Well, this seems to be going around. Dave tagged Gary who tagged me. I’ve put it off until today because I wasn’t sure that I was going to like my answers. The problem is that I’m supposed to be reading an hour a day (6 days a week). It was my Lenten discipline and then became a personal goal for Interim Ministry training. I am almost keeping up with that, but I’m not really happy with how far I haven’t gotten. It doesn’t help that I started getting more magazines. There were some really good deals – so now I get Horse Illustrated, Equus (need those to stay sane), Discover, Time (it was REALLY cheap - $2 for the year), Reader’s Digest (a present), Preimere (have to keep up with the movies somehow so that I can figure out what to see and blog on), Leadership (work related), and trying to keep up on Shane’s Entertainment Weekly.
So – with all the magazines, the books have been scattered in there – and not all necessarily finished. It’s so hard to finish theology magazines.
How Many Books Do You Own? I’m with Gary on this – probably 500. A friend that went through seminary with me says that she has at least that many and I figure that we have to be close. This is also with a major fiction purge right before seminary. I tend to get the fiction cheap or free and then pass it on.
What is the Last Book You Bought? The last book that I bought for myself was either a travel (lightweight) copy of the Bible, NRSV translation or the Luke/John New Interpreter’s Bible. I just purchased 2 Books of Common Prayer, 1979 and 2 Bibles for the Canterbury Northwestern graduates. (wow – can’t tell I’m a priest, can you?)
However, we just had a free-for-all at Seabury, so I picked up Metro Girl by Janet Evanovich (to read on the way to California this summer) and a few other paperbacks.
What is the Last Book You Read? The last book that I read cover to cover is The Tentmaker by Michelle Blake. The review will be posted tomorrow.
I’m also almost done with a Luke Timothy Johnson book that I’m interested in finishing…Need to just sit down and read the last 2 chapters. It was a great book.
And of course it’s my job to continually read the Bible and the commentaries in order to write sermons.
Name five books that mean a lot to you.
Yeah, right… Well, I answered it today, so this is what I came up with. Ask me another day and I’ll give you a different 5.
Okay – Dave mentioned Illusions by Richard Bach. I’ll go with that. My college roommate handed it to me.
And Gary mentioned Calculating God which was an awesome book.
For fun, we’ll throw in Go Dog Go! Because it was my favorite book as a child.
Generation to Generation by Edwin Freidman. A great book to help one understand self and community better.
Leadership and the New Science by Margaret Wheatley. Challenges how I do my job and how I think about leadership and myself in systems.
Now "tag" five individuals to provide their own lists.
Hmm…so many people I know are in seminary…and I know what they’re reading! (Or – to be more precise – what they just got done reading!) But, we’ll go with Beth, Heather, Phil (because he reads a lot – and hasn’t blogged in a while…), Shane (who also reads a lot), and Wendy (because it’s her birthday today and she hasn’t blogged since December…). Now, if I didn’t tag you, you can still answer the questions…
And, just like walking into a bookstore – I have the feeling that I need to go read.
Posted by Heather Voss at June 7, 2005 02:50 PMHow many books do you own?
Well, we probably have well over 500. But Since I am in a foriegn land at the moment I couldn't give you an exact count at home.
What was the last book you bought? Korean Heritage Volumes One and two Great descriptions of lots of things we've seen this year.
Name five books that mean alot to you? Only five?
A Diffrent Mirror by Ronald Takaki - Fascinating book on the view of American History from the various immigrant groups that came into the US.
Where the Sidewalk Ends and a Light in the Attic by Shel Siverstein - Even as an adult I think it's important to remember the humour.
Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury - Although Science fiction, it always reminds me how we need to be accepting of varied opinions and be greatful for diversity in thought and ideas.
Cows, Pigs, Witches, and Wars :the Riddle of Culture- Marvin Harris Fascinating book on the reasons why people may have possibly decided to develop cultural habits like not eating pig or worshipping a cow.
The Joy of Cooking - excellent cookbook that always seems to know what to do with strange foods and how to make basic recipes.
My wedding album because it reminds me of how much I love my husband. ( yeah I know cheesy and all but it's the truth and an album is technically a book);)
What am I reading right now?
Alice in Wonderland and the Geography of Thought. I know I never read one book at once. Alice becuase it's a classic and sometimes when you live in another country you feel like Alice in Wonderland. The Geography of Thought - is an ananlysis of why Asians think diffrently from Westerners. It was a gift from a Korean friend after she had told me about it.