brought to you by the letter

I am always the one who breaks chain letters or recipe chains via email or whatever kind of chain you might be sending my way. But this chain, started by Simon of Stuck in a Book fame and continued by one of my first favorite bloggers, Frances at Nonsuch Book, is one I can handle. Here's how Simon explained it:

Here's something that should be fun - and do get involved in the comment section! - I'm going to kick off a meme where we say our favourite book, author, song, film, and object beginning with a particular letter. And that letter will be randomly assigned to you by me, via random.org. If you'd like to join in, comment in the comment section and I'll tell you your letter! (And then, of course, the chain can keep going on your blog.) 

Same rules apply here. If you'd like a letter, feel free to comment below. I received the letter G, which is fortunate for me because a contender for my favorite book of all time is

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson. You've heard me gush about it before. I reread only a bit of it recently and grew more convinced than ever that it deserves every speck of praise I can lavish upon it. In fact, I recently found a copy at the used bookstore for 25 cents, and I snatched it up just to have on hand for someone who might need it. So, so good.

My favorite author is a bit harder. The Gs section of my home library is very small, but a walk in there immediately reminded me of a very important writer in my reading life: Denise Giardina. Giardina is an Appalachian writer whose Storming Heaven was crucial to my development as a person, a thinker, and an activist. This site counts her among the Americans Who Tell the Truth, and I'm honored to have met her briefly years ago and to have heard the truths she tells in all her books.

The first thing that came to mind when I considered my favorite song was Dave Matthews Band's "Grace is Gone," but let's be clear: not the version on Busted Stuff. Only and always the Lillywhite Sessions. But then, I started scrolling through the old iPod and realized there are so many other great G songs! There's the one I sing to my son most nights: "Godspeed" by Dixie Chicks. Or the one I listened to first on my mama's record: "God Bless the Child" by Blood, Sweat & Tears. Or the one that breaks. me. every. time: "Give Me Your Hand" from Enter the Worship Circle. The video is not nearly as powerful as the track, but man. 

My favorite film is also not easy. I like movies, but I don't carry them with me like I do books and music. Once I started thinking about it, though, the hits - they just kept on coming: Gremlins, Ghostbusters, Goonies, Good Will Hunting, Grease, The Godfather, and so many more. But the only one that stands out as a true favorite for me is Gone With the Wind. I so loved that film, probably still do. I identified with Scarlett O'Hara so hard and loved it when a boy once said my eyes looked like Vivian Leigh's. Oh, GWTW. It just doesn't get better than this:

And finally my favorite object. My favorite object? I honestly don't know how to answer this question. The best my husband could come up with is grass, and it's true. I do love grass, but that doesn't seem to fit the question exactly. So, perhaps my gardening gloves. Or my coffee grinder (because LAWD do I love my first cup of coffee in the morning). Or grapes. Yeah, I like grapes.

That's it. If you want your own letter, comment below. I'll hook you up. And it won't be something stupid like X.