The Stick

I think The Scoplaw has about given up on me, but long ago he hit me with the stick. I was busy, so I let the stick bounce off of me and clatter to the ground where it sat sad and forlorn, probably developing all kinds of complex abandonment issues and other complications that will haunt it for the rest of its days, including the problem of where it can go from here, now that the stick has made many rounds about. Still, I'm very much part of the better late than never stick school, so here goes.

Stick Stuff:

You're stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be?

Although it would be a big task, I'd be one or both of the Tropics—of Cancer and Capricorn, by Henry Miller. I read both books while biking through Europe and found them inspirational and liberating in ways that are hard to describe. For a long while I tried to write like Miller, but it never really worked. He had a unique voice—like Kerouac might have been if he'd gotten out more—and a fascinating life.

Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character?

Too many to count or, unfortunately, remember. Maybe that means the crushes were never really too serious.

The last book you bought is:

I don't think I've bought any books since these. I was in a bookstore yesterday and there were many books that looked great, but I don't want to get my hopes up too high about all the books I'd like to read this summer. There's never as much summer reading time as I think there's going to be...

The last book you read:

Life, the Universe, and Everything by Douglas Adams. I was preparing for watching the Hitchhiker's Guide movie, but now I'm not sure I want to see it. I just can't get excited about it for some reason.

What are you currently reading?

I just started Galapagos, by Kurt Vonnegut, but I'm not sure how far I'll get with it. I'm supposedly participating in a book club that is now reading None to Accompany Me by Nadine Gordimer, but I haven't obtained a copy yet. I'd also like to move Gideon's Trumpet up on my reading list—I just studied Gideon v. Wainwright in Crim Pro and it's basically the case that made my future career possible, so it seems like a logical choice.

Five books you would take to a deserted island:
This is very hard. There are only about two books I've read more than once, so there are no books that come to mind that I'd just love to read over and over again. That said, if I was shipping out today, I'd probably grab:

1. Neuromancer by William Gibson.
2. The Portable Thoreau, which is the only thing I think I ever stole—(ssh!) I had a school copy in high school and never gave it back, kind of on purpose. That was me being civilly disobedient.
3. Maybe Snowcrash by Neil Stephenson, but that might be in competition with Neuromancer for a sci-fi pick.
4. I might cheat a little and take the Norton Anthology of American Literature single volume version because it has so many classics that I'd want to have for reference and reminders of America's good intentions, broken promises, and blatant hypocrisy.
5. Finally, I'd probably grab Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. I really would like to reread that and it would keep me busy for a looong time.

1. Jose, because he leads a fascinating life of travel and adventure and is always reading and/or thinking something interesting.
2. Evan, because he also leads a fascinating life, reads a lot, and clearly does not have enough other things to blog about. ;-)
3. Steve, because I think he's almost done with finals and there's really no better time than that to pick up the stick.

Posted 08:24 PM | Comments (3) | ai books