A Trip Into My Bookshelves

Jane Sunshine sent me a book meme which resulted in my Monday morning productivity coming to a screeching halt while I spent many delicious minutes doing this.

1. What is the total number of books you've owned?
Over 100. It would be more if I was rolling in ringgit and could buy instead of rent them.

2. What is the last book you bought?
A Gathering of Spirit; A Collection by North American Indian Women. Stumbled on it while pretending to browse the New Age section in Payless Books so I could eavesdrop on a fat man airing his disdain of gays to the cashier. The minute I picked it up, I found myself paying for it.

3. What is the last book you've read?
The Bus Stopped by Tabish Khair. It looked so promising and I was on the waiting list for three months, but it turned out to be a disappointment. This is when I'm grateful for book rentals.

4. What are you currently reading?
A Gathering of Spirit
A lovely collection of short stories and poems from North American Indian Women about their lives, beliefs, struggles and triumphs.

Salina - A. Samad Said
A little simplistic and waffly, but I want to finish it because apparently things start getting interesting after the halfway mark. Plus, each person I mention it to has the same reaction - wide eyes, small gasp and exclamation of 'ooh that book was quite startling!'.

The Quiet American - Graham Greene
Slow moving and rather dry but I'm somehow still interested in finishing it.

Close Range and Other Stories - Annie Proulx
Am halfway through the second story and I love the way she manages to fit so much into so few pages without making the story feel rushed.

Mistress of Spices - Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Just started this yesterday and adore it! If it's not obvious by now, I have a soft spot for Indian writers and New Age stuff.

5. What are the 5 books that have meant a lot to you or that you particularly enjoyed?
A Fortune Teller Told Me - Tiziano Terzani
I have bought a copy for all my bookworm friends. Terzani has a great sense of humour, a razor sharp eye and a gift of description.

I Dreamed of Africa, African Nights & Night Of The Lions - Kuki Gallmann
I'm going to cheat by lumping all these three titles together! I fell in love with Africa and Kuki's writing within the first chapter of I Dreamed of Africa. She writes with such passion and honesty. Even more amazing is that she only started learning English after leaving Italy for Kenya.

City of Beasts - Isabel Allende
The first time I read it before sleeping, I had the most amazing dream and it instantly became my bedtime book. It got to the point where I would slip under the covers in a state of excitement and read a couple of pages before turning out the light. It sounds crazy and I hardly know how to explain it but the dreams I had were nothing liek I've ever had before. I used to wake up euphoric. Obviously, I was heartbroken when I reached the last page!

By The Light of My Father’s Smile, Alice Walker
This book made Alice Walker one of my favourite writers. Two sisters discover sex and love in their own ways but the writing is never crude. She spins their discoveries in a wise, magical, startlingly insightful web.

Bono The Biography, Laura Jackson
I finished this book and thought, when I grow up I want to marry Bono. This was last July. I'm not a big fan of U2, but I would give my right arm to meet Bono. He's the most inspiring celebrity I've read about and it makes me ashamed that I'm not even half as busy as him and I still find excuses to put philantrophy on hold.

6. What book(s) would you wish to buy next?
Light On Life - B.K.S. Iyengar
Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro
Serving With Curry - Amulya Malladi
Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
Teacher Man: A Memoir - Franck McCourt
On Beauty - Zadie Smith

7. What book(s) that caught your attention but never has a chance to read?
The Year of Magical Thinking - Joan Didion
The Line of Beauty - Alan Hollinghurst
Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path To Higher Creativity - Julia Cameron

I somehow can't seem to find them amidst the commercial books. Or maybe I'm not looking hard enough.

8. What book(s) that you've owned for so long but never read it?
Grapes of Wrath - John Steinback
Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
Touching Earth - Rani Manicka
Tibet; My Story - Jetsun Prema

At the beginning of each month, I declare "THIS WILL BE THE MONTH!". At the end of the month, I look desparingly at the untouched books and make my declaration in a louder voice.

9. Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons) and why?
I normally don't force these things on people, but this time I'll give in to my curiosity. Only two people on my list though.
Bibiobibuli - because she has such a diverse and interesting taste in books. (If you've already done it, just point me in the right direction!)
Yasmin Ahmad - because I would love to know her taste in books. Though I doubt she will see this post!