Thursday, April 10, 2008

Book Tag

High: 52°
Low: 34°
Conditions: Sunny and warm.

We’ve been tagged by our friend Gunner at The Lab Experiment. Here are the rules:
1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.
6. Leave a message at Gunner's blog. (and then insert the next person's name here)

The caninaturalist lives a life surrounded by books. I’m not going to lie: she’s no fan. As far as she is concerned, books are those inexplicable little rectangles that persist in diverting attention away from her. She exhibits only slightly less animosity towards these tomes than she does my laptop. Why I insist on staring at it for hours on end will never make sense to her. The fact that I’m usually using it to write about her is little consolation.

Still, Ari knows a lot about books. When she was a puppy, she loved to chew on them. As an adult, she knows that hiding them is great fun. She picks her volumes based on those that get the most of my attention. So, in deciding which book to pick for Gunner’s tag, I naturally went to my favorites. Most of these are written by beloved nature writers like Janisse Ray and Terry Tempest Williams, Michael Pollan and David Quammen, Scott Russell Sanders and and Ellen Meloy. I love all these books, particularly because they make my time outside with the caninaturalist all the more meaningful.

But when push comes to shove, there’s one book that holds a particularly special place in my heart: James Joyce’s Ulysses.
Maybe it’s because the entire book, set on a single day in June, is also set on my birthday. Maybe it’s because it’s the first book I ever felt bested by. Or the one that continues to challenge and confound me. Or because it shows that the English language has few limits and set my career course as I know it today.

So, Gunner and friends, here’s what’s happening on page 123 of Ulysses. Fellow bloggers, consider yourselves tagged. We can’t wait to see which books you all pick.

He halted on sir John Gray’s pavement island and peered aloft at Nelson through
the meshes of his wry smile.

DIMINISHED DIGITS PROVE TOO TITILLATING FOR
FRISKY FRUMPS. ANNE WIMBLES. FLO WANGLES – YET CAN YOU BLAME THEM?
Onehandedled adulterer, he said smiling grimly. That tickles me, I must say.

15 comments:

Studio Evans said...

K&A, your book meme is pawsome. And that spot by the wood stove looks VERY comfortable indeed!

Gunner

Anonymous said...

You and Ari have the same books as I do!

One of our dogs (the husky, of course) ate only one of the books in our house. I can't remember the author, but the title was "No Bad Dogs." I swear I saw Sasha smiling when she finished chewing...

diane

NAK and The Residents of The Khottage Now With KhattleDog! said...

Guess that makes ANOTHER one my mom will say she should read befur she dies -

So many books, so little time -

She really wants to read Atlas Shrugged - she's heard that it pretty much embodies what she's gone through in the work world - in fakht, someone that worked for her said one of the kharakhters might have BEEN her -

Ari looks so KHOMFY by the wood stove!

Our walk today was in the 70's - YIKES!

Hugz&Pages,
Khyra

Anonymous said...

Best book choice, hands down. Paws down too. Yes I will yes I said yes.

Lorenza said...

Thanks for sharing your meme book tag!
Sure Ari looks comfy there in that spot!
Kisses and hugs
Lorenza

Sid the Dog said...

Mr. Joyce... Ah... Rocky prefers to eat whatever books appear to be delicious. These tomes include works penned by Cesar Milan, Gary Snyder, and a bad erotic short fiction collection that lurked in the lower shelf. What motivates him? J is reading lots of Doris Lessing as of late. And she just watched the Hours and has read Mrs. Dalloway, which owes much to Mr. Joyce and the single day of a character. But she has never read Ulysses, but will probably pick it up thanks to your post. So many good things to read! So little time, particularly in the life of a dog!

-Sid

JB's Big and Small Worlds said...

Great meme. What day in june in the book set on? My mom's b-day is in june too!
--JB

The Army of Four said...

I thought maybe that Ulysses dude was a pup at first. The whole "DIMINISHED DIGITS" part made me think he didn't have opposable thumbs. Stormy straightened me out. She's really smart, you know.
Luv,
Dave

Kathryn and Ari said...

JB et al,
Thanks for the great notes. Bloomsday is June 16th. It's still a huge celebration in Dublin, where thousands of people re-enact scenes of the novel all over town. Some cities in the U.S. have similar celebrations--mostly involving a LOT of Guinness.

H.A. Turbofire, Sibertarian said...

My Human has that same book. She bought it when she was an English major at Mizzou. But she's never actually succeeded in reading it!

Katherine and Pippa said...

Mistress has read that - many years ago. But was very confused (doesn't take much).

I think she needs to start reading again.

I would like a wood-burning stove.

Pippa.

Maverick the Pirate said...

Harrrrr Ari
that sounds like a cool book. Lisa the Mean said she has not read it Harrrr. now she might have to becouse her birthday is in June also.
Cap'n Maverick the Pirate

Steve, Kat, & Wilbur said...

I also get annoyed at Mom and books or Mom and computer. Hello! I'm cute and fluffy! Play with me!

Steve

Anonymous said...

Wow Ari... what a cool tag! I am going to have to do this.
HUgs,
Sitka

Danni said...

Oh! Your cabin looks so cozy. And I recognize that laptop and that power supply. sigh. I used to have one just like that until just last Friday. I really want to know what that picture is over your couch, it isn't revealed in the picture. Oh, and I can't play the game with the book because the book closest to me was something I don't think you'd appreciate me quoting on your family-friendly blog. :-) Or, maybe you would, I dunno.