Book MEME

I saw this MEME at Just Eat Your Cupcake's blog and really liked it. So I decided to try my hand at answering the questions.

1) One book that changed your life
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston - I read this book as a junior in college for the first time. I started on a Friday night and read all in one night, through the sound of friends knocking on the door to go out, without getting tired. I am still not sure exactly what spoke to me so strongly in this book. I think it was the main character's strength, her ability to move through anything in her life. I think this was the first book I ever read which inspired me. I ended up writing my senior honors thesis on the book and Hurston's autobiography, Dust Tracks on the Road, discussing Hurston's voice and her sense of self. Working on that thesis changed my life, helped me figure out who I was and that it was ok to go after what I wanted in life.

2) One book that you had read more than once
I seldomly read books more than once. After I know what is going to happen, I tend to lose interest. I am not sure what makes a book qualify for the club of "more than 1x reading" for me. I read all of the Harry Potter Series more than once. And I read the Gunslinger Series by Stephen King more than once (some more than twice), all except the last one. That one would be too hard to read again. Maybe the series draw me for a second reading since I have more time to "know" the characters.

3) One book you would want on a desert island
I liked "Just Eat Your Cupcake"'s answer, a book about surviving on a desert island. Very practical! But since I can't really take her answer, I am not sure what to say. I can not imagine living with just one book. I am too changeable to be happy with just one. Please tell me I can take a trunk of books!

4) Two books that made you laugh
Again, I agree with "Just Eat Your Cupcake." Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris is a laugh-out-loud riot. I loved that book. I also loved listening to it on CD. His voice makes it even more hysterical.

My two answers are:
1)The Areas of my Expertise by John Hodgman. He is the guy who plays the PC on the Mac commercials. This book is absolutely hysterical, especially if you like his humor on The Daily Show.
2) Straight Man by Richard Russo. There were places in that book that made me laugh until I cried. For those who have read it, "Orshe" was the funniest character name I think I have ever read.

5) One book that made you cry
So many books make me cry, it is hard to choose just one. For some reason, I feel things more strongly when reading, than in a TV show or movie. One wonderful book that made me cry but I could not stop reading was Hummingbird House by Patricia Henley. The book I read a few weeks ago - The Shadow Catcher by Marianne Wiggins also made me cry in places.

6) One book you wish you had written
I don't know if there are particular books I admire enough to wish I had written them, but there are definitely authors' writing styles I admire. I love Amy Tan's writing style; it is so personal and engaging. I envy Michael Chabon's descriptions. For example, from The Yiddish Policemen's Union, "The clock on the hospital wall hummed to itself, got antsy, kept snapping off pieces of the night with its minute hand." I don't think I will ever forget that line. You can hear the clock in it. Absolutely wonderful! That is what I wish I could do.

7) One book you wish had never been written
Middlemarch and Bleak House - mostly because I had to suffer through these in college. I am not a huge fan of this literature period in general.

8) Two books that you are currently reading
I have not found a book I want to read since I finished the three Twilight Series books. I am actually reading the third book in the series, Eclipse again since I read it so fast the first time. I want to be sure I did not miss anything.
I can not read two books at once, so even if I had one answer for this question, I would not have two. I am sure I will start something new soon. I am open to suggestions!

9) One book you have been meaning to read
Lucky Man by Richard Russo - maybe I'll get to this one next, if it ever comes back into the local library! :)