June 7th, 2005
Me me Meme :: 08:12 PM :: easyjetsetterNumber of books I own Difficult to say. I have them in three countries. It used to be about 1000, but I had to sell my library (aside from some precious ones) built up from a literature degree when I left the States. I now have no proof that I read any of it. I have about 50 stored in the wife's basement, about 300 at home in Glasgow (mother! Get those blasted shelves fixed!) and, um, 8 here. I joined the library and I buy books and sell them on. Plus sodding Roddy (he who has taken to living underground, the freak) still has my I am Charlotte Simmons. So, nine. Last book bought Susanna Clarke, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, in November, since passed on to Marion, a French friend who likes Jane Austen, and then to the wife. I told you I was poor. I no longer buy books. I go to the library. My DAD, however, has bought me several: last week, Niall Ferguson, The Pity of War, because, well, see the Somme post, and also, I think Niall Ferguson is a sexpot. Last book read It was a gift from Okie, a signed copy of Jeanette Winterson's, Lighthousekeeping. Very lesbian. A bit self-conscious, but ok. Like Oscar and Lucinda, by Peter Carey (which I love) but lesbian. Before that, it was an Alain de Botton book I had not yet read, and got out of the library in French, Essays in Love. I mention this because it occasioned an astonishing and wonderful coincidence that I might tell you about one day. Before that was Why 60 million Frenchmen can't be wrong: why we love France but hate the French. Despite the obnoxious title and wimpy first half, the second half is an awesome, albeit badly written, primer on how the French State works, and WHY it ended up that way. I need to get that back to you actually Adam.... Five books that mean a lot to me The Leopard - Giuseppe di Lampedusa How an individual reacts to the perceived decline of civilisation. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien How a civilisation declines. When good wins, it is still never the same again. Something someone could have told Peter Jackson. The Wisdom of Crowds - James Surowiecki New Yorker financial page guy writes a Gladwellesque book about decision markets. The House of Mirth - Edith Wharton Has. Me. Sobbing. For 100 pages. Every time. The Name of the Rose - Umberto Eco Everything the EXECRABLE Da Vinci Code wishes it was, and written by another comparative literature/linguistics person. Very cool. Five bloggers to tag Ummmmm, I'm going to spread this out of France. Justinsomnia in California, In Actual Fact in Germany, Romanus Yankeus(it's about time he wrote something new...) in Italy, Fi on her round the world trip, and Roy, cause he's the boss of Tabulas, although he's in NC. Update: Sneaky sneaky Justin put his response into his comments. Next one in with a response from Germany. Rome Yankee copped out and sent an abbreviated version in the email: Currently reading: A Short History of Just About Everything by Bill Bryson Last Book: Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates by Tom Robbins ReReading on the side: Notes of a Dirty Old Man by Charles Bukowski And here's Roy's response. Nothing from Fi, but then, she's in Thailand. 5 Your Thoughts
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