Becky Rech's Five--also known as SheReads

The books I chose to speak for me...

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke--Because I love to read and find the idea of reading characters in and out of books fascinating.

Northern Light by Jennerifer Donnelly--Because I like historical fiction and Mattie, the main character in this book is a strong female character that struggles with what is expected of her as a female and what she really wants to do. I struggle a lot with what is expected of me as a woman from our society, yet, I want to be that perfect woman who likes to cook, clean and take care of the house for my family.

Dairy Queen by Catherine Murdock--Because this story takes place in Wisconsin which is where I grew-up and settled. It is a funny story about girl, D.J., who loves football (which I can't say that I do) and pushes the limits of what a girl should do. D.J. takes care of her family farm before she takes care of herself. I found the book funny and moving.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini--Because the Afghanistan and Pakistan have fascinated me recently. I have read a couple fiction books recently and went to the movie A Mighty Heart. This week I am also looking forward to hearing Kahled Hosseini speak. I have developed a hobby of catching some of my favorite authors at bookstores. I think it gives a reader a special window into why they wrote a book and it always amazing to hear an author read from his or her book.

Life as We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer--Because it fascinated me when I read it this spring. I can't imagine being in Miranda's situation, but I sure didn't find it so far fetched that I can't imagine it happening here and now.

**As I am sure you noticed that most of these books are young adult books. I work at a high school and seem to read a lot of books that are YA and fewer and fewer adult books.

Soleil from Jehara

Okay, I have finally narrowed my list down to the following five:

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath-I love Plath's poetry. And her prose writing is just as good. She was the first poet I discovered in high school. It was "Mirror" that touched me and I have been a fan ever since. I can relate to her struggles. Her depression, her suicide attempts. She was smart and brilliant and literary and while I will not go so far as to say I am brilliant, I am literary and very intelligent.

The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler-Theatre is my life. Eve Ensler is one of my heroes. She has used made this play into a vehicle for raising money and awareness with her ultimate goal being to stop violence against women and girls. I directed and produced this in college as part of the VDAY college campaign and that's when I realized that I could use my art to help people. And that is what my best friend and I have been doing ever since we started our theatre company. We donate proceeds from each show to SafeHaven of Tarrant County and right now we are working on a piece about the Juarez murders and will donate our proceeds to an organization that we are working with that is based in Juarez.

I, Elizabeth by Rosalind Miles-I love reading biographies and fictionalized biographical accounts of strong women. Elizabeth I is another one of my heroes. She was a strong and amazing woman. And I love how well the author fleshed out her life and gave her a voice. I could almost believe that I was reading Elizabeth's own words.

Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block-She is one of my favorite authors and I can relate alot to Weetzie Bat. She is quirky and fun. The writing is lyrical and magical. And they eat wonderfully creative and fresh foods. All of that is me.

Le Petit Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupery-This is one of the best books ever! I love France. I love the language. I love the people. I lived there for a bit. I miss it. I harbor a little French girl somewhere inside. And the story is amazing. I love the little drawings and the way the prince speaks about grownups. I still don't feel like a grownup and I have made some of the same observations he makes about them. And the book is available in English.

So there is my list. ;)

JMC's Five

This challenge sounds like fun. I've already found some of the ones I want to read when the challenge starts. I'll be diligently working through the pile on the floor beside my bed so I can devote the time to this challenge come August first. Here's my list:

Beach Music by Pat Conroy
I chose this book because it is my absolute favorite book. I'm from the area in SC where it is set, and I feel that Conroy captures it perfectly. I love when you're reading a novel and can completely relate. I even recently wrote a post about it. Also check out another of my posts about the Cooper River Bridge. It's brief mention in the novel actually plays a large role throughout, because of what happened on it.

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Okay, I haven't read this book since high school, but I chose it because strangely enough, I do think about it quite a bit. Mainly because, while I would NEVER consider committing a crime, I do often think about if I DID want to commit the perfect crime, how would I go about it. It wouldn't be easy considering all the advances in forensic science. Just a little mental exercise you may want to try as you're standing in line behind that person with a full grocery cart in the 15 items or less lane.

Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz
I just recently re-discovered Dean Koontz. I didn't care much for his earlier work, where he is trying to channel Stephen King, because I don't usually like the supernatural intertwined into my murder mysteries, so I had given up on him. Then a few months ago, I picked up something else by him, and while it still had a little supernatural stuff going on, it was a compelling read. So I gave him another chance, and I am now enjoying his newer stuff, particularly the Odd Thomas trilogy, of which this is the first novel. I chose it here because of the dry sense of humor interspersed with non sequiturs in the dialogue of the characters. It's my sense of humor exactly, which is why it is so difficult to find anyone who understands just exactly what the hell I am talking about.

The Redhead Handbook by Cort Cass
I selected this book because I am a redhead. I hated my hair as a kid. I can still remember when I was elementary school age, being out in my yard and having high school boys ride by on their bikes yelling, "I'd rather be dead than be red on the head." Nice boys, they were. And I actually was a redheaded step-child. Anyway, now I love it. It is unusual. Other people want it. Other people have to dye their hair to get it (and it doesn't always turn out so well). There are songs written about it, there are books written about it, there are entire photo anthologies devoted to it. Now, being a redhead is great. Except for the sunburn. That part sucks.

And finally...
Stick Kid by Peter Holwitz
Yes, it is a children's book. But hey, it'll only take you a few minutes to complete one of the other people's books you are supposed to read. It's like a college crip-course. Easy "A." All that aside, there is actually a good reason why I chose this book. This is a fantastic children's book. I have children. Four of them. All girls. The stick kid in this book is a boy, but the sentiment is the same. It made me cry. It will make you cry. Unless you are cold and heartless.

And there you have it. After you read these books, you will know all there is to know about me. Except these things. And some others that I won't mention here or there, but maybe you'll find them in one of BookishJudith's five books: Postsecret. ;)

Becky's List

Hi! My name is Becky from Becky's Book Reviews. I wanted to choose books that represented me and hadn't been chosen by another blogger. That way everyone would have more choices when it comes time to read books for the challenge.

These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder-- I haven't read this book in over ten years or so. But growing up I wanted to be Laura Ingalls Wilder. I wanted to teach. I wanted to write. I wanted to grow up and marry Almanzo. So this book, the one where she gets to teach and get married...made me very happy. (Juv F)

A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith--I only discovered this about six months ago, but I so identified with Francie. (F)

"From that time on, the world was hers for the reading. She would never be lonely again, never miss the lack of intimate friends. Books became her friends and there was one for every mood. There was poetry for quiet companionship. There was adventure when she tired of quiet hours. There would be love stories when she came into adolescence and when she wanted to feel a closeness to someone she could read a biography. On that day when she first knew she could read, she made a vow to read one book a day as long as she lived." (166-167)

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. How does this book represent me? Well, it is more the fact that it represents a huge transition in my life. I can almost divide my life into two halves...before Orson Scott Card...and after Orson Scott Card. And this was the book that started my love affair with science fiction. And my love for all things Card. Most of my "favorite" books are Card titles. Though I'll just list him once for this challenge. (F)

Anne of the Islands by L.M. Montgomery. I noticed that Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Windy Poplars were already on the list. I thought this would make a nice addition to those seeking to read the Anne books for the challenge. AND more importantly, the last few pages of this book alone make it one of the most romantic books ever. How could you not love Anne and Gilbert finally getting together???(F)

Persuasion by Jane Austen. I just love this one so. I love the heroine.

My Five

I had trouble narrowing it down to just five when I started to jot down possible books. So I tried for some variety. Lest these books appear a bit on the heavy side I hasten to add that I read copiously and incorporate a huge amount of "junk" or "light" reading into my lists, but when I cruised over a list of those books (http://www.bookcrossing.com/mybookshelf/jlautner) I did not find any that struck me as saying "something about me" - except that I enjoy junk reading.

