Reading Meme

Tagged again by Musings from the Sofa for Eva's Reading Meme.

Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews?
Anything on Oprah's book club that I've never read. That is a complete turn off for me. I don't even mind Oprah, but there is something about that book club. I am so glad I read Middlesex before it made her list!

If you could bring three characters to life for a social event (afternoon tea, a night of clubbing, perhaps a world cruise), who would they be and what would the event be?
Elizabeth Bennet, Scarlett O'Hara, and Jessica Wakefield (the bad twin from Sweet Valley High) for a girls' night out. I would expect a lot of drinking, using and abusing men, maybe some stolen cars and other kinds of trouble-making. I would be depending on Elizabeth to help me reign in Scarlett and Jessica when they get too crazy.

(Borrowing shamelessly from the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde): you are told you can’t die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for awhile, eventually you realise it’s past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave?
Moby Dick. I am sure I would live a long, long time. I know it is beautiful writing, but I just don't care.

Come on, we’ve all been there. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you’ve read, when in fact you’ve been nowhere near it?
Crime and Punishment. Never cracked it, even when I was supposed to for my high school "Great Books" class.

As an addition to the last question, has there been a book that you really thought you had read, only to realise when you read a review about it/go to ‘reread’ it that you haven’t? Which book?
To the best of my recollection, that has never happened to me.

You’re interviewing for the post of Official Book Advisor to some VIP (who’s not a big reader). What’s the first book you’d recommend and why? (If you feel like you’d have to know the person, go ahead and personalise the VIP)
Pride and Prejudice. Everyone should read it at least once and it is as good a place to start as any. If the given VIP hates it then I know I've got trouble and if VIP loves it then my job would be a lot easier.


A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. Which language do you go with?
French. I'd start with Moliere. I would also revel in opportunities to drop the fact of my ability into conversation.

A mischievious fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will reread once a year for the rest of your life (you can read other books as well). Which book would you pick?
Too easy -- Pride and Prejudice. I already do reread it once a year and I can easily foresee keeping up the tradition.

I know that the book blogging community, and its various challenges, have pushed my reading borders. What’s one bookish thing you ‘discovered’ from book blogging (maybe a new genre, or author, or new appreciation for cover art-anything)?
I have gotten a lot from the book blogging community, but the best thing has to be the inspiration to read more -- much more. As a kid and really until I had a kid of my own, I was a big reader. I read constantly. When Zoë was born my reading really dropped off and it feels really good to be getting back to reading voraciously.

That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she’s granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leatherbound? Is it full of first edition hardcovers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few favourite authors have inscribed their works? Go ahead-let your imagination run free.
My dream library has a couple of walls of floor to ceiling built-in bookshelves and some double shelves too (the kind that slide along in front.) There would be a lot of natural light, a chair and a half plus ottoman as comfortable as the one in Zoë's room, a large desk with enough space for my laptop and my drawing paper. There would have to be plenty of drawers in the desk for storing stationery and art supplies. Above desk would be some excellent modern art. The books would be mostly paperback shelved alphabetically by type (novels, short stories, plays, etc.). One more important element is a door that closes.

Now I am supposed to tag 4 people, but everyone I know who would do this meme already has.