Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Book Meme

The lovely Bhaswati of At Home, Writing has tagged me for a book meme, so here goes:

1. One book that changed your life?



"The Purpose of Your Life" by Carol Adrienne. Before I read this book I was creating my life by default, Adrienne's book, which makes use of the principles of metaphysics, was the first to open my eyes to the fact that we create our own realities through our thoughts, attitudes etc. and to the possibility of becoming a conscious creator. I am totally indebted to her.


2. One book you have read more than once?



Recently I read "Madame Bovary" for the third time. Not only do I adore Flaubert's writing, but there is something so sad and haunting about the main character that I keep revisiting the book hoping to find what exactly it was that made her throw away all that was good and wonderful in her life for a few moments of reckless pleasure.

3. One book you would want on a desert island?



Oh, that's easy, it would have to be a volume of "The Essential Rumi". I would read his poems over and over until the words disappear and I am permeated with the essence of his sayings.

4. One book that made you cry?



Forget cry, "The Kite Runner" made me sob. Even now, when I think of some of the passages in the book, my heart feels heavy. A beautiful,beautiful book.

5. One book that made you laugh?



I hate admitting this but I so seldom read any funny literature, my melocholy nature won't allow me to! Oh, wait a minute, I remember laughing my head off whilst reading "Adrian Mole Diaries" by Sue Townsend! I think the series was more popular in Britain than in North America, but I could be wrong.

6. One book you wish had been written?

Wow, can't think of any - will have to return to this question.


7. One book you wish had never been written?

I really can't say.

8. One book you are currently reading?



I am about to embark on "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie of "Purple Hibiscus" fame. Her new novel deals with a seminal event in African history - the struggle to establish an independent republic in Nigeria in the 1960's. I am hoping to meet the author at a booksigning tomorrow...

9. One book you have been meaning to read?



"Beasts of No Nation by Uzodinma Iweala. This is the story of Agu, a child soldier fighting in the civil war of an unnamed African country. Comes highly recommended.

Now for five more bibliophiles: Bookfool, J of Thinking About, Lesley's Book Nook, Melissa and Gautami, consider yourselves tagged! :)
I'd love it if you all played, but I also want you to know I won't be offended if you can't!

27 comments:

Smoothieshake said...

YAYYYYYYYYYYYY KITE RUNNER!!! YAY YAY YAYYY:)

Les said...

Oh, Lotus. You were probably traveling when I was tagged for this last month (http://lesleysbooknook.blogspot.com/2006/08/survey-says.html)

I'll come back later today to comment on yours, but thought maybe you'd like to find someone else to tag. Or, I suppose I could update my meme since it has been over a month. Decisions, decisions. :)

Bookfool said...

Thanks for tagging me, Lotus! This one will require some pondering. Lots of interesting things to think about!

Lotus Reads said...

sruthi!!! Where have you been hiding, I miss you! I daresay, The Kite Runner will appear on a lot of readers' memes. That book has impacted so many people, on so many levels. Hey, you should really consider reading some of the reviews for "In The Country of Men" by Hisham Matar - in the book trade it is being described as the Libya Kiterunner. Also, it has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize.


Hi Les and thanks so much for letting me know! You are right, I was on vacation in August. I am defininitely interested in reading your meme so I will stop by later.

Lotus Reads said...

The pleasure's mine, bookfool. Have fun with it! :)

gautami tripathy said...

Thanks!

So many books touched my life in one way or the other. I need to think. And will definitely play this round.

Kind of informative and FUN!

J said...

I'll play, but it will take me a few days. Gotta think. ;)

I loved Kite Runner, though it made me sad, of course. Haunting.

Great list.

Lotus Reads said...

Gautami & J, I'm so glad you both are playing, thanks!

nomadica said...

what a great list! i loved the kite runner too (was totally in tears by the end of it) and am a big fan of rumi as well. i will have to check out 'the purpose of your life' now that you have written about it!

Lotus Reads said...

Hello, Nomadica! I hope "The Purpose of your Life" impacts you as much as it did me. Hey, and please feel free to do the meme as well, if you like. I would love to read it.

WithinWithout said...

Hey, Lotus. Not much of a reader, but thanks for this, it gets me brain goin', and I'll have a look for some of these books...

Suzan Abrams, email: suzanabrams@live.co.uk said...

