Here’s a survey about me and my experiences with books. I’ve been asked several of these questions, so I’m putting this here for future reference. Thanks to Kayley Hyde (owlssayhooot) for pointing me to this.
1. Favorite childhood book? The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
2. What are you reading right now? A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf.
3. What books do you have on request at the library? Honestly? Why We Broke Up by Daniel Handler and um…some Stargate SG-1 books. *cough, cough* Yeah.
4. Bad book habit? Stopping in the middle occasionally.
5. What do you currently have checked out at the library? From my school library, I have several books about Marie Antoinette and libels in France as well as One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. From the public library, I have several more books about Marie Antoinette and libels (I’m writing a paper), Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins, The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson, probably other stuff…
6. Do you have an e-reader? Actually no.
7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once? I’m always reading multiple books at a time.
8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog? Actually, not really. I mean, I do share what I read more often. Does that count?
9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?) Extras by Scott Westerfeld. It’s the fourth book in the Uglies series. Not recommended.
10. Favorite book you’ve read this year? The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Read it.
11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone? Often. I will give almost anything a try. I may not finish it, but I’ll give it a look.
12. What is your reading comfort zone? Primarily, classics, some YA, poetry…almost anything really.
13. Can you read on the bus? Sometimes. Other times, it makes me dizzy.
14. Favorite place to read? Outside, under the crab apple tree I used to climb when I was a kid. 🙂
15. What is your policy on book lending? I’ll only lend books to friends or people I’m sure will return them.
16. Do you ever dog-ear books? Never.
17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books? Sometimes. I grew up a “books are sacred” mentality, so I’ve only been ok with writing in books for a couple of years. Highlighting though is a common thing. You’ve got to love highlighters…
18. Not even with text books? Reread 17.
19. What is your favorite language to read in? Other than English? I’m tied between Latin and Spanish.
21. What will inspire you to recommend a book? It needs to be significant. Since that’s a bit ambiguous, I’ll explain. It needs to be something that made me think, inspired me, or at the very least, made me smile. 😀
22. Favorite genre? Um….
23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?) YA. I’m their target demographic. I should be reading more YA.
24. Favorite biography? Currently? Marie Antoinette: The Journey by Antonia Fraser.
25. Have you ever read a self-help book? Yeah, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens. It was the required text for a summer leadership course I took.
26. Favorite cookbook? How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman. I don’t own it, but I’ve borrowed it from friends countless times. On the top of my “To Buy” list.
27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)? The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Seriously, read it!
28. Favorite reading snack? Granola bars.I keep the wrap on while I eat, so there’s no stickiness.
29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience. Does Moby Dick count?
30. How often do you agree with critics about a book? Sometimes, although I rarely read critics’ commentary.
31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews? If a book is bad enough to warrant such a review, I will show no mercy 🙂
32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you choose? French. There’s no hesitation in my mind. French.
33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read? The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova. It’s not a hard read, it’s just really long! That’s a serious commitment! Also, I had no idea what it was about when I started. (Spoiler: It’s about vampires…like scary Dracula ones, not pathetic sparkly ones).
34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin? Understanding Physics by Isaac Asimov.
35. Favorite Poet? Probably Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time? My average is 15.
37. How often have you returned book to the library unread? Unread or unfinished? I start almost every book. I just give up on some. A good example is New Moon
38. Favorite fictional character(s)? At this very moment, Margo Roth Spiegelman, Sherlock, Beatrice from Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, and Orual from “Till We Have Faces”.
39. Favorite fictional villain? Sauron, the Phantom, and Gatsby (who is a hero, a villain, and more phony than Caulfield in Catcher in the Rye)
40. Books you’re most likely to bring on vacation? Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, Paper Towns by John Green, The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K Chesterton, The Princess and the Goblins by George Macdonald…
41. The longest you’ve gone without reading. A day?
42. Name a book that you could/would not finish. Moby Dick. I’m trying! The pretentious metaphors get in my way.
43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading? The little bzzzzz my phone makes when I get a text.
44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel? Lord of the Rings. Hands down the most brilliant adaption I’ve seen. I also love Sophia Coppola’s adaption of Marie Antoinette, based on the book by Fraser.
45. Most disappointing film adaptation? Prince Caspian and Voyage of the Dawn Treader top the list. The Phantom of the Opera is fun. It’s completely separate from the book, in my mind. V for Vendetta is one where I loved the movie first, but after reading the book, I was saddened to see all the movie could have been.
46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time? Of my own money? $75
47. How often do you skim a book before reading it? All the time. I’ve found some of my favorites that way.
48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through? No plot, flat characters, pretentious prose (Moby Dick!), general lack of interest.
49. Do you like to keep your books organized? Yes! By subject, then by author’s last name, then by either book title or number in a series.
50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them? Keep! It’s like in Inkheart. Books are scrapbooks of memories.
51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding? Not that I can think of.
52. Name a book that made you angry. Wuthering Heights. I love it, but Heathcliff and Cathy make me so frustrated!!!! Occasionally, I’ll throw things, yelling “Why can’t you see what’s right in front of you, you stupid, spoiled numpty gonks?!?!?” or something along that line. Also, Twilight but for the reason that it is terrible, not because it breaks my heart.
53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did? Dracula by Bram Stocker. It is actually scary, which I wasn’t expecting either.
54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t? Eragon.
55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading? John Green or Jane Austen.
I hope that wasn’t too bad. If you decide to take the survey, please post a link in comments. I’d love to read it. Also, feel free to ask questions. Happy book exploration!
If I'm Juliet... 