I do think that a person's library is a pretty interesting glimpse into their inner lives, so here's a bit about mine.
Favorite Book(s):
Bible
The Count of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas
Ivanhoe, Sir Walter Scott
The Last of the Mohicans, James Fenimore Cooper
Tales of the Wolves Series, Tara K. Harper
anything by Jane Austen
half of the works of CJ Cherryh
anything by Timothy Zahn
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
Our Mutual Friend, Charles Dickens
Wives and Daughters, Elizabeth Gaskin
The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien
Enchanted April, Elizabeth von Arnim
Touch Not the Cat, Mary Stewart
No Man's Son, Doris Sutcliffe Adams
Red Adam's Lady, Grace Ingrim (aka Doris Sutcliffe Adams)
most anything by Louis L'amour or Alistair MacLain
Hitchhiker's 'Trilogy', Douglas Adams
Watership Down, Richard Adams
The Blue Sword, Robin McKinley
Favorite Author(s): Anyone listed above-- I also like Patricia McKillip, but it's more for the lyrical way she uses the English language than her actual stories.
Favorite genre(s): Sci-fi
Best beginning to a book, ever: The one that sticks in my mind is, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
Best ending to a book, ever: I don't really like endings. They're my least favorite part of the book. But the ending to Preston and Child's Relic was something to talk about.
Book pilgrimages you've made: I've never made a book pilgrimmage, but I was duly impressed by the Sinai Peninsula. I was just traveling through though.
Book that picks you up when you're in a bad mood: Cherryh's Foreigner Series, because it's so incredibly well written that I can literally leave my life and issues behind for hours.
Book that most surprised you: Fahrenheit 451. The premise seemed incredibly inane to me, but I adored it!
Book everyone else loves but you can't finish: I can't think of any. I don't even try most bestsellers and I only try a book once-- If I'm not feeling it, I'm just not. Oh, but there's anything by Ursula K LeGruin. I'd love to like her, but *yawn*
Most memorable book you just happened to buy on a whim: Anne Carson's If Not, Winter: Fragments of Sappho or Sam Hamill's Crossing the Yellow River: 300 Poems by the Chinese, both of which were excellent.
Book you mistakenly judged by its cover: I don't. If the title catches my eye, but I'm unsure about the book, I scan the reviews, if they're there, the synopsis, the front page, a few middle pages and the back page. That usually tells me what I want to know.
Best recommendation you've received: Most of my favorites were recommended!
A random recommendation: Alison promised a recommendation once she knows something about me-- she knows a bit already and this will tell her more. I'll let you know her recommendation!
Books from your childhood that you still re-read: All of my faves are from my childhood-- and yes, I reread them!
Book you're reading now: Catfantastic and African Rock Art, Burchard Brentjes
Book you've been actively reading for the longest time: The Bible. I try to read some every day and when I finish I start over.
Favorite guilty pleasure book: The Paladin, by CJ Cherryh
Number of books you own: Who knows? I've no patience for counting them! Hundreds for sure-- perhaps 1000?
Number of books you own that you've never even read: About 50-- I inherited some that I'm working my way through.
Other random bookish fact about you: One year I counted how many books I read that year. It was about 450.
And your Recommended Daily Art Dose: Rusty Waters
Last factoid, 7 of 7: I love the smell of barns, stables and zoos.
Tagging anyone who wants to play!
"half of the works of CJ Cherryh"
ReplyDeletethat's dead-on and hilarious
Me, I adore Le Guin and loathe L'amour, but aside from that we've compatible tastes. Books & beads...
Lovely post, Sarah. I love the smell of barns too.
ReplyDelete