Monday, August 14, 2006

The Book Meme

I thought I would borrow the Cultural Snow book meme thing as I always find it difficult to name my favourite book and this allows a bit more explanation.
1. One book that changed your life: Down and Out In Paris and London, by George Orwell. In the most wonderful stark text I received an insight into what poverty really means and I hope I have never forgotten.
2. One book that you’ve read more than once Lots and lots; special mentions to Franny and Zooey by JD Salinger as it reminds me what I was feeling at about 16 and His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman as it's just a stonking* story.
3. One book you’d want on a desert island The Diary of Samuel Pepys (unabridged version). I don't think I would ever get sick of the brilliant honesty of it all and it's really funny.
4. One book that made you laugh A History of the World in 101/2 Chapters by Julian Barnes. Especially the chapter about heaven because it is exactly what I would like to imagine it to be.
5. One book that made you cry How To Be Good by Nick Hornby because the author sounded so broken by life and it pushed quite a few personal buttons.
6. One book that you wish had been written I wish Bill Hicks had written his autobiography after a long and productive career.
7. One book that you wish had never been written Any sporting/celeb autobiography. Why waste publisher's money on crap.
8. One book you’re currently reading The People's Act of Love by James Meeks. It's bleak, it's about revolutionary Russia so perfect holiday reading then.
9. One book you’ve been meaning to read Anna Karenina by Tolstoy tops an extremely long list.


*I never say words like this in real life, honest, but it just slipped out and I have promised myself not to self-censor.

10 comments:

Tim F said...

Weird synchronicity: I was going to but Hicks down for the "wish" thing on mine, but then realised that there weren't any women, so plumped for Dorothy.

How grotesquely PC is that?

realdoc said...

I have no women either, hangs head in shame.

Urban Chick said...

just dropping in to say hullo and welcome to the world of blogging

huzzah! another sucker to join the splendid ranks!

UC

GreatSheElephant said...

hmm, I suppose I ought to do this meme but I didn't get many comments on my last one and as most of my answers will probably involve Terry Pratchett, perhaps I won't.

rel said...

Hi realdoc,
Just stopping by (via Spinsterella) to say hi,
If you don't mind I'll borrow this meme to my blog?
Stop in for a visit anytime.
at http://pciyrtpy.blogspot.com/

rel

Anonymous said...

Am I the only one who doesn't know what a "meme" is?

realdoc said...

I have deduced that it is a soet of questionnaire about yourself...I think.

rel said...

tedward's missing ear,
& realdoc:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meme

Anonymous said...

Thank you remimen, with the help of the wonderful Wikipedia I now know what a meme is. Damn that Richard Dawkins is smart.

cello said...

Nice books, realdoc(though I haven't quite read them all).

Will try and pop in as often as I can because I love what you write, wherever it is, and you have the best photo ever.

Desperately want to comment on your TV viewing thing because have just done some research into it, but no time right now. Keep going!