Calling all Bibliophiles!

[Tsuyoiko]

I know I'm not the only person here who LOVES books, and I was interested to hear about your reading habits. Here are some questions, but feel free to add anything else.

• How many books do you read in a year?
  
• Where do you get books? Buy? Borrow? Steal?
  
• Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction?
  
• Who are your favourite writers?
  
• What was the last book you read?
  
• What are you reading now?
  
• Did a book change your life?
  
• Is there a book you are ashamed to admit you enjoyed?
  
• What is your first memory of books?
  
• Is there a book you couldn't finish?

Here are my answers:

How many books do you read in a year?

Over 50. I read a book a week on average.

Where do you get books? Buy? Borrow? Steal?

I get books everywhere - borrow them from friends, family or the library, buy them secondhand, new, mail order. I have also 'failed to return' books that don't belong to me.

Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction?

I like them both. I probably read more non-fiction, but nothing beats a good novel. I particularly like esoteric fiction, which is strange as I am a very logically minded atheist. A Glastonbury Romance by John Cowper Powys, The Chymical Wedding by Lindsay Clarke and The Goat-Foot God by Dion Fortune are my favourite esoteric novels. I also love anything about King Arthur - poetry, novels, essays. Fiction and non-fiction lose their distinction when it comes to Arthurian romance.

Who are your favourite writers?

I like Philip Pullman. I like the way he puts an atheistic twist on religious myths, and I love his characters. He creates flawed heroes who seem like real people. How many children's writers would makes heroes out of a disobedient thief and a murdering boy, who have to save the world by having underage sex?

My favourite non-fiction writer is Stephen Jay Gould. I love the way he wrote about science from his own experience, and I love his commitment to what is right without being PC.

What was the last book you read?

I just finished Nathaniel's Nutmeg by Giles Milton, and what a pile of crap that was. It's the story of the nutmeg trade between Europe and a tiny archipelago in south-east Asia. It was boring. Even when reading non-fiction, I like to empathise with the 'characters', whether that's the writer, an historical figure or the subject under discussion. But Milton didn't put anything of himself in the book, and it's hard to emphathise with a bunch of guys who tortured and murdered each other over a tiny group of islands that they stole from the indigenous people in the first place.

What are you reading now?

I just started The Vesuvius Club by Mark Gatiss. It's about an Edwardian portrait painter who moonlights as an assassin for the British secret service. I haven't got very far, but it seems the 'hero' became an assassin because he enjoys killing people. He seems like a rather unsavoury character - somewhat reminiscent of Dorian Gray - but I'm intrigued enough to keep reading.

Did a book change your life?

I have to choose Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. It has a reputation for being heavy going, but I couldn't put it down. It's the story of the murder of a landlady by Raskolnikov, and the aftermath of that event. Raskolnikov is a perfectly flawed character. I understood why he commited the murder and sympathised with him. In the end it is his own conscience that brings about his downfall. From this book I learned that we have to accept ourselves for what we are - even our flaws - and that we are responsible for our own destiny.

Is there a book you are ashamed to admit you enjoyed?

*cringe* I enjoyed The Da Vinci Code *cringe*. It is very, very badly written, but Dan Brown has a knack for writing a page turner. He knows how to create suspense. The characters are cardboard cut-outs, the dialogue is butt-clenchingly cliched, the subject matter was done to death 30 years ago by Baigent, Leigh and Lincoln, and the codes are like brainteasers in a Sunday newspaper - but I couldn't put it down.

What is your first memory of books?

The first book I remember is an illustrated copy of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens that my Mum used to teach me to read. The illustrations were photographs of puppets acting out the story. Some of then were really creepy. I still love that story.

Is there a book you couldn't finish

I have twice tried to read Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche, and couldn't get halfway. It has some interesting ideas in it, and some very quotable lines, but it just got so heavy.

Wow, this got long! Hope I didn't bore you guys!

 

[Mycernius]

Excellent idea for a thread. Here goes:
How many books do you read in a year?
Difficult to answer. Approx 50 to 60 odd. I usually get through about one a week. Depends on the subject matter

Where do you get books? Buy? Borrow? Steal?
I buy a lot of books. Normally from bookshops, but if I can't find one I am after I will order online. Sometimes it works out cheaper. Others I will borrow, or get given to me as a good read. I admit that when I was 14/15 I did steal books from the local library. My guilty secret revealed

Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction?
Mainly fiction, usually of the Sci-fi or fantasy genre. Most of my non-fiction are historical, Mythological/theological and popular science, such as quntum physics or astronomy

Who are your favourite writers?
Clive Barker, James Herbert, Stephen Baxter

What was the last book you read?
After the Funeral by Agatha Christie. I read her books at work when I'm on a break or waiting to be tipped.

