Megan's List

The Writing Life - Annie Dillard
I have always loved reading books about writing. My own desire to write has been with me my whole life. It waxes and wanes in frequency and intensity but I love learning about authors. I love to know how and why they write.

Boys and Girls Forever - Alison Lurie
For about six years I have been obsessed with children's literature, it's history, it's impact. These essays are great and focus on some classic children's novels I have passively dismissed. (As I commonly do, I have a classic phobia.) This book has inspired me to visit the stories that have been on the fringe of my consciousness throughout life.

Nothing But the Truth - Avi
This is a great young adult novel. For many years I have wanted to be a teacher. I have wanted to use this book as one of my opening lessons.

The Black Book: Diary of a Teenage Stud - Jonah Black
I read this book several years ago. At the time everyone was talking about it, it seems since then it has gone out of vogue. I was searching for a book about boarding school, since that was an important experience of high school. First I was going with Catcher in the Rye but it wasn't very me. And I have always hated A Separate Peace. What makes The Black Book special? It fills the void of relevant midteen fiction. Not only does it fit an age demographic that many young adult novel miss but the main character is male. I am totally in love with the style of story telling.

The Country of Pointed Firs - Sarah Orne Jewett
I was trying to find some good New England writing. Something that had really spoken to me. The writing in this book is absolutely overwhelming.

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Nattie's List

I am so lame it has taken me this long to figure out how to access this blog even though I was invited days ago. Is there a book about that?
So here is my list which is also up on my main blog.
1. A Girl Named Zippy: Growing Up Small in Mooreland, Indiana by Haven Kimmel
I picked this book because I live in Small Town USA, Indiana and I have wanted to read it forever.

2. Sixpence House: Lost in a Town of Books by Paul Collins
You should see how many books I have. It seems like a fitting title for my apartment. Lost in an apartment of books.

3. The Amateur Marriage by Anne Tyler
I love Anne Tyler and I've not read this one, but I understand it is about marriages being amateur affairs. I had an amateur marriage that ended in divorce after 7ish year.

4. Operating Instructions: A Journal of my Son's First Year by Anne Lamott
I love Anne Lamott and this book is about her being a single mom to her son. I am a single mom.

5. Fool's Puzzle by Earlene Fowler
I picked this one because I was a Nancy Drew fan growing up. I wanted to be Nancy Drew among other things. Earlene Fowler's character Benni Harper makes me think of a grown up version of Nancy Drew. They are one of my all time favorite mysteries.

3M's List

My final two selections have been added.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
I just finished this. It has several "something about me" qualities. It is set in Lexington, Ky, and I live less than an hour from there. The author is a UK professor and mentions the school and the Wildcats, and my husband got his undergraduate degree there and is a UK fanatic. Like Paul (the boy twin), when I was an adult I found out I had a sister that I never knew about. Like David (the husband and father), I felt like an "imposter" in my (brief) professional life. He is a doctor in the story; I was an engineer. This was probably due to his poorer family background, which I can also relate to. Like Norah, I suffered from postpartum depression. You could say I really related to all the main characters. Besides all these "similarities," I really loved the book, too!

The Echo Maker by Richard Powers
This book is set in Kearney, Nebraska, where my sister currently lives and is not too far away from where I grew up. Powers did a good job of describing the remoteness of the region. The main "something about me" here, though, and this is getting a little too personal, is that the main character suffered from Capgras' and Cotard's Syndromes. Capgras Syndrome is the belief that your loved ones have been "replaced" by imposters, while Cotard's Syndrome is the belief that you have already died. I experienced these two syndromes while I was in college. Freaky, huh?

Charlotte's Web by E. B. White
This is the book that started my reading addiction. My wonderful 2nd grade teacher, Miss French, read this to my class, and we were mesmerized and enthralled by it. A beautiful, beautiful book.

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
This book really affected me in college as I sought answers to my "little crazy episode" above. Who can argue with Narnia creator C.S. Lewis?! No, seriously, Mere Christianity gives one of the best defenses of Christianity available. It is not a long book, but it is a little dense. If you need something lighter, try More than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell.

