Book Meme

I picked this up from Samurai Knitter the other day.

1. Hardcover or paperback, and why: Mostly hardcover right now. It’s what Zooba sends me ($9.95 a book with no shipping charges). If I were to start reading a lot again, I’d definitely go paperback, cheaper and easier to carry.

2. If I were to own a book shop, I would call it: Buy This Book. I know super lame take on the Abbey Hoffman title. You should hear my thoughts when I try to name a yarn store!

3. My favorite quote from a book is: “Take a drink with anyone, and pick your pals where you find them.” From one of Marjorie Allingham’s Campion books (I found them one summer in college when I was reading my way through the ridiculously tiny public library in my ridiculously tiny hometown).

4. The author (alive or dead) I would love to have lunch with is: Shakespeare. Let’s put to rest whether or not he actually wrote the plays. Also, did he know who killed Christopher Marlowe?

5. If I were going to a deserted island and could only bring one book (other than a survival guide), it would be: As I mentioned over in the comments at Samurai Knitter, my Riverside Shakespeare. It’s got all the plays, the poems, etc. That would keep me occupied.

6. I would love for someone to invent a book gadget that: Let me know if a book were worth my time and interest before I opened it. (You can’t trust cover material, it’s written by marketing people who may not even have read the book.) Also, Amy Lane mentioned a page turner for knitting while reading.

7. The smell of books reminds me of: Work. Seriously, I work at a publishing company and there's a printing house in the building. But it does bring back the memories of hours and hours lost in other worlds.

8. If I could be the lead character in a book, it would be: This is a tough one. I haven’t read anything lately where someone has the life I want to lead (too many crime novels). But, let's pick something sweet and light with lots of romance. Actually, Anne of Green Gables. I'm not sure if I've read all the books, but Anne Shirley would be it.

9. The most overrated book of all time is: Anything by Hemmingway. Being able to appeal to machismo while writing without adjectives does not make you a great writer. (Except his short stories, “Clean Well-Lighted Place” is one of my favorite ever.)

10. I hate it when a book: Has characters I can’t care about. I’m not going to invest my time reading about people with no redeeming characteristics. That’s what the news is for.