A house without books is like a room without windows...
Another bookish meme, stolen from The Maiden's Court.
1. Favorite childhood book?
The Pagan series by Catherine Jinks, without a doubt. These novels are historical fiction for young adults, and they introduced me to the wonder and intrigue of the Middle Ages. It was this series that began an obsession with history and hist-fic that has continued, unabated, to this very day.
2. What are you reading right now?
The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir.
3. What books do you have on request at the library?
I dont belong to my local library. I generally find small town libraries lacking in what I prefer to read, so I rarely join them. However, I love finding a quiet corner to sit and read in libraries, as there's no better feeling that to be surrounded by books.
4. Bad book habit?
Constantly adding books to my wish-list and then buying them before I have go through the other books on my shelf waiting to be read.
5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
See Q3.
6. Do you have an e-reader?
I dont need another excuse to be online...
7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
One at a time. I like to focus all my attention on the story at hand. My brain is so scattered and full of information already that if I was to read more than one book at a time I know I'd end up confusing the stories.
8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
Yes. I read more!
9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)
Mr Darcy Takes a Wife by Linda Berdoll. It was so terrible I couldnt even bring myself to finish it. I gave up after about 50 pages, and it's a 400+ page book!
10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?
I have been so lucky to have read many good books this year, but so far the stand-outs are:
The Perfect Heresy by Stephen O'Shea
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
Rarely. I dont get a lot of free time to dedicate to reading, so I tend to read only the genres I know I will enjoy.
12. What is your reading comfort zone?
Historical fiction.
13. Can you read on the bus?
Bus? Yes.
Train? Yes.
Plane? Yes.
Car? Only if I am in the front passenger seat and the car is low to the ground and it is a straight road!
14. Favorite place to read?
In winter I love to sit in a big comfy armchair and read by the fire, with the garden in view from a window.
In the warmer months I enjoy reading outside, basking in the glorious sunshine.
15. What is your policy on book lending?
I'll lend just about anything belonging to my Permanent Collection. However, some books are loaned with stricter guidelines than others. :) The only books I wont loan out are The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir as some pages have come loose, and The History of Middle Earth by JRR Tolkien, because they are hardcover and far too expensive to replace.
16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
Only text books.
17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
I have in the past, but it's not something I do so much anymore. I'm not against it, though: Another person's thoughts just add to the intrigue.
18. Not even with text books?
I've no qualms with writing in text books. That's what they're for!
19. What is your favorite language to read in?
I can only speak and read English.
20. What makes you love a book?
The subject.
21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
If a book is a true page-turner and keeps me thinking about it days after I've finished it, I will definitely recommend it.
22. Favorite genre?
Historical fiction. Historical biography. Historical fantasy.
23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)
Sci-fi. I love sci-fi films and TV shows, but I dont read a lot of books in this genre.
24. Favorite biography?
The Life and Death of Anne Boleyn by Eric Ives.
25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
Not intentionally.
26. Favorite cookbook?
I get a lot of recipes from friends, family and online. I generally dont use cookbooks.
27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.
28. Favorite reading snack?
I usually dont snack whilst reading.
29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
Harry Potter and the Philospher's Stone. I couldnt help thinking that it was so simply that I could have written it and would be a millionaire by now.
30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
I never read professional reviews.
31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
If a book sucks I will say so.
However, I do try and find the positives in a story as much as is possible. Sometimes good stories are poorly written, and if you can get past the writing the story itself can still be overall enjoyable.
32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
I'm not picky. Any will do! Czech?
33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
See Q34.
34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
The History of Middle Earth by JRR Tolkien. I start then stop, then start again! It'll take a lifetime to finish.
35. Favorite Poet?
W. H. Auden.
36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
See Q3.
37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?
Many times!
38. Favorite fictional character?
Elizabeth Bennett from Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice.
Elphaba from Gregory Maguire's Wicked.
39. Favorite fictional villain?
Since a lot of what I read is hist-fic, characters are based on real people, and depending on who has written the novel determines whether that historical figures are good, evil or simply misguided. A difficult question!
40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
Whatever is next on Mt TBR.
41. The longest I’ve gone without reading?
When I was studying at Law School I could easily not read anything but texts for around 9 months.
42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
Mr Darcy Takes a Wife by Linda Berdoll.
43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
Noises, especially music.
44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
The BBCs adaption of Pride & Prejudice.
45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
The Two Towers. It was completely different to the novel!
46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
$100. I always limit myself to $100. :)
47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
Rarely. I usually just pick it up and start reading it from the first page.
48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
This happens rarely, but if the story is either (a) unbelieveable in any context, or (b) so poorly written I simply cannot ignore it, or (c) both, I will abandon the book.
49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
Yes, by size.
50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
Depends: Some I give away, others I keep. Depends on where the book came from and how much I enjoyed it.
51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
Not that I can think of...
52. Name a book that made you angry.
Mr Darcy Takes a Wife, because it was just so stupid.
53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte.
54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?
I liked it, but not as much as I thought I would: The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova.
55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
All reading is guilt-free, pleasure reading for me.
Picture: The Barr Smith Library, University of Adelaide, South Australia - the largest academic library in the Southern Hemisphere (or so it is claimed).