Booked by 3 for June: My Answers

Participation, at least that I know of based on comments here, has tapered off. I know that's mostly my fault, for being so reliable, but after a couple of years, it's gotten really hard to come up with new book-related questions. I'm going to try to keep it up for the rest of this year, then reassess. If anyone has questions to suggest, please leave them in the comments. Thanks.

Now, my answers to the last batch of questions.

1. Any summer reading plans? A particular book you've been dying to escape into?
Nothing special. I just want to catch up a bit with everything, especially comics and magazines that piled up when I was away at the end of May.

2. Summer reading: Different than the rest of the year? Or same old same old?
I don't read any differently in the summer. And my stack of unread books continues to grow.

3. Reading goals? By the week? Month? Year?
Right now, I'm happy if I can end up averaging more than a book a month. :)

Booked by 3 for March: My Answers

*sigh* I really did mean to answer before the end of March, but somehow, time got away from me again. So, here goes. The G-H-I letters.

1. List up to 3 books you've read that start with each of the aforementioned letters. "The," "A," and "An" may be ignored for the purpose of this exercise.
G: Getting Mother's Body (S-L Parks). Gemini Contenders (R. Ludlum), Gorky Park (M. Cruz Smith)
H: Hot Plastic (P. Craig), Hot and Sweaty Rex (E. Garcia), Holes (L. Sachar)
I: The Ice House (M. Walters), Island of Bones (P.J. Parrish), In the Blood (N. Collins)

2. List up to 3 authors you've read whose first or last names begin with each of the letters: G, H, and I.
G: Nicola Griffith, William Gibson, Eric Garcia
H: Charlie Huston, Joe Haldeman, Alice Hoffman
I: Ira Levin, John Irving, Isaac Asimov

3. List up to 3 books and/or authors for each letter that you want to read.
These are from my To Buy/Read list, not all of which have been published yet.
G: Gentlemen of the Road (M. Chabon) , Garden of Last Days (A. Dubus III)
H: Hold Tight (H. Coben), The Ha-Ha (D. King)
I: Ice Queen (A. Hoffman), In the Country of Men (H. Matar)

That will have to do. As soon as I can come up with questions for April, I'll post 'em! :)

Booked by 3 for February: My Answers

February went fast, even with the extra day this year. So, here are my late-as-usual answers. New questions maybe this weekend.

1. Do you associate reading particular books with the places you read them or events of the time you read them?

It's more a matter of associating places with books. I'll be sitting in a pizza place or coffeeshop and remember reading a particular book there. If it isn't the subway or home or gym where I normally read, I get little moments of deja vu-like feelings and the title of the book will just pop into my head.

2. Do you remember the books you read or do they fade quickly? Or do you remember some better than others? How about remember details like character names, not just overall plot?

They fade more quickly than I'd like, but some stick better than others. Some I can remember character names, like Leo in Lois Bujold's Falling Free. Others bring forth vivid memories of how I felt when reading them, ie Richard Adams' Shardik.

3. Have you ever forgotten you've read/own a book and borrowed/bought it again?

I haven't forgotten that I've read a book, but I have forgotten I've bought one and have bought it again. Usually, that happens when the book is reissued with a new cover, but not always. Which is why I now carry a typed list (up to 8 pages now) of books to buy.

Booked by 3 for January: My Answers

Okay, I'm officially late this time. How a month of 31 days can slip past me so fast is beyond me. Ah well, here goes.
1. List up to 3 books you read in 2007 that you loved.
I really loved Possible Side Effects (A. Burroughs), Getting Mother's Body (S-L Parks), and Hot Plastic (P. Craig).

2. List up to 3 books you read in 2007 that were disappointments.
I had high hopes for The Interpreter (S. Kim) and Bay of Souls (R. Stone), but both left me feeling unsatisfied.

3. List up to 3 authors you discovered in 2007 you definitely will put on your Must Read list.
I didn't read too many new to me writers, but I'd love to see more novels from Suzan-Lori Parks and Peter Craig. And I enjoyed the science fiction novel I read by Richard Paul Russo (The Rosetta Codex) and plan to read more of his.

February's questions will be posted soon. I promise.