What are you reading now?
Difficult question this. I usually read more than one book at a time, a habit I picked up from my father. Currently these are Peril at End House by Agatha Christie, my work book; Transcendent by Stephen Baxter; Emperor: The Gates of Rome by Conn Iggulden, and the Koran, which I have been trying to read for the past 12 months. I AM going to finish the damn thing

Did a book change your life?
Can't say whether or not it changed my life, but Les miserables is one of my favourite books that I have read several times. The way that, dispite hardships, Jean Valjean still remains ever hopeful and determined to lead a good life

Is there a book you are ashamed to admit you enjoyed?
No-one Here Gets Out Alive by Danny Sugarman. His view on the life of Jim Morrison. There are better books out there about Jim Morrison and The Doors, but this is so indulgent I like it.

What is your first memory of books?
I don't think I have a first memory of books. They have always been a part of my life. Both my parents are big readers and books have always been around. I suppose the closest are the Janet and John books from early childhood

Is there a book you couldn't finish?
The Stone and the Flute. I have tried reading this several times and have never got past the first chapter.

I have twice tried to read Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche, and couldn't get halfway. I thas some interesting ideas in it, and some very quotable lines, but it just got so heavy.

I took me 6 months to read this damn book. Not bad considering it is only about 220 pages long. I had to keep re-reading passages

 

[lastmagi]

Yeah, Tsuyoiko! I love books. Thanks for letting me indulge.

(hm... I've been using more smilies than usual these days...)

How many books do you read in a year?

For personal enjoyment, I read only a depressing 4-8 books a year, since the beginning of college. This year's been an even lower point. The reason I don't read much is because I find it hard to sit down and relax and enjoy myself with a book when I have a lot of other stuff, like school work, going on. This summer I've been doing internships and a summer course which left me dead tired afterwards, so I was basically a zombie at home during the whole summer so-called "vacation".

I'm not sure how many book for school I read, because the number varies so much.

Does anyone have any tips for setting aside time for yourself while in college? Because I'd love to be able to read more.

Where do you get books? Buy? Borrow? Steal?

First, my preferred method was impulsive-buying at the nearby Borders or Barnes and Nobles. That didn't prove to be very efficient, because 90% of the time the book turned out to not interest me at all. Then I moved to Amazon, since the books' prices were a little better. Now, I'm trying out this online used bookstore, Abebooks.com, that I found through a popular webblog, BookSlut.com. I just placed my first order there, so I hope it goes well!

Also, I live near the local library, so I borrow books from there. Still, I kind of like physically owning a book.

And yeah, I still do that impulsive-buying from time to time.

Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction?

I tend to prefer fiction, particularly sci-fi and fantasy, like Mycernius. I've only recently been reading non-fiction- things related to psychology, the environment/biology...

Who are your favourite writers?

I love Neil Gaiman for his cleverness and wit. Like Tsuyoiko, I love Philip Pullman for his uniqueness and innovation. I loved reading Watership Down by Richard (?) Adams, and I'd like to read more of his works. I have some qualms about Ursula K. Le Guin, but overall I find myself attracted to her pieces. And some others whom I've already forgotten.

What was the last book you read?

I've read some short-stories in Jorge Luis Borges's Aleph and Other Stories collection. My last actual, full book was Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami. I actually have a love-hate relationship with Murakami, because some things he does is just so nonsensical to be arbitrary (A Colonel Sanders pimp?).

What are you reading now?

School-required books that I actually should get around to reading soon. Also some Aldo Leopold stuff.

Did a book change your life?

Books are always changing my life .

Is there a book you are ashamed to admit you enjoyed?

Nicolas Sparks' The Notebook. Some Orson Scott Card books until I found he was a seething chauvinistic homophobe. That always ruins the books, when you find out that the author is an ***.

What is your first memory of books?

Eh, I'm bad at remembering stuff.

Is there a book you couldn't finish?

Just about most of the books I buy

 

[Anchyyy]

How many books do you read in a year?

