Books I Haven't Read

Isn't it funny to see a "no books allowed" symbol on this blog? I had fun seeking that out.

I loved Iliana's "Nope, I haven't read that" post, which she wrote after reading Stefanie's post about books it seems like everyone else has read. So, I decided to snitch the idea and write one of my own posts about books it seems like everyone has read that I haven't.

Books I haven't read . . . and why:

1. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson - I avoided this book, early on, because I thought it was a mystery and I just don't enjoy mysteries, anymore, although I'll occasionally read one that sounds interesting. I've continued to avoid it because I've seen the word "brutal" used as a description of treatment of the heroine. I'm not sure whether I'll read it or not, but at this point I'm in no hurry.

2. Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen - I don't know what it is about the description of this book that puts me off, but I've toyed with reading it simply because a few friends liked it and in the end I always end up thinking . . . Nah, still not interested.

3. The Road by Cormac McCarthy - I love post-apocalyptic books, but I've heard so many people say The Road was "the most depressing book" they've ever read that I've removed it from my wish list. Then, I waffled -- added it back to my list and then took it back off. In the end, it was a comment that one person couldn't get "those awful images" out of her head that convinced me both book and movie are worth avoiding.

4. The Help by Kathryn Stockett - Last year's runaway summer hit did pique my interest but I haven't read it. I also haven't yet read Mudbound by Hillary Jordan. I have acquired copies of both via Paperback Swap and I do plan to read them.

5. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold - No interest, whatsoever. I don't plan to ever read it.

6. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell - Oh, man. It's so wrong that I haven't managed to read Gone with the Wind. I love the movie; I live in the Deep South. I really want to read this book. I've made three failed attempts, but the first time I was in college and just too busy to concentrate, the next time I tried to read while I had small children running around, and the third time I attempted to read it while I was working in a bookstore. I have a feeling that when I do eventually read it I will need to avoid other books and simply allow myself to be immersed in the reading, like I did with The Passage.

7. The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown -I actually own a copy of the illustrated version (a library sale find -- it cost a quarter). I thought it might be interesting to look at the photos, but I just can't stir up any interest in reading the story. I have, however, read Angels & Demons. It didn't thrill me. I'm not tempted to read another of his novels.

8. Anything at all by Margaret Atwood, although I have several books on my shelves: The Handmaid's Tale, Oryx & Crake, The Blind Assassin and Alias Grace. Someday, I'll read Margaret Atwood.

9. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - One of those books I missed out on because I took journalism rather than English (partly to avoid more high school grammar -- I got so sick of grammar). I've attempted it once and didn't get far. I have, however, read Fitzgerald's This Side of Paradise and was impressed, so I plan to give The Great Gatsby another go.

10. Most everything Oprah has ever recommended - I've read a total of 3 Oprah recommendations: The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve, Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts and A Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I read them because they were recommended to me by people I trust, not because of Oprah.

I'd love to see this meme-like post passed around a bit. Please tell me if you decide to post about what you haven't read, as well!

Reading Habits Meme and a couple photos

I'm recuperating from a full week and weekend, which has included Kiddo's high school graduation, gardening, housework, helping husband put down flooring and spending time with Eldest. Boy, have we been busy. I'll post photos of some of the pretties blooming at our house, in the coming days.

When I saw this meme at Gentle Reader's Shelf Life, I thought it would be the perfect filler while I recover from a long week. Normality should resume by Tuesday. Huzzybuns and Kiddo are off work, tomorrow, so I have a feeling blogging won't be on the agenda. Join in on this meme if you feel the urge!

Reading Habits Meme

Do you snack while reading? No, but I always read while snacking!

What is your favourite drink while reading? Water and coffee. I always, always have a drink nearby when I'm reading.

Do you tend to mark your books while you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you? I don't even dog-ear unless I think book is so awful it's not worth wasting the time to fetch Post-its, my marking method of choice. If I feel there's a note I must make, I write on my Post-it.

How do you keep your place? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book open flat?Bookmark. If I can't find a bookmark, I'll grab a receipt or other piece of paper that's flat. There are always receipts nearby. My husband sheds them. I think it's an illness; he can't throw a receipt away.

Fiction, non-fiction or both? Both. I have a mix of both fiction and non-fiction reads balanced almost continuously.

