1. One book that changed your life?
I've probably got more than one of these, but I'm going to go with To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. It was the first novel by Woolf that I read - after first not reading it when assigned it in high school - and I still think that it's one of the most beautiful books I've ever read.
2. One book you have read more than once?
So here's the thing about me. I'm a compulsive re-reader. It's almost kind of sick. And I'm not talking about for work here, though obviously the literary criticism requires one to re-read, as does teaching sometimes. But the thing is, I don't re-read that much for work-related stuff. I take crazy notes the first time around and then only re-read when absolutely necessary. But for pleasure, I compulsively re-read. Over and over again. Until I can find "that part of the book I feel like reading before bed" just by flipping through the book. Most recently, I've been reading - and re-reading - the Harry Potter series, over and over and over again, for the past year. No, I'm not kidding. It's oddly comforting. Though I'll post about this at length another time.
3. One book you would want on a desert island?
In truth? Probably Finnegans Wake because I doubt I'll ever read the whole thing without desert island conditions. And I really do want to read it. Because I'm a masochist.
Well. I laugh at a lot of books. Most recently, though, I laughed out loud at Chelsea Handler's My Horizontal Life. I think my favorite "one night stand" is the one where she eats Mexican food before a night out. I will not say more, but I thoroughly recommend that all in need of cheering up go out and purchase this book.
5. One book that made you cry?
Most recently, and this is embarassing especially as I was on a plane when this happened, tears came to my eyes while reading the third Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants book. I'm not kidding. Oh, you wanted a more substantive answer? Something not quite so embarassing? Hmmm..... Gerda Weissman Klein's All But My Life.
6. One book you wish had been written?
I have no idea how to answer this one. Aren't there more than enough books to keep us happy? Does the really need even just one more book? That said, I think I think the one book I wish had been written - or rather, published - is my first one. The problematic thing about this is that I've yet to finish the proposal for publishers. Woops.
7. One book you wish had never been written?
Ummmmm..... I don't really know. Even bad books are fun to talk about, no? But I'm going to go with any book by Dr. Phil McGraw.
8. One book you are currently reading?
Londonstani. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. My book manuscript, though that's really more "editing" than "reading." And I should probably start reading ahead for my classes in the fall....
9. One book you have been meaning to read?
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood. I bought it right when it came out, and I've never gotten past the first page. Babel Tower by A.S. Byatt. Many of the novels in the Doris Lessing oeuvre. And I really need to finish The Satanic Verses. I got about halfway into it a couple of years ago, and then abandoned it. Jesus, I've got to stop. I could go on answering this question until sometime next week!
10. Now tag five people:
I'm betting that most people have done this who want to, as I'm so late to it, but if you've not, and you'd like to, well, consider yourself tagged!
I've probably got more than one of these, but I'm going to go with To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf. It was the first novel by Woolf that I read - after first not reading it when assigned it in high school - and I still think that it's one of the most beautiful books I've ever read.
2. One book you have read more than once?
So here's the thing about me. I'm a compulsive re-reader. It's almost kind of sick. And I'm not talking about for work here, though obviously the literary criticism requires one to re-read, as does teaching sometimes. But the thing is, I don't re-read that much for work-related stuff. I take crazy notes the first time around and then only re-read when absolutely necessary. But for pleasure, I compulsively re-read. Over and over again. Until I can find "that part of the book I feel like reading before bed" just by flipping through the book. Most recently, I've been reading - and re-reading - the Harry Potter series, over and over and over again, for the past year. No, I'm not kidding. It's oddly comforting. Though I'll post about this at length another time.
3. One book you would want on a desert island?
In truth? Probably Finnegans Wake because I doubt I'll ever read the whole thing without desert island conditions. And I really do want to read it. Because I'm a masochist.
Well. I laugh at a lot of books. Most recently, though, I laughed out loud at Chelsea Handler's My Horizontal Life. I think my favorite "one night stand" is the one where she eats Mexican food before a night out. I will not say more, but I thoroughly recommend that all in need of cheering up go out and purchase this book.
5. One book that made you cry?
Most recently, and this is embarassing especially as I was on a plane when this happened, tears came to my eyes while reading the third Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants book. I'm not kidding. Oh, you wanted a more substantive answer? Something not quite so embarassing? Hmmm..... Gerda Weissman Klein's All But My Life.
6. One book you wish had been written?
I have no idea how to answer this one. Aren't there more than enough books to keep us happy? Does the really need even just one more book? That said, I think I think the one book I wish had been written - or rather, published - is my first one. The problematic thing about this is that I've yet to finish the proposal for publishers. Woops.
7. One book you wish had never been written?
Ummmmm..... I don't really know. Even bad books are fun to talk about, no? But I'm going to go with any book by Dr. Phil McGraw.
8. One book you are currently reading?
Londonstani. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. My book manuscript, though that's really more "editing" than "reading." And I should probably start reading ahead for my classes in the fall....
9. One book you have been meaning to read?
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood. I bought it right when it came out, and I've never gotten past the first page. Babel Tower by A.S. Byatt. Many of the novels in the Doris Lessing oeuvre. And I really need to finish The Satanic Verses. I got about halfway into it a couple of years ago, and then abandoned it. Jesus, I've got to stop. I could go on answering this question until sometime next week!
10. Now tag five people:
I'm betting that most people have done this who want to, as I'm so late to it, but if you've not, and you'd like to, well, consider yourself tagged!
3 comments:
Is there some way that I should be tagging my RfP Wednesday posts so that people can find them? On the flip side, is there some easy way to find other people who are posting RfP Wednesday?
I've been a compulsive re-reader since I could read. I sometimes wonder if everyone starts out this way - think about how children will ask you to read the same book over and over and over. I never learned to not re-read. I like revisiting my friends.
If you like getting weepy over cildren's/YA novels, try Cynthia Kadohata's Kira-Kira, last year's Newberry winner. I just finished reading it, and I had to put it down several times because the tears interfered with my reading. It is an absolutely beautiful story.
Ack! It's Newbery, not "Newberry." You'd think someone who studies children's lit would know better....
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