Maybe I'll Actually Finish It Now

Niobe tagged me ages ago to do the book meme that's been circulating, and I started to do it then (and by "started" I mean I identified the closest book), but I never actually opened blogger and typed anything. Of course, by the time I sat down to do so, I had a different book in closest proximity. Unsure which to use, I figured I'd just use both.

The rules:
1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people

When I first set out to do this, I was evidently feeling ambitious and thought I was close to finishing the book I've been reading on and off for close to a year. So the closest book was the book I had just selected to read next, mainly because I wanted to see the movie and hate seeing a movie based on a book prior to reading the book. The relevant selection:

But despite his aversion to money and conspicuous consumption, Chris's political leanings could not be described as liberal. Indeed, he delighted in ridiculing the policies of the Democratic Party and was a vocal admirer of Ronald Reagan. At Emory he went so far as to co-found a College Republican Club.

But it's been weeks and I still haven't finished the other book, so Into the Wild still sits on the coffee table, waiting to be opened for a longer period than it takes to identify and type three sentences on page 123. Sitting closer to me now is the book I really do hope to finish this weekend. The relevant selection there:

The PLO had a bagpipe band in Beirut. I once heard it perform as part of an honor guard reception for Jesse Jackson when he came to visit Arafat in September 1979. The bagpipers were Palestinians who had defected from the British-trained Jordanian army, where they apparently acquired their musical knowledge from Scottish advisers.

I committed myself in 2007 to actually finishing books, rather than merely starting them, as is more typical for me. And I did a decent job, From Beirut to Jerusalem notwithstanding (and I will finish it). Because I have refused to let myself tried not to start reading anything new until I have finished the last, though, I have read very little in 2008. Fifty pages to go.

Sharing the love:

1. Sushilover at Life After D&C
2. Kelly at Just Breathe . . .
3. Laura at Elephant in the Room
4. Future Mommy at How to Have a Baby
5. Ta at RoTa

And anyone else who wants to do it, consider yourself tagged too.