Well I've been tagged...

Which does make for a built in entry -- at least in this case.

Here are the rules:
1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people and post a comment to the person who tagged you once you’ve posted your three sentences.

My issue is that technically the nearest books are all reference materials, dictionary, french-english dictionary, thesaurus, MLA, Secretary's Handbook (never been a secretary, but this little gem is a rock ass reference when you need it!); and the user guide to a cell phone I don't even use anymore... there are however 4 other books on top of the hutch to my desk -- none of which I have actually read -- one I have attempted, but not finished, so I will choose it.

I hit a bookstore many years ago (I remember I still had multiple children in strollers!) that was going out of business -- and they were selling hardcover books of all sorts for like 50 cents!!! -- I bought boxes and boxes of books - brand new hardcover books, I bought childrens books, multiples of ones that would make great gifts -- I bought favorite authors, though to be fair, by the time I discovered this gem of a book sale, most of the modern fiction had been thoroughly picked through, and I bought interesting sounding books by authors I had never ever heard of... I also bought oodles of hardbound classics, some I had read many times, others that I had never read... and the last of the oddities that I bought were composer biographies -- which I donated, along with many other books, to the kid's school library. There are about 100 books in that library donated by me, is that not cool!... okay so here for your reading pleasure... Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy

Boldwood had drawn up on her left, within the room. Her singing was soft and rather tremulous at first, but it soon swelled to a steady clearness. Subsequent events caused one of the verses to be remembered for many months, and even years, by more than one of those who were gathered there:

'For his bride a soldier sought her,
And as winning tongue had he:
On the banks of Allan Water
None was gay as she!'

My children are required to read this book in High School, well I should say it WAS on the reading list at their school... I believe 9th grade(?) and my daughter had to read it, then someone wisely chose to replace it with something that is actually readable and my other two will never know the suffering they escaped. I must say, I did offer my daughter spark notes, as I just reminded myself (by blowing off an inch of dust and opening the tome), I have actually filled the inside of the book cover with small stickies covered with vocabulary notes because this book is so freaking difficult to muddle through -- Thank you Thomas Hardy for being considered fabulous only because no one can actually read your books peacefully... I do like Tess of the D'Urbervilles, and silly me, assumed I would enjoy anything by an author that could so deeply move me - argh!

For those who can't stand it... the other three books (and really they are up there purely for their nice looking covers this is not a good place for books) -- please let me know if you have read them, or the authors, as I would be curious to know if I should get excited about cracking them open soon...

Pretty Boy Floyd by Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana
The Kindness of Women by J.G. Ballard
Herbs and Apples by Helen Hooven Santmyer

(actually The Kindness of Women has always seemed like a title I should recognize and know, but I don't)

Okay so I must tag FIVE people -- (I don't actually think I have 5 readers anymore, because I took such a long break, but...) Baseballmom, Never a Dull Moment, Jenny HaHa, Doncast (because I'm sure whatever he has near his computer is bound to be unique and fascinating), and Tales from My Tiny Kingdom... y'all have been tagged!

Off to thank Moosema for tagging me!