The Awesome Power of books.

Today's quotes from QOTD.com were about Books, and I thought, being the literate folks you are, you could appreciate them.

Some books are to be tasted, others swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.
- Francis Bacon, 1561 - 1626

Each time we re-read a book we get more out of it because we put more into it; a different person is reading it, and therefore it is a different book.
- Muriel Clark

All that Mankind has done, thought, gained or been, it is lying as in magic preservation in the pages of books. They are the choicest possessions of men.
- Thomas Carlyle, 1795 - 1881

Books have led some to learning and others to madness.
- Francesco Petrarch, 1304 - 1374

A house without books is like a room without windows. No man has a right to bring up his children without surrounding them with books, if he has the means to buy them.
- Horace Mann, 1796 - 1859

Just the knowledge that a good book is awaiting one at the end of a long day makes that day happier.
- Kathleen Norris

And while we're on the subject of books, let me reccommend one to you:
It's called The Gallery of Regrettable Food, and it is possibly the funniest non-fiction book I have read in a long, long time. James Lileks decided one day after coming across a cookbook from the golden age of the 1950s in his mother's closet that he was going to write a book about these timeless treasures of food art, and thus, this book was born.

But don't expect to find anything edible in this plethora of pictures -- Lileks devotes himself entirely to making fun of the gut-wrenching array of aspics, roasts, and everything-in-a-jello mold displays of splendor. It's quality humor writing, and apparently he's got a book on 1970s interior decorating out, too...

And in other news, this book makes me think of the popular song -- Lime Jello Marshmallow Cottage Cheese Surprise, by William Bolcom, who was sick of hearing all the inedible things people tried to serve him at Women's club meetings when he would go and play piano for them. (Wikipedia)

LADIES, THE MINUTES WILL SOON BE READ TODAY.
THE GARDEN CLUB AND WEAVING CLASS
I`M SURE HAVE MUCH TO SAY.
BUT NEXT WEEK IS OUR CULTURE NIGHT,
OUR BIGGEST, BEST EVENT,
AND I`VE JUST MADE A DISH FOR IT
YOU`LL ALL FIND HEAVEN SENT

IT`S MY LIME JELLO MARSHMALLOW COTTAGE CHEESE SURPRISE

WITH SLICES OF PIMENTO,
(YOU WON`T BELIEVE YOUR EYES,)
ALL TOPPED WITH A PINEAPPLE RING
AND A DASH OF MAYONAISE,
MY VANILLA WAFERS `ROUND THE EDGE
WILL WIN YOUR HIGHEST PRAISE.

AND MISSUS JONES IS MAKING SCONES
THAT ARE FILLED WITH PEANUT MOUSSE;
TO BE FOLLOWED BY A CHICKEN MOLD
THAT`S MADE IN THE SHAPE OF A GOOSE.

FOR LADIES WHO MUST WATCH THOSE POUNDS
WE`VE FOUND A SPECIAL DISH:
STRAWBERRY ICE ENSHRINED IN RICE
WITH BITS OF TUNA FISH.

AND MY LIME JELLO MARSHMALLOW COTTAGE CHEESE SURPRISE

(TRULY A CREATION THAT DESCRIPTION DEFIES)

WILL GO SO WELL
WITH MISSUS BELL`S
CREATION OF THE WEEK:
SHRIMP SALAD TOPPED WITH CHOC`LATE SAUCE
AND GARNISHED WITH A LEEK.

AND MISSUS PERKINS` WALNUT LOAF
THAT`S CROWNED WITH MELTED CHEESE
WAS SUCH A HIT LAST CULTURE NIGHT,
WE ASK: NO SECONDS PLEASE!

NOW YOU MUST TRY HER HOT DOG PIE
WITH CANDIED MUSHROOM SLICES.
THOSE LADIES WHO RESIGNED LAST YEAR,
THEY JUST DON`T KNOW WHAT NICE IS!

BUT MY LIME JELLO MARSHMALLOW COTTAGE CHEESE SURPRISE,

I DID NOT STEAL THAT RECIPE,
IT`S LIES,
I TELL YOU, LIES!

OUR GRAND AWARD:
A PICTURE HAT AND
A SALMON SEQUINED GOWN
FOR ANY GIRL WHO TRIES EACH DISH
AND KEEPS HER WHOLE LUNCH DOWN.

I`M SURE YOU ALL ARE WAITING FOR
THE BIGGEST NEWS: DESERT!
WE`VE THOUGHT OF THINGS
IN MOLDS AND RINGS
YOUR DIET TO SUBVERT.
YOU MUST TRY OUR CHOC`LATE LAYER CAKE ON A PEANUT BRITTLE BASE
WITH SLICES OF BANANAS THAT MAKE A FUNNY FACE.
AROUND THE EDGES PEPPERMINTS
JUST SWIMMING IN PEACH CUSTARD,
WITH LOVELY LITTLE CURLICUES
OF LOVELY YELLOW MUSTARD!

IF ALL THIS IS TOO MUCH FOR YOU,
PERMIT ME TO ADVISE

MORE LIME JELLO MARSHMALLOW COTTAGE CHEESE SURPRISE!

(I`VE MADE HEAPS!)

I'm excited for this. So -- James Lileks, people. Minnesotan, funny guy. Go buy his books.

AMAZON!

Or, if you're more community minded,

BETTER WORLD BOOKS! <-- well, would you look at that. it costs less here. you can help literacy programs AND save money! I think I should do a post on Better World.