Booking Through Thursday--Disaster!

It's not Thursday and I don't care.

Sorry for like, abandoning this blog. I'm taking 19 credits this semester (and only one of those credits is a class that doesn't give massive amounts of homework), so life's become one huge pile of readings (not the fun kind!) and papers. I figured I should go ahead and give you all *something*, so here, have a BTT post =)

You’ve just dropped your favorite, out-of-print book into a bathtub, ruining it completely … What do you do now?

Okay, well, this just doesn't apply to me on so many levels. I don't read in the bathtub. The very idea of reading in a bathtub just makes no logical sense to me. Why? How? WHAT? Also, I don't think I've ever read an out-of-print book for enjoyment, and if I have, it was one of those out of print ones that are like, a cent on Amazon, so no big deal.

Booking Through Thursday

You may have noticed–the Winter Olympics are going on. Is that affecting your reading time? Have you read any Olympics-themed books? What do you think about the Olympics in general? Here’s your chance to discuss!

I am a proud Olympaholic. I love the games, I live for them for these few weeks. I have read Apolo Anton Ohno's autobiography, but I think that's the only Olympic themed book I have read. YES, they are impacting my reading time--I don't think I've read a single book since they've started =O

Booking Through Thursday--1/14/10

Suggested by Prairie Progressive:

Do you read the inside flaps that describe a book before or while reading it?

I used to obsessively read the flaps before picking out books, but lately, some of these flaps have gotten ridiculously spoilery, revealing details that don't come out until the middle or even in some cases, end of the book. So I've been avoiding those. =\ This is one of those big pet peeves I have...

Booking Through Thursday-7/23/09

Which do you prefer? (Quick answers–we’ll do more detail at some later date)

• Reading something frivolous? Or something serious? Seriously frivolous, probably? I don't like authors that take themselves too seriously and the book is all sad sad sad, but I really dislike books that have absolutely no seriousness to them. I like a good balance. Serious subject, real humans, with humor in the mix.
  
• Paperbacks? Or hardcovers?
  
• Fiction? Or Nonfiction?
• Poetry? Or Prose?
• Biographies? Or Autobiographies?
• History? Or Historical Fiction? Oh, God, NEITHER.
  
• Series? Or Stand-alones? I...tend to lean towards series, but I can't find a good one now, so I'm reading more and more stand-alones. Kind of getting tired of it.
  
• Classics? Or best-sellers? Again, neither. I hate hate HATE classics. Best-Sellers tend to kind of suck. I like YA best sellers.
  
• Lurid, fruity prose? Or straight-forward, basic prose?
• Plots? Or Stream-of-Consciousness? I like plots in stream-of-consciousness form :)
  
• Long books? Or Short? Typically "long" but not exceedingly. Not that big a fan of short stories.
  
• Illustrated? Or Non-illustrated? Heh, always up for a few pictures :) Both are wonderful, though.
  
• Borrowed? Or Owned? Ehhhh, I used to be a huuuuge borrower, this has now changed.
  
• New? Or Used? Both.
  

Booking Through Thursday-April 23, 2009

Question suggested by Barbara H:

My husband is not an avid reader, and he used to get very frustrated in college when teachers would insist discussing symbolism in a literary work when there didn’t seem to him to be any. He felt that writers often just wrote the story for the story’s sake and other people read symbolism into it.

It does seem like modern fiction just “tells the story” without much symbolism. Is symbolism an older literary device, like excessive description, that is not used much any more? Do you think there was as much symbolism as English teachers seemed to think? What are some examples of symbolism from your reading?

Symbolism, plain and simple, destroys any book for me. I'm fine if the symbolism is there and I'm not aware of it, but the moment it's pointed out and analyzed, it's gone, dead, not even gonna try to like it anymore. It is the main reason I despise analyzing books in class. Not everything has a deeper meaning, most stories were written for the stories. It is also the very reason I love modern fiction so much more, because authors are finally realizing, hey, it's what is told that counts, not what's hidden beneath. I love them for it.

I would like to direct you to this Facebook group, joined by Laurie Halse Anderson herself.

So my answer? Symbolism exists only if you look for it. You can get symbolism out of anything, and more than likely, it will be complete and utter rubbish you're pulling out of nowhere, but if you want to call it symbolism, well then, symbolism it shall be. Some stories really are better with the symbolism, but if it's relevant to the story and something you should be catching, you will. It's the so-called "symbolism" that's hidden way, way, way beneath the surface and often coaxed out by high school english teachers and professors that just ticks me off.

