A book meme...
1. Favorite childhood book?
Oh, this is difficult. I'd struggle to choose between The Chronicles of Narnia (and yes, I know that's seven books), Little Women and The Silver Brumby. Oh, and My Friend Flicka.
2. What are you reading right now?
The Bridge: The Life and Rise of Barack Obama by David Remnick
3. What books do you have on request at the library?
None. But I work in a library, so I don't really need to reserve books.
4. Bad book habit?
I break the spines on all my books. I can't bear to have them all rigid. I really trash my books, but I like them to look read. It's why I tend to go through so many copies of my favourites.
5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
Erm, quite a few. Libarian! Occupational hazard.
6. Do you have an e-reader?
Nope. I like books. I like the way they feel in my hand, the feel of the paper under my fingers. I like the ink that smudges off on the pads of my fingers and the way the covers get soft where my hand holds it.
7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
One at a time.
8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
I review all the books I read now, but that's about it.
9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)
The Guardians by Andrew Pyper. I had a pre-publication proof. It wasn't a bad read, it just wasn't great - although it's not my normal kind of reading anyway.
10. Favorite book you've read this year?
The Time of Our Singing by Richard Powers. It blew me away. I'm a sucker for equisite, thick, lush prose, and this book was amazing.
11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
I'm not sure I have one. I mean, I'm an incredibly picky reader - I don't like genre stuff, so I tend to stick to historical non-fiction and 'literary fiction'.
12. What is your reading comfort zone?
Again, not sure what this really means. I like hard books, books that need to take dwelled on, not books you just zip through. So I guess my comfort zone is kinda the opposite of the norm?
13. Can you read on the bus?
Yep, I can read anyway.
14. Favorite place to read?
Anywhere. I don't have a favourite place. Maybe my huge squishy red armchair, but I actually sit and read there surprisingly rarely.
15. What is your policy on book lending?
I'm...well, I'm protective of my books. I will lend books out, but people have to promise to take care of them. Which is a little odd, considering how much I trash my books, but they're mine! Only I can trash them. I don't like lending out brand new books, because...okay, this is weird, I like to be the one breaking the spine, breaking it in, so to speak.
16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
Nope. Hate it. I just remember where I'd read up to.
17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
Nope, that's another thing I hate.
18. Not even with text books?
I studied English Lit at uni, so you couldn't really avoid it there, but not since.
19. What is your favorite language to read in?
I'm not accomplished enough at any other language to read in it. I have a French copy of Danny, The Champion of the World and that was hard enough.
20. What makes you love a book?
I want to lose myself in it. I want to read words that flow like poetry, characters that make me care, a world that I'm sorry to leave.
21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
When I don't want to put it down at the end. When I want there to be another 1,000 pages because I'm not ready to leave it. When I finished Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell I carried the book around with me for three days, because I just wasn't ready for it to be over.
22. Favorite genre?
History. I love history.
23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)
I wish I read more poetry. I do read it, but not enough as I'd like.
24. Favorite biography?
With Malice Toward None by Stephen B. Oates. The best biography of Lincoln out there.
25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
Nope, and never will.
26. Favorite cookbook?
I don't own any.
27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. I'd make every politician read this.
28. Favorite reading snack?
I try not to eat and read. Or at least, not snack. I'm on a diet!
29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
The last Harry Potter book. I loathed it.
30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
I don’t read book reviews.
31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
I try and be honest. If I didn't like it, I'll say so. But I'm always clear to point out that I am a picky reader, and my opinion is based on my own tastes. I'm not possibly qualified enough to judge whether a book is 'good' or 'bad', only whether I liked it or not.
32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you choose?
Latin. I'd love to be able to read Latin.
33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
War and Peace probably. However, I was thirteen at the time. I remember reading it in English class when we were supposed to studying the next chapter of Tess of the d'Ubervilles, which in my defence I had already read. My teacher came to confiscate my book, saw what I was reading and left me to it!
34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
The Bible. I feel I should read it. I'm not at all religious, but just in book terms it is probably the most influential book ever written.
35. Favorite Poet?
Rainer Maria Rilke.
36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
Well, right now I have thirteen, but as I said...librarian!
37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?
All the time. I take way too many out, just because I can, and I never get round to reading half of them.
38. Favorite fictional character?
Toss-up between Jane Eyre, Scarlett O'Hara and the Raven King.
39. Favorite fictional villain?
Hmm, difficult. Can I say Snape? I know he's not a villain, but he's portrayed as one for almost all seven books.
40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
Whatever I'm currently reading. I don't do holiday reading. I'm as likely to be reading a massive biography of some politicial or historical figure as I am something light and fluffy.
41. The longest I’ve gone without reading.
No more than a day I'd say. I have to have a book on the go at all times. I do actually go cold turkey if I can't find anything to read - I get antsy and jittery and bad-tempered, I can't sit still, I get really restless and my hands shake.
42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
Can't think of one. I have to finish books, even if I'm not enjoying them. It's a point of pride.
43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
Livejournal. Seriously. It's like crack.
44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
I actually really loved A Time To Kill. And Lord of the Rings obviously. And I thought the recent version of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe was wonderful.
45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
Captain Corelli's Mandolin. Don't even get me started.
46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
About £150, I think. In my defence, it was my birthday.
47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
Never.
48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
Nothing. I force myself to finish books.
49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
Nope. Which may be ironic, considering I'm a librarian, but there is no order in my bookshelves. I like having to hunt for a book, because often I'll come across something I'd forgotten I even owned and read that instead.
50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
Oh, I keep them. I can't bear to give books away. I'm a repeat reader, so I'd never read something once and then dispose of it.
51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
Twilight. Ye gods, no.
52. Name a book that made you angry.
The last Harry Potter book. I loathed it. What can I say, I was always all about Snape.
53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?
War and Peace. It was a challenge, but I ended up loving it. I loved Pierre.
54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?
Again, the last Harry Potter. It was such a disappointment.
55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
Fanfic