Book Meme

Thom at Ad Dominum has tagged me a book meme. He likes to tag me for the ones that take some time to answer… Here goes:

One book that changed your life:
The First Life [of Saint Francis of Assisi] by Tomaso de Celano. If you haven’t read it yet you really should. It would make for a great Lenten read, as would Celano’s The Life of St. Clare, Virgin.

One book that you’ve read more than once:
Man at Play: Or Did You Ever Practice Eutrapelia? by Hugo Rahner (Karl’s older – and more easily understood – brother). This is a fantastic look at the theological and philosophical realities of play. Josef Pieper’s In Tune with the World: A Theory of Festivity goes right along these same lines, and is one I’ve read more than once.

One book you’d want on a desert island:
Given the usual wording is missing (“you can have only one”) this one isn’t so difficult to answer. Among the books I would have with me on said desert island would be Sir Thomas Malory’s Morte d’Arthur. You have to have something to pass the time.

One book that made you laugh:
In Praise of Folly by Desiderius Erasmus. There’s nothing finer than a dry, sarcastic wit!

One book that made you cry:
I can’t think of one, really. I think I almost cried when reading Rich Mullins: An Arrow Pointing to Heaven by James Bryan Smith.

One book that you wish had been written:
Night Truly Blest: Reflections of the Exultet, so I would already be finished with it.

One book that you wish had never been written:
Oh, pick one by Martin Luther. Incidentally, if you haven’t read him yet you ought too, even if only to realize how very illogical and contradictory his argumentation is.

One book you’re currently reading:
The Complete Tales and Poems of Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne. I saw it in the store one day and realized I’d never actually read them and thought I should.

One book you’ve been meaning to read:
The Fulfillment of All Desire by Ralph Martin. You can also pick a great many of the literary classics to answer this question.

Now tag five people:
Ellen, From Across the Net;
Esther, A Catholic Mom in Hawaii;
Peter at Utter Muttering;
Sr. Mary Martha of Ask Sister Mary Matha (who, by the way, now wears a Santa hat);
and Daniel at Ride of Rohirrim (maybe this will get him back to blogging again).