Yo, f-list!

[ltgmars]

If you had to recommend one (and only one) book for me to read, what would it be? Assume I've read nothing (because that's pretty close to the truth). It can be anything -- fiction or non-fiction -- from your favorite childhood book to your guilty pleasure to the book that changed your life. Give me your one book and I will read it this summer. (If I've already read it, I'll read it again.) The only limitation is that it has to be in a language that I can read (that's English, of course, and I can deal with Japanese and Spanish as well).


I've been restless lately. Being restless leads to my taking long walks on Lancaster Avenue, which subsequently leads to my buying things I don't need. In the past four days I've taken three long walks, and I've gotten three grande caramel frappuccinos at the Bucks. I've also picked up a book at Borders (I'm slowly but surely filling in the holes in my Agatha Christie collection) and staple removers, a letter opener, and post-its at Staples.

Today before coming home, I sat on a bench and listened to music for a while. When it got dark enough, I went to Founders Green to lie on the grass and look at the stars. I'm pretty good friends with one of the dippers now. I don't know which one.

I can't quite figure out what it is, but I'm dissatisfied with who I am right now. I just want to be... I dunno. Smarter. More confident. A better friend. A more serious student. I'm not particularly unhappy, but it feels like I should be more than I am, and it's disconcerting.

That's all. Lying on the grass to watch the stars makes a person introspective, apparently.

Comments

[dragonlover58.livejournal.com]

Only one? Then that would be my favorite book: Watership Down by Richard Adams. I was rereading it during finals because it's relaxing when I'm stressed. ^_^

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

Ahhh, that's been on my list forever. Sweet. I'll pick it up from the library tomorrow. :3

[jenhime.livejournal.com]

Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade (by Patrick Dennis)

I thought about recommending Walden (which I consider to have had a profound influence on my life), but Auntie Mame is just pure fun. Perfect for summer!

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

I'm still amazed at how little I've read in my life. I don't think I've read a "profound influence" book yet.

I'm excited for Auntie Mame, though. It does sound like a summer treat. :D

[sexyturtle.livejournal.com]

It's so hard for me to pick, and I haven't even finished this yet but every story I read has touched and inspired me so much. I don't want it to end. It should be a quick read, only 100 pages.

Hellos and Goodbyes, by Erica Schreiner (http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/hellos-goodbyes/6851811)

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

Oh, Bu, you always find the random toss-away treasures. Will read diligently. *nods*

[sexyturtle.livejournal.com]

Let me know what you think!

[rebecka-jo.livejournal.com]

sigh, i feel the same exact way. really, it's eerie reading your feelings. or maybe we feel so differently, it's all the same?

but i'm more lonely. my friends are far, and i'm shy. i like to do boring things - like talk, sew, read, walk. i want to be someone i am not, to force myself to be different; more social, more heterosexual, more ambitious. it's a bit of self-loathing, maybe. i just shouldn't be alone with foxy so often, methinks.

(hug) if i were there i'd only encourage you to buy more things. things are great. but, in seriousness, you really have a lot going for you. i think you're great - really, i'm like a kid sister admiring her big sister. i hope you can learn to love yourself and see how lovely you are. talented, witty, humble, lucid. you're pretty kickass, inez.

on that note, i like to read epic tomes, but my favourite summer read - the book that has the most atmosphere, and really exudes everything i want and like in life: midnight in the garden of good and evil by john berendt. it's both fiction and non-fiction; you know me, i had to somehow recommend one of each. <3 do let me know your thoughts. i'll be rereading it as well.

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

I love you. I'm glad to have met you. Let's learn to love ourselves together, yeah? (I'm in that cheesy but frank place right now (and apparently I'm too self-conscious to leave it at that without making a snide comment about it).) ♥

Will let you know what I think about your suggested book. I'm going in suggestion order, so there are a few people ahead of you, but it'll happen soon.

[shinjokitty.livejournal.com]

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco!

My all-time favorite book. It's tough going at first but hoboy does it suck you in. Love it.

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

So I've always loved the name Umberto. Two points for that alone.

I'll let you know what I think of the book once I get to it. :3

[wildhunter.livejournal.com]

I'd second the recommendation of Eco--the man will be your semiotic god.

[gokumew2.livejournal.com]

FUUMA!

That is all.

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

:3 :3 :3

Give me a book to read!

[gokumew2.livejournal.com]

I don't read. X.D

[minkyleigh.livejournal.com]

The Grapes of Wrath.

This was the most moving of the literature that we were forced to read and analyze in high school.

However, since there's a good chance that you've already read that, I offer instead:

Crossing to Avalon (http://www.amazon.com/Crossing-Avalon-Womans-Midlife-Feminine/dp/0062502727/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243494673&sr=8-8) or Goddesses in Everywoman (http://www.amazon.com/Goddesses-Everywoman-Powerful-Archetypes-Womens/dp/0060572841/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1243494673&sr=8-3) both by Jean Shinoda Bolen, non-fiction. They make you think.

