12.09.2010

Thursday Book Questions: The Wrap-Up

[Tomorrow at noon, the drawing for my friend Annie's books closes! I'll be tracking down that random number generator and choosing winners. If you haven't entered yet, you can do so by commenting here.]

Last week, we closed off the Thursday Book Questions meme with five of the most personal questions we'd come across. Books we've been avoiding (sometimes because they're intimidating or tragic; sometimes, as jana.kaye with Marilynne Robinson's Home, because we just needed the time to really absorb it.) Books that made us angry—theological works were mentioned more than once (favorite answer, from George: "...heresy and apostasy give me tummy aches." Me, too.)

There were books that we didn't expect to like but did, or thought we would like and then didn't (Harry Potter got mentioned on both sides, and then we had some back and forth on Katherine Paterson's Bridge to Terabithia, which I haven't read since fifth grade. Maybe I should make an experimental re-read out of it.) Lastly, we talked about our favorite pleasure reading, which was fun, and as there were too many to list, I'll just say: if you're looking for fun stuff to read, check out the comments.

Also, commenter Donna has promised to respond as soon as she can. :)

Thanks to everyone who participated! If you haven't, it's never too late, of course.

My problem now: What to do with Thursdays? Today, at least, I'm going to ask you a question: What habits, phrases, or idiosyncrasies have crept out of a book and into your life?

My answer will be in the comments. Feel free to either put yours there or write your own blog-post on the subject and link back.

7 comments:

  1. Two words: "Merciful goodness!" This, if I remember correctly, is what Diana Barry's Aunt Josephine says when Anne and Diana wake her by jumping into the spare room bed. (The book, for anyone who doesn't know: Anne of Green Gables.)

    I also talk like Dobby sometimes, usually when I'm just speaking out loud to no one in particular. Well, no one who is going to hear me. "Jenna is tired, Harry Potter, sir."

    Less explicable is my occasional tendency to use Gollumspeak... I wish I could stop. :P "We wants it, oh we wants it..." But I DO stop before I get to the word preciousssss. I have boundaries.

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  2. So many from "Stranger in a Strange Land"..phrases like "brightly, brightly, and with beauty", "waiting is" (actually lots of things followed by "is"). Not "grok" though, that one bothers me.

    And "crunchings and munchings" from the Prydain series, which is an amazing little series of books.

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  3. Gollumspeak is good though. It shows the hidden desires of our heart, our most real feelings. ;)

    I tend to use it myself at times. But then I have a mishmash of various phrases from movies, TV shows, & books that form much of my speaking. I have tried to give up some things from A Clockwork Orange although they do occasionally slip out.

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  4. Hmm, all that I can think of at the moment is Pollyanna's glad game. :)

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  5. Masha, I really ought to read the Prydain books. I hear such good things about them.

    George... LOL. Next time I am tempted to say "we wants it", I will think very hard about my hidden desires. :P

    Rachelynn, I love the Glad game! Totally forgot about that one.

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  6. I think I learned from LOTR the habit of writing obsessively and relentlessly; probably no other book but the Scriptures has had such an influence over my life.

    From 'Smith of Wooten Major' I learned how to seek after wonder. From 'The Golden Key,' (Smith's sister-story) I learned how to find it.

    And, yes, I can't seem to get through the day without an aptly placed Homestar Runner and/or Princess Bride quote.

    'Ow, hot soup is on my eyes!'

    'I can do it. I can do it nine times.'

    'Yeah, you're very smart. Shut up.'

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  7. Mr. Pond, LOL. Awesome quotes.

    I learned about seeking after wonder from a George MacDonald book, the title of which I can't remember offhand. It's a good lesson. :)

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