Luncheon of the Boating Party by Susan Vreeland
Did you know there is a phenomena in which people cry uncontrollably in front of paintings or other art? I didn't know it either until it happened to me. I took my 7th grade class (back when I was a teacher) to an art museum in Nashville where they were having a special exhibit on impressionism. I was looking at this painting, and lo and behold, I started sobbing without any warning. It was so beautiful. It was like I was seeing it in 3-D. I couldn't believe the beauty of it. What was the painting, you ask? It was Luncheon of the Boating Party by Renoir. If you just see this in an art book, you may ask what the big deal is as there doesn't seem to be anything special about it. See it in person and you'll see a huge difference, believe me.

The book of that title by Susan Vreeland will be out in early May. It was given a starred review by Booklist. You may see a review and summary at Amazon here.

Lest you doubt my word about the crying phenomena, check out Pictures and Tears: A History of People Who Have Cried in Front of Paintings.

Ellen's Awesome List

Hi everyone! It's been great to see what everyone's come up with so far. My list took me so long to write just because I couldn't narrow it down to just five. Nevertheless, I did it:

F. Scott Fitzgerald, This Side of Paradise. Sure, everyone loves The Great Gatsby, but Fitzgerald's first novel is more raw and sad and charming. I read it in high school and probably re-read it at least once a year.

Judith Kogan, Nothing But The Best. I was a high school orchestra geek and often stayed up nights re-reading this nonfiction book about students and teachers at The Juilliard School, one of the best music conservatories in the country. I was never this good, but I still loved reading about it.

Gordan Korman, No Coins, Please. This middle-grades chapter book about a bunch of boys taking a van trip across the country (and one's plan to make a million dollars, stop by stop) is still one of the funniest books I've ever read.

Margaret Atwood, The Robber Bride. This is a good introduction to the novels of Atwood, who I think is one of the best in describing relationships among female friends both treasured and toxic.

William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night. So what if I've never worn yellow stockings, dressed in drag or had a twin brother? This is my favorite Shakespeare play, hands down, and it doesn't have to be directly relevant to be enormous fun.

Heather's List

Hi readers and bloggers! I am Heather of the Madame Rubies Blog. These are the 5 books I selected:

Lolita by Vladimir Nobokov

It may scare some that this book says something about me. However, Lolita grew up with a skewed view of sexuality and how to experience it correctly. I did too. I often used my sexuality to get what I wanted, but eventually I found happiness with a man who loves me.

Everybody Wants to go to Heaven but Nobody Wants to Die by David Crwoder and Mike Hogan

This book takes you on a Bluegrass journey and that means it takes you through a piece of my childhood and also tells you a lot about my mother, who can sing like an angel with a country twang. I grew up listeing to my Mama singing with Bluegrass bands, working concession at Bill's Pickin' Parlor and singing along to Loretta Lynn tapes while dancing in front of my mirror. Heck, I am FROM The Bluegrass State - My Ol' Kentucky Home.

Seven Blessings by Ruchama King

This book involves a young girl who moves to Israel. She is actually Jewish and I am not, but I do long to experience Israel as she did. I have a crush on Judaism, and this is why I selected King's book.

Harvesting the Heart by Jodi Picoult

This isn't my favorite, by far, of Jodi's novels. However, I suffered severe postpartum depression, and the mother in this story experiences her own version of that illness. It is a pretty realistic portrayal of what PPD can do to a person and their marriage/life.

My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok

Asher Lev is a Jewish artist who paints a crucifix. I can relate well to Asher. His parents want him to give up painting and drawing for a career that will actually be respected and make a living. And, when his heart moves him to paint a crucifix, it is scary. I mean, a Jewish man painting such a symbol of Christ? Sometimes, I feel like that when I am writing. What if my story doesn't live up to the expectations held for me by parents, friends, husband, children, churchmembers, etc...? How do I truly let go and let the art flow without worrying so much about other people's opinions?

So, those are my 5. I have already chosen a couple that I will read. Can't wait to see what else goes up.

