Flutterby™! : Book meme

Dave tagged me with yet another book meme:

One book that changed your life?

Since Dave started out with The Way Things Work: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Technology, I'll start with something that direction: The Boy Mechanic(available from Project Gutenberg). I think I got this at too young an age, because I had a whole lot of "started but never finished" projects out of it, but it opened up a tremendous world of possibility. My dad had a hardcover version that I beat the living daylights out of, but it was always near the surface. I have dead trees versions of 'em now, although none of the boys and young men I know are into manipulating the physical world in that way, so they mostly sit on my shelf.

One book you have read more than once?

We watched The Game last night, which brought up memories of a weekend a little over fifteen years ago that dramatically changed me, and on the way to that weekend I'd picked up The Magus by John Fowles in an airport bookstore. The Magus is a lot like The Game, except with a lost 20something rather than a 48 year old investment banker, but both play with themes of manipulated reality and exorcising personal demons. So, yeah, I've read that a few times. But this is a pretty long list, I've read most of Robertson Davies over, Ayn Rand, heck, even Terry Pratchett.

One book you would want on a desert island?

The Deptford Trilogy by Robertson Davies. Discovered, interestingly enough, about the same time as The Magus, it's a great novel with some wonderfully plumbable depths. But since it's a desert island, maybe one of Edward Abbey's books on the desert and solitude.

One book that made you laugh?

Even though I thought Terry Pratchett's Thud rather missed the mark, most any of Pratchett's Discworld books works for me. Forced to pick one I'd probably settle on Thief of Time.

One book that made you cry?

As maudlin as it seems, especially with all of the accusations that have been thrown at the author, Forrest Carter, I'd have to settle on The Education of Littletree.

One book you wish had been written?

There's something at the intersection of Atlas Shrugged and Edward Abbey that I'd like to read, but if I knew what it was I'd write it.

One book you wish had never been written?

There are all sorts of rambles in bad philosophy that have sucked ideas out of the commons and confused and misdirected people. Although I have some issues with pure reason, Kant comes immediately to mind. And there are the various big genocides of the 20^th century, all of which have seminal books associated with them. But, much like the Bible, I'm not sure that the documents are attached to the evils of the movements as strongly as we'd like to think.

One book you are currently reading?

Principia by Isaac Newton, the edition edited by Stephen Hawking.

Tag five people:

Last time I singled people out I missed a bunch of 'em, so if you're reading this, fire away. If you put 'em on your own site, link to 'em in the comments.