What are you reading?

The doctor I work for asked me what I was reading the other day. There's only one book I'm reading right now for me, and I've been reading it since March. Not his cup of tea, he thought it would be dull, dull, dull to read about such matters. It isn't dull to me, in fact it's quite interesting. But I do need to set aside time to read it, because I don't think it can be consumed in short bits.

It got me to thinking about all the reading I do that isn't for me, per se, which is an occupational hazard for homeschooling moms. I have gotten the best suggestions from other homeschool moms about what books to read for a variety of subjects. And I've learned so much from them!

It also made me think that this could easily be converted into a MEME (yes, I said that word...)

So here goes! This is the Reading Meme (obviously I lack a pizazzy title, so feel free to alter it if you can come up with something better!)

You can answer, or not, whichever questions appeal to you. Let's leave The Bible out of this... since most of my readers are Christians, we'll assume you like being in The Word.

Please let me know in the comments section that you're participating so I can jump over to your blog and read your answers.

Share with whomever you want.

Who is your favorite fictional author?

John Grisham or John Jakes I've really enjoyed John Grisham's novels, and movies. I like the intrigue that he creates. I read a lot of John Jakes in high school and college as my father began reading The Kent Family Chronicles and he thought I would enjoy them. YES! I sure did. And the movies were ok.

What is your favorite fictional book?

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell I spent hours baking in the sun every summer from the age of 12 through 18 reading this tome. It is so much more satisfying than the movie, although I like the movie, I just believe they left too much out that develops Scarlett's character. I wanted to name one of our daughter's Katey Scarlett, but my husband vetoed that!

Who is your favorite non-fictional author?

Richard J. Maybury of "Uncle Eric" fame or Gene Edward Veith, Jr.

What is your favorite non-fictional book?

The Spirituality of the Cross by Gene Edward Veith, Jr. I converted to Lutheranism after marrying my husband who is a life-long LCMS-er! (Is that a new word?) ;-)

What is your favorite kind of poetry?

Although some might deny it's true poetic nature, my favorite kind of poetry is .... limericks! Of Irish descent and continually intrigued by the way words can be used, limericks attrack my attention and don't have to be bawdy!

Who is your favorite poet?

Not sure I have one.

What is your favorite poem?

Probably Casey at the Bat by Phineas Thayer

What is the longest book you've read?

Since I never finished War and Peace, and we're not including The Bible, probably Gone With the Wind.

What is the last book you read for yourself (not for the kids!)?

Crazies to the Left of Me, Wimps to the Right by Bernie Goldberg which I blogged about here.

What book(s) are you currently reading?

Reading the Psalms with Luther and A Seminary in Crisis by Paul A. Zimmerman. I am learning lots from both reads.

I'm reading aloud Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss with R. The rich language of this novel is really amazing.

I am re-reading the Uncle Eric books with my senior this year along with War for What? by Francis W. Springer. Up next with the senior, K, is The Word Becoming Flesh by Horace D. Hummel.

List up to three books you intend to read by the end of the year.

Who knows? The doctor I work for recommends Colony by Ann Rivers Siddon.

Share with us about a book you read that you didn't want to but ended up enjoying.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee was a delightful surprise. I read it as part of an AP class in high school that I took at a local college while a senior in high school. The other books we had read that semester were dull as tomes to me, and I thought this would be the same. To my surprise it was not!

Share with us about a book that you thought you'd like and ended up hating.

My college professor so highly recommended this book for a modern literature course that I couldn't wait to get to it! However, I thoroughly disliked this book and it was torture to finish it.

Share with us if you have a favorite series of books.

The Kent Family Chronicles by John Jakes. I enjoyed sharing these books with my dad and talking about them after we both had read them.

Name your favorite genre of books.

Historical fiction of course!

Three Random Facts about Me

My friend IRL, the irrepressible Kelly, has a fun tag on her blog that I decided to do, too!

Please, if you feel compelled, I'd love to hear what your loved ones would share about you. I asked each person in my family when we were alone and the others couldn't hear.

First I asked my oldest daughter, age 19 -- age 19 -- how'd that happen? I must have been a young mother -- nope! Oh well...

She said, without any hesitation whatsoever:

1. Soma coma
2. That I love to torture her with dirty white socks
3. That I sing loudly with my headphones on

Next I asked my youngest daughter, age 8. She thought for a minute and said:

1. I'm nice
2. I sometimes buy toys for her
3. I have curly hair

I asked my middle daughter next, age 17. She thought and thought. I told her this wasn't rocket science, just to share three facts about me. She thought some more. A long time more. My patience was becoming thin. Then she said:

1. I really like to play Settlers of Cataan
2. I really enjoy writing
3. I like those "dorky Elvis movies"

Then I went in search of hubby to inquire of him. After I posed the question to him, and he replied, "You are spontaneous," in burst my youngest daughter announcing, "She's gonna put it on her blog!"

He paused for a few seconds and then said:

2. I try to be humorous but not everyone appreciates/understands my humor
3. I am intelligent

I wonder if this is what he was going to share anyway without the knowledge that our youngest daughter blurted out?

In any event, this was fun! It's interesting to hear what others are thinking about you.

80's Music - What Were You Listening To Then?

Kelly's limiting us to the 80's. Darn! That leaves this hit by Queen out of the running.

It also leaves out Elvis, the Bee Gees, Lynyrd Skynyrd, the Steve Miller Band, the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Herman's Hermits, the Doors, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Cream.

AC/DC straddles the 70's and 80's as does Styx, and The Cars and the Alan Parsons Project, the J. Geils Band, Queen.

So 80's contenders could be Journey, Bon Jovi, Loverboy, Stray Cats, Go-Go's, Def Leppard (this new one is a cool remake), Joan Jett, and Kelly might appreciate Air Supply, or maybe your taste ran more towards Lionel Ritchie, Pat Benatar, don't forget Adam and the Ants, Duran Duran, Van Halen, Kenny Loggins, A -Ha, Wham, and so many more! But I could do this all day and never get anything done!

So I suggest Dire Straits because it represents the beginning of the music video and MTV era, which the 80's ushered in. Who knew you could spend so much time staring at the boob tube?

Meme

See... I've gone over to the dark side and even call it a meme now. :shrugs shoulders:

Susan tagged me in a fun meme, here are the instructions: grab the nearest book, turn to page 123, go down to the fifth sentence, and post the next three sentences.

So, the nearest book over 123-pages is the Lutheran Service Book, under that was The Lutheran Hymnal. By virtue of being on top today, we turn to Psalm 122, verses 3 to 6:

Jerusalem - built as a city that is bound firmly together, to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord. There thrones for judgment were set, the thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

Let's see, I'll tag Gina, Melody, Heidi and Barb.