BBAW MEME

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of
writing in books horrify you? Have not written in a book since college.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears?
Laying the book flat open? Bookmarks!!

Fiction, Non-fiction, or both? Fiction!

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you
able to put a book down at any point? End of Chapters

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away? Nope. I use context clues. :)

What are you currently reading? Devil Bones by Kathy Reichs

What is the last book you bought? Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can
you read more than one at a time? Many at one time

Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?  In bed before falling asleep

Do you prefer series books or stand alone books? I love both
 
*Edited to make a little more readable. Didn't realize what a mess I had left it. 
_________________________________________

What's on your desk Wednesday

I am such a slacker. 

Yvonne tagged me for What's on your desk Wednesday a month ago and I am barely getting around to doing it. This is a weekly meme hosted by Sassy Brit of Alternative-Read.com (in case you haven't seen it going around the blogs yet).

So here is the deal:

Grab a camera and take a photo of your desk! Or anywhere you stack your books/TBR pile. And no tidying!

Tag at least 5 people!

That's it.

However, for those without digital cameras or blogs of your own, you can do this instead: (or both if you are keen!)

List at least 5 BOOKISH things on your desk (I'm thinking your TBR pile or books you haven't shelved...)

List at least 5 NON BOOK things. (I'm thinking some of some of the more unusual items on your desk/table?)

Tag at least 5 people to do the same.

Come back and leave your link, so we can come and visit your blog. Or add your answers in the comments.

Please don't feel pressured in any way at all. I just want everyone to have fun!

My desk:




5 Bookish things:

2 recently Mooched books, The Reptile Room and Eragon
Rick Steve's Great Britain guidebook
Dictionary
Bookmarks (3)
The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary

5 Non-Bookish Things:

sunglasses
blank cd's
playing cards
coasters
framed pictures

I tag:

Bermudaonion's Weblog
BiblioAddict
Beth Fish Reads
BookBath
Blacklin's Reading Room & Reviews

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A Bookish Meme (Sunday Salon)

I know, I know, a meme. Well, it is midnight, I have had a few beers and I am ready for bed. This is all my brain can handle right now. :) 

Hope you all have a very nice and restful Sunday with your family and friends.

Hardback, trade paperback or mass market paperback?  

I usually prefer mass market paperbacks since they are cheaper and easier to transport. Hardbacks are nice but I just can't afford to get them all the time. Trade paperbacks are okay, but the ones I really don't like are the in between paperbacks. The tall ones but still just as wide as the mass market ones. Absolutely no point in these but to charge more.

Order online, at a chain bookstore, or at an independent bookstore?
All of the above. I really try to get most of my books from my favorite Indie bookstores but sometimes I just can't pass up the deals online and at the chains.

Bookmark or dog-ear?
Bookmark, but I have been known to dog-ear my paperbacks when a bookmark can't be found (which really shouldn't happen considering how many bookmarks I have).

Alphabetize by author, or alphabetize by title, or random?
My books are alphabitized by author

Keep, throw away, or sell?
Keep! I have never thrown away except for my hardcover copy of Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Eric Carle after one of my students got sick all over it. I have never sold any of my books either. I usually share with friends and family and more recently have been giving them away on BookMooch.

Read with dust jacket or remove it?
With. It makes for a handy bookmark when I forget or lose my actual bookmark.

Short story or novel?
Novel!

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?
Harry Potter! (But I have never read the Lemony Snicket Books)

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?
The first. I love mysteries and suspense stories. My absolute favorite types of books.

New or used?
As long as it is in good condition I don't care wither way.

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendations, or browse?
Recommendations and browsing. My most favorite books have come from family and friend recommendations.

Tidy ending or cliffhanger?
Depends on the book, really, and whether or not I have the next book in hand.

Morning reading, afternoon reading, or nighttime reading?
I love when I have time to read in the morning before getting up out of bed, but nighttime is when most of my reading gets done.

Stand-alone or series?
Both.

Favorite series?
Harry Potter, of course!

Favorite children’s book?
See above. :)

Favorite YA book?
Hmm, that is a hard one but right now it would be The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart

Favorite book of which nobody else has heard?
I have no clue. I would have said The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde, but I think it is more popular than I thought it was.

Favorite books read last year?
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

Do you ever smell books?
Nope. But I can smell the ones that are getting mildewed.

What are you reading right now?
An Obsolete Honor by Helena P. Schrader and The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

What are you reading next?
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

Monday Meme

I got this from Claire at kiss a cloud... a great meme for a Monday. 

And it fills up this space which usually is for books I have received. Alas, no books this past week. 


What time do you find the best time to read?

At night in bed.


What are you spending time reading right now?

Cry of Justice by Jason Pratt


What's the best book with time in the title you have read?

The Time Traveler's Wife

What is your favourite time (as in era) to read novels based in?

Present and Tudor England

What book could you read time and time again?

Harry Potter books

What recently published book do you think deserves to become a classic in time?

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

What book has been your biggest waste of time?

Wow, is is really hard to think of one. I didn't enjoy Paradise Lost or Wuthering Heights but not sure I would say waste of time. More  recent? Not sure.

What big book would you recommend to others to spend time reading if they haven't?

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon

What's your favourite read of all time?

It is a toss up between many books. So hard to name just one. How about a few favorites.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Who is your favourite author of all time?

Jane Austen

TAG. YOU'RE IT!!!!!

YA Books Meme

You know I love lists, right? Well here is another I have seen around the blogs lately that I couldn't pass up.

Instructions:
Put an "X" next to the books you've read
Put a "+" next to the books you LOVE
Put a "#" next to the books you plan on reading
Tally your "X"s at the bottom
Share with your friends!

1. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy / Douglas Adams X
2. Kit's Wilderness / David Almond
3. Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian / Sherman Alexie
4. Speak / Laurie Halse Anderson X
5. Feed / M.T. Anderson
6. Flowers in the Attic / V.C. Andrews X
7. 13 Reasons Why / Jay Asher
8. Am I Blue? / Marion Dane Bauer (editor)
9. Audrey Wait! / Robin Benway
10. Weetzie Bat / Francesca Lia Block
11. Tangerine / Edward Bloor
12. Forever / Judy Blume 
13. What I Saw and How I Lied / Judy Blundell
14. Tyrell / Coe Booth
15. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants / Ann Brashares X
16. A Great and Terrible Beauty / Libba Bray 
17. The Princess Diaries / Meg Cabot
18. The Stranger / Albert Camus X
19. Ender's Game / Orson Scott Card #
20. Postcards from No Man's Land / Aidan Chambers
21. Perks of Being a Wallflower / Stephen Chbosky X+
22. And Then There Were None / Agatha Christie X
23. Gingerbread / Rachel Cohn
24. Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist / Rachel Cohn and David Levithan X
25. Artemis Fowl (series) / Eoin Colfer X+
26. The Hunger Games / Suzanne Collins #
27. The Midwife's Apprentice / Karen Cushman
28. The Truth About Forever / Sarah Dessen
29. Little Brother / Cory Doctorow
30. A Northern Light / Jennifer Donnelly
31. Tears of a Tiger / Sharon Draper
32. The House of the Scorpion / Nancy Farmer 
33. Breathing Underwater / Alex Flinn
34. Stardust / Neil Gaiman #
35. Annie on My Mind / Nancy Garden
36. What Happened to Cass McBride / Gail Giles
37. Fat Kid Rules the World / K.L. Going
38. Lord of the Flies / William Golding X
39. Looking for Alaska / John Green #
40. Bronx Masquerade / Nikki Grimes
41. Out of the Dust / Karen Hesse
42. Hoot / Carl Hiaasen 
43. The Outsiders / S.E. Hinton X+
44. Crank / Ellen Hopkins 
45 The First Part Last / Angela Johnson
46. Blood and Chocolate / Annette Curtis Klause 
47. Arrow's Flight / Mercedes Lackey
48. Hattie Big Sky / Kirby Larson
49. To Kill a Mockingbird / Harper Lee X
50. Boy Meets Boy / David Levithan
51. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks / E. Lockhart #
52. The Giver / Lois Lowry
53. Number the Stars / Lois Lowry
54. Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie / David Lubar
55. Inexcusable / Chris Lynch
56. The Earth, My Butt and Other Big, Round Things / Carolyn Mackler
57. Dragonsong / Anne McCaffrey 
58. White Darkness / Geraldine McCaughrean
59. Sold / Patricia McCormick
60. Jellicoe Road / Melina Marchetta
61. Wicked Lovely / Melissa Marr X
62. Twilight / Stephenie Meyer X
63. Dairy Queen / Catherine Murdock
64. Fallen Angels / Walter Dean Myers
65. Monster / Walter Dean Myers
66. Step From Heaven / An Na
67. Mama Day / Gloria Naylor
68. The Keys to the Kingdom (series) / Garth Nix
69. Sabriel / Garth Nix 
70. Airborn / Kenneth Oppel
71. Eragon / Christopher Paolini 
72. Hatchet / Gary Paulsen 
73. Life As We Knew It / Susan Beth Pfeffer
74. The Golden Compass / Phillip Pullman X+
75. Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging / Louise Rennison X
76. The Lightning Thief / Rick Riordan
77. Always Running: La Vida Loca / Luis Rodriguez
78. how i live now / Meg Rosoff
79. Harry Potter (series) / J.K. Rowling X+
80. Holes / Louis Sachar X
81. Catcher in the Rye / J. D. Salinger X
82. Push / Sapphire
83. Persepolis / Marjane Satrapi
84. Unwind / Neil Shusterman
85. Coldest Winter Ever / Sister Souljah
86. Stargirl / Jerry Spinelli 
87. Chanda's Secrets / Allan Stratton
88. Tale of One Bad Rat / Brian Talbot
89. Rats Saw God / Rob Thomas
90. Lord of the Rings / J.R.R. Tolkien X
91. Stuck in Neutral / Terry Trueman
92. Gossip Girl / Cecily Von Ziegesar X
93. Uglies / Scott Westerfeld X
94. Every Time a Rainbow Dies / Rita Williams-Garcia
95. Pedro and Me / Judd Winick
96. Hard Love / Ellen Wittlinger
97. American Born Chinese / Gene Luen Yang
98. Elsewhere / Gabrielle Zevin
99. I am the Messenger / Markus Zusak
100. The Book Thief / Markus Zusak #

I have only read 22 on this list. How about you?

All Things S

Claire of kiss a cloud has assigned me the letter S for the Ten Things I Love Meme. So, here it goes...


1.Siena. A beautiful city in Italy that I got to visit this past summer for the first time. I hope to get back there soon.
2.Summer. Not because of the heat but because I don't have to work. One of the perks of being a teacher. My husband and I love to travel so this is the perfect time to get away. This summer...
3.Scotland. I can't wait to go! I have never been there but I am already loving it. I have been reading all the travel books and am very excited about going.
4.Spas. I love relaxing and getting massages at really great spas. I don't make it to them very often, but when I do it is always a great experience. The best one. Willow Stream at the Fairmont Banff Springs.
5.Snow. I love the cold and watching snow fall from the clouds. I have tried skiing but it is not for me. Give me some boots and a warm snow suit and I will happily just go for a walk in the snow.
6.Sherbert. I am not that much of a fan of ice cream but I do love sherbert. Best flavors..rainbow, orange, lime. Yum.
7.Socks. My absolute favorite thing to knit.
8.Sisters. "I could never love anyone more than I love my sisters." I have two sisters and even though we don't see each other much or talk to each other that often, we are very close. I wish I lived back in CA to be nearer to them and the rest of my family.
9.Slurpees. This has been a favorite since I was a kid. My sisters and I would walk to 7 Eleven and get the biggest cups filled with a mix of Coke and cherry flavoured Slurpee.
10.Saturday/Sunday. There is no need to get up early. You have all day to do whatever you want...read, knit, shop or clean if you must. It is actually time for me to get to some of that cleaning. Have a great weekend.

What do you love? Want a letter? Just let me know in the comments and I will assign you a letter. :)

TV MEME

Playing along with Alea.

