Instead of a Book Review...
I've never done a meme like this but I loved reading Thomas at My Porch and Mad Bibliophile's answers so I thought I'd give this a go. Plus, I'm still going through writer's block so no new reviews from me for now.
1. Favorite childhood book?
The Nancy Drew Mysteries, The Adventures of Tintin
2. What are you reading right now?
The Closed Door and Other Stories by Dorothy Whipple
3. What books do you have on request at the library?
None
4. Bad book habit?
Never leaving a bookstore without a book
5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
Nothing
6. Do you have an e-reader?
No, but I confess I'm thinking of purchasing one. I'll always love the smell of and feel of actual books but an e-reader will help me get the books I want that aren't available in the Philippines.
7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
One book at a time
8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
Yes, my To Be Read pile is just growing as I read more and more reviews for books I want to read.
9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)
Little Bee or The Other Hand by Chris Cleaves
10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?
Hard to answer but it's probably The Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster and Brooklyn by Colm Toibin. Coincidentally they both have the word Brooklyn in their titles.
11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
Very often.
12. What is your reading comfort zone?
Victorian England or England and Paris in the 1920s
13. Can you read on the bus?
No, never. It would make me sick. As a child, I got sick in the car while reading a Tintin book. Never again after that.
14. Favorite place to read?
At night in bed
15. What is your policy on book lending?
I'm always happy to lend books to friends and even more happy when they tell me they enjoyed it.
16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
I'm ashamed to say it but yes, I dog-ear my books. I always lose my bookmarks.
17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
Never
18. Not even with text books?
It's ok to write in textbooks
19. What is your favorite language to read in?
English.
20. What makes you love a book?
I want a book to be well-written. I think that's number one. It could have a riveting plot but if the prose is just not up to par then I can't, can't read it. I love a book that evokes a distinct atmosphere and it takes a great writer to manage that. Of course, it must also have an engaging story.
21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
Many, many things. Although I always take into consideration the person I'm recommending to and their own personal tastes.
22. Favorite genre?
Literature and classics
23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)
Biographies
24. Favorite biography?
25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
Yes, though I don't remember which ones.
26. Favorite cookbook?
27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
28. Favorite reading snack?
29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?
38. Favorite fictional character?
39. Favorite fictional villain?
40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
41. The longest I’ve gone without reading.
42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
52. Name a book that made you angry.
53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?
54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?
55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
Tintin and Persephones
The Nancy Drew Mysteries, The Adventures of Tintin
2. What are you reading right now?
The Closed Door and Other Stories by Dorothy Whipple
3. What books do you have on request at the library?
None
4. Bad book habit?
Never leaving a bookstore without a book
5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
Nothing
6. Do you have an e-reader?
No, but I confess I'm thinking of purchasing one. I'll always love the smell of and feel of actual books but an e-reader will help me get the books I want that aren't available in the Philippines.
7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
One book at a time
8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
Yes, my To Be Read pile is just growing as I read more and more reviews for books I want to read.
9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)
Little Bee or The Other Hand by Chris Cleaves
10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?
Hard to answer but it's probably The Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster and Brooklyn by Colm Toibin. Coincidentally they both have the word Brooklyn in their titles.
11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
Very often.
12. What is your reading comfort zone?
Victorian England or England and Paris in the 1920s
13. Can you read on the bus?
No, never. It would make me sick. As a child, I got sick in the car while reading a Tintin book. Never again after that.
14. Favorite place to read?
At night in bed
15. What is your policy on book lending?
I'm always happy to lend books to friends and even more happy when they tell me they enjoyed it.
16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
I'm ashamed to say it but yes, I dog-ear my books. I always lose my bookmarks.
17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
Never
18. Not even with text books?
It's ok to write in textbooks
19. What is your favorite language to read in?
English.
20. What makes you love a book?
I want a book to be well-written. I think that's number one. It could have a riveting plot but if the prose is just not up to par then I can't, can't read it. I love a book that evokes a distinct atmosphere and it takes a great writer to manage that. Of course, it must also have an engaging story.
21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
Many, many things. Although I always take into consideration the person I'm recommending to and their own personal tastes.
22. Favorite genre?
Literature and classics
23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)
Biographies
24. Favorite biography?
The Wild Swans by Jung Chang. Brilliant!
25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
Yes, though I don't remember which ones.