Lying down and looking up at the stars sounds lovely and settling. I miss the darkness of my little mountain village and the balcony that looked out onto the stars.

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

Ahhhhhh, you were only supposed to give me one book. :P I'll read Grapes since that was your first suggestion (and yes, we read it in high school, too).

[whisper132.livejournal.com]

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

Good. I've been meaning to read this. :D

Love, love, love that icon.

[whisper132.livejournal.com]

It's currently my favorite icon. It represents all that is good and wonderful in the world: Sho-kun and snacks.

[amamiyarin.livejournal.com]

Excellent choice! d(^.^)b Seconding this.

[eternitat.livejournal.com]

I am assuming (and this is just an interesting assumption) that you have already read The Chronicles of Narnia and Matilda.

So how about Heidi by Johanna Spyri? I was named after it :)

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

You're right, I have read Narnia and Matilda. I feel like those books are the ones that you can usually assume people have read in their childhood, though I do know a few people who haven't.

I will read Heidi! I've always been curious as to what kind of story it is.

[athena8.livejournal.com]

That's a hard one! I'd have to go with Pride & Prejudice, for the witty banter. It's lighthearted and intelligent, and has some of the best written characters I've ever known.

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

P&P! Yay, I get to read P&P this summer! What a classic.

I love you

[areyoumsgreen.livejournal.com]

I guess sometimes (well, a lot of the time) I'm in the same place emotionally that you are -- especially about being a better student and better friend. It's hard to see where to strike the balance between figuring out things about myself that I can or should change and things that I should just learn to value and love more. I don't really have any advice, but I understand and sympathize. I hope we can help each other figure it out.

I'll always love you and think you're great. I'm here whenever you need or want me, for any reason, at any time, and when you don't want or need me, I'll give you space. That's about all I've got to offer, but it's something.

I guess I can also offer you a book recommendation -- Cien sonetos de amor by Pablo Neruda. You don't have to read them in a chunk; you could intersperse them with some of the other entries on your list. Maybe somewhere in there he figured out how to say some of the stuff that I can't sometimes... 言葉にできない場合もあるけど...

That said, I might as well offer you these, too...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_lcH_2nw-o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vf8CZ7WExf8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWIxUUKIhMM

Re: I love you

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

I love you. Thanks for your support. ♥

And for the book suggestion. ♥ (I feel like I don't like Pablo Neruda (we read a bit of his stuff in high school), but I'll give it a try now that I'm not jaded because of my Spanish teacher and the huge gap between her two front teeth. I'm so shallow.)

And for the sappy music videos. ♥

Re: I love you

[areyoumsgreen.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I sometimes don't like Neruda either. He can be full of himself, and sometimes he gets rambly and Whitmanesque (he was a Whitman fanboy), but some of his stuff is really beautiful to me. I don't really like poetry that much usually, but it was missing from your reading list, and some of those sonnets are worth looking at.

I cried while watching the sappy music videos. Non-ironic (unironic? Unicornic?) tears.

I hope you have a happy day today!

Re: I love you

[areyoumsgreen.livejournal.com]

Also, did you notice that I wrote on my blag?

Re: I love you

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

I did! It's cute that you refer to your girlfriend in the third person even though I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who reads it.

Re: I love you

[areyoumsgreen.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm still trying to build my blogtourage.

[wildhunter.livejournal.com]

Buddha's Little Finger by Victor Pelevin.
This book changed the way that I think about life, sanity, sex, and reality.

Re:

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

Aye-aye, sir.

[impressioniste.livejournal.com]

Recently I read 'House of Leaves' (Mark Z. Danielewski) and it was really nifty. You'd either love it or hate it, probably. It's very 'different', but very interesting. You could probably search about it a bit before maybe reading it. It's kind of hard to explain.

If you've read it, then nevermind. :x

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

I think you mentioned this on your journal a while back...? It seems interesting. I'll definitely read it. :3

[impressioniste.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think I posted about it when I was reading it. It definitely kept me busy for a while.

[kimby77.livejournal.com]

Just wanted to say thanks for this post! I've added several of these to my wish list ;)

As for my part, if I had to pick just one book, right now I'd go with Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I love getting book recommendations from people. Now the trick is to read them all, haha.

Thanks for the recommendation. That's another one that's been on my list for a while. :3

[kimby77.livejournal.com]

Sure :D It's definitely a book that blew my mind. Happy to spread the love. ;)

[amasaglajax.livejournal.com]

KUSHIEL'S DART by Jacqueline Carey. And let me know what you think once you do read it. :3

[ltgmars.livejournal.com]

OMGZ my summer list is so long. D: But once I get to it, I'll let you know what I think. :D