The Sojourner has posted this meme on her blog and, well, I can’t resist a book meme. I don’t think I’ve done this one before; but if I have, c’est la vie.
1. Favorite childhood book?
If I had to pick one I guess it would be A Little Princess by Frances Hodgeson Burnett.
2. What are you reading right now?
Citadel of God by Louis de Wohl, a novel about St. Benedict. Not at all what I expected. Much better.
3. What books do you have on request at the library?
The Liars’ Club : a memoir
Room : a novel
Swimming with penguins
The tiger who came to tea
(I think the last two are for Bella.)
4. Bad book habit?
Reading while eating? Is that a bad habit?
5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
Dusk : a novel by F. Sionil Jose (for book club)
the aforementioned Citadel of God
Thank you for Arguing : What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson can teach us about the art of persuasion by Jay Heinrichs
6. Do you have an e-reader?
No. But I have been known to read things on my iPod Touch. Usually the Liturgy of the Hours; but it does come in handy when stuck in the doctor’s office with nothing to read. Lately I read some L.M. Montgomery short stories and Bambi by Marjorie Benton Cooke, which is not the novel about the deer. It was a bit of a surprise.
7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time or several at once?
It depends. I don’t have a strong preference either way. I don’t mind having only one. I don’t mind juggling half a dozen.
8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
Yes, but it’s more a result of reading blogs than writing one. I now read a much greater variety of books and am much more likely to hit the library’s website to place a bunch of things on hold that I’ve seen recommended on one blog or another.
I suppose the biggest way my reading habits have changed due to writing is that I’m more likely to write out my thoughts about what I read.
9. Least favorite book you read this year?
I don’t tend to remember what I don’t like. So I can’t really say off the top of my head.
10. Favorite book you�ve read this year?
Blackout and All Clear by Connie Willis
11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
I’m not sure that I have a comfort zone.
12. What is your reading comfort zone?
I used not to read much non-fiction; but that has changed.
13. Can you read on the bus?
Yes. I can even read standing up on the subway.
14. Favorite place to read?
My bed with a snack at my elbow.
15. What is your policy on book lending?
I’m a reluctant lender because I tend to get annoyed when people forget to return books.
16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
Rarely; but it does happen.
17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
Sometimes. Usually if it’s for school. But occasionally a book just calls out to be shared and I want to remember quotes and I underline or star the margin so I can find them again.
18. Not even with text books?
More likely to write marginalia in text books.
19. What is your favorite language to read in?
English. I have read a few novels in French.I don’t read well in Latin or Irish which are the other languages I’ve studied.
20. What makes you love a book?
Who knows? Great ideas, an insight into truth, poetic language, soaring prose, irresistible characters, wit, gripping plot. Some combination of those or else something that I just can’t think of right now.
21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
I loved it and I think that someone else will love it too.
22. Favorite genre?
It used to be fantasy/science fiction. Nowadays I’d be hard pressed to pick one.
23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did)?
If I rarely read it, I probably don’t wish I did.
24. Favorite biography?
I’m not sure I have one. I don’t read many biographies. Let me get back to you on that.
25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
I’ve read parenting and homeschooling books. Do those count?
26. Favorite cookbook?
My favorite general cookbook is probably Joy of Cooking. For specialty cookbooks I adore Mediterranean Hot and Madhur Jaffrey’s Indian cooking and Julia Child and Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.
27. Most inspirational book you�ve read this year (fiction or nonfiction)?
I can’t think of any. Sadly this doesn’t necessarily reflect my reading so much as pregnancy brain.
28. Favorite reading snack?
Cookies, muffins, cake, chocolate. Anything sweet. (Though I’ll also read with chips and salsa or really any food.)
29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
I think I was a bit disappointed in The Penderwicks because I read so many rave reviews. It was ok; but I didn’t love it like I expected to. I think had I gone in with no expectations I might have enjoyed it more.
30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
It depends on whether the critics are right.
31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
I’m more likely to just say nothing. But if I do give a bad review, I’ll explain my reasons.
32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you choose?
Attic Greek. I really wish I could read Homer in the original. Though I also wouldn’t mind actually being able to read in Irish.
33. Most intimidating book you�ve ever read?
Joyce’s Ulysses? I’m not sure it’s really intimidating, though some find it so.
34. Most intimidating book you�re too nervous to begin?
Not nervous to begin; but I’ve never got more than a few chapters into The Brothers Karamazov.
35. Favorite poet?
T. S. Eliot hands down. Though Seamus Heaney and Billy Collins are up there.
36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
None, one or two, half a dozen, eight to ten… It depends.
37. How often have you returned books to the library unread?
Not very often.
38. Favorite fictional character?
Oh that’s just too hard.
39. Favorite fictional villain?
Not sure I have one.
40. Books I�m most likely to bring on vacation?
Like the Sojourner, whatever I happen to be reading at the time.
41. The longest I�ve gone without reading.
A day or two maybe.
42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
The Brothers Karamazov, Anna Karenina. I don’t have so much luck with the Russian novels. Mainly because I started to take Russian Novel in college and then dropped it at midterm when I realized I was over-committed and it was the only class I didn’t have to have to graduate.
43. What distracts you easily when you�re reading?
Small children.
44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
Pride and Prejudice miniseries
45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
I have low expectations of film adaptations so I am seldom disappointed. I suppose Disney’s The Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast because I loved those stories and up to that point loved Disney films. It was the beginning of my disillusionment with Disney as a whole.
46. The most money I�ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
No idea.
47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
Very seldom. Almost never.
48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
Boredom. It just fails to keep my attention when a better book finds its way into my hands. This is so much more likely to happen to me in the past few years.
49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
Yes, but they haven’t really been organized since we moved in two years ago and they are getting worse and worse.
50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you�ve read them?
Depends. I used to keep everything. Now I’m a bit more picky.
51. Are there any books you�ve been avoiding?
Not so much avoiding as meaning to read and then other things seem more interesting.
52. Name a book that made you angry.
Can’t think of one.
53. A book you didn�t expect to like but did?
Reading Lolita in Tehran was given to me as a gift and I wasn’t expecting much. I was surprised how much I liked it.
54. A book that you expected to like but didn�t?
Can’t think of one.
55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
Georgette Heyer. Young adult novels.
Yes, I was feeling very superior having read far more than six on that list.
Fascinating! I was thinking of doing that meme – probably still will, but with a caveat – and hadn’t thought to question it. My debunking moment yesterday was inspired by the rumour Angel brought home from school that the driving age is going to be raised from 17 to 18 imminently (a big deal to someone who is almost 16). I was sure I had read something about it a while ago, but had no idea when it was going to change. Turns out it is a persistent urban myth dating back to a newspaper report in 2000. Cue one happy would be driver!
Christmas books families may enjoy:
The Nativity illustrated by Julie Vivas
A Small Miracle by Peter Collington
Angela and the Baby Jesus by Frank McCourt
Mary illustrated by Demi
It is an eclectic list, isn’t it? Hard to characterize the books. But I didn’t think to look up the history either!