there goes a half hour.
I'm determined to finish 2666 by the end of this April, since I really dislike carrying over massive novels for months at a time. However, instead of reading that, I am now going to do a book meme scavanged from the lovely handlet. Also, if you have yet to participate in my poll on topics for my pie-in-the-sky books podcast endeavor, I really would appreciate your input.
And now,
1) What author do you own the most books by?
Ted Hughes and Margaret Atwood (tie)
2) What book do you own the most copies of?
I have The Stranger in English and French.
3) What fictional character are you secretly in love with?
I've loved Gilbert Blythe since I was, like, eight.
4) What book have you read more than any other?
Anne of the Island is my go-to guidance & pick-me-up book. I'm sure I've read it 15 times.
5) What was your favorite book when you were 10 years old?
Probably the Little House books. I especially liked Big Woods and Plum Creek.
6) What is the worst book you've read in the past year?
I read The Commoner by John Burnham Schwartz last month, and it was total crap, which pissed me off, since it had been featured by NPR and the New York Times Book Review, which makes me think that their reviews are completely dependent upon publisher pushes.
7) What is the best book you've read in the past year?
I've read several fantastic books in the past year, often completely different from one another. Highlights have been The Brothers Karamazov, Invisible Man, Alias Grace (Atwood), Atonement, Disgrace (Coetzee), Still Life with Woodpecker (Robbins), and the current 2666 (Bolano). The best of those? Probably BK or Disgrace.
8) If you could tell everyone you know to read one book, what would it be?
Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood.
9) What is the most difficult book you've ever read?
Hm. I remember having a hard time getting through The Grapes of Wrath, because I was bored and 15. Recently, I read all of My Life, the poetic autobiography of Lyn Hejinian, which is a cornerstone work of the L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E movement, and which requires a lot of work. There's as much written in between the words as there is on the page.
10) Do you prefer the French or the Russians?
To read, I presume. I have a minor in French, but I do love Dostoevsky. ...probably the French. I don't like choosing.
11) Shakespeare, Milton or Chaucer?
I've had classes on all three of these, and many on Shakespeare. The best class was Milton, but come on. Shakespeare. There's really no other choice.
12) Austen or Eliot?
Austen.
13) What is the biggest or most embarrassing gap in your reading?
My recent reading of Roberto Bolano has made me really aware of my gap in Spanish-language literature, and I'm going to try to make that up this summer. I've already made dates with Don Quixote and Marquez.
14) What is your favorite novel?
Cat's Eye, Catch-22, The Bell Jar, Anne of the Island, Pride and Prejudice.
15) Play?
Pygmalion
16) Poem?
"Lady Lazarus" (Plath) or "Fern Hill" (Dylan Thomas)
17) Essay?
"Repeat After Me" (Sedaris). I have cried buckets over that essay. BUCKETS.
18) Short Story?
Probably something by Zora Neale Hurston or Flannery O'Connor.
19) Non-Fiction?
I don't read too much non-fiction, except for philosophy and literary criticism. Diane Middlebrook's biographies are brilliant, especially Her Husband.
20) Graphic Novel?
Sandman.
21) Memoir?
I don't read memoirs. Now I'm just imagining John Malkovitch saying "mem-wah" in Burn After Reading.
22) History?
Does Persepolis count? I read that in a history class once.
23) Mystery Or Noir?
I quite like the MC Beaton books and Maisie Dobbs, and I've recently been getting into Raymond Chandler.
24) Science Fiction?
Ender's Game. There's a kid in my classes named Andrew Wiggins, which is very close to being Andrew Wiggin. I actually told him today that I often have the desire to call him 'Ender'.
25) Who is your favorite writer?
Margaret Atwood can do anything, and Sylvia Plath owns my soul. So does Dylan Thomas. They have copossession.
26) Who is the most overrated writer alive today?
According to what rating system? I mean, we all know that most novels that top the bestseller lists actually suck.
27) What are you reading right now?
2666, as aforementioned and The Palace Circle (on the buy 2 get one half off table).
And now,
1) What author do you own the most books by?
Ted Hughes and Margaret Atwood (tie)
2) What book do you own the most copies of?
I have The Stranger in English and French.
3) What fictional character are you secretly in love with?
I've loved Gilbert Blythe since I was, like, eight.
4) What book have you read more than any other?
Anne of the Island is my go-to guidance & pick-me-up book. I'm sure I've read it 15 times.
5) What was your favorite book when you were 10 years old?
Probably the Little House books. I especially liked Big Woods and Plum Creek.
6) What is the worst book you've read in the past year?
I read The Commoner by John Burnham Schwartz last month, and it was total crap, which pissed me off, since it had been featured by NPR and the New York Times Book Review, which makes me think that their reviews are completely dependent upon publisher pushes.
7) What is the best book you've read in the past year?
I've read several fantastic books in the past year, often completely different from one another. Highlights have been The Brothers Karamazov, Invisible Man, Alias Grace (Atwood), Atonement, Disgrace (Coetzee), Still Life with Woodpecker (Robbins), and the current 2666 (Bolano). The best of those? Probably BK or Disgrace.
8) If you could tell everyone you know to read one book, what would it be?
Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood.
9) What is the most difficult book you've ever read?
Hm. I remember having a hard time getting through The Grapes of Wrath, because I was bored and 15. Recently, I read all of My Life, the poetic autobiography of Lyn Hejinian, which is a cornerstone work of the L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E movement, and which requires a lot of work. There's as much written in between the words as there is on the page.
10) Do you prefer the French or the Russians?
To read, I presume. I have a minor in French, but I do love Dostoevsky. ...probably the French. I don't like choosing.
11) Shakespeare, Milton or Chaucer?
I've had classes on all three of these, and many on Shakespeare. The best class was Milton, but come on. Shakespeare. There's really no other choice.
12) Austen or Eliot?
Austen.
13) What is the biggest or most embarrassing gap in your reading?
My recent reading of Roberto Bolano has made me really aware of my gap in Spanish-language literature, and I'm going to try to make that up this summer. I've already made dates with Don Quixote and Marquez.
14) What is your favorite novel?
Cat's Eye, Catch-22, The Bell Jar, Anne of the Island, Pride and Prejudice.
15) Play?
Pygmalion
16) Poem?
"Lady Lazarus" (Plath) or "Fern Hill" (Dylan Thomas)
17) Essay?
"Repeat After Me" (Sedaris). I have cried buckets over that essay. BUCKETS.
18) Short Story?
Probably something by Zora Neale Hurston or Flannery O'Connor.
19) Non-Fiction?
I don't read too much non-fiction, except for philosophy and literary criticism. Diane Middlebrook's biographies are brilliant, especially Her Husband.
20) Graphic Novel?
Sandman.
21) Memoir?
I don't read memoirs. Now I'm just imagining John Malkovitch saying "mem-wah" in Burn After Reading.
22) History?
Does Persepolis count? I read that in a history class once.
23) Mystery Or Noir?
I quite like the MC Beaton books and Maisie Dobbs, and I've recently been getting into Raymond Chandler.
24) Science Fiction?
Ender's Game. There's a kid in my classes named Andrew Wiggins, which is very close to being Andrew Wiggin. I actually told him today that I often have the desire to call him 'Ender'.
25) Who is your favorite writer?
Margaret Atwood can do anything, and Sylvia Plath owns my soul. So does Dylan Thomas. They have copossession.
26) Who is the most overrated writer alive today?
According to what rating system? I mean, we all know that most novels that top the bestseller lists actually suck.
27) What are you reading right now?
2666, as aforementioned and The Palace Circle (on the buy 2 get one half off table).