Booked by 3 for December, My Answers

It's still December, so I'm not technically late.

1. Do you have any books you read every year/often? Or, if you don't have the time, is there any you want to reread? I don't reread and there aren't any books in particular I'd like to reread. There are so many books to read the first time.
   
2. Do you read holiday books? If yes, do you have any favorites? No, nothing in particular. A good story is a good story.
   
3. Do you give books for gifts and/or like to receive them? If you like to receive them, do you keep a wishlist somewhere? Back when I exchanged gifts with family, yes, I both gave and received books. These days, it's gift cards for my niece and nephew and toys and fun things for friends. I don't keep a wishlist. If I really want a book, I just buy it.
   

That's it for this year. I hope everyone has a Happy New Year!

Tomorrow, I'll post the January questions. Really. :)

Booked by 3 for November, My Very Late Answers

I'm late, I'm late. Just lost track of time.

Adaptations this time.

1. Books Made Into Movies (can include TV shows)

• Do you prefer to read the book before or after seeing the movie? Before. Before. I hate spoilers, so if the adaptations are fairly faithful, I'd rather not know what's going to happen in a book, but I don't mind as much in a movie or tv show because I can also enjoy the acting, music, etc.
• Do you prefer to not see movies or TV shows made from your favorite books? I don't mind seeing them. I like to see who they cast and if what they did matches my own ideas.
  
• Do you prefer a faithful adaptation or does it not matter? Faithful is better, but if not, I don't mind as long as it's interesting and as good or better than the book, and that's rare.
  

2. Novelizations of Movies/TV Shows

• Do you read them? Sometimes.
  
• Do you prefer reading them before or after seeing the movie/tv show? After, so they can fill in some of the blanks. The only ones I really read were Star Trek ones.
  
• Do you prefer a faithful adaption or does it not matter? It doesn't much matter, but faithful is nice.
  

3. Miscellaneous

• Are there books you'd love to see adapted for movies or TV shows or any you hope will never be adapted? None I can think of offhand, though some of Minette Walters books would be great filmed. Maybe for the Mystery series.
  
• Do you envision favorite actors as characters while you read? Often.
  
• Are there adaptations you think are dead on or any that make you cringe? The best was probably To Kill a Mockingbird. The Exorcist was rather good, too. I can't think of any awful ones right now, probably because I read reviews and then refused to see them. ;)
  

New questions soonish. As soon as I think some up! ;)

Booked by 3: October, My Answers

At least, I'm answering before the month is over. ;)

1. Do you have favorite sites for getting book info? Share 3 (or more!).

• Bookslut
• MediaBistro GalleyCat
• BookWire
  

2. How about favorite author sites? Share 3 (or more).

• Minette Walters has a very nice site. I get her emailed newsletter, too.
• Barry Eisler has a great site, and it's got a lot of information on things other than his books.
• Michael Marshall Smith is one of my favorite authors.
• Other nice author sites include: Neil Gaiman, Lawrence Block, and Jonathan Lethem.

3. And finally, are there 3 or more book review blogs you never miss reading? And no, you don't have to name this one! :)

• This is hard, in that I'd hate to leave anyone out, so just look over in the sidebar.

Booked by 3 for September: My Answers

I'm lazy, I admit it. I'm way late with my answers. sigh. I got so behind with the router problem. Anyway, here are my answers and I'll have October's questions up this weekend.

Do you have a permanent record of your books?

Yes, I keep it online on Library Thing, but I still have a ways to go.

II. If you keep track of your books on a website, do you...

1. Have a free or paid account? Paid.
   
2. Use it to track books to be read as well as books owned, or do you use the site just for your To Be Read list or something else I can't think of? So far, just the books I own.
   
3. Enter the data manually or did you get a barcode scanner so I can add books faster? I got the barcode scanner because I have too many books without ISBNs as it is to enter manually.
   

III. Miscellaneous questions.

1. If you use the online sites, do you just catalog your books or do you participate in forums, check other libraries, and otherwise network with other users? I'm on a few of Library Thing's forums, mainly the Science Fiction Fans and Librarians Who Library Thing.
   
2. 
   
