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.
I think you may have something there. Maybe you can get on Oprah.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, that is Jerry's wife, who seriously was on Oprah a month or two ago promoting the book. (cue Twilight Zone music)
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.
ReplyDeleteAt least you didn't get the Johnny Cash tune ...
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.
ReplyDeleteDelia 'n Oprah, total BFF material.
ReplyDeleteI 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.
Oh, yeah. You and Oprah go waaaay back.
ReplyDeleteYou are so silly. I like that in a person.
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?)
ReplyDeletePatrick--LOL.
ReplyDeleteBeth--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.
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.
ReplyDeleteNever been on a first name basis though LOL!
I got the Staying Young book, Colbert's latest, and the Dangerous Book for Boys.
ReplyDeleteOh Mary, don't be so modest--I know I saw you at her last party in the Hamptons!
ReplyDeleteCrow--you ARE a dangerous boy!