Reading Meme

This is a cool meme. I've just started to see it on a few blogs and Stephanie has tagged me! The meme originally comes from Eva.

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

This is a tough one. I don't think I actually cringe at anything except bodice-rippers. But I guess the one book that I sometimes see reviews of, and they are always positive, is Les Miserables. I absolutely do not enjoy anything that takes place in historical France and the French Revolution is the worst. I read and hated A Tale of Two Cities and The Scarlet Pimpernel. I have seen the musical for Les Miserables and did not enjoy it all. So the thought of reading the book 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?

This would perpetually change with whatever books I've read recently as I always have strong feeling for characters as I'm reading the books. Right now, I'm reading The True History of the Kelly Gang and I'd love to have a romantic picnic with Ned Kelly somewhere out in the bush under a gum tree.

(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 realise it’s past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave?

The most boring book would probably be nonfiction, anything to do with stocks, bonds, mutual funds.

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 can't think of anything really. I didn't go to college so I can't answer with that. My problem in high school was that when we had assigned books, I was always annoyed because I had already read them, like two years ago. So, honestly I don't think I've ever pretended to have read a book I haven't.

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).

I guess it would depend on the VIP's background but if I have to pick a book I guess I would say "Winnie-the-Pooh". The first thing a VIP should do is not take themselves too seriously and I think Pooh could help them with that.

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?

The only language I have ever really wanted to be able to read is Japanese. You see they publish all these really cool crochet pattern books and it takes a lot of head scratching to figure everything out from the diagrams. I would love to be able to read them!

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?

My first thought when I read this question was that the book would have to be thin. If I have to read it every year for the rest of my life I think I would get bored with it, no matter how much I like it now. So my pick would be one of my most favourite (and thin) books, Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

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 have discovered so many things from book blogging but I'd say the most profound difference in my reading since blogging is that I now read current books. I actually know when books are to be published and anxiously await them. Prior to blogging I pretty much only read books published 20+ years ago. Probably mostly because of the expense of new hardcovers, but now if a new book comes out and I want to read it, I will put in a request at the library.

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.

Well, first it would be large. Full of lots of gorgeous wood bookcases. Their would be a couple of large, comfy armchairs. Big enough for me and the 7yo to cuddle up in the same chair. When it comes to the books, I'm not interested in collectors editions or signed editions. My library would include every book written by my favourite authors and every book in every series I am currently reading or will want to read someday. That would be my heaven.

Tag 4 people.
I'm going to leave it with 3 people this time.

Joy (Thoughts of Joy)
Literary Feline (Musings of a Bookish Kitty)
Darla (Books and Other Thoughts)

Comments

  1. You and I are totally opp re: the French Revolution. Tale of Two Cities is the only Dickens I really enjoyed, and I just loved Scarlet Pimpernel and the musical Les Mis. lol It's funny how different people can be!

    I didn't know the Japanese had cool crochet patterns-I'll have to try and hunt some down. :)

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  2. Oh, this looks like fun! I will have to think about some of these (but some I can answer right away!). I'll let you know when I've posted. Thanks!

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  3. I'm right there with you on reading about stocks, bonds and mutual funds. :-) It would all go over my head and put me right to sleep.

    I think my husband would agree with you about wanting to learn Japanese, although for a slightly different reason. He loves manga.

    I love the description of your library--it certainly does sound heavenly.

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  4. For the record, Les Miserables is one of my very favorite books!! Horrible time in history, but the characters are so alive and wonderful!! I really need to read it again someday!

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  5. Well, there you go. See everybody always raves about Les Mis. I'm probably the only person who doesn't like the musical too.

    eva, I love Dickens! It's just this thing I have for the French Revolution, that and celery, I just can't stand them. (LOL)

    darla, can't wait to read your answers. This meme is definitely one that makes you think!

    literary feline, haha, sure your dh wouldn't like some crochet books?

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  6. I've never tried to tackle Les Mis. I agree with you about the time period although I loved The Scarlett Pimpernel. As for the musical, the music was fantastic and the story just okay.

    I need to get my copy of Love You Forever out and read it again. It always brings a tear to my eye.

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