a book meme
1. One book that changed your life?
When I was 17, I read Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke. After I read that, I wanted to read more books about the Regency, read Jane Austen, then other classics, got really into English Literature and ended up wanting to study it. So I could say that Jonathan Strange is the reason I want to go to Uni. I also read more books with magic, discovered Neil Gaiman and other obscure urban fantasy writers, and thanks to them fell in love with old folk tales and legends...
And I read Byron because he's mentioned in Jonathan Strange, and then found out about other poets... Let's just say that my bookshelves are now packed with classics, collected poems and books about the history of English literature. All because of that one book.
2. One book you have read more than once?
I'm going to try and choose a different book for every answer, so I can't say Jonathan Strange again... Um...
Secret Sacrament by Sheryl Jordan. It's young adult fantasy, and oh, so heart breaking. For a few months, that book was all I read, and eventually I had to stop because I was getting depressed. But recently I found out that there's a second book, about the main character's daughter (I think it's called Avala). And it's just a beautiful and sad as Secret Sacrament (but this time there's a happy ending :D ).
3. One book you would want on a desert island?
A really, really thick one. The complete works of someone who's written many, many books.
4. One book that made you laugh?
I don't usually laugh out loud when I read. There is one book that made me laugh out loud, but I'm saving it for the next question. A book that made me smile a lot, though, is Naomi Novik's His Majesty's Dragon, because Temeraire the dragon is so cute.
5. One book that made you cry?
84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff. I finished reading it in bed one night, and cried myself to sleep. It's a weird book, really, because it makes me laugh and cry, and not many books manage that. The thing that gets to me most is that it's a true story. I kind of reviewed it once, here.
6. One book you wish had been written?
Er... a version of Harry Potter where Sirius and Remus are a couple. I mean, an official version, not fanfictions.
7. One book you wish had never had been written?
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami. I forced myself to read it all the way through, and still don't know what it was actually about. And I didn't like the style it was written in. It just annoyed me.
8. One book you are currently reading?
The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing. I'm always one for controversial, shocking literature, even though this is from the sixties, and not from the late 17/early 1800s, where my prefered controversial, shocking literature is from. And the fact that I can say "Yeah, I've read a book by the author who won the 2007 Nobel Literature Prize" is an added bonus.
9. One book you have been meaning to read?
One book?? Well, one book I've been meaning to read for ages now is On The Art of Writing by Arthur Quiller-Couch. But there are so many others, I have a whole shelf set aside for books I have to read. There used to be about 25 titles on my to read list, but today I got rid of some, so the list has been shortened to 18 books. Heh. At least I don't have any more school this year, I might actually get around to some reading. :P
When I was 17, I read Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke. After I read that, I wanted to read more books about the Regency, read Jane Austen, then other classics, got really into English Literature and ended up wanting to study it. So I could say that Jonathan Strange is the reason I want to go to Uni. I also read more books with magic, discovered Neil Gaiman and other obscure urban fantasy writers, and thanks to them fell in love with old folk tales and legends...
And I read Byron because he's mentioned in Jonathan Strange, and then found out about other poets... Let's just say that my bookshelves are now packed with classics, collected poems and books about the history of English literature. All because of that one book.
2. One book you have read more than once?
I'm going to try and choose a different book for every answer, so I can't say Jonathan Strange again... Um...
Secret Sacrament by Sheryl Jordan. It's young adult fantasy, and oh, so heart breaking. For a few months, that book was all I read, and eventually I had to stop because I was getting depressed. But recently I found out that there's a second book, about the main character's daughter (I think it's called Avala). And it's just a beautiful and sad as Secret Sacrament (but this time there's a happy ending :D ).
3. One book you would want on a desert island?
A really, really thick one. The complete works of someone who's written many, many books.
4. One book that made you laugh?
I don't usually laugh out loud when I read. There is one book that made me laugh out loud, but I'm saving it for the next question. A book that made me smile a lot, though, is Naomi Novik's His Majesty's Dragon, because Temeraire the dragon is so cute.
5. One book that made you cry?
84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff. I finished reading it in bed one night, and cried myself to sleep. It's a weird book, really, because it makes me laugh and cry, and not many books manage that. The thing that gets to me most is that it's a true story. I kind of reviewed it once, here.
6. One book you wish had been written?
Er... a version of Harry Potter where Sirius and Remus are a couple. I mean, an official version, not fanfictions.
7. One book you wish had never had been written?
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami. I forced myself to read it all the way through, and still don't know what it was actually about. And I didn't like the style it was written in. It just annoyed me.
8. One book you are currently reading?
The Golden Notebook by Doris Lessing. I'm always one for controversial, shocking literature, even though this is from the sixties, and not from the late 17/early 1800s, where my prefered controversial, shocking literature is from. And the fact that I can say "Yeah, I've read a book by the author who won the 2007 Nobel Literature Prize" is an added bonus.
9. One book you have been meaning to read?
One book?? Well, one book I've been meaning to read for ages now is On The Art of Writing by Arthur Quiller-Couch. But there are so many others, I have a whole shelf set aside for books I have to read. There used to be about 25 titles on my to read list, but today I got rid of some, so the list has been shortened to 18 books. Heh. At least I don't have any more school this year, I might actually get around to some reading. :P