The One Book List: What Single Book Was For You the Most Influential Book You Have Read?

One of the first lists I ever saw online was the One Book List.

Way back in 1994, in the early days of the Internet, Paul Phillips posted a message to the Usenet group rec.arts.books that said:

"My proposal is this: I would like for each of you to decide on a single book that you would most like for the world to read for inclusion in the list. The book that, for you, was the most influential, or thought-provoking, or enjoyable, or moving, or philosophically powerful, or deep in some sense you cannot properly define, or any other criteria you wish to set.

I will include your name and email address, along with any commentary you care to include on why you chose this book above all others."

Lots and lots of people replied to Phillips' message, and, over time, the One Book List was formed.

Of course, that was long ago, and the information about the One Book List is only available now through the Wayback Machine here. The One Book List itself can be found here.

I often paged through the list back in the 90s when I was looking for a good book. The wisdom of the crowd is an excellent way to find the best of anything, I think.

So, my question to you today: What single book was for you the most influential, or thought-provoking, or enjoyable, or moving, or philosophically powerful, or deep in some sense that you cannot properly define, or any other criteria you wish to set? 

I'd love to hear any commentary you care to include on why you chose this book above all others.

Wondrous Words: The Guns of August: War Words

 

I've never experienced war.

I know almost nothing about battles. 

And I'm not sure I could figure out how to fire a gun.

Since April, I've been reading Barbara Tuchman's Pulitzer Prize-winning book, The Guns of August.

The Guns of August tells the story of the outbreak of World War I. It's absolutely mesmerizing to read, seeing the lies told by the Germans to justify their invasion of their fellow Europeans, the brutality of the Germans as they occupy and take over other countries, as well as the missteps of the unprepared Belgians and French and British and Russians.

It's also been a vocabulary-enriching experience to read this book. I've learned lots of war words. Some of these I've heard and I had a vague idea of what was meant, but none were clear to me before I read this book.

corps. a main subdivision of an armed force in the field, consisting of two or more divisions.

regiment. a permanent unit of an army typically commanded by a colonel and divided into several companies, squadrons, or batteries and often into two battalions.

platoon. a subdivision of a company of soldiers, usually forming a tactical unit that is commanded by a lieutenant and divided into several sections.

division. a group of army brigades or regiments.

flank. the right or left side of a body of people such as an army, a naval force, or a soccer team.

pennon. a long triangular or swallow-tailed flag, especially one of a kind formerly attached to a lance or helmet; a pennant.

front. the foremost line or part of an armed force; the furthest position that an army has reached and where the enemy is or may be engaged.

shrapnel. fragments of a bomb, shell, or other object thrown out by an explosion.

bayonet. a blade that may be fixed to the muzzle of a rifle and used to stab an opponent in hand-to-hand fighting.

artillery. large-caliber guns used in warfare on land.

billet. lodge (soldiers) in a particular place, especially a civilian's house or other nonmilitary facility.

infantry. soldiers marching or fighting on foot; foot soldiers collectively.

Even if you are like me and you know little to nothing about war, reading The Guns of August put me right there with the generals making the decisions, with the soldiers in the trenches. I marveled at the ability of author Barbara Tuchman to tell this powerful story.

Wondrous Words Wednesday is a weekly meme where you can share new words that you’ve encountered, or spotlight words you love.  Feel free to get creative! It was first created by Kathy over at Bermuda Onion and is now hosted at Elza Reads.

Favorite Places to Read

I would read in a comfy chair,

And I would read at a book fair.

I would read in my lighted bed.

I'd read in a cornfield---See my head?

I'd read at the library like when I was small.

I would read at a bookstore---I love them all!

I'd read with a friend among the flowers.

I'd read on my front porch for hours and hours.

I'd read in a box or with a fox...with a mouse or in a house...I'd read here or there...

Bookstore...on the floor...comfy chair...bookfair---I love to read anywhere!

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Each Tuesday That Artsy Reader Girl assigns a topic and then post her top ten list that fits that topic. You’re more than welcome to join her and create your own top ten (or 2, 5, 20, etc.) list as well. Feel free to put a unique spin on the topic to make it work for you! Please link back to That Artsy Reader Girl in your own post so that others know where to find more information.

Back from Waco and Off to Big Sandy!

  

The Wine Shoppe in Waco, Texas

We stayed with my sister and her husband last weekend at their place in Waco. We enjoyed an amazing meal with my nephew and his family. We visited Magnolia for the first time. We went to a great farmer's market. We popped into an incredible bookstore, Fables. My husband and brother-in-law golfed. And we sampled fabulous natural wines at my nephew's wine shop, The Wine Shoppe in Waco. 

This weekend we are off to see our son's new place in Big Sandy, Texas. We are terribly excited...we will meet a wonderful new person who has just joined our family...I promise to  tell you all about her next week!

The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman (Nonfiction)  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

La Vache Orange (The Orange Cow) by Nathan Hale (Picture Book in French)  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Marlaguette by Marie Colmont (Picture Book in French) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

A Hundred Million Francs by Paul Berna (1001 Children's Book)  ⭐⭐⭐

Elizabeth and Her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim (Fiction)

Ten Stories by Katherine Mansfield (Short stories)

Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë (Fiction)

A World on the Wing: The Global Odyssey of Migratory Birds by Scott Wiedensaul (Nonfiction)

The Art of Eating by M.F.K. Fisher (Nonfiction)

Thunder and Lightning: Cracking Open the Writer's Craft by Natalie Goldberg (Nonfiction)

Last week I made a list of my favorite minor book characters here.

I shared a post about a visit to a fair of hand-decorated campers here.