Do you tend to read to the end of a chapter or can you stop anywhere? I can stop anywhere. I don't usually have any trouble remembering what was going on, although if I fall asleep reading I'll sometimes backtrack by a page or two to re-entrench myself in the story, so to speak.

Are you the type of person to throw a book across the room or on the floor if the author irritates you? I mentally throw books, but I've only once physically tossed a book because it made me angry. The author was Nicholas Sparks, if that tells you anything.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop and look it up right away? Sometimes, but I don't do so if I can understand the meaning of the word in its context. Instead, I'll go ahead and mark an unfamiliar word and look it up later. I used to keep vocabulary notebooks in which I wrote the word, the book in which I found it, the sentence from the book (to show context) and a definition. Maybe becoming an empty nester will open up time to return to that old habit.

What are you currently reading? I'm reading A Rumor of War by Philip Caputo (a Vietnam soldier's memoir) and A Place for Delta by Melissa Walker (children's). This weekend I put both of those books aside to focus on finishing The Making of a Duchess by Shana Galen (an action-packed historical romance).

What is the last book you bought? Oh, hmm. Actually, I have no idea! I haven't purchased a book in several weeks, although the last book that arrived at my house was Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann. I got it from Paperback Swap.

Do you have a favourite time/place to read? I must read before bed to "wind down" or I can't sleep. Otherwise, I'll read any time I can get away with it, but most of my reading is done at bedtime.

Do you prefer series books or stand-alones? I prefer stand-alone novels. I do occasionally read series books, but I'm not what you could call either faithful or easily addicted to a series.

Is there a specific book or author you find yourself recommending over and over? Haha! You'll know it before I say it, right? Simon Van Booy!! I recommend him so often I'm like a broken record. I also frequently recommend The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three Musketeers, Rebecca, Stand Before Your God (a memoir by Paul Watkins), The Book Thief and Lottery by Pat Wood. Some recent favorites are A Hundred Feet Over Hell by Jim Hooper, The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien, and Postcards from a Dead Girl by Kirk Farber. You should read them, if you haven't.

How do you organise your books? I am not the most organized person on the planet, but favorites and classics go on the "good shelves" and I have a specific shelf for advanced readers (but I don't have many ARCs left and they keep falling over). Whatever I hope to read next -- and I say "hope" because I'm fickle -- goes in a pile beside the bed. Recently, those bedside books have been moving farther away because I keep spilling drinks. Sigh. I need to work on that.

Barbara's additional question: background noise or silence? Silence is preferable and probably one of the reasons I end up reading mostly at bedtime.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Since New Orleans Chris is enjoying his garden and photos of other folks' gardens so much, this photo is mostly for him -- a shot of some of the Roma tomatoes in one of our topsy turvy planters (they're hanging down into the rosemary, as you can see):

Okay. That's it, for now. See you in a day or two! If I can squeeze in the time, I'll write a review on Monday. If not, Tuesday it is. Happy Memorial Day to the Americans!

7 Random Facts: The Book Edition

Leah at The Octogon tagged me for another meme! What a meme-happy week I'm having. Okay, so 7 weird facts about me and -- I think -- they're supposed to be somehow book related. If you've been to Bybee's blog, lately, you may have seen a few of these in her comments. Pretend you didn't and we'll all be just fine.

1. This is probably not all that weird, but I've gone through some dramatic reading phases. For many years, I was a big mystery enthusiast, partly because I thought I wanted to write mysteries (as it turns out, my brain just doesn't work that way). But, when I stopped reading mysteries, it was practically cold turkey. I burned out on mysteries so thoroughly that I've still got some unread books by favorite mystery writers -- a couple of which are autographed. Now and then, I do throw a mystery into the mix these days because I've mostly recovered. After my mystery phase was my Chick Lit phase. Eventually, I settled on British Chick Lit as the best of the lot -- American and Irish Chick Lit bug me. Now, I can barely stand Chick Lit, although . . . again, I read it on occasion as one of my Brain Break genres of choice.

2. I collect books by certain authors: Paul Watkins, for example. I've collected almost everything he's ever written (just found out I missed a book), simply because his memoir is one of my all-time favorites. And, it turned out I don't really like his fiction all that much, but I still have to keep up the collection. If you haven't read his memoir, Stand Before Your God, you really ought to. It's amazing.

