Why I blog about books: Well, in fairness, I don't just blog about books – I started blogging as somewhere to put my technical notes, and little snippets of ideas which come to me and have nowhere else to go, and thoughts I'm trying out, and my ranting room for when I feel the need to rant, and probably a half-dozen other things.
But as for why – well, I read a lot of books. Ever since I was a small boy, in fact, and would spend my entire allowance on books the day I got it. So mostly it's for my own reference, so I can keep track of the books I read and what I thought of them, so I can plan future reading and re-reading accordingly…
But the blog seemed like a good place to do it. I follow quite a few book-bloggers in my never-ending quest for new books, and if my book thoughts can help out anyone else in the same situation, all the better! Paying it forward and all that, yes?
More about Alistair:
As of today, my main interests – apart from books, which are a remarkably steady and permanent interest of mine – are in programming, transhumanism, virtual worlds, and an attempt at authorship that will go a lot faster should I ever get around to finishing building the setting and starting to think about, well, plot.
In the past, though, I've dabbled in fields ranging all the way from alchemy and Hermetic magic through brewing and needlepoint to amateur rocketry and household robotics, and doubtless I’ll find a few more fields to take an interest in in the future.
In short: would-be Renaissance man, hampered only by lack of time, and amateur experimenter with Weird and Interesting Ideas. (Or, after thirty years, can I call myself a semi-professional dabbler? I'd like to think so.)
Favorite comfort food: Meatloaf. I'm normally quite an eclectic eater, so this may, I suppose, seem a trifle odd – but it’s just the kind of solid home cooking that fits my comfort food niche perfectly. With lashings of HP Sauce, of course, hard as it can be sometimes to find genuine British HP Sauce in the middle of Kansas.
(That my lovely wife happens to make the best meatloaf in the Western hemisphere doesn't hurt, either, of course.)
Favorite season: Autumn! Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, as John Keats and, for that matter, the old Mr. Kipling fruit pie advertisement, would have it.
And why? For the remarkably Three Bears-esque reason that winter is Too Cold, and summer is Too Hot, but the autumn manages to be Just Right, at least for my tastes in weather and comfort when out and about in it, or just sitting on the porch.
Spring, I suppose, manages that too, but it's both windier, which makes it harder to read outside, and doesn't have such a splendid selection of fruit to nibble on.
Favorite color: Blues and silvers and all the colors in between. Why? Because they’re paradoxical – the hot colors are fairly obvious about being energetic, and most of the cold colors are relaxed, but blues and silvers have lightning and waterfalls and all sorts of other dynamic things while remaining cool and calm to the appearance. I like that.
Favorite classic(s): I'm going to go off on a real tangent here – much as I've read and enjoyed Dickens, and Austen, and other English classics from Shakespeare through Twain to Huxley and Orwell, the classics I find myself always going back to are, well, Classics.
Never quite recovered from studying Latin (and Greek in translation) as a young man, perhaps, but when I think of the classics, most often what I’m pulling off my shelf are my well-thumbed copies of the Odyssey and the Aeneid, Ovid's poems, Catullus's epigrams, Livy's history, and so forth.
Coffee or tea?: This is going to sound like heresy, seeing as I'm English by national origin, upbringing, and residence for the first thirty of my years, but I never did quite get the hang of tea.
Except for a few herbal teas, that is – and I can presciently detect a few thousand English tea purists cringing as they read that, so, yes, I admit, they don't really count as tea.
Coffee, on the other hand, I drink by the gallon. The legacy of a misspent youth in IT jobs, doing a lot of late-night programming and server administration – although at least now, as a mature individual of what I believe is at least moderately good taste, I drink much better coffee than I did then. And because I actually like it, not just because I'm trying to resist typing 45,000 'H's with my nose.
What's the one book you read over and over and over again as a kid/teenager?: Ah, now that would be The Phantom Tollbooth, without a doubt. I must have read my old copy of that a dozen times or more, then read it again until it literally fell apart in my hands.
