BTT: It's All About Them

Today's question:

Which do you prefer? Biographies written about someone? Or Autobiographies written by the actual person (and/or ghost-writer)?

My answer:

My initial reaction was to reply biographies, definitely.

I read a lot of biography when I was younger, but as I searched for a recent favorite, there were surprisingly few to choose from. To be sure, plenty are on my shelves, but none have made it to this year's "books read" list. I hope to read both Edith Wharton by Hermione Lee and Jane Austen: A Life by Claire Tomalin in 2010.

I have, however, read some great autobiographies and memoirs. Two favorites are Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela and Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. These were both fascinating glimpses into lives that couldn't possibly be more different from my own.

It seems that I've grown to prefer autobiographies and memoirs. Do you have one to recommend?

See more answers to this Booking Through Thursday question here.

BTT: Weeding My (Book) Garden

Today's question:

We’re moving in a couple weeks (the first time since I was 9 years old), and I’ve been going through my library of 3000+ books, choosing the books that I could bear to part with and NOT have to pack to move. Which made me wonder…

When’s the last time you weeded out your library? Do you regularly keep it pared down to your reading essentials? Or does it blossom into something out of control the minute you turn your back, like a garden after a Spring rain?

Or do you simply not get rid of books? At all? (This would have described me for most of my life, by the way.)

And–when you DO weed out books from your collection (assuming that you do) …what do you do with them? Throw them away (gasp)? Donate them to a charity or used bookstore? SELL them to a used bookstore? Trade them on Paperback Book Swap or some other exchange program?

My answer:

Just like the garden, my bookshelves require weeding. Although they don't get the attention as regularly as the garden, it is still a necessity.

I tend to think of it as part of my spring clean-up. Books accumulate faster over the winter, so each spring the collection gets weeded. My husband and I are both readers (although his collection is mostly history), and space is the primary motivator. It's hard to buy new books when there isn't anywhere to put them!

Books that get weeded are those I won't read again, those I don't think my daughters will read, and books that have no special sentimental value. This criteria is not foolproof and, once in a while, a mistake is made. Among this year's "weeds" was a copy of Balzac and The Little Chinese Seamstress (a book I read years ago with my book club and enjoyed, but didn't love). Last week, Twin A selected it from her list of this quarter's AP Lang free reading choices, and we ended up buying another copy at B&N on Sunday. At least I got to console myself with a pumpkin spice latte!

The spring clean-up books are packed in boxes or bags and donated to the library. The Friends of the Library will sell them at their annual used book sale. My goal each year is to donate more than I purchase. This year, I'm happy to report, that goal was met!

Read more answers to this question at Booking Through Thursday.

Booking Through Thursday - Pass the tissues

Today's Question:

What’s the saddest book you’ve read recently?

(Is any body getting bored with this series of “recent” questions? Because I’m having fun!)

My answer:

I'm a crier. Whether it's books, movies, television, even the odd commercial...if it's sad (or sometimes even if it's happy), I'll shed a tear. So, it's not surprising that there are a number of books could serve to answer this question.

My choice, however, is a book that surprised me in it's ability to cause tears to flow. Ethel & Ernest is a graphic novel by Ernest Briggs, of The Snowman fame. It tells his parent's story from their chance meeting in 1928, through marriage, child-rearing, the war, political squabbles, and on into their golden years. I'm very new to graphic novels (have only read a handful), and was very surprised to have this genre evoke such emotion. You can read my review of Ethel & Ernest here.

Visit today's BTT to see more responses.

BBAW/BTT Combo

BBAW: The task today is to highlight the book discovered only because you read about it on a book blog and then you realized you couldn’t live without it!

As it turns out, the book I was going to feature also answers today's Booking Through Thursday question!

Today's question:

What’s the most enjoyable, most fun, most just-darn-entertaining book you’ve read recently?

(Mind you, this doesn’t necessarily mean funny, since we covered that already. Just … GOOD.)

My answer:

I didn't have to think long for this one! French Milk by Lucy Knisley is an incredibly creative graphic travel journal/memoir. Even the cover is fun!

Karen from Bookbath brought this gem to my attention. She read it in preparation for her own trip to Paris (she checked in from Ireland yesterday). Although I won't be traveling there any time soon, I enjoyed visiting vicariously through Knisley's book.

