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National Book Month
List In One Day
Well, this isn’t the first time I’ve been late to a party. October is National Book Month and a friend invited me to join a 31-day challenge. Below, in one day, is my full month of answers.
Had I replied to the prompts yesterday, there’s a good chance half my answers might be different; tomorrow, perhaps the other half would change. I hope you are inspired you to come up with your own list.
Day 1 – The Best Book You’ve Read This Year: Tie between “The Nickel Boys” by Colson Whitehead and “This Tender Land” by William Kent Krueger.
Day 2 – A Book That You’ve Read More than Three Times: “The Old Man and the Sea” by Ernest Hemingway.
Day 3 – Your Favorite Series: “The Famous Bedtime Story Books” by Thornton Burgess.
Day 4 – Favorite Book of Your Favorite Series: “The Adventures of Buster Bear.”
Day 5 – A Book That Makes You Happy: Most any Dr. Seuss book.
Day 6 – A Book That Makes You Sad: “Old Yeller” by Fred Gipson.
Day 7 – Most Underrated Book: “Sweet Tuesdays” by John Steinbeck.
Day 8 – Most Overrated Book: I don’t think a book can be overrated, but Ann Patchett’s new offering, “The Dutch House”, didn’t lived up to the hype for me.
Day 9 – A Book You Thought You Wouldn’t Like But Ended Up Loving: “Lincoln in the Bardo” by George Saunders.
Day 10 – Favorite Classic Book: “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” by some fella named Mark Twain.
Day 11 – A Book You Hated: Knowing the effort every writer puts into a book, my lips are sealed.
Day 12 – A Book You Used to Love But Don’t Anymore: My crushes all remain intact.
Day 13 – Your Favorite Writer: John Steinbeck is a close second behind my daughter Dallas Woodburn.
Day 14 – Book From Your Favorite Writer: “The Grapes of Wrath” by Steinbeck and “Woman, Running Late, In A Dress” by Woodburn.
Day 15 – Favorite Male Character: Atticus Finch (I have not read “Go Set a Watchman.”)
Day 16 – Favorite Female Character: Charlotte A. Cavatica.
Day 17 – Favorite Quote: “Isn’t it pretty to think so?” Final line of “The Son Also Rises” by Hemingway.
Day 18 – First “Chapter Book” You Can Remember Reading As A Child: “Charlotte’s Web.”
Day 19 – Favorite Book Turned Into A Movie (I’ll add the stipulation “good” movie): The Harry Potter series.
Day 20 – Book That Makes You Laugh Out Loud: “A Walk In The Woods” by Bill Bryson.
Day 21 – Favorite Book From Your Childhood: “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak.
Day 22 – Book You’re Currently Reading: “Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore” by Robin Sloan and halfway through, I’m loving it.
Day 23 – Your Guilty Pleasure: Anything by Robert Fulghum.
Day 24 – A Book You Wish More People Would Read: “Fog” by Ken McAlpine; “We Stood Upon Stars” by Roger W. Thompson; and “Wooden & Me” by me!
Day 25 – Favorite Book You Read In School: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee.
Day 26 – Favorite Autobiography: “They Call Me Coach” by John Wooden.
Day 27 – The Most Surprising Plot Twist or Ending: “Life of Pi” by Yann Martel.
Day 28 – Favorite Title: “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” by Judi Barrett.
Day 29 – A Book Few Have Heard Of That You Loved: “The Snow Goose” by Paul Gallico.
Day 30 – Book on the top of your To Read Next Pile: “The Goldfinch” by Donna Tartt.
Day 31 – Favorite Book: Impossible! But if I must try, a tie between Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea” and “Travels with Charley” by Steinbeck.
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Woody Woodburn writes a weekly column for The Ventura County Star and can be contacted at WoodyWriter@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @woodywoodburn. His books are available at www.WoodyWoodburn.com.
Check out my memoir WOODEN & ME: Life Lessons from My Two-Decade Friendship with the Legendary Coach and Humanitarian to Help “Make Each Day Your Masterpiece” and my essay collection “Strawberries in Wintertime: Essays on Life, Love, and Laughter” …
- Personalized signed copies are available at WoodyWoodburn.com