Heather

Pattie's Picks

Here are the five books I believe best tell something about who Pattie is:

1. Fresh-Brewed Life by Nicole Johnson

This book totally changed my life and my view of life. It's a Christian nonfiction book by Nicole Johnson, the Women of Faith dramatist. She's an amazing woman and actress, and with the coffee metaphor woven throughout the book, it resonated with me on many levels. I still journal and attempt every day to live a "fresh-brewed life." My blog is named after this book, also (oh, and I LOVE coffee!).

2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

I'm a hopeless romantic. I read this book at fifteen, because the director of my high school play based on P&P required it (even though I only had one line and maybe ten minutes of stage time--I was a dancer at the Netherfield ball named "Miss Belinda."). I did eventually find my Mr. Darcy, and for years he infuriated me--then I found my feelings changing toward him, and like Elizabeth, I was so very confused. The only difference between my own sweet husband and Mr. Darcy is the hefty 20,000 pounds per annum income and estate!

3. SAHM I Am by Meredith Efken

This is a Christian fiction, mom-lit, humorous novel. It's a mostly-humorous look at the life of an at-home-mom's email loop, told through emails. I just loved it! I've also lived parts of it. I am now a contributor on the author's blog, Violet Voices.

4. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

I read Anne Frank's diary at the age of eleven and started keeping a diary in response. I've loved the movies, the plays, the recent biography, and I've tried to keep up on the latest scholarship through the years. It's an amazing work in its own right; not only a study of life in close quarters during our world's darkest days, but also a study in the development of a writer.

5. The Awakening by Kate Chopin

I first read this book at the age of 27 (just a couple years younger than the protagonist of the novel), during an Advanced Placement teaching seminar week. I was away from my husband and infant daughter, still trying to find my way as a mother and a pastor's wife, AND a teacher. I stayed up late reading it in the dorm, and while it might have been the humidity of Hot Springs mimicking the heat and humidity of turn-of-the-century New Orleans, or the strong sense of connection I felt with the heroine, I felt I understood Edna. To this day, I do not agree with her choices; but I still understand why she made them. Chopin's prose is inimitable.

raidergirl3's list

This was fun and difficult to do. What if I think of a book next week that is even more perfect? Arg. Without further ado, I present: my list.

1. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson NF
I love science, always have. I'm still in high school, teaching science because I love it so much.The beauty found in nature in all its glory, and the scientists who recognized the phenomena and put the order and structure to explain; it all blows my mind. And Bryson is humorous in explaining nearly everything. Science and funny. I love this book.

2. Cheaper by the Dozen by Frank Gilbreth NF
I love efficiency and getting things done in the least messy way. I can always get one more dish in the dishwasher. Always. I also have three children which messes with my efficiency system. This memoir of growing up as one of the children of industrial engineers has always been a humorous favorite. The chaos and efficiency in this book is what I like. Also, I'm Gemini, the twin, balancing my dual natures.

3. Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman F
This little dreamy, philosphy book is better the more and more I read it. I read it aloud to my grade twelve physics classes every year and some really like it. Others just stare in confusion, because it is not the type of book they usually read. Lightman writes of 'thirty dreams in as many nights' imagining what dreams Einstein might have had in developing his theory of relativity, in which he reconstructed how we see time. Different theories of time, like: what if time flows backwards? time is finite? there is no concept of future? time is circular?

4. Evening Class by Maeve Binchy F
I wanted to pick a novel that I really like, and this is one of my favorite. I always enjoy Binchy, and how her characters are ordinary people, with happy endings. That's like me - pretty ordinary, and a quiet life. And I am a teacher, and I went to Italy last summer.

5. LM Montgomery: Anne of Windy Poplars F (or any other LM Montgomery book you want)
You had to know this Prince Edward Island girl would pick a Montgomery book! My dilemma was in picking which one. Rilla of Ingleside is one of my favorites, and it really gives a nice view of PEI in the early 1900s and what life was like in a small Island village during WW1. I picked Anne of Windy Poplars however, because that was the book where Anne was teaching (like me) in Summerside, and when I visit my grandmother in S'side, I can still see the town as Anne described it to Gilbert in her letters. I also like this book because Anne and Gilbert are finally together. Did I mention I like happy endings?

What do you think....

