451 Fridays

451 Fridays is based on an idea from Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. In his novel, a group of people (Bradbury calls them Book People) are trying to keep the ideas found in books alive. Instead of actually saving the books, the Book People each "become" a book - memorizing it, word for word, and passing it down to the next generation.

451 Fridays asks what books you feel passionate about. What book do you think is so important that you would be willing to take on the challenge of "becoming"?


Today, I am lucky to be joined by Lisa Roe, everyone's favorite Online Publicist! Lisa has just recently started her own blog, but has been a part of the book blogging world for much longer. She connects the books she represents with bloggers who would like to review them, and is one of the nicest people you could ever meet. She also just got back from BEA, so the fact that she could put together a 451 list after that weekend is nothing short of amazing! If you would like to see the books she has to offer, visit her blog, OnlinePublicist. Welcome, Lisa!

What 5 books do you believe are important enough to be saved, and why?

I wasn't sure where to go with this at first. I have books sitting in every room of my house, so I took a tour, cup of coffee in hand, and read every spine.

This was also difficult because I felt I was doing a disservice to the books I have yet to read! While at BEA this past weekend, I thought of this challenge Elizabeth had put forth and wondered if any of the books there would one day make it onto someone's 'save' list. I suppose time will tell.

But for the me of the here and now, my list reads like this:

Quarantine by Jim Crace:

I believe Crace to be one of the finest, most beautiful writers of our time. His skill at transporting the reader to the time and place of his creation is unparalleled.

Crace uses science and visceral language to retell the story of Jesus' 40 days and nights of fasting in the Judean desert. While the story focuses on the band of four travelers who have also come to pray in the desert and the evil they encounter along the way, the faint shadow of the Galilean is always off in the distance.


Dr. Seuss's ABC:

I believe Dr. Seuss transcends from page to action quite wonderfully. The words are fun and it could never be acted out in too silly a manner. I think this book would be enormously beneficial in carrying on the memory of writing, in anticipation of its return, and would work as easily for adults as it would children.


Demonology by Rick Moody:

I love short stories so a collection of them had to make their way into my list. Moody is a genius at playing with structure and pushing the limits of form in writing. I was torn between this one and another, but this book contains one of my most favorite short stories of all time: Boys.

The story is one enormous block of writing where every sentence contains some form of the word 'boys'. He completely chronicles the life of a family from infancy to death. By cutting out the nonessentials and focusing on the core intent of each sentence, Moody fashions the timeline and emotion of a complete novel, in just seven pages.


Black Beauty by Anna Sewell:

Purely nostalgic reasons for my choice here. My mom used to read this to me, a chapter or two at a time, before bed, when I was a child. I was so in love with this book. The pages had gold trimmed edges, the cover was leather, and it had a blue, satin ribbon bookmark....attached to it! I had never seen such opulance in a book before.

I would hope that I could retell the story in a way that would recreate the richness and weight of the book I remember.


The Joy of Cooking (75th Anniversary Ed.) by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker:

Absolutely essential for any kitchen! I pick this book up and read through it just to see what I can learn from it.


Of those 5, which book would you choose to "become"?


The Joy of Cooking


This is more than a cookbook. It's a kitchen history. Older editions detail to the little lady how to properly set a table for a variety of functions, cook meat without smudging your lipstick, and get the kiddies off to bed at a decent hour.

I may be exaggerating, but the dozens of rewrites and reprints provide a vivid picture of American history. Not the history you learn about in the classroom, but the history of our familial evolution. The way we used to cook and create and how we do it now, always with a nod towards what was learned in the past.

The guidance, tips, and advice will carry us through a recession with victory gardens, where homemade is essential, to a "pret a manger" lifestyle.

My choice with this also has a lot to do with the cooking/kitchen relationship and the camaraderie it develops. Sitting and talking over recipes, interesting pairings, flops, and successes aids in our development as a social group, the skills for which are quickly being devoured by video games and electronic communication.


Do you have any favorite quotes from that book, so we know why you love it so much?

Tough to pick a quote from a cookbook, but I do have to say that my favorite thought that I glean from the book is that butter is still relevant! And I'm from Wisconsin, so that makes me happy. =)


Lisa, thank you so much for taking the time to share with us YOUR list of books which must be saved.

Do YOU have a list that's just begging to be shared? Send me an email - I'd love to have you join us!