What a difficult challenge this one has been.  The ukstampers week 8 challenge prompt was Books and you had to include:

• list your top 5 books, what and why
• use a quote from one of them on your page
• use an old book page as your background

So here is my page: although I did not use a quote from one of my chosen books I added an old Chinese proverb instead.

Inks:  Memento Tuxedo black, versamark with clear embossing powder, Distress inks Black soot, Fired brick, frayed burlap, old paper, Forest moss
Card: Old page from torn from My altered book project (a PD James one I think), white card, parchment type thick paper
Stamps:  Non sequitur Grave tidings, Graphicus bookmarks
Other:  Adirondack color wash Pesto, Chroma jewels Slate and Forest, Walnut ink, Metallic rub-on gold

As a child I enjoyed reading books, as a teenager my reading fell by the wayside as I had far more sporty and outdoor things to do.  It wasn’t until I had an enforced and rather long stay in hospital that rekindled my affection for reading.  Buying new books is such a pleasure but I don’t have room for any more so I have made a rule that if I buy a new book then I must give one of my old ones away.  These 5 books have made it to the section of books never to be given away (amongst quite a few others).

Around 1986 I found The Way of Wyrd, Tales of an Anglo-Saxon Sorcerer by Brian Bates.  A Christian scribe is given a mission to learn about Pagan beliefs and to accomplish this he becomes a Shaman’s apprentice.  This is a fascinating account of some of the beliefs around that time.

Aztec by Gary Jennings is an epic adventure story of an Aztec man.  It took me ages to get through it and in places I found it rather difficult but it is a fascinating account of the way Aztecs lived.  There is a bit of everything in it.

Then comes Post Mortem by Patricia Cornwell. Kay Scarpetta uses forensic science to track down killers.  I was studying Biological science at the time I found this book and very nearly chose forensic science as one of my subjects.  This was the first of many crime thrillers I have now read.

Ship of magic: The Liveship traders by Robin Hobb.  What can I say  – each and every one of her books (written as Robin Hobb) is magical and transports me away to another world of magic, mystery, dragons, serpents, Rain Wild River…..

Mort By Terry Pratchett.  Need I say more… the Discworld series is amazing and I read this one first  where DEATH takes a vacation and he takes on Mort as his apprentice.  This is so funny and makes you want to read all the rest of the Discworld books in any order.

I wanted to add Delia Smith’s Complete Illustrated Cookery Course too as it is my most used, most dog-eared cook book.  The trouble is I have many more ‘favourite’ books that I couldn’t give away too numerous to mention.  I enjoy reading cookery books and gardening books just as much as I do novels.