.....of my posting the books to choose from in the sidebar? It has occurred to me, as people continue to join, that our sidebar is going to get pretty darn long. I like to be able to scroll down through (since my plan was to read one book by each participant - haha) but it might get cumbersome. It is, after all, only April and the challenge doesn't even start until August!! Any other ideas for how we might list the books?

Also, I have some thoughts on prizes. Originally, I was going to follow the way most people do it. See who finishes the challenge, pull a name out of a hat, give some kind of a prize...

But it seems to me that every one who even submits their list is committing an act of bravery to let people into their lives in this way. I'm thinking I may give one prize at the beginning from all the participants, and then one at the end, too.

Whoops

Please excuse the housecleaning post--that was meant to go on my other blogger blog.
hee!

By George! I think I've got it!

It took me a bit, pondering here and there, but I think I can list my five books now without stumbling or stuttering. In no particular order:

*The Talisman by Stephen King- chosen because, while not the first great book my Dad shared with me, it is probably the book he most enjoyed sharing with me. We'd be sitting at dinner and he's go "Whoops! I just flipped. I barely made it back from the territories." He cried with me when I cried about Wolf. It was a toss up between this and the Gunslinger (which he also loved and shared with me), but this is a stand alone, where the Gunslinger sends you into eight books.

*Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott - chosen because I love her. I don't agree with everything she says all the time, but I love her "cock-eyed" way of looking at faith and God. I came to my own faith bass-ackwards and am the world's most reluctant pastor's wife. And I'm not afraid to drop the f-bomb in a crisis. Anne and I get along just fine.

*The Victoria's Secret Catalogue Never Stops Coming by Jennie Nash OR Why I Wore Lipstick to my Masectomy by Geralyn Lucas - chosen because I was diaagnosed with breast cancer at the ripe old age of 22. Both books are marvelous and I just couldn't choose which one better represented what it's like to be young and bald.

*The Essays of EB White - beautiful, lyrical, wonderful even when talking about a pig with erysipelas. This was my first real exposure to what it was like to just write about life as it happens, and what we take from that. It's what I still aspire to someday remotely resemble in my ramblings.

*Dispatches from the Land of Flowers: A Snake Man, a Sad Poet, a Lightning Stalker and Other Stories About Real Florida by Jeff Klinkenberg- chosen because living in Florida is like nowhere else in the world. It took awhile to sink in, but I am so hooked. I love it here in Paradise and want everyone else to love it too.

And there you have it..my choices.

Christina's List

Wow! This was tougher than I thought it would be. I managed to come up with a list I think represents me. Here it is:

Parenting Your Only Child by Susan Newman PhD (Non-fiction). I found this book very helpful when I realized that I would probably be having just one kid. It's a great guide book for what to do and not do.

Fall On Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald (Fiction). This novel is set in the area of Nova Scotia that I've lived all my life. It also portrays the hard life of the people who lived at the beginning of the last century. It centers around the lives of a dysfunctional Scotch/Lebanese family and their secrets.

The Seven Daughters of Eve by Bryan Sykes (Non-fiction). This is the true story of Sykes mapping of mitochondrial DNA to seven clan mothers of Europe. I have an interest in genetics and genealogy. I thought the idea of Europeans being able to trace their ancestry to 7 woman fascinating.

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier (Fiction). I so related to the nameless heroine in this suspense story. At the beginning, she is shy and so unsure of herself. She reminds me of my younger self. I love how she finally comes into her own.

In the Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (Fiction). Probably the best book I read last year. As a booklover, I felt for the hero's desperate attempt to save a book from disappearing from the earth forever.

So there it is. My list. I hope someone finds something to read on it.

Kookiejar's Choices

The challenge of finding five books that give a good representation of what I'm all about was more difficult than the actual reading challenge could ever be.

I've spent the last 10 or 11 days searching through my stacks and my lists and my memory to see if I could find the five books that shaped the person I am today, and I think today I finally hit upon them.

1. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. Up until I read this I'd been hooked on trashy romance novels almost exclusively. Once I'd finished this one, I realized there was a world of important, literary fiction that I was missing out on. It changed me as a reader, and set my feet on the right path.