The notion of concretizing abstract notions had an immediate and very powerful attraction for me; I must have spent hours and hours in my youth in Dictionopolis and Digitopolis, if not days and weeks.
Out of all the books you've all read, which one sticks out in your mind the most and why?: I'm going to give here what's probably a very boring answer but one which is nonetheless true, and say The Lord of the Rings. See – clichéd answer, almost.
But this is for two reasons – the first and longest is that I'm a worldbuilding geek. One of the things I simply adore in a book is a well-constructed setting, where you can look into all the corners and behind all the curtains and under the furniture and around the back, and not see any holes; everything fits together just so, and the whole thing ticks along like a Swiss watch.
And Tolkien was so very good at that – his world is beautifully complete and self-consistent and interlocking. Can't get enough of that.
The second and shorter is a sentimental reason. The Lord of the Rings was my gateway drug, as it were, to the…
What is/are your favorite genre(s)? …speculative fiction genre, which happens to be my favorite.
By some considerably order of magnitude – we've got 4,500 or so books in our personal library here, and off the top of my head, maybe 4,000 of them are speculative fiction of one kind or another.
It's not my only genre – there's non-fiction here, and some romance, and some mystery, and some general fiction, and biographies, and travel books, and historical novels, and goodness knows what on our shelves.
I'm a pretty eclectic reader, and have picked up books in all kinds of genres from recommendations or through the sheer chance of picking one up idly, starting to read, and deciding I had to have it – but speculative fiction, both SF and fantasy, is pretty clearly first in my literary affections.
Mostly, I think, because as I may have mentioned, I love playing with ideas. And speculative fiction is as close to a pure literature of ideas as it gets.
If you could only read one book for an entire month, which book would it be?: Ooh, that's a hard one. My problem here is that I'm not only a voracious reader, but I'm a fast voracious reader, so as long as we're limiting it to one book, as in just one volume of a series, it's going to be really hard to find one that's going to last a month.
And it's really going to need to, because I can't imagine being without a book for very long (shudder!).
Depending on what else I'm planning to do that month, I suppose, I'd either pick one of my weighty non-fiction tomes and get some serious studying up done, or else choose one of my more massive fiction volumes or possibly omnibuses.
Actually naming names off the top of my head, I think I'd either read one of my difficult-but-rewarding Neal Stephensons, such as one of my The Baroque Cycle volumes or Anathem, or else one of my Jack Vance omnibuses, The Demon Princes, Planet of Adventure, or the Cadwal Chronicles, because his use of language is just so gorgeous I could take an hour over just a couple of passages.
Alas, none of my comfort reading qualifies. I know it all too well to make it last.
Where do you like to read?: Heh. Well, I read anywhere, and I do pretty much mean anywhere. In bed. In the bath. At my desk, while waiting for operations to complete on the computer. While walking down the street.
If it wasn't unsafe, I’d probably read while driving, and I'll undoubtedly start doing so as soon as they invent a decent autopilot for cars.
But then, I suppose the real question is where I prefer to read, and so far as that's concerned, being curled up on the couch with a dog at my feet, a glass of red wine in my hand, and a good book in my lap is as close to perfect as life gets, if you ask me!
Which is the most dangerous -- a vampire, a unicorn or a lion, and why?: I'm going to say the unicorn, I think. The lion's desires are fairly simple: he wants to eat you. The vampire – well, pretty much the same, or at least that's the largest danger you need to worry about.
The unicorn, however, is a creature very much attuned to the spiritual qualities of things, and that includes the spiritual qualities of you – and it’s so very easy for a person to be unattuned to their own spiritual qualities without even realizing it.
I'd be mighty chary of assuming that I knew what a unicorn knew about my virtues, so I would, and so of what its attitude to me might be.
What would your dream job be?: Well, if I could find someone to pay me for reading, that would be just about perfect…
More seriously, while that would be good, my ideal job would be "ideas man," I think. Just hire me to play with ideas and see what pops out, and have someone standing by to seize the useful ones and carry them off for implementation, how's that?
