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The book meme
May. 25th, 2005 03:44 pmDamn you ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
blankbadge, and your little dog too...
Book You're Reading Now:
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. You know, the one with Thursday Next, the Literary Detective with a pet dodo. I’m enjoying it so far, especially the gratuitous literary references. I’m also dipping into two books of short stories when I feel like it: something called Splatterpunks: Extreme Horror (ed. Paul M. Sammon 1990) which is a collection of blood and gore horror stories from the late 80s; and Jeff Noon’s Pixel Juice, which has more of his cyberpunk Manchester world.
Last Book You Read:
Iron Council by China Mieville. A huge disappointment. I mean it was ok, but... meh. Nothing memorable. Probably the weakest book he’s written so far (not including his debut King Rat which I’ve never read). Which is a damn shame, because I thought Perdido Street Station was superb...
And also The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon which was a delight to read, a kind of Siegel and Schuster/Jack Kirby story of early comic book creators, some of whom were immigrant Jews fleeing the Nazis. Just a really well written book, full of thoughtful characterisation and tasty comic book references, Golems and Houdini and Stan Lee and Salvador Dali... Read it now. Go on. You know you want to.
Next Book You're going to Buy/Read:
Either Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, or The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold. Or possibly Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. All gratefully received from Hounslow Library, to whom I dedicate this meme. (I haven’t been able to buy books for quite a while now.)
Book You've Read the Most Times:
Ah. Well, I don’t really tend to reread books. I know, I’m unusual in that respect. The thing is, it takes me a long time to forget them. And I’d much rather read something new.
Longest Book You've Read:
Good grief... so many contenders. Longest books I’ve never finished were James Joyce’s Ulysses and Cervantes’ Don Quixote. Life’s too short. Otherwise I have no idea, I’ve read some (appallingly) long fantasy novels, for example. The entire Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan... there we go, that’s the longest book I’ve ever read. Ten or so books and counting when it should have been, and started out as, a trilogy. The editor should be shot.
Book You've Read in the Shortest Time:
Too many to mention. I have to have backup books on planes and long train journeys, because I get withdrawal symptoms if I run out midway. I have been known to read cereal packets and ads on the Underground. When I was younger, I always had a paperback on me, usually stuffed into my trouser pocket.
One Book You Wanted To Read That Disappointed You:
Most recently Iron Council. Another that stands out is Mostly Harmless by Douglas Adams... I can’t think of a clearer example of a writer publishing a book to kill off a franchise, and it’s a depressing read for that reason, and also unfunny. Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z Brite... I think a clear sign of a writer abandoning a genre, the book has little warmth to it or its characters. I'm glad she's writing what she wants to now. Nobody should be forced into indentured writing by fans or publishing house.
Have You Read Books in a Different Language From Yours?
At school, certainly. Some books in French, notably Camus. Otherwise no, not really.
Writer You've Read the Most From:
Hmm... when I find a writer I like, I tend to seek out and devour their entire back catalogue. Neil Gaiman, naturally. Stephen King, as when I was younger I read everything he’d ever done. Until my tastes changed, as did the quality of his writing. He still takes up an entire shelf in my bedroom back home though. Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman for their Dragonlance books, and lots of other things. John Irving, I think he is an excellent and under-rated writer. How about Chris Claremont for his X-Men run? He’s back on the title again, and I’ve been reading him regularly since 1987. That counts.
Some Books You Like:
Just some? Ok then... Ah, Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson. The Hotel New Hampshire by John Irving. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. Pollen by Jeff Noon. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk. IT by Stephen King. Drawing Blood by Poppy Z Brite. The Sandman series by Neil Gaiman. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers. Robin Hobb’s fantasy books. The Song of Ice and Fire series by George R R Martin. Iain M Banks’ Culture novels, particularly Use of Weapons. Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses. The beloved Angela Carter, particularly the short stories. That’ll do, now, that’ll do...
Some Books You Don't Like:
Anything by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala or Don DeLillo.
