5 Books with PileofMonkeys

Tonight we’re sitting down with our beloved PoM to talk about the books she would give to the people in her life.

1. Which book would you give to a potential significant other?

Well, I’m not in the market for significant others, but, had it been published when we first started dating, I would have given my husband World War Z by Max Brooks. It’s one of my absolute favorite books, and I think it would tell him a lot about me, my sense of humor, my love of books, and my seriousness about zombies.

2. Which book would you give to a high school senior?

Gavin de Becker’s The Gift of Fear. I think we wait entirely too long to learn about overcoming our sense of being “nice” and about listening to our instincts, and I think that before a young person enters college or the workforce, they should have some awareness of how to try to avoid creeps, or how to avoid being a creep. You spend so much of your childhood learning to be polite, be respectful, and not make waves that you learn to silence your intuition about bad people and bad situations, and being aware that you don’t have to do that is a good tool to send people out into the world with.

3. Which book would you give to your political representatives?

Elizabeth Crary’s I Want It. It’s a children’s book. About sharing. Oh, and a copy of the Constitution. So many of them seem to have forgotten what it actually says.

4. Which book would you give to a former teacher?

If I ever get published (I’m not holding my breath), I’m totally forcing a copy of my book on all of my former teachers. Especially that one asshole professor who told me I should never attempt to write fiction because of my complete lack of creativity. That guy is getting a signed copy with a picture of me flipping the bird Photoshopped over the picture on the book jacket.

5. Which book would you give to your best friend?

My best friend and I have shared many, many, MANY books over the years, but the one I’m most proud of forcing on her was Neil Gaiman’s American Gods. It’s one of the best books EVER, and I delight in converting people to the Cult of Gaiman.

Ed. note: Wanna see your list here? Send it to selena at persephonemagazine dot com (unless you’re a spammer. I don’t need my penis enlarged or to meet hot singles in my area.) OR! You can use the contact form link at the top of the page and it will get to me.