3. Now and then, I grab an older book from the library sale, just for the cute covers. I like old dust jackets.

4. I have quite a collection of Bibles because King James sometimes baffles me. Originally, I just wanted a parallel Bible to compare versions, but I eventually became completely carried away. I just donated a few; I had too many. Incidentally, even if I wasn't a Christian I'd love the Bible. It has everything -- murder, adventure, infidelity, war, deception, people getting turned into pillars of salt, flood and famine . . . seriously, it's just the coolest.

5. I used to collect nonfiction on *anything* because I thought I was going to be an author when I grew up and you just never know when you're going to need a book about guns, pottery, rock climbing, cacti and succulents, scuba diving, whatever . . . for research, of course.

6. There are so many books in our house that we joke about the Book Uprising that is bound to happen, one day. The humans will be killed and eaten. It's only because I frequently spread the books out on our bed that they stay happy.

7. There are books in every room of our house except the bathrooms (okay, yeah, a couple in the vanity area). Even the utility room has a shelf of books. Cookbooks, of course. We're working on that, though.

Again, I don't tag people so if you want to do this meme, go for it!

Weird Conversations, a Meme, the Cost of Prayer and eAt MoRe cHiKin--WARNING, long post!!!

Some weekends are like that . . .

I still haven't felt like blogging or writing reviews--not sure what's up with that, but I sat down a couple of times and just stared at the screen, this weekend. However (this part is bizarre and unprecedented . . . at least in recent years), I did go on a cleaning frenzy. The "office", formerly eldest's bedroom, is now quite tidy. And thanks to some pretty amazing weather, today (60's, sunny, a hint of breeze), my front yard is looking neater. No need for help from the Mormons; just stick that strapping 16-year-old behind the other rake and . . . well, it still takes more time than what's required for the job to be completed by 4 Mormons because the yard is big and there are just two of us, but we've got improvement and we're happy. My handsome youngest, a few months ago, so you can visualize the kiddo with a rake:

Obviously, he didn't inherit my shrimp genes.

There really ought to be a book in this, somewhere . . .

Eldest Kid Antics, or something like that. Eldest called home complaining that his truck was making a "loud humming noise; I mean, really loud." He wanted his father's advice, but the Huz was en route home from places far. I asked Eldest to describe the noise, when he was hearing it, how it started, blah, blah, blah. And, it sounded like a tire issue to me -- either that or just the pitch of the pavement. Was there any construction going on? Could it be just the pitch of a new surface? "No," he said, "it can't be the road. It's really, really loud." I won't go into the whole weekend saga, but let's just say he spoke to his father and they bounced around ideas and he somehow managed to convince himself that it was a major engine problem . . . then he looked at his tires. And, they looked a bit . . . flabby. One air-pressure gauge and tire-filling run later and --miracle!-- the noise is gone. I'm so smart it kills me. Kidding, kidding.

Meme time! I begged Kookie to tag me for this one. Eva is the creator of this meme.

Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews?
Easy . . . The Kite Runner. It sounds so utterly depressing that I just haven't talked myself into reading it, yet, although a friend sent me her copy and eventually I'll give it a try. I'm actually always hesitant to read the latest "in" book and tend to wait till hot-selling books are no longer getting a great deal of buzz, before I read them, but this one really makes me cringe.

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?
Well, I'll tell ya . . . I don't usually latch onto character names and hold them in my memory, so this is a rough one. But, I'll say Tom Sawyer and Elizabeth Bennet go on a Mediterranean cruise with Loki, the prankster god of Norse mythology. Imagine the fun.

(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 a while, eventually you realize it's past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave?
Oh, wow, another hard one. I tend to just set aside books that don't work for me and give them another try later. If a second or third attempt doesn't work, they're swapped or given away and I erase them from my mind. However, I've attempted Gone with the Wind three times and never gotten past page 50. I can't say it would bore me to death, but the timing certainly wasn't right.

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?
Honestly? I can't say I've ever done that. But, there may have been times that the opposite was true -- I forget I've read a book until someone begins to talk about it and I realize, "Oh, yeah, I read that eons ago." I just realized, recently, that I read A Christmas Carol a long time ago. And, for years I've thought my life had a big Dickens-shaped hole that I desperately needed to fill.