The High Cost of Free Parking, by Donald Shoup. Why would anyone read about parking? And then recommend it? And then say it "says something about me"? The reasons: it's an excellent book that could change the way you look at how cities are built today; I recommend it because although it's heavy and full of charts it's actually easy to read and often funny; and what it says about me is that I spent over 20 years of my life as a city planner who was something of a parking nazi. This book, among other things, changed me.

PostSecret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives, by Frank Warren. A compilation of postcards from the famous blog. As I read through the whole book (which doesn't take long) I found that not only was I often amused or amazed at other people's secrets, but the cards also touched on part of my own past and some secrets of my own. When I started the book I wanted to send postcards there but couldn't think of any good secrets. By the time I was done I had several. Confession can be so liberating! Oh, the other thing: I have now taken to making my own postcards to send to others as thank you notes and expect to expand this idea.

Bait and Switch, by Barbara Ehrenreich. Hard on the heels of the amazing Nickel and Dimed, this book investigates what it's like to be middle-class or above and suddenly out of work. Ehrenreich again assumes the role to do the investigation. She is led to try out the many organizations that promise to give people the tools to find the higher-paid work they want, a gang of thieves more than happy to separate the not-yet-desperate from their dwindling funds. She finds just how difficult it is to get back into the workplace even when you do have the skills and the ability to present yourself well. Many myths are exploded here, quietly. I am among the middle class and I worked jobs like these. When I was young there were always jobs available for my talents. Now? Not nearly as many.

Because it is Bitter and Because it is My Heart, by Joyce Carol Oates. Not so much the circumstances as the feelings and the time. I felt a connection to the main character, Iris, not because I am much like her but because I too was shaped by my world and I grew up when she did. Oates captures what's inside as well as any other writer I read - and I read a lot. The story stayed with me long after I'd forgotten any details.

The End of Faith, by Sam Harris. Harris takes to task not only the fanatic religious zealots who threaten our world today, but the so-called "moderates" who practice what they consider "tolerance". Because it is religion, people feel they cannot criticize. Yet we wouldn't "tolerate" madmen who believe space aliens are coming and that they must therefore shoot people to make room for them (I'm making this part up, obviously). We have developed a blind eye when it comes to religions, cutting them slack and treading lightly when we should be asking the hard questions. I'm an atheist and I am therefore in a group of people that is hugely misunderstood and marginalized. I don't proselytize and I don't hold myself up as better than those who believe in a higher being. Given how entrenched religions are in this world it's easy to see why just the physical representations can make such belief convincing. My plea to this world is to make your religion, if you have one, yours personally and do not impose it on the rest of us.

My book review blog: http://bookishjudith.blogspot.com

Jill(mrstreme)'s List

This is a very interesting challenge: to find books that describe you and your personality. After some reflection, here are the five books I've selected:

1) The March by E.L. Doctorow: Books about Georgia during the Civil War, especially during Yankee occupation, fascinate me. I read Gone With The Wind when I was 13, and since then, I have always been interested in this aspect of the Civil War (to the point that I attended college in Georgia and received an M.A. in history, specializing in Southern History). The March is a newer book that focuses on how Sherman's "March to the Sea" affected the Southern people (both black and white) and the Northern armies. The March is the 2005 winner of the NBCC award, so if you're doing the Book Awards Challenge - you can get two-for-one!

2) On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King: Oh the body parts I would give to have King's gift for storytelling and writing! This book discusses his creative process and gives an interesting back story to many of his novels. He also talks about the near-fatal accident that almost robbed us of one of our best writers. I selected this book because I am a wanna-be writer, and this particular autobiography is inspirational to me.

3) I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak: I love this story because it shows that we are all capable of doing wonderful things. The main character receives cryptic playing cards with clues written on them, and he's charged to do good deeds to designated strangers - the catch is that he doesn't know exactly what he's supposed to do. So he must observe and be creative. And figure it out, or else...

4) Five Quarters of an Orange by Joanne Harris: I picked this book because I thought it was an interesting coming-of-age tale. It's a story of a young girl's life during the German occupation of France. She befriends a German soldier and must sneak around to visit with him. She sneaks oranges into her house to set off her mother's migraines (which then puts poor Mom to bed) to rendezvous with her new friend. It's a wonderful story!

