Moments to Remember: A bookish addendum

Posted byKatie SullivanPosted inOn Writing, The DialogueTags:, , , , , , , , , ,
life
The books – some of them, at least

A: Before D gets going on his origin story –

D: Of course you would interrupt my glory.

A: I’m not interrupting. This is an addendum to yesterday’s origin story post.

D: Oh, sure.

A: Oi, Druid – you get 2/3 of this 3-part origin story! Besides, I think the germ of you may be among the books I decided I could not live without.

D: Yeah, well, just don’t take too long. Can you do that, A? Can you strive for brevity?

A:  . . . (sigh).

Okay, so Melissa Janda asked yesterday which 30 books I absolutely had to bring to Ireland. Since I took a picture of those books (don’t ask. I love books. I just. . . don’t ask), I was able to recreate some of the list. Frankly, I think there were more than 30, but these are what I could (sort of) see in the picture and recall from what was stashed in my room.

In no particular order:

    1. “I’d just as soon kiss a Wookie” Quotable Star Wars
    2. The Jesus Incident
    3. The Lazarus Effect
    4. The Ascension Factor
    5. Absalom, Absalom
    6. The Russian Revolution
    7. The History of Ireland
    8. The History of Costume & Fashion
    9. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
    10. Gone with the Wind
    11. Mists of Avalon
    12. The Last of the Savages
    13. The Prince, Machiavelli
    14. The Gratitude of Kings
    15. Unnatural Exposure
    16. The Stranger
    17. Heart of Darkness
    18. King Lear
    19. Ireland, A Graphic History
    20. The Folklore of Ireland
    21. Medicine Man, Shaman (Something – too small to read)
    22. Anne of Green Gables
    23. Emily of New Moon
    24. Scarlett
    25. The Witching Hour
    26. Lasher
    27. Taltos
    28. The Feast of All Saints
    29. Cry to Heaven
    30. The Barbarian Conversion

Not all of these books were read, mind. I had been given The Barbarian Conversion: From Paganism to Christianity as a graduation gift, and it sat on that shelf, looking pretty, for a few years.

Eventually, it became my bible – and inspiration when I was writing about the lives of a clan of Picts and the convergence of religious and political strife. I never knew about the Celtic monastic resistance to Rome (Oh, that’s why St. Patrick was sent back to Ireland? To bring the de-centralized monasteries to heel – those same monasteries that had maintained Christianity and the shreds of civilization while various invasions swept across England and mainland Europe? Huh.)

D: Nice rant, A. I could have told you that.

A: I think you did – someone whispered it in my ear and said “This – this is the world I came from. Write me.”

D: Which we will delve deeper into when A lets me write my origin story.

A: Indeed – enjoy your day, folks, and thanks for reading!

Part 1: A’s Writerly Origins | Part 1.5: Bookish Origins | Part 2: D’s Character Origins | Part 3: The Druid himself – an origin narrative

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Published by Katie Sullivan

Descended of pirates and revolutionaries, Katie Sullivan is a lover and student of all things Irish. Born in the States, she is a dual US/Irish citizen, and studied history and politics at University College, Dublin – although, at the time, she seriously considered switching to law, if only so she could attend lectures at the castle on campus. She lives in Milwaukee with her daughter, two cats and a pesky character in her head named D (but you can call him Dubh). Her first series, The Changelings Saga, a young adult historical fantasy trilogy is available on Amazon. She can be found writing with said character at her blog, The D/A Dialogues.

13 thoughts on “Moments to Remember: A bookish addendum”

  1. Pingback: Moments to Remember: The Druid himself – An origin narrative | The D/A Dialogues

  2. We share ten books. Of course, I have read and have a copy of everything by Anne Rice. Gone With the Wind and Scarlett are a given. I am from Georgia with an Irish ancestor. Right now, time is only allowing sporadic reads from Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader: Plunges Into Great Lives.

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    1. I thought of you when I remembered bringing the Mayfair Witches chronicle – I seem to remember that you’ve read them. I won’t deny that Lasher and Taltos are where I first recall hearing about the Picts.

      I love the title of the bathroom reader. I have a bedside ‘devotional’ to philosophy and pop culture, which I dip into every night. Keeps the brain active when I can’t actually crack open a book (or hit the kindle app!)

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  3. Pingback: Moments to Remember: A Character’s Origin Story | The D/A Dialogues
  5. Pingback: Moments to Remember: An Origin Story in Three Parts | The D/A Dialogues

  7. I’ve only read 5 from your list: Mists of Avalon, The Stranger, Heart of Darkness, King Lear, and Anne of Green Gables. Actually, it’s a pretty eclectic list you have there … a woman with many interests 😉

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