Cinnamon swirl cake = delicioso
There's a black-orange-white cat that has taken up to hanging around outside on our little section of cement-patio and mewing at our screen door. We don't know why, I'm pretty sure it's a stray, but it's adorable. *vows to take a picture*
I tried this http://iwl.me/ site, but either I input insufficient writing samples, or apparently my writing style is all over the map. Unless somehow I managed to combine Vladimir Nabokov, James Joyce, Stephen King, and Mark Twain into one style. Which would be really freaky.
Apparently, though, in my journal entries, I write like David Foster Wallace. I don't even know who David Foster Wallace is. *checks Wikipedia* Oh. How...not reassuring?
1. Total number of books I've owned:
Um...Umm.......>.O Let me get back to you on that. I mean, does it count if I no longer own them (I donated all my Goosebumps & Boxcar Children & lots of other books...)? Or what about the trilogies/seven-ilogies that I have in one volume?
ETA: Not counting those books I sent to Goodwill or various reference books, I have ~199 books. O.o Ought I buy one more to make an even 200?
2. The last book I bought:
Throne of Jade, by Naomi Novik.
3. The last book I read:
The Magician's Nephew, by C.S. Lewis. Mostly by accident, though. I haven't read the rest of the Chronicles of Narnia (Nope, not even The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe!), since the volume I have organizes the 7 books in the order Lewis apparently preferred them.
4. Five books that mean a lot to me:
Wild Magic, by Tamora Pierce. This book got me into fantasy. I gave my sister so much crap about reading it, for no other reason than I was a bratty little sister and I wanted to give her crap about it....And now I don't go a year without reading it.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. This is my feminist book. This is my "Classic British literature" but when I read it I never even thought about it being classic or British.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I love Atticus Finch. I wish there were more men like him in this day and age.
Storm Front by Jim Butcher. It's not my favorite of the series, but it got me into the Dresden Files and, well, the series is just too awesome.
The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner. It's been a really long time for me, but aside from those children's picture books (The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See?, etc.) the Boxcar Children are what got me into reading. I don't have them anymore (the donation mentioned above), but they hold a special place in my heart.
5. Tag five people and have them fill this out in their Ljs...
I hate tagging people, so I'm not gonna do it. =P
Book meme #2:
Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror?
Fantasy. I do read science fiction, though. Not horror.
Hardback or Trade Paperback or Mass Market Paperback?
Mass Market Paperback, though for series that are new (i.e. Dresden Files, Harry Potter when it was coming out) I buy hardback.
Heinlein or Asimov?
I haven't read either. So...next?
Amazon or Brick and Mortar?
Brick and mortar (I'm assuming this means a physical store). I'm not Gen "whatever current generation is" enough to buy stuff online.
Barnes & Noble or Borders?
B&N. Occasionally Borders, but only occasionally.
Hitchhiker or Discworld?
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I haven't read Discworld (yet). Too many in the series, not enough bookshelf.
Bookmark or Dogear?
Neither! My memory's good enough that I can usually eyeball where I was within 20 pages or so. If it's got a duskjacket, though, I use that (unless the book's too thick *looks at HP: Order of the Phoenix*).
Magazine: Asimov's Science Fiction or Fantasy & Science Fiction?
I don't read magazines, though the fantasy in "Fantasy & Science Fiction" appeals to me more.
Alphabetize by author Alphabetize by title or random?
Alphabetize by author's last name (unless space and aesthetics demand I make accommodations).
Keep, Throw Away or Sell?
NEVER throw away. Sell if I absolutely have no use for the book. Keep, if only so my library looks impressive (War and Peace? Soooo never going to read that).
Year's Best Science Fiction series (edited by Gardner Dozois) or Years Best SF series (edited by David G. Hartwell)?
What?
Keep dustjacket or toss it?
Keep.
Read with dustjacket or remove it?
Read with it.
Short story or novel?
Novel. Usually with short stories I don't know enough of the authors to make it worth the price (Jim Butcher being the one exception I'll make).
Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?
Harry Potter. Maybe I'll read Lemony Snicket via the Library.
Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?