5) Christ The Lord by Anne Rice: This is a fictional account of Christ's childhood, as interpreted by Rice. I like how Rice theorizes Christ's boyish thoughts about the miracles he commits and the mystery of his birth. It's hard to think about Christ as a boy, especially because the man was so great. I want to stress that it's an interpretation, not a historical account. Rice is the essential storyteller, and if you liked her other novels, this one may be worth a consideration.

alisonwonderland's list

at first i had no clue what books i could pick that somehow represented me - and now i'm having a hard time keeping it to just five! these are the ones i've settled upon:

• Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
  one of the few books i've read over and over, this classic non-fiction book was given to me by my mother after i had graduated from college and taken a job in another state. the issues Lindbergh explores are just as pertinent to women today as it was when it was first published in 1955.


• All of a Kind Family by Sydney Taylor
  i am the oldest in a family of seven daughters and no sons, so i grew up in an "all of a kind family" like the one in this novel. i also think this children's book, read to my sisters and me by our mom, was the beginning of my interest in the Jewish culture.


• Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli
  i read this book a few years ago when it was required reading in my daughter's middle school English class. i immediately fell in love with this celebration of nonconformity. the girl called Stargirl is my hero!


• Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix
  this young adult novel is a spin on the Cinderella story that takes place after Ella has been whisked off to the castle by the prince and she finds that both he and life as a princess are not all she had hoped. as a feminist, i believe that, like Ella, girls need to find out who they are as individuals before they become somebody's wife.


• Winter Wheat by Mildred Walker
  this classic novel is a recent discovery for me, and i decided to pick it partly because it's set in the Western United States - and i'm definitely a Western States girl. i also picked it because it is about a young woman growing up and figuring out who she is. (you can read my review of the book here.)

i guess there's a bit of a recurring theme there - but maybe that was the point!

Tiny Little Librarian's List

My list is pretty fluffy. I guess I'm just not that deep! But that's one of the things about me - I'm not a big fan of heavy books. I figure there's enough hard stuff in life without adding extra to it by reading about it. So if you're looking for something light, check mine out!

Angry Housewives Eating Bon-Bons by Lorna Landvik
I belong to a book club of great women, like the ladies in this book. And this was one of the few books that all of our members really enjoyed. Also, it's set in Minnesota, which is where my husband's from and I love visiting there every summer.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
My childhood favourite! I really identified with Anne (and still do) - I was adopted, I had a big imagination and loved to read, and I hated my name. I even had puffed sleeves on my graduation dress (looking back, a fashion mistake but I loved it at the time). And as I read the sequels and got older, I developed a literary crush on Gilbert Blythe.

Bridget Jones' Diary by Helen Fielding
Ah, the mother of all chick lit! I love Bridget - her calorie-counting, her "v. goods" and "v. bads," her embarassing moments... Like her, I feared that I'd die alone and be eaten by an Alsatian. I'm also a huge Anglophile, so I really enjoy the Britishness of Bridge. (Again, literary crush material in Mark Darcy, who is almost as crushable as the original Pride and Prejudice Darcy.)

The Gallery of Regrettable Food by James Lileks
Hilarious!! Lileks is a (sadly former) columnist for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and also an avid collector of old books, postcards, pamphlets, etc. Husband and I started out laughing at them on his web site (http://www.lileks.com/) and were delighted when he started turning them into books. In this one, he comments on horrifying recipes from 50's cookbooks. There's lots of gelatine, hard-boiled eggs made to look like penguins, and the choice between "cheesy meat dishes" or "meaty cheese dishes."

Lucy Crocker 2.0 by Caroline Preston
Not one of my all-time faves, a fun enough read. I chose this one because Lucy is a former children's librarian and she designs a popular video game. I love computer games (particularly the Sims and EverQuest) and I'm a children's librarian, so there you are. (I fortunately don't have all of the troubles Lucy has with her husband and kids, though.)

(For all my challenge-ish stuff, check out my new reading blog - The Tiny Little Reading Room at http://tinyreadingroom.blogspot.com/)

Wendy's List

Here's the final list!

