27 January 2008

I visit Michele's site each day.  It used to be more fun because she posed interesting, fun, provocative questions each day and then on Friday took the weekend off and set the site up for her readers to visit other people's blogs (you're supposed to leave a note on her guestbook and then leave a note on the guestbook of the person who signed right ahead of you). 

Now Michele makes one post on Monday with a couple of questions (I suppose the fun of making up questions every day wore thin after several years, but I miss the old format), and on Thursday the meet-and-greet begins. 

It seems that more often than not, I happen to be signing her guestbook right under a blogger named Gautami, who writes a book review blog. 

Today Gautami had done a book-related meme, originated with Eva (A Striped Armchair).  It was more interesting than most that I've done, so I thought I'd not only sign the guestbook, but do the meme as well....

Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews?

So many people have told me that I would love "...And Ladies of the Club."  I used to read sweeping sagas like that all the time and I don't know why I haven't gotten into this book, except, perhaps, that it's about a gazillion pages long and at the rate I read now, it would probably take me 2 years to finish.  Also, I'm more into the suspense genre these days.

If you could bring three characters to life for a social event (afternoon tea, a night of clubbing, perhaps a world cruise), who would they be and what would the event be?

Kay Scarpetta, Alex Cross, and Kinsey Milhone.  We'd have dinner at Kay's, because she's such a gourmet cook and maybe I'd pick up some cooking tips at the same time.

You are told you can't die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for awhile, eventually you realise it's past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave?

Probably "Finnegan's Wake."  I tried looking through it in a bookstore once and couldn't make heads nor tails of it.  I've also been told that "Moby Dick" is deadly dull, though I've never attempted it.

Come on, we've all been there. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you've read, when in fact you've been nowhere near it?

Everyone assumes that when you get to "a certain age," everyone has read "Catcher in the Rye," but I never have.  I'd like to, though.  I do know that it's a coming of age book and the main character is Holden Caulfield.  That's about it.

As an addition to the last question, has there been a book that you really thought you had read, only to realise when you read a review about it/go to 'reread' it that you haven't? Which book?

Well, I read a lot of James Patterson, but didn't read them in sequence, so when I pick up a "new" one to read, I'm never sure if I've read it or not.  Same definitely goes for Dick Francis.

You've been appointed Book Advisor to a VIP (who's not a big reader). What's the first book you'd recommend and why?

"My Pet Goat"  LOL.  That seems to be such an engrossing book that the leader of the free world prefers to read it than deal with national emergencies.  I have not yet had the pleasure of reading the book, however.

A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. Which language do you go with?

French.  It was my major in college and I actually have stumbled through a few articles and magazines in French.  I'd love to have the fluency to actually read with comprehension in the language.

A mischievious fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will reread once a year for the rest of your life (you can read other books as well). Which book would you pick?

Oh so difficult.  It is a tossup between Bill Bryson's "The Mother Tongue" and Steinbeck's "East of Eden."  I've read both more than once and love them both.  I wouldn't mind "having" to read either (or both) once a year.

I know that the book blogging community, and its various challenges, have pushed my reading borders. What's one bookish thing you 'discovered' from book blogging (maybe a new genre, or author, or new appreciation for cover art-anything)?

I can't think offhand of a book that I have read because of a blog, but I frequently check Alan's blog and often make mental notes to check out some of the books he reviews.  I've also gotten some good referrals from Shelfari.

That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she's granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leatherbound? Is it full of first edition hardcovers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few favourite authors have inscribed their works? Go ahead-let your imagination run free.

Oh my.  To have my own library.  It's a pristine room.  A turret room.  It is dark wood paneled with plush pile carpeting that never needs vacuuming.  It has floor to ceiling bookcases filled with mostly hardback books which are all arranged in logical order, and meaningful artwork in the blank spots.  There are plush chairs that envelop you, excellent lighting for reading, as well as a huge window with a fabulous view.  There is a desk in case I need to work on something from a book, and a computer to look up things that come to mind while I'm reading.  There's a small refrigerator perpetually stocked (by my special refrigerator-stocker) with water and snacks.  It might also have a dog, but only if the dog does nothing but sleep at my side while I read!