I've been book tagged.
By and large, tagging is the blogging equivalent of sending a chain letter. However...this one's about books. Books are good. Thanks to Psychocandy. Bitch!
Hardback or paperback?
Either. For reasons of cheapness, and availability, most of my books are paperback
Amazon or brick and mortar?
Nothing against Amazon, but nothing beats the serendipity of browsing in a good bookshop. The best bookshop in the world is Glasgow's Voltaire and Rousseau, which has ceiling high piles of loosely-categorised books. But Amazon are great for free album art for my iPod.
Oxfam. Barnes and Noble aren't a UK brand. Borders aren't my favourite (but, hey! they sell books.)
Bookmark or dog-ear?
If it's a bookmark, usually it will be a supermarket receipt. I've no qualms about dog-earing, leaving books face down or just thumbing through until I reach the right place.
Are you shitting me? I am the anti-Candy! Actually, onceuponatime we did have our books alphabetised, and it worked quite well. But we have less space and fewer bookcases now. The system can best be described as a semi-controlled avalanche.
Keep, throw away, or sell?I'm being quite ruthless these days. Books are being recirculated through Oxfam, simply left places or given away. If I lend a book, I don't expect it back unless I explicitly ask.
Take it off to keep it nice when reading, then put it back on afterwards. In theory. If I remember.
See above - unless its a library book with a plastic dust-jacket jacket.
Mainly novels, but nothing against short stories....Raymond Carver...Alexei Sayles' short stories are surprisingly accomplished.
Collection, probably
Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?Lemony Snicket in principle, because they are more intelligent. And who could resist someone who names a character 'Esme Squalor'? I've only read a couple though. Unlike Harry Potter. But the last few Harry Potter books have been appallingly written. Plot strands are flailing wildly.
Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?
When tired - but when it's time to bed I promise myself I'll go at the end of the chapter.
‘It was a dark and stormy night’ or ‘Once upon a time’?'Lolita. Light of my life, fire of my loins, Lo. Lee. Ta...'
Buy or Borrow?
Buy. It's a compulsion.
Whatever I can get away with! Without 2nd hand shops, I'd be bankrupt, though. And the condition of the book isn't a factor.
Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse?All of the above.
Tidy ending or cliffhanger?
Hmm. I like to think the author hasn't simply got bored and stopped - Norman Mailer's 'Harlot's Ghost' being a case in point.
Morning reading, afternoon reading or nighttime reading?
Any available moment. Even a couple of snatched minutes before rushing out the door.
Standalone or series?
I have a snobbish objection to 'series'. You'll never get me reading Clan of the Space Elves, and when you've read 1 1/2 Terry Pratchetts, you've got the point. Although...I'll make exceptions. Eg Armistead Maupin. Plus, see below...
Favourite series?
I'm addicted to Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin series. So much so that I'm not allowing myself to buy any until I see the next one in a 2nd hand shop. There's twenty-one of the fuckers!
I'd like to add a few more questions:
Plough on or abandon?
I'll happily abandon any book I'm not getting on with. I usually know after a couple of chapters.
Always a book on the go or books a sometimes thing?
Never without a book. I tend to read one every week-and-a-bit at least. Less if I have spare time.
Have you read all the books on your shelf?
No. I buy much faster than I can read. Actually, I'm a pretty slow reader compared to some. But I've stopped moving my lips!
Genre(s) or Mainstream?
I don't follow any genres, but I'll sometimes dip into crime or SF if I'm told something is especially good. I used to read exclusively SF in my mis-spent youth, but I haven't been impressed recently and have developed an aversion to Fantasy - even Magic Realism sets off by bullshit alarm. Sometimes I stumble on some seriously good writing tucked away under Crime.
How often in your life have you read 'The Lord of the Rings'?
Once. And that was once too often.
1 comment:
Plough on or abandon?
Abandon.
Always a book on the go or books a sometimes thing?
I nearly always carry a book with me, and usually finish one eack week or two.
Have you read all the books on your shelf?
No. And I've hardly put a dent in K's (which about doubled my collection, how cool is that?!).
Genre(s) or Mainstream?
I like some fantasy and sci-fi, usually the more humorous sort and rarely dry, technical stuff. I can't really think of any other genres, unless you count non-fiction.
How often in your life have you read 'The Lord of the Rings'?
Thirteen times to date.
Post a Comment