Book meme ...

[tamaranth]

... via brisingamen


What are you reading right now?

Evil for Evil, K J Parker. Technically a reread but I rushed through it when it arrived: am now savouring the pacing and the twists. Also on the go: Urban Shaman, C E Murphy (diskarded when the Parker turned up); Exploration and Exchange: A South Seas Anthology, 1680-1900; Women in the Wall, Julia O'Faolain (also technically a reread, it was on the reading list for the Early Medieval Women module of my literature degree); Glorifying Terrorism ed. fjm.

Do you have any idea what you’ll read when you’re done with that?

Depends on mood and weather! I could do with something contemporary (so maybe Secret Harmonies, Andrea Barrett, or Theft, Peter Carey) but if it's rainy and I'm feeling lethargic I may indulge myself by staying in bed and reading another Bujold (The Hallowed Hunt) or The Sweet Trade (Elizabeth Garrett: historical romance) or oooooh yes, Territory, Emma Bull.

What’s the worst thing you were ever forced to read?

I have, or had, a long long list from school and university: have successfully managed to banish all recollection of specific titles. I think most of 'em were at 'O' level or below, where books for the class were picked to appeal to the lowest common denominator. Even a good book can be murder if you have to read it v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y. Of course I used to be pages ahead and then get caught out.

Since then I haven't really had to read anything much. I have grimly persevered with some books, for review or through sheer bloodymindedness. Dan Sleigh's Islands, which I awarded half a point on LibraryThing because there is no such thing as a negative point and 0 looks like omission. Oh, and Vivien Parry's The Truth about Hormones, because the proof-reading / copy-editing was so bad as to be painful.

What’s the one book you always recommend to just about everyone?

I've given away several copies of Patrick O'Brian's Post Captain (more accessible to readers who aren't nautically inclined than Master and Commander) and Elizabeth Knox's The Vintner's Luck.

Admit it, the librarians at your library know you on a first name basis, don’t they?

I'm not even sure where the library is! I gave up on public libraries some years ago, despairing of finding anything new that I wanted to read by the old-fashioned process of browsing the shelves. I tend to acquire books (and have a reasonable turnover, especially via BookMooch) rather than borrow them: it gives me more control over my reading choices.

Do you read books while you eat? While you bathe? While you watch movies or TV? While you listen to music? While you’re on the computer? While you’re having sex?While you’re driving?

Yes; very occasionally; no (don't have TV, would rather read); yes; no (except e-books on screen); TMI; no.

What’s the last thing you stayed up half the night reading because it was so good you couldn’t put it down?

Hard to say, as I can't do the 'staying up' bit the way I used to. And of course I would never take a sick day to read a book, nor did I swig coffee to keep myself alert while I rushed through Evil for Evil the first time. I do tend to read a book start to finish if it's something I anticipate as unputdownable: I'll rearrange my day or weekend to make this feasible. The last few books I did this for are The Sons of Heaven (Kage Baker), Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and Hal Duncan's Ink.

Comments

[jhaelan.livejournal.com]

I would recommend taking a look at Steven Erikson's Gardens of the Moon