It’s the implementation part I always find difficult, so if I could just be In Charge of Concepts, that'd be great.
Of course, that might not be nearly as satisfying as making them happen. Hm. Needs more thought.
What's your favorite quote for today?: Well, with all this thinking about books today, the following old favorite popped back into my mind:
"She herself was a victim of that lust for books which rages in the breast like a demon, and which cannot be stilled save by the frequent and plentiful acquisition of books. This passion is more common, and more powerful, than most people suppose. Book lovers are thought by unbookish people to be gentle and unworldly, and perhaps a few of them are so. But there are others who will lie and scheme and steal to get books as wildly and unconscionably as the dope-taker in pursuit of his drug. They may not want the books to read immediately, or at all; they want them to possess, to range on their shelves, to have at command."
— Robertson Davies, Tempest-Tost
What's your favorite kind of pie?: Appropriately enough for this time of year, pumpkin! The more so now I've moved to the States to live and no longer have to make them with generic squash, which works, but isn't quite the same.
Reader note: Shown at header: Alistair and his good lady: "This image is actually a virtual picture of the two of us from inside the Second Life virtual world...the virtual one reflects my inner me better, I think. I certainly wish I could get away with dressing in that style day-to-day!"
Visit Alistair at Cerebrate's Contemplations
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Meri Greenleaf, elfling artist and founder of Elbit Blog
About Meri Greenleaf: Meri is a talented artist/designer and loves all things...magical!
More about Meri:
Favorite season: Summer or late spring. I love when all the trees and flowers are green and in bloom.
Favorite color: Let's just say I have a thing for green that borders on an obsession. ;) [Editor: She's not kidding: Look!] It's just such a happy and healing color.
Favorite classic: The Tempest, by Shakespeare. I adore Caliban and think he's such a misunderstood character. He's really not as bad as people think he is! I think he's so neat that I even made a doll of him. Me, a literature dork? ;)
Sunrise or sunset?: I'm never awake for the sunrise, so I'll go with sunset.
Coffee or tea?: Tea, preferably herbal.
What's the one book you read over and over and over again as a kid/teenager?: The Phantom Tollbooth
Out of all the books you've all read, which one sticks out in your mind the most and why?: Oh, man, that's a hard one! I guess The Hobbit, because my dad read it to me for the first time when I was 6, and that turned into a lifelong obsession with Lord of the Rings. Plus it's so cool to have a common interest with my dad. :)
What is/are your favorite genre(s)?: I know I should say the classics because that's what I want to teach someday, but really, it's fantasy. It's just so fun!
Do you have a favorite young adult (YA) series?: The Tortall series by Tamora Pierce
Favorite young adult series: Harry Potter or Chronicles of Narnia?: But I like both! On the one hand, I've loved Narnia since I was a kid, but on the other hand, Harry Potter is a lot of fun, too. (Go Hufflepuff!)
If you could only read one book for an entire month, which book would it be?: Soul Music by Terry Pratchett
Where do you like to read?: Somewhere comfy, with a cup of tea and some cookies.
What is your one literary guilty pleasure?: Harry Potter. I put off reading those books for so long because I thought they were silly and dumb, but darnit, I really like them!
Which is the most dangerous - a vampire, a unicorn or a lion, and why?: A lion. Unicorns tend to be relatively harmless and vampires are pretty easy to get rid of - just keep a stake and some garlic bread handy. ;)
If you could be any literary heroine, who would you be?: Éowyn from Lord of the Rings.
Do you have any favorite television shows?: I'll admit to watching HGTV a lot. I'm an artist, so I love seeing what other people come up with for decorating and things.
What would your dream job be?: I'm already doing one of my dreams (I'm an artist - you can find me at Etsy: Elfing Creations), but I'd love to become a professor of early British literature someday.
What’s your favorite quote for today?: "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." - Oscar Wilde
What's your favorite kind of pie?: Apple, especially with the crumbly crust. Yum!