Good Thing #1

Our Y is reopening!

It has been closed for nine months.

We thought it might never open again.

Good Thing #2

Our hairdresser got the vaccine.

She had been reluctant to get it.

We told her about our experience.

She got the vaccine the same week.

Good Thing #3

I am grateful for each of you who visits my blog,

for each of you who leaves a comment,

for each of you who joins in the Sunday Salon.

Thank you for being a Good Thing in my life.

I'm happy you joined us here at the Sunday Salon. Sunday Salon is a place to link up and to share what we have been doing during the week. It's a great way to visit other blogs and join in the conversations going on there. 

Some of the things we often talk about at the Sunday Salon:

• What was your week like?
• Read any good books? Tell us about them.
• What other bookish things did you do? 
• What else is going on in your life?

Other places where you may like to link up over the weekend are below. Click on the picture to visit the site.

        

My linkup for Sunday Salon is below. 

Hand-Decorated Campers

At the Warrenton, Texas antiques fair in 2019. 

Which one would you choose?

For more information about these hand-decorated campers, see Glitzy Glampers FB page.

Minor Book Characters I Love

10. Mma Makutsi in

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series

Mma Makutsi scored an astounding 97% at

Botswana Secretarial College,

but she longs to be more than just a secretary

at a detective agency.

9. The Little Seamstress

from Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress

Luo finds a stash of illegal classical novels

during Mao's Cultural Revolution

and shares them with an uneducated tailor's daughter,

changing the lives of everyone in the story.

8. Manny Rat, Muskrat, and C. Serpetina from 

The Mouse and His Child

Lots of wonderful minor characters in this

classic story of a mouse and his son

who seek to find a way to

become self-winding.

7. The Family and the Animals from

My Family and Other Animals

by Gerald Durrell

Who is zanier? Durrell's family

or the animals they take on as pets

during the five years they live

on a Greek island.

6. Julia from

Julie and Julia

You get to know Julia Child

quite well as Julie

attempts to cook something every day from

Child's brilliant Mastering the Art

of French Cooking.

5. The Dead Wife from

The Photograph

His wife is long dead,

yet she becomes a fascinating character

in this novel about how a man's

perception of his wife changes

upon discovering an old photograph of her.

4. The Office from

Then We Came to the End

Like many good books,

the setting becomes a strong

minor character in this novel that tells the story of

the struggles of a group of people

in an anonymous office

that is having great troubles of its own.

3. Ludo from

Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont

Mrs. Palfrey moves down in life

to live at the once-reputable Claremont.

She meets a young struggling writer

who brightens her bleak life.

2. Turtle Wexler,

 Flora Baumbach, Christos Theodorakis, 

Denton Deere, J.J. Ford, Alexander McSouthers,

Grace Wexler, James Hoo, Berthe Erica Crowe,

Otis Amber, Douglas Hoo, Theo Theodorakis,

Sydelle Pulaski, Angela Wexler, Sandy Hoo, Jake Wexler

from The Westing Game

 

Sixteen potential heirs try to solve the mystery of

who killed Samuel Westing.

 

1. Lula, Ranger, and Grandma Mazur in

the Stephanie Plum mystery series

You just have to love these

ridiculous minor characters

in this little mystery series.

(Reposted from May of 2011)

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. Each Tuesday That Artsy Reader Girl assigns a topic and then post her top ten list that fits that topic. You’re more than welcome to join her and create your own top ten (or 2, 5, 20, etc.) list as well. Feel free to put a unique spin on the topic to make it work for you! Please link back to That Artsy Reader Girl in your own post so that others know where to find more information.

The Nature of Oaks; The Guns of August; and The Art of Eating...Plus 32 Species of Butterflies

  

I love doing Paris in July every year. You know I do. But there is something wonderful about moving into August and dropping the theme...reading whatever you feel like reading.

The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Tree 

by Douglas W. Tallamy 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid 

⭐⭐

The Nature of Oaks is (literally) everything you didn't realize you wanted to know about the humble oak tree in America. I loved it, but I'm a tree person, and, if you are not, you might pass on it.

Warning: I really didn't like Malibu Rising. Really, really didn't like. I hate posting a negative review, but if you want to read my thoughts, my review for Malibu Rising is here. 

 

   

Elizabeth and Her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim (Fiction)

Ten Stories by Katherine Mansfield (Short stories)

Agnes Grey by Anne Brontë (Fiction)

A World on the Wing: The Global Odyssey of Migratory Birds by Scott Wiedensaul (Nonfiction)

The Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuchman (Nonfiction)

A Hundred Million Francs by Paul Berna (Children's book)

The Art of Eating by M.F.K. Fisher (Nonfiction)

Thunder and Lightning: Cracking Open the Writer's Craft by Natalie Goldberg (Nonfiction)

I'm all over the place in my reading now, and that's exactly how I like it.

 

We are headed off for a long weekend with my sister and brother-in-law at their place up in Waco. We are hoping to do a little hiking, a little visiting, a little relaxing, all accompanied by some wonderful wines from my sister's son's wine shop there. 

3 Good Things?

How about 32 Good Things?!

Here are my photos of the 32 butterfly species we've seen in

our first twenty weeks of butterfly monitoring.

I'm happy you joined us here at the Sunday Salon. Sunday Salon is a place to link up and to share what we have been doing during the week. It's a great way to visit other blogs and join in the conversations going on there. 

Some of the things we often talk about at the Sunday Salon:

• What was your week like?
• Read any good books? Tell us about them.
• What other bookish things did you do? 
• What else is going on in your life?

Other places where you may like to link up over the weekend are below. Click on the picture to visit the site.

        

My linkup for Sunday Salon is below.