This is my first Booking Through Thursday post! If you’ve been thinking of joining in, you can get the question here each Thursday. Post your answer on your own blog, with a link back to the BTT post.
What was the last book you bought?
Walden Pond: A History by W. Barksdale Maynard
Name a book you have read MORE than once
I just finished re-reading Bel Canto. I’ve read the same books to my kids dozens (hundreds?) of times!
Has a book ever fundamentally changed the way you see life? If yes, what was it?
I don’t know that I can point to one specific change that has by itself remarkably changed my life. I (we) pick up something from each book we read, whether it’s some levity when we need it, empathy for a character and his/her situation, information about a historical event (which may shape my world view), etc.
How do you choose a book? eg. by cover design and summary, recommendations or reviews
Many books I read have been recommended, this includes reviews/recommendations on blogs. Now that I’m reviewing more books prior to release, I rely on cover design (it’s true; I judge a book by its cover!) and summary. I read the review sections of newspapers, but rarely make a reading choice based solely on printed review.
Do you prefer Fiction or Non-Fiction?
Hmm … some of my favorite books are personal memoirs (not celebrity memoirs), so I’ll say non-fiction, followed by literary or realistic fiction.
What’s more important in a novel – beautiful writing or a gripping plot?
Plot wins hands down. Beautiful writing combined with a gripping plot can make an excellent novel, but it won’t help a poor plot.
Most loved/memorable character (character/book)
I’ll admit to being a softie for the Father Tim Kavanagh character in Jan Karon’s Mitford series. I read these books when my older two kids were babies, and it was just what I needed at the time; a nice story (it reminded me of Little House on the Prairie for adults.)
Which book or books can be found on your nightstand at the moment?
Ann Patchett’s Run and Debra Dean’s The Madonnas of Leningradwhich are mid-review. I’m finishing up David Ebershoff’s The 19th Wife.
What was the last book you’ve read, and when was it?
My choice – I finished re-reading Bel Canto for a book group last week. My kids’ choice – Eggbert the Slightly Cracked Egg was a bed-time story tonight.
Have you ever given up on a book half way in?
I never made it through Tolkein’strilogy, although I tried several times. Even The Hobbit was torture for me, truth be told.
I love Father Tim too and all of the Mitford people. I always wanted to make that marmalade cake like Esther’s.
Come see my answers.
http://bookcritiques.blogspot.com
Yay for Dawn joining in Booking Through Thursday!
I couldn’t finish The Hobbit! Great example of a book I gave up on!
Your comment about reading books to your kids dozens or hundreds of times made me remember – I once read Dr. Seuss’s “Hop on Pop” to my niece 22 times in one evening. It put me off Seuss for years, but I’m still fond of the niece!
Ha! we must be very different. I read the first Mitford book, and I enjoyed it enough to finish it. The characters are fun, but I had no interest in reading the others. Maybe I’ll give the series another try someday. But I love Tolkien. I’ve read the entire series (Hobbit/LOR) a number of times since I first discovered them (lo those many years ago when I was in 7th grade!).
Father Tim is a great character. I think everyone would like to have a pastor like him.
So, I’m not the only one whose first time it was participating in BTT.
Now I don’t feel so lonely!
Your kids have great taste in books, I remember my boys loved the illustrations in the Eggbert book.
I won Bel Canto in a giveway. Yet to start it!
My meme answers!
I loved the Mitford series. I stopped reading them a while back so I have lots to catch up on one day.
I really liked Madonnas of Leningrad. I look forward to reading your thoughts on it.
Gautami, enjoy Bel Canto. It is an amazing book.
Dawn, I think I’ve memorized some of the Sandra Boynton books, I’ve read them so much. But Not the Hippopotamus!
Sally, Kathy and Dar – those Mitford books came into my life just when I needed them. I wonder if I’d enjoy them as much re-reading now (take a number, Mitford! My TBR stack is too tall to think about re-reading!!)
Amy – *The Hobbit* is the only one I did finish. although. it. was. very. slow. going.
JLS Hall – you get “Aunt of the Year” award!
Beth F – maybe we’ll connect better on other books
Serena – I’ll go over to read your BTT. I’m not yet “doing” the Sunday Salon … (this BTT was so easy to answer, that’s why I decided to jump in)
Joanne – as I was reading *Eggbert* last night I thought that the kids and I should post a review about it; I’m glad someone else out there knows and loves it.
gautami – lucky you! I just lent my dog-earred copy to a neighbor. I hope she enjoys it. (one less book in the house … do you think anyone will notice?!?)
Dar – *Madonnas* this weekend; I promise! I read the original *Mitford* series, but I think Jan Karon came out with a few “specials” after that (which I haven’t yet read).
Shana – I just went thru our board books and purged quite a few (not our favorites, but those annoying books with just one word on a page — book cat car sleep
Our favorite Sandra Boynton is *The Going to Bed Book*