1. Name a TV show series in which you have seen every episode at least twice:
X-Files
Seinfeld

2. Name a show you can’t miss:
Lost
Big Love

3. Name an actor that would make you more inclined to watch a show:
David Borreanaz
David Duchovney

4. Name an actor who would make you less likely to watch a show:
Charlie Sheen (ditto)

5. Name a show you can, and do, quote from:
Seinfeld

6. Name a show you like that no one else enjoys:
Most Haunted

7. Name a TV show which you’ve been known to sing the theme song:
Big Love
Cheers

8. Name a show you would recommend everyone to watch:
Pushing Daisies (ditto again, but now it is cancelled)

9. Name a TV series you own:
Seinfeld
Sex and the City

10. Name an actor who launched his/her entertainment career in another medium, but has surprised you with his/her acting choices in television:
Ice T (on Law and Order)

11. What is your favorite episode of your favorite series?
Tooms, X-Files

12. Name a show you keep meaning to watch, but you just haven’t gotten around to yet:
Firefly! Loved Serenity but have yet to see the tv show.

13. Ever quit watching a show because it was so bad?
YES! I have stopped watching Grey's Anatomy, House (not bad but have lost interest in it), ER,

14. Name a show that’s made you cry multiple times:
Cry? No clue.

15. What do you eat when you watch TV?
nothing

16. How often do you watch TV?
Every night except Saturdays.

17. What’s the last TV show you watched?
Just finished watching Dirty Jobs

18. What’s your favourite/preferred genre of TV?
What is X-Files considered?

19. What was the first TV show you were obsessed with?
Cosby Show

20. What TV show do you wish you never watched?
Survivor

21. What’s the weirdest show you enjoyed?
Twin Peaks


22. What TV show scared you the most?
X-Files

23. What is the funniest TV show you have ever watched?
Seinfeld!!
Right now, How I Met Your Mother

24. What show was cancelled too early?
Pushing Daisies!

Movie Meme

I stole this meme from Robin. I am thinking I will beat her number... Let's count.

(x) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(x) Grease
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest
( ) Boondock Saints
(x ) Fight Club
( ) Starsky and Hutch
( x) Neverending Story
(x) Blazing Saddles
(x) Airplane
Total: 8

(x) The Princess Bride
( ) Anchorman
(x) Napoleon Dynamite
(x) Labyrinth
( ) Saw
( ) Saw II
( ) White Noise
(x) White Oleander
( ) Anger Management
( ) 50 First Dates
(x) The Princess Diaries
( ) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Total so far: 13

(x) Scream
(x) Scream 2
(x) Scream 3
() Scary Movie
() Scary Movie 2
() Scary Movie 3
() Scary Movie 4
(x) American Pie
(x) American Pie 2
() American Wedding
() American Pie Band Camp
Total so far: 18

(x) Harry Potter 1
(x) Harry Potter 2
(x) Harry Potter 3
(x) Harry Potter 4
(x) Resident Evil 1
() Resident Evil 2
(x) The Wedding Singer
() Little Black Book
(x) The Village
(x) Lilo & Stitch
Total so far: 26

(x) Finding Nemo
(x ) Finding Neverland
(x) Signs
(x) The Grinch
() Texas Chainsaw Massacre
() Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
() White Chicks
() Butterfly Effect
(x) 13 Going on 30
(x) I, Robot
() Robots
Total so far: 32

(x) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
() Universal Soldier
(x) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
(x) Along Came Polly
(x) Deep Impact
() KingPin
(x) Never Been Kissed
(x) Meet The Parents
() Meet the Fockers
()Eight Crazy Nights
() Joe Dirt
() KING KONG (The Original)
Total so far: 38

() A Cinderella Story
() The Terminal
() The Lizzie McGuire Movie
() Passport to Paris
(x) Dumb & Dumber
() Dumber & Dumberer
() Final Destination
() Final Destination 2
() Final Destination 3
(x) Halloween
(x) The Ring
(x) The Ring 2
() Surviving X-MAS
(x) Flubber [the original]
Total so far: 42


(x) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
(x) Practical Magic
() Chicago
() Ghost Ship
() From ***
() Hellboy
() Secret Window
() I Am Sam
() The Whole Nine Yards
() The Whole Ten Yards
Total so far: 44

(x) The Day After Tomorrow
(x) Child’s Play
() Seed of Chucky
() Bride of Chucky
(x) Ten Things I Hate About You
() Just Married
(x) Gothika
(x) Nightmare on Elm Street
(x) Sixteen Candles
() Remember the Titans
() Coach Carter
(x) The Grudge
() The Grudge 2
(x) The Mask
() Son Of The Mask
total so far: 52

() Bad Boys
() Bad Boys 2
() Joy Ride
() Lucky Number Slevin
(x) Ocean’s Eleven
(x) Ocean’s Twelve
(x) Bourne Identity
(x) Bourne Supremecy
() Lone Star
() Bedazzled
(x) Predator
() Predator II
( ) The Fog
(x) Ice Age
() Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
() Curious George
Total so far: 58

(x) Independence Day
(x) Cujo
() A Bronx Tale
() Darkness Falls
(x) Christine
(x) ET
(x) Children of the Corn
() My Bosses Daughter
(x) Maid in Manhattan
(x) War of the Worlds
() Rush Hour
() Rush Hour 2
Total so far: 65

() Best Bet
(x) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
(x) She’s All That
(x) Calendar Girls
(x) Sideways
(x) Mars Attacks
(x) Event Horizon
(x) Ever After
(x) Wizard of Oz
(x) Forrest Gump
(x) Big Trouble in Little China
(x) The Terminator
(x) The Terminator 2
(x) The Terminator 3
Total so far: 78

(x) X-Men
(x) X-2
(x) X-3
(x) Spider-Man
(x) Spider-Man 2
() Sky High
() Jeepers Creepers
() Jeepers Creepers 2
() Catch Me If You Can
(x) The Little Mermaid
(x) Freaky Friday (the original)
() Reign of Fire
() The Skulls
(x ) Cruel Intentions
() Cruel Intentions 2
() The Hot Chick
(x) Shrek
(x) Shrek 2
Total so far: 88

(x) Swimfan
(x) Miracle on 34th street
(x) Old School
(x) The Notebook
() K-Pax
() Krippendorf’s Tribe
(x) A Walk to Remember
(x) Ice Castles
() Boogeyman
(x) The 40-year-old Virgin
Total so far: 95

