I got this meme from my friend and former student's blog, TravieMac. Bien merci, Trav.
1. Take five books off your bookshelf.
2. Book #1 -- first sentence
3. Book #2 -- last sentence on page fifty
4. Book #3 -- second sentence on page one hundred
5. Book #4 -- next to the last sentence on page one hundred fifty
6. Book #5 -- final sentence of the book7. Make the five sentences into a paragraph.
In 1992 I took a deep breath and moved from the upper reaches of the Mississippi River to its outlet in Louisiana—a distance of over twelve hundred miles that barely seemed to account for the sudden change I experienced in climate, landscape, and culture. O mon Dieu, tu es, en toutes choses multiples et diverses, oui, tu es, Seul, mon Tout Unique! Popular etymology says that its roots (pardon the pun) can be found in the soothing words « now this won’t hurt a bit” typically associated with dental practitioners. No matter their language or culture or where they find themselves, it is hoped that these new generations will devoutly heed the inscription found beside the Acadian Memorial’s eternal flame. Brûler la canne.
I thought I might have to cheat a little to find something amusing, but it turns out that the only adjustment I made was to ensure that book 4 had 150 pages. Of course, these all came from the same shelf, so they do resonate a bit amongst themselves.
Books:
1. Louisiana Dayride Shelley N. C. Holl
2. La Nouvelle Atala Adrien Rouquette. Funny, it sounds like the old Atala.
3. Tonnere, mes chiens! Amanda LaFleur. A favorite of my students, and of their prof.
4. The Cajuns: Americanization of a People Shane Bernard. Good read.
5. Faire récolte Zachary Richard. Fine poetry from just about five miles from here. CD included.
