3 posts tagged “books”

I haven't had the honest-to-god stomach flu in years, and I forgot how hard it can be on the body.  Thankfully, mine appeared to be of the 24-hour variety, so at least I'm not still wallowing with abdominal pain (fingers crossed).  A few oddly good things came out of it, though --

1. I read a fantastic book, The Memory of Running by Ron McLarty. (in my books sidebar)

2. I slept and slept and slept and slept.

3. J is my hero, with chicken soup, ginger ale, crackers and brownies.

4. I think I can now fit into my bridesmaids dress.

What are five books that changed your life? 
Inspired by Ms. Genevieve.  

1. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald -  I read it for the first time when I was 12, and I reread it at least once a year.  It's passionate and rich, and is amazing in its ability to offer me something new each time I read it.  It continues to teach me a great deal about love, relationships, friendships, desire, and truth.

2. The Mysteries of Pittsburgh by Michael Chabon - One of the tighest pieces of fiction I've ever read, it helped shape my writing by teaching me the importance of point-of-view in fiction.

3. Our Bodies, Ourselves and The Joy of Sex - My parents and I never had "the conversation" until right before I went to college, so as a nerdy teen obsessed with reading, I went to the library and checked out books.  In retrospect, a little strange, perhaps.  But I think both works offered me a healthy perspective on sexuality and human relations.

4. Scrambled Eggs and Whiskey by Hayden Carruth - HC is the most underrated American poet.  He's clear, witty, dark, vague, inspiring, difficult, emotional, passive, intense, light, funny and sardonic at the same time.  I found that book at a time when I was stuggling to find my own poetic voice and understand what my writing meant to me.  It was a massive comfort.

5. Death of a Naturalist by Seamus Heaney and The Man with Night Sweats by Thom Gunn  - Two of the most amazing collections of poetry that I read while studying in the UK.  They both focus on life's phases, and remind me of the time that I spent abroad - again, helped me find a voice.

(OK, so that's really seven, but I was an English major.)