At chapter breaks. Really. Except when it's two hours later and I've miraculously finished the book. *shifty eyes*
"It was a dark and stormy night" or "Once upon a time"?
"'Twas a dark and stormy night, once upon a time." =P
Buy or Borrow?
Buy. If I'm not absolutely certain about something, I might borrow first, but usually I'll buy and let it sit on my bookshelf after a read-through.
Buying choice: Book Reviews, Recommendation or Browse?
Browsing, sometimes guided by recommendations.
Lewis or Tolkien?
Um, since I managed to actually get through one of Lewis' books as opposed to starting and never finishing any of Tolkien's, Lewis wins by technicality.
Hard SF or Space Opera?
I prefer space opera. I can get through Hard SF, but it's harder to get drawn in.
Collection (short stories by the same author) or Anthology (short stories by different authors)?
Er, my definition is sort of flip-flopped (because Jim Butcher is coming out with a short story Anthology), but I prefer short stories by the same author.
Hugo or Nebula?
I've never really paid too much attention to the awards.
Golden Age SF or New Wave SF?
Um...Alfred Bester is from the Golden Age, so I guess that....
Tidy ending or Cliffhanger?
If it's the end of a book/series, tidy endings (though not necessarily *thorough* endings; that's what fanfic is for!) but I can deal with cliffhangers in the middle of a series (Dresden Files, I'm lookin' at you).
Morning reading, Afternoon reading or Nighttime reading?
Anytime! Though, my reading habits tend to be "read one whole day, spend another day doing stuff I should've been doing."
Standalone or Series?
Series. Standalone. So long as they're well-written, I'm good.
Urban fantasy or high fantasy?
Both! Both, gosh darn it! I love them both!
New or used?
I prefer new, but I've gotten into buying them used.
Favorite book of which nobody else has heard?
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams (people may have heard of it, but it's so overshadowed by Hitchhiker's Guide..)
Also, people should read Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles. Even if it's a manga. It's awesome, though the later chapters are now getting very mind-screwy.
Top X favorite genre books read last year? (Where X is 5 or less)
1. Changes by Jim Butcher (book 12 of Dresden Files)
2. Good Omens the Nice and Accurate Prophecies by Agnes Nutter by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
3. The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester (technically I didn't read this or #4 in the last year but oh well)
4. Camp Concentration by Thomas Disch
Top X favorite genre books of all time? (Where X is 5 or less)
1. Good Omens the Nice and Accurate Prophecies by Agnes Nutter by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (Crowley [which, I believe, is what SPN!Crowley is based on] is my favorite demon and Aziraphale is my 2nd favorite angel [edged out by Castiel, but only by a hair])
2. Small Favor by Jim Butcher (book 10 of Dresden Files)
3. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
X favorite genre series? (Where X is 5 or less)
1. The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
2. The Tortall series by Tamora Pierce
3. Temeraire series by Naomi Novik
4. the Pern novels by Anne McCaffrey
Top X favorite genre short stories? (Where X is 5 or less)
1. The Warrior by Jim Butcher (why, yes, it is a Dresden Files short story. Yes, I'm aware I need to branch out in my reading)
2. Tower of Babylon by Ted Chiang
3. Story of Your Life by Ted Chiang (for those with interest, it revolves around a linguist who meets aliens whose language takes into account knowing the future)
Book Meme 3:
Recommend your favourite author and title:
In fantasy fiction: Storm Front by Jim Butcher (with the addendum that you need to read through book 3 before the series picks up)
In science fiction: Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
In horror: Does In Cold Blood by Truman Capote count as horror? ...Sure!
In humour: Good Omens the Nice and Accurate Prophecies by Agnes Nutter by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (can I recommend this any more than I already have?)
In crime fiction: Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (it involves crime. It's crime fiction.)
In historical fiction: I haven't read any historical fiction, so pass.
In British classic literature: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte!
In American classic literature: (America has classic lit?) The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, I guess.
In British contemporary literature: Lord of the Flies by William Golding (this probably isn't true, but I can't recall any else)
In American contemporary literature: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
In any other national classic literature: I'm not well-read enough outside British or American lit to recommend anything.
