still wheezy after all these… days

Still feeling like hell, so I’m going to do the simple thing and post a quick “book meme” which originated (I believe) at a site called Tea Reads.

1. One book that changed your life: “I, Claudius.” When I was a kid, I always thought I disliked history, because all I knew about it was that in school they tested us on dates and battles. Historical figures were always either unrealistically noble or irredeemably evil. Then, in high school, I happened to watch the BBC production of “I, Claudius,” and then to read the two books by Robert Graves. It turned me into a history nut, and I still enjoy reading both historical fiction and nonfiction.

2. One book that you’ve read more than once: All of the Discworld books by Terry Pratchett. All the Vorkosigan books by Lois McMaster Bujold. All the books by Christopher Moore. Most Stephen King. Tolkien. “Dune.” All Georgette Heyer. The two “Claudius” books mentioned above. The Harry Potter books. I could go on and on… I’ve read all of these umpteen times, and many of them I re-read on a yearly basis.

3. One book you’d want on a desert island: Ack! Just one? Hmmm. I can be true to the letter of this question and not the spirit — I’d want to have a big-ass crate of books with me, and *one* of the books I’d want in that crate would be a guide to the flora and fauna of whatever region I happened to find myself stranded in, with an emphasis on what’s edible or otherwise useful in a survival situation.

4. One book that made you laugh: Well, since some of my favorite writers (above) make me laugh, it would be easy enough to name one of them. But I’ll try to choose a book by someone I don’t read all the time. Let’s see… Ah! I very much enjoyed the book “Mama Makes Up Her Mind,” by Bailey White. To this day, I can make myself chuckle envisioning her elderly mother wearing too-large pantyhose with the crotch dangling below the hem of her dress, or the scene with the worms crawling up and down the light cord. Wonderful book!

5. One book that made you cry: So many. Ummm… how about “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,” by Betty Smith. I read that when I was a girl, and never forgot it.

6. One book you wish you had written: My own.

7. One book you wish had never been written: None — I’m happy to have any books written! Even the stuff I think is crap.

8. One book you’re currently reading: I’m reading my way through the Dresden books by Jim Butcher. Much fun!

9. One book you’ve been meaning to read: “The Time Traveler’s Wife.” I have a copy, I just never seem to get around to it.

Okay, that’s it! And, before I close and go crawl under all the Klennex littering my bed, I’ll note that the Lemon Cream was a *very* great success, and is now a family favorite. if only it weren’t so rich (meaning, if only it didn’t make your ass explode out of your jeans just looking at it) I’d make it often. As it is, it’ll be a special treat. Very highly recommended! If you look online for “The Most Extraordinary French Lemon Cream Tart” you’ll find the recipe.