Thursday, January 24, 2008

Book Meme!

Sheila tagged me for this meme. . .LIKE I READ FICTION! What was she thinking?! :) Oh, well. Here goes:



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



Even though I'm a total true-crime FANATIC, I can't make myself read In Cold Blood. I don't know why -- everyone is dumbfounded that I haven't read it -- but I think it's because I cut my teeth on "just the facts" true-crime books, not ones that delve into the psyche of the killer, as I've heard In Cold Blood does.



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?



Since the last time I read fiction with any regularity was childhood, I'd say Encyclopedia Brown, Robin from The Velvet Room, and Linus from Peanuts. We'd have cheese-n-crackers and discuss existentialism.



(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?



Cold Mountain. Holy shit, that was one boring read. I kept slogging through it because, damn, everyone was RAVING about t, but by the end I was just wishing for them all to die and put me out of my misery.



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?



Um, Wuthering Heights? I've never read it, but I've read the Cliff Notes and seen many movie versions, so I can fake my way through a conversation.



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?



No.



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 of personalise the VIP)



A VIP? The Art of War by Sun Tzu. Because most of life is war in one way or another.



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?



I guess Old English so I'd know FINALLY what the hell Beowulf was all about. Oh, and what ever language James Joyce wrote in so I'd know what the hell Sheila is talking about. ;)



A mischievious fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will reread one a year for the rest of your life (you can read other books as well). Which book would you pick?



Lonesome Dove. I think I do read it at least once a year, as a matter of fact. And I discover something new every time.



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)?



Reading more fiction! Before, I never even ventured to the bottom floor of my local library. Now I go there all the time, mainly on Sheila's recommendations. If she likes it, chances are I will too.



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.



Funny, but mine is almost exactly like Sheila described hers. Except for the messy part; mine is militarily straight, with books in complete order, lined up exactly 1/2 inch from the edge of the bookshelf, and WOE! to any who mess it up. Don't laugh -- you know it's true.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

RIP

I feel wrong being sad about Heath Ledger's death, since a quick glimpse at IMDB.com reveals I've actually never seen one movie he's been in. I told D about his death yesterday, and he didn't even know who he was until I said he was in the The Patriot.

Anyway. The death of anyone at 28 is sad, I don't care who you are. I hope for his daughter's sake it wasn't suicide.

The New Me!

Why am I at Blogger?

Frankly, because I no longer could justify the costs of Typepad. I post so seldomly, and I could really use that $89 a year for something else.

Like shoes.

As soon as I figure out how to get the old blog over here I will.