In any other national contemporary literature: see above
If you try and take a cat apart to see how it works, the first thing you have on your hands is a non-working cat. --Douglas Adams
I tried this http://iwl.me/ site, but either I input insufficient writing samples, or apparently my writing style is all over the map. Unless somehow I managed to combine Vladimir Nabokov, James Joyce, Stephen King, and Mark Twain into one style. Which would be really freaky.
Apparently, though, in my journal entries, I write like David Foster Wallace. I don't even know who David Foster Wallace is. *checks Wikipedia* Oh. How...not reassuring?
1. Total number of books I've owned:
Um...Umm.......>.O Let me get back to you on that. I mean, does it count if I no longer own them (I donated all my Goosebumps & Boxcar Children & lots of other books...)? Or what about the trilogies/seven-ilogies that I have in one volume?
ETA: Not counting those books I sent to Goodwill or various reference books, I have ~199 books. O.o Ought I buy one more to make an even 200?
2. The last book I bought:
Throne of Jade, by Naomi Novik.
3. The last book I read:
The Magician's Nephew, by C.S. Lewis. Mostly by accident, though. I haven't read the rest of the Chronicles of Narnia (Nope, not even The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe!), since the volume I have organizes the 7 books in the order Lewis apparently preferred them.
4. Five books that mean a lot to me:
Wild Magic, by Tamora Pierce. This book got me into fantasy. I gave my sister so much crap about reading it, for no other reason than I was a bratty little sister and I wanted to give her crap about it....And now I don't go a year without reading it.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. This is my feminist book. This is my "Classic British literature" but when I read it I never even thought about it being classic or British.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I love Atticus Finch. I wish there were more men like him in this day and age.
Storm Front by Jim Butcher. It's not my favorite of the series, but it got me into the Dresden Files and, well, the series is just too awesome.
The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner. It's been a really long time for me, but aside from those children's picture books (The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Brown Bear Brown Bear What Do You See?, etc.) the Boxcar Children are what got me into reading. I don't have them anymore (the donation mentioned above), but they hold a special place in my heart.
5. Tag five people and have them fill this out in their Ljs...
I hate tagging people, so I'm not gonna do it. =P
Book meme #2:
Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror?
Fantasy. I do read science fiction, though. Not horror.
Hardback or Trade Paperback or Mass Market Paperback?
Mass Market Paperback, though for series that are new (i.e. Dresden Files, Harry Potter when it was coming out) I buy hardback.
Heinlein or Asimov?
I haven't read either. So...next?
Amazon or Brick and Mortar?
Brick and mortar (I'm assuming this means a physical store). I'm not Gen "whatever current generation is" enough to buy stuff online.
Barnes & Noble or Borders?
B&N. Occasionally Borders, but only occasionally.
Hitchhiker or Discworld?
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I haven't read Discworld (yet). Too many in the series, not enough bookshelf.
Bookmark or Dogear?
Neither! My memory's good enough that I can usually eyeball where I was within 20 pages or so. If it's got a duskjacket, though, I use that (unless the book's too thick *looks at HP: Order of the Phoenix*).
Magazine: Asimov's Science Fiction or Fantasy & Science Fiction?
I don't read magazines, though the fantasy in "Fantasy & Science Fiction" appeals to me more.
Alphabetize by author Alphabetize by title or random?
Alphabetize by author's last name (unless space and aesthetics demand I make accommodations).
Keep, Throw Away or Sell?
NEVER throw away. Sell if I absolutely have no use for the book. Keep, if only so my library looks impressive (War and Peace? Soooo never going to read that).
Year's Best Science Fiction series (edited by Gardner Dozois) or Years Best SF series (edited by David G. Hartwell)?
What?
Keep dustjacket or toss it?
Keep.
Read with dustjacket or remove it?
Read with it.
Short story or novel?
Novel. Usually with short stories I don't know enough of the authors to make it worth the price (Jim Butcher being the one exception I'll make).
Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?
Harry Potter. Maybe I'll read Lemony Snicket via the Library.
Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?
At chapter breaks. Really. Except when it's two hours later and I've miraculously finished the book. *shifty eyes*
"It was a dark and stormy night" or "Once upon a time"?
