I've been feeling like I'm fight off something nasty and have been sleeping a lot lately day and night. So since I have not been doing much reading, I thought I might give my 2-cents on one of these memes that have been going around for the last week so. Jane's Post, inspired me, so here are the (11) questions posed by Jane:
1. Which is your favorite genre, and has that changed over time?
When I started reading as an adult, it was mostly romance (Danielle Steel) or horror (Stephen King, Peter Staub). While I still like Stephen King, my favorite genre is literary or contemporary fiction (no romance please).
2. Do you create a reading list for the year and if so, how well do you stick to it?
I don't create a reading list as I never seem to stick with it when I tried that. I am more of a mood reader.
3. Do you have a reading goal for the year, such as xxx books? Why or why not?
I do have a goal -- It's (125) for 2012. At one time I read over (200) books a year, but that was when I only worked 3 days a week.
4. Who is your favorite living author?
I actually have too many favorite authors -- have long been a fan of: Stephen King, Anita Shreve, Chris Bohjalian, I also like Margaret Atwood, Hilary Mantel and many others.
5. What's your experience with reading challenges?
I love to participate, but always feel compelled to finish what I start, so I try and keep my challenges to a manageable number -- (5) this year I think.
6. How do your organize your books on shelves--alphabetically (by author or title), by genre, by publication date, or some other method?
No particular science here -- I do tend to keep all books by a particular author together, and the same is true for favorite imprints, such as Europa and Persephone books I own. I also have a few shelves of books I hope to read sooner than later.
7. Do you read e-books or audio books?
Love both eBooks and audio books, and preferring eBooks to print books lately.
8. How do you choose what to read next?
Sometimes it's a book i feel compelled to read, because I've committed to review it -- try to make fewer commitments though. As I mentioned I am a mood reader and need to read what I want when I want.
9. Do you read books in parallel or strictly serial?
Hmmm- not quite clear on this question??
10. Which books have had the biggest impact on your life?
Mostly Classics like - To Kill a Mockingbird, Death Be Not Proud , A Separate Peace -- books I read early in life that made a huge impression on me.
11. Which characters have you felt are the most real or believable?
I tend to gravitate to books with a first-person narrator, as they seem the most realistic to me.
No tagging or new questions from me, but feel free to play along.
I'm intrigued by your last answer, since I'm the opposite. I generally avoid first-person narrators when I'm reading fiction. I like hearing all the different voices and thoughts of the characters. I'm not as adamant about not reading first-person as I used to be, though. Still, it's never my first choice.
ReplyDeleteSee Jill, that's what makes readers so interesting! LOL I especially love unreliable first person narrators.
DeleteThese questions are great! 125 books a year is so impressive! Good luck reaching that goal this year.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing! I enjoy learning a bit more about people through meme's :)
ReplyDeleteI also like to read in first person.
Books with an impact on life, for me... it's probably The Red Tent. I read this in my late twenties and believe it or not... before reading this book I had never thought about how difficult life was back then.
Red Tent was a great read!
DeleteI really enjoyed reading this post. Anita Shreve is one of my favorite contemporary artists, and I'm finding that I enjoy first-person narratives more and more.
ReplyDeleteHope you feel better soon!
Anna, I think the "first person" gets me more invested in the story. I especially like when I'm hit with an unreliable narrator.
DeleteI enjoyed your answers! We are fans of first person too!
ReplyDeleteI have my books organized in a kind of crazy way and really need to redo it, but haven't felt like tackling it.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this post. I can't stick to a list, I've tried to list books per month, week and it never worked. Even now I pick three books at a time, and I still can't stick to it. I'm a mood reader.
ReplyDeleteGlad to know more about you as a reader. To Kill A Mockingbird had also impacted me a lot. Feeling compelled to finish a book? Same here. BTW, our Midnight's Children Read-Along begins today. A slow & flexible read from March to June. Hope we can all finish it. You're most welcome to join us!
