I thought that was a nice idea. The 100 books list has been an ongoing project for some time now. As of today I've listed perhaps 65 of the 100 books and although the progress has been slow, I haven't forgotten why I set out in the first place and I fully intend to finish it. I also thought it was nice that Lisa should ask. I'm not sure what the rule is on links, but I assume its considered rude to put one up without permission. (I don't think I asked for permission to put the ALAG link on my Sites of Interest page. I think I'll do that. I think I'm going to take that rule and make it my own. Right now.)

Anyway, I looked at her own journal page through the link she'd provided, read the most recent entries, didn't particularly try to find the home page or other sections on her site (which is my pattern) and said OK. Her's was clearly an older and more polished journal and presentation and I felt flattered she'd like to include me in the list she was compiling.

Yesterday evening I went back to her journal, found the "journalers books" page she'd created and said "wow". She describes my book list:

"The Sole Proprietor's List of Most Influential Books:

Of his, for instance, I have read five, one of which is on my own list (Pride and Prejudice). I shall probably never attempt Casteneda, I don't want to read LeCarré or Deighton, and I doubt I shall put aside my multitudinous prejudices and slog through Tom Robbins. But Pynchon, of course, and Brautigan, and de Saint-Exupery of course, and Burroughs.

The Sole Proprietor is probably the oldest journaler I know of and if he is typical, a person's list does indicate their generation. His commentary upon the books in his list inspired this page: Richard Brautigan and Hunter S. Thompson were old enough to be almost safe by the time I heard of them, but the SP read them as they were published and so their influence was direct instead of percolated."

That's pretty nice, I thought, so I sent a short email thanking her and wondered why she'd posted no list of her own.

I should slow down and search things out before I send off emails. This is a habit of mine and worth an examination of its own. Lisa has an awesome list of books both read and planned to read. She is a list maker. I'm not sure what that means in the overall scheme of things, but listmaker is an understatement. Moreover, she had added a number of my titles to her "books to read" list and that made me think: Here is someone who is actually going to read one of my "selections". Have I been true to the books and described them adequately?

This has nothing to do with Lisa and me, this has to do with the books. It's important that the books be treated properly. She has chosen to include a reference to my list, which is nice, but she has also chosen to include some of them on her to read list and I take that as an obligation. It never occurred to me that anyone would pay attention to the list, only that it was useful to me in creating it, useful interestingly in ways she describes above: it puts the compiler in a particular time and a particular place and, I think, a particular gender. It also in its totality provides a glimpse into the compiler's psyche, gives him a look at where his head was at then, if not now.

There aren't all that many people in this world who really "read", who take books seriously. This group of "readers" isn't particularly coherent, there are a million sub categories with tastes and interests and intelligences that vary. One thing that binds them together, however (if bound together even makes sense in this context), is the respect given to the books themselves. These things can change your life. One reason to read them.

Also, if this is a "photograph" in time, a book slice of my generation, then I owe it to the rest of the old farts out there to do it right, or, if not right, with care and consideration.

As to the part about being the oldest journaler she knows of: I think there are others, but she's right, not many. She has a list of favorite journals on her site as well (I told you she was a list maker.) and I think that list might be a good teller of character, generation, outlook, habits and vices as well. I think that I will put one up after I've had a chance to read enough of them. You really do have to read them over time, I've discovered, before you know what you've got, what they have to give and what you're able to use. And then write descriptions, just like the books, personal reactions as to the why this or that journal was chosen.

This journal, list of books, list of journals (or whatever it is) is an infant. Still very rough and the message or image it is attempting is unresolved: An echo, a shape beginning to form. It may well be years before it hits a stride or hints at why it was ever begun, but that's OK. Anyone who writes a journal will tell you there are no guarantees. Maybe something will come along and make all this silly, I don't know, but 404 is always on the horizon. But we'll keep at it , won't we Prop? And see. Won't we.

(I promised to shoot some photographs in the kitchen with the digital camera and post them today. My excuse is that I surfed on over to Lisa and spent the rest of the evening working on the books list. The one posted picture is a bit of a joke, but, well, a bit of a joke goes a long way in this world. I plan to shoot some more today, but also plan to do work on the books list as well. One might delay the other.)