Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Books

This is your fault, eb. You sent me to one word and to Robin's site. This is the result. Meme away!

1. A book that changed your life:

There are many, but two stand out: A Sense of Honor by James Webb (current Senatorial candidate from Virginia), and Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers. Both of these books were instumental in my decision to enlist in the Marines when I was a wee (well, not so wee) lad of seventeen.

2. A book you've read more than once:

More than I care to count: Most recently it was Patrick O'Brian's Post Captain.

3. A book you'd want on a desert island.

Like others, I immediately thought of the Bible... but to tell you the truth, I think it might be my Britannica Encyclopedia of Military History.

4. A book that made you giddy.

I'm not the giddy type.

5. A book you wish had been written.

The novel that Patrick O'Brian had been writing at the time of his death.

6. A book that wracked you with sobs:

I don't remember the name of the book, but I read it when I was a young Marine... it was a collection of last letters home from soldiers that had been killed in Vietnam.

7. A book you wish had never been written.

Michael Chrichton's Sphere. What an incredible piece of absolute CRAP! It is the only book that I have ever thrown in the trash. I believe that most books have something good to impart so I give them away, donate them to charity, send to the USO or SOMETHING... but when I finished with Sphere, I tore the whole bloody book to pieces ant threw it in the trash.

8. A book you are currently reading.

Coyote Rising, by Allen Steele. A neat little Sci-Fi read, the second in a series.

9. A book you've been meaning to read.

The recent biography of Madison, for a start.

10. Tag 10.

OK, I don't really do this tagging thing, but if you are inclined to list your books and thoughts, please do so, and be so kind as to tell me if you did.

Cheers,

Gunfighter

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

My sister is in love with the Patrick O'Brian books. She sends me little synopses as she goes, but uses Russell Crowe's and Paul Bettany's name when she describes things. It's hilarious.

Gunfighter said...

Give them a read sometime, Kathleen, I think you might enjoy them.

Gunfighter said...

eb,

Patrick O'Brian's Post Captain made me laugh allowed in many places.

O'Brian wrote startlingly clear battle scenese that could break your heart one minute, while he could write a scene about personal interaction between fighting men that would make you give a good belly-laugh the next. Genius.

Gunfighter said...

NOTE: Always proofread. That should have said "aloud"