Probably to many... I'm like always reading something. Can't live without a book

Where do you get books? Buy? Borrow? Steal?

I bought a few books for example Angels and Demons. I love it! Beside our city has like 4 or 5 libaries. I can always find something good to read there

Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction?

Fiction!! Always read that. But then again i read a book about pyschology and it was not that bad

Who are your favourite writers?

Interestin question. Mary Hoffman is good. I recently read the book City of Masks! Couldn't take my hands off it. I read it through the night and i slept next day at school

What was the last book you read?

Street Lawyer by John Crisham.

What are you reading now?
Losers by David Belbin.

Did a book change your life?

Hmmm... The da Vinci code made me more interested in differet religions

Is there a book you are ashamed to admit you enjoyed?

No.

What is your first memory of books?

Hmmm... I remember my mother reading me books when i was a kid.

Is there a book you couldn't finish?

Not that i would know

 

[Tsuyoiko]

Thanks for your replies guys - interesting stuff!

I've read some short-stories in Jorge Luis Borges's Aleph and Other Stories collection.

My favourite story by Borges is The Library of Babel. Have you read that one?

Some Orson Scott Card books until I found he was a seething chauvinistic homophobe. That always ruins the books, when you find out that the author is an ***.

I can relate to that, in particular with OSC, and in general. I am much more likely to enjoy a book if I admire the writer - Philip Pullman and Stephen Jay Gould being good examples.

 

[lastmagi]

My favourite story by Borges is The Library of Babel. Have you read that one?

Yep. I think it was one of my first Borges stories, which ultimately drew me into his world. I think Borges can be a little difficult reading, but that just means I need to tune up my vocabulary and reading skills some more.

 

[Clawn]

How many books do you read in A year?

Anywhere from 80-120. I'm a bookish person who reads too much too fast, and my avid reading has led to the slow but sure deteriation of the quality of my eyesight. Fortunately, though, I might be getting glasses/contacts soon, and those should help reduce eye strain(or so the docter says).

Where do you get your books? Buy? Borrow? Steal?

I get most of the books I read from the library. Some of them are borrowed form friends, but many are givin by a local bookstore that has books that just won't sell, so they give them away.

Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction?

Generally, I go with fiction books, fantsy and sci-fi. I do read some non-fiction, but only for topics that I'm researching on or are curious about, not for leisurely reading.

Who are your favourite authors?

Orson Scott Card(most popularly know for the sci-fi novel, "Ender's Game"), Chris Crutcher(he writes stories about young adults with some sort of problem, usually dealing with family and emotional issues), Sir Arthur Conan Doyle(the infamous author of the Sherlock Holmes series), and Tim Lahaye(his portrayal of a modern-day Rapture of the Church is very original in my opinion)

What was the last book you read?

Shadow of the Hegemon by Orson Scott Card

What are you reading now?

Children of the Mind by Orson Scott Card

Did a book change your life?

Of course! To name a few: The Bible, Ender's Game, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Chinese Handcuffs.....

Is there a book you're ashamed to admit you enjoyed?

Yes. I won't say what it is, but I'll tell you this, in a public place, don't ever let your friends hand you a paperback novel that has the front covered up. Ever.

What is your first memory of books?

The Velveteen Rabbit, or The Little Engine That Could.

Is there a book you couldn't finish?

Some book I (tried to) read when I was ten years old called "Black Arrow." It was simply to long for the younger me to handle!

 

[Tsuyoiko]

Thanks for your thoughts Clawn! You remind me of my friend Adam, who is about your age. I met him when I was working in a school library, and he was my best customer. He used to borrow two books every day. He always lost a lot of books, and I used to get him to bring in one of his own books to replace it, or work off the cost by doing chores in the library. Last time I saw him, a couple of weeks ago, he admitted that he never lost a book, but he got so attached to them that sometimes he couldn't bring them back! ☝

 

[Kinsao]

Interesting!

How many books do you read in a year?
I used to study English Lit, so I had to read quite a lot - obviously not just the set texts but around them, too. I always enjoyed reading anyway. Up until age 18 I used to get through maybe 2 or 3 books a week. When I went to Uni, the number went down a bit. Because I was reading mainly art, art theory, sociology, optics and philosophy books, they were a bit thicker and took longer to get through, so I'd manage maybe one every 2 weeks - plus some reading of novels for purposes of social/literary background to certain arts movements.

