Jen Brown tagged me with the book meme going around St. Blog’s. (Watch out, it’s contagious.)
I have to answer these 5 questions and then tell 5 others they have to do it. At this point I’m pretty sure that every blogger I know has been tagged already so I’m going to cop out on that part. (Yeah, I’m the guy who fearlessly breaks chain letters too.)
Total number of books I own: Wow, how to guess. Last time I moved I threw out several boxes of sci-fi paperbacks, but there’s still a lot more books on shelves and in boxes in the attic. I’d guess at this point that I own somewhere north of 1,000. (But nowhere near the number Melanie owns. We’re not marrying, we’re creating a public library.)
Last book I bought: I’m pretty sure that the actual last book I bought was Johnny Tremaine for my nephew Joseph for his birthday. (He turned 10 a couple of weeks ago.) The last book I bought for myself was one of the two I bought from TAN Books: Cure Silmarillion as being part of the one story. I read The Hobbit when I was in 3rd grade and read TLOTR 16 times since then. The images and themes have become part of who I am today.
The Chronicles of Narnia. Again, a work of fantasy with Christian themes and images.
The Bones of St. Peter, by John Evangelist Walsh. The story of how the bones of St. Peter were found beneath the high altar of St. Peter’s Basilica in the 1930s, confirming the legends of the previous 2 millennia. The book is a fascinating detective story, but also exposed me to an understanding of how the Church’s legends are usually based in fact.
Catholicism & Fundamentalism by Karl Keating. This was the first book about the Catholic faith that I read as an adult. It was the book that set me on the journey to study theology at Franciscan University because it opened up a whole new fascinating world, helping me to move my faith beyond an emotional understanding to an intellectual one.
Alton Brown’s Gear for Your Kitchen. This book by the Food Network chef is an indispensable resource for anyone who wants to take cooking seriously. It is a reference book for organizing your kitchen effectively, for deciding what tools you need and (more importantly) what you don’t need, for what kinds of tools are most effective (e.g. what features to look for when buying a particular item). Combined with the TV show, I’d say it’s currently very influential in my life. Just ask Melanie how often I say, “Alton Brown says…”
Well, that’s it. Like I said, I don’t know who has and hasn’t been tagged so I’m taking a cop oout.
Now, time to go make dinner. After that, we’re babysitting for my sister and her husband so they can go see Star Wars tonight.
So you’re an Alton Brown fan! My daughter and I got to meet him when he came to Minneapolis to promote his latest book, “I’m Just Here for More Food”. What a riot that man is! They must really have to tone him down for Good Eats. He is really really funny, very sharp wit.
Lord of the Rings/Silmarillion/Hobbit and the Narnia series would be at the top of my list, too. After that, I would have to list the Little House on the Prairie books, A Canticle for Leibowitz, and The Way of the Pilgrim. I have read and re-read all of those so many times over the years.
No, I haven’t been “tagged” yet…-Theo
Then I tag you Theo.