Book Tagged

So I was recently tagged in a books post. I’m not generally a fan of questions like “What is your favorite book?” or other “favorite” questions like that. But I thought I’d give this one a try, since I do like books.

1. One book that changed your life
That’s a pretty bold claim, a book that changed your life. I don’t know if this really changed my life, but it was a real breath of fresh air when I first read it: Anne Lamott’s Traveling Mercies.

2. One book you’ve read more than once
So I don’t normally read books more than once, and this one may not necessarily count, but I have read Augustine’s Confessions more than once, for a few different classes. Where the Red Fern Grows would have fit in this category because I have read it a few times, but it needed to fit down below.

3. One book you’d want on a desert island
So I was talking with Sarah about this one, and she said the two most cliché answers I’ve heard of before: the Bible or The Complete Works of Shakespeare. But she had good reasons, and I think I can agree with her. I mean, if you were going to be on the island for such a long time, you’d want something you could read over and over (the Bible) or something that would take you forever to read (Shakespeare). She did have a caveat though: if she knew she’d get off the island, she would want the Bible because it’d probably be good to have read it through a lot. However, if she knew she was stuck on the island forever, it would be Shakespeare for her. So, now that I’ve shared her answers…what’s mine? I really don’t know…maybe some anthology of poetry, because the poems would mean different things to me at different times…maybe some Billy Collins?

4. Two books that made you laugh
I like books that make me laugh, and I’ve read my fair share of them. The two that come to mind are A. J. Jacobs’s The Year of Living Biblically and Christopher Moore’s Lamb . However, I read a book that was a bit of a cult-classic in the San Francisco Bay area while I was in high school, and it was absolutely hilarious (and crude): Youth In Revolt by C.D. Payne. I went on to make a website for the book, meet the author, and actually stay with him once while traveling through the area. But that is a whole other story.

5. One book that made you cry
It would have to be Wilson Rawls’s Where the Red Fern Grows. I read this book over and over as a young kid, and then read it again a few years ago, and it still broad tears to my eyes.

6. One book you wish had been written
I’m not quite sure how to answer this because it seems like there has been a book written on just about everything! At this moment in my life, though, I suppose I wish I could flipping through “The Complete Guide to Breezing Through the PC(USA) Ordination Process as a Young Presbymergent.”

7. One book you wish had never been written
I know I’ve read plenty of books I didn’t like, but for some reason I’m having a hard time coming up with any of them right now. But I’m pretty sure I can do without most books written by Piper or books like John MacArthur’s How To Survive in a World of Unbelievers.

8. One book you’re currently reading
I’m currently reading Brian McLaren’s newest book, Everything Must Change. But Stephen Colbert’s book, I am America (And So Can You!), is on my night stand.

9. One book you’ve been meaning to read
Finally, one book that I keep meaning to read, and probably will now that I’ve seen The Golden Compass, is Killing the Imposter God by Donna Freitas and Jason King. I’m most interested in the section when they discuss Pullman’s idea of the “Republic of God” (as opposed to the kingdom of God). More of that later, I’m sure, after I’ve read the book.

Well, unfortunately, as this is a meme, I’m supposed to tag 5 people. I think I’ll send this on to Josh, Josh, Andrew, Adam and Bryant.

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Tagged as: Books