My review was posted on Tuesday and you can find it here.

Click over to today's BTT to see more answers.

BTT: Recent Informative

Today's BTT Question:

What's the most informative book you've read recently?

My answer:

Despite an unusually small number of nonfiction titles, I've still learned much from my reading this year. Good fiction can be informative, too!

The Help by Kathryn Stockett paints a vivid picture of the 1960's civil rights movement in Mississippi. Writer and budding civil rights activist, Skeeter Phelan, attempts to collect and publish the stories of several black maids. The novel is told in three voices (Skeeter and maids Aibileen and Minnie) and provides a stunning portrait of this era of unrest... from both sides of the issue. The Help will surely end up on my 'Best of' list this year!

Visit today's BTT to see more responses to the question.

Booking Through Thursday - Recent Best

Today's question:

What’s the best book you’ve read recently?

(Tell me you didn’t see this one coming?)

My answer:

That Old Cape Magic

by Richard Russo

Are you getting tired of me mentioning this book yet? This may be the third time it's been pictured here in the last week! I could have finished it Sunday, but have slowed down to make it last longer. Russo has been a favorite for years, and his new book only reaffirms that status.

A passage from last night's reading:

"Dear God, not Williams," she told Laura. "Do you know the kind of people who send their progeny to Williams? Rich. Privileged. White. Republican. Or, even worse, people who aspire to all that." Not unlike your other grandparents, she meant. "Their kids aren't smart enough to get into an Ivy but have to go somewhere, so God created Williams." (page 182)

See more BTT answers here.

Booking Through Thursday - recent worst?

Today's question:

What’s the worst book you’ve read recently?

(I figure it’s easier than asking your all-time worst, because, well, it’s recent!)

My answer:

Maybe it's because I'm more aware of my reading tastes, or maybe it's because I've gotten so many quality recommendations since starting this blog. For whatever reason, I have not read any bad books lately.

There have, however, been good books that have just not suited my mood. For that reason, I have returned them to the library or put them aside to revisit later. The most recent of these is Thomas Mann's Death in Venice.

This was to be my third and final summer vacation reading challenge book set in Italy, but it turned out to be a little heavier than expected. The writing is beautiful (see my Tuesday Teaser post last week) and I have been wanting to read Mann, but the dog days of summer is just not the right time. Thomas Mann, I'll see you in January!

To see more recent worsts, visit today's Booking Through Thursday post here.

Booking Through Thursday - Let's Get Serious

Today's question:

What’s the most serious book you’ve read recently?

(I figure it’s easier than asking your most serious boook ever, because, well, it’s recent!)

My answer:

As most of you know, my reading this summer has been anything but serious. I've been on an extended trip to Italy with The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim, A Thousand Days in Venice by Marlena de Blasi, and most recently Death in Venice by Thomas Mann (my current read). I've had to go back a couple months to find a 'serious' book, but this is the most recent.

The Shawl

by Cynthia Ozick

The book consists of a very short story, entitled The Shawl, about a prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp whose baby is killed by the German soldiers. It is followed by a novella, Rosa, showing the same woman's life some thirty years later in Miami.

While the story is harsh and brutal, it is tempered somewhat by the novella...which even offers a hint of hope. I reviewed it in sections for Short Story Monday. The Shawl can be found here, and this link will take you to Rosa. Ozick's prose is crisp and clear. Her novel Heir to the Glimmering World in on my tbr pile.

Visit today's Booking Through Thursday to see more serious reads, and leave a link to your answer.

Booking Through Thursday - Recent Funnies

Today's question:

What's the funniest book you've read recently?

My answer:

This question has lead me to a startling discovery. I don't really read funny books - it seems that I prefer to listen to them! A quick glance through my books read in the last year or so shows that all funny books have been audios. The funniest were:

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim

by David Sedaris

-read by the author

I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts On Being A Woman

by Nora Ephron

-read by the author

Both of these books were laugh-out-loud funny and made my drive time fly by.

To see more answers or leave your own, visit today's Booking Through Thursday.

Booking Through Thursday - Preferences

Today's Question:

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

Reading something frivolous? Or something serious?

- something serious, although occasional frivolity is good...especially in the summer

Paperbacks? Or hardcovers?

-paperbacks

Fiction? Or Nonfiction?

-fiction

Poetry? Or Prose?

