Miscellaneous book questions...

[fajrdrako]

From October 9, 2008:

What was the last book you bought?

Finally... Food I Can Eat by Shirley Plant

Name a book you have read MORE than once

Cagebird by Karin Lowachee

Has a book ever fundamentally changed the way you see life? If yes, what was it?

Yoga, Youth and Reincarnation by Jess Stearn. I was 18 at the time; and it wasn't maybe the book itself - but the book is a rather good introduction to yoga. It got me interested enough to follow it up by taking a yoga class.

Perhaps I should cite a biography called Sir Francis Drake that I read when I was 8. It began my fascination with history and with swashbuckling.

How do you choose a book? eg. by cover design and summary, recommendations or reviews

Yes. Also: whim. Most commonly, I choose books by authors I know and love. Or by subjects which interest me.

Do you prefer Fiction or Non-Fiction?

No. Okay, emotionally I prefer fiction, usually. But there are a lot of books out there that I love which aren't novels.

What’s more important in a novel - beautiful writing or a gripping plot?

Writing style always trumps everything else, but I don't know if it's beautiful writing I look for. I look for effective writing. Writing that evokes an emotional response in me, regardless of genre. It's more often a matter of word-choice and characterization than plot.

Most loved/memorable character (character/book)

Francis Crawford of Lymond.

Which book or books can be found on your nightstand at the moment?

Cours Moyen de Français

What was the last book you’ve read, and when was it?

Neris and India's Idiot-Proof Diet: A Weight-Loss Plan for Real Women by Neris Thomas and India Knight.

Have you ever given up on a book half way in?

Yes. Or, more often, after the first few pages.

You know what is really surpising here? I probably read 2 or 3 novels to every work of non-fiction, yet most of the books I've cited here are non-fiction. Yet most of the really important books in my life have been fiction.