Now, though, I'm ashamed to admit I've probably read only about 6 books in the last year. I have a lot of commitments outside of work, which means I only get 2 hours max at home each evening, and - as everyone who works knows! - the weekends become so busy it just seems too lazy to sit down with a book. I can sit down for maybe 5 or 10 minutes and then I have to get up and do something more "productive".

I am trying to get back into reading a bit more, though - and this thread actually galvanised me to go to the library!

Where do you get books? Buy? Borrow? Steal?
Buy and borrow - but I don't steal them because I'm good like that. I live literally just opposite a (quite small) library, with two secondhand bookshops within 2 minutes of my house, so I have no excuse not to get books.

I prefer buying secondhand books to new ones, in fact. I don't know why, but when I go into a secondhand book shop it just seems much easier to look, choose and come out with something I'm interested in. Whereas when I go into a new book shop, I feel overwhelmed by all the colorful-looking choices. I'll go to a new book shop if I have been specifically recommended a book to get, or if I'm buying a present.

Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction?
I like them both equally, for different reasons.

Who are your favourite writers?
Oooh, that's difficult! Ummmm.... I like Angela Carter, Jorge Luis Borges, Kafka, Tolstoy, Graham Greene, Robert Rankin, Primo Levi, Patrick McGrath, Kingsley Amis, G. K. Chesterton, Terry Pratchett, Dostoyevsky... and there's a whole load more that I used to read when I was at college and which have totally lapsed from my mind... *is ashamed* :sorry:

What was the last book you read?
"The Book of Heroic Failures" by Stephen Pile. But I don't know whether that really counts as a "book"! Errrr... before that it was either *tries to remember* something about "Chaos"... "the - something - of Chaos"... it's no good, the title escapes me... :sorry: but it was by Anita Curtis... or it might have been "The Story of Language" by somebody Berber (non-fiction).

What are you reading now?
I can't remember the title or author, but it's some sci-fi novel based on Isaac Asimov's Robot City. But, it's really strange that Lastmagi should have mentioned "Kafka on the Shore" by Haruki Murakami, because I had literally just got that book from the library - it's my next one in line!

Did a book change your life?
I can't say "a book" changed my life, specifically. I think books in general have changed my life because they have influenced my ways of seeing the world and ways of thinking - but there's no one book I can point to and say "that sparked a turning point".

Is there a book you are ashamed to admit you enjoyed?
Not really. I do like Agatha Christie books (although I don't read them any more because I can always remember who the murderer was!) and also children's books, but there's an age after which it becomes OK to admit to owning Biggles books or something (I have fond memories of the Biggles books from my childhood, particularly the First World War stories with plenty of fighting!).

What is your first memory of books?
Probably the mobile library that used to visit our village. I don't remember learning to read, and my mom doesn't know when I learned, either. But I remember going into the mobile library, it was a bit of a novelty for me. Probably the first book I remember was either my "ABC" book or "Lost in the Storm" by Carol Carrick.

Is there a book you couldn't finish?
There are two, I am ashamed to admit - "Foucault's Pendulum" by Umberto Eco (I might be able to take it now - maybe I should give it another shot!) and - I'm sorry, Tsuyoiko! - "The Chymical Wedding" by Lindsay Clarke. (I will shut up about that one before I'm too insulting about it! )

 

[Kama]

* How many books do you read in a year?

Hmm... difficult question. I would say only about 50 now. When I was in secondary school I used to read about 100 books a year. Now I don't have much time to spare.

* Where do you get books? Buy? Borrow? Steal?

All of it.

* Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction?

Fiction, mainly fantasy and science-fiction. Also I like adventure/historical fiction. I hate romances.

* Who are your favourite writers?

Frank Herbert for "Dune", Friedman for "Coldfire Trilogy" Margaret Lackey for her series of "Heralds of Valdemar" and bulhakow for "Master and Margaret". Well, I rther have favourite books, not authors, but...

* What was the last book you read?

One of books about Japan written by a Polish author. I read these for my ma thesis. Or maybe it was Koji Suzuki's Ring...

* What are you reading now?

Nothing. Okay, I'm reading articles form newspapers for my ma thesis.

* Did a book change your life?

Hmmm... I don't think so.

* Is there a book you are ashamed to admit you enjoyed?

No.

* What is your first memory of books?