(x) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring
(x) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers
(x) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King
(x) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(x) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(x) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Total so far: 101

() Baseketball
() Hostel
() Waiting for Guffman
() House of 1000 Corpses
() Devils Rejects
() Elf
(x) Highlander
() Mothman Prophecies
(x) American History X
() Three
Total so Far: 103

() The Jacket
() Kung *** Hustle
() Shaolin Soccer
() Night Watch
(x) Monsters Inc.
(x) Titanic
(x) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
() Shaun Of the Dead
() Willa74
Total so far: 106

() High Tension (Haute Tension)
() Club Dread
() Hulk
() Dawn Of the Dead
(x) Hook
(x) Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
(x) 28 days later
() Orgazmo
() Phantasm
(x) Waterworld
Total so far: 110

(x) Kill Bill vol 1
(x) Kill Bill vol 2
() Mortal Kombat
() Wolf Creek
() Kingdom of Heaven
() the Hills Have Eyes
() I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman
() The Last House on the Left
() Re-Animator
(x) Army of Darkness
Total so far: 113

(x) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
(x) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
(x) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(x) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(x) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(x) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
() Ewoks Caravan Of Courage
(x) Ewoks The Battle For Endor
Total so far: 120

(x) The Matrix
(x) The Matrix Reloaded
(x) The Matrix Revolutions
() Animatrix
(x) Evil Dead
(x) Evil Dead 2
(x) Team America: World Police
(x) Red Dragon
(x) Silence of the Lambs
(x) Hannibal
Total: 129

YUP. I have seen a lot of movies. :) Does that mean I have no life? :)

Sunday Salon-Life Began Again (iTunes Shuffle Meme)

I have been seeing this make the rounds lately and just couldn't pass it up. Too much fun.
Best answer... My life's purpose=Jive Talkin'. Awesome!



Instructions:

1. Put Your iTunes, Windows Media Player, Winamp, etc on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.
4. Put the artist after a dash following the song name.
5. Put any comments in brackets.
6. Tag some lucky people to spread the disease.

How would you describe yourself? Nobody But Me by Lou Rawls
How do you feel today? Double Trouble by John Williams (Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban soundtrack)
What is your life’s purpose? Jive Talkin' by The Bee Gees (Saturday Night Fever soundtrack)
What is your motto? An Honest Mistake by The Bravery
What do you think about very often? Mr. Pencil's ABC's by Stephen Fite <--too funny, you all know I teach preK, right?
What is your life story? This is How I Disappear by My Chemical Romance
What do you want to be when you grow up? Felitsa by Yanni
What will you dance to at your wedding? Even Better Than The Real Thing by U2
What will they play at your funeral? Don't Say A Word by Sonata Arctica
What is your hobby/interest? Man in the Moon by Erasure
If you could do anything right now, what would it be? You Don't Know How it Feels by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
What do you want most of all? Here We Come a Wassailing by The Night Heron Consort (A Celtic Celebration) <--I am ready for the holidays!
What is your greatest fear? The Mirror Conspiracy by Thievery Corporation
What is your darkest secret? I know Your Out There Somewhere by The Moody Blues
What is your favorite thing in the world? Persian Love Song by Dead Can Dance
If you could have one wish, what would you wish for? Slide by Dido
What is your theme song? Sometimes by My Bloody Valentine(Lost in Translation Soundtrack)
The next time you hear this song (aside from now, that is), you must dance: Marching Bands of Manahattan by Death Cab For Cutie
What will you post this as? Life Began Again by Afro Celt Sound System


I can't believe non of my Depeche Mode came up! Anyway, fun fun.
Time to listen to all my music now and maybe get some reading done. I am in the middle of reading the Dubliners by James Joyce for the Classics Challenge.

Happy Sunday!

USA TODAY Top Selling books Meme

Here are the rules:

Bold what you've read, italicize what you own, star* books on your TBR list!

