Clay did NOT force me to do this. But I stole the meme from him.

1) Total number of books I’ve owned? I started reading when I was four, and had been collecting books since before then, and I turn 35 in three and a half months, so you do the math. Seriously, I’m a former MS Read-a-thon-er, and total book addict. I did once give my (at the time) mostly-complete collection of Star Trek books to my brother-in-law, but then I started reading TrekFic again, and am once more collecting them. If you’ve seen my reading lists or my book blog, then you can guess at the total. If e-books count, add 10%.

2) The last book I bought?
Well, I just pre-ordered Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, but other than that? I bought the complete works of Poe, a copy of Bulfinch’s Mythology, and a Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (all at the same time) about a week ago, the same day I bought a copy of Murder Ink on ebay. I didn’t time-stamp the purchases though.

3) The last book I read? I’m reading several at once, right now. The most recent book I’ve finished reading is the last in the TNG A Time To… series, A Time for War, A Time for Peace, by Keith R. A. DeCandido.

4) 5 books that mean a lot to me?
– The Earth Knows my Name, by Patricia Klindienst – the as-yet-unpublished book that my aunt is busily revising for her editor. She sent me the most recent draft on CD – it’s about immigrant gardens, and how gardening preserves culture, and everyone needs to go buy it next Spring when it’s available.

– Dakota: A Spiritual Geography, by Kathleen Norris – prairie culture explained. This totally saved my sanity when we lived in SoDak. I can’t say that often enough.

– Fletcher and Zenobia – a children’s book with illustrations by Edward Gorey. I love Edward Gorey. I had a copy of this when I was five, then lost it, and bought a first edition from a rare book seller a few years ago for $62.

– Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, by Judith Viorst – possibly the only children’s book that is better than Winnie the Pooh, it also makes a great monologue. I know, I’ve done it.

– Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott – Because deep down, there’s a part of me that still wants to be Jo March. Well, maybe not so deep down.

5) Tag 5 people and have them fill this out on their journals.
If you’re moved to participate in this meme, hey, cool. If not, also cool. I’m not naming names because I don’t like ordering people around. No, really, I don’t. :)

On the off chance that you DO want to fill this out, here are the questions ONLY, for easier snippage:

1) Total number of books I’ve owned?

2) The last book I bought?

3) The last book I read?

4) 5 books that mean a lot to me?

5) 5) Tag 5 people and have them fill this out on their journals.

It should be noted that if I were to answer the same questions, next year, next month, or even next week, the answers would likely be different. I’m not fickle, I’m mercurial. :)