Book Meme!
I got this from Observations of a Librarian. It's a meme and it's about books - how can I resist?
- Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews?
Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude. I know, I know...but it is *impenetrable* to me. I've tried in English and Spanish, with Cliff Notes - I can't get through it. I own it though...so some day maybe... - 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?
Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany's, Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird, Lestat from Interview with the Vampire. I'd have the over for drinks. I'd try to set Holly up with Atticus - I think they'd be good for each other, she'd help him loosen up and he would be a steadying influence for her. Lestat, would be my date...:) - (Borrowing shamelessly from the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde): 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 realize it’s past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave?
Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged. Not only do I disagree with the philosophy the book espouses, but 645,000 words in 1168 pages - I mean come on! - 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?
I don't think I've ever done this. - 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? Wuthering Heights. I would have sworn I read it, but I didn't and when I tried to I couldn't finish it - but I loved the movie!
- You’re interviewing for the post of Official Book Advisor to some VIP (who’s not a big reader). What’s the first book you’d recommend and why? (if you feel like you’d have to know the person, go ahead and personalise the VIP).
To Kill a Mockingbird because I think everyone should read this book at least once. - 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. - A mischievous 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?
There are several I have read several times, but again I'll go with To Kill a Mockingbird. I've read it several times already, but not quite 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 read about graphic novels and now it has become a genre I really enjoy greatly. - That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she’s granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leather bound? 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.
Bookshelves built into the walls , a big comfortable chair with an ottoman, a rocking chair, a rolltop desk, a ceiling fan, and a nice sound system. The books would be a mixed lot - raggedy paperbacks, hard copies, some leather bound stuff, big art books, etc.
If you want to play, leave a note in my Comments section :)
posted by Hilda @ 8:35 PM
5 Comments:
Yeah -- To Kill a Mockingbird is a great choice of book to read every year. Don't know why I didn't think of it myself; it's one of my favorite books.
Me thinks the woman doth promote To Kill A Mocking Bird too much.
Okay, so I don't really thinks that, but I couldn't pass up an oppprtunity to bastardize the line - it's been in my head all morning for some odd reason.
Nothing is going on in my world so I think I'll do this one tomorrow. :)
I looked at this meme but decided it was too much work to complete the whole thing. But I did get thinking about some of the questions, and it was an enjoyable mental exercise.
To get through One Hundred Years of Solitude, may I suggest listening to it as an audio book. This has worked for me with some of the heavier tomes including, I might add, Atlas Shrugged.
I was once dating a Republican (I know, I know) and, when asked by his friends why he was dating such a left-wing hothead, I broke in and replied "because Ayn Rand wasn't available." I also put a "Who is John Gault?" bumper sticker on his car when we broke up. He hadn't read the book, so never got the joke.
1. Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews? The 2nd book of Bridgett Jones. I just CAN'T believe the author would mess with the good place we left Bridgett in the first book. It's just not right.
2. 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? Gosh, Hilda, you are brave to invite Lestat. I'd be afraid he'd eat me. When I read "tea" in the question, I immediately think of Mary Poppins and her uncle. Tea on the ceiling laughing hysterically would be fun.
3. (Borrowing shamelessly from the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde): 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 realize it’s past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave? Ulysses by James Joyce. YAWN.
4. 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? As an English major, many of the classics bored me to tears and I found them so dense I just didn't read them. Usually I skimmed enough to get an A on my exams about them. People who meet me and know I'm an English major assume I'm in love with these books. If they only knew . . .
5. 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? Nothing comes to mind.
6. You’re interviewing for the post of Official Book Advisor to some VIP (who’s not a big reader). What is the first book you’d recommend and why? (if you feel like you’d have to know the person, go ahead and personalise the VIP). "A Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood. This is a great dystopia book and it's one of those books I read again from time-to-time.
7. 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?
Italian so maybe I could tackle an Opera or something.
8. A mischievous 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? Mary Stewart's Crystal Cave.
9. 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)? Who knew the young adult section was so rife with great reads. I just finished Crispin. It was great!
10. That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she’s granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leather bound? 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. My library would be like the beginning of the old Masterpiece Theater from the 70's with Alistaire Cook. Remember the close-up tour of all those tables of curiosities and found art? So cool. However it would also be like the library in "My Fair Lady" with the 2 story approach to book organization and ladders to get to all of the books in the high places. The room would be round and the ceiling would be a glass dome for natural lighting. It would have some comfy chairs and a couch with a nice console table behind it. Gorgeous French Doors leading to a nice patio that overlooks my acerage would complete the ensemble. My collection would include an expansive collection of art history books with expensive art plates. There'd be lots of science books for John as well as autographed books of poetry among many other collections including an expansive illustrated kids book section.
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