1 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
2 Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution - Robert C. Atkins
3 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
4 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
5 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
6 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
7 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
8 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
9 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling, art by Mary GrandPre
10 Who Moved My Cheese? - Spencer Johnson
11 The South Beach Diet - Arthur Agatston
12 Tuesdays With Morrie - Mitch Albom
13 Angels & Demons - Dan Brown
14 What to Expect When You're Expecting - Heidi Murkoff, Arlene Eisenberg, Sandee Hathaway
15 The Purpose-Driven Life - Rick Warren
16 The Five People You Meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom
17 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen R. Covey
18 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
19 Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus - John Gray
20 The Secret - Rhonda Byrne
21 Rich Dad, Poor Dad - Robert T. Kiyosaki with Sharon L. Lechter
22 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
23 Don't Sweat the Small Stuff ... And It's All Small Stuff - Richard Carlson
24 The Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd
25 Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert
26 Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
27 The Notebook - Nicholas Sparks
*28 The Memory Keeper's Daughter - Kim Edwards
29 The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
30 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
31 A New Earth - Eckhart Tolle
32 Oh, the Places You'll Go! - Dr. Seuss
33 The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz
34 Angela's Ashes - Frank McCourt
35 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
36 Body-for-Life - Bill Phillips, Michael D’Orso
37 New Moon - Stephenie Meyer
38 Night - Elie Wiesel, translations by Marion Wiesel and Stella Rodway
39 Chicken Soup for the Soul - Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen
40 The Greatest Generation - Tom Brokaw
41 Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer
42 The Celestine Prophecy - James Redfield
43 Wicked - Gregory Maguire
44 Good to Great - Jim Collins
45 Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
46 Eragon - Christopher Paolini
47 Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood - Rebecca Wells
48 Your Best Life Now - Joel Osteen
49 In the Kitchen With Rosie - Rosie Daley
50 Simple Abundance - Sarah Ban Breathnach
51 A Child Called It - Dave Pelzer
52 A Million Little Pieces - James Frey
53 The Testament - John Grisham
54 Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul - Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Kimberly Kirberger
55 Deception Point - Dan Brown
56 The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
57 Marley & Me - John Grogan
58 Dr. Atkins' New Carbohydrate Gram Counter - Robert C. Atkins
59 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
60 The Brethren - John Grisham
61 The South Beach Diet Good Fats Good Carbs Guide - Arthur Agatston
62 The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town - John Grisham
63 For One More Day - Mitch Albom
64 The Polar Express - Chris Van Allsburg
65 The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
66 The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch, Jeffrey Zaslow
67 What to Expect the First Year - Arlene Eisenberg, Heidi Murkoff, Sandee Hathaway
68 Love You Forever - Robert Munsch, art by Sheila McGraw
69 Green Eggs and Ham - Dr. Seuss
70 A Painted House - John Grisham
71 The Rainmaker - John Grisham
72 Skipping Christmas - John Grisham
73 Cold Mountain - Charles Frazier
74 The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-Time - Mark Haddon
75 Life Strategies - Phillip C. McGraw
76 Seabiscuit: An American Legend - Laura Hillenbrand
77 The Summons - John Grisham
*78 Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - John Berendt
79 The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien
80 The Runaway Jury - John Grisham
81 Goodnight Moon Board Book - Margaret Wise Brown, art by Clement Hurd
82 The Perfect Storm - Sebastian Junger
83 Snow Falling on Cedars - David Guterson
84 The Giver - Lois Lowry
85 Embraced by the Light - Betty J. Eadie
86 The Chamber - John Grisham
87 You: On A Diet - Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet C. Oz
88 The Prayer of Jabez - Bruce Wilkinson
89 Holes - Louis Sachar
90 Digital Fortress - Dan Brown
91 The Shack - William P. Young
92 The Devil Wears Prada - Lauren Weisberger
*93 Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen
*94 A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini
95 The Seat of the Soul - Gary Zukav
96 Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul - Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Jennifer Read Hawthorne, Marci Shimoff
97 The Partner - John Grisham
98 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
99 Eldest: Inheritance, Book II - Christopher Paolini
100 The Broker - John Grisham
101 The Street Lawyer - John Grisham
*102 A Series of Unfortunate Events No. 1: The Bad Beginning - Lemony Snicket
103 The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver
*104 Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer
105 The King of Torts - John Grisham
106 The Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell
107 The Horse Whisperer - Nicholas Evans
108 Hannibal - Thomas Harris
109 The Audacity of Hope - Barack Obama
110 Running With Scissors - Augusten Burroughs
111 The Glass Castle: A Memoir - Jeannette Walls
112 My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult
113 The Last Juror - John Grisham
114 The Devil in the White City - Erik Larson
115 Left Behind - Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins
116 America (The Book) - Jon Stewart and The Writers of The Daily Show
117 The Red Tent - Anita Diamant
118 John Adams - David McCullough
119 The Christmas Box - Richard Paul Evans
120 The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - Ann Brashares
121 Sugar Busters! - H. Leighton Steward, Sam S. Andrews, Morrison C. Bethea, Luis A. Balart
122 Blink - Malcolm Gladwell
123 The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle
124 90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life - Don Piper, Cecil Murphey
125 The Fellowship of the Ring - J.R.R. Tolkien
126 1776 - David McCullough
127 The Bridges of Madison County - Robert James Waller
128 Where the Heart Is - Billie Letts
129 The Ultimate Weight Solution - Phillip C. McGraw
130 Protein Power - Michael R. Eades, Mary Dan Eades
131 Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul - Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Jennifer Read Hawthorne, Marci Shimoff
*132 Into Thin Air - Jon Krakauer
133 Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides
134 Three Cups of Tea - Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin
135 You: The Owner's Manual - Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet C. Oz
136 1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler’s Life List - Patricia Schultz
137 Self Matters - Phillip C. McGraw
138 She's Come Undone - Wally Lamb
139 1984 - George Orwell
140 The Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis
141 The Millionaire Next Door - Thomas J. Stanley, William D. Danko
142 The Other Boleyn Girl - Philippa Gregory
143 The Zone - Barry Sears, Bill Lawren
144 The Pilot's Wife - Anita Shreve
145 The Lost World Michael Crichton
146 Atonement - Ian McEwan
147 He's Just Not That Into You - Greg Behrendt, Liz Tuccillo
148 Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
149 The World Is Flat - Thomas L. Friedman
150 Cross - James Patterson

Found this over at J. Kaye's Book Blog.

I have read 47 books off this list.

Read a Thon meme

Where are you reading from today?

Home in Austin

3 facts about me …

I am a preK Teacher.
I play the flute (but not that well).
I have a cute little cat named Joey.

How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?

About 6-7 books.

Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on blogs)?

To get some of my reading challenge books read and at least make a bit of a dent in that TBR pile.

If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, Any advice for people doing this for the first time?

This is my first time participating.

Booking Through Thursday

Here are my answers for this week's Booking Through Thursday meme:

What was the last book you bought?
I have been trying to limit my book buying but did break down recently and bought Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr.

Name a book you have read MORE than once
It is really hard for me to reread books, but I have done it for all the HP books, Anne of Green Gables and The Perks of Being a Wallflower just last week for Banned Book Week.

Has a book ever fundamentally changed the way you see life? If yes, what was it?
I would say no. All books have enhanced my life by providing me a place to escape, imagine, etc., but I wouldn't say they have "fundamentally changed the way I see life".

How do you choose a book? eg. by cover design and summary, recommendations or reviews
All of the above.

Do you prefer Fiction or Non-Fiction?
Fiction!

What’s more important in a novel - beautiful writing or a gripping plot?
Gripping plot. All the beautiful writing in the world won't make me read a book unless their is a good story behind it.

Most loved/memorable character (character/book)
Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables, Jo March from Little Women

Which book or books can be found on your nightstand at the moment?
A lot!

Look At Me by Jennifer Egan is what I am currently reading.
The Last Undercover by Bob Hamer was a prize I won from Amy during BBAW.
You Suck by Christopher Moore is a recent library pick.

The rest are all TBR at some point. Some are partially read, others are for Challenges, some have been on the bookshelf for almost a year!

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Housseini
Toxin by Robin Cook
The Eyes of Darkness by Dean Koontz
Harsh Cry of the Heron by Lian Heron
The Book of the Dead by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
The Wonder Spot by Melissa Bank
Darfur Diaries by Jen Marlowe
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
Frankenstein by Mary Shelly
The Dubliners by James Joyce
Violet In Private by Melissa Walker

What was the last book you’ve read, and when was it?
I just finished Peeps by Scott Westerfeld last night.