Meri's alter ego: One of the Nine Muses
Visit Meri at Elbit Blog
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Why I blog about books: I've always read YA (young adult) fiction, and lately I'd begun to lose track of which books I'd read and which I hadn't.
I'd considered starting a blog for a while now, and when I got halfway through a book before realizing I'd read it already, I knew it was time to start one.
My blog is basically a place where I can review and keep track of books I've read. It also allows me to connect with the rest of the YA community and learn about new books to read.
More about McKenzie:
Favorite comfort food: Chocolate milk and my mom's homemade chocolate chip cookies.
Jane Austen or Emily Brontë?: I can honestly say that I've never read anything by either one. Terrible, I know! I enjoy Charlotte Brontë, though.
Favorite season: Definitely fall! The air turns crisp and sharp, and the entire world blazes with gorgeous colors.
I live in an area with lots of trees and the like, so it's amazing. Plus, the fall means Thanksgiving, Christmas, the smell of fires, and the perfect weather for wearing a cozy sweater.
Favorite color: Blue with a hint of green, because I find it calming and pretty.
Favorite classic: Okay, this may not be a classic exactly, but Memoirs of a Geisha.
Sweaters or tank tops?: Sweaters, for sure. They're so warm and cozy.
Visit McKenzie at The Book Owl
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Why I blog about books: I blog about books because recording my thoughts helps me remember the book later.
But more than that, I really enjoy sharing my thoughts on everything I read and being able to talk with other people about the books, too!
More about Jenny:
Favorite comfort food: I love Korean food (I'm half-Korean). Otherwise, comfort food is typical things like macaroni and cheese...
Jane Austen or Emily Brontë?: I do like Austen, but Wuthering Heights is one of my favorite books, so I have to go with Emily Brontë.
Favorite season: Spring -- everything is so pretty and blooming. It also starts getting warm and we get to start dressing in cute spring clothes and go to the beach!
Favorite color: Purple -- it's passionate, mysterious, and soft. And, well, I just like it. =)
Favorite classics: Wuthering Heights and The Count of Monte Cristo
Visit Jenny at Take Me Away
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Why I blog about books: I blog about books because I usually have so much I have to say about the vast amount of books I read and I needed an outlet and also a source to connect with fellow book geeks, enter my blog!
My name for my blog was vaguely drawn from a line in Doctor Horrible's Sing-Along-Blog, whereas Miss Eliza is my Austen handle, really being an Elizabeth.
More about Miss Eliza:
Favorite comfort food: Mashed potatoes (Must be the Irish in me)
Jane Austen or Emily Brontë?: Jane, but now if you put all the Brontës opposite Jane, possibly a tie.
Favorite season: Fall, because it's so colorful and has Halloween, with the other holidays fast approaching.
Favorite color: Depends on my mood and what room I'm in, but yellow is always wonderful, sunny and happy.
Favorite classics: Austen, I'm really too much of a Jane Austen fan to stray...but is that an Anthony Trollope book hiding behind your back?
Sunrise or sunset?: Sunset, never been much of a daylight girl and I love my sleep so I tend to only see sunrise from the wrong side.
Coffee or tea: Tea, coffee is icky and not British enough for my tastes.
What's the one book you read over and over and over again as a kid/teenager?: The Princess Bride by William Goldman, tied with The Time Garden by Edward Eager
Out of all the books you've all read, which one sticks out in your mind the most and why?: Too many books! Brain in overload. I'll go with Slaughterhouse Five, because I realized books read in school didn't have to be crap -- My Brother Sam is Dead, anyone?
What are your favorite genres?: Young adult or adult sci-fi/fantasy, but I'm also a sucker for classics.
Do you have a favorite young adult (YA) series?: A tie between Shannon Hale's Bayern books and Lloyd Alexander's Prydain series.
Favorite young adult series: Harry Potter or Chronicles of Narnia?: Harry Potter all the way, Narnia goes wacko at the end and then there's that weird rapture and I'm staying with Susan back in England, thank you!