"'Twas a dark and stormy night, once upon a time." =P
Buy or Borrow?
Buy. If I'm not absolutely certain about something, I might borrow first, but usually I'll buy and let it sit on my bookshelf after a read-through.
Buying choice: Book Reviews, Recommendation or Browse?
Browsing, sometimes guided by recommendations.
Lewis or Tolkien?
Um, since I managed to actually get through one of Lewis' books as opposed to starting and never finishing any of Tolkien's, Lewis wins by technicality.
Hard SF or Space Opera?
I prefer space opera. I can get through Hard SF, but it's harder to get drawn in.
Collection (short stories by the same author) or Anthology (short stories by different authors)?
Er, my definition is sort of flip-flopped (because Jim Butcher is coming out with a short story Anthology), but I prefer short stories by the same author.
Hugo or Nebula?
I've never really paid too much attention to the awards.
Golden Age SF or New Wave SF?
Um...Alfred Bester is from the Golden Age, so I guess that....
Tidy ending or Cliffhanger?
If it's the end of a book/series, tidy endings (though not necessarily *thorough* endings; that's what fanfic is for!) but I can deal with cliffhangers in the middle of a series (Dresden Files, I'm lookin' at you).
Morning reading, Afternoon reading or Nighttime reading?
Anytime! Though, my reading habits tend to be "read one whole day, spend another day doing stuff I should've been doing."
Standalone or Series?
Series. Standalone. So long as they're well-written, I'm good.
Urban fantasy or high fantasy?
Both! Both, gosh darn it! I love them both!
New or used?
I prefer new, but I've gotten into buying them used.
Favorite book of which nobody else has heard?
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams (people may have heard of it, but it's so overshadowed by Hitchhiker's Guide..)
Also, people should read Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles. Even if it's a manga. It's awesome, though the later chapters are now getting very mind-screwy.
Top X favorite genre books read last year? (Where X is 5 or less)
1. Changes by Jim Butcher (book 12 of Dresden Files)
2. Good Omens the Nice and Accurate Prophecies by Agnes Nutter by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
3. The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester (technically I didn't read this or #4 in the last year but oh well)
4. Camp Concentration by Thomas Disch
Top X favorite genre books of all time? (Where X is 5 or less)
1. Good Omens the Nice and Accurate Prophecies by Agnes Nutter by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (Crowley [which, I believe, is what SPN!Crowley is based on] is my favorite demon and Aziraphale is my 2nd favorite angel [edged out by Castiel, but only by a hair])
2. Small Favor by Jim Butcher (book 10 of Dresden Files)
3. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
X favorite genre series? (Where X is 5 or less)
1. The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
2. The Tortall series by Tamora Pierce
3. Temeraire series by Naomi Novik
4. the Pern novels by Anne McCaffrey
Top X favorite genre short stories? (Where X is 5 or less)
1. The Warrior by Jim Butcher (why, yes, it is a Dresden Files short story. Yes, I'm aware I need to branch out in my reading)
2. Tower of Babylon by Ted Chiang
3. Story of Your Life by Ted Chiang (for those with interest, it revolves around a linguist who meets aliens whose language takes into account knowing the future)
Book Meme 3:
Recommend your favourite author and title:
In fantasy fiction: Storm Front by Jim Butcher (with the addendum that you need to read through book 3 before the series picks up)
In science fiction: Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
In horror: Does In Cold Blood by Truman Capote count as horror? ...Sure!
In humour: Good Omens the Nice and Accurate Prophecies by Agnes Nutter by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett (can I recommend this any more than I already have?)
In crime fiction: Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (it involves crime. It's crime fiction.)
In historical fiction: I haven't read any historical fiction, so pass.
In British classic literature: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte!
In American classic literature: (America has classic lit?) The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, I guess.
In British contemporary literature: Lord of the Flies by William Golding (this probably isn't true, but I can't recall any else)
In American contemporary literature: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
In any other national classic literature: I'm not well-read enough outside British or American lit to recommend anything.
In any other national contemporary literature: see above
If you try and take a cat apart to see how it works, the first thing you have on your hands is a non-working cat. --Douglas Adams