Have you ever given up on a book half way in?
Yes! I have a couple on my nightstand now that are read only half way. They are still there in case I get the urge to continue them.

omg, I am so late in seeing this

APOOO Books tagged me with this back on the 19th, but I just found the email in my SPAM folder. Ack! I hate when that happens. It was supposed to be for BBAW. So here it is better late than never.

Write about 5 specific ways blogging has affected you, either positively or negatively.

1. I have met a lot of book-minded folks who like the same books as I do.

2. I have learned about wonderful books that I may not have ever heard of before had I not started reading book blogs.

3. I have been challenged to read more books than I usually do.

4.I have received great children's book recommendations that I can use in my classroom.

5. I have gotten to participate in great community building sites/challenges such as My Friend Amy's BBAW and found many great and new book blogs to read.


Sorry, this is so late, yasmin, and thanks for the tag.

music meme

I stole this from InsanKnitty.

The rules:
A.) Go to musicoutfitters.com

B.) Enter the year you graduated from high school in the search function and get the list of 100 most popular songs of that year

C.) Bold the songs you like, strike through the ones you hate and underline or italicize your favorite. Do nothing to the ones you don’t remember (or don’t care about).

Can you guess what year I graduated?

1. The Sign, Ace Of Base
2. I Swear, All-4-One
3. I'll Make Love To You, Boyz II Men
4. The Power Of Love, Celine Dion
5. Hero, Mariah Carey
6. Stay (I Missed You), Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories
7. Breathe Again, Toni Braxton
8. All For Love, Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting
9. All That She Wants, Ace Of Base
10. Don't Turn Around, Ace Of Base
11. Bump N' Grind, R. Kelly
12. Again, Janet Jackson
13. I'll Remember, Madonna
14. Whatta Man, Salt-N-Pepa
15. Wild Night, John Mellencamp and Me'shell Ndegeocello
16. Without You/Never Forget You, Mariah Carey
17. You Mean The World To Me, Toni Braxton
18. Can You Feel The Love Tonight, Elton John
19. The Most Beautiful Girl In The World, Prince Symbol
20. Fantastic Voyage, Coolio
21. Baby I Love Your Way, Big Mountain
22. Regulate, Warren G and Nate Dogg
23. If You Go, Jon Secada
24. Back and Forth, Aaliyah
25. Now And Forever, Richard Marx
26. When Can I See You, Babyface
27. Please Forgive Me, Bryan Adams
28. So Much In Love, All-4-One
29. Shoop, Salt-N-Pepa
30. Any Time, Any Place/And On And On, Janet Jackson
31. Shine, Collective Soul
32. Said I Loved You...But I Lied, Michael Bolton
33. Return To Innocence, Enigma
34. All I Wanna Do, Sheryl Crow
35. Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm, Crash Test Dummies
36. Can We Talk, Tevin Campbell
37. Funkdafied, Da Brat
38. I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That), Meat Loaf
39. Gangsta Lean, Drs
40. Because The Night, 10,000 Maniacs
41. Cantaloop, US3
42. Whoomp! (There It Is), Tag Team
43. Come To My Window, Melissa Etheridge
44. Stroke You Up, Changing Faces
45. I'm Ready, Tevin Campbell
46. 100% Pure Love, Crystal Waters
47. Anytime You Need A Friend, Mariah Carey
48. Because Of Love, Janet Jackson
49. Linger, Cranberries
50. Loser, Beck
51. Found Out About You, Gin Blossoms
52. Gin And Juice, Snoop Doggy Dogg
53. Never Lie, Immature
54. Streets Of Philadelphia, Bruce Springsteen
55. Getto Jam, Domino
56. Endless Love, Luther Vandross and Mariah Carey
57. I Miss You w/ Aaron Hall
58. Understanding, Xscape
59. This D.J., Warren G
60. Cry For You, Jodeci
61. Keep Ya Head Up, 2Pac
62. Who Am I (What's My Name?), Snoop Doggy Dogg
63. Another Night, Real McCoy
64. Your Body's Callin', R. Kelly
65. Tootsee Roll, 69 Boyz
66. I Can See Clearly Now, Jimmy Cliff
67. Never Keeping Secrets, Babyface
68. Crazy, Aerosmith
69. Just Kickin' It, Xscape
70. At Your Best (You Are Love), Aaliyah
71. Rock And Roll Dreams Come Through, Meat Loaf
72 Amazing, Aerosmith
73. Always, Erasure
74. Groove Thang, Zhane
75. Dreams, Gabrielle
76. Mr. Vain, Culture Beat
77. Mary Jane's Last Dance, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
78. Anything, SWV
79. Beautiful In My Eyes, Joshua Kadison
80. Stay, Eternal
81. Flava In Ya Ear, Craig Mack
82. U.N.I.T.Y., Queen Latifah
83. Prayer For The Dying, Seal
84. Secret, Madonna
85. Here Comes The Hotstepper, Ini Kamoze
86. Everyday, Phil Collins
87. Don't Take The Girl, Tim McGraw
88. Got Me Waiting, Heavy D and The Boyz
89. December 1963 (Oh, What A Night), Four Seasons
90. Indian Outlaw, Tim McGraw
91. Always, Bon Jovi
92. I'm The Only One, Melissa Etheridge
93. Back In The Day, Ahmad
94. Love Sneakin' Up On You, Bonnie Raitt
95. I'll Take You There, General Public
96. Always In My Heart, Tevin Campbell
97. What Is Love, Haddaway
98. And Our Feelings, Babyface
99. Bop Gun (One Nation), Ice Cube
100. I Wanna Be Down, Brandy

mosaic meme

1. Insomniac's dribble., 2. Sushi, 3. time to leave., 4. After the Rain, 5. HiRes Promo Image, 6. ready for the next one , 7. Masai Mara Sunrise, 8. Flames, 9. Retired After Hard Work, 10. Toothbrush Tryst (Day 119), 11. one with the sea, 12. Anbotoko Mari

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

This was fun.