3. If you use one of the sites, which one and what's your user name so the rest of us can check out your library? I'm ShellyS on Library Thing.
   

Booked by 3 for August: My Answers

I figured I should answer this before it's time for the September questions.

Name 3 groups of 3 titles of books you've read that share one or more words.

This was harder than I thought. I kept hitting plural and singular versions of the word I wanted to use, so I didn't stick with genres. There were some obvious ones, though. Kim Stanley Robinson's Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars, Eric Garcia's Dinosaur Mafia books that use the word Rex, and Barry Eisler's Rain books, but I wanted to use different authors for each word.

1. Blood books (This was a popular word in the titles on my books read list.)

• In the Blood (Nancy Collins) - horror
• Field of Blood (Denise Mina) - mystery
• Blood of Angels (Michael Marshall) - suspense

2. War books

• A Drink Before the War (Dennis Lehane) - mystery
• The Forever War (Joe Haldeman) - science fiction
• The Cool War (Frederik Pohl) - science fiction

3. Stars books (another popular word, and not just science fiction)

• The Stars, Like Dust (Isaac Asimov) - science fiction
• The City and the Stars (Arthur C. Clarke) - science fiction
• The Stars My Destination (Alfred Bester) - science fiction

Booked by 3 for July: My Answers

Okay, that was harder than I thought. And I apologize for not answering sooner or acknowledging the two wonderful responses I know about. You folks really did a great job. Me? Not so great. I guess we won't try the August version of this because hardly anyone tried and what fun is that? So, here are my humble efforts.

1.
Where's Poppa?
Sickened
on Main Street

(authors: Robert Klane, Julie Gregory, Sinclair Lewis)

2.
Wouldn't It Be Nice?
Walking Through Shadows
Forever Free

(authors: Brian Wilson, Bev Marshall, Joe Haldeman)

3.
A Stranger is Watching
Lost Girls
Growing Up Weightless

(authors: Mary Higgins Clark. Andrew Pyper, John M. Ford)

We could certainly try this or something similar with first lines, but I'll need a show of hands. :)

Booked by 3 for June: My Answers

Mea culpa. I forgot to post my answers. Ah well, it is still June, so here goes.

1. Do you read while on public transport or when on long journeys by train/tram/bus etc? And if so what is your preferred reading material for these trips?

I mostly read on my subway trip home, whichever book I'm in the middle of. I'll read some from it at home, too. Sometimes, it's also my gym book, but not always. I can't read for too long, though, on moving vehicles because I tend to nod off.

2. You see someone reading a book on the tram/train/bus and are impressed/want to get to know that person, what is the book? Name three possibilities. Bonus: Have you ever gotten a book to read because you've seen someone else reading it on public transportation?

I'm always looking at what people are reading. Call it professional curiosity, being that I'm a librarian. Books that would impress me? Probably one of my fav authors would do it or something I enjoyed that I recently finished reading so we could discuss it, provided they're far enough into it to have something to say. I wouldn't spoil a book for someone. And no, I don't recall getting a book because I saw someone reading it.

3. If you were wanting to catch someone's eye, what book would you be reading? Name three possibilities.

hmmmm.... Can't think of any in particular. Something literary, perhaps. But mostly, I just read what I want to read and I'm not looking to catch someone's eye.

Booked by 3: May, My Answers

Was so busy crafting and trying to finish the book I was reading before my vacation that I forgot to post my answers to my own meme. So, here goes.

1. Name up to 3 books you think everyone should read.

I thought a lot about this. Should I give varied titles? Work off a theme? There are too many books I consider a must. So, I'll go with 3 cautionary tales.

1. 1984 (more relevant today than ever)
2. To Kill a Mockingbird (the dangers of prejudice)
3. The Plot Against America (demonstrates how easy it can be to lose freedoms in the name of security)

2. Name up to 3 authors you think everyone should read.

1. Philip Roth (a true wordsmith)
2. Arthur Clarke (his books show true vision)
3. Minette Walters (suspense/mystery doesn't get better than her books)

3. Name up to 3 books no one should read.

I knew going in this would be iffy. I don't like telling people a book doesn't have redeeming qualities. Just because I don't like a book doesn't mean someone else won't like it. So, I won't name titles, but I will say that just because someone is an expert on a subject doesn't mean he or she can write a novel about that subject.