1. Place Last Seen, by Charlotte McGuinn Freeman - This book is a touching novel about a lost child and the search which ensues to find her. It represents me on a couple of levels. I have been involved in Search and Rescue for almost ten years now (the first 7 of those years was with a my Search and Rescue dog - Caribou- and now I'm a certified Tracker I for my county team). In addition, the child in this novel has Down's Syndrome. As a licensed Physical Therapist, I work with children and adults with developmental disability. McGuinn Freeman does an outstanding job of portraying both the search teams and the family of this little girl.

2. A Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson - A non fiction memoir of the author's trek along the Appalachian Trail. I am a hiker and a lover of nature, and I have a good sense of humor. Bryson's account is hysterically funny and I found that although I have never hiked the Appalachian Trail, I could relate to his escapades!

3. In The Shadow Of Man, by Jane Goodall - Non fiction book about Jane Goodall's work with chimpanzees in Gombe National Park in Africa. As a child I wanted to be Jane Goodall! I love animals and her job seemed like the perfect job to me. I was lucky enough to meet Ms. Goodall several years ago after she gave a talk at the Oakland Zoo in Oakland, California. I had a lot of things I wanted to ask her, but I was struck dumb in her presence! She is an incredible woman. My copy of this book is autographed, so I treasure it even more!

4. The Borrowers, by Mary Norton - This was one of my favorite books as a child. I loved the idea of a family of little people living under the floorboards - with my wild imagination, I could almost hear them in my own house! I actually read the entire series several times, borrowing the books over and over again from my local library. I have vowed to get a copy of this series for my home library - I can't believe I don't have it already!

5. The Hotel New Hampshire, by John Irving - This was the first Irving book I read and the one that made me a die-hard fan of his. I grew up in rural New England (New Hampshire) and I was captivated by Irving's quirky characters. I think I relate to John Irving's novels because of his character development; the way he captures the eccentricities of people; the way he demonstrates the fine balance of weaknesses and strengths. And who can resist a book about a family with a pet bear?

Suey's List

I think I’ve finally come up with my list. Sheesh, it wasn’t easy! I always struggle with deciding whether to pick books I’ve read already, or picking ones I WANT to read... so I did a little of both.

My List of "Something About Me" Books:

The Quilter's Apprentice by Jennifer Chiaverini. My other consuming hobby, after reading, is quilting. I’m not very good at it, but it sure is fun to do! This book is the first in a series called The Elm Creek Quilters Series, and my friend seems to love them, so I’ve been wanting to give them a try.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. No one else has listed this book yet have they? I admit, I’ve been swept up (or should I say sucked into? LOL!) in the whole Twilight books thing! I love them! I love teen romance stories! I love Stephenie’s style! I hope to write like her some day. (In my dreams...) I’m also finding that I’ve been increasingly attracted to the whole vampire genre and I’m really anxious to read some more books like this.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. I couldn’t list books about me without some kind of Victorian era classic. It’s truly my favorite genre. I picked this one because it’s about time I re-read it and because there’s just something about this one that gets to me. Something about doomed romance and haunted characters, and ghosts and all that good deep stuff.

Papa Married a Mormon by John D. Fitzgerald. Being from Utah, I find it funny that I’ve never read this book, written by the author of Great Brain fame. I’ve heard it’s wonderfully funny and that fans of the Little House series (I’m thinking that’s many of us) love it. It’s non-fiction but I think loosely based on his family stories.

The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud. Twice a year, I run the book fair at the elementary school. Often, I’ll read some of the book fair books and then talk them up. Last time, after talking about several books, a student raised her hand and said, "Did you read anything that WASN’T fantasy?" I realized that I hadn’t! I love YA fantasy and so I’ve picked this one because it’s been on my list forever to get to and maybe this will help me to finally do it! (Yes I know I’m supposed to read the books on everyone else’ list, but I figured I could read stuff on mine too!)

Anyway, so there you have it! Hopefully these books say a little bit about me!

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.

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?

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.

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?

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.
  

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.