about since the very first day you’ve read it.

1) Three books I've meant to read:

Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi: I just cannot get into it. It seems like it would be right up my alley, but no. I don't think I'm alone here--I believe my entire book group abandoned it.

One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez: I have tried valiantly. I believe I've made it about 1/3 of the way through the book. It should be a book I like, but again, no. I keep it around just so I can feel guilty every time I look at it.

Things Fill Apart by Chinua Achebe: I was so bored. I'm sure it is life-altering, but I'd have to be able to get through it first. Again, total guilt.

2) Two books that changed my life:

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck: I believe I first read this when I was 13. Why did this book change my life? It opened my eyes to the rest of the world in a very real way. It is so well-written and absorbing that it was a totally transformative experience.

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff (and it's all small stuff) by Richard Carlson: I am so totally not a self-help book person. I don't even know what moved me to read this book. I do know that the following changed my life. The author says to ask yourself "Would I rather be right or would I rather be happy?" What a novel concept. Of course I would rather be right. And while I was being right I'd be happy to bludgeon anyone in the vicinity with my rightness. So I started practicing letting other people be right (even when they really weren't), and I became a much happier person.

3) The book I've been talking about since the very first day I read it:

The Time-Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger: This book just captivated me. I don't normally like anything that smacks of science-fiction, but this book intrigued me from the first page. I recommend it to everyone I talk books with. This falls into the category of a you either love it or you hate it book. You should definitely try it.

As always, If I tag you and you don't feel like playing my feelings won't be hurt. Because he's a brand-new find (and a friend of Bossy's) and I know he loves books, I'm tagging The Jason Show. Because a woman with as many books as she has in her house (and who displays them so artfully) will have some great responses, I'm tagging katydidnot. I'd love to hear some ideas from the other side of the pond, so my final tag is The Reluctant Blogger.

Comments

[Cheri]

I highly recommend One Hundred Years of Solitude. I have The Time Traveler's Wife in the sky-high stack of books on my nightstand waiting to be read.

[jason]

I'm so honored! Yes, I will play!

[JCK]

This was a fun post! LOVE reading about others reading about books.

I couldn't get into "Reading Lolita in Tehran" either. I really thought I would, especially with having lived in the Middle East - plus my love for books. My book club pretty much universally nixed it, too.

And I really liked "The Time Traveler's Wife," too. It is difficult to narrow it down to one book you haven't stopped talking about, but the first book that came to my mind was Khaled Housseini's "The Kite Runner" - AND...he's incredibly handsome and debonair in person.

[Reluctant Blogger]

I have done the tag as requested. It was rather fun although I cheated as always being such a lazy person.

The only book on your list which I have read is The Time Traveler's Wife. And I think I must be the only person in the world who didn't really enjoy it a great deal. I found the characters hard to identify with for some reason. I generally love books about time travel but well - this one didn't do it for me. But Tracy read it at the same time and loved it just like you did.

Thanks for the tag - this was just the sort of thing I felt like doing today!

[Becky]

Hey! Poky Little Puppy! My very first favorite book! I used to hide in my closet and "read" that book. I was only 3, but I remember it well. I had a nightlight shaped like an angel, and I would look at the pictures of Poky Little puppy and all his naughty antics by "Angel" light.
When I read - my family whines. I don't even think about food when I read - but apparently they do. Darn anyhow!

[Mary Alice]

Me too - or three as it looks from your comments - "Reading Lolita in Tehran" still rests on my bedside table after two years. Ever season I pick it up from underneath whatever I just finished reading and think "maybe now I can read it" No. I just can not get into it.

[Suzanne]

Jen I TOO have not been able to finish A Hundred Years of Solitude.
I started it in 2005. My bookmark is stuck on page 90.
I will have to read the Time Travelers Wife just on your reccomendation.
Have you ever read The Red Tent?
It is one of my all time favorites.

[Deb]

I loved reading your meme, Jenn. Thanks for playing!

I've tried reading some of the books you mentioned too, and had a hard time...

BUT, I've been meaning to read Time Traveler's Wife forever and now I simply must.

Also, Poky Little Puppy? One of my favorites! As was "Monster at the End of This Book." Another Golden book I dog-eared....

Deb

[Green Girl]

I did so love the Time Traveler's Wife, too! I shall pick up The Good Earth now, per your recommendation:) Thanks!

[The Mom Bomb]

I endorse "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff" too! No psychobabble -- just some much needed perspective.

[phd in yogurtry]

where do you get those neat little book graphics? I couldn't finish Time Traveler. So many strong recommendations. But for me, having worked with sex offenders for a few years and victims lifelong, I couldn't get past the anxiety of this guy showing up .. well .. like he did (avoiding a spoiler).