-prose

Biographies? Or Autobiographies?

-biographies

History? Or Historical Fiction?

-historical fiction

Series? Or Stand-alones?

-stand-alones

Classics? Or best-sellers?

-classics

Lurid, fruity prose? Or straight-forward, basic prose?

-I need both in my 'literary diet'

Plots? Or Stream-of-Consciousness?

-plots

Long books? Or Short?

-again, I like a mix

Illustrated? Or Non-illustrated?

-non-illustrated

Borrowed? Or Owned?

-owned

New? Or Used?

-new

Definitely a short and sweet BTT this week! Check for more responses here.

Booking Through Thursday - TBR

Today's BTT question asks:

Do you keep all your unread books together, like books in a waiting room? Or are they scattered throughout your shelves, mingling like party-goers waiting for the host to come along?

My answer:

For the most part, I keep all of my unread books in one spot. There is a bookcase in my bedroom especially for tbr books. However, some classic tbr's occupy space in our main family room bookcase. Here you will find The Woman in White shelved next to The Moonstone. Death Comes for the Archbishop waits patiently beside My Antonia and O Pioneers!, and Summer is tucked in between The Custom of the Country and The House of Mirth. A few others on this shelf include Bleak House, To The Lighthouse and Mrs. Dalloway, and Light in August (maybe a good read for next month?).

TBR library books are stacked on a small table or on the windowsill near my favorite reading/blogging chair. I like to keep them separate from books I own - it's easier to renew or return them on time that way.

Finally, there is my 'immediate tbr pile' on the nightstand. These are books that I plan to start very soon, and is usually no more than 2 or 3 books high. Sometimes, however, I'll get too ambitious and it grows to six or more, but I don't like that to happen too often. That's when I tend to rush through one book to get to the next...and my enjoyment decreases as the pile shrinks.

How about you? Where do your tbr books 'belong'?

Visit today's Booking Through Thursday post to see all the answers.

Booking Through Thursday - Celebrities

Today's question:

Suggested by Callista83:

Do you read celebrity memoirs? Which ones have you read or do you want to read? Which nonexistent celebrity memoirs would you like to see?

My answer:

At the mention of celebrity, my mind automatically turns to the entertainment industry. The quick answer to the question is that I have not read any memoirs at all. However, a celebrity is actually any famous or well-known person. In this broader context, there are a few memoirs or autobiographies that I can recommend.

Long Walk to Freedom

the autobiography of Nelson Mandela

Read before I started keeping a reading journal for a long-defunct co-ed book club, Mandela's story has stayed with me for years.

Personal History

by Katharine Graham

Another book club selection, the autobiography of Washington Post owner Katharine Graham was a fascinating read.

Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table

by Ruth Reichl

A must for foodies, this is the memoir of New York Times restaurant critic and food writer Ruth Reichl.

What celebrity memoirs or autobiographies have you read? Visit today's Booking Through Thursday to see more answers.

Booking Through Thursday - HOT!

Today's question:

Now that summer is here (in the northern hemisphere, anyway), what is the most “Summery” book you can think of? The one that captures the essence of summer for you?

(I’m not asking for you to list your ideal “beach reading,” you understand, but the book that you can read at any time of year but that evokes “summer.”)

My answer:

Today's question didn't require a lot of thinking, since I recently finished a book that says "summer" like no other.  If long, lazy days on Cape Cod appeals to you, check this out:

The Big House: A Century in The Life of An American Summer Home

by George Howe Colt

My review can be found here.

Thinking about summer reading also takes me back to my childhood. I can a see myself, as an 8 or 9 year old curled up on the couch or outside on a lawn chair, reading Key to The Treasure by Peggy Parish, Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers, Charlotte's Web, Black Beauty, and, of course, Harriet the Spy. Those books, to this day, remind me of summer.

What book says 'summer' to you?  Read more responses at today's Booking Through Thursday.

Booking Through Thursday - Fantasy and Sci-Fi

One of my favorite sci-fi authors (Sharon Lee) has declared June 23rd Fantasy and Science Fiction Writers Day.

As she puts it:

So! In my Official Capacity as a writer of science fiction and fantasy, I hereby proclaim June 23 Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Day! A day of celebration and wonder! A day for all of us readers of science fiction and fantasy to reach out and say thank you to our favorite writers. A day, perhaps, to blog about our favorite sf/f writers. A day to reflect upon how written science fiction and fantasy has changed your life.

