Stephen Vincent, author of the most-excellent blog and book, In The Red Zone, has tagged me in this latest chain-meme to sweep the blogosphere. OK, I give. I'll do it, but God do I hate these things. I can never decide on my answers. I'm so fickle!

You're stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be?

I'm embarrassed to say that I've never read Fahrenheit 451...I know, I know, I will eventually, and I do love Bradbury's writing. Anyway, I understand that people preserve the books from destruction by memorizing them? Is that right? But people seem to be choosing books they hate because they lose out in the end or something...Hmmm...this is a tough one. I'll answer straight - what book would I memorize? I guess I'll go for one that's short but magical - W.P. Kinsella's Shoeless Joe...no wait! Animal Farm...OK, Shoeless Joe...no changies!

Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character?

Listen...I'm all man, baby. I can get a crush on two sticks that happen to be leaning up against each other at just the right angle, y'know? OK, how about Maryanne, or maybe Daphne?

The last book you bought is:

My last shipment from Amazon included:

Alexander of Macedon 356-323 B. C.: A Historical Biography by Peter Green
H.M.S. Surprise by Patrick O'Brian
Orientalism by Edward W. Said [I know, I know]
The Case For Democracy: The Power of Freedom to Overcome Tyranny and Terror by Natan Sharansky
Carnage and Culture : Landmark Battles in the Rise to Western Power by Victor Hanson

The last book you read:

The Case For Democracy: The Power of Freedom to Overcome Tyranny and Terror by Natan Sharansky

What are you currently reading?

Orientalism by Edward W. Said - I know, I know, but you've gotta read it eventually if you're interested in the state of the Academy and the discourse on the Middle East. Believe me, this one's gonna take awhile. It ain't exactly a page-turner.

Five books you would take to a desert island.

This is the toughest. I mean, why take books I already read? Let me do this quick without much second-guessing. OK, how about:

Rise And Fall Of The Third Reich by William L. Shirer
Fear No Evil: The Classic Memoir of One Man's Triumph over a Police State by Natan Sharansky
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
The Stand by Stephen King [I love end of the world stories]
and...uh...I dunknow...how about Lincoln by David Herbert Donald

Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons) and why?

Weekend Pundit, because he lost his hat giving me a boat-ride once.
Nathan Hamm, because I want to make sure the University of Solomonia has global reach and diversity, and
Gerard VanderLeun (I butchered that) because I can say I "knew him when" and he was in publishing and I want to read what I'm sure will be creative answers.
(Hopefully no one already got those guys. I wish I could tag everyone as I hate leaving anyone out!)