Bookish Q&A

Hey look, a meme!

I can’t say I was tagged by anyone. Instead, I read Katie’s post where she refused to play by the rules and just said, “Hey, anyone who wants to, do this survey!” Oh, that Katie… such a rebel.

 
Rules

1. Post these rules
2. Post a photo of your favorite book cover
3. Answer the questions below
4. Tag a few people to answer them too
5. Go to their blog/twitter and tell them you’ve tagged them
6. Make sure you tell the person who tagged you that you’ve taken part!

 
Favorite Book Cover

Honestly I think this might even be harder than coming up with a favorite book… so with the caveat that I don’t have an absolute favorite, and this is just what came to mind just now (because they’ve been getting so much attention, of course), I give you the new cover to the first Harry Potter book. I really love all the new covers, but I especially love how the first one captures Harry’s first steps into the wizarding world.

 
What are you reading right now?

The White Princess, by Philippa Gregory

Do you have any idea what you’ll read when you’re done with that?

Actually, no. I almost always do, but this week is so hectic that… no, no I don’t.

What five books have you always wanted to read but haven’t got round to?

Using a rather loose interpretation of the word always…
The Count of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas
The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevenson
The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde
Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
The Dark Tower series, Stephen King

What magazines do you have in your bathroom/lounge right now?

There is not a single magazine in my entire apartment (and I don’t typically keep reading material in the bathroom).

What’s the worst book you’ve ever read?

Worst is a strong word. To see my full list of 1-star reads (not all of which, I have to stress, were bad books), click here. If pressed to pick one, I’d say Whitley Strieber’s The Omega Point was worst overall.

What book seemed really popular but you didn’t like it?

Most notable is probably Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy… it just wasn’t for me.

What’s the one book you always recommend to just about anyone?

Not a single one. I do think, though, that everyone should try Stephen King at least once. He writes such varied books, there’s bound to be something anyone can enjoy.

What are your three favorite poems?

I know there are poems that I’ve enjoyed, but nothing that comes to mind. I’m really not a poetry person.

Where do you usually get your books?

The vast majority of my reading comes from the library. I’m cheap like that.

When you were little, did you have any particular reading habits?

Reading any time and any place… does that count as a habit?

What’s the last thing you stayed up half the night reading because it was too good to put down?

Feed, by Mira Grant. I was completely wrapped up in that world. Review on that will be coming soon.

Have you ever “faked” reading a book?

Not counting school assignments, no. (If we are counting school assignments… a lot.)

Have you ever bought a book just because you liked the cover?

I honestly don’t think so. There was a very short time in my life that I had the luxury of buying books on a whim, but I don’t think the cover was ever a deciding factor. Cover plus blurb, maybe, but never just cover.

What was your favorite book when you were a child?

When I was very young, The Butter Battle Book, by Dr. Seuss (which I only much later realized was an allegory for the Cold War). As I grew into my Little House/Nancy Drew/Babysitter’s Club years, I don’t know that I ever had a single favorite book again.

What book changed your life?

I’ve never read a book that “changed my life” in the way that people usually mean that. But Good Things I Wish You was my last 1-star book in a string of bad to mediocre novels… it was pretty much my breaking point as far as DNF’s go. Since finishing that one and regretting wasting the time on it, I’ve been able to put down books much more easily and am a much happier reader for it.

What is your favorite passage from a book?

Like the poetry question… nothing’s coming to mind. I really should start making note of exceptional passages, because as much as I favor a good story over pretty writing, every once in a while I read something that hits me in all the right spots. As Stephen King would say… “treasure that book.” (Actually, that quote is from one of his books, but not one that I’ve read.)

Who are your top five favorite authors?

John Hart, Stephen King, James Rollins, J.K. Rowling, and Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (and yes, they count as one).

What book has no one heard about but should read?

Setting aside, again, the fact that I don’t make blanket recommendations, two of my favorite-yet-least-known books are Jane Jensen’s Judgment Day and Dante’s Equation… the first if you want a more traditional thriller, the second if you’re up for something out of the ordinary. Another good one (if you’re one of my readers here for me rather than my love of thrillers) is Kristina Riggle’s Keepsake, a sort of contemporary women’s fiction novel about family and dealing with behavioral disorders… I thought it was very well done.

What books are you an “evangelist” for?

Um… see the previous question, I guess? I don’t really get how this question is different from the other recommendation questions in this survey…

What are your favorite books by a first-time author?

Richard Harvell’s The Bells, Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus, Diane Setterfield’s The Thirteenth Tale, John Verdon’s Think of a Number, S.J. Watson’s Before I Go to Sleep… at least, I’m pretty sure these are all debuts, unless one of these authors pulled a Galbraith (I’m totally coining that phrase).

What is your favorite classic book?

Gone with the Wind, probably. Sorry if you don’t consider it a “classic” (actually no I’m not), but I don’t have a huge list to draw from.

Five other notable mentions?

Gregory Maguire’s Lost (probably his least popular novel but one of my favorites)
William Goldman’s The Princess Bride (if you’ve only seen the movie, you’re missing out)
Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Identity (ditto)
And anything on my 5-star list

 
Since I hate tagging people for things like this (I never know who enjoys them and who finds them annoying) I’m going to be a rebel too and just say, feel free to continue the meme on your own blog.

And while we’re at it, since this is hardly every book-related question possible… are there any other questions you have about my reading habits, favorites, etc? Ask in the comments!

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