As an addition to the last question, has there been a book that you really thought you had read, only to realize when you read a review about it/go to "reread" it, that you haven't? Which book?
If I have, it's slipped my mind.

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 recommend and why? (If you feel like you'd have to know the person, go ahead and personalize the VIP).
That's hard because I really do think you have to know a person to get a feel for his or her taste, but I'll cheat a little and say The Count of Monte Cristo or The Three Musketeers. I've always thought either would be a great to use as a learning tool in school because they're intelligently written and rife with action. I was shocked to find that Alexandre Dumas was strictly a "money writer" and churned those chunksters out like muffins. Anyway, I have to go with Dumas because too many people have already used To Kill a Mockingbird and I don't want to be dull.

A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: You will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. Which language to you go with?
Spanish. Ever since a friend-- born in Spain and enthusiastically bi-lingual-- sat down beside me in the high school hallway and read poetry to me in Spanish (then explained how much the poem lost in the translation), I've longed to learn Spanish. I'd gobble up everything Pablo Neruda has written.

A mischievous fairy says 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?
Desiree by Annemarie Selinko. I've read it 4 times and would happily reread it yearly. You can read bits of it, here. I'd reread The Count of Monte Cristo annually, also. Oops, more cheating.

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)?
Well, let me think. I've discovered I really dislike challenges because I'm far too spontaneous. I want to read what I want to read when I choose, as opposed to feeling obligated to stick to a list. But, I've also discovered that I love spooky books. Two years ago, I would have walked over fire to avoid anything scary, but Carl's RIP Challenge changed that. It's the only challenge I actually eagerly look forward to.

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 favorite authors have inscribed their works? Go ahead--let your imagination run free.
Okay, I really like the library in Arundel Castle (West Sussex, England), but I can't find a photo. Darn. And, truly, it's too big for one little scrap of a family, so I'll say mahogany book cases with the classic sliding ladder, a few hardcover copies of favorite books but mostly crisp trade paperbacks. Plushy leather chairs and sofa, a marble fireplace, tables and a large desk that match the book cases. Oh, and I'd prefer that all the book cases contain glass doors to discourage dust. Lamps, lamps, lamps everywhere. I have quite a few autographed books, but I'd love to own more. There should be lots of windows to let in loads of light during the daytime hours and French doors to a veranda overlooking a broad expanse of trees, flowers and a bubbling river. You can really get carried away with this one. Back to my normal foolishness . . .

eAt MoRe cHikIn:

I got a note from PDXposed host Jon's production manager, Julie (wave, wave) in response to my comment about finding out what he eats in order to stay so slim. She said chicken. Lots of chicken. And, steak on Sundays. Here's a Hawaiian rooster's response to that.

He's obviously showing off his good side.

One more story! My Bible study group just began a new session, yesterday, and I still owed the church money for the last Bible study book (having zipped out of town, repeatedly, I managed to acquire the book without paying for it). Kiddo brought my checkbook in the middle of the introductory video and I didn't want to disturb anyone, so I held my check until it was time to pass prayer requests down the row. One of the ladies looked at my check, within the pile of prayer requests and said, "Wow, those are some expensive prayers." Hahaha. Well, I thought it was funny.

Now, everyone pray that I can talk myself into writing a book review, tomorrow. Or, you can cross your fingers. Whatever works.

Bookfool, still dripping with joy from her day in the sunshine

Another meme!

Another meme, but it's a short one, thank goodness . . .

Chris tagged me for another meme and it's an easy one, so I'm just going to whip it out and then go avoid housework because that's what I'm good at.

You simply have to grab the book nearest to you (no cheating here), turn to page 161, and post the text of the fifth full sentence on the page along with the body of the instruction on your blog. Then you tag 3 people. Not bad. Don't tell my youngest I posted that photo of him, at left. It shows him during the days when he still combed his hair. I have evidence that he was once a tidy person!!

Okay, the nearest book is We Are All Fine Here by Mary Guterson because I haven't bothered to move it since I wrote my review. Here's that sentence:

There you have it.

Wow, that is not a great sentence, is it? So, I'm just going to grab another book, here, and try again. This time, Free Spirits by Linda Randall Wisdom - a book I didn't order, but which arrived at my house with 5 other books I didn't order because somebody made a keystroke error, I guess, and they said, "We've removed the charges; just keep the books and enjoy them." Here tis:

"I am not going to talk about what happened in the linen closet!"

