hummingwolf: Snowflake-like kaleidoscope images (Kaleidocoolth)
hummingwolf ([personal profile] hummingwolf) wrote2005-01-19 12:00 pm
Entry tags:

Misbegotten

First of all: It's snowing! And I can't see it because the storm windows are fogged up. Phooey.

Second: I was thinking about my book collection again. You see, I inherited all of my parents' books; my parents inherited my father's parents' books; and my father's parents inherited books from book collectors who happened to live on the same street. Add in the fact that everyone in this chain bought books of their own, and you'll understand that there are a lot of books involved here.

Exactly how many books there are is something no-one can be sure of. When I first moved into a rented room, it was obvious that all my books had to go elsewhere, so they are now stored in many boxes in another part of the state. (If they were close by, then I would sell many of them on eBay, as there's certainly something of value in there that I don't really want to read. But I digress.) The part that frightens me is that, though my brother is close enough to them to know how many boxes of books there are, the number of boxes has increased dramatically through the years. The only possible explanations are (1) my brother exaggerates the number a bit more with each telling, or (2) the books are breeding. Since my brother would tell you that he never exaggerates, well, the resulting collection must have gotten interesting.

Many of the books are either self-help books or science books. As some of you already know, I can't wait to read my fresh young copy of How to Win Friends and Influence the Origin of Species!

Was idly wondering how well Dune would get along with The Book of Mormon. Then thoughts of a eugenics book from the 1920s intruded. Eep. But suddenly I thought of a more disturbing scenario--Dune gets together with one of the many Amway books. The Kwisatz Haderach would like to tell you about a business opportunity...

The two authors I've bought the most books by are C.J. Cherryh and C.S. Lewis. Was wondering how well their books would get along, but realized that Till We Have Faces and Rusalka would have much to talk about.

How well would Invisible Man by H.G. Wells and Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison get along? Speaking of Ellisons, Ralph and Harlan would make an interesting combination.

Oh, Douglas Adams and Laura Ingalls Wilder--Little House at the End of the Universe.

I'm trying to think of who the old copy of The Handbook of Chemistry and Physics would socialize with. Any suggestions? I have the feeling that it would be mocking the 1909 Science-History of the Universe while A Brief History of Time was snickering in the corner.

Though Dad was a lifelong Republican, his girlfriend talked about Al Gore's book a lot and I suspect there's a copy of it around somewhere, but who would hang out with it?

Plato's Republic and Orwell's Animal Farm--catfight!

The Screwtape Letters and The Devil's Dictionary might get along less well than you'd think.

Which is the more likely result from a meeting of Austen and Dostoevsky: Crime and Prejudice or Pride and Punishment?

So many bad jokes can be made about the Melville. I will not say anything about crosses with inspirational books, so you won't be hearing about The Power of Positive Dick.

There are L. Ron Hubbard books. I hope they don't breed with anybody.

The Odyssey would be interesting crossed with pretty much any SF book, really. And you know Odysseus would get along well with Huckleberry Finn, though cultural differences could confuse things.

The Lion, The Witch, and The Last of the Mohicans?

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Chips.

Do Androids Dream of the Federalist Papers?

The Joy of Sex in Wonderland. No comment.

[identity profile] speck.livejournal.com 2005-01-19 05:05 pm (UTC)(link)
The Handbook of Chemistry and Physics - with - Anarchist's Cookbook?
ext_3407: squiggly symbol floating over water (Cuddly plush toy)

[identity profile] hummingwolf.livejournal.com 2005-01-19 09:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, Anarchist's Cookbook is one I don't own. At least, I don't remember owning it. There are plenty of other cookbooks in the collection though. If they mated with the Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, it... would explain my father's cooking, actually.

[identity profile] nalidoll.livejournal.com 2005-01-19 05:11 pm (UTC)(link)
hah!

you so rock... this is the best thing i've read in awhile.

not only did i get to start my day (as i face the Listing of To-Do Stuff) with a smile, but part of my tasks include sorting my books. the almost-random order my bookshelves are about to find themselves reassembled into will have you and my mad snickering to thank.
ext_3407: squiggly symbol floating over water (Iterations in green and gold)

[identity profile] hummingwolf.livejournal.com 2005-01-19 09:48 pm (UTC)(link)
It pleases me muchly to know that I have had some influence on Dolliworld.
ext_1310: (sassy)

[identity profile] musesfool.livejournal.com 2005-01-19 05:25 pm (UTC)(link)
I will not say anything about crosses with inspirational books, so you won't be hearing about The Power of Positive Dick.

Hee!

*is 12*
ext_3407: squiggly symbol floating over water (8 months)

[identity profile] hummingwolf.livejournal.com 2005-01-19 09:46 pm (UTC)(link)
I didn't say that! I very definitely on purpose did not say that. It's not fair for you to read my thoughts!