I prefer not to look for symbolism and just enjoy my stories for what they are, the way the author intended it to be read.

ETA: Was about to mention poetry, but would have been late for school had I done that. I'm fine with symbolism in poetry. In fact, poetry without symbolism is pretty bad poetry, unless it is written by Shel Silverstein or Dr. Seuss, and even they have some pretty heavy symbolism at times. However, this kind of symbolism isn't the impossible-to-determine, grasping-at-straws kind, and is easier to notice (Robert Frost, for instance).

Booking Through Thursday-Library Week

I saw that National Library week is coming up in April, and that led to some questions. How often do you use your public library and how do you use it? Has the coffeehouse/bookstore replaced the library? Did you go to the library as a child? Do you have any particular memories of the library? Do you like sleek, modern, active libraries or the older, darker, quiet, cozy libraries?

I love my public library, but I'll have to admit I don't go there as often as I would like. During the summers, I do volunteer there (although this summer, I will be too old, which breaks my heart). I hate coffeehouses, and I could never read in a bookstore, but then again, I never read at the libraries, either. I'd just use them to get massive piles of books that I always had trouble carrying and then got yelled at for checking out too many books. Oops?
I went every week at least as a child. When we lived in Massachusetts, the library was walking distance from our house, so my brother and I would always walk over there. We didn't have much money, so buying books was completely out of the question, so we loved our libraries. I have lots of memories of the Massachusetts libraries, as well as the ones here in Virginia, but I don't remember any of the earlier ones. I remember the Massachusetts library had this geoquiz thingy in the back corner that you could do and I was devastated when they took it away. I also remember my parents always getting as many science books as they could for me, and I always begged for question/answer books (still love 'em!). I also remember that the MA library had a little library shop, so if I ever had any pocket money, I'd go buy a worn book or a puzzle or something small from there :)
Ah libraries.
But it's not the libraries themselves that are awesome--it's the librarians *huggles the awesome librarians*

Booking Through Thursday-Best Bad Book?

The opposite of last week’s question: “What’s the best ‘worst’ book you’ve ever read — the one you like despite some negative reviews or features?”

Twilight, darnit! Particularly Breaking Dawn, since that's the one that seemed to have gotten the most backlash.

ETA: I feel like elaborating, mostly because I love procrastination and the like. I hate Bella as much as any of the haters. I think she's a whiny, annoying little girl and I have felt this way from the start. (But hey, I think the exact same of Harry, so...) I read the books though. I love them. It's possible for a book to be a really good book even though you hate the main character--sometimes the hatred makes it all easier to see how highly developed the B-plots are. I do love the writing, and I do think it's brilliant. I will never understand how someone can criticize Steph Meyer's writing style. But again, you guys think Steph Meyer can't write well, I think Shakespeare had no grasp of the English language, so hey, we're even. Hate the writing? Fine. Hate the plot? Clearly you have very little imagination, but fine. Hate the fangirls? Heh, I'm completely with you on that one. However, I have issues when you project your hatred of the tweeny "OMG!1!one!!, EDWARD IS SO HAWT!1!!!eleventy!!" onto the books themselves, or refuse to give them a try because of that alone. You're letting tweens dictate your thoughts--am I the only one seeing a problem with that?
And then there are those people who hate the books just because they hate the books, and I respect you for your opinion, but really, labeling Steph Meyer the horrible things she's been labeled (I've seen "sexually repressed" more than once), that's not your place. You cannot judge a complete stranger's character based on her books.
*steps off the rotten-tomato-covered soapbox*

Also, it's not a complete book, but I adored the Deathly Hallows epilogue, which most people seemed to have hated/ignored entirely.

Cheese, ftw!

Booking Through Thursday

Oh, you guys, I'm trying very hard to get back into the swing of things, but alas, guess who just got sick? >.< style="font-weight: bold;">“What’s the worst ‘best’ book you’ve ever read — the one everyone says is so great, but you can’t figure out why?”

This...is pretty much everything. Name a classic--If I have read it, I hated it (exception for Catcher in the Rye.) Shakespeare in particular, oh Lord. The Shakespeare snobs hate me for it, but I just despise the man's work. But topping the list by far is Jack London's The Call of the Wild. I...cannot even begin to describe how pointless and horrible I think it is.

