BTT: Holidays

It’s a holiday weekend here in the U.S., so let’s keep today’s question simple–What are you reading? Anything special? Any particularly juicy summer reading?

In preparation for law school I'm reading The Brethren by Bob Woodward and A Civil Action by Jonathan Harr. I'm almost finished with the Brethren which discusses the Supreme Court from 1969-1975. I would recommend it to anyone interested in the Supreme Court. Along with interesting cases (Watergate, Roe v. Wade), the personal aspects of the Justices make it an enjoyable read. I haven't started A Civil Action yet but I plan on reading it this weekend. It doesn't look like a difficult book. I'm not particularly fond of the idea of reading it but it has been on several pre-law school reading lists and I picked it up for a buck. My goal for the next week is to knock out some of this boring reading so I can get into something good. Any recommendations on what I should read?

BTT: Definition

What, in your opinion, is the definition of a “reader.” A person who indiscriminately reads everything in sight? A person who reads BOOKS? A person who reads, period, no matter what it is? … Or, more specific? Like the specific person who’s reading something you wrote?

For some reason I feel like this was recently a topic. Oh well. I define a reader as someone who reads for pleasure or enjoyment. While we may all read on a daily basis, whether it's the newspaper, work, e-mail, etc I don't necessarily believe that we are reading because we desire to. So a smidgen of desire is worked into my definition. While I have no children of my own there are many in life. I'm always reading with them and they know that we have to read for at least five minutes without interruptions. Reading is a skill on its way to becoming a reader.

BTT: Flavor

Think about your favorite authors, your favorite books . . . what is it about them that makes you love them above all the other authors you’ve read? The stories? The characters? The way they appear to relish the taste of words on the tongue? The way they’re unafraid to show the nitty-gritty of life? How they sweep you off to a new, distant place? What is it about those books and authors that makes them resonate with you in ways that other, perfectly good books and authors do not?


This is a truly complicated question. Several books stand out as favorites, all for different reasons. Reflecting on those that come to mind I would have to say that these books resonate with me due to what I was going through at the time I read them. I have fond memories of Anne of Green Gables as a child, most likely because I was coping with my parent's divorce. Anne is a strong, courageous character who overcame obstacles. I'm positive this is why I was drawn to her.
Old Jules by Mari Sandoz reminds me of living with my own angry father. It is one of my favorites because again, if Mari could do it then so can I. I related to many of her experiences even though she lived in the 19th c. When I read it my father was just being diagnosed with kidney failure and thus in need of a lot of assistance.
I have always loved the Harry Potter series because when you listen to them they sound so exciting. I enjoy the feeling of closing my eyes and listening to Harry's adventures. It's an escape from reality unlike any other audiobook I've ever listened to.
I've enjoyed Jeanette Winterson and Jhumpa Lahiri because of the emotion they write into their books. Winterson makes me think about feeling like I never have before, while Lahiri's Interpreter of Maladies came at a time in my life where I was feeling lifeless. Reading the emotion helped re-spark life back into me.
Then there are those books like Carson McCullers's The Heart is a Lonely Hunter and Carlos Bulosan's America is in the Heart that just remind me of growing up in small town USA. Bulosan because he traveled through the area I grew up in and McCullers because she captured the loneliness small towns often possess. I am proud of myself for not looking back after H.S. graduation. Small town life is just not for me.*

So, the flavor is really just what I'm experiencing in my life at the time I'm reading any book. I'm sure I'm not alone in this as many people read in search for parts of themselves they've never known or explored. I don't need self-help books, just the right book at the right time.




*Small is under 10,000 people. I am perfectly content in a city of 30,000 + or even seven million.

BTT: Clubbing

A combo of two suggestions by: Heidi and by litlove

Have you ever been a member of a book club? How did your group choose (ot, if you haven’t been, what do you think is the best way to choose) the next book and who would lead discussion?

Do you feel more or less likely to appreciate books if you are obliged to read them for book groups rather than choosing them of your own free will? Does knowing they are going to be read as part of a group affect the reading experience?

I have never been a member of a book club. I just don't have the time for one. I also think I'm too selfish since I tend to read books I like and frequently pause my reading or switch when a book is getting boring. (I find that my reading moods change often.) I do however enjoy discussing books with others as I often find different insights and perspectives. One aspect of book clubs that deters me is the idea that the group is telling me how to feel about a book. I'm not interested in , for example, Oprah telling me the reasons why I should relish her latest book choice.
I don't think I would appreciate books if I was obliged to read them. I'm thinking about my English courses in college and how I loathed having to read certain books because they were required. I'd much rather read a book because I wanted to as it makes reading it more enjoyable.

