Shelby Foote’s trilogy on the Civil War is a good thought; I mean to get around to those someday.

You’re stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be?

Pride and Prejudice by Austen–then I get to recite all those great jokes.

Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character?

I keep telling my husband if he ever kicks off on me I’m marrying either Mr. Knightly or Mr. Darcy. Sometimes Will Ladislaw and Miles Vorkosignan’s dad run a close second tho.

The last book you bought is:

I just ordered two books by Jaques Barzun on Amazon based mostly on stuff I read on Rick Saenz’ website about them. One is “From Dawn to Decadence” and the other is “Simple and Direct.”

What are you currently reading?

“Middlemarch” by George Eliot. It’s my 6th or 7th time thru it and it still is one of the best books I’ve ever read.

The last book you read:

Barbara Kingsolver’s book, “Prodigal Summer.” It was as luscious as I remember it from the first time around when it was published.

Five books you would take to a deserted island:

1. A survivor manual for deserted islands. No cracking coconuts with skates and naming volley balls Wilson for me!
2. The Bible–what Will said.
3. Shelby Foote’s trilogy on the Civil War–they’ve been on my shelf for over a year and I have yet to crack them open even for a peek.
4. Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and Middlemarch–Ok I know it’s three books but if Will gets LOTR then I get to have my three as one.
5. My Pelican Complete Shakespeare–there’s enough there to keep me busy for months.

Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons) and why:

My son’s English teacher because I cant fathom why she’d choosing some of the books she is for a survey course on American Lit.

My husband–He’d probably take engineering manuals and such but it would be good mental exercise for him just trying to remember the last book he read.

Mr. Darcy–Hey, I want to know what we’ll be talking about over tea if I ever do get to marry him!

One of the books was very handsome - the LONDON Book of English Verse. I’ve had the Oxford for years, but could somehow never penetrate it. Too “official”, or fancy, or something. But this really attracted me, and behold! I am (or was/will be) actually reading Milton and Pope and Wordsworth, etc etc. Just thought I’d commend it as an alternative, should you encounter it - the poems are grouped by genre, more or less, which makes for interesting companionships.