[suburbancorrespondent]

I'm with you on Reading Lolita and One Hundred Years. The latter felt more like a thousand years to me.

[Heidi]

I think I need to learn to be happy rather than right sometimes, too!

I did finish "One Hundred Years of Solitude" and you know, it didn't get any shorter...

Heidi

[phd in yogurtry]

Oops, I cannot remember if I've already posted here. But I could not finish Time Traveler. I kept thinking "where did he go?" and empathizing with that woman trying to have a relationship with him (forget about HIM and his "issue", I couln't even go there, too depressing)

I suppose I'm someone who would find his predicament so anxiety provoking. I would be in a mental ward, strapped to a gurney (and what would happen then, I suppose?)

On a more serious note, Jen, I'm sorry about your Mom. The one year anniversary is approaching, correct?

[Heather]

We picked A Thousand Years of Solitude for our second book of our book club. NONE of the women in the book club was able to finish this book. It's not just you.

[Heather]

I meant A Hundred Years of Solitude as the book we couldn't finish. Our first book was A Thousand Splendid Suns, and that one we loved.

[Janet]

I read The Good Earth at about the same age as you and had the same reaction.

As for the self help book, I would rather be happy...call me simple minded if you must :-)

[Mrs. G.]

What a cool meme. I have The Time Traveler's Wife on my shelf. It sounds like I better pull it off and read it.

The Good Earth is my mother-in-law's favorite book of all time, and she is a huge reader.

[amy]

This post was great. I am the same way with respect to books and my oldest boy is like this too. Taking away his books would be a drastic punishment. Thanks for the reading suggestions! =)

[sue bull]

hi jen! i'm hosting a giveaway - just thought u'd like to enter!

[Sharon]

Oh man! I just got The Hundred Years of Solitude. Now I don't know if I'll even start it!

Loved The Poky Little Puppy!

[CC]

I also couldn't get through "Reading Lolita". Just couldn't. I loved "The Time Traveler's Wife"!

[stephanie]

I LOVE The Time Traveler's Wife so very very much - great choice. And funny - I also did not enjoy Reading Lolita even though I desperately wanted to.

What a fun reflection.

[kate]

sadly, i haven't read any of those. i will try to. i will play, but please prepare yourself for chicklits and junk food books. i'm seriously non-intellectual in the reading dept.

thanks for tagging me.

[Jozet at Halushki]

I love The Good Earth. That and Nectar In A Sieve are wonderful companion books.

Right now, I'm reading four different books and not doing any of them justice. But all your books are on my reading list.

[Arli]

With you on Tehran, Thousands Years... and add Time Traveler's Wife to the list. All 3 with the bookmark stuck on approx. page 100. The one book I will rave about to anyone who will listen is "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd. Just keep reading past the odd beginning, and the real story starts. (You'll know when you get there.) I promise it is worth it. Happy reading!

[Jamie]

Okay, I have an even bigger crush on you now. I'm ALL about The Time Traveler's Wife, and One Hundred Year's of Solitude is on my shelf sulking, too.

When I do this meme I'll be pouting and celebrating our similarities.

I need Don't Sweat the Small Stuff today, and EVERY day really.

[Mary]

Things Fall Apart is a MUST READ! It is really good!

I might have to read the time travelers wife this summer. Sounds good!

[Limbic Resonance]

I LOVE this! I'm going to go do this right now!!

[debbie]

From reading others' posts and now yours, my list of "books I should try to read" keeps getting longer and longer. I do have the "time traveler's wife"...will maybe try that one for the long airplane ride "home" this summer...if I hate it, i can always leave it with my mom!

[aaryn b.]

Loved all of the books you have here except Lolita...couldn't get into that one. Probably because I hadn't read the book they were reading. But thumbs up to the others.

Books I've been intending to read but haven't had time yet include "Dreams of my Father" by Barack Obama and "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith.

Books that changed my life are "News of the World" by Ron Carlson, "Way of the Peaceful Warrior" by Dan Millman, "Animal Dreams" by Barbara Kingsolver and "Jitterbug Perfume" by Tom Robbins.

Books I LOVED and couldn't stop talking about are "A Prayer for Owen Meany" by John Irving, "The Known World" by Edward P. Jones, "We Need To Talk About Kevin" by Lionel Shriver, "What I Loved" by Siri Hustvedt and "The Brief Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao" by Junot Diaz.

I know that's more than you asked for but...you know how it goes when you're a reader.

[Athena]

LOL! My parents used to threaten to *burn* my books when I was living at home.

As you know, I am reading Time Traveler's Wife, too. But I haven't gotten far. But it impresses even more now because, wow, those people were in love for a loooong time and stayed in love.