Book Survey
1. One book that changed your life: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. The main character is me, a shy, quiet, studious girl, which was so comforting when I was surrounded by the complete superficiality that is Northville High School.
2. One book that you've read more than once: The Shell Seekers. It's a quasi-romance novel- very long- but set in England, so somehow seems more posh, less cheesy. But it has all the perks of Joan Collins book: deception, betrayl, jet-setting to Greek isles, revenge, and fighting over a will. It's perfect, every single time. And there's a BBC series about it starring Angela Landsbury.
3. One book you’d want on a desert island: Hmm...well probably something that would take me a looooong time to completely understand, like Gringo Viejo by Carlos Fuentes...in Spanish. That would keep me busy for a while, since I didn't really understand it in English. But I would definitely need a Spanish-English dictionary or I might go crazy on the island and start talking to a volley ball.
4. One book that made you laugh: The Nanny Diaries. I know it's popular chick-lit (whatever that means) but I could completely relate to seeing a marriage break down while babysitting. I once witnessed a major argument conducted over the family's home intercom system. I was forced to pretend to be really interested in their cookbook selection.
5. One book that made you cry: I don't remember the last book that made me cry. I think it was probably Savage Inequalities by Jonathan Kozol, because anything that reminds me of how hard life is for some of my students makes me cry. (Fact: Jonathan Kozol got a Rhodes scholarship to Magdalen college at Oxford. That is my nerdy dream scholarship!! I had to sneak into Magdalen when I was there, since they're all too good for Hertford).
6. One book that you wish had been written: I wish Jane Austen had written one book about what happened after the "happily ever after." Even that long ago, every story ended with marriage.
7. One book that you wish had never been written: I don't know...Mein Kampf?
8. One book you’re currently reading: Any Place I Hang My Hat by Susan Isaacs.
9. One book you’ve been meaning to read: Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro.
1 comment:
Hey Nicole,
I know leaving a comment on your online diary is an imperfect way of getting ahold of you, but I'm afraid I don't have your email address any more. Nor do I know, for that matter, which of these posts is the most recent. Anyway, I know it's been two years and all since you've heard from me -- Katy keeps me updated on your blog entries since I'm not much of a blog reader myself, but that's not the same -- but I wanted to say hello at least, and that I still think of you. You said in one of your old posts (though maybe it was years ago now) that you missed ECM, and I thought I'd let you know that ECM still misses you, too.
Send me an email if you'd like -- ablangan@gmail.com. I hope all's well.
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