I like that sentence much, much better.

That's my eldest, at right, undoubtedly not talking about linen closets but probably chattering about a lot of other things because he has the capacity to talk on the phone for at least twice as long as he can actually sit still to study, at any given time. I'm not picking on him, though; I just want you to know that.

I'm going to tag Kookiejar (again; she's found a new way to make cat meme tags and I want to see another one), Book Nook Les, and Stephanie. Again, no obligation.

Happy Friday from Bookfool!

A Book Meme

I stumbled across this one at Sci-Fi Chick's blog, last week, and tried to leave a comment saying I was going to use it. Is it spooky if you attempt to leave a message at a sci-fi blog and it disappears, like it was beamed up by Scotty or something of that nature? Seems a little Twilight Zone to me.

A book that made you cry: Foreign Fruit by Jojo Moyes. I'm going with most recent book that made me cry, because that's easiest. Foreign Fruit was the kind of book that I became so wrapped up in that even though what happened was inevitable and maybe even a bit predictable, I cared and was moved to tears.

A book that scared you: The Amityville Horror. I didn't sleep well for weeks and I avoided the movie like the plague.

A book that made you laugh - Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About by Mil Millington.

A book that disgusted you: In the Cut by Susannah Moore. It was so sordid and revolting that I think it deserves to be burned. And, obviously, not highlighted.

A book you loved in elementary school: The Cay by Theodore Taylor. I loved this book so much that I was determined both of my boys would read it. When my eldest showed no interest, I read the first two pages aloud and he said, "Okay, stop," snatched the book out of my hand and didn't emerge from his bedroom till he finished. When my youngest shrugged and said, "Not interested," I read the first two pages and . . . same thing. It's that kind of book.

A book you loved in middle school (junior high, in my case): A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. I happened across it while browsing the racks in my junior high library and loved it so much that I later tried to acquire everything L'Engle has written. At some point, I quit acquiring her books but I've read almost all the titles I own. I don't care for her adult fiction as much as her children's and young adult stories.

A book you loved in high school: Desiree by Annemarie Selinko. I read it several times, after discovering my mother's copy, and then carried it off to college and kept it when I married. Eventually, I got my own copy and asked Mom if she wanted hers returned. She shrugged. I gave it to a friend who was dying to own a copy. Mom can always borrow mine.

A book you hated in high school: I don't remember a particular title I hated, but I thought romance novels were appalling. My sister went through a huge romance phase, so I decided to give them a try. They were all the same - boy meets girl, boy and girl hate each other, boy and girl fight a lot and then fall in love. Yawn. Romance has improved dramatically since the 70's.

A book you loved in college: Design on the Land, my landscape architecture text.

A book that challenged your identity: I can't think of anything but the Bible.

A series that you love: I'm not a series reader, in general, but I loved Len Deighton's Bernard Samson spy novels: Berlin Game, Mexico Set, London Match, Hook, Line, Sinker, Faith, Hope and Charity.

Your favorite horror book: Not a horror reader, either! But, The Incredible Shrinking Man by Richard Matheson is classified as horror and I liked it, so I guess that will do.

Your favorite science fiction book: That's a hard one. I'm going to say About Time by Jack Finney, even though it's a collection of short stories. The one with the Woodrow Wilson dime is a gem.

Your favorite fantasy book: Another hard one, since fantasy isn't something I read very often. I really liked Susannah Clarke's The Ladies of Grace Adieu. But, then, I really liked Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone . Hmmm. I'll go with Harry. I read the British version, so mine was entitled Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

Your favorite mystery book: The Monkey's Raincoat by Robert Crais. I like mysteries with a sense of humor.

Your favorite biography: I have too many favorites to list, all in memoir form, but a few favorites are The Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini, Stand Before Your God by Paul Watkins and To Hell and Back by Audie Murphy.

Your favorite “coming-of-age” book: The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

Your favorite classic: The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Your favorite romance book: Not really classified as romance but my favorite romantic novel is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Your favorite book not on this list: It wouldn't be right not to list P. G. Wodehouse as an author that never fails to please. Muriel Spark's A Far Cry From Kensington is a favorite that I almost always seem to add to lists of favorites. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton and My Antonia by Willa Cather are others that come to mind. Of course, I could really go on all day.