So … what might you do on the 23rd to celebrate? Do you even read fantasy/sci-fi? Why? Why not?

My answer:

Well, that's easy.  Since I rarely read Fantasy or Sci-Fi, there will no celebration on the 23rd. 

In fact, I've never been much of a sci-fi or fantasy reader.  Although I am tempted to give Fahrenheit 451 another shot, it was a struggle to get through it in high school.  I wonder if it would be different viewed from an adult perspective.  Lincoln's Dreams by Connie Willis, read for a book club, has the dubious honor of being my least enjoyable read of the past ten years.

Time travel is mildly appealing to me though.  I was impressed with Octavia Butler's Kindred (also read for a book club) and, more recently, enjoyed The Time Traveler's Wife.

My fantasy reading is also limited. I read the first Harry Potter book aloud to my children, but they were on their own after that! We did, however, attend several midnight parties to purchase multiple copies of new installments.  At Twin A's insistence, I finally read Twilight last fall. It created quite a stir around school that "even Moms"  were reading it, but I couldn't muster the enthusiasm for New Moon.

I'm not opposed to reading more science fiction of fantasy.  Do you have any suggestions?  Perhaps I'll find a few on the 23rd!

More responses to this question can by found at Booking Through Thursday.

Booking Through Thursday - Niche

Today's question:

There are certain types of books that I more or less assume all readers read. (Novels, for example.)

But then there are books that only YOU read. Instructional manuals for fly-fishing. How-to books for spinning yarn. How to cook the perfect souffle. Rebuilding car engines in three easy steps. Dog training for dummies. Rewiring your house without electrocuting yourself. Tips on how to build a NASCAR course in your backyard. Stuff like that.

What niche books do YOU read?

My answer:

I suppose my 'niche' books have changed, or evolved, over the years as my interests have developed.  Of course, there have been constants. My collection of cookbooks has been growing and changing for almost 25 years.  Some I use often, while others come out only for holidays, a specific season, or a special occasion.  Here are a few of my favorites:

The number of gardening books seems to be increasing. They are kept on an easily accessible shelf for quick reference.

This higher shelf is home to niche books I don't use as much anymore.  Some of my antique furniture and pottery books are her, as well as a few dog books, and child/adolescent/parenting books (I should probably pull these down for a  "teen" refresher!).

The needlework, craft, and decorating books can be found on another shelf, along with various travel guides, and an assortment dictionaries and atlases.  Most of the home remodeling books were donated to the library book sale (we're not doing that again!). If you add in my husband's niche books, the collection looks even more eclectic! 

Read more answers to this question at Booking Through Thursday.

Booking Through Thursday - Sticky

Today's question comes from Shelley and asks:

"This can be a quick one.  Don't take too long to think about it.  Fifteen books that you've read that will always stick with you.  First fifteen you can recall in no more than fifteen minutes"

My answer:

Though not necessarily my "favorite" fifteen,  these are books, both fiction and nonfiction, that have really stuck with me over  the years. They have opened my eyes to new places, cultures or time periods.  They have increased my understanding, or broadened my perspective of people or events. The writing may have been some of the best I'd ever read, or perhaps it was a book from childhood that I returned to over and over again.

1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
   
2. East of Eden by John Steinbeck
   
3. The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
   
4. Corelli's Mandolin by Louis deBernieres
   
5. Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner
   
6. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
   
7. The Cairo Trilogy by Naguib Mahfouz (Palace Walk, Palace of Desire, Sugar Street)
   
8. A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
   
9. A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth
   
10. Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset
    
11. The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim Defede
    
12. And The Band Played On by Randy Shilts
    
13. Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela
    
14. The Diary of Anne Frank
    
15. Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

Booking Through Thursday - Unread

In a perfect follow up to last weeks question, as suggested by C in DC:

Is there a book you wish you could "unread"?  One that you disliked so thoroughly you wish you could just forget that you ever read it?

My answer:

In one word, no.  If a book is really that bad, I will stop reading it...unless it is for my book club.  In that case,  I will persevere to the bitter end, share my opinion, and enjoy the discussion.  If the entire group dislikes the book (and that's only happened once with White Teeth), it becomes a part of group lore that we bring up and laugh about for years to come.