Hi Lotus,

Once more, from all the others I've read as well...totally different tastes from mine. How interesting!

love

Booklogged said...

Enjoyed reading your meme. Always enjoy your posts. I read 'Psycho-Cybernetics' shortly after I got married. It taught me that I could do something about my emotions and the direction of my life. It was an important book. I think it's time for me to read something along those lines again. Your life-changing book sounds like a good one to read. Thank-you.

Let my voice join with all the others in praise of 'The Kite Runner'. I'm going to be reading some classics this winter-I'll give Madame Bovary a try. And I've heard so much about Rumi that I think it's time I look into that book, too.

Saaleha said...

Okay, I'm going to have to boycott your blog. Because everytime I visit, I find new things to add to my steadily proliferating list. And I begin to feel that life is just too short to read all the books that call out to me.

Thanks Lotus. Great list.

Lotus Reads said...

Hello withinwithout That's OK, very nice of you to visit tho'!


Hi Susan True, my taste in books tends to be all over the place, I guess it's what they call eclectic? It's been real fun reading these memes and I have managed to get some wonderful suggestions, too.

Hi, booklogged! Thank you for the feedback. I'll join you in reading some of the classics this winter; I really would like to revisit some of them and read some new ones as well. I am watching the BBC adaptation of Madame Bovary at the moment and enjoying it thoroughly.

I know what you mean Saaleha, so many books and so little time...

a.c.t. said...

Hey Lotus, I love Adrian Mole and even more so as Susan Townsend is from my hometown of Leicester.

x said...

i love Adrian Mole. He reminds me of me. I used to be a pseudo-intellectual kid too. :)

Lotus Reads said...

Hi a.c.t. How lovely to see you here and wonderful to learn that Susan Townsend is from your hometown. Have you ever met her?


Hellooo Chloe So happy to know you're a fan of Adrian Mole, too. I tried getting my kids to read his hilarious diaries, but no, they wouldn't bite, guess they don't share our good taste in reading ;) Thanks for the comment!

Cassiopeia Rises said...

Hi Lotus. I too loved Kite Runner so much so that I bought extra copies, searched BC.com members Wish list and sent them out. What a great book.
As always, I enjoy reading your book reviews and am thankful for book suggestions. I do not like self discovery books as a whole but may check this one out.

love,bd

Lotus Reads said...

Awww Beloved that was such a nice thing to do! Have you heard of bookmooch? It's a little like bookcrossing but more organized. I've been a member there for about 2 days now and have been mooched twice already - it's great fun!

I know what you mean about self-discovery books. ALso, some people find books on metaphysics and creative visualisation etc. a little too new-agey, but I found it to be scientific and powerful.

I hope you will do the meme, too, it's turning out to be quite a revealing exercise! :)

Les said...

Adding my praise for The Kite Runner, too. My hubby loved it, as well. As far as Madame Bovary, though... it's in my stacks. I started it this summer and it sits with a bookmark at about page 50. I really should finish it so I can add it to my Back-To-School-Classics-Challenge. Especially since I'm dropping Cather's One of Ours. Thanks again for the tag. This might be a good meme to recycle in a year or so.

J said...

I forgot to mention that I also loved Madame Bovary. And the movie, too, but the book is priceless.

I've written my meme, but I've already posted twice today, so I'll put it up tomorrow. :)

Lotus Reads said...

hi Les Not sure why I love Mme. Bovary so much. Apart from Flaubert's writing which is just exquisite, I really do feel for the protagonist. You'll know what I mean when you get to the book, I don't want to spoil it for you. How many books are you aiming to read for the "Back-To-School-Classics-Challenge"?

Hi J! Thanks for doing the meme - can't wait to read it!

Les said...

I've chosen 13. See http://lesleysbooknook.blogspot.com/2006/08/back-to-school-classic-challenge.html for more info. I'd love to get your input on the titles.

Lotus Reads said...

Les, thanks for the link, I would be delighted to check out your list of reads. I will do it when I return from hospital duty.

Bhaswati said...

What great choices, Lotus. Not unexpected from you. Like I've said before, you always keep adding more books to my reading list. I am so interested in your current read and the one you're planning to read next.

'Am yet to find someone who didn't like The Kite Runner. Beautiful, indeed.

Thanks for playing. :)

paris parfait said...

Fascinating list. I am a Kite Runner fan as well.