Wednesday, September 16, 2009

BBAW Day 3: Reading Meme


For those who don't know, this is Book Blogger Appreciation Week. The official site has blogging topics for each day this week. I've been busy and missed them all so far, but I'm going to do today's and I'm hoping to do at least tomorrow's too, which sounds like fun. (It's writing about a book you loved that you discovered on a book blog - it would be very hard to choose just one, though!)

So here is today's topic - some questions about reading! Feel free to answer them all (or your favorite questions) in the comments.

Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack?

No, never. I'd probably get crumbs all over my book if I did that and that would be one of the bibliophile's seven deadly sins. However, I do like to drink coffee or tea while reading. My favorite summer drink for reading is an iced mocha latte. The rest of the time, it could be any number of things - a cafe mocha, raspberry mocha or vanilla latte (or cinnamon if I can find it - that's really my favorite).

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?

Writing in books is one of the other seven deadly sins of bibliophiles; therefore, I do not practice it.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears?

I used to remember which page or chapter I was on. Since my memory is no longer quite what it once was, I now use a bookmark.

Laying the book flat open?

Only very rarely, very loosely so it's not even close to flat, and if I'm putting it down for two seconds or less. My books tend to still look new when I am done reading them, and I'm very careful with them.

Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?

Fiction. I don't have the attention span for - what were we talking about again? Oh yeah, non-fiction.

Hard copy or audiobooks?

Hard copy since I've never listened to an audiobook in my life.

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?

If I have to, I can put the book down but I usually try to read to the end of the chapter or at least a stopping point if I really need to stop (other stopping points being when there are extra page breaks in the middle of a chapter).

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?

That depends on how convenient it is to do so at the time. If I'm reading before going to sleep, no. Otherwise, I often do. I leave the computer around for just this purpose when reading Elizabeth Bear's novels (not only do I end up looking up a lot of words but using Google a lot in general to look up references when reading her books).

What are you currently reading?

Havemercy by Jaida Jones and Danielle Bennett. I'm almost at the end and LOVE it. It's not quite as good as Sarah Monette's The Doctrine of Labyrinth series, but it's one of the better books I've read this year.

What is the last book you bought?

Well, technically, the last time I bought books was a book order in which I bought several books with a gift card. So the last books I bought are:

Night's Master by Tanith Lee (in expensive hardcover and it was misdelivered today! Augh!)
Black Ships by Jo Graham ($5 trade paperback bargain book!)
Hart's Hope by Orson Scott Card
Alanya to Alanya by L. Timmel duchamp
Hunting Ground by Patricia Briggs

Or if you want to go by last book I bought that I actually have in my possession at the moment, that would be Jasmyn by Alex Bell, which sounds really good.

Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?

Normally I stick to one book at a time. Once in a while, I read multiple books but usually only if I need a break from the book I'm reading or am reading a short story collection instead of one cohesive story.

Do you have a favorite time of day and/or place to read?

No, not really. Anywhere quiet, preferably next to a coffee.

Do you prefer series books or stand alone books?

That's tough. Since I like reading more about my favorite characters, I'll go with series, but I really like stand-alones too if they're good.

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?

Just one? Guess I'll go with Sarah Monette and The Doctrine of Labyrinth series.

How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)

I would love to organize them by author's last name, then chronological order (but with all the series books together so if the author wrote another book in the middle of the series it's not interrupting the series flow). Since my space is limited, I'm subjected to just cramming them in wherever there is room, though, which means I have the hardcovers and trade paperbacks together and the mass market paperbacks together. The authors and series are together if they will fit that way, though.

11 comments:

Harry Markov said...

Oh I am pretty bummed that I didn't do everything with the flare I wanted, but at least I did post some things. Now though, I am not so sure about Thursday and Friday.

Great answers. We need to figure out the bibliophile's seven deadly sins and post them as a meme. Hah!

Anastasia said...

Intereresting answers.

You're so neat with your books, that's commendable. Eating while I read is my big vice that I can't cure myself of. At least I've switched to mostly non-greasy snacks (sunflower seeds, it's a full-blown addiction for me), but every once in a while stains do land.

I'm very particular about books' quality when they're on the shelf, but when I'm reading them, I'm more laid back (except for breaking the spine on paperbacks, I never), because if I'm too paranoid, I end up not reading it. A few beautiful expensive books I have (like Oracle Lips), I'm too afraid to touch. Also, carrying the book around in your bag beats it up.

I use old MetroCards for bookmarks.

I'm curious about AudioBooks, especially for some novels which are particularly beautifully written (I'd love to hear Delany or Valente out loud), but no opportunity to listen. I don't drive to work, I suppose that's when people listen the most. And they are so expensive.

Very nice list of purchases! I hate how Amazon changed their Bargain Bin section so that it's not sorted by genre anymore. I used to browse it regularly, and buy a lot of books I otherwise wouldn't have looked it. Now if I stumble upon a sale, it's purely by accident and not often enough.