2. Raptor Red by Robert Baaker. I love dinosaurs. I'm utterly fascinated with them and it is my dream to someday go on a dig. This novel was written by one of the greatest paleontologists around and he covers the life of the Utahraptor with a literary flair and a scientific eye.

3. Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo. I read this in high school and it confirmed my belief in pacifism. Greatest anti-war novel ever written. It will rip your heart out and hang you up to dry.

4. Demon Haunted World by Carl Sagan (NF) Basically Sagan presents the scientific reasons why people believe in things like UFO's, the face on Mars, ghosts and other superstitions. It made me understand why it is vitally important that the average person have at least a rudimentary understanding of science.

5. A Man Without a Country-Kurt Vonnegut (NF) The late, great Mr Vonnegut had a dark, sardonic view on life in these times and his take on politics, religion and the need to be kind to our fellow man mirrors mine exactly. Read it and you are pretty much reading my thoughts, too. He was better with words than I am.


Now, I have to figure out which books from everyone else's lists I would like to read. There are some interesting choices out there so far.

Heidijane's choices

Ooh, this challenge is so tempting.

Post up to five books that say something about you/represent you, and then other bloggers can find out a bit more about you.

Already thinking about which books might be right (although I may change my mind before August 1st...):

• The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova, as I'm an archivist and am very familiar with historical research (although have never taken it too these lengths)
  
• The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri, as I know what its like to live in a clash of cultures.
• The Wall Jumper, by Peter Schneider and Ian McEwan, as I was born and spent my early childhood in a divided (West) Berlin.
• The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde, a caper through the world of many familiar books, and the first in the Thursday Next series.
• I guess Heidi, by Johanna Spyrie, might be an obvious final choice?

Sally906's list

My List

So many Books, So little Time by Sara Nelson - this describes my first reading challenge - to read 52 books from my TBR pile - trouble is - as I read - more get added - I have so many books and so little time :)

Grumpy Old Women by Judith Holder (Non-Fiction)- I have got to the age where I can be a grumpy old woman - and get away with it - it is expectred of me. "Grumpy Old Women"" gives us the female take on the million irritations of today's world. Body image, visitors, children, animals, shopping, careers, parties, holidays - and yes, grumpy old men themselves - all are very much on the list of what today's mature woman finds a source of concern.

Hazel's Journey by Sue Pieters-Hawke (Non-Fiction) - The ex-wife of a past Australian Prime Minister. Hazel has always been well respected and much admired. She went through her husband'ss desertion and remarriage with dignanty. She is now battling Alzheimer's, and her daughter has written part of Hazel's story down this degenerative road. I am picking this because it is something that faces all of us as we pass middle age. I am not saying we are all going to end up with Alzheimer's - but how many of you have forgotten where you put your car keys? The name of that person you went to school with 30 years ago and have just met up the street? Where did you park that car?

My Desert Kingdom by Jill Koolmees (Non-Fiction) - I spent the first 10 years of my life being dragged from country to country by my parents. I do enjoy travel, although only recently started agin, and have been to Egypt, which is not Saudi Arabia but pretty close. Saudi Arabia may now have increadibly wealthy people - but they also have increadible poverty. It is good to learn about other cultures. Jill, an Australian, travels there with her husband and lives there for two years. This is the story of the country through her eyes

The Naughtiest Girl in School by Enid Blyton - I went to boarding school, and was a very naughty little girl, I was 10 when I went. Many of my friends would say I have never grown up - so this book is for the child in me. I also want to see how naughty she is - is she as naughty as I was?

Hi everyone!

Hi. I'm Chris from book-a-rama. I'm excited about this challenge. What a unique idea! I have a few ideas for my list but haven't completed it yet. I will soon! Until then, I'll enjoy reading everyone's list.

Lisa's List and other sundries

I'm so excited to see everyone joining this challenge!! Now I just have to find a way to maintain my anticipation all the way to August! Many bloggers asked me to make it a fall challenge because there is just so much going on in the way of challenges right now, so that's why we're waiting. It will be fun just to see all the reading lists unfold.

Many people have also asked how in the world I came up with such an idea. I'm a psychotherapist, so my whole life is built around getting "nosy" in people's business. I guess that leaked into my blogging personality as well. I started to wonder about some of you, based on your reading personalities and reviews. Hmmm, I wonder if ___ ever ___? I thought this would just be a fun way to get to know each other a little better while staying in the context of books.