ETA: OH MY GOD. I cannot believe I forgot! Thanks muchly to Lynda for reminding me of the horrible, horrible, ...THING that is The Lord of the Rings series. X_X

Booking Through Thursday-2/12/09

Do you read any author’s blogs? If so, are you looking for information on their next project? On the author personally? Something else?

Well, let's see. I've been a long-time (by long-time, I mean, for the first two, since they were established) reader of the following:
Meg Cabot
Sarah Dessen
Laurie Halse Anderson

And a not-so-long reader of the equally awesome:
John Green
Maureen Johnson
Courtney Summers
and
Ms. Susane Colasanti!

I read because, well, if these people have written books that I particularly like, then I like their writing style and that same writing style will show up in their blogs. It's like extended books from them, except...not really. Finding out about their wacky lives is always really fun, and authors really do always seem to have wacky lives. The extra tidbits about their books are always fun, too =D

And see, through this edition of BTT, I've found out that E. Lockhart has a blog and there will be a third Ruby Oliver book, which makes me incredibly happy. Yay! (psst...look for Ruby Oliver reviews sometime soon, hopefully today!)
Happy BTT, looking forward to everyone else's answers :)

Booking Through Thursday-1/08/2009

It’s a week or two later than you’d expect, and it may be almost a trite question, but … what were your favorite books from 2008?

(It’s an oldie but a goodie question for a reason, after all … because, who can’t use good book suggestions from time to time?

Hmm. Can't believe I haven't answered this one on my blog yet.

Top 5 of '08

Thirteen Reasons Why tops the list by FAR.

others, in no order

Unwind

Little Brother

An Abundance of Katherines

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banksons

Uglies, Breaking Dawn, Cracked Up to Be, and The Name of This Book is Secret are honorable mentions.

Booking Through Thursday

Happy New Year, everyone!

So … any Reading Resolutions? Say, specific books you plan to read? A plan to read more ____? Anything at all?

Name me at least ONE thing you’re looking forward to reading this year!

Well, judging from my rants re: only 100 books this year, you all know my main resolution is to read more. I would prefer to at least triple that number, because 1 book per 3.6 days is just horrendous to me.

One thing? Just one? I'm going to have to go with the very last book in the Princess Diaries series. That was the series that got me really into reading YA, and I'll be very sad to see it end, but I still can't wait to see what happens.

Other than that, I want my to-read pile to go DOWN, not UP. >.<

What about you?

Have you got any reading resolutions?

Booking Through Thursday

What is the best book you ever bought for yourself?

I would have to say the best book I ever bought for myself was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It was my first midnight release party (heck, it was the first time I was out of the house THAT late), my first time driving with my older brother, my first time at a book release, and it was Harry Potter. I was dressed up, there was so much happiness and celebration and almost all my friends were there, and the experience (not to mention the book!) was absolutely amazing.

And, why? What made it the best? What made it so special?

...I just answered that *grins*

Do you give books as gifts?

Oh yes. I...actually, I'm struggling to come up with a time when I didn't give a book as a gift. They're the best possible gifts!

To everyone? Or only to select people?

To everyone. There's a book for every person, every interest, and I couldn't think of a better thing to give!

How do you feel about receiving books as gifts?

There's nothing I like more. :)

Booking Through Thursdays--12/11/08

currently reading: random childhood books :)
reading next: we'll see...

Booking Through Thursdays!

1. Do you get to read as much as you WANT to read?

(I’m guessing #1 is an easy question for everyone?)

No way! If only I could get rid of that pesky 'sleep' thing and spend it reading instead...*sigh*

Along this vein, though. Is it just me who gets annoyed when people say they have NO time to read? I mean, how can one have no time to read? I understand that most of my friends are in senior year and yes, they are busy busy people, but no time at all? I know I always make sure to put some time aside before going to sleep, between classes, when I get to class early, etc. to read. It's not a lack of time, it's a lack of effort to make the time. Rawr to that, I say.

2. If you had (magically) more time to read–what would you read? Something educational? Classic? Comfort Reading? Escapism? Magazines?

The same books I always read (that would be escapism, people!) I'd finally get through this massive pile of books that's been sitting by my bed since early this summer, because I really do often make the mistake of going to book sales/book stores/Amazon.com when I am fully aware that I have very little time (and money, I'm finding out >.<) to read!