It's a Book Thing

I've seen this meme on several different blogs, most recently on Shirley's and Amber's, and since I loooves me some books and I loooves me some lists, I finally decided to do it. So here we go... 1. One book that you've read more than once. I've read literally hundreds of books more than once. For me, re-reading books is like visiting familiar old friends. Even if I've heard their stories before, time has passed and made me a different person so I may understand something I missed another time. The book I think I've probably read more times than any other, starting when I was pretty young, is "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle 2. One book you would want on a desert island. "Jane Austen: The Complete Novels" - it would be my way of cheating such a horrible fate just a bit, since I'd have several stories in one volume. 3. One book that made you laugh. Oooh, I could choose SO many. I love books with humor! But one....ok, "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy." When I've read it other times (yes it's one of the many I've read more than once!) it merely made me smile, but the very first time I read it I laughed out loud in several spots. "You know," said Arthur, "it's at times like this, when I'm trapped in a Vogon airlock with a man from Betelgeuse, and about to die of asphyxiation in deep space, that I really wish I'd listened to what my mother told me when I was young." "Why, what did she tell you?" "I don't know, I didn't listen." 4. One book that made you cry. Bunches again - loads! "The Time Traveler's Wife", for one. 5. One book you wish you had written. Again, I could choose dozens!! Part of me wants to choose something with language so beautiful it makes angels weep. Part of me wants to choose something that made me laugh or brought me comfort when I felt sad. Part of me wants to choose something that was a huge commercial success because, hey, I bet the perks are a blast! But in the end I'm going to go with "The Anubis Gates" by Tim Powers, because when I finished that book for the first time I remember sitting there with my eyes wide with wonder thinking, "Dayum! What sort of mind comes up with a story like that?!?" He takes Egyptian mythology, time travel, poetry, Romany lore, magic, historical fiction, and probably more I've forgotten, and he weaves them all into one story and somehow he makes it work! (Man, I need to reread that book soon!) 6. One book you wish had never been written. I can't think of one. Even books I really dislike speak to someone out there and might be just what they need at any given time, so I wouldn't wish any of them unwritten. (Although I have to say I would wish people wouldn't be foolish or mean-spirited enough to believe some of what's out there.) 7. One book you're currently reading. "Awaken Me Darkly" by Gena Showalter 8. One book you've been meaning to read. (DebR looks sheepishly at her multiple overflowing TBR shelves) Just one, huh? Ok, then - "The Solace of Leaving Early" by Haven Kimmel 9. One book that changed your life. I don't think any one single book has ever done that. But BOOKS, in general, and a love of reading have certainly helped to shape my life. Through books I can experience things I might never experience in the real world. Books expose me to new ideas. Plus I learn well from books, especially if they're illustrated to appeal to that visual learner in me. I started many, many hobbies and passions in my life by checking a book out of the library. 10. One book you recommend often. "Replay" by Ken Grimwood Wanna play? You know my policy on tagging! Well, ok, depending on if you've stopped by before some of you may not, so it's this: I believe in the Self-Serve method of tagging. If you want to do this meme, say so in comments and you can consider yourself "officially" tagged. If you want to comment without being tagged, that's great too. I'd love to hear your thoughts! "A River of Words" (The text I added to the photo above are parts of the first lines of some of the books I mentioned in my answers. The photo is clickable if you want to see it larger in a new window.)