If you could only read one book for an entire month, which book would it be?: I'd choose a long book, so as to have lots of time to read, perhaps Richardson's Clarissa, it is one of the longest books in the English language and I can revel in the life of Lovelace.
Where do you like to read?: My library. Yes, I have a library, geek that I am.
Which is the most dangerous - a vampire, a unicorn or a lion, and why?: Unicorns. Their supposed purity and their love of virgins indicates a darker agenda. I just think they're thirsting for my blood.
Do you have any favorite television shows?: Oh yes, many! Favorites of all time, anything Joss Whedon, anything British and written by Andrew Davies. Smallville, Black Books, Wonderfalls, brain locking, too many choices, all of which I could watch over and over again.
What would your dream job be?: Elite paid book reviewer, the elite part meaning I get to choose the books I review.
What’s your favorite quote for today?: "I would like to see anyone, prophet, king or God, convince a thousand cats to do the same thing at the same time." - Neil Gaiman
What's your favorite kind of pie?: Today I'm saying peach, it will definitely change tomorrow.
Visit Miss Eliza at Strange & Random Happenstance
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Why I blog about books: I blog about books because I think blogging in general is wicked awesome, so blogging about books is twice the fun, because I love reading.
Sunrise or sunset?: Oh, I like both!
Coffee or tea: Tea! Not that I drink a lot of it, but I recently had some Lipton's sweet tea. Mmmh. Coffee just gives me headaches.
What's the one book you read over and over and over again as a kid/teenager?: As a kid, I reread the Nancy Drew Notebooks by Carolyn Keene. Those were awesome.
What is/are your favorite genre(s)?: I love reading romance books - I find them so easy to get into and enjoy.
If you could only read one book for an entire month which book would it be?: I would spend that month reading The Bible. The reason behind that is, I have a Bible but I have never actually set down and read from it.
Where do you like to read?: Oh, I'll pretty much read anywhere. Usually I just read in my room, though. I like reading where it is comfortable.
Which is the most dangerous - a vampire, a unicorn or a lion, and why?: Probably a unicorn, because their cuteness could easily fool someone! XD
What's your favorite song?: I can't actually choose just one favorite song, but some of my favorites or ones that I seem to be listening to a lot of this year are: Tracks of My Tears by Smokey Robinson, Wild Horses by The Rolling Stones, Free Fallin' by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Piece of My Heart by Janis Joplin.
Do you have any favorite television shows?: I don't watch much TV these days but General Hospital, One Life To Live, Criminal Minds, Kathy Griffin: My Life on a D-List and Jon & Kate + 8, 20/20, and Roseanne are some of my favorites.
What would your dream job be?: Well one of my dream - rather, fantasy - jobs would be, if I had an amazing singing voice, I'd love to be in a Broadway show. THAT WOULD BE SO AMAZING! And even more so, if I won a Tony!
What's your favorite quote for today?: "I hated every minute of training, but I said, "Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion." - Muhammad Ali (This is also the quote on the back of my cross country shirt from last year. I'm wearing it right now.)
Visit Bianca at Wicked Good Books
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Why I blog about books: I started blogging about books because I needed a way to remember all of the books that I've ever read, and how I felt about them.
More about Jenni:
Favorite comfort food: Cheesecake
Favorite season: Summer, I hate the cold. I love to just throw on a bathing suit and sit in the sun.
Favorite color: It used to be baby blue, but now I really don't have a favorite. I've found that as I've grown older, I appreciate all colors for different reasons.
Zodiac sign?: Virgo! This is another reason I named my dog Virgo...especially since it's her zodiac sign, too. :)
Visit Jenni at Falling Off The Shelf
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More about Becky:
Why I blog about books: Someone once told me the Internet was built on love, I thought that was such a positive concept. There is too much conflict in the world.
I blog about books because I love them and it's way to connect with people anywhere and everywhere who share that feeling.
More about Becky:
Sunrise or sunset?: Sunrise
Coffee or tea: Tea, no question about that.
What's the one book you read over and over and over again as a kid/teenager?: The Town and The Country Mouse by Ken McKie (a Ladybird Book).