BTT: Trends

Have your book-tastes changed over the years? More fiction? Less? Books that are darker and more serious? Lighter and more frivolous? Challenging? Easy? How-to books over novels? Mysteries over Romance?

Oh my goodness yes! I used to only read non-fiction and memoirs. Now I read a lot more fiction. I also read more than I did ten years ago. I would say that the books I've been reading are more challenging since I've been reading more classic literature. I still don't read many grocery-store novels, mysteries, romance, etc but that doesn't mean that I won't start someday. I've been enjoying my time with fiction but I usually read a non-fiction book alongside the fiction. I think this keeps me a little grounded in my reading. In general, I just don't know what I would do without a good book.

What is Reading, Fundamentally?

What is reading, anyway? Novels, comics, graphic novels, manga, e-books, audiobooks — which of these is reading these days? Are they all reading? Only some of them? What are your personal qualifications for something to be “reading” — why? If something isn’t reading, why not? Does it matter? Does it impact your desire to sample a source if you find out a premise you liked the sound of is in a format you don’t consider to be reading? Share your personal definition of reading, and how you came to have that stance.

(Two weeks late for Reading is Fundamental week, but, well…)

Today is my last day of school. So I find it funny that this is fundamentally an education question. As a teacher I think every time we read anything, (a cereal box, signs, or bumper stickers), it qualifies as reading. I'm always having the children in my life read out loud. Be it menus or recipes it helps their reading and vocabulary so much. Personally, I don't like children reading manga, at least at school, because I'd rather see them reading larger blocks of paragraphs. I suppose I should just be happy they are reading anything with all the video games out there.

I consider magazines, cook-books, and audiobooks reading. Overall I'm pretty lax when it comes to my own stance of reading.

Books v. Movies

Books and films both tell stories, but what we want from a book can be different from what we want from a movie. Is this true for you? If so, what’s the difference between a book and a movie?


I have a really good example for this question. I have purposefully not watched the movie Atonement because I am waiting to read the book. (Attn: L and J--where's the book?!) I'm usually drawn into the characters more if I read a book. I tend to empathize more as well. It's been a goal of mine to try to read the book version before seeing the movie for at least the last year. So far I'm doing pretty well, that is unless I have no interest in the book and just want to relax via a movie. The Kite Runner is next on Netflix. Even though I somewhat enjoyed the book I think I won't enjoy the movie--just a feeling I have.

One of the movies where I think they got it right was the PBS version of Anne of Green Gables. I love it almost as much as I love the book. So I guess they can get them right sometimes.

On a side note, what I don't like is how Hollywood is now quick to make any good book or bestseller into a movie. If I see a bestseller these days I often ask myself whether I should read it now or put it off. If I put it off too long then there's a movie version. I suppose I'll just have to work harder at disciplining myself on reading the book first!

BTT: Manual Labor Redux

Following up last week’s question about reading writing/grammar guides, this week, we’re expanding the question….

Scenario: You’ve just bought some complicated gadget home . . . do you read the accompanying documentation? Or not?

Do you ever read manuals?

How-to books?

Self-help guides?

Anything at all?

Of course I skim the manual, but not read it top to bottom. I keep the manuals in a file drawer, something most people don't do. I have read my car's maintenance manual so I am aware on how to maintain my car. I enjoy reading a lot of how-to books on organizing the house, and life in general. I am always looking for more time in the day to do some annoying chore and sometimes find the tips in how-to guides helpful.

In terms of self-help guides I read them occasionally. I believe it is important to check in with yourself every now and then and see if you're living according to your morals and important character traits. I have to remind myself that I don't want to live a negative life and sometimes self-help books can help put you back on track. I also find that some self-help books can help you strengthen your problem solving and communication styles.

BTT: Mayday

Quick! It’s an emergency! You just got an urgent call about a family emergency and had to rush to the airport with barely time to grab your wallet and your passport. But now, you’re stuck at the airport with nothing to read. What do you do??

And, no, you did NOT have time to grab your bookbag, or the book next to your bed. You were . . . grocery shopping when you got the call and have nothing with you but your wallet and your passport (which you fortuitously brought with you in case they asked for ID in the ethnic food aisle). This is hypothetical, remember….

In the past I have purchased magazines and thoroughly read the newspaper IF I am not too busy worrying about my family. There have been times where I asserted myself to ask others in the waiting room if I may read their purchased magazines. Other times I have just read through the book summaries and thought of purchasing one however I am always aware that I could purchase the book used or check it out from the library if I just patiently wait. The same kind of situation applies to the airport although I usually have at least one book to read while there.

