Apr 25, 2005

I've been book meme'd!

Thanks to Agitprop for getting me into this. I feel all legit now and such. My answers below:

You’re stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be?
I had to Google “Fahrenheit 451” before I could even begin to answer this question. Depending on what the “correct” interpretation of this question is, I have two answers: If I am to be a book to be censored, I’d want to be Bakhtin’s “The Dialogic Imagination,” because I had to read that in college and derived zero enlightenment from it whatsoever. If I am a book to be saved and hidden away by The Book People, I’d like to be Toni Morrison’s “Beloved,” because it beautifully illustrates the necessity of storytelling and our connection with the past.

Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character?
The Marquis de Sade. Just kidding. Wait, that’s not even a fictional character.

The last book you bought is:
“Thinking with Type," Ellen Lupton

The last book you read:
“Red Dragon” (again), Thomas Harris

What are you currently reading?
  • “World on Fire: How Exporting Free Market Democracy Breeds Ethnic Hatred and Global Instability,” Amy Chua
  • “The Ideas That Conquered the World: Peace, Democracy, and Free Markets in the Twenty-First Century,” Michael Mandelbaum
  • “The Devil Wears Prada,” Lauren Weisberger
Five books you would take to a deserted island:
  • “Beloved,” Toni Morrison (I love this book, hated the Oprah movie)
  • “The 48 Laws of Power,” Robert Greene (Because well, the island may not be so deserted after all)
  • “Paradise Lost,” John Milton (If the island really is deserted, I’ll finally be forced to finish this book)
  • All of my Irvine Welsh books and all his novels I have yet to buy (I’ll have time to work on my faux-Scottish accent)
  • My copy of the Riverside Shakespeare (If I get bored – which I will – I can stage plays with the indigenous peoples I encounter and befriend)

Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons)? And why?

  • Alex at Strange Landscape, because he is one crazy book-readin’ mafaka. Dat’s right.
  • Dan at Howlingman, because his love of anagrams is so Hannibalicious!
  • Erica at Soft Pretzel Love, because I miss hearing from this dear friend o’ mine.

9 comments:

red one said...

What's the Amy Chua book like? I thought of getting that and... erm, well I forgot. Disgraceful really.

RedOne

Mags said...

I love it, actually. I read it in spurts, and I can see the point she's making. Her description of the ethnic tension between "Filipino Chinese" and indigenous Filipinos rings true.

Katie said...

Do you like the Devil wears Prada. I flipped through it at the airport yesterday, but decided against it. I'm always leary when a book has that kind of cover art.

Mags said...

RedOne: As I mentioned to you, the Chua book is great. Highly recommend it. It's a pretty provocative read.

WhisperingCampaign: I heard Mandelbaum one morning on NPR. The book sounded interesting, and I had no idea of his political leanings. Go figure. But you're right, it's always good to hear what the other side is saying.

Katie: To be honest, I'm not that into "Devil Wears Prada." I keep reading it, then putting it away, then reading it, then putting it away. The "devil" in this book - the woman's boss - is really a piece of work, but I haven't really gotten all that into it. It's an easy read though, a perfect airplane/train/subway/bus book.

Andy said...

cheers mags!

"mafaka", though? is that, like, "mofo"?

someone called woodstock (oxfordshire) my "hood" on my blog. hood! woodstock! hah!

i don't know if i can take this 21st century cross-cultural demotic. not with this stiff upper lip and bowler hat of mine...

Mags said...

Yes, it's exactly like "mofo." Heh heh. And don't worry about crossing the cross-cultural gap. That's what I'm here for. I'm here to help. I hope you participate in the book meme! I know you'll have some great answers! (No pressure.)

Andy said...

all rightee. tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow...

Mags said...

You've made me as happy as a little girl.

Andy said...

i did? that's good. was it the shakespeare paraphrase?