I don't remember really. Anything. I was always reading books. Okay, I remembered one thing: when I was in 4th grade in elementary school I have read a book of "Pharaoh" by Boleslaw Prus while I was sick and tied to bed. It's a book about 600paged and it's not a lecture for 10years old child.

* Is there a book you couldn't finish?

Yes, most of school lectures

 

[Tsuyoiko]

I am trying to get back into reading a bit more, though - and this thread actually galvanised me to go to the library!

Cool! That's the second time I have sent someone here to the library. I just can't stop being a librarian!

Robert Rankin

Simon and I went to the pub with him once. We went to a book signing before he was famous and he asked us to go for a drink. He and Simon wrote to each other for ages after, but then he got famous and forgot his old friends

I'm sorry, Tsuyoiko! - "The Chymical Wedding" by Lindsay Clarke. (I will shut up about that one before I'm too insulting about it! )

Please tell! I love that book so much that I couldn't give it back to my Dad, who lent it to me. Why didn't you like it? I'm tough, I can take it!:samurai :

 

[Kinsao]

Simon and I went to the pub with him once. We went to a book signing before he was famous and he asked us to go for a drink. He and Simon wrote to each other for ages after, but then he got famous and forgot his old friends

Cool! I have no claims to fame whatsoever!

Please tell! I love that book so much that I couldn't give it back to my Dad, who lent it to me. Why didn't you like it? I'm tough, I can take it!:samurai:

It's actually about a year and a half since I put it down (I read just over half of it)... *thinks back*
Well, I found that the characters didn't come alive for me - I could feel them being pushed around by the author. I found the style of writing extremely clunky and artificial - not that I object to a stylised way of writing, but it became so cumbersome that the mechanics of the prose itself interfered with my engagement with the "messages" behind the text - the plot, the emotion and the ideas. Also, although I can understand his use of the split voice, it... ewww... it somehow seemed to me so fake, rather than carrying me along with the story. The whole thing was so contrived that it set my teeth on edge!

I am interested in alchemy, though, and have read a couple of interesting pseudo-scientific books on it (one more scientific than the other, but both good - can't remember the titles right now, am at the office! :sorry: ), so if anyone can recommend any related books... please fire away...

 

[Tsuyoiko]

Well, I found that the characters didn't come alive for me - I could feel them being pushed around by the author. I found the style of writing extremely clunky and artificial - not that I object to a stylised way of writing, but it became so cumbersome that the mechanics of the prose itself interfered with my engagement with the "messages" behind the text - the plot, the emotion and the ideas. Also, although I can understand his use of the split voice, it... ewww... it somehow seemed to me so fake, rather than carrying me along with the story. The whole thing was so contrived that it set my teeth on edge!

Wow! Don't hold back! I feel I must come to the book's defence and describe why I loved it!

Synopsis: The novel is basically two parallel stories. In the first it is the early 1980s. Alex Darken, suffering because of his broken marriage and writer's block, is taking a break in Norfolk. Here he meets aging poet Edward Nesbit and his young American lover, Laura.
In the other thread, it is 1849, but set in the same village. Sir Henry Agnew and his daughter Louisa, are alchemists, who see the alchemical quest as the key to spiritual realisation. Louisa is in love with the local minister - he loves her back, but is married
The two stories intertwine as Edward, Laura, and Alex research what happened to the Agnews, and learn just as much about themselves in the process.

I loved it because: When I read it I was on my own spiritual quest. I feel pretty much there now, but at the time I didn't know what to believe. It was exciting to read about other people going through the same process. I also love the idea of parallel stories - that the lives of people separated by time can be inextricably intertwined. The idea of the lovers that cannot be together gets me every time.

I thought the characters were real. They were full of flaws and inconsistencies, like real people. I enjoyed the writing style - it seemed honest and self-conscious to me - you really got the feeling that the writer was trying hard, that writing does not come easily to him. I admired his struggle.

Lindsay Clarke's real talent lies in his descriptions, though. For example, the opening of the novel:

"In that part of the world the sky is everywhere, and the entire landscape seems to lie in abasement under its exacting light. It gets into church towers and between the narrow reeds along the river's edge. It glances across undulant acres of barley and beet, and takes what little the flints have to give. Everything there feels exposed, so keeping secrets is hard. It's not the easiest place in which to hide."

Not only does it feel like you are there, it feels better because you get to read the beautiful description as well. Looking at the book again on Amazon, I can feel myself slipping into that world and I want to read it again!

