Sunday, June 12, 2005

The book meme, via Julia

Answer on your own blogs, please, and spread the love. The questions!

Name three books on your book shelf. One from each end and one from the middle.
1. The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe
2. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
3. Herzog by Saul Bellow

What reading material is in your bathroom?
A giant book of old NY Times crossword puzzles and various LL Bean Catalogs.

Favorite authors and why.
-Margaret Atwood - my favorite of all time, for exploring female relationships with men in so many different ways. I relate to her writing moreso than to any other author I've read.
-David Sedaris - for making me laugh out loud while reading.
-Erica Jong - for writing about sexual relationships with fearless candor.
-Jeannette Winterson - her work is visual to me...her lush, artfully descriptive language is unlike any I've ever read.
-Susan Dodd - weird, highly unusual plot lines.
-F. Scott Fitzgerald - what an incredible story teller.
-Alice Walker - beautiful truth in her work.

Least favorite authors and why.
Danielle Steel! Such awful trash! I don't understand how she can stand to write the same book over and over again.

What author is over rated?
See above. Also, apologies, but I don't like Tom Clancy.

Would you (have you) picked up a woman (or man) in a bookstore?
I never have, and I guess I won't now, either.

Do you eat while you read? If so what'?s your food of choice?
Depending on when I'm reading..If it's at night, usually I just have ice water or tea. If in the morning or afternoon, I have cereal or lunch while reading.

Name one book you'?d recommend for someone searching for meaning or insight or inspiration.
Well, I can only speak from experience. Some books that I've read that were life changing are: Fear of Flying by Erica Jong, Written on the Body by Jeanette Winterson, & Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood. There is something universal to me in all these novels.

Name one book you'?d recommend for a day on the beach or a rainy day in the house.
Beach: Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
Rainy Day: Sophie's Choice by William Styron

Do you judge a book by its cover?
Usually only at the used-book sales at libraries around town. You know, those $3-for-everything-you-can-fit-in-a-Wegman's-grocery-bag sales. Since you have to fight the hordes of people for books in a limited amount of time, I pick up anything that looks remotely interesting.

In the bookstore, what section do you head to first?
Usually the Barnes & Noble bargain basement. It's exciting to see how many hardcovers you can get for $20-$30.

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