To make your own, go to the Mosaic Maker, and then open another window with Flickr.com. In the Flickr search bar, type the answers to these questions:

What is your first name?
What is your favorite food?
What high school did you go to?
What is your favorite colour?
Who is your celebrity crush?
Favorite drink?
Dream vacation?
Favorite dessert?
What do you want to be when you grow up?
What do you love most in life?
One word to describe you.
Your nickname.

My answers: 1.Maribel 2.sushi 3.Sanger High 4.periwinkle, green 5.David Boreanaz 6.Guinness 7.African Safari 8.Betty Crocker chocolate cake 9.retired 10.husband 11.happy 12.mari

100 best reads

(archived post from mariknits)

These books were listed as the 100 Best Reads (1983-2008)in Entertainment Weekly.
I found this on Susan's Blogging About Books.
I have placed a * next to the books I have read. The rest, I will read...eventually. I am sure it will take me years.

1. The Road , Cormac McCarthy (2006)

*2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling (2000)

*3. Beloved, Toni Morrison (1987)

4. The Liars’ Club, Mary Karr (1995)

5. American Pastoral, Philip Roth (1997)

6. Mystic River, Dennis Lehane (2001)

7. Maus, Art Spiegelman (1986/1991)

8. Selected Stories, Alice Munro (1996)

*9. Cold Mountain, Charles Frazier (1997)

10. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Haruki Murakami (1997)

11. Into Thin Air, Jon Krakauer (1997)

12. Blindness, José Saramago (1998)

13. Watchmen, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons (1986-87)

14. Black Water, Joyce Carol Oates (1992)

15. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, Dave Eggers (2000)

16. The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood (1986)

17. Love in the Time of Cholera, Gabriel García Márquez (1988)

18. Rabbit at Rest, John Updike (1990)

19. On Beauty, Zadie Smith (2005)

*20. Bridget Jones’s Diary, Helen Fielding (1998)

21. On Writing, Stephen King (2000)22. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Junot Díaz (2007)

23. The Ghost Road, Pat Barker (1996)

24. Lonesome Dove, Larry McMurtry (1985)

25. The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan (1989)

26. Neuromancer, William Gibson (1984)

27. Possession, A.S. Byatt (1990)

28. Naked, David Sedaris (1997)

29. Bel Canto, Anne Patchett (2001)

30. Case Histories, Kate Atkinson (2004)

31. The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien (1990)

32. Parting the Waters, Taylor Branch (1988)

33. The Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion (2005)

*34. The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold (2002)

35. The Line of Beauty, Alan Hollinghurst (2004)

*36. Angela’s Ashes, Frank McCourt (1996)

37. Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi (2003)

38. Birds of America, Lorrie Moore (1998)

39. Interpreter of Maladies, Jhumpa Lahiri (2000)

*40. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman (1995-2000)

41. The House on Mango Street, Sandra Cisneros (1984)

42. LaBrava, Elmore Leonard (1983)

43. Borrowed Time, Paul Monette (1988)

44. Praying for Sheetrock, Melissa Fay Greene (1991)

45. Eva Luna, Isabel Allende (1988)

46. Sandman, Neil Gaiman (1988-1996)

47. World’s Fair, E.L. Doctorow (1985)

*48. The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver (1998)

49. Clockers, Richard Price (1992)

50. The Corrections, Jonathan Franzen (2001)

51. The Journalist and the Murderer, Janet Malcom (1990)

52. Waiting to Exhale, Terry McMillan (1992)

53. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, Michael Chabon (2000)

54. Jimmy Corrigan, Chris Ware (2000)

55. The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls (2006)

56. The Night Manager, John le Carré (1993)

57. The Bonfire of the Vanities, Tom Wolfe (1987)

58. Drop City, TC Boyle (2003)

59. Krik? Krak! Edwidge Danticat (1995)

60. Nickel & Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich (2001)

61. Money, Martin Amis (1985)

62. Last Train To Memphis, Peter Guralnick (1994)

63. Pastoralia, George Saunders (2000)

64. Underworld, Don DeLillo (1997)

65. The Giver, Lois Lowry (1993)

66. A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again, David Foster Wallace (1997)

*67. The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini (2003)

68. Fun Home, Alison Bechdel (2006)

69. Secret History, Donna Tartt (1992)

70. Cloud Atlas, David Mitchell (2004)

71. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, Ann Fadiman (1997)

*72. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mark Haddon (2003)

73. A Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving (1989)

74. Friday Night Lights, H.G. Bissinger (1990)

75. Cathedral, Raymond Carver (1983)

76. A Sight for Sore Eyes, Ruth Rendell (1998)

77. The Remains of the Day, Kazuo Ishiguro (1989)

*78. Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert (2006)

79. The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell (2000)

80. Bright Lights, Big City, Jay McInerney (1984)

81. Backlash, Susan Faludi (1991)

*82. Atonement, Ian McEwan (2002)

83. The Stone Diaries, Carol Shields (1994)

*84. Holes, Louis Sachar (1998)

85. Gilead, Marilynne Robinson (2004)

86. And the Band Played On, Randy Shilts (1987)

87. The Ruins, Scott Smith (2006)

88. High Fidelity, Nick Hornby (1995)

89. Close Range, Annie Proulx (1999)

90. Comfort Me With Apples, Ruth Reichl (2001)

91. Random Family, Adrian Nicole LeBlanc (2003)

92. Presumed Innocent, Scott Turow (1987)

93. A Thousand Acres, Jane Smiley (1991)

94. Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser (2001)

95. Kaaterskill Falls, Allegra Goodman (1998)

*96. The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown (2003)

97. Jesus’ Son, Denis Johnson (1992)

98. The Predators’ Ball, Connie Bruck (1988)

99. Practical Magic, Alice Hoffman (1995)

100. America (the Book), Jon Stewart/Daily Show (2004)

100 best reads

These books were listed as the 100 Best Reads (1983-2008)in Entertainment Weekly.
I found this on Susan's Blogging About Books.
I have highlighted the books I have read. The rest, I will read...eventually. I am sure it will take me years.