And I found John Grisham's The Firm oddly disappointing. Halfway through, I realized the protag was always a step or two ahead of the baddies and that just killed the suspense for me.

Booked by 3: April, My Answers

Name up to 3 characters:

You wish were real so you could meet them.

• Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. I would love to have a real discussion with him.
• Ukiah Oregon of Wen Spencer's science fiction series because he's hot.
• Vincent Rubio in Eric Garcia's Dinosaur Mafia books because who wouldn't want to meet a modern-day dinosaur?

You would like to be.

• Growing up, I wanted to be Nancy Drew.
• A comic book character: Supergirl. Who wouldn't want super powers?
• hmmmmm.... can't think of a third.

That scare you.

• Charles Lindbergh in Philip Roth's The Plot Against America.
• Big Brother in 1984.
• Paul in Michael Marshall's Straw Men trilogy. The embodiment of evil.

By the way, I was really tickled to see that this edition of Booked by 3 got picked up by a lot of folks via tagging, to the point that the original post got lost in the ether of cyberspace. I think that was one of my fantasies when I started blogging, to create a meme that took on a life of its own.

Booked by 3: March, My Answers

The month is going by faster than I would like. Here, belatedly, are my answers to the latest batch of questions.

WEEDING

1. Do you weed regularly? If so, how often? If not, why not? I try to do it regularly. Mostly when I run out of room, but at least 3-4 times a year.
   
2. Do you have guidelines you stick with? Nothing set in stone, but if I haven't read a book that's been sitting here for at least 10 years, it's a candidate for being culled from the flock.
   
3. Are there books you would never weed? My childrens' series: Nancy Drew, The Dana Girls, and Trixie Belden, plus the few Judy Bolton books. I want to get the rest of the latter. There are also a lot of books that I've particularly enjoyed over the years that I'd hate to part with.
   

Booked by 3: February, My Answers

Well, slacker that I am, I missed the deadline with this. Some of you included dead authors for wishing there were more books by, but I have too many of those to list, so I'll stick with the living.

1. Have you read (up to 3) authors recently you want to read more by? I've been impressed with Suzan-Lori Parks, Bev Marshall, Gangemi.
   
2. Have you read authors (up to 3) recently that if you never see another book by them, it will be too soon? I tend to choose well, because I skim a book in the middle to see if I like the writing style, so no one recently made me feel like giving up reading. I did get a bit tired of Frederick Busch. I also need a long break from Kim Stanley Robinson. And I wasn't all that impressed with Lee Child or his Jack Reacher character.
   
3. Are there any authors (up to 3) you wish would write more books? I wish Minette Walters wrote faster and I'd love another Dinosaur Mafia book by Eric Garcia. And more Cat books from Joan Vinge.
   

Booked by 3: January 2007 Edition, My Answers

My top 3 reads for 2006, in no particular order.

1. Inamorata by Joseph Gangemi. This was unusual. A historical suspense tale focused on an attempt to either find a genuine psychic or forever debunk them. I love psychological tales and this one played out well, keeping me guessing as to how the "psychic" in question accomplished her feats.
2. The Secrets of Jin-Shei by Alma Alexander. A lovely historical fantasy that probes the true meaning of friendship and the price friends pay for such a bond that's stronger than family. The evocative writing as well as memorable characters put this near the top of my list for the year.
3. Walking Through Shadows by Bev Marshall is another historical mystery/suspense tale that perfectly renders a time and place, with characters that really stick with the reader.

Booked by 3 December: My Answers

Time for my answers.

1. Have you read any of the top 10 or any from the 100 Notable Books list? I put comments after each title.
2. Are any of these books on your To Be Read list? Noted after the titles.
   
3. Is there any book listed you think shouldn't be a Notable Book or one that you think should have made the cut? I tend to be behind in my reading, and most of the books I read this year were published in previous years, so, no, none I can think of.
   

ABSURDISTAN
By Gary Shteyngart. Random House.
Don't know it.

THE COLLECTED STORIES OF AMY HEMPEL
Scribner
I don't usually read stories, preferring novels.