I'm sure I'll think of a million better answers, later on, but there you go. Pass it on, if you'd like!

Booked by 3 Meme

I was tagged by the very cool New Orleans Chris to do this meme. And it's a hard one!!! I've been thinking about it for days and still don't feel like I quite know what to say, but I'll try.

Booked By 3 Meme:

Name up to three characters...


1. ....You wish were real so you could meet them:

Ellie in Tomorrow When The War Began by John Marsden (and the rest of the series, set in Australia). She fascinates me; she's so resourceful and tough.

Liesel Meminger of The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, a unique little book-addicted girl.

Eugenie Desiree Clary - The heroine of one of my all-time favorite books, Desiree by Annemarie Selinko. Just to hear about how she got to hang out with Napoleon before he became full of himself.

2. ....You would like to be:

Meg of A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle - for the chance to travel to different worlds.

Elizabeth Bennet of Pride and Prejudice, but only if Mr. Darcy looked like Colin Firth.

Stephanie Plum of Janet Evanovich's One for the Money, etc., series. Because who wouldn't want two dark, gorgeous hunks following her around and protecting her?


3. ....Who scare you:

Okay, this one's rough because I try to avoid scary books, but . . .

The Button Boy of Best New Horror by Joe Hill - terrifying, utterly terrifying blind person who is not what he seems. There are several really scary characters in that story, actually.

Those Scary Things that Suck the Life out of You in the Harry Potter books - can't remember what they're called, but death somethings . . . ???

The fat man in Joe Hill's The Black Phone. Ew, ew, ew!!! Bad, bad scary man!

Obviously, Joe Hill is a great at coming up with terrifying characters that continue to haunt a reader long after the book has been closed.

Next thing . . . tag three people. They don't say you have to desire to torment the three, but this was a hard one, people!!! Still, I had fun once I got going.

1. Kookiejar of A Fraternity of Dreamers
2. Andi of Tripping Toward Lucidity
3. Wendy of Musings of a Bookish Kitty

Tag, you're it!

Finished, this morning: The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susanna Clarke, but the kiddo is about to take over my computer. Review later on, maybe tomorrow.

Just beginning to read: Rises the Night by Colleen Gleason

Two books that walked in the door, this weekend:
My Favorite Earthling by Susan Grant
Birds without Wings by Louis de Bernieres

In my backyard, this afternoon:

It's a mourning dove. My husband said something to the effect of, "Big woo." I'm very proud of myself for not swatting him (the husband, not the dove). He's going to Italy without me, so he deserves to be swatted. Do you think I'd fit in a suitcase?

What Books Have You Read?

The lovely Bellezza posted this meme. If you read it, you are automatically tagged, says she. I wasn't expecting that. Okay, so here goes:

Look at the list of books below:
* Bold the ones you’ve read
* Italicize the ones you want to read
* Leave blank the ones that you aren’t interested in.
* If you are reading this, tag, you’re it!
**If there are any books on this list that I didn't italicize and you think I should read, let me know in comments! Also, what other books do you think belong on this list and why?

I've personalized a bit by highlighting the ones I started and abandoned in green and a few I haven't actually even heard of in purple (although in all but one case I've heard of the authors). I think there's only one I've read twice: The Count of Monte Cristo.

1. The DaVinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Rowling)
17. Fall on Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell)
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)
43. Confessions of a Shopaholic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. The Bible
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens)
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens)
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrew Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. Fifth Business (Robertson Davis)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Hugo)
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. Bridget Jones’ Diary (Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
76. The Summer Tree (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According to Garp (John Irving)
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte's Web (E.B. White)
81. Not Wanted On The Voyage (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. Wizard’s First Rule (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down(Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. In The Skin Of A Lion (Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (Golding)
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)

I don't feel very well read, after looking over my answers. Hmmm. Since I don't know what hat this list was pulled out of, I don't know what I'd suggest. They're not all classics, so I'm not sure whether someone considered them all great books or just books that have had a high readership - I would not have put Mitch Albom on a list of great authors; and, books that sell like crazy often don't appeal to me in the slightest. Maybe I should come up with a list of my own, some day. I'm not sure whether I'll read the rest of the Harry Potter books, so I didn't italicize them. But, I might change my mind. I enjoyed the first two.

