A book? A meme.

I have always been a voracious reader. As a kid, I snuck into my walk-in closet to read when I was supposed to be asleep. (I haven’t had to do that in a long time.) In the past six months, however, I have read fewer books than in any six month period that I can remember. So, it seems ironic that Barry would tag me for a book meme now, but here goes :

1. A book that changed my life.
Defensible Space, by Oscar Newman. Does good architectural design powerfully affect human lives? Of course it does. Newman’s 1973 book described an approach to the design of urban housing – particularly public housing – that fosters in residents a sense of ownership of, and therefore responsibility for, the buildings in which they live, and the outdoor spaces nearby. I read this book the year before I started grad school in architecture, and arrived at school knowing that I wanted to design affordable housing.

2. A book I have read more than once.
Coming Home to Eat: The Pleasures and Politics of Local Food, by Gary Paul Nabhan. I wrote about this book when I began the Eat Local Challenge.

3. A book I would want on a desert island.
A Pattern Language, by Christopher Alexander et al. I’ve written about this book before, too.

4. A book that made me laugh.
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents America (The Book): A Citizen’s Guide to Democracy Inaction by (duh!) Jon Stewart and the Writers of the Daily Show. This book made my husband laugh so hard that he cried, but for me there were no tears, just laughter.

5. A book that made me cry.
A Lesson Before Dying, by Ernest J. Gaines. I reached the end of this powerful book on the descent of my second flight to Seattle, in December, 1995. I remember sitting in the airplane, still darkened save for a smattering of reading lights, sobbing quietly as I read the last score of pages.

6. A book I wish I had written.
The American Dream Come True: How the United States Ended Homelessness. Obviously, it’s not a real book, but I do wish I could have written it. Maybe someday…

7. A book I wish had never been written.
The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.

8. A book I am currently reading.
The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, by Michael Pollan. After posing the question,”What should we have for dinner?” Pollan follows four meals back to their sources.

9. A book I’ve been meaning to read.
Oh, the list is so long! Here’s one: Islam: A Short History by Karen Armstrong.

10. Tag five other people.
I’ll follow Barry’s practice, and ask a few folks privately if they would like to play. Or, if you’d like, feel free to join in, and let me know you have.