Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Book Meme - Part 1

cleanhouse.jpg (10224 bytes)1 Favorite childhood book?
The first book that always comes to mind is "The Black Stallion," but I also loved "Little Women," "The Five Little Peppers" series, and any horse book by Dorothy Lyon or dog book by Albert Peyson Terhune.

2 What are you reading right now?
"I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced" by Nujood Ali, Delphine Minoui and Linda Coverdale

"The Innocent" by David Baldacci; "Shake Hands Forever" by Ruth Rendell, and "Grief Unveiled: Fifteen Years Later" by Gregory Floyd

3 Do you go to a library? If so, what do you currently have checked out there? If not, is there a reason?
I am embarrassed to admit that I have not set foot in the library 4 blocks from our house in years.  No real reason except that it usually takes me longer than the rental time for books, and I have such a huge backlog of books here at home to read that I don't feel the need.

4 Do you collect any authors/series or certain types of books?
Albert Peyson Terhune's collie books
Michael Connelly, David Baldacci, Vince Flynn, Tess Garretson, Patricia Cornwell, Bill Bryson and probably a bunch more.

5 Do you have a yearly goal on amount of books you want to finish?
Last year I read 34, the year before 78. So far this year I am at 22.  I think 50 is a nice goal.  I probably won't get quite that many this year.

6 Do you have an e-reader?
I LOVE my Kindle.  It sometimes feels like cheating, but the older I get the more I appreciate the ability to choose a font larger than in a print book ... I also like carrying lots of books with me so I can read whatever I am in the mood for...and it all fits in my purse.

7 Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
Question #2 should give you the answer to that!  It is rare that I have only one book going at a time.

8 Do you have a blog where you post about books? If so, give your URL
Not a blog per se, but I do have a book review page:  http://www.funnytheworld.com/2014_books.htm (There are links at the end of each page for the books from the previous year)

9 Do you follow any blogs about reading/books? Which ones?
I occasionally read blogs about reading/books, but not religiously, so I don't remember which ones.

10 Favorite book you’ve read this year (so far in 2014)?
"Written in My Heart's Own Blood," Diana Gabaldon's newest book (released last month)

11 Least favorite book you read this year (so far in 2014)?
"Gidget" by Frederick Kohner (the real Gidget's father).  It is a book I never would have chosen, but I read it for our book club.

12 How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
Not very often.

13 What is your reading comfort zone?
Crime/mysteries.  Travel books.  Biographies.  Light history, especially of places we have visited.

14 Favorite place to read?
Sitting in my recliner at home or during intermission whenever we go to the theater.

15 What are your thoughts on book lending?
I rarely do it because (a) I have nobody that I routinely discuss books with, and (b) most of the books I read these days are either at the book store on my work day, or on my kindle, which makes lending impossible.

16 What are your thoughts on pirated books?
I am uncomfortable reading something that is being sold by someone who does not have the author's permission to sell it.  Authors make little enough as it is without having someone else profit from their work.

17 What are your thoughts on "Banned" books?
Love 'em.  The banned books lists are ridiculous, often including many beloved classics.  I ignore them, except for rolling my eyes in disbelief.

18 What are barriers you have to reading more? (work, family, etc)
My TV addiction.

19 How many books have you read in the last six months?
Twenty-two

20 What makes you love a book?
Well written characters (I hated the "Twilight" Series because Bella was such a doofus.  I hated "Fifty Shdes of Grey" for the same reason,  I just didn't care about Anastasia at all and didn't want to read one more page of her whining.  On the other hand, it was Claire and Jaime's characters that made me so devoted to the Outlander series. I also love the way the mystery writers I read regularly draw their characters.  I think "plot" comes in second to character development.

21 What will inspire you to recommend a book?
Whatever it was that made me love the book so much.

22 5 of your top read genres
Crime/mystery/drama
Travel journals
Biography
Contemporary fiction
Books about animals

23 5 authors you read a lot
Gabaldon, Baldacci, Flynn, Connelly (though I've read all of his books now), and Gerritsen

24 Do you read non-fiction? Biographies?
Yes to both.  The book I'm reading now is the biography of a 10 year old Yemeni girl who was given in marriage to a man 3 times her age.  I'm also reading a book on how to recover when friendships go sour, and I just finished Jane Lynch's autobiography.

25 How many times do you read a week?
There is probably not a day in any given week when I do not read something.   Reading isn't something that is part of my daily routine; reading is part of my life and I can't imagine going a day without reading.

Day 9:  Happiness is another opening, another show
(especially if it is a good show)

1 comment:

Harriet said...

Interesting answers. I'm not saving this meme; I feel I've answered most of these questions before.

But I liked your comment here: Reading isn't something that is part of my daily routine; reading is part of my life and I can't imagine going a day without reading.

How sad that some people can't savor reading that way!