Thursday, August 23, 2007

A bookish meme

It seems I've seen this meme just about everywhere and I think it's my turn.


What are you reading right now? The Lost by Daniel Mendelsohn and The Nature of Monsters by Clare Clark. The second has been getting pushed aside because the first is so compelling.

Do you have any idea what you’ll read when you’re done with that? I'll definitely be reading Sister Carrie for my book club meeting in September. This will be a re-read for me - I am looking forward to it, but would have preferred reading An American Tragedy by Dreiser. Other than that, I have no idea. It depends how I'm feeling when I finish my current reads.

What magazines do you have in your bathroom right now? Vogue - I have a built-in vanity where I dry my hair and apply makeup and I get a few minutes of light reading in every morning.

What’s the worst thing you were ever forced to read? I remember hating Billy Budd in high school. There have been a few book club books that I greatly disliked - A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius is among them.

What’s the one book you always recommend to just about everyone? Middlesex - most people are generally skeptical. I also tend to recommend Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and Margaret Atwood.

Admit it, the librarians at your library know you on a first name basis, don’t they? I don't think they know my name - but they definitely know me by sight. I'm usually there several times a week.


Is there a book you absolutely love, but for some reason, people never think it sounds interesting, or maybe they read it and don’t like it at all? People are generally skeptical about reading a book about a Hermaphrodite - Middlesex.

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? Definitely while I eat if I'm alone or at work - not while I bathe - sometimes during kids movies I'm 'watching' with my daughter - I browse magazines while I'm online and waiting for screens to come up - um, no - if I'm at a really long light I'll pick something up.

When you were little, did other children tease you about your reading habits? I don't remember anyone doing so.

What’s the last thing you stayed up half the night reading because it was so good you couldn't’t put it down? I'm too tired to stay up half the night, but I remember doing it in my younger days. One book I specifically remember is a book about Ted Bundy - which I finished and then couldn't get to sleep I was so frightened.

11 comments:

Matt said...

I think A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius is one of those books that you either love or hate. I have actually never read it but every opinion I've heard on it has been one extreme or the other.

I've also heard a lot of good things about Middlesex but haven't read it.

Nan said...

Not about books, but am thinking about you and your daughter as the first day of kindergarten gets closer.

lazy cow said...

Middlesex is on my list of books to read NEXT year (so sad, I'm compiling books for 2008, as I already have too many for this year!)
That's the second mention of Sister Carrie in 2 days. I've just finished Kate Chopin's The Awakening, and there is mention of it in some of the additional notes. Must read it now.
I've also got The Nature of Monsters on my bedside table but it's getting pushed further down the pile.

Carrie K said...

I read Sister Carrie in HS because it was one of the few times (back then) when someone actually had my name.....but it was a slog.

Fun meme! I'll have to steal it.

Cath said...

Middlesex is definitely a book I plan to read at some stage - been planning to for about 2 years now. I will get to it.

heather (errantdreams) said...

I think my librarians are already starting to know me by sight and I've only been in twice so far. But then, I did donate books, and I got the impression it was unusual for donated books to be in such good shape...

Tara said...

Matt, that was the general consensus of my book club - loved it or hated it. I would be interested to see what you thought of Middlesex!

Nan, thank you so much. I am thinking about it all the time. We have 2 days left of preschool next week, then kindergarten starts after Labor Day.

Lazy cow, I hope you enjoy Middlesex - I'm starting to feel the same way about 2007 - not much time left! It is interesting how some books keep popping up in so many places. Since I started reading blogs, it happens more and more.

Carrie K - Sorry you found Carrie to be a slog - I felt the same way about many HS books, so I know where you're coming from. I will look for your meme!

Cath, do read it. I don't know anyone that's read it and hasn't enjoyed it.

Heather, I also tend to give away or swap books in very good condition - people are often surprised.

Iliana said...

One day I will get to Middlesex! I have it but sadly it's become a shelfsitter. And, I tried reading Heartbreaking Work and couldn't get past the first few pages. Ugh.

Tara said...

Bookgirl, Do read Middlesex sometime! I did manage to get through about half of AHWOSG - but skimmed the rest - ugh.

nutmeg said...

I read Sister Carrie in my mid 20's and remember feeling underwhelmed by it. I don't know if that's because I simply didn't get it? I'll wait on your thoughts before deciding to reread it!

Bybee said...

Was the Ted Bundy book The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule? That book kept me up all one night. This was before Bundy was put to death, and I just knew he was going to break out and drive from Florida to Oklahoma, just to get me. Never mind that I didn't fit the prototype of his usual victim. I knew he was coming to kill me.