Book Meme

I used to really dislike memes, but lately, I'm kind of enjoying them. Here's a great one I found on In Spring It Is The Dawn.

Hardback or Trade Paperback or Mass Market Paperback?

Definitely trade paperback. I like the size, the weight...everything. And I can read them in the bathtub, which is something I have a hard time doing with hardbacks.

Amazon or Brick and Mortar?

Brick and Mortar all the way. I go on Amazon to check out ratings and such, but try not to buy from them. I LOVE small independent bookstores, and we're losing them!

Barnes & Noble or Borders?

Well, if I have to go to a "super" bookstore, I'd choose Barnes and Noble. Mostly because there are no convenient Borders nearby. But those superstores are all the same to me.

Bookmark or Dogear?

Both. I really try to use a bookmark. I try. But sometimes, it has to be dogeared. You don't misplace your fingers, if you know what I mean.

Alphabetize by author Alphabetize by title or random?

Random. I can't be bothered.

Keep, Throw Away or Sell?

I guess you'd call it sell. I trade my paperbacks on www.paperbackswap.com. I keep first edition hardbacks, obviously. I would never (NEVER! Are you crazy?) throw away a book!

Keep dustjacket or toss it?

Keep.

Read with dustjacket or remove it?

Usually remove it. I'm just not good at keeping them nice. And if I manage to do it, my 1-year old would destroy it.

Short story or novel?

Novel. I've never been good at the short story.

Collection (short stories by the same author) or Anthology (short stories by different authors)?

I'd have to say anthology. If I have to read short stories, I'm going to snore if they are all by the same author.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?

I guess Harry Potter. I'm not really crazy loopy over either of them. I've lost touch with my inner child, I guess.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?

I always aim for chapter breaks and am sometimes distressed when this can't be accomplished. But I do have a one-year old, who doesn't always understand that I have 'two pages left' when he's poopy.

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?

'It was a dark and stormy night'. Can't stand 'once upon a time'. I spend my life as a psychotherapist trying to convince people that life is not 'once upon a time'.

Buy or Borrow?

Buy, if it's a first edition, or if I can trade for it on paperback swap. Borrow if the library has it, and I don't have any money/credits, and especially if it's one I suspect I won't want to necessarily own.

New or used?

I love new books. But, alas, my husband is not an obsessive book lover and has requested that I not spend our children's entire college fund on books. So, I borrow. My mom buys me a BookSense giftcard each year for my birthday. And, of course, I buy used when I find a great first edition that I love.

Buying choice: Book Reviews, Recommendation or Browse?

All three. I love Bookmarks magazine for book reviews; I live for recommendations from all my blogger friends; and I can get lost in a bookstore for hours on end.

Tidy ending or Cliffhanger?

I like tidy endings. I sometimes understand that it just couldn't possibly be realistic, but I'm still mad at being left hanging. Life is hard enough; give me a happy ending any day.

Morning reading, Afternoon reading or Nighttime reading?

I want to say ANYTIME! but that's not really the way my life works. I sometimes do get to read in the afternoon when my baby is napping. But more often than not, I read at night after they've gone to bed. Why do you think I stick to the 8 p.m. bedtime, for crying out loud?????

Standalone or Series?

Standalone, without question. I sometimes start a series, but end up quickly tiring of the same author, same formula. In fact, even when it's not a series, I often tire of reading too much of the same author.

Favorite series?

One series I haven't tired of is the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. These make me laugh out loud every single time. The first one is "One for the Money".

Favorite book of which nobody else has heard?

I love "The Sparrow" by Mary Doria Russell. It was a bookclub favorite a few years ago, but I never heard a great buzz about it. It is - see below - one of my favorite books of all time.

Favorite books read last year?

See my post of 2006 books and favorites at this link.

Favorite books of all time?

Too many to count. But among them are: Shogun by James Clavell; The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay (and the sequel, Tandia); The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell; The Kite Runner and so many more.....