26. Favorite cookbook?
I love cookbooks and I have many favourites. I love the Barefoot Contessa books, Bill Granger's books and Chocolate and Zucchini.
27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
The Brooklyn Follies by Paul Auster
28. Favorite reading snack?
Nothing. I read just before I sleep.
29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
Little Bee or The Other Hand by Chris Cleaves
30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
Sometimes I agree and sometimes I don't. But it's always interesting to read critics' reviews.
31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
I don't like giving negative reviews but sometimes it can't be helped. I only accept review copies of books I'm sure I'll enjoy.
32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
Japanese
33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
I can't think of any particular book right now, maybe because I haven't tackled the ones I thought are intimidating such as Joyce.
34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
I'd love to read Bleak House one day but I'm too nervous to begin because of its sheer size.
35. Favorite Poet?Shakespeare, Elizabeth Barrett Browning
36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
Four
37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?
Oh, many, many times. Probably 40% of the time.
38. Favorite fictional character?
Jane Eyre
39. Favorite fictional villain?
Tom Ripley from Patricia Highsmith's Ripley novels and Count Fosco from The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins.
40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
Books that I don't mind leaving behind to free up my suitcase space.
41. The longest I’ve gone without reading.
24 hours
42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. Couldn't finish and didn't want to finish it. Life's too short for Ayn Rand plus there are too many wonderful books around.
43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
Any sort of noise
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. Though I haven't read the book, I can't believe it can be more wonderful than the film.
45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
The Harry Potter movies. It's much more fun to read the books!
46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?Hmm, maybe a 100$
47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
Never. I don't even want to read the blurb.
48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
I have the 50 page rule. If a book fails to captivate me at that point, I have no qualms to put it aside.
49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
I should but I don't though I do catalog my books on Library Thing.
50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
I only keep books I loved or I enjoyed. The rest are given away or donated to a library.
51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
Other than Atlas Shrugged which was for a book club, I usually only read books I want to read.
Atlas Shrugged
53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?
The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
Tintin and Persephones
The Philippines?! We should chat! I was born in Manila, and my entire family on one side is in the Philippines -- I haven't been back in 16 years!
ReplyDeleteI'm also considering getting an e-reader of some sort -- I've overly hinted so much to my husband that I'm confident that I'm getting the Nook on Sept. 17th! Okay, maybe I shouldn't jinx it! :)
I love this meme, everyone's answers are so interesting! I would urge you to try reading North and South; the miniseries is wonderful, but I'm even more fond of the book (and far prefer its ending to the movie's).
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to hear what you think of The Closed Door. And I think The Brooklyn Follies is indeed inspirational.
ReplyDeleteI have ordered an e-reader, it wont replace books for me but it will be so useful when it comes to the classics and new hardbacks. Everything else Ill try to get out the library.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of Tintin and the Persephones being grouped together!
ReplyDeleteMy answer for #9/#29 might be the same as yours. I was disappointed by Little Bee, too. And same for #39 with Tom Ripley. And #42 with Atlas Shrugged. I just ran out of steam. And out of patience with Dagny. And #54! All my co-workers have enjoyed The Hunger Games trilogy, and though I think the premise is great, I haven't enjoyed the books.
ReplyDeleteLovely post, Mrs.B! I enjoyed reading your answers! Tintin was one of my favourite childhood books too. Which is your favourite Tintin book? I love the fact that you don't leave a bookstore without buying a book :) 'Atlas Shrugged' is definitely a mammoth! But I have a question for you - have you tried reading Marcel Proust's 'In Search of Lost Time'? I also found it interesting that you dog-ear your books :) My mom used to do that all the time and I used to get annoyed with that and got her bookmarks but she used to lose bookmarks and continued to do that. I don't use bookmarks much, but always remember the page number where I left off. I don't know how I remember them, but I always do.
ReplyDeleteHi, Mrs. B! We have a lot of common answers! However, I can't help but comment on Little Bee being your least favorite recently. I guess the hype did spoil it for you, no?
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the HP movies until the "Pheonix". At that point, I thought they were starting to water down the essence of the story.
ReplyDeleteGreat answers and thanks for participating!
Just stopping by to let you know I've really been enjoying your blog and have nominated you for the One Lovely Blog Award :-)
ReplyDeleteFor more information go to:
http://thebookwormchronicles.wordpress.com/2010/09/22/one-lovely-blog-award/