On a different note I laughed at the Mayday title! Since it actually is May Day! Happy May Day!!

Springing

Do your reading habits change in the Spring? Do you read gardening books? Even if you don’t have a garden? More light fiction than during the Winter? Less? Travel books? Light paperbacks you can stick in a knapsack?

Or do you pretty much read the same kinds of things in the Spring as you do the rest of the year?

Yes, my reading habits change when the weather warms up. I actually tend to read less and switch over to reading magazines, gardening tips, landscaping ideas--mainly short pieces. However, I have my yearly reading goal so I think this spring and summer will be different. I've noticed that when the days get longer I tend to work more and skip reading before bed. It's sad, I know but at least I've recognized it and know that I need to change that schedule since I miss not reading!

BTT: Vocabulary

I’ve always wondered what other people do when they come across a word/phrase that they’ve never heard before. I mean, do they jot it down on paper so they can look it up later, or do they stop reading to look it up on the dictionary/google it or do they just continue reading and forget about the word?

If Farmer Ted is in the room I will usually ask him if he knows the meaning. If not I write the word down with the intention of looking it up later on. This part usually doesn't happen though. If I have a dictionary handy I will look it up. There have been too many times where the context of the writing has been lost due to one misunderstood word for me. I guess it also depends on how into the book I am.

BTT: Writing Challenge

• Pick up the nearest book. (I’m sure you must have one nearby.)
• Turn to page 123.
• What is the first sentence on the page?
• The last sentence on the page?
• Now . . . connect them together….
  (And no, you may not transcribe the entire page of the book–that’s cheating!)

"Raising rewards and punishments pushes the child into more self-deception, precisely when more self-reflection is needed instead. So we writers need to invest in a self-image as people who get something done every day, and self-deception helps us achieve that."

From Discover Your Inner Economist: Use Incentives to Fall in Love, Survive Your Next Meeting and Motivate Your Dentist by Tyler Cowen. It's a great, enjoyable book!

Lit-Ra-Chur

• When somebody mentions “literature,” what’s the first thing you think of? (Dickens? Tolstoy? Shakespeare?)
• Do you read “literature” (however you define it) for pleasure? Or is it something that you read only when you must?

Anything that requires reading whether it be the newspaper, a magazine, research, non-fiction or fiction. I believe this comes from my many years as a student where professors would ask us to look up "literature" on various subjects. They tended to use it as a synonym for research. When I hear classic literature I think of authors such as Dickens, Tolstoy, Austen, etc.

Of course I read literature for pleasure! I love reading and our house is full of books. My bedside stand has, on average, seven books waiting to be read. I read more than one book at once so as soon as I finish one I can quickly grab another if I feel like it. There is part of me that thinks the question "or is it something that you read only when you must?" a silly question since everyone that participates in Booking Through Thursday enjoys reading and/or discussing books.

Cover-Up

While acknowledging that we can’t judge books by their covers, how much does the design of a book affect your reading enjoyment? Hardcover vs. softcover? Trade paperback vs. mass market paperback? Font? Illustrations? Etc.?

The design of a book can greatly affect my reading enjoyment. I read to relax and books that have beautiful, oftentimes romantic cover designs help me relax. There is something comforting about viewing a cover that makes you want to read the book more than just the reviews or summary. I also enjoy looking through the additions to Covers, a website dedicated to book covers.

I've had a copy of Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy since 9th grade English class. The sole reason I could never depart with it was the cover. I only recently read the book but I've held onto the worn copy for years because the painting on the cover haunted me. The painting, by Francis Danby, is called "Disappointed Love". It made me want to read the book.


Sometimes I've been misled in purchasing a book because I liked the cover but was disappointed the writing. My most recent experience with this was Yakuza Moon: Memoirs of a Gangster's Daughter by Shoko Tendo. I liked the simplicity and statement the cover makes but I believe that the story has been lost in translation. I have already listed the reasons why I prefer hardcovers and I still stand by those reasons, especially bullet #3 in this case. I'll also admit that if a cover has painted tulips on it I'll usually buy it. I love tulips and since I can't have the real thing all year round in Idaho I like to be able to look at paintings of them.

BTT: The End

You’ve just reached the end of a book . . . what do you do now? Savor and muse over the book? Dive right into the next one? Go take the dog for a walk, the kids to the park, before even thinking about the next book you’re going to read? What?

(Obviously, there can be more than one answer, here–a book with a cliff-hanger is going to engender different reactions than a serene, stand-alone, but you get the idea!)