1. The Road , Cormac McCarthy (2006)

2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J.K. Rowling (2000)

3. Beloved, Toni Morrison (1987)

4. The Liars’ Club, Mary Karr (1995)

5. American Pastoral, Philip Roth (1997)

6. Mystic River, Dennis Lehane (2001)

7. Maus, Art Spiegelman (1986/1991)

8. Selected Stories, Alice Munro (1996)

9. Cold Mountain, Charles Frazier (1997)

10. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Haruki Murakami (1997)

11. Into Thin Air, Jon Krakauer (1997)

12. Blindness, José Saramago (1998)

13. Watchmen, Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons (1986-87)

14. Black Water, Joyce Carol Oates (1992)

15. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, Dave Eggers (2000)

16. The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood (1986)

17. Love in the Time of Cholera, Gabriel García Márquez (1988)

18. Rabbit at Rest, John Updike (1990)

19. On Beauty, Zadie Smith (2005)

20. Bridget Jones’s Diary, Helen Fielding (1998)

21. On Writing, Stephen King (2000)22. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Junot Díaz (2007)

23. The Ghost Road, Pat Barker (1996)

24. Lonesome Dove, Larry McMurtry (1985)

25. The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan (1989)

26. Neuromancer, William Gibson (1984)

27. Possession, A.S. Byatt (1990)

28. Naked, David Sedaris (1997)

29. Bel Canto, Anne Patchett (2001)

30. Case Histories, Kate Atkinson (2004)

31. The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien (1990)

32. Parting the Waters, Taylor Branch (1988)

33. The Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion (2005)

34. The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold (2002)

35. The Line of Beauty, Alan Hollinghurst (2004)

36. Angela’s Ashes, Frank McCourt (1996)

37. Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi (2003)

38. Birds of America, Lorrie Moore (1998)

39. Interpreter of Maladies, Jhumpa Lahiri (2000)

40. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman (1995-2000)

41. The House on Mango Street, Sandra Cisneros (1984)

42. LaBrava, Elmore Leonard (1983)

43. Borrowed Time, Paul Monette (1988)

44. Praying for Sheetrock, Melissa Fay Greene (1991)

45. Eva Luna, Isabel Allende (1988)

46. Sandman, Neil Gaiman (1988-1996)

47. World’s Fair, E.L. Doctorow (1985)

48. The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver (1998)

49. Clockers, Richard Price (1992)

50. The Corrections, Jonathan Franzen (2001)

51. The Journalist and the Murderer, Janet Malcom (1990)

52. Waiting to Exhale, Terry McMillan (1992)

53. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, Michael Chabon (2000)

54. Jimmy Corrigan, Chris Ware (2000)

55. The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls (2006)

56. The Night Manager, John le Carré (1993)

57. The Bonfire of the Vanities, Tom Wolfe (1987)

58. Drop City, TC Boyle (2003)

59. Krik? Krak! Edwidge Danticat (1995)

60. Nickel & Dimed, Barbara Ehrenreich (2001)

61. Money, Martin Amis (1985)

62. Last Train To Memphis, Peter Guralnick (1994)

63. Pastoralia, George Saunders (2000)

64. Underworld, Don DeLillo (1997)

65. The Giver, Lois Lowry (1993)

66. A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again, David Foster Wallace (1997)

67. The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini (2003)

68. Fun Home, Alison Bechdel (2006)

69. Secret History, Donna Tartt (1992)

70. Cloud Atlas, David Mitchell (2004)

71. The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, Ann Fadiman (1997)

72. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mark Haddon (2003)

73. A Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving (1989)

74. Friday Night Lights, H.G. Bissinger (1990)

75. Cathedral, Raymond Carver (1983)

76. A Sight for Sore Eyes, Ruth Rendell (1998)

77. The Remains of the Day, Kazuo Ishiguro (1989)

78. Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert (2006)

79. The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell (2000)

80. Bright Lights, Big City, Jay McInerney (1984)

81. Backlash, Susan Faludi (1991)

82. Atonement, Ian McEwan (2002)

83. The Stone Diaries, Carol Shields (1994)

84. Holes, Louis Sachar (1998)

85. Gilead, Marilynne Robinson (2004)

86. And the Band Played On, Randy Shilts (1987)

87. The Ruins, Scott Smith (2006)

88. High Fidelity, Nick Hornby (1995)

89. Close Range, Annie Proulx (1999)

90. Comfort Me With Apples, Ruth Reichl (2001)

91. Random Family, Adrian Nicole LeBlanc (2003)

92. Presumed Innocent, Scott Turow (1987)

93. A Thousand Acres, Jane Smiley (1991)

94. Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser (2001)

95. Kaaterskill Falls, Allegra Goodman (1998)

96. The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown (2003)

97. Jesus’ Son, Denis Johnson (1992)

98. The Predators’ Ball, Connie Bruck (1988)

99. Practical Magic, Alice Hoffman (1995)

100. America (the Book), Jon Stewart/Daily Show (2004)

i've been tagged

Rachel has tagged me for the seven weird random things about you meme. Thought I would give it a go. You know, it is really hard to think up strange things about yourself that you are willing to share. Anyway, here it goes...

1. I don't swear. Really. Well...never in front of people. Usually only when driving alone. It is very therapeutic to yell cuss words at terrible drivers. Plus, they can't hear me.

2. My husband was my first and only boyfriend. I met him when I was 22, started "dating" at 23, married at 24. We have been married for 7 years.

3. I am terrible about cleaning my cat's litter box. I am very happy she has not rebelled against me.

4. I have a toy gargoyle in my car. I have had him since college. He showed up out of nowhere in my first car and is now at home in the sunglass case in my new Prius. I almost hit a car the other day and I swear it was because I had forgot to put him in. His name in Gargantua. My roommates and I, back then, were a little strange. :)

5. I have never caused an accident or gotten a ticket. *knocks on wood*. I was in an accident in that first car mentioned above, but that was not my fault. No one was injured. (Thanks, Gargantua.)

6. I am lazy. I hate housework. I want a housekeeper. How much do you think one would cost me? I bet I would have to cut down on my yarn purchases. Hmm, yarn or clean house? Choices, choices.

7. I watch a lot of tv and I get a bit obsessive with some shows. Right now it is Doctor Who. I have my dvr set to record every episode on BBCA, SciFi and PBS.

Well, that is all. I am sure there is more but I will end it there. I know this has been going around a lot. I have seen it on a few blogs. So, if you haven't yet and want to tell us about seven weird things about you consider yourself tagged.