I saw this over at Deb's blog (and then today at BTT) and decided I had to do it...
1. Favorite childhood book?
I remember loving the Narnia books
, but my favorite was probably The Secret Garden
.
2. What are you reading right now?
David Mitchell's latest -- The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet
which is excellent.
3. What books do you have on request at the library?
Galileo's Dream
by Kim Stanley Robinson
4. Bad book habit?
Buying -- bringing home -- too many :)
5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?
Lots of cookbooks and The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet
6. Do you have an e-reader?
I do -- a Kindle
7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?
Usually one at a time
8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?
No, I've been an avid reader since I was very young and still am.
9. Least favorite book you read this year (so far?)
I will give up on a book if I dislike it. I did finish Wolf Hall
which was a bit of a struggle for me.
10. Favorite book you’ve read this year?
I'm not sure I've read anything that has blown me away yet this year.
11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?
Not sure I have a comfort zone, but I do tend to read a lot of fiction, so I suppose the few times a year I read non-fiction would have to qualify.
12. What is your reading comfort zone?
See 11 above.
13. Can you read on the bus?
If I took the bus -- sure. I read everywhere and anytime. I used to read while walking to work!
14. Favorite place to read?
Bed when everyone else is asleep.
15. What is your policy on book lending?
I'm happy to lend out most books and Pete, Maddie and I read a lot of each others books.
16. Do you ever dog-ear books?
No! I love my books and couldn't imagine doing such a thing. A Pokemon card (something we seem to have laying around *everywhere*) will nicely mark a page.
17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?
I used to write in my books when I was in school and writing papers for my English Lit classes. Now I don't.
18. Not even with text books?
Sure -- I write in textbooks and highlight them too -- although I haven't taken a class in almost a decade.
19. What is your favorite language to read in?
English -- although I thoroughly enjoy translation and loved my Old English classes in college. I even enjoyed doing translations in Latin class in HS.
20. What makes you love a book?
If it has a good plot, intriguing characters, tells a story as well as makes a point and keeps me up until all hours of the night reading, then it's a good book. If it teaches me something at the same time -- even better!
21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?
I review all the books that I read on my blog (or as many as I can remember). So if I liked it, I'll let people know.
22. Favorite genre?
Different genres for different moods. Sometimes I want to read historical fiction, sometimes sci-fi, even good old fashioned classics.
23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)
If I wanted to read it, I would :)
Favorite biography?
Wow. I don't read a lot of biographies and I can't recall any that stood out right now.
25. Have you ever read a self-help book?
I don't recall reading any. I think that for the most part they are trash.
26. Favorite cookbook?
Mark Bittman's How To Cook Everything
. I use this cookbook *all the time*! I can't stress this enough -- this is an *awesome* cookbook!
27. Most inspirational book you’ve read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?
Wow -- maybe The Handmaid's Tale
by Margaret Atwood. Powerful.
28. Favorite reading snack?
Ice water? I don't really snack and read, but I do like to stay hydrated :)
29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.
I read so few "hyped" books, that I can't recall this situation.
30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?
Well, there are lots of critics out there and usually some of them like a book and some don't, so I'm thinking my answer should be -- often and rarely.
31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?
I don't mind it at all. If you read my blog, and specifically my book reviews, you probably know what kind of books I enjoy and that puts things in context. At any rate, it is just my opinion of a book -- I don't trash an author personally.
32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose?
I've tried learning Spanish, Japanese, French and German, but only picked up a bit of each. I suppose I would most like to read German so I could read my aunt and my cousin's books -- Rudi Dutschke. Wir hatten ein barbarisches, schönes Leben.
and Spuren meines Vaters.
respectively.
33. Most intimidating book you’ve ever read?
I can't say that I've ever been intimidated by a book.
34. Most intimidating book you’re too nervous to begin?
I've never been too nervous to begin a book. Heck, it's just a book!
35. Favorite Poet?
T.S. Eliot, although I remember reading and enjoying Hart Crane in college.
36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?
Probably about 10 -- mostly cookbooks
37. How often have you returned book to the library unread?
Maybe about 25-50% of the time. I grab things I think I'll like and either run out of time or end up not liking them.
38. Favorite fictional character?
Lyra from Pullman's His Dark Materials Trilogy
perhaps.
39. Favorite fictional villain?
Not really into books that have villans per se. Voldemort? Although I don't "like" him.
40. Books I’m most likely to bring on vacation?
Something light and easy -- maybe something I've read before and enjoyed.
41. The longest I’ve gone without reading.
Well, I'm sure I read *something* every day, but if we are talking books -- probably a day or two at most.
42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.
I usually post them on the blog. I can't recall a particular book at the moment.
43. What distracts you easily when you’re reading?
Not a whole heck of a lot.
44. Favorite film adaptation of a novel?
The Lord of the Rings movies were pretty great.
45. Most disappointing film adaptation?
I love Vigo, but I thought The Road
was a *much* better book.
46. The most money I’ve ever spent in the bookstore at one time?
I'm pretty frugal so I'm sure it was under $100.
47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?
Pretty much never. I don't even like to read the book jacket flaps first.
48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?
A lack of progression in the plot or characters that I could care less about.
49. Do you like to keep your books organized?
I would love to, but I don't. There are books piled, stacked, shelved and boxed in pretty much every room in our house. Pete sometimes tries to organize them, but it is a never ending battle.
50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you’ve read them?
If I loved the book, I keep it since I'm a re-reader. If it was just meh -- I'll sell it, give it away or recycle it.
51. Are there any books you’ve been avoiding?
I usually avoid anything on the bestseller list. I've read a few bestsellers that have been positively awful.
52. Name a book that made you angry.
At the book? At the ideas presented in the book? Hmmmm... I avoid books by people like Ann Coulter and Sarah Palin, thus avoiding anger issues.
53. A book you didn’t expect to like but did?
I rarely pick up a book thinking -- I don't like this, but I'm going to read it anyway. There are too many books I want to read.
54. A book that you expected to like but didn’t?
Kim Stanley Robinson's The Years of Rice and Salt
55. Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading?
YA stuff like the Harry Potter books
Wow, that was a long meme. Fun to think back on books I've read though. What are you reading?
for only $1. I'm a sucker for beautiful cookbooks and this one is that, but it also has some great, doable recipes. In fact, last night I made a pasta recipe from it using my own homegrown Amish Paste tomatoes and it was easy, quick and super delicious. 
I picked up yesterday (and used last night to make the pasta sauce!) Last year I spent way too much time peeling and seeding plum tomatoes by hand. A task which I did not enjoy in the least. This nifty gadget separates the seeds and skin from the tomatoes and spits each out into it's own bowl. *So* much easier! And it was very easy to clean the press which is a plus. Great investment for me for sure. 
. Maddie has braces and this has made life much easier! Quick, easy, so much less messy than cutting sweet corn off the cob with a knife -- plus the thing is very easy to clean.
