friday five - From November 23, 2001

1. What was the last book you read? Did you enjoy it?
Late Bloomer, by Melissa Pritchard. At the time that I read it, I was squirmy with discomfort and didn't think I was going to like it. When I finished, I thought I'd liked it in spite of myself. In the intervening time, I've been unable to get it out of my head; I forced it on my friend Fluffy, and dragged [friend] T around Barnes & Noble looking for it. I'm not often affected by books in this way, because I read so much and so quickly. I don't think I'll forget this one.
2. What's your favorite book of all time?
The Brothers K, by David James Duncan. There's never been a book - or even a thing in my life - that I've loved so much as I loved this book. I laughed out loud, and cried hard, and read the last few chapters as slowly as I could manage so that it wouldn't have to end, and cried even harder when it was over, because it was over. Since then, I've given it to anyone I can think of who I care about, who cares about books in the way that I do.
[Incidentally, it's also the prime example of the adage that you can't judge a book by its cover; my only reason for buying the book was the jacket illustration - a bird in a post, and a baseball. Why did I like that? Who knows. But I'm glad I did.]
3. What's the worst book you've ever read?
There are entirely too many nominees for this category, but I'll give a top-3 list:
A. Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson (it's like breathing maple syrup)
B. Theory of Relativity by Jacqueline Mitchard (a "suspense" novel so full of red herrings and triteness that I gag even now to think that I wasted so much time reading it)
C. An Independent Wife by Linda Howard (promotes degradation of women; I would personally burn every copy of this book if I could. If I were the author, I'd buy all copies I could find online and shred them.)
4. What book that you've read would you most like to see adapted into a movie?
The Man Who Wrote the Book, by Erik Tarloff. It would be fucking hilarious. The book made me roar, but in a way that was more like a movie playing in my head than most books are. Genius.
5. How do you plan to spend your weekend?
Doing laundry, pre-packing, making lists - generally, preparing to leave ON WEDNESDAY (hurray!) for Miami. Also, if she can, making Easter roll-out cookies with T. on Saturday.