I read Night's Master in one day last weekend (no stains on that one :). I think that if you liked Orphan's Tales, you'll like this. It's very different from other things I've read from Lee. Also, peeking ahead at the next books in the series, they get more emotionally dramatic, and I'm looking forward to that. Unfortunately, it's a year's wait until the next release (Death's Master - here's a sneak peek at the cover http://www.norilana.com/DeathsMaster-ForWeb.jpg). Holy crap. I just realized, it's six years until the full series is published. That sucks.

Hart's Hope is a dark, weird, twisted, and very good fantasy. I saw that rebelaessedai read it recently.

I want to re-read Alanya to Alanya, so when you start reading it, I will too.

Jules said...

7 Deadly sins! Is there a list somewhere where? Because I'm sure I'm one who follows all of them. And glares at those who don't. Great answers, it sounds like we have very similar methods to organize our books. Also, your post made me thirsty for various delicious specialty coffees :)

orannia said...

Great answers Kristen - thank you! And I'm going to echo everyone else and say we need the list of a bibliophile's seven deadly sins listed :) Dog-ears?
*shudders*

And I've started HaveMercy. I'm only 35 pages in but am definitely enjoying it! And I agree, it has a very Monette-feel (all the main characters have very distinctive voices) but not as good...but am definitely being pulled in *grin*

Donna said...

Yep, I'd like to see the seven deadly sins of a bibliophile. *g*

I think almost every Reading Meme I've read so far, no one eats while they read. Yikes! I do it all the time, especially at lunch when I'm trying to sneak in some reading time.

Oh, I used to remember the page I was on before too! Not anymore, sadly. Geriatric Bookmarks 'R Us now. *BG*

Thea said...

I feel like such a BAD booknerd - I write in my books, I dogear my favorite passages, I highlight, I occasionally break the spines (although that is one that I try to avoid at all costs)... to each their own!

And hey, nice book haul you have there ;) Black Ships is fantastic - really great history, beautiful storytelling too. I have book 2, Hand of Isis, on my TBR! And you know how I feel about Hunting Ground and Jasmyn ;) Great meme, very interesting!

Kristen said...

Harry - I know the feeling. I was tired when I got back from work tonight and didn't end up doing a post today after all. However, I am going to post the 7 deadly sins within the next few days since there seems to be some interest in seeing it. ;)

Anastasia - My husband is afraid to touch the signed/expensive ones too. I got a signed copy of Perdido Street Station a while ago and he read about two pages before deciding he was too afraid to touch it. It doesn't bother me that much to read them - I'm just VERY careful with them and don't carry those ones around with me.

Audiobooks are very expensive and that's the main reason I've never tried one. I have a 20 - 25 minute drive one way to work every day so it would be nice to have one to listen to were it cheaper.

The Amazon Bargain Bin is rather strange. Looking at it right now, I can filter it by category and I could the other night too. For quite a while before that, though, I wasn't able to filter it at all and it was driving me nuts too. They have some great deals sometimes and I want to be able to see them.

Night's Master arrived today - fortunately, it said it was left at the front door yesterday but it was nowhere to be found. I spent more on that one than I normally spend on a book so it was bugging me. It is a beautiful book and I was thinking it sounded kind of like The Orphan's Tales from the description, too, so it is a bit similar. The cover for the next book is very nice too! I'm really looking forward to this one; I think I might have to read it next month.

Hart's Hope sounds great! Rebelaessedai told me it was one of her favorite books so far this year, which is why I ended up getting it. (And she also told me it was dark and twisted, which didn't hurt either.)

Jules - I will post the list of 7 deadly sins soon! Mmm, I want a cinnamon latte now myself. There's only one place around here that I know that makes them but I almost never go there anymore because it's in one of those locations with hard-to-find parking.

Orannia - Yes I know! Dog-ears is not good! And I'm glad to hear you are enjoying Havemercy so far. It was one that sucked me right in too. It does feel rather similar to Monette, but it's not as dark and none of the characters are quite as vivid as Mildmay or Felix.

Donna - You're not alone - I read some reading memes in which people said they ate while reading. Maybe it's because I don't eat when I read that I noticed those ones more - I felt like I was the only one who didn't eat while reading.

Remembering the page was easy a few years ago. I like to tell myself I just have too many other things occupying my brain now to be able to keep track of minor details like that.

Kristen said...

Since I can't edit and I don't feel like copying that post, editing it and deleting it - I meant to say that I was glad to hear that my impression that Night's Master was similar to The Orphan's Tales was correct (instead of just saying it is a bit similar).

Kristen said...

Thea - It's not necessarily a bad thing to mark favorite passages - there are times after I've read a book that I have trouble finding memorable quotes again. If I were less anal about keeping my books in pristine condition, I'd have problems like that a lot less!

Oh good, I'm glad to hear you thought so much of Black Ships. I've heard only great things about it and I was glad to find such a great deal on it. I am really looking forward to reading Jasmyn after you and Ana both loved it so much. That one and Night's Master are the two I really want to crack open as soon as I finish Havemercy. But there are other books that must be read first...

orannia said...

*puts hand up* ...I read while eating as it is one of the few times when I actually get to read. Probably why I always try and have meals that are reading friendly :)

ediFanoB said...

Interesting answer. Unfortunately I could not attend BBAW. But I think I will post my answers soon.

And like a lot more people I would like to get to know all seven deadly sins of a bibliophile.