Thursday, February 9, 2012

Booking Through Thursday: Only Five


This week, BTT asks "If you had to pick only 5 books to read ever again, what would they be and why? ... (Such a cruel question!) "

A cruel question indeed! Only five? Seriously? Okay, here we go...but please know that I could easily come up with twice that or five times or ten....

1. The Bible...a must have. It has everything from mysteries (no matter what definition you use) to poetry. Proverbs to parables. End of the world prophecy.

2. The More Than Complete Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. I've got to have some humor and I never tire of Adams' British wit.

3. Strong Poison by Dorothy L Sayers...unless somewhere out there exists a complete works, then I want that. But Strong Poison shows Lord Peter off just as he's beginning to really grow and I love the scene when he visits Harriet in prison--particularly when he says: "I'm told I make love rather nicely--only I'm at a disadvantage at the moment. One can't be very convincing at the other end of a table with a bloke looking in at the door." And Miss Climpson is an absolute treasure. I couldn't do without her.

4. The Complete French Poems of Rainer Maria Rilke...again unless there is a complete works of all his work. I love Rilke. I love his rhythm and the visions that he creates in me with his words. I could read these poems over and over. And have.

5. The Night Is Large (essays) by Martin Gardner. This is a tough book. Challenging and I'm quite sure I didn't get all that I could out of it the first time. Terrific essays on a variety of topics.

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