Thanks, Bellezza. It was oddly fun personalizing this list.

Tag to anyone who reads this and hasn't already done this meme!! You're it!

A Book Meme

I've just added a few new links. Please pardon me for the lengthy delay and the fact that I only was able to add a few. My connection is so appalling that it's getting absolutely unbearable. I could honestly sit here for hours just in order to visit a handful of blogs and it so thoroughly depresses me that I've taken to staying away from the blog more, each week. Anyone who is willing, please pray or send positive thoughts that we'll get reasonably-priced high-speed back in our area, soon. You wouldn't want poor old Bookfool to go mental, right? Did I hear people whispering, "Too late?"

Okay, on to the meme. I saw this one at Wendy's blog and enjoyed reading her answers. Wendy says she got it from Carl of Stainless Steel Droppings (link in sidebar). I can't view Carl's blog at all, most days, so I seldom show up there, but Carl is lovely, his blog is excellent and this definitely seems like his thing so I'm not surprised if that's where it began.

Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror?

Science Fiction. I'm prone to nightmares and, thus, seldom touch anything that can be classified as "horror", although I've recently enjoyed some by Richard Matheson. I love outer space, aliens, the future, new worlds. I'm definitely a Sci-Fi gal.

Hardback or Trade Paperback or Mass Market Paperback?

Trade Paperbacks are my favorite. I love the look and feel of them, like Wendy. As I get older, I'm having more trouble holding some books; trade paperbacks are the easiest - mass market and hardbacks can actually be painful to hold open. But, that doesn't stop me from grabbing a book in any form if I desire to read it.

Heinlein or Asimov?

Heinlein, but only because I've yet to get to Asimov. I've only read one Heinlein book, at this point, Stranger in a Strange Land. While I thought the story lost something along the way and I didn't care for the ending, I enjoyed the overall experience and hope to eventually read more. And, I'm still planning to get around to Asimov.

Amazon or Brick and Mortar?

Definitely brick and mortar. There's nothing like the experience of being surrounded by books, particularly with the smell of coffee wafting through the air, and classical music in the background.

Barnes & Noble or Borders?

Hmm. I like them for different reasons. Both Barnes & Noble and Borders are around a 50-mile drive from us, so they require a special trip. Either is wonderful, but we tend to go to the Borders side of town more often.

Hitchhiker or Discworld?

Hitchhiker. I've read all of the Hitchhiker books, enjoyed the BBC broadcast, heard Douglas Adams do a reading (he was a terrific speaker, may he rest in peace) and chatted about the books and various TV incarnations with husband and sons, so they're very much a part of our history. I've read one Discworld book and enjoyed it but it didn't thrill me in any way. It was fun, but nothing I'd pass around.

Bookmark or Dogear?

Heavens, bookmark of course! Like Wendy, dog-earing is a desperation situation for me. I don't like mangling a book and I'll use just about anything to mark my place rather than bend a page. However, I would not go so far as my friend Karen, who once used a lettuce leaf as a bookmark. Moisture is also a no-no.

Alphabetize by author Alphabetize by title or random?

Author. I don't do so, myself, but I can't stand to look at a shelf of books that isn't alphabetized, in a store. At home, my books are arranged in an order that would probably make librarians pull their hair out. But, till recently, I knew where to find every book I owned. After we were flooded, things became more chaotic.

Keep, Throw Away or Sell?

I used to keep every book I liked. Now, I pass them on, trade, give away, or donate all but those that I love so much I can't bear to part with them. The only books I've ever thrown away were those that were hopelessly damaged, like some that were soaked in a flood. They molded, darn it. I felt like I should play some kind of funeral dirge when I threw them away. It was so sad.

Keep dustjacket or toss it?

Keep it. Even a torn dust jacket can usually be repaired.

Read with dustjacket or remove it?

I set the dust jacket aside while I read and then put it back on when I set it down between readings, unless I'm so utterly gripped that there's no point to putting it on because I'm going to carry the book everywhere.

Short story or novel?

I prefer novels most of the time. Very few authors seem to be truly skilled at writing in a shorter format, but I enjoy short stories when I locate an author who does them well. My friend John Floyd is one of my favorites, up there with Vladimir Nabokov and James Thurber.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?

