Another Meme - about Books

Just some of the books...

Wilf has passed on some homework for me to do... in the form of yet another meme. Shame on you, Wilf! (I tell you, I'm getting all memed out here.)

Total number of books owned
Erm, too many. They lie around in piles and breed, I'm sure of it. I tried using Library Thing to catalogue them all but ran out of steam. There are children's and Young Adult books, cookery books, gardening books, travelogues, places, esoteric, interior design, dogs, classics, fantasy, crime, literary, poetry, plays, marketing and business, reference. I had to try to do a valuation once for insurance purposes. An awful lot of money has been spent on books. It should stop. But it won't.

Last book bought
I never buy one book at a time. I'm an addict - fortunately it's the only addiction I have. The last books ordered from Amazon UK include The Monkey Wrench Gang, Emmanuel's Book, French Food at Home - they've not arrived yet - which is just as well since I haven't finished wading through the last pile that arrived.

Last book read
Coven of One by a certain Minx

Five books which mean a lot to you
Linnets and Valerians by Elizabeth Goudge
I was given the book as a 10th birthday present by a classmate and I've read it so many times that the pages have turned to velvet. My mother had kept me supplied with Enid Blyton but this book opened a whole new world to me and gave me the opportunity to dream... to love magic... and respect bees... This was the book that set me on my reading journey.

The Little White Horse also by Elizabeth Goudge
My best friend lent this to me when I was 11. I fell in love. It inspired me and made my heart sing. As the years went by though I forgot the title and the author. But I never forgot the story. I hunted for it constantly, never quite sure what I was looking for but knowing I'd recognise it when I saw it. Then about three years ago, I was browsing the shelves of the children's' section of the bookstore and this little book caught my eye... Could it be... Could it? It was. The name didn't ring much of a bell but the author's name did. After being out of print for years it had finally been reprinted - and why? Because JK Rowling had said it was the book that most inspired her...

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
Because after reading it for the first time when I was in my mid-twenties, I finally knew what I wanted to do - I wanted to write - for children.

The Tao Te Ching - because it in I find meaning.

Roget's Thesaurus - because as a writer I'd be lost without it.


Now, I'm tagging Wanderlust Scarlett, Vesper, Bonnie, Colleen and Verilion. I would tag that Minx person too, but I know she hates memes... And Debi's just too busy. Sigh. Besides, I suppose I'd better leave some for the rest of you to tag...