My choices explained:

• Lying on the Couch by Irvin Yalom. Yalom is one of the greatest living therapists, in my opinion, and he's also darn good at fictionalizing the profession in a way that's entertaining.
• The Man with the Beautiful Voice is also a therapy reference, this time non-fictional stories that Lillian Rubin tells about her actual experiences with clients (Yalom has some great books like this too, but I didn't want to oversell him!)
• Tracon - I was an air traffic controller for 11 years and my husband is still doing that work...I have a big place in my heart for the profession and the troubles they are currently in (see www.mainbang.typepad.com)
• The Gate Seldom Found is a fictionalized history of the traditional Christian home church that I am a member of
• Living your Yoga -- I love, love, love yoga, and I think this is a great book about the practical principles of yoga (doing no harm, building community, etc) that describes my path but would also be interesting to non-yogis.
  

Twiga's List

My list of books (those that represent me in some way):

1. The Happy Room by Catherine Palmer - this book is the story of adult missionary kids with flashbacks of their lives growing up in Africa. As a missionary kid myself, this book really resonated. It gives a great perspective of some challenges that missionary kids face.

2. The Childless Revolution: What It Means to be Childless Today by Madelyn Cain - as someone who has chosen not to have children, this book is great for understanding the childfree better and reasons behind the choice

3. Making Work Work for the Highly Sensitive Person by Barrie Jaeger - I'm a highly sensitive person and this book was great at helping to explain things about myself. A great resource for those who work with highly sensitive persons and being able to understand them better.

4. The Atonement Child by Francine Rivers - while I've never been raped or been pregnant, this book resonated with me in the college that the main character attended. Their reaction to her was so similar to how my college would have reacted to the same situation. This book just really hit home for me in the attitudes of others.

5. Biblioholism by Tom Raabe - this book is just the totality of being a book-lover, addicted to books, it just encapsulates the whole book experience.

Bonnie's Five Books

Here are five good books that say "something about me":

1. Evensong ~ by Gail Godwin ~ This novel's main character is the church's first woman pastor. She's Episcopalian and I'm not, but some of her experiences are like mine when I was ordained and went into a field where I was often the first woman churches had ever had in their pulpits.

2. On Tap ~ by J. Frances Alexander ~ Chattanooga, my hometown, is the setting for this novel about the vulnerability of America's supply of safe drinking water to the attack of terrorists. Can you tell I'm also interested in environmental issues?

3. Booked to Die ~ by John Dunning ~ A mystery involving bookstores that deal with rare and out-of-print books, this book was a learning experience for me when, after retirement, I worked for such a store. Later I was bookstore manager at a store in a small town south of Chattanooga, before opening my own bookstore. In none of these situations was there a bookstore murder to solve as in this book of fiction!

4. Go Out in Joy! ~ by Nina Hermann Donnelley ~ The author shares what it's like to work as a hospital chaplain. I first read this book while in seminary, when I too was struggling to learn how to deal with patients and their relatives, especially when parents were fearful for the health of their small children. My group of intern chaplains was assigned to a large hospital in Atlanta, and I prayed I would not get the pediatric ward. You did notice the word "children" above, right?

5. The Dance of the Dissident Daughter ~ by Sue Monk Kidd ~ This nonfiction book chronicles Kidd's religious awakening and transformation. Although we have arrived at somewhat different places, we both had to work through the patriarchy in our religious traditions. "Awakening" is a great word for what I felt when I reached a point in my life when I could articulate what I believed and why.

Lisa, I can't figure out how to put this list in the sidebar. I don't have that option. You control the template, while we are able to control only our own posts.

Hello All

(this is the part where some of you think I am a stalker) I am very glad to be part of this group! I also have been thinking hard about what books I can put on my list. I have a few, but not all. I am so looking forward to this!

Glad to Be Here

I'm really happy to be a part of this interesting challenge! I have some book nominations ideas, but will take a few days to think about them before posting. Looking forward to hanging out and getting to know all of you a little bit better.