ReplyDeleteI like your answers, I enjoyed reading them. Thanks for playing along, I was the one who tagged Jane :-) It's been fun seeing this meme make its way around the blogsphere :-)
DeleteI find I am a mood reader too, these days. I do join challenges, though I try to make them fun lists too, filled with what I want to read.
I used to read romances too, long ago, and grew out of it by the time I was 18. I still remember some of those Harlequin romances though!
I think it's interesting that so many of us had books that impacted us when we were young, books that shaped us and our reading, in a way that maybe we seek these days and don't always find. I wonder if it's because we are so young then, or because we have read so much now? I'm about to reread To Kill A Mockingbird, which had a big influence on me when I was young.
Susan, I think many readers were moved by To Kill a Mocking Bird. Have a great week.
DeleteI'd love to, but I am just over committed through May. Enjoy
DeleteWow! I'm kind of surprised that you prefer eBooks at the present! Terrific meme this morning!
ReplyDeleteSuko, I'm preferring eBooks because it only requires (1) finger to turn the page. While eating lunch at work, or snuggling with a cat and comforter, I have free hands for kitty pets, holding a cup of tea of making notes. It just works better for me. I try to avoid hardcover books completely whenever possible.
DeleteHave a great week.
Fun post and I do hope you're feeling better by now :) I still love my who-dunits!
ReplyDeleteDenise...I like a good mystery as well. Feeling better; thank you
DeleteI like first-person narrations as well but also really like when there are multiple narrators! And preferring ebooks to paper?! ;) Shame!
ReplyDeleteHave a beautiful day Diane!
I am a mood reader as well, and making lists just doesn't work for me. I have tried and tried, but for some reason, I can never stick to a list when I read.
ReplyDeleteHope you feel better soon! I like music when I don't feel like reading.
ReplyDeleteHarvee, Thanks so much. I just can't focus on a plot line when I'm out of sorts.
DeleteI hope you don't get anything nasty. And I so enjoyed learning more about your reading habits. These were great questions.
ReplyDeleteJenners, Better today - back to work tomorrow...ugh thanks for asking.
DeleteI enjoyed reading your responses, I also have a tag meme I have been meaning to post even though I don't normally do them, it is interesting to read about someones reading habits and preferences. I am also a mood reader although sometimes having to read something can help me get out of a rut. Interesting your prefering ebooks. Really enjoyed reading your responses.
ReplyDeleteThank ARabella, I don't participate in many of the Q/A's but this one seemed fun and was about reading so it seemed appropriate.
DeleteHi Diane,
ReplyDeleteGreat meme, nothing too heavy or needing too much thought, if you are feeling below par and some great answers.
Many of your answers mirror my own thoughts, my main annoyance though, is that I can't get my books in any kind of logical order, as there are just too many of them. There was a time when I had them all in author order, but that has long since gone out of the window and this remaining organised chaos, just isn't me at all!!!
I hope that you haven't got anything too nasty and will be feeling back on form again soon.
Take Care,
Yvonne
Yvonne, thanks for the well wishes; today was my best day yet.
DeleteI have a spreadsheet with all on my books listed by author, but keep updating it constantly as I get new books and donate others -- it's work! LOL
Have a great week.
Are there really people who make reading lists for the whole year?? How do they fit in new books? What happens if a readalong comes up that you really want to join? I couldn't stick to a list like that either. Why do you think you're preferring ebooks these days?
ReplyDeleteLisa, I'm preferring eBooks because it only requires (1) finger to turn the page. While eating lunch at work, or snuggling with a cat and comforter, I have free hands for kitty pets, holding a cup of tea of making notes. It just works better for me. I try to avoid hardcover books completely whenever possible.
DeleteHave a great week.
good luck reading 125! and i'm really impressed that you were able to read 200 one year! i don't think i'll ever be able to do that.
ReplyDeleteI love first person too, espcecially in thrillers or mysteries. I like knowing only what they know.
ReplyDeleteI can't make reading lists either. I too am a mood reader. Some times it will take me 2 or 3 books before one "fits".
ReplyDelete