Visit Booking Through Thursday to see more answers or leave your own.

Booking Through Thursday - A Second First Time?

Today's Booking Through Thursday asks simply:
What book would you love to be able to read again for the first time?


My answer, without hesitation, is Pride and Prejudice. Although it's been many years, I'll never forget the feeling I had reading it for the first time. Not being familiar with the plot, foremost in my mind was wondering whether Elizabeth would end up with Mr. Darcy. Now that I know the story and can practically recite many passages by heart, reading the novel brings a different type of satisfaction and comfort.

Summer plans include a re-read, so I need to settle on which book I'll read. My three choices are pictured here. A leather bound edition from The Easton Press is on the bottom of the pile. It was a Christmas gift from my husband several years ago. Next is a hardback Everyman's Library edition, which I bought long ago to replace a battered paperback. And finally, the one I'm leaning toward at the moment, is The Annotated Pride and Prejudice (edited by David M. Shapard) which came home from college with my daughter.

This question also reminded me of Daughter #1's first reading of Pride and Prejudice. Initially, she had trouble with the language, so I read the first chapter aloud to her. The rest, as they say, is history. She's gone on to read most of Jane Austen's novels, received a trip to London and Bath for her high school graduation last year, and just completed a Jane Austen in Film class at college. Twin A (16) is planning to read Pride and Prejudice for the first time this summer. I hope she, too, finds wonder and delight in the world of Jane Austen.

To see more answers, or add your own, visit today's Booking Through Thursday.

Graphic Novels: My Experiment

Last week's Booking Through Thursday topic was graphic novels. In my response, I admitted total ignorance on the subject. However, by spending a little time reading other BTT answers, I got some great suggestions and decided to test the water myself.

Heather left a comment directing me to her very informative post. She pointed me toward Graphic Novels: Everything You Need To Know by Paul Gravett. My library didn't have this title but, thanks to inter-library loan, I was able to pick it up just a few days later. It is an excellent primer on graphic novels. Gravett lists 30 of his favorite titles and goes on to show sample pages (complete with suggestions on how to read them). He also points out themes, keywords, and special features. By leafing through this book, I found I was drawn to color illustrations...and preferred to steer clear of the sci-fi, super hero, fantasy world.


So, I checked out American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang. It won the Michael L. Printz Award, was a National Book Award finalist, and was mentioned by at least a couple of bloggers. American Born Chinese tells three separate stories. First is the Chinese fable of the Monkey King trying to rise above his heritage. The story of Jin Wang, a lonely, Asian American middle school student trying to fit in is next. Finally we have Chin-Kee (purposely the ultimate negative Chinese stereotype) who ruins his popular cousin Danny's life with his yearly visits. Yang then weaves these stories together and delivers a powerful message of self-acceptance. I'm glad I had the opportunity to read American Born Chinese and will be suggesting this title to my nephew in middle school.

This experiment with graphic novels was definitely a success. I feel like I've gained a (very) basic idea of what they're all about and an understanding of their appeal (especially to 11 year old boys). They won't become a favorite genre, but I will consider reading another. I hear there is a Pride and Prejudice graphic novel coming soon....

Booking Through Thursday - Gluttony

Mariel suggested this week’s question:
Book Gluttony! Are your eyes bigger than your book belly? Do you have a habit of buying up books far quicker than you could possibly read them? Have you had to curb your book buying habits until you can catch up with yourself? Or are you a controlled buyer, only purchasing books when you have run out of things to read?

My response:
My name is JoAnn.....and I am a book glutton. There, I've admitted it! I buy books faster than I can possibly read them, but I am getting better.

The stack on the left are books I've bought in the past couple months and am either reading now, or plan to start soon. There are others that I've recently purchased and read, but far more that have been purchased long ago and remain unread on the shelf. Taking a picture of all those books would depress me, so I'll skip it.

My book buying has slowed considerably in the past year. First, I'm using the library much more, and second, I try to buy a book ONLY if I'm going to start reading it within the next few days.
While this has helped, I really need to dedicate a year to reading books I already own. Nan at Letters From a Hill Farm is not buying or borrowing books this year. She has recently posted a progress report on her project. I don't have the will power to carry it that far, but I can at least strive to curb the purchasing and read from my stacks.

You can read more answers or add your own here.