Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Funny book meme, interesting results

I heard about this meme from Patrick at The Hawk Owl's Nest, where you go to Amazon's Advanced Book Search, type your name under Title, and pick the most interesting result.

I did it two ways. First, I typed in both my first and last name (I don't have a middle name). I got three hits:
Okay--what in the world is up with that first one? Ooh, I see--it's an Oprah Book Club selection--it all makes sense now. See, not a lot of people know this, but Oprah pretty much bases her whole club selections thing around MY taste in books. No, really! Okay--get this: back in the late 1980s, I did my master's thesis on mother characters in Toni Morrison's novels; Oprah starts up her book/reading club and picks Beloved as the first club selection. See? What did I tell you?

Now, I realize that she hasn't picked any forensic science books yet; I mean, I don't see her having the Oprah-lovers of America read Whoever Fights Monsters: My Twenty Years Tracking Serial Killers for the FBI, but you know--she focuses on fiction. Still -- I read Love in the Time of Cholera when it first came out; that's on her list. I majored in English and read all of Faulkner's novels (on a bet); she puts Light in August, As I Lay Dying, and The Sound and the Fury on her list. I'm a woman, and I have a heart; she puts Maya Angelou's The Heart of a Woman on her list. Do I need to go on? Puh-lease. It's so obvious.

But I digress.... Okay, the second one is YOU Staying Young. Uh... yeah.

And finally, Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld. (Is this Jerry's wife?) Well, I might be delicious, but I'm sure everyone knows it, so there's not so much "deceptively" going on.

After these weird results, I only typed in my first name, and this time I got a ton of books by some cookbook writer named Delia Smith. Believe me, when you have a first name that you have to spell for everyone, it's easier when your last name is something like "Smith." Anyway, she's written a million cookbooks and holiday books and stuff--she must be the Martha Stewart of the Delia world. Here's the best one:
You go, girl.

10 comments:

Patrick B. said...

I think you may have something there. Maybe you can get on Oprah.

And yes, that is Jerry's wife, who seriously was on Oprah a month or two ago promoting the book. (cue Twilight Zone music)

Cup said...

We have a great restaurant here in Atlanta — The Flying Biscuit — that's owned by Delia Champion. Amazon has her book — so feel doubly proud for sharing that lovely name.

At least you didn't get the Johnny Cash tune ...

Mary said...

OK - everyone in this blogosphere has done this. I need to research "Mary". How many trillions of books will I see? Ugghhhh. It's a grand old name.

Fran said...

Delia 'n Oprah, total BFF material.

I can see her trying desperately to reach you regarding bookclub selections.

BTW, when I am in my NY area home (as opposed to Albany with Mr. He Is) I live near Toni Morrison. Don't let that fool you, my house may only be a few miles from hers, but her house is truly about 10 times the value of mine.

Anyway I often drive by and one day I did she her standing by the door.

More meaningless trivia from the life of FIA.

Susan Gets Native said...

Oh, yeah. You and Oprah go waaaay back.

You are so silly. I like that in a person.

Earl Cootie said...

When using my real first/last name, I got a huge list of books (142) featuring my (very common) real first/last name. Ah, but when I used my fake name, I got You, the Oprah book, and something by, egad, Glenn Beck! (That must be the Cootie part?)

dguzman said...

Patrick--LOL.

Beth--wow, I want a last name like "Champion." And that Cash tune is creepy, no?

Mary--I'm sure the results would probably overload your computer!

Fran--Wow! You've SEEN HER! That's not trivial in my book! (Even though I think her best writing is behind her now. Everything she's written since Beloved kinda blows... but don't tell her I said that!)

Susan--oh, okay--I'll introduce you, don't get all snarky about it.... (hee hee)

Earl--GLENN BECK!? Yikes. The funnier thing would be if he googled and got YOU! Think of it that way.

Mary said...

Hey all, I know Oprah. I grew up in Baltimore City where she was the news anchor for WJZ-TV back in the early 70's. I met her in a shopping mall once - we shook hands.

Never been on a first name basis though LOL!

Sorghum Crow said...

I got the Staying Young book, Colbert's latest, and the Dangerous Book for Boys.

dguzman said...

Oh Mary, don't be so modest--I know I saw you at her last party in the Hamptons!

Crow--you ARE a dangerous boy!