Ravenous Reader just tagged me on Eva’s Meme that’s been going around blogland. Such fun questions so here we go:
Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews? Harry Potter. I’ve seen the movies and those were fun but now I feel like I know everything so why read the books?
If you could bring three characters to life for a social event (afternoon tea, a night of clubbing, perhaps a world cruise), who would they be and what would the event be? I’d like to have some sleuths over for tea. Maybe I’d end up opening up my own agency after taking notes from Maisie Dobbs, Precious Ramotswe and Miss Marple.
(Borrowing shamelessly from the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde): you are told you can’t die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for awhile, eventually you realise it’s past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave? I’ve seen Moby Dick mentioned quite a bit for this question and I think I’ll go with the same answer too.
Come on, we’ve all been there. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you’ve read, when in fact you’ve been nowhere near it? Not anymore but I used to pretend I had read The Scarlet Letter. I mean, everyone has right? I don’t know how I missed reading this one in high school and college.
As an addition to the last question, has there been a book that you really thought you had read, only to realise when you read a review about it/go to ‘reread’ it that you haven’t? Which book? Can’t really think of one.
You’ve been appointed Book Advisor to a VIP (who’s not a big reader). What’s the first book you’d recommend and why? (if you feel like you’d have to know the person, go ahead of personalise the VIP) The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama. I read this one when I was going through a very difficult time and found it made me feel more at peace. I think the whole world could use a good dose of happiness.
A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. Which language do you go with? German absolutely. Hopefully being able to speak it well would come naturally too.
A mischievous fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will reread once a year for the rest of your life (you can read other books as well). Which book would you pick? I don’t typically re-read books but I have read Love in the Time of Cholera three times so I’ll stick with it. It seems I still love it after those re-reads.
I know that the book blogging community, and its various challenges, have pushed my reading borders. What’s one bookish thing you ‘discovered’ from book blogging (maybe a new genre, or author, or new appreciation for cover art-anything)? I don’t think I would have considered reading Young Adult novels if it wasn’t for book bloggers. I’m so glad I have because I’ve discovered some wonderful books – The Book Thief for example.
That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she’s granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leatherbound? Is it full of first edition hardcovers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few favourite authors have inscribed their works? Go ahead-let your imagination run free. I’m not too picky about the type of books. There are some imprints I like, Persephone Books for example, but paperbacks and hardcovers are fine with me. I would like a big room with lots of bookshelves of course. One bookshelf would be for my special books – the ones signed by authors. Another bookshelf would be for artist books and journals either made by others or me. I’d have a comfy couch and chaise lounge and big windows. Finally, I’d like a lot of artwork too but it would only be artwork created by my husband and friends.
Now to tag four others… I’ve seen this one quite a bit so I maybe tagging some who’ve already been tagged but here it goes: Gentle Reader, aka Nik, Jenclair and Kisane – you’re it!
I would really enjoy the conversation between those three female sleuths! ‘Twould be fun 🙂
Your library sounds splendid, especially with the original artwork. A perfect library/gallery combination.
Thanks for playing along on the meme!
I like your guest list for tea! That would be an interesting discussion.
Funny thing, I read all the Harry Potters but the movies bore me because, like you said, I know everything—no surprises.
Moby Dick is actually not a boring read, but I speak too soon, I still haven’t finished it.
The Scarlet Letter is a boring read. Good story, boring boring, mind numbing read.
I have yet to read The Scarlet Letter,, so hopefully this will make you feel better, hehe. Your library sounds wonderful, I’d love to have some artworks for my dream library too! Why didn’t I think of it in the first place?! LOL.
Loved the answers! Everyone is having such excellent parties with literary figures. I’d love to be a fly on the wall at yours. And I haven’t read The Scarlet Letter either!
Ravenous Reader – Thank you for the tag – that was fun.
Literary Feline – Wouldn’t it? I’d have to ask to tag along on their next case 🙂
T.Y. – Really, well, I will look forward to your thoughts on Moby Dick. I’ve never even picked it up but who knows it could be a good surprise!
Melody – It does! Seriously, I remember my freshman english class in college the instructor saying how everyone had read The Scarlet Letter and I was freakin’ out.
Litlove – Ok, I’m starting to feel much better about not having read it. I feel as if I know the whole story line too so not feeling too rushed to go out and read it 🙂
About Harry Potter, reading them even if you know the story from the movies would be worth it if you felt drawn to the book’s universe enough to want to know lots more about it. The books are of course much more detailed than the movies. But otherwise, even though I LOVE the series I’d be the first to say it’s no big deal. They are fun, but not life-changing or anything.
I got through a course that included Hawthorne without reading The Scarlet Letter. I can’t say if I ever will, to be honest.
Or maybe you could all play Clue 😉
Haha!! Nice meme. Thanks for tagging me…I’ve just posted mine. 🙂 PS….I heard that the movie version of Love in the Time of Cholera had bad reviews. Have you seen it yet?
I just did this meme myself. Such fun!! As much as I love Miss Marple, I think I would have to say I love Hercule Poirot just a tiny bit more!! That man and his little grey cells just crack me up!! Man…that makes me want to read some more Christie!!
Yeah…The Book Thief WAS fantastic, wasn’t it??
Nymeth – I can imagine the books have a lot more than the movies. You know if I hadn’t already seen most of the movies then I may have been persuaded to read the books but now I feel like it’s too late. ha.ha. I’m so surprised you had a whole course on Hawthorne and didn’t read SL… Now I don’t feel so bad 🙂
Chrisbookarama – Oh you are good! I love that 🙂
Kisane – Cool, I’m going to check out your answers! And, no I haven’t seen the movie and probably won’t. Don’t want to ruin a good book through a film!
Stephanie – You know, I was going back and forth on Poirot and Miss Marple. He is so great isn’t he. I’ve only read a few Christie books but am looking forward to more. Thank goodness she wrote so many 🙂
The book by the Dalai Lama is a good idea. I haven’t written up my answers yet to this meme but I’m stuck on a book to recommend. Your tea with the lady sleuths sounds fun. Oh and I haven’t read The Scarlet Letter either.
This one has surely cropped up all over the place. I’ve tagged as well so I’ll snap into it soon.
I’m glad you have enjoyed and been rejuvenated by The Art of Happiness. Being an internationally known figure, it’s surprising I don’t hear more reading reading Dalai Lama.
Owing to my studies and personal interests, I make it a habit to re-read at least two Dostoevsky novels plus The Master and Margarita every year. Need I say more about that? 🙂
Matt – Oh good, I want to hear about your perfect library 🙂 And you are right, it is strange that it doesn’t seem the Dalai Lama is read a lot. I mean, he seems to be out there quite a bit so why aren’t people reading him? I would like to read more that’s for sure. The book I read was an easy read yet the message wasn’t a simple one. Lots of meaning.
I will respond to this soon–thanks for tagging me, and great answers from you on this one! I really enjoyed reading your answers 🙂
Oh I’m sorry about the pingbacks. 😛