What I do after a book ends depends on the book. If it's nonfiction I usually think about whether or not I would recommend the book to others. Sometimes I will summarize the ideas to Farmer Ted which helps me understand how I felt about the material. If it's a super good book, fiction or non-fiction, it usually takes me awhile to choose another book to read. There have been times where I have felt that reading any book following a book I really enjoyed has left me with below average feelings on that "following" book. I couldn't read for a week after I finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and it took me awhile to decide a book after America is in the Heart by Carlos Bulosan. I know it's not fair in some aspects to compare books but there is just something that lingers over into the next book at times that I'm not too comfortable with. Of course this doesn't happen often but enough that I thought I would mention it.
I read a lot of predictable books and I read a lot in bed. I also read more than one book at once and it is usually a combination of non-fiction with fiction. When this happens I can honestly say that I turn over and go to sleep. When I wake up I take a moment to think about the book before I put it back on the shelf and cross the title out on my 50 Books for 2008 list. I have respect for writers and like to think that I spend time reflecting on the style, plot and my interaction with the themes. I have had too many moments with people who say they have read a book but cannot tell you their thoughts on it. This peeves me and makes me question whether they really have read it or are just claiming to have due to the prestige of reading. I'm thinking of academics and English majors, some who think they're better than everyone else and the sole reason why books are published in the first place.

I have finished five books in the last two weeks. Here is what I did upon completing them:

America is in the Heart by Carlos Bulosan: Spent some time discussing how amazing Bulosan's journey was with family and friends. I enjoyed this book enough to be able to discuss it with my conservative father. Bulosan spent time working through eastern Washington, the area I grew up in and where my family still lives. When I was finished I spent about a day thinking about what would be best to read after such a great read. I decided on Dream When You're Feeling Blue by Elizabeth Berg, a book a friend loaned me to read.

The Pirates! In an Adventure with the Scientists by Gideon Defoe: I read this during silent reading at school. This series reads fast and is laugh out loud funny. When I finished it I ordered their adventure with whaling. I finished it in class and felt good the rest of the day. I love it when a book does that for you!

Yakuza Moon: Memoirs of a Gangster's Daughter by Shoko Tendo: Easy memoir to read through however afterward I felt a lot was lost in the translation. When I was done I picked up my non-fiction book and continued reading it. This meant that I didn't have too much to reflect upon finishing the book.

Sex with Kings by Eleanor Herman: Nice non-fiction. A little too organized in a manner I wasn't fond of but the information was great. I finished it the same night as Yakuza Moon and then went to sleep.

Dream When You're Feeling Blue by Elizabeth Berg: A nice easy WWII story that a friend wanted me to read. I usually don't read this type of fiction but I will read books friends loan me. Since she wants it back I felt obligated to read it so I could give her my opinion on it. Upon finishing it I turned to Farmer Ted and said, "this is an easy peasy nice and pleasy read" and went to sleep.

Today I will decide what to pick up next for my non-fiction and fiction book. I usually don't do that on the same day.

BTT: Playing Editor

How about a chance to play editor-in-chief? Fill in the blanks:

__________ would have been a much better book if _________________.

I don't really know how to respond to this question. Yes there are thousands of poorly written books in the market but a ready example doesn't jump to my mind. One aspect of editing that I've recently come to loathe is how a book is sold. Editors or marketers, whoever is responsible for this, have done an excellent job of selling me books that are not what I thought they were. For this I have several non-fiction examples.

I like to garden and cook. After growing twenty-one heirloom tomato plants last summer I thought it would be nice to buy The Tomato Festival Cookbook which promises 150 recipes AND tips on growing the best heirloom varieties. While there are lots of recipes I don't find them realistic because even I don't have the amount of ripe tomatoes to make them. Who has three pounds of ripe tomatoes gathering in their kitchen at one time? The tips on growing are ones any basic gardener should already know. Nothing new and thus nothing exciting. So I bought another cookbook that I most likely will never use and should just give away.

I purchased The Sexual Organization of the City for research purposes thinking it would be about any city. It's not. It is focused around Chicago and is more on interpersonal relationships than the sex market which I was hoping the focus would be around. I guess I should have read the description more carefully, but no mention of Chicago-based was mentioned at the time I bought it. The book is interesting, just not what I was hoping for.

Planet of Slums by Mike Davis reads like one long demographic study. I feel as if I'm reading the same things in every chapter too. I would have enjoyed more social dynamics, personal stories and breaks in the statistics. I enjoy facts but not in the manner Davis has presented them.

I was a Women's Studies major in college so I enjoy reading women's history probably more so than other people. The American Women Activists' Writings: An Anthology, 1637-2002 is a disappointment though. It promises to cover a range activist subject matter however I feel that it does not. Some of the activists', such as Abigail Adams, entries are excerpts from their diaries or letters to family members that don't necessarily showcase their activism. It takes away from these women's work and the meaning of activism.

