The *BIG* Book Meme

Copied from This Week @ the Library…..

1. Favorite childhood book?

I hardly read a thing before I was in my Teens (hard to believe I know) but my favourite teenage reading was The Lensmen Series by E E ‘Doc’ Smith.

2. What are you reading right now?

Last of the Amazons by Steven Pressfield and Easter 1916: The Irish Rebellion by Charles Townshend

3. What books do you have on request at the library?

I haven’t used the library for years. I’ve usually got more (and better) books than they do!

4. Bad book habit?

Buying more books than I can read in a lifetime. I probably have enough unread books to last me at least 15 years. I’m still buying books – indeed on average I’m probably accumulating books faster than I’m reading them. This is not good.

5. What do you currently have checked out at the library

Nothing. See response to Q3.

6. Do you have an e-reader?

Thought about it. Still thinking.

7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?

I’m normally reading one fiction and at least one non-fiction at the same time.

8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?

Not really. I do sometimes think I’ll read something to surprise or entertain my readership – but I’d be doing that to entertain or surprise myself. There might be a few books I have that I’d think twice about reviewing (which might be stopping me reading them) but I’ll probably get over that.

9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)

Sleipnir by Linda Evans.

10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?

A Madness of Angels by Kate Griffin…. Possibly…….. I’ve been lucky enough (or possibly skilled enough) to read some very good books this year.

11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?

Not often enough.

12. What is your reading comfort zone?

SF.

13. Can you read on the bus?

Not really. Going around corners whilst reading makes my head ache. It took me months to teach myself to read on the train. Fortunately they tend to go in straight lines most of the time.

14. Favorite place to read?

Anywhere where I won’t be disturbed and is reasonably quiet.

15. What is your policy on book lending?

Only one book at a time and only to close friends.

16. Do you ever dog-ear books?

No.

17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?

Never. What a horrid idea!

18. Even in college textbooks?

No way.

19. What is your favorite language to read in?

English. It’s the only one I know.

20. What makes you love a book?

Well written characters who you care about or a believable world you’d love to visit (or even move to). The Culture stories by Iain Banks are an example of the latter.

21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?

Having had an enjoyable reading experience.

22. Favorite genre?

Science-Fiction (naturally).

23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)

Good spy novels or classic crime thrillers.

24. Favorite biography?

I’m actually not interested enough in other individuals (as a rule) to read books about them. I’ve read a few biographies in the past but found them less than inspiring.

25. Have you ever read a self-help book?

I’ve tried a few but found them boring, trite or incomprehensible.

26. Favorite cookbook?

As I don’t really cook….. that would be none.

27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?

Amazing Tales for Making Men out of Boys by Neil Oliver.

28. Favorite reading snack?

Anything I can hold in one hand. God bless John Montagu fourth Earl of Sandwich.

29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.

I generally don’t listen to hype much and tend not to read what could be called popular novels. The books I do read – apart from the odd one or two – tend to be pretty much hype free…. Then again I haven’t read my copy of Twilight yet!

30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?

The only critics I read regularly are the guys from SFX magazine (and occasionally in The Observer). Mostly they’re spot on but it helps to be aware – and beware – of their favourites.

31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?

Oh, I have no issue with that – as readers of my Blog will know.

32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?

French. If their books are anything like their movies I’d love them too.

33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?

I’m rarely intimidated by a book. I certainly see some as more of a challenge than others – the hard sciences can get a bit much especially where mathematics is involved for example.

34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?

I have a copy of The Road to Reality: A Complete Guide to the Physical Universe by Roger Penrose which does make me nervous in a way. This probably explains why, after an initial skim, I haven’t opened it after sitting on my bookshelf for several years now.

35. Favorite Poet?

Again poetry just isn’t my thing. I’m definitely a prose person.

36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?

Back in my youth when the reading habit hit (and I didn’t have much money) I regularly borrowed beyond the maximum aloud number of books – which was 12. I remember once being asked to bring some of the 16 books I had out back. I told the librarian that her records were out of date. I actually had 24 books out at that time.

37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?

More than once.

38. Favorite fictional character?

Probably Sherlock Holmes.

39. Favorite fictional villain?

I can’t think of a specific villain off-hand but the type of villain I like is pretty much the same as the type of hero I like: complex, multi-layered, conflicted and, above all else, flawed. The thing I really can’t stand in my villains: Stupidity.

40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?

At Christmas I normally read through a few novels and a few non-fiction. Holidays are for larger volumes that I don’t want to lug into work everyday and for more difficult works that require concentration.

41. The longest I’ve gone without reading.

Almost 2 years (oddly the first 2/3 of my time at University – go figure!)

42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.

Rama Revealed by Arthur C Clarke.

43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?

People visiting my desk to ask if I’m “on lunch” and the phone ringing.

44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?

Pride and Prejudice or A Very Long Engagement.

45. Most disappointing film adaptation?

I found The Golden Compass (aka Northern Lights) disappointing. Partially because they truncated a perfectly good ending, but mostly because it lacked both the heart and the bite of the novel. I’m not entirely clear what was missing from the adaptation – but something definitely was.

46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?

In an actual bookshop – probably £80 or so. On Amazon – maybe £150

47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?

Only non-fiction. I check out chapter headings and maybe the bibliography and might do some spot reading of particular chapters that piqué my interest.

48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?

Sleep usually! But I tend to finish books that I start unless they’re really bad. I might pause a book – for years sometimes – if I find something much more interesting to read in the meantime. Presently I have about 20 ‘paused’ books.

49. How do you keep your books organized?

Autobiographically….. No, only kidding! Most of my bookshelves are fairly random (though authors tend to gravitate in clumps). I tend not to mix fiction and non-fiction. I also have two complete bookshelves with purely philosophy books and the other with religion/magic books. Most of these are presently unread and are the result of buying books during my last two University courses.

50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?

I generally keep everything I read (or buy to read). Very rarely I give books to Oxfam.

51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?

Ones that I’m fairly confident I won’t like. Although I do like to be experimental from time to time (not often enough I fear) life it just too short to attempt to read books I’d be wasting my time with.

52. Name a book that made you angry.

The Affirmation by Christopher Priest. It was a wonderful read telling of an author drifting into madness and gradually retreating from reality. On the last page the main character turned around and……… It just ended. Like that. I screamed in frustration!

53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?

Language of Stones by Robert Carter.

54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?

The Mocking Programme by Alan Dean Foster

55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?

I don’t feel any ‘guilt’ about my reading habits. I read what I like – or think I’ll like. Some people tut-tut at my reading sometimes but that’s pretty much the standard reaction to SF and anything slightly ‘odd’ which I tend to enjoy.