Booking Through Thursday {4-9-09}

For something different, I’m borrowing a question from … here! One of the very first questions ever at Booking Through Thursday. Back from 2005 when Laura owned the blog but, because it was so new, it didn’t get as many responses as it does now … so, why not revisit?

Here’s the question:

Some people read one book at a time. Some people have a number of them on the go at any given time, perhaps a reading in bed book, a breakfast table book, a bathroom book, and so on, which leads me to…

1. Are you currently reading more than one book?
2. If so, how many books are you currently reading?
3. Is this normal for you?
4. Where do you keep your current reads?

1. At the moment I am not reading more than one book.
2. n/a
3. It depends on what my main read is at any given time. For example if I'm reading something scary (I love Stephen King!) I will generally only read it during the day and read something else at night. =)
4. I tend to carry them with me around the house and in my bag when we're going out somewhere (Matt's parents, mine)
   

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Booking Through Thursday {3-19-09}

How about, “What’s the worst ‘best’ book you’ve ever read — the one everyone says is so great, but you can’t figure out why?”

The Safety of Secrets. I found the two women in this book annoying. I saw lots of people saying that they enjoyed it. I'm sure there are books that I loved that other's didn't like. There are plenty of book around; there's something for everyone's tastes. If you're interested, here is my review.

For more BTT!

Booking Through Thursday {3-5-09}

We’ve all seen the lists, we’ve all thought, “I should really read that someday,” but for all of us, there are still books on “The List” that we haven’t actually gotten around to reading. Even though we know they’re fabulous. Even though we know that we’ll like them. Or that we’ll learn from them. Or just that they’re supposed to be worthy. We just … haven’t gotten around to them yet.
What’s the best book that YOU haven’t read yet?

I'm going to choose my top five from Jezebel's 75 Books Every Woman Should Read. I read this list (and copy/pasted it into my files) back in Sept with the intention of "Someday I'll look it over and pick some to read... someday"; today is the perfect day!

Here is my top 5 list- in no particular oder:

• The House of Mirth - Edith Wharton
• The Shipping News - E. Annie Proulx
• Middlemarch - George Elliot
• A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith
• Three Junes - Julia Glass

There are many more on the list that I intend to read 'someday' and some that I have already read (stay tuned for that list!). Simlar to BethF I'd like you to challenge me to read ONE book from this list before the end of 2009. Depending on the book with the most votes I may read it over the summer with my 15 year old daughter. We plan on reading a book this summer as a mother-daughter bonding thing. =) Especially since she may be going to a program at RISD the summer of 2010 or 2011.

So leave a comment below and I will read the most voted for book!

Updated 9:58am: Forgot to link to BTT!!! Here is the link to this week's post.

Booking Through Thursday {1-8-09}

It’s a week or two later than you’d expect, and it may be almost a trite question, but … what were your favorite books from 2008?

(It’s an oldie but a goodie question for a reason, after all … because, who can’t use good book suggestions from time to time?)

Now, I'm not sure if this questions means my favorite books that I read in 2008 or my favorite books that I read that came out in 2008. I'll answer it both ways.

My favorite books that came out in 2008:

• Little Miss Smarty-Pants by Suzanne Kopoulos -- my thoughts on my old blog
  
• The Wednesday Sisters: A Novel by Meg Waite Clayton -- my thoughts on my old blog

My favorite books that I read in (but were released prior to) 2008:

• Vampire Apocalypse: A World Torn Asunder by Derek Gunn -- my thoughts on my old blog
• Hearts Never Lie by Patricia Pickett -- my thoughts on my old blog
• Jaclyn's Ghost by Dorlana Vann -- my thoughts on my old blog [Jaclyn's Ghost is currently available as an e-book, but will be being released with Dorlana Vann's Passage to Mesentia in print this year. You can keep up with the news on Dorlana's blog]
• Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill -- my thoughts on my old blog
• The Prometheus Project: Trapped & The Prometheus Project: Captured by Douglas E. Richards -- my thoughts on my old blog
• What Your Mother Never Told You by Richard M. Dudum -- my thoughts on my old blog
• Dancing Above the Waves by Susan Walerstein -- my thoughts on my old blog
• Uglies by Scott Westerfeld -- my thoughts on THIS blog =)

Jump over to Book Through Thursday to read more Bests!

Booking Through Thursday {12-11-08}

1. Do you get to read as much as you WANT to read?
2. If you had (magically) more time to read–what would you read? Something educational? Classic? Comfort Reading? Escapism? Magazines?