Out of all the books you've all read, which one sticks out in your mind the most and why?: Paradise Lost. I read it as part of my English degree and it was hard work. Now, nearly five years later, I'm so glad I did. When I read, I see references to it everywhere. It's like having secret knowledge.
What is/are your favorite genre(s)?: Fantasy, paranormal romance and history.
Do you have a favorite young adult (YA) series?: I love series books. I'm not sure I can choose between them. At the moment, I'm addicted to The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare.
Where do you like to read?: Either curled up on the sofa or in bed with a mug of hot chocolate.
What is your one literary guilty pleasure?: True Blood by Charlaine Harris.
Do you have any favorite television shows?: Indeed, I do. I love The Mentalist, Strictly Come Dancing, CSI and Stargate Atlantis.
What would your dream job be?: A children's author, but I do love being a children's librarian.
What’s your favorite quote for today?: "There's no place like home." (Dorothy, The Wizard of Oz).
If you could be one heroine in any book, who would you be?: Lizzy Bennet, who would not want to marry Mr. Darcy?
Visit Becky at The Bookette
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Why I blog about books: At first I felt that I needed to catalog my thoughts on some of the books that I wrote. I had played around a little with some of the other book blogs and my passion for it grew from there.
I have met some really great people and had the opportunity to read some fabulous books! Including some great authors!
It truly amazes me every day as I update my blog, the great responses that I get from the people who read my blog, it just fuels the desire to do a better job. Besides, it keeps me sane in this crazy life, it is my release and besides my little man, it's what puts a smile on my face every day to be a small fry and a part of a very cool and very large book blogging community.
More about Brande:
Sunrise or sunset?: Sunrise
Coffee or tea: Definitely coffee
What's the one book you read over and over and over again as a kid/teenager?: Sleeping Beauty Chronicles by Anne Rice
Out of all the books you've all read, which one sticks out in your mind the most and why?: She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb, it broke my heart
What is/are your favorite genre(s)?: Paranormal romance
Do you have a favorite young adult (YA) series?: Harry Potter/Vampire Diaries
If you could only read one book for an entire month, which book would it be?: J.R Ward's #4 in the Black Dagger Brotherhood Series (Butch's Story), Lover Revealed
Where do you like to read?: At home, on the couch, in my favorite corner
What is your one literary guilty pleasure?: Erotic love scenes!
Which is the most dangerous - a vampire, a unicorn or a lion, and why?: Vampire, at least the ones I read about and envision what a vampire to be, dangerous, addictive, and seductive. Nothing is more dangerous then a seductive vampire who can take your blood and your heart
Do you have any favorite television shows?: Life (love, love, love Damian Lewis from Band of Brothers) and I am a PBR fan (my husband is horrified and confused at the same time by this one! Cowboys on bulls, what is sexier!)
What would your dream job be?: International food critic
What’s your favorite quote for today?: Ugh...Monday!
If you could be one heroine in any book, who would you be?: Claire Sharp from And Able by Lucy Monroe. She is clever, vulnerable and just a beautiful person on the inside, and that goes a long way with me.
Visit Brande at Book Junkie
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Why I blog about books: I blog about books because I love to read and share my enthusiasm with other people who love to read as much as I do.
More about Alaine:
Favorite comfort food: Baskin Robbins ice cream
Favorite classic: Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen or Emily Brontë?: Jane Austen
Favorite season: Winter, because I love the cold
Favorite color: Pink, it’s just a girlie colour
Sunrise or sunset?: Sunset
Coffee or tea?: Tea (don’t drink coffee at all)
Out of all the books you've read, which one sticks out in your mind the most and why?: The Taming by Jude Deveraux, it’s a historical romance that is just like the The Taming of the Shrew
What are your favorite genres?: Historical and fantasy
Do you have a favorite young adult (YA) series?: Twilight and The Luxe and Vampire Academy and House of Night
Where do you like to read?: In bed, in a bubble bath, or outside in a comfy chair.