Harry Potter, although I think that should be J. K. Rowling or Lemony Snicket, shouldn't it? Picky, picky.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?

I often don't have control over this, as I read while waiting for my child. When the bell rings, the streams of people distract me. I stop immediately, sometimes in mid-paragraph. At night, I usually read till I can't keep my eyes open.

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?

"It was a dark and stormy night" sounds more intriguing.

Buy or borrow?

I buy almost all of my books, although many of them come from our library's sale corner. Oddly, I seem to find what I like more easily in the sale area (which is supported by donated books) than in the library itself. Or, maybe that's not so odd because other bibliophiles in our area are also forced to buy what they enjoy.

Buying choice: Book Reviews, Recommendation or Browse?

All of the above. I tend to read more books that have been recommended by friends, these days, as I'm gradually finding what I call "reading twins" - people who have similar taste. But, a review or a cover that jumps out at me can also have influence.

Lewis or Tolkien?

C.S. Lewis, although I'm not a fan of the Narnia series. Mere Christianity and The Screwtape Letters are more up my alley.

Collection (short stories by the same author) or Anthology (short stories by different authors)?

Collection. I prefer a little consistency in a book of short stories or novellas, although I'll sometimes read anthologies.

Tidy ending or cliffhanger?

It depends on the book. There are times it makes more sense for a book not to have a complete ending - to leave the ending to the reader, so to speak. Sometimes a tidy ending is more fitting, but there's often a fine line between tidy and deus ex machina, in my humble opinion.

Morning reading, Afternoon reading, or Night-time reading?

Gosh, any time I can find an excuse to read is great. I tend to read while waiting for my son and at bedtime, though. If I'm close to ending a book or in a foul mood, I'll read when I wake up (it cheers me).

Stand-alone or series?

Stand-alone. Although I like a few series, I dislike the feeling that someone is dangling a carrot in front of me (in the form of a continuing storyline) in order to get me to buy another book.

New or used?

I love a nice, fresh new book; but when you get right down to it anything is fine as long as I get to read. I'll take an ugly, 40-year-old book for a quarter if that's what's available.

Favorite book of which nobody else has heard?

Let's see . . . The Return by Daoma Winston (an old book of my mother's - amazing I left anything at all behind when I moved out), Westward Whoa by W. Hodding Carter, and Time Rider by Rickey Mallory (one of my all-time favorite sci-fi novels) are some that I love but nobody seems to be familiar with. Wendy mentioned Emma Sweeney's book, which I had to look up to see if it was the book I thought she was referring to. Oh, yeah! As Always, Jack is one I read in 2005. I LOVED that book!!!

Top 5 favorite books read last year?

Here's where I jump off the cart for a bit. I don't want to go look through the files, but I do remember my favorite was The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Nothing came anywhere close to beating it.

Top 5 favorite books of all time (not including any from last year)?

Very difficult question because I love so many books, but these are 5 that I love and can't fathom parting with:

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Desiree by Anne-Marie Selinko (the most re-read book I own)
My Antonia by Willa Cather
The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett
The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

5 Favorite Series?

The Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich
Tomorrow When The War Began series by John Marsden
From childhood, A Wrinkle in Time and the follow-up books by Madeleine L'Engle
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
The Hitchhiker's series by Douglas Adams

And, I thought I didn't like series books. Ha.

What's new in the jungle? The sun came out for the first time in 2 weeks! Yippee!

Funny sight: Our veterinarian's expression when he saw the youngster - or, rather, looked up at the youngster and asked him, "Just how tall are you, now?" When youngster replied that he's about six feet, the vet sighed and said, "I remember when you didn't reach as high as the table. Man, I'm gettin' old."

Best news from up north: The eldest called to tell us he wrote a letter to the editor of his school paper and they offered him a job as a columnist. That could also be classified as a Proud Mama Moment.

Just walked in the door: Pictures from an Expedition by Diane Smith (loved her first novel, Letters from Yellowstone, which I read last year).

The meaning of life: Haven't quite figured that one out, so I'll say Douglas Adams was right . . . it must be 42.

Listening to: Thacker Mountain Radio, the music disc

How to get Mississippi off the "Fat States" list: Leash laws. I'm totally serious. Someone tell the governor.

Are you done babbling yet? Yes, thank you. I am. Have a nice day!