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caffyolay:
1. Favorite childhood book?
I honestly don't remember, but I can assure you it was about dogs or dinosaurs.
2. What are you reading right now?
Feed, by Mira Grant. Zombies!
3. What books do you have on request at the library?
Sadly, I find I don't use the library very much.
4. Bad book habit?
I'm going to repeat C's answer here: buying books and then having them sit on the shelf unread, sometimes for years.
5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
See #3.
6. Do you have an e-reader?
Oh my yes. I'm on my second Kindle and they would have to pry it from my cold dead hands for me to give it up. I still buy paper books, though.
7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
I prefer to read one at a time, but I usually end up with two or three going at once. Go figure.
8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
Yes, I often pick up new books that I've seen reviewed on blogs.
9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far)?
Fifty Shades of Grey. Yes, I'm embarrassed.
10. Favorite book you've read this year?
Believing the Lie by Elizabeth George.
11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
Not often, but I have a very wide comfort zone. ;)
12. What is your reading comfort zone?
Oh, man. Pretty much anything except poetry.
13. Can you read on the bus?
I can read anywhere.
14. Favorite place to read?
The comfy chair in my office at home.
15. What is your policy on book lending?
I don't do it. I've lost books that way in the past, and I swore never again.
16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
No.
17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
Not pleasure books.
18. Not even with text books?
Ah, we're getting into work here. For the two introductory courses I teach, I do write my "lecture notes" (usually along the lines of "mention this!") in the margins of my instructor's copy of the book. Students who skip class are always in for a nasty shock when they demand copies of my lecture notes.
19. What is your favorite language to read in?
English, although these days I'm trying to read in French as well to prepare.
20. What makes you love a book?
Good writing, memorable characters I care about, and a plot.
21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
I have to really love the book. Even then, it's a bit of a crapshoot as to whether or not my friend will like it as well. Everyone's tastes are so different.
22. Favorite genre?
Mysteries. I'm definitely my mother's daughter in this.
23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did)?
True crime maybe?
24. Favorite biography?
Portrait of an Artist: A Biography of Georgia O'Keeffe by Laurie Lisle
25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
Gah, no. They're all worthless.
26. Favorite cookbook?
Any of the Barefoot Contessa books.
27. Most inspirational book you've read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
Jeez, I have no idea.
28. Favorite reading snack?
I don't eat while I'm reading. But I do drink gallons of unsweetened iced tea.
29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
All the hype around Twilight got me to read it. It was not a good experience.
30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
I'm with C on this too. I don't read professional critics.
31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
If I don't like a book, I say so and I say why. Hopefully, I do it in a civil manner.
32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
First-century Greek.
33. Most intimidating book you've ever read?
The Geochemistry of Hydrothermal Ore Deposits, which was written by my Aqueous Geochemistry professor.
34. Most intimidating book you're too nervous to begin?
Ulysses. Even the people who extol its virtues admit it's hard to get through.
35. Favorite Poet?
I've always had a problem with poetry, so I really don't have a favorite. Blake, maybe?
36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
See #3.
37. How often have you returned books to the library unread?
See #3.
38. Favorite fictional character?
Elizabeth Bennet, Nancy Drew, Sherlock Holmes, Tommy Lynley, Melrose Plant, and on and on.
39. Favorite fictional villain?
I've always had a soft spot for James Moriarity.
40. Books you're most likely to bring on vacation?
Everything on my Kindle.
41. The longest you've gone without reading.
I'm assuming we mean for pleasure here. A day or two.
42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
Dune. I've never managed to get past page 50.
43. What distracts you most when you're reading?
Not much. My parents used to make a game of it when I was a kid.
44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
Does a miniseries count? Then I have to say the Colin Firth / Jennifer Erhle version of Pride and Prejudice.
45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
Nightfall and I, Robot. Hollywood simply has no idea what to do with Asimov.
46. The most money you've ever spent in the book-store at one time?
Err … There was a time when I couldn't get out of Barnes and Noble in less than an hour or for less than $100. Not so much these days, though.
47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
Very rarely.
48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
I don't think I've ever done that – if I'm going to drop a book, it's usually sooner. Whenever, the reasons would be the same; bad writing, bad characterizations, off the wall twists (for example, an altruistic character is suddenly revealed as a secret neo-Nazi).
49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
The Library of Congress has nothing on me. ;)
50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you've read them?
That depends. If I know I'll read it again, I keep it. If not, I recycle it (I only buy paperbacks nowadays) or delete it from my Kindle.
51. Are there any books you've been avoiding?
The aforementioned Ulysses, although if I take that course in twentieth-century lit I'm probably going to have to suck it up and read.
52. Name a book that made you angry.
Hiroshima by John Hersey. It was a summer reading book when I was in high school, and it pissed me off because it scared me so badly.
53. A book you didn't expect to like but did?
Surprisingly enough, Pride and Prejudice. I had read it for the Great Books club when I was in fifth grade, and didn't get it at all. Years later, when I was in college, my mother pressured me to give it another try, and I kinda liked it. ;)
54. A book that you expected to like but didn't?
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, although it was more of a case of hoping to like it, as it was given to me by a friend who loved it.
55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
Chick lit. It's fluff that I can read in an afternoon when my brain wants to shut off for a while.
caffyolay: 1. Favorite childhood book?
