Meme Day – Books

While reading someone else’s blog archives, I came to a fun survey/meme. Hope you enjoy!

1. Hardback or trade paperback or mass market paperback? Any or all. Once in a series I prefer to stay that way (ie, purchasing the 2nd, 3rd etc books in paperback if I bought the previous ones in paperback).

2. Amazon or brick and mortar? Both! Though I prefer Indigo/Chapters over Amazon for books.

3. Barnes & Noble or Borders? Neither, cause it’s Canada!

4. Bookmark or dogear? I always dog ear. I consider my books “loved” if I dog ear them. I think there are only a couple books I wouldn’t dog ear – the Bible and my Complete Works of Shakespeare! Also, mom’s book of poetry. Some things you like to keep pristine

5. Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random? I group by author, in series order, if any, then by genre. I don’t alphabetize. Currently I still have 2 boxes of books and 2 leaning towers of books waiting to find proper shelving.

6. Keep, throw away, or sell? I don’t think I would ever throw a book away. I have trouble even thinking about selling one – even the ones I barely read. It’s too traumatic. Partially the problem is I’m a pack rat who can’t bear to get rid of anything I might, in this case, read or need in the future.

7. Keep dustjacket or toss it? Usually I end up removing them, hoping to save them and keep them nice. They usually get ripped or flattened by a pile of books eventually.

8. Read with dustjacket or remove it? Remove, set aside. Lose. Forget about. Find it later looking crappy. Sometimes dust jackets make good bookmarks though, if it’s a nice biggie.

9. Short story or novel? Novel, or anything really. Cereal boxes work too.

10. Collection (short stories by same author) or anthology (short stories by different authors)? Seriously, anything I can get my grubby little paws on, I’ll read.

11. Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket? Harry Potter, but only because I have not read Lemony Snicket. I suspect the writing for LS is very good.

12. Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks? I stop when I can’t open my eyes anymore. Chapters never bother me… in fact, I have this ability to just skim over the fact that I’m on a new chapter. Usually if my plan is “one more chapter” I’ll find that I’ve gone through three or four before realizing it!

13. “It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”? Depends on my mood… I will read anything!

14. Buy or Borrow? Buy. If someone lends me a book, I probably have to buy a copy anyway.

15. New or used? I prefer used, but some of my favourite stuff hasn’t been released yet. Or it’s so beloved that no one would ever give it away (I can never find Anne McCaffrey in either of the used bookstores nearby).

16. Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse? I don’t usually take book reviews seriously – at least not professional ones. If I am reading someone’s work (aka a blog, or webcomic, etc) and they suggest a book, I will look it up, maybe check the bookstore and read a page or two before buying. I’ll always read if someone recommends it for me specifically. I find a ton of books by browsing and saying ‘that author has a cool name, lets try it!’

17. Tidy ending or cliffhanger? I’m not a big fan of cliffhangers. They only work when you know there is going to be a sequel, and preferably when the sequel is already released so you can go back to the store and get it right away.

18. Morning reading, afternoon reading or nighttime reading? Anytime reading! Morning, taking the dog out, lunch, in the bathroom, making dinner, in between loading times on games… late late late at night.

19. Stand-alone or series? I like both. I’m always happy when I finish a book that I love and know that there’s 1+ more waiting for me to delve into.

20. Favorite series? A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin. Also, Kushiel’s Saga by Jacqueline Decarie. Finally, the book series that introduced me to science fiction and fantasy: DragonRiders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey. And finally again: the Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis. The BEST birthday present a 10 year old girl could get.

21. Favorite children’s book? Red is Best. Many many many others.

22. Favorite book of which nobody else has heard? I, Cleopatra by William Gibson. My mother knows about that one though.

23. Favorite books read last year? I honestly can’t pick one. Anything from my favourite series – I have read at least 1 book by each of them this year.

24. Favorite books of all time? Way too many to count. A Horse and His Boy, Voyage of the Dawn Treader, A Game of Thrones, Dragonflight. Those are probably my favourites.

25. Least favorite book you finished last year? My least favourite book I probably loved anyway, so nothing that I didn’t like.

26. What are you reading right now? I listed this previously!

27. What are you reading next? I’ve got to finish the 4 I’m currently on. I’ll probably continue with the Song of Ice and Fire series though, in hopes that GRRM will finish writing the next book sometime this year. (The series goes: A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, and the unfinished – A Dance with Dragons… and there are supposed to be at least two more afterward!)

Finally, on a non-meme note. I want to talk about my love for A Song of Ice and Fire.

First of all, it’s beautiful, but even so I want to ignore all the good things about it and focus on one:
It surprises you – and does not allow you to believe that the good guy always wins, or that your favourite noble heroic man will survive the plots against his life. The faithful, beautiful, kind and loving mother – will be forced to become the antithesis. And so many, many more things. Basically, it doesn’t let you get comfortable in worn and safe stereotypes. The bad guy might turn good. The good guy might not be that great. Someone you were disgusted with for 2/4 books you will turn around and find out that you sympathize with – against your own will! GRRM humanizes his characters and makes them so real and true. And of course, the story takes place in a darker more medieval time, and it is much more ruthless than this day and age.

I think the thing that brought out this contrast was reading some nice and fluffy young adult literature that I recognize I am too old for (Twilight and it’s 1st sequel, New Moon; by Stephanie Meyer). The characters are rather believable in some parts. The supernatural part is believable. But for the most part it is a very fluffy story where everything always ends up alright in the end, and the characters are just a little too pure, too faithful and definitely too naive to exist in any real world.

This isn’t knocking the Twilight series at all – it’s a great, fun and easy read. But I hope that the youth today who enjoy Twilight will also be able to enjoy meaty fiction like ASoIaF in the future (and maybe by then the series will be done and I can happily read through it once a year!).