So You Think YOU Like to Read ... (exodus, evolution, prophecy)

[The Voice of Reason]

I just wanted to start a thread about reading. This one will require some thought from each of us, but I have four questions:
1) How many books do you think you have read in your lifetime (you have to say how old you are - those of us with more years will obviously have read more than some of the younger people on here). Example: I estimate that I have read x number of books over a 30 year reading career.
2) What is your SINGLE favorite book that you have read, and have you read it more than once? NOTICE - IF YOU PUT MORE THAN ONE BOOK IN THIS ANSWER - YOU WILL BE SHOT!!
3) Do you read more than one book at a time?
4) Who is your favorite author?

I'll let others post replies before I put up my answers.

TVOR

PS - Sunstone - it's okay that you have only read one book - "Barney Learns the Letter A" was a classic - be proud!

[Green Gaia]

Originally Posted by The Voice of Reason

1) How many books do you think you have read in your lifetime (you have to say how old you are - those of us with more years will obviously have read more than some of the younger people on here). Example: I estimate that I have read x number of books over a 30 year reading career.

I really have no idea. I'll be 30 next month, your guess is as good as mine. I've not always read as much as I do now. There have been times when I've been depressed and not picked up a book for months.

2) What is your SINGLE favorite book that you have read, and have you read it more than once?

Tough one - So many wonderful books I've read, but I'll answer James Redfield's The Celestine Prophecy, yes I know some think it's new age mumbo-jumbo, but I'll say it's my fave book because it made me start thinking outside of the box that I was trapped in, and came at a time when I really needed to read something like that. Yes, I've read it more than once.

3) Do you read more than one book at a time?

Take a look at my profile page. Yes.

4) Who is your favorite author?

Today? It's Joseph Campbell, tomorrow... I'll let you know tomorrow.

[Sunstone]

Originally Posted by TVOR

PS - Sunstone - it's okay that you have only read one book - "Barney Learns the Letter A" was a classic - be proud!

I "read" the audio version. Does that still count?

I used to have a library of about 500 books. Before I lost my library in a personal tragedy, I had read most of the titles and in some cases even the first paragraph of many of those books. Often without help. The library was largely non-fiction, heavy on philosophy, anthropology, and comparative religion. I miss my library and find it frustrating these days to not have it around for reference when I want to look something up or re-read a favorite title (sometimes a favorite first paragraph).

[robtex]

Originally Posted by Sunstone

I "read" the audio version. Does that still count?

I used to have a library of about 500 books. Before I lost my library in a personal tragedy, I had read most of the titles and in some cases even the first paragraph of many of those books. Often without help. The library was largely non-fiction, heavy on philosophy, anthropology, and comparative religion. I miss my library and find it frustrating these days to not have it around for reference when I want to look something up or re-read a favorite title (sometimes a favorite first paragraph).

my heart bleeds for you. I have a library too of about 500ish books, mostly nonfiction comparative religion and philophy. I would be crushed if I lost it.

I can't answer questions 2 and 4 without being shot but I wanted to comment on the original question. If one reads many many books it is going to be next to impossible to have a very very very favorite book.......there is no one book that i have ever read that would eclispe all the knowledge and info from the conglomerate of other books. The type of people who read tons of books are the same type that are going to be hard to pin down on one single book or author.

the most foruntate thing is that people who hang out on religious and philophy forums are probably use to get gray answers to black-white questions.

[linwood]

Originally Posted by The Voice of Reason

I just wanted to start a thread about reading. This one will require some thought from each of us, but I have four questions:
1) How many books do you think you have read in your lifetime (you have to say how old you are - those of us with more years will obviously have read more than some of the younger people on here). Example: I estimate that I have read x number of books over a 30 year reading career.

Weird TVOR, my wife was just cleaning up all the crap I have laying around here last night and when putting my books back on the shelves she asked "How many books have you read in the past year?"
Scanning the shelves ...I still couldn`t tell her so I`m sure I can`t begin a lifetime estimate.

2) What is your SINGLE favorite book that you have read, and have you read it more than once? NOTICE - IF YOU PUT MORE THAN ONE BOOK IN THIS ANSWER - YOU WILL BE SHOT!!

This is also difficult to answer but I would have to say LOTR considering I read and re-read it at least once a year for many many years in my younger days.

3) Do you read more than one book at a time?

Heheh..I am pathetic with this, right now I am reading ..
Fault Lines(Incest, Sexuality, and the Catholic Family Culture)
The Jefferson/Adams Letters.
The Encyclopedia of Biblical Errancy.
Exodus
The Origins of Satan

I have Sagans "Billions & Billions" waiting in the wings for when I finish a couple of the above.
And Salem has me itching to pick up the Koran

4) Who is your favorite author?

I would have to say Tolkien not so much for the story in LOTR(Which is great) but for the world he built within it.

PS - Sunstone - it's okay that you have only read one book - "Barney Learns the Letter A" was a classic - be proud!

if we are counting childrens books I read literally thousands of books a year although many are the same over and over.
I can`t begin to tell you how many nights I`ve read "Harry and the Terrible Whatsit" to my daughter .

[The Voice of Reason]

Sunstone -
Like Robtex, I lament your loss. I hate to see any book lost to time.

Robtex -
Your points about the majority of posters on this site being hard to pin down are the very reason I had to put the "Under Penalty of Death" warning in there. Otherwise, this thread would be 40 pages long and only have 3 replies.
I don't want to limit answers on favorite book or author to philosophy or religion - it might be that someone would list "Hunt for Red October" as their favorite book.

Thanks,
TVOR

PS - Linwood - you were right on the borderline of facing the firing squad - be careful!

[linwood]

So many wonderful books I've read, but I'll answer James Redfield's The Celestine Prophecy,

I have that book!
Haven`t read it yet though..I picked it up at one of those New Age mumbo jumbo book stores awhile back

I used to have a library of about 500 books. Before I lost my library in a personal tragedy,

That would kill me.
During the 4 hurricanes that were all near misses here a couple of months ago I kept my books up on the fireplace mantle and on a kitchen counter in case it flooded since my bedroom where my shelves are is the lowest part os the house.
This irritated my wife to no end.

My libray consists of what you`ve described above ".. largely non-fiction, heavy on philosophy, anthropology, and comparative religion."
Although I do have a decent smattering of fiction throughout and I`m really intrigued by the revolutions in genetics that have taken place in the past ten years, this shows in the books on my shelves.

[robtex]

answers:

1) started reading heavily at around age 14 and when I was 19 I was at over 100 books. At age 31 I was at around 400-500 books. In the last two years I sent a list to a reading partner detailing what I read and it was around 50 plus books. I am guessing at this point I am be at the 600-700 mark or so.

2) I don't have a single favorite but the one th