a long forgotten bookmark

Ok, I got tagged with one of these Meme blogger thingys. I'm new at this, so I'm not sure how to act. But shitchya, I'll give it go. Thanks to J.C. the Super-Genius for tagging me with this.

How many books do you own?

Hundreds, possibly over a grand. Seven floor-to-ceiling bookcases, plus misc. books stored in boxes. Many of which came from my late father-in-law, who was a book collector. Lots of leatherbound Easton Press editions from him.

What is the last book you bought?

Made a trip to Borders about a week ago or so, picked up Jacob Slichter's So You Wanna Be A Rock & Roll Star and Mark Dunn's Ella Minnow Pea. Both very good and read in the same night.

What is the last book you read?

Read The Stories Of John Cheever the other night. First time ever reading anything by him, very satisfying short stories.

Name five books that mean a lot to you.

The Lathe Of Heaven by Ursula LeGuin. Probably the first 'adult' themed book I read on my own during my youth. Goes beyond 'sci-fi', makes you reconsider your ideas on a 'perfect' society.

The Gunslinger by Stephen King. Epic, poetic, gritty, and magical. To the point I would hope they never make a movie out of this one. (unless David Lynch does it)

Mefisto In Onyx by Harlan Ellison. Hard to pick just one of his, but I always go back to this one. It's also available in his collection Slippage. An honest, in-your-face, character driven story. A style of storytelling that I cannot get enough of.

Das Boot by Lothar Gunther Buchheim. An extremely visceral 'you-are-there' account of life on a German U-Boat. Much more personal than the movie.

Concrete comic series by Paul Chadwick. Beautiful art, fantastic storytelling. A real anti-superhero story. A meek speech writer obtains a body of solid rock and superhuman-type abilities. But the 'real' world doesnt seem to have a need or a place for him. Very thoughtful and sometimes provoking.

Ok...I guess that's about it. I'll pass this along to my blogger friends. (as soon as I get some).