THE EMPEROR'S CHILDREN
By Claire Messud. Alfred A. Knopf
I'm not sure about this one. The review was interesting.

THE LAY OF THE LAND
By Richard Ford. Alfred A. Knopf
Don't know it.

SPECIAL TOPICS IN CALAMITY PHYSICS
By Marisha Pessl. Viking
This is on my to be read list. As usual, I'm waiting for the trade or mass market pb.

NONFICTION

FALLING THROUGH THE EARTH
A Memoir.
By Danielle Trussoni. Henry Holt & Company
Don't know it, but the title is interesting.

THE LOOMING TOWER
Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11.
By Lawrence Wright. Alfred A. Knopf
No. I'm freaked out enough about this and don't need to add to my paranoia.

MAYFLOWER
A Story of Courage, Community, and War.
By Nathaniel Philbrick. Viking
Definitely on my to read list. It got great reviews, and the article in Newsweek was most favorable.

THE OMNIVORE'S DILEMMA
A Natural History of Four Meals.
By Michael Pollan. The Penguin Press
Intriguing, but not what I usually read.

THE PLACES IN BETWEEN
By Rory Stewart. Harvest/Harcourt
Don't know it.

Of the 100 Notable titles, I want to read the following:

BROOKLAND. By Emily Barton. (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $25.) A tale of 18th-century sisters, one with a dream to bridge the East River.

EVERYMAN. By Philip Roth. (Houghton Mifflin, $24.) A nameless protagonist grapples with aging, physical decline and impending death in this slender, elegant novel.

JAMES TIPTREE, JR.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon. By Julie Phillips. (St. Martin's, $27.95.) A biography of the complex woman who, as James Tiptree Jr., found in science fiction the perfect genre for telling her own story.

A few of the others sound interesting, so I might pick them up too, once the pbs are published.

Booked by 3 November: My Answers

1. Do you use bookplates (For those who don't know, they're nice designs on paper you glue into books to claim them as yours)? No.
   
2. Do you write your name in your books? I used to, especially if I lent them out.
   
3. Do you attach stickers with your name and / or other info into your books? No. The closest I've come is to highlight and jot notes in texts back in college (1970s, folks) and when I was a kid, I made my own book pockets and due date cards for when I lent my books. I guess I was fated to be a librarian. I can't bear to write in books now.
   

Booked by 3 October Answers

Ack. I can't believe I kept forgetting to answer this month's questions. So, finally, here they are.

Reading Habits: Have your reading habits changed over the years?

1. Do you read more, less, or approximately the same amount? Less, unfortunately
   
2. Do you read different types of books or different genres now than before? I went through a spy phase and then science fiction almost exclusively, and in the '90s, I decided to read a bit more widely again. I do tend to binge read at times, like my current obsession with Minette Walters.
   
3. Do you read as much, at different times, in different places than you used to? Not really. Except that I used to read a lot at night, books mostly, and now if I read at night, it's blogs and comics. My book reading is mostly on my subway commute, at the gym, and sometimes, while eating dinner.
   

Bonus Question: Have you developed any reading superstitions or routines? Not unless my reluctance to read library books or others that have been read by other people first. I like being the first to read a book and prefer to buy my own copies.

Booked by 3: My September Answers

I really meant to have this up sooner, but got bogged down by fiddling with beta Blogger and flickr and well, time has a way of getting away, doesn't it.

1. How many books did you read this summer (you can count from June 21 to the day you answer this this month)? I think I managed to get 3 or 4 read. I don't track by date and I'm feeling a bit lazy about checking the review dates here.

2. Would you recommend any of them? Yes. I loved the Minette Walters' books. The Dark Room was the one I finished most recently. Before I realized I needed to read every one of her books, I'd been thinking I'd just read the ones that most appealed to me plot-wise and this hadn't made the cut. But now that I've read it, I have to say while it's not my favorite, it's as good as any of her other books, which is saying a lot.

3. Were you disappointed in any of them? I had hoped Wen Spencer's book, A Brother's Price, would be more enjoyable. Her Ukiah Oregon books are wonderful, but this wasn't nearly as good, I thought.