 

[Ma Cherie]

Nice thread.

How many books do you read in a year?

I read about 20 books a year. I would read more, but I don't have the time.

Where do you get your books? Buy? Borrow? Steal?

I mostly buy my books and on several occasions, I borrow. I don't think I need to steal my books.

Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction?

I prefer fiction. Althouhg I would read a non-fiction book if it has some kind of literary expression in it.

Who are your favorite authors?

I have several, one is Anne Rice. And since I've been some research on the Harlem Renaissance I like Zora Neale Hurston and Richard Wright. Who were very famous during the Harlem Renaissance.

What was the last book you read?

An autobiography entitled Dust Tracks on a Road which is an autobiography of Zora Neale Hurston. I enjoyed reading becasue of all the literary expression that it contains. I also like Alice Walker.

What book are you reading now?

I'm reading a book entitled Black Boy by Richard Wright. Even though it's fiction it seems to be an autobiographical novel.

Did a book change your life?

No, can't say that one has.

Is there a book you're ashamed to admit you enjoyed?

Several erotic novels.

What is your first memory of books?

I would have to say Romona the Pest. I was able to relate to the main character in some ways.

Is there a book you couldn't finish?

If I find a book to be tedious, I wouldn't finish it.

I love talking about books and literature and all that jazz.

 

[Revenant]

How many books do you read in a year?

Maybe 20-30. Don't know, as I just sort of have a few going all the time.

Where do you get your books? Buy? Borrow? Steal?

Usually the library. But if I hear of one that particularly grabs my interest, and it isn't at the library, I'll amazon.com it. I also get a few books from my father, who has somewhat similar interests to mine.

Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction?

I used to only read fiction, and mostly fantasy. Now I read solely non-fiction. Books of meditation techniques, scholars works on religion, a bit on brain science, history, and health and sports.

Who are your favorite authors?

Tolkien, Daniel Goleman, The Dalai Lama, and those are just what come to mind now.

What was the last book you read?

Finished reading? Wherever you go, there you are by John Kabat-Zinn.

What book are you reading now?

Meditation for Dummies, Anger - Wisdom for cooling the flames, WHo wrote the Bible and 1421

Did a book change your life?

A few did. People thrash self-help books, but some of what was written in some of those helped me out of some serious negative thought patterns I had going. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Awaken the Giant Within, Emothional Intelligence and most definitely Destructive Emotions: And what we can do to overcome them. It was that book, along with my many attempts at apologetics that eventually changed my faith, and in some wats made me feel liberated.

Is there a book you're ashamed to admit you enjoyed?

lol, the entire Dragonlance series!

What is your first memory of books?

I don't remember the title, but it was a children's book about a seagull and tugboats in Vancouver harbor.

Is there a book you couldn't finish?

Many, so many. The last would've been Karen Armstrong's A History of God. Good book, but after some time, it was clear to me that most of it would reiterate the same, basically that the theology of the Monotheistic God's was full of difficulties, no matter which approach one took.

 

[kirei_na_me]

How many books do you read in a year?
Well, I'm ashamed to admit that it's gotten down to about four per year for the past several years. Having three little boys running around kind of distracts me.

Where do you get books? Buy? Borrow? Steal?
I order from Amazon or buy them myself from places like Barnes & Noble. A lot of them are lent to me by my stepdad or friends. There have also been many given to me by a friend of mine, who had me in his own personal book club.

Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction?
Very hard to say. I like both. I can't choose!

Who are your favourite writers?
Nathaniel Hawthorne, John Steinbeck, Mark Twain, Anais Nin, Henry Miller, Marguerite Duras, Shusaku Endo, Thomas Wolfe...there are so many...I know I'm leaving out some of the most important ones.

What was the last book you read?
The Seed and the Sower by Laurens Van Der Post

What are you reading now?
Jim Morrison: Life, Death, Legend by Stephen Davis (book on CD)

Did a book change your life?
Not really. I think Scandal by Shusaku Endo made a huge impression me. I think Mark Twain's Mysterious Stranger made a huge impression on me. Of Mice and Men, Uncle Tom's Cabin, Heart of Darkness, and many others did, too, but I don't know if they changed my life.

Is there a book you are ashamed to admit you enjoyed?
All of those V.C. Andrews books or The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCollough.

