The Bookshelf Meme

I’ve been tagged!  Carrie at Reading to Know tagged me for the Bookshelf Meme.  I’ve never been tagged before (at least not that I know of), so of course I have to play along.  This one really is my cup of tea, so that’s a bonus!

Here goes:

Tell me about the book that’s been on your shelves the longest. . .

Hmmm. . . this is a tough one.  I really don’t know.  I’m thinking of an Illustrated Junior Library Edition of The Wizard of Oz in which my mother inscribed inside “Amy ——- from Jennifer——– 7th birthday.”  I’d be very hard pressed to say this is THE book that has been on my shelf the longest, but it would definitely be one of the oldest.  And to think I’ve never read it!  (Shame on me.)

Tell me about a book that reminds you of something specific in your life (i.e. a person, a place, a time, etc.). . .

This one is much easier.  I have several books that were given to me as gifts over the years, but one really stands out in my mind.  The summer that Steady Eddie and I met and began dating, I went on a mission trip to New Mexico and Arizona.  Now, mind you, I was VERY hesitant to call him my boyfriend for a very long time (like until we were engaged almost, to the amusement of my friends and family), but I have to admit that even I found it extremely romantic and thoughtful that he bought, wrapped, and gave me a book to open when we got to New Mexico.  I had just graduated from college at the beginning of the summer, so the world was my oyster.  The book?  You’re Only Old Once!:  A Book for Obsolete Children by Dr. Seuss.  I’m not sure what he was trying to tell me, but anyway, I took it as the sweet, sweet gesture that it was and married the guy a short but fun two years later.

Tell me about the most recent addition to your shelves. . .

Honestly, I don’t buy a lot of books.  I used to spend a lot of money on books, but going to library school taught me that libraries exist  and that using them is a great way to save money (duh!  obviously, working at one for five years during undergraduate school had failed to teach  me this).  Couple that with a transition from being DINKS (double income, no kids) to being essentially SITKS (single income, two kids–I know, I know–this one doesn’t work as well), and I make ample use of the local libraries.  If they don’t have it, I order it through interlibrary loan.  Still, though, there are books that you just have to buy.  I know this.  Also, we have a great used bookstore that takes books on trade-in.  We took huge plastic tub of books over (mostly my husband’s, I’ll confess) and I got over $100 worth of credit.  I did pick up a few books that day, so they are the newest addition to my library.  I suspect that most of these will probably go back to the bookstore after I read them.

Tell me about a book that has been with you the most places. . .

This is a tough one because I don’t have one particular book, excepting my Bible,  that I take with me ‘most everywhere I go.  I guess that means that my answer to this question is the Bible.  I think it was this Bible that I took with me to Europe, the furthest I’ve ever been from home:

Tell me about a bonus book that doesn’t fit any of the above questions. . .

I have had Les Miserables on my mind for a while now.  I’ve even purchased my own (unabridged!) copy to read.  I have a self-imposed deadline of late summer for this book, since Steady Eddie and I are planning to see Les Mis on stage.  However, since I know it is the Classics Bookclub selection for March over at 5 Minutes for Books, I’ve backed my deadline up.  I really need to get started, but I’m just a little intimidated.

That’s it.  Now I’m supposed to tag a few other bloggers.  I only know a few other book bloggers so far, so I am essentially tagging women I really don’t even know.   I’ve been enjoying their blogs, though, so maybe they’ll take it as a compliment and play along if they want.  I tag the following bloggers:

• Joyfully Retired
• Across the Page
• Olive Tree

Ladies, should you choose to accept this challenge, these are the rules:

1. Tag 3-5 people, so the fun keeps going!
2. Leave a comment at the original post at A Striped Armchair, so that Eva can collect everyone’s answers.
3. If you leave a comment and link back to Eva as the meme’s creator, she will enter you in a book giveaway contest! She has a whole shelf devoted to giveaway books that you’ll be able to choose from, or a bookmooch point if you prefer.
4. Remember that this is all about enjoying books as physical objects, so feel free to describe the exact book you’re talking about, down to that warping from being dropped in the bath water…
5. Make the meme more fun with visuals! Covers of the specific edition you’re talking about, photos of your bookshelves, etc.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I have!

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