There are days (few and far between) that I get to read more than expected, but on the whole I don't get to read as much as I want. I have a little girl who will be 3 in February and she is H-E-double hockey sticks on wheels. As evidenced by yesterday's antics. She slathered her hands in hand sanitizer and cut her bangs (All my fault though. I was wrapping presents Tuesday night and left the scissors low enough for her to reach). Then after her nap and covered herself in Balmex. Less than an hour later she got into some craft varnish (water soluble and not as thick as standard varnish) and covered her hands in it.

If I had more time to read I would want to read one book in particular (which has been hanging around for over a year) as well as some other 'educational' books. Mostly, if I had more time, I'd love to learn Spanish!

Don't forget to go HERE for more Booking Through Thursday posts.

Booking Through Thursday {12-4-08}

Here is today Booking Through Thursday! My answers are in bold after the question.

1. Do you have a favorite author? I have two. Stephen King and Agatha Christie.

2. Have you read everything he or she has written? I haven't read everything by either of them. I have read a lot by Stephen King and Agatha Christie, but both are/were (respectively) very prolific.

3. Did you LIKE everything? Stephen King - yes. Agatha Christie - no. I find her Poirot novels to be a little hard to read. Poirot is my favorite Christie detective to watch though...

4. How about a least favorite author? hmm None that spring to mind.

5. An author you wanted to like, but didn’t? Milan Kundera

Booking Through Thursday {11/6/08}

What, if any, memorable or special book have you ever gotten as a present? Birthday or otherwise. What made it so notable? The person who gave it? The book itself? The “gift aura?”

I don't know if this particular book was a present, a just because, or what. The book that first came to mind when I read this question was The Fall of Freddie the Leaf. I actually dug it out last night because of another post. I hadn't even realized that the book is about loss. It's written by a PhD (Leo Buscaglia) and is meant to help children understand death. There is even a series of videos.

Anyway, I don't remember it making me feel sad. I always felt hopeful at the end of the book (which ends with The Beginning instead of the usual The End). Freddie learns lessons about life from one of the other leaves, named Daniel. Daniel teaches Freddie about Spring and Summer, the people that come to their park, that everyone and everything has a purpose in life. I ends with the first snowfall and Freddie letting go of his branch and falling to a snowbank and seeing 'the big picture' (aka the whole tree), feeling peaceful and going to sleep. The author then reminds us that Freddie will then breakdown with the snow as the winter turns to spring again and help nourish the tree for new leaves. It's a really great book. I read it for hours in our 3rd floor attic; I could see nothing but treetops out of one window. I always have a happy/light feeling when I come to The Beginning of The Fall of Freddie the Leaf.

Booking Through Thursday {10-30-08}

Conditioning

Mariel suggested this week’s question.

Are you a spine breaker? Or a dog-earer? Do you expect to keep your books in pristine condition even after you have read them? Does watching other readers bend the cover all the way round make you flinch or squeal in pain?

With new paperbacks, I do 'condition' the spine. I try hard NOT to break the spine, just loosen it up a bit. I don't dog-ear. It does make me cringe when I see others folding books back. The worst is when I see someone one doing this in a bookstore; most of the time I'll see them put the book back on the shelf with the broken spine and pick up an unbroken copy to buy! That makes me see red. I want to hurt those people... badly.

I don't expect my books to stay pristine (especially not with a 2 year old running around), but I do try to keep them looking nice. I'm more careful though if it is a borrowed book.

Booking Through Thursday {10-16-08}

Okay–here was an interesting article by Christopher Schoppa in the Washington Post.

Avid readers know all too well how easy it is to acquire books — it’s the letting go that’s the difficult part. … During the past 20 years, in which books have played a significant role in both my personal and professional lives, I’ve certainly had my fair share of them (and some might say several others’ shares) in my library. Many were read and saved for posterity, others eventually, but still reluctantly, sent back out into the world.

But there is also a category of titles that I’ve clung to for years, as they survived numerous purges, frequent library donations and countless changes of residence. I’ve yet to read them, but am absolutely certain I will. And should. When, I’m not sure, as I’m constantly distracted by the recent, just published and soon to be published works.

So, the question is his: “What tomes are waiting patiently on your shelves?“

I have several books that lived on my shelves for quite awhile. In no particular order here are some:

• Twilight Eyes- Dean Koontz
• Wish You Well- David Baldacci
• Bag of Bones- Stephen King
• This Loving Land- Dorothy Garlock
• 1st to Die- James Patterson

I don't really know why these (and there 100 or so companions) are still sitting, waiting to be read. If I had to pinpoint just one reason I think it would have to be this: I get excited by the new books that I get (either through PaperBackSwap orders, borrowing them from my sil Jenn or my mom, etc) that the ones that have already been living on my shelves, just don't have the same appeal. I will read them - someday. =)