What is your first memory of books?
My mom reading to me every night. I can't even remember when she started. She was always very faithful about that.

Is there a book you couldn't finish?
Gone with the Wind. I loved the movie. I have seen it over 300 times. I couldn't finish the book, though. It's the only case in which I saw the movie but never read the book. It's always opposite. I read the book and then watch the movie and then become very disappointed.

This was a great thread, Tsuyoiko.

And these smileys suck. I wanted the thumbs up one...

 

[Tsuyoiko]

It's the only case in which I saw the movie but never read the book. It's always opposite. I read the book and then watch the movie and then become very disappointed.

That is my pet hate. I know they have to make some changes to condense a book into a couple of hours and stuff, but they usually suck. The worst one for me was A Beautiful Mind. The book by Sylvia Nassar was wonderful, but the film STANK! Even worse considering it was a true story, and the guy is still alive!

And these smileys suck. I wanted the thumbs up one...

Agreed :banghead:

 

[Mycernius]

What are you reading now?
Jim Morrison: Life, Death, Legend by Stephen Davis (book on CD)

I thought this was a great book. One of the better ones about Jim. Love the Jim and Pam avatar you use at the moment.

 

[shadowcatcher]

How many books do you read in a year?
Anywhere between 15 & 20

Where do you get books? Buy? Borrow? Steal?
From the local used book store. Buy 5-6 and bring then back when I finished to get some different ones.

Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction?
Fiction preferably, but a good mystery or history book isn't to bad.

Who are your favourite writers?
James Clavell, John Grisham, W Michael Gear, Anne McCafferty, John Jakes, Tom Clancy,

What was the last book you read?
The LOR series

What are you reading now?
A Startrek book by William Shatner & the Bible

Did a book change your life?
Bible

Is there a book you are ashamed to admit you enjoyed?
Not really

What is your first memory of books?
The Little Train that Could

Is there a book you couldn't finish?
Never start a book without finishing it. It might get better, even if it's the last sentence.

 

[Ma Cherie]

I was wondering, since we're talking about literature do you approve of the banning of books? Books are banned for all sorts of reasons, political, religious, social, etc. So do you approve of this? Are do you believe it's necessary to ban certian books because people (children in particular) shouldn't be exposed to certian material? :?

 

[lastmagi]

No.* I think the subject you've raised is actually one that is interesting and stand-alone enough to serve as its own thread. Mind if I pluck this up and start a new thread (well, actually, I've got to do some HW first, so it may take a while)?

*Actually, this leads to an inevitable dilemma: If no, then does that mean we shouldn't ban books that are truly, disgustingly offensive, such as neo-Nazi propoganda and the like? At what point do we consider books acceptable for banning, if at all?

 

[Ma Cherie]

Sure lastmagi, go ahead a start a thread on the banning of books. I would have done so, but sometimes I get sick of starting threads in all honesty.:sorry: So you go right ahead.

 

[lastmagi]

Thanks, and sorry about running away with your idea.

New discussion found here:
https://jref.com/showthread.php?p=274690#post274690

 

[Doc]

How many books do you read in a year?

Not counting textbooks, amateur writings, fan fictions, graphic novels, and manga I would say zero. It is not because I don't like books, I mean I used to be a book worm when I was younger. It is just that there are not very many books that grab my attention (just like movies).

Where do you get books? Buy? Borrow? Steal?

When I do read books I either buy them or I am given them as gifts.

Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction?

I prefer both actually, however, like I said it has to be a topic that strikes my fancy.

Who are your favourite writers?

Tom Clancy, Michael Crichton, Stephen King, and probably a slew of others.

What was the last book you read?

English Literature II (a textbook comprised of nothing but the most famous work of early English writers, a damn fine book if I do say so myself)

What are you reading now?

Cosmos by Carl Sagan

Did a book change your life?

No.

Is there a book you are ashamed to admit you enjoyed?

No.

What is your first memory of books?

When I was at least four or five years old in school.

Is there a book you couldn't finish?

Too many to count.

Doc

 

[Duo]

Is there a book you couldn't finish

I have twice tried to read Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche, and couldn't get halfway. It has some interesting ideas in it, and some very quotable lines, but it just got so heavy.

I agree... I was reading before The Basic Writings of Nietzsche... and I really had to concentrate even go back at times because he is so dense in his writings..however he tends to be rather funny and interesting so I must admit it was worth it