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jnerges · 04-30-2008, 10:25 PM

Hi All,

I have been following the Music Association Challenge. It has been great fun. The posts are adding up. On my way home from work, I had a thought that is Airstream Related and similar to the Music Association Challenge.

Ever go to somebody's house and check out their book case? It will tell you a lot about them. Lots of adventure books? How to books? Fiction? Biographies?

In our quest to get the world wired, I don't ever see me giving up "books". There have been some books that have really made a difference in my life.

What books have you read that changed/ altered/ adjusted your life in a positive manner. Let me know what it is, I may have read it. Did you have a favorite part?

For example, one of my all time favorite books is Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. I can totally relate the Airstream lifestyle to a guy traveling around the country looking for something or someone.

My favorite part of the book is the Professor's discussion on what Quality is... exactly.

I also loved the Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy, Oh, and Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (I think), they made Apocalypse Now based on it.

I would really love to hear your thoughts

A book that changed your life. If you could only have 10 or 20 books, what would they be?

jnerges · 05-01-2008, 02:43 PM

Actually thought of one more:

Lord Jim. The Movie with Peter O' Toole didn't quite capture it though.

eubank · 05-01-2008, 03:18 PM

Lordy, that's a tough one. Having retired from the university, books were my stock in trade, and there were many hundreds of them. Sure, some stood out a lot, but there were just hordes of them. Plus a bunch of them that had nothing to do at all with univesity life, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance among them.

But life after the university has been a different story, with adjustments all over the place. One thing I've done is to learn a bunch about the southwest, especially Native American country and culture. And the two books that did more than any other in this regard are the following:

Fran Kosik, Native Roads. A really excellent guide for the Airstreamer wandering about the four corners area.

Marc Simmons, New Mexico: An Interpretive History. An extremely well-written and interesting history of the state, commissioned for the bicentennial of the nation.

Lynn

love vintage · 05-03-2008, 05:36 PM

Lord Jim... Conrad???

Born and raised "bookie", have Brownie "book-worm badge" to prove it! Passed on my addiction to both my chidren, who read before kindergarten. Daughter is persuing Masters in English Lit at UNB.

My Dad loved literature and words. We (brother and sister) were raised hearing and reading the words of Ogden Nash, Walt Whitman, Robert Service, Rudyard Kipling etc. etc... Cherish "Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam" - my earliest childhood memory of books.

Would love to have a BOOK site forum. Go for it!

jnerges · 05-03-2008, 10:39 PM

Yep, it was Conrad. The guy didnt even speak English none two gud.

but his words can paint a picture.

So what do AS'ers read other than Airstream Life?

Lord Jim - Google Book Search

love vintage · 05-20-2008, 06:06 PM

Born in the Ukraine, educated is Switzerland, joined French merchant marine and British merchant navy, and his novel was eventually published in English. Counting at least five languages...then the translations, fair interpretation of his orginal manuscript.

As to your comment "What do AS'ers read other than Airstream Life?"

Obviously, literature!
If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

love vintage · 05-22-2008, 05:08 PM

Hey y'all Airstreamers love what they like, and that's all that matters!!!!

N2XBW · 07-08-2008, 11:18 AM

I think I'd want my old boy scout field handbook.

Isadora · 07-08-2008, 01:59 PM

I can't pass up a book store, or bargain shelf on books anywhere, rummage sales and thrift stores included without coming home with an armload of books. In addition to all the reference books (which I won't even count in my 20 list), if we're only taking about fiction and non-fiction autobiographies, etc........I can't decide! I'll have to give it some thought to narrow it down that much.....maybe what I'd take with me to a desert island.....hmm. See ya later when I've thought about it.

love vintage · 07-08-2008, 05:22 PM

Me too, count me in.

In Moncton, every year in May, we have a Book Fair, 3 day event, courtesy of the "University Womens Club". Residents donate books (drop sites are Fire-Stations) and proceeds of sales are returned to the community in the form of scholarships for University students.

Book Fair opens at 6:00 P.M on Thursday. People lined up around the block, try finding a parking spot!

Also host the Northrup Frye festival. We love literature and books!

maxandgeorgia · 07-09-2008, 01:26 PM

Hmmm, Steinbeck's Travels with Charley, one of Helen Hoover's northwoods books, and Olsen's Listening Point, one of our "best scenic drives" books, an Annie Dillard, Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, B. Bowen's North Wood's Alphabet, a volume of best 100 poems or other poetry collection, a journal, pencils, and pastels for my own jotting. There must be hundreds more, but how hard to choose! If I looked through my book cases, I'd make a more particular list of loved, influential books. ~G

jnerges · 07-10-2008, 03:17 AM

One more...

The Confederacy of Dunces.

The guys mother got it published after he committed suicide.

Another one that I really enjoyed was

In Memory of Running.

Smithy and Ignatious had similairities. I liked Smithy much better though.

love vintage · 07-10-2008, 05:49 PM

Not a contender for any literary awards, but if you like a good laugh in the dog days of summer... The Beer Bandit Caper (the Mounties, their man and Mexico's missing Moosehead) author Harvey Sawlor.

Such a comedy of errors, it is side-splitting, laugh out loud, and almost unbelievable. But true.

Have fun, best wishes for a great summer to all!

N2XBW · 07-11-2008, 07:41 AM

My "Desert Island Books" Choices:
1] Raft Building For Dummies
2] Navigation By The Stars
3] Tahiti on 3 Coconuts a Day
4] Signal Fires, And How To Build Them
5] Morse Code With Mirrors
6] How To Choose A Man Friday
7] Boatbuilding From Huge Book Crates Those Dead Guys Left