5 People You're Passing this On To:
Whoever wants it. I’m not going to force anyone into it.
blankbadge, and your little dog too...Book You're Reading Now:
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. You know, the one with Thursday Next, the Literary Detective with a pet dodo. I’m enjoying it so far, especially the gratuitous literary references. I’m also dipping into two books of short stories when I feel like it: something called Splatterpunks: Extreme Horror (ed. Paul M. Sammon 1990) which is a collection of blood and gore horror stories from the late 80s; and Jeff Noon’s Pixel Juice, which has more of his cyberpunk Manchester world.
Last Book You Read:
Iron Council by China Mieville. A huge disappointment. I mean it was ok, but... meh. Nothing memorable. Probably the weakest book he’s written so far (not including his debut King Rat which I’ve never read). Which is a damn shame, because I thought Perdido Street Station was superb...
And also The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon which was a delight to read, a kind of Siegel and Schuster/Jack Kirby story of early comic book creators, some of whom were immigrant Jews fleeing the Nazis. Just a really well written book, full of thoughtful characterisation and tasty comic book references, Golems and Houdini and Stan Lee and Salvador Dali... Read it now. Go on. You know you want to.
Next Book You're going to Buy/Read:
Either Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, or The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold. Or possibly Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. All gratefully received from Hounslow Library, to whom I dedicate this meme. (I haven’t been able to buy books for quite a while now.)
Book You've Read the Most Times:
Ah. Well, I don’t really tend to reread books. I know, I’m unusual in that respect. The thing is, it takes me a long time to forget them. And I’d much rather read something new.
Longest Book You've Read:
Good grief... so many contenders. Longest books I’ve never finished were James Joyce’s Ulysses and Cervantes’ Don Quixote. Life’s too short. Otherwise I have no idea, I’ve read some (appallingly) long fantasy novels, for example. The entire Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan... there we go, that’s the longest book I’ve ever read. Ten or so books and counting when it should have been, and started out as, a trilogy. The editor should be shot.
Book You've Read in the Shortest Time:
Too many to mention. I have to have backup books on planes and long train journeys, because I get withdrawal symptoms if I run out midway. I have been known to read cereal packets and ads on the Underground. When I was younger, I always had a paperback on me, usually stuffed into my trouser pocket.
One Book You Wanted To Read That Disappointed You:
Most recently Iron Council. Another that stands out is Mostly Harmless by Douglas Adams... I can’t think of a clearer example of a writer publishing a book to kill off a franchise, and it’s a depressing read for that reason, and also unfunny. Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z Brite... I think a clear sign of a writer abandoning a genre, the book has little warmth to it or its characters. I'm glad she's writing what she wants to now. Nobody should be forced into indentured writing by fans or publishing house.
Have You Read Books in a Different Language From Yours?
At school, certainly. Some books in French, notably Camus. Otherwise no, not really.
Writer You've Read the Most From:
Hmm... when I find a writer I like, I tend to seek out and devour their entire back catalogue. Neil Gaiman, naturally. Stephen King, as when I was younger I read everything he’d ever done. Until my tastes changed, as did the quality of his writing. He still takes up an entire shelf in my bedroom back home though. Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman for their Dragonlance books, and lots of other things. John Irving, I think he is an excellent and under-rated writer. How about Chris Claremont for his X-Men run? He’s back on the title again, and I’ve been reading him regularly since 1987. That counts.
Some Books You Like:
Just some? Ok then... Ah, Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson. The Hotel New Hampshire by John Irving. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. Pollen by Jeff Noon. Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk. IT by Stephen King. Drawing Blood by Poppy Z Brite. The Sandman series by Neil Gaiman. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers. Robin Hobb’s fantasy books. The Song of Ice and Fire series by George R R Martin. Iain M Banks’ Culture novels, particularly Use of Weapons. Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses. The beloved Angela Carter, particularly the short stories. That’ll do, now, that’ll do...
Some Books You Don't Like:
Anything by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala or Don DeLillo.
5 People You're Passing this On To:
Whoever wants it. I’m not going to force anyone into it.
