Books and Movies

I saw this meme at Blue Archipelago awhile back and have been saving it for a day when I didn’t have a review or anything of more substance to post. Not that this meme is without substance - it’s got some great questions.

Hardback or trade paperback or mass market paperback?

Trade paperback. I like the size, and they’re cheaper than hardback.

Bookmark or dog-ear?

I used to be a dog-ear-er, but I’m not anymore. Bookmarks, kleenex (not used, of course), receipts, post-it notes, whatever I can find. ARCs and publisher copies usually come with a letter, and that serves as my bookmark for those books.

Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random?

Alphabetize? Snort. Which pile should I alphabetize? The titles in my red-striped fabric box next to where I sit? The almost waist-high stacks next to my side of the bed? The only organizing I do is to separate the children’s and YA titles from my books.

Keep, throw away or sell?

Throw away books? Never! If it’s a four- or five-star, or one I particularly think my kids will want to read as adults, I keep it. I keep all classics, too - I’ve got a fairly nice collection of Barnes & Noble classics. I keep all the children’s and YA titles, though I imagine they will be divvied out when the kids are grown. If a book is just okay, or I know for sure I won’t re-read it and I don’t want to pass it around to friends and family, I’ll sell it on Half.com. I donate the titles that don’t sell to the library for their used book sale.

Keep dustjacket or toss it?

I usually remove them while reading, and then put them back on before I shelve (or stack ) the book.

Last book you bought?

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.

Last book someone bought for you?

Hmmm… I’m sure it was a gift from my best friend, Michelle - we always get each other books for Christmas and birthdays, but I can’t remember the title right now.

What are some of the books on your to-buy list?

My wish list at Amazon is huge. I mean pages and pages, divided into categories: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, books about books, read-aloud ideas, graphic novels, etc. A few books I’ve seen recently that have been added are:

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff
In the Woods by Tana French
Testimony by Anita Shreve

Collection (short stories, same author) or anthology (short stories, different author)?

I like both. A favorite that comes to mind is Life Studies: Stories by Susan Vreeland, a collection of short stories about or having to do with the Impressionists.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?

Harry, but my daughter would disagree. She likes the HP movies, but has never been able to get into the books. She adores Lemony Snicket, though.

Morning reading, afternoon reading, or nighttime reading?

Morning, noon, and nighttime - whenever I can squeeze in a few minutes.

The books you need to go with other books on your shelves?

We’re missing one of the Harry Potter books, but I can’t remember which one off-hand. It was one I read from the library, then bought the next one. Half-Blood Prince, I think. I’d love to have a complete collection of everything Wendell Berry has ever written, especially the Port William novels.

Do you read anywhere and anytime you can or do you have a set reading time and/or place?

Anywhere, anytime. I can read with the TV on, with the kids going wild around me.

Do you have seasonal reading habits?

I tend to drift toward the classics in the autumn - Dickens, Austen. As far as quantity, I read a lot more during the summer, when we’re taking a break from homeschooling.

Do you read one book at a time or do you have two or more books going at once?

Lots at once. Usually one or two novels, one audiobook, a poetry selection, and a nonfiction selection.

What are your pet peeves about the way people treat books?

I have to admit, I’m not as careful as I could be. I am careful with other people’s books, but mine tend to get left around, hauled in and out of the car, stacked and restacked and end up looking well-loved. And I do bring a book when we go the pool - I motivate myself to do my laps by promising myself I’ll soak in the hot tub with a book after. Always my own book, usually an ARC or paperback.

Name one book you surprised yourself by liking.

I remember thinking after reading the first few pages that I wasn’t going to like The Road by Cormac McCarthy. I ended up thinking it was brilliant.

How often do you read a book and not review it on your blog? What are your reasons for not blogging about a book?

I’m not sure, really - maybe every three or four books I won’t review one. It’s usually just a matter of not enough time. I’m just guessing, but I think if I looked over my list of reads from this year, I’d notice a lot of 3 star books that aren’t reviewed. If it’s really good (4 star) or fantastically brilliant (5 star), I can’t wait to tell everyone about it!

Let me know if you play along on your blog.