Sure, fine, I was the one foolish enough to type my thoughts out so you could read them. Shame on me.

(Am pretty sure you overestimated the age there.)
ext_1310: (sassy)

[identity profile] musesfool.livejournal.com 2005-01-20 09:19 pm (UTC)(link)
I didn't say that! I very definitely on purpose did not say that.

It's right there in black and white, babe. I don't think you can shimmy out of this one.

(Am pretty sure you overestimated the age there.)

heh.
ext_3407: Dandelion's drawing of a hummingwolf (Hummingwolf by Dandelion)

[identity profile] hummingwolf.livejournal.com 2005-01-20 09:55 pm (UTC)(link)
I did not say it. Those words never left my mouth.

I typed them, though, which was bad enough
ext_1310: (Default)

[identity profile] musesfool.livejournal.com 2005-01-24 05:43 am (UTC)(link)
I typed them, though, which was bad enough

Exactly! I'm just responding to what you said! I'm not taking the blame for this one. *g*
ext_3407: Dandelion's drawing of a hummingwolf (Hummingwolf by Dandelion)

[identity profile] hummingwolf.livejournal.com 2005-01-24 12:19 pm (UTC)(link)
I very specifically said in the entry that I wasn't going to say what you say I said. Sheesh.

:-P

::is 6::

[identity profile] mystified13.livejournal.com 2005-01-19 06:02 pm (UTC)(link)
"How To Influence The Dune Messiah"
ext_3407: Dandelion's drawing of a hummingwolf (Hummingwolf by Dandelion)

[identity profile] hummingwolf.livejournal.com 2005-01-19 09:45 pm (UTC)(link)
That could work too. You definitely want to know how to exert some influence over him if he's become an Amway distributor.

[identity profile] darth-spacey.livejournal.com 2005-01-19 06:51 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't have a huge book-sorting problem (well, I have a lot of books, but I know where each of them is by instinct, and that's good enough for me). I *do* have a half-high bookshelf full of DVDs that are in no particular order. All the BTVS and BTVS alumni stuff is kinda clustered together, and sequels are next to originals, but that's about it.
ext_3407: squiggly symbol floating over water (Kaleidocoolth)

[identity profile] hummingwolf.livejournal.com 2005-01-19 09:44 pm (UTC)(link)
All the books are way out of reach now, so I have no idea how to find any of them! ::sigh::

My books here are organized alphabetically by author, for the most part. Trying to arrange them any other way would hurt my brain.

[identity profile] lootsfoz.livejournal.com 2005-01-19 07:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Brilliant post, CB.



ext_3407: squiggly symbol floating over water (Cuddly plush toy)

[identity profile] hummingwolf.livejournal.com 2005-01-19 09:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you, Loots!

[identity profile] unwilly.livejournal.com 2005-01-19 09:18 pm (UTC)(link)
"I can't wait to read my fresh young copy of How to Win Friends and Influence the Origin of Species!"

Me neither!

Post of the day
ext_3407: Dandelion's drawing of a hummingwolf (Hummingwolf by Dandelion)

[identity profile] hummingwolf.livejournal.com 2005-01-19 09:41 pm (UTC)(link)
That still is the bookspawn I look forward to most.

[identity profile] cutedeadgirl.livejournal.com 2005-01-19 10:23 pm (UTC)(link)
There are L. Ron Hubbard books. I hope they don't breed with anybody.

I hope so too... However, I think I would like to see this Plato's Republic and Orwell's Animal Farm fight.
ext_3407: Dandelion's drawing of a hummingwolf (Hummingwolf by Dandelion)

[identity profile] hummingwolf.livejournal.com 2005-01-20 09:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Me too! There are probably some science fiction books who would join in the fray, but I think the Orwell & the Plato can be plenty entertaining without help.

[identity profile] alexandralynch.livejournal.com 2005-01-20 02:55 pm (UTC)(link)
(snickering) This is fabulous. Thank you.
ext_3407: squiggly symbol floating over water (Cuddly plush toy)

[identity profile] hummingwolf.livejournal.com 2005-01-20 09:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Why, thank you!

::curtsy::

[identity profile] flewellyn.livejournal.com 2005-01-22 10:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Right! You're friended now.

This is classic.
ext_3407: squiggly symbol floating over water (8 months)

[identity profile] hummingwolf.livejournal.com 2005-01-23 04:01 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you! I should warn you, though, that I'm frequently not very interesting. My next post will in fact probably consist of quiz results and computer-generated nonsense poetry. (Some people love the generated nonsense, but there's a reason I use cut-tags for those posts.)