I honestly don't remember, but I can assure you it was about dogs or dinosaurs.
2. What are you reading right now?
Feed, by Mira Grant. Zombies!
3. What books do you have on request at the library?
Sadly, I find I don't use the library very much.
4. Bad book habit?
I'm going to repeat C's answer here: buying books and then having them sit on the shelf unread, sometimes for years.
5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
See #3.
6. Do you have an e-reader?
Oh my yes. I'm on my second Kindle and they would have to pry it from my cold dead hands for me to give it up. I still buy paper books, though.
7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
I prefer to read one at a time, but I usually end up with two or three going at once. Go figure.
8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
Yes, I often pick up new books that I've seen reviewed on blogs.
9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far)?
Fifty Shades of Grey. Yes, I'm embarrassed.
10. Favorite book you've read this year?
Believing the Lie by Elizabeth George.
11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
Not often, but I have a very wide comfort zone. ;)
12. What is your reading comfort zone?
Oh, man. Pretty much anything except poetry.
13. Can you read on the bus?
I can read anywhere.
14. Favorite place to read?
The comfy chair in my office at home.
15. What is your policy on book lending?
I don't do it. I've lost books that way in the past, and I swore never again.
16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
No.
17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
Not pleasure books.
18. Not even with text books?
Ah, we're getting into work here. For the two introductory courses I teach, I do write my "lecture notes" (usually along the lines of "mention this!") in the margins of my instructor's copy of the book. Students who skip class are always in for a nasty shock when they demand copies of my lecture notes.
19. What is your favorite language to read in?
English, although these days I'm trying to read in French as well to prepare.
20. What makes you love a book?
Good writing, memorable characters I care about, and a plot.
21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
I have to really love the book. Even then, it's a bit of a crapshoot as to whether or not my friend will like it as well. Everyone's tastes are so different.
22. Favorite genre?
Mysteries. I'm definitely my mother's daughter in this.
23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did)?
True crime maybe?
24. Favorite biography?
Portrait of an Artist: A Biography of Georgia O'Keeffe by Laurie Lisle
25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
Gah, no. They're all worthless.
26. Favorite cookbook?
Any of the Barefoot Contessa books.
27. Most inspirational book you've read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
Jeez, I have no idea.
28. Favorite reading snack?
I don't eat while I'm reading. But I do drink gallons of unsweetened iced tea.
29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
All the hype around Twilight got me to read it. It was not a good experience.
30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
I'm with C on this too. I don't read professional critics.
31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
If I don't like a book, I say so and I say why. Hopefully, I do it in a civil manner.
32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
First-century Greek.
33. Most intimidating book you've ever read?
The Geochemistry of Hydrothermal Ore Deposits, which was written by my Aqueous Geochemistry professor.
34. Most intimidating book you're too nervous to begin?
Ulysses. Even the people who extol its virtues admit it's hard to get through.
35. Favorite Poet?
I've always had a problem with poetry, so I really don't have a favorite. Blake, maybe?
36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
See #3.
37. How often have you returned books to the library unread?
See #3.
38. Favorite fictional character?
Elizabeth Bennet, Nancy Drew, Sherlock Holmes, Tommy Lynley, Melrose Plant, and on and on.
39. Favorite fictional villain?
I've always had a soft spot for James Moriarity.
40. Books you're most likely to bring on vacation?
Everything on my Kindle.
41. The longest you've gone without reading.
I'm assuming we mean for pleasure here. A day or two.
42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
Dune. I've never managed to get past page 50.
43. What distracts you most when you're reading?
Not much. My parents used to make a game of it when I was a kid.
44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
Does a miniseries count? Then I have to say the Colin Firth / Jennifer Erhle version of Pride and Prejudice.
45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
Nightfall and I, Robot. Hollywood simply has no idea what to do with Asimov.
46. The most money you've ever spent in the book-store at one time?
Err … There was a time when I couldn't get out of Barnes and Noble in less than an hour or for less than $100. Not so much these days, though.
47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
Very rarely.
48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
I don't think I've ever done that – if I'm going to drop a book, it's usually sooner. Whenever, the reasons would be the same; bad writing, bad characterizations, off the wall twists (for example, an altruistic character is suddenly revealed as a secret neo-Nazi).
49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
The Library of Congress has nothing on me. ;)
50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you've read them?
That depends. If I know I'll read it again, I keep it. If not, I recycle it (I only buy paperbacks nowadays) or delete it from my Kindle.
51. Are there any books you've been avoiding?
The aforementioned Ulysses, although if I take that course in twentieth-century lit I'm probably going to have to suck it up and read.
52. Name a book that made you angry.
Hiroshima by John Hersey. It was a summer reading book when I was in high school, and it pissed me off because it scared me so badly.
53. A book you didn't expect to like but did?
Surprisingly enough, Pride and Prejudice. I had read it for the Great Books club when I was in fifth grade, and didn't get it at all. Years later, when I was in college, my mother pressured me to give it another try, and I kinda liked it. ;)
54. A book that you expected to like but didn't?
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, although it was more of a case of hoping to like it, as it was given to me by a friend who loved it.
55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
Chick lit. It's fluff that I can read in an afternoon when my brain wants to shut off for a while.