I could probably come up with other examples but I'll stop. I don't think I would ever want to play editor-in-chief but I would like to make sure books are more appropriately labeled.

BTT Hero

You should have seen this one coming … Who is your favorite Male lead character?

Hmm....I'll admit that if I read fiction it usually has lead female characters for me or that the men don't stand out. I had to resort back to my library for some responses. So, I suppose these aren't truly favorite characters, but enjoyable male characters. One of the more recent characters is Amir in The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. I liked his internal struggle, his humanity, and adult thought process. It was a worthwhile read. I have always liked Old Jules by Mari Sandoz. Jules, her father, is such an asshole but he reminds me of my own father--so I could relate to the character. In fact, anyone with a conflicted father-daughter relationship might be able to relate.

I found fascinating the unnamed narrator in Memoirs of My Melancholy Whores by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The short novel starts out, "The year I turned ninety, I wanted to give myself the gift of a night of wild love with an adolescent virgin." How is this not interesting! He is one of the least engaging first-person narrators I've ever encountered. He's insipid and silly and has spent much of his life, as well as his modest nest egg, frequenting prostitutes. What are we to make of this lifelong bachelor who's never been in love and who actually likes to pay for sex? He comes off as a typical dirty old man and leering pedophile who now wants to call his friendly madam to request a young virgin over whom he can exert complete mastery. Of course, almost any type of person can be made interesting in a work of fiction, no matter how weird or banal or repellent he might seem at first glance.

And, I've enjoyed the life of Harry Potter. I don't think I have to say much about his character as it is known worldwide.

BTT: Heroine

Who is your favorite female lead character? And why? (And yes, of course, you can name more than one . . . I always have trouble narrowing down these things to one name, why should I force you to?)


The first one that comes to mind is Anne, of Anne of Green Gables. I loved her as a child and still do as an adult. Her adventures and challenges are wonderful to follow. She is strong, confident, loving, hard working and sincere, traits any good role model for young girls should have. Another lead is Sophie Amundsen in Sophie's World by Jostein Gaardner. She is also curious and smart in her adventures through the history of philosophy. She best reminds me of Alice from Alice in Wonderland. I would list Alice but I have never read the book and it would be poor form to list book-to-movie characters, not to mention pure laziness.

I'm currently reading Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy and Tess definitely stands out as a lead female character, however I wouldn't say just yet that she is a favorite. I'm finding that it is quite a depressing novel.

BTT: Format

All other things (like price and storage space) being equal, given a choice in a perfect world, would you rather have paperbacks in your library? Or hardcovers? And why?

I would rather have hardcovers in my library. In fact, when I buy used books online I usually opt for the hardback. I don't mind if the dust cover is missing or in poor shape I just prefer hardbacks and here is why.

• They usually have better cover designs. I have two copies of some books because I find the hardback cover more appealing and will pass on the paperback to friends.

• The paperback usually get bent up, the spines creased, or pages torn due to a soft cover. I'm hard on my books.

• I don't like paperbacks that have the Oprah's Book Club label, or other reading group label on them. Hardbacks usually don't have these labels. Nor do I want the "Reading Guide Inside" label. I'm not interested in these. I also don't like paperbacks with movie themed covers. I don't want the movie, I want the book. I think by having a movie scene as a cover it cheapens the book. I also don't want friends thinking I just read the book because it was a movie. People forget that it was a book first.
  

• Yes, the price is different however if I want a book badly enough I'll read it at the library and wait to purchase a used hardcover copy. I'm usually a year behind in my reading anyway so price usually isn't an issue.
  

• Storage? We have more books than the rest of the people on our block. Some people have televisions in their living room, we have a library. They surround us. Hardcovers don't take up more room that paperbacks when you have as many books as we do. I think we will always make room for books. We also try to weed through them every so often. In fact we did this over the weekend.
  

BTT: After the Honeymoon

Have you ever fallen out of love with a favorite author? Was the last book you read by the author so bad, you broke up with them and haven’t read their work since? Could they ever lure you back?


Hmmm......this one took me some time, of which I do not have since I'm playing floral designer today. I would have to say that I hated Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake but loved Interpreter of Maladies. I am now reluctant to pick up anything new from her. Toni Morrison also fits the bill for me as I have loved some of her work but thought "blah" of some of it too. Morrison usually lures me back. Jeannette Winterson is one author I have never been sick of, even though it takes some time to read her work. I think her style is what I look forward to. Gabriel Garcia Marquez is another author I'm glad I still love.