Do you have any favorite television shows?: Grey’s Anatomy
What would your dream job be?: Purchaser for a book shop
Visit Alaine at Queen of Happy Endings
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Why I blog about books: I'm a relatively new blogger, but I got my start from wanting a place to consolidate all my thoughts, reviews, and comments on the books that I read.
I'm a voracious reader and I read across a variety of genres, so I was excited to share my experiences and also get some recommendations from others.
My blog has also turned into a place where I share other interesting things that relate to books, reading, information, teaching/learning, and having fun. My blog is What Book is That?, come visit some time!
More about Emily:
Sunrise or sunset?: Sunset
What's the one book you read over and over and over again as a kid/teenager? Man O' War by Walter Farley
Out of all the books you've all read, which one sticks out in your mind the most and why?: Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates - Tom Robbins is my favorite author, and I love the language and humor of this book, as well as the message. There's a guy with a pyramid for a head! A parrot! Nuns! Seriously!
What is/are your favorite genre(s)?: I will read just about anything, but my current favorites are paranormal romance, urban fantasy, mysteries and humorous/unique books, for lack of a better way to describe them (See the description of Fierce Invalids.)
Do you have a favorite young adult (YA) series?: Right now my favorites are Wondrous Strange (I can't wait for Darklight so it'll officially be a series) by Lesley Livingston, Melissa Marr's books (Fragile Eternity was definitely my favorite,) and anything by Kristen Cashore.
Favorite young adult series: Harry Potter FTW.
If you could only read one book for an entire month which book would it be?: I have this big collection of Sherlock Holmes stories that I've been meaning to read and it'd probably take me a month to read cover to cover, so I'll pick that!
Where do you like to read?: My all-time favorite place: In bed, under the covers. My close second favorite place: On the couch, under a really heavy blanket.
What is one book you didn't read in high school that you wish had been assigned?: One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez. I read it in college and I wished I'd come across it a lot sooner.
Visit Emily at What Book Is That?
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Why I blog about books: Honestly, my book blogging is just an offshoot of my personal blog (beyondelsewhere.ca).
I've been blogging since the end of 2003, on various free blogs, until I decided to host my own.
I used to post mini book reviews on my personal blog when I wanted my readers (all five of them - ha!) to know about a great book.
A close friend of mine started a book blog and I thought it would be a nifty idea to try out so I could keep track of my book posts separately. Thus, Beyond Books was born!
More about Cat:
Favorite classic: Strangely, I've never liked any classic I have ever read. Nor do I like the "classic" movies.
In my college film courses, my teacher always used to start class with, "Today we're going to watch another film that everyone except Cat will love. And we will proceed to mock her at the end." I always loved the films that everyone else hated.
Favorite comfort food: Mashed potatoes with sweet potato mixed in. My parents do this and it's so comforting!
Jane Austen or Emily Brontë?: Have not read either of them.
Favorite season: AUTUMN! Something about the colours and the temperature and the way the sunlight makes everything softer.
Favorite color: Purple! Why? I don't know, but a random Cat Fact: I have written in purple pen since grade 6 (11-12 years old) and to this day (many, many moons later) I still do!
Visit Cat at Beyond Books
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Image provided by Aimee. Artist credit: Sugarock
Why I blog about books: I'm a librarian, so I read a lot of books. Or maybe I read a lot of books so I became a librarian, and discovered there's less time for reading than I thought -- something like that.
But one day I figured a blog would be a cool way to start to review and keep track of the books I'm reading. I just sort of fell into the world of the book bloggers and I've met so many nice people and I'm having a good time with it.
More about Andrea:
Favorite classic: Pride and Prejudice
Favorite comfort food: French fries -- salty, crispy french fries
Jane Austen or Emily Brontë?: Jane Austen
Favorite season: Spring, because it's warming up but it's not too hot, yet.
Favorite color: Purple, because it's pretty and soft.
Coffee or tea: Definitely coffee
Visit Andrea at The Little Bookworm
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