Book Reading Habits Meme

I know a lot of bloggers have been posting answers to these questions (I have no clue where they originated, now), but saw them on Genre Reader and Walker of Worlds, thought their answers were quite interesting, started thinking of my own answers, so figured I would post them here, in case you’re interested.

Do you snack while you read? If so, favourite reading snack:

I don’t think I have any specific favourite. Tiffins are always nice, but really I’ve always got a book in my hand, so chances are I’ll eat something while reading. Fruit is actually probably quite high up there. Apples, School Bars (not just for kids!), and perhaps popcorn or crisps/chips.

What is your favorite drink while reading?

Easily coffee, but peppermint tea will suffice if I think I’ve had enough caffeine for one day. (It would be an understatement to say I am fond on coffee.)

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?

Mark or write in any of my books and you will die. I barely open them to read, so many of mine (unless I lent them to my sister) are still pristine. Treat them well, they’ll last longer. (This, actually, is one wonderful side-benefit of eBooks – can’t ruin them!)

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open?

Usually use one of those post-it sticky note thing (the thin ones, sometimes they look like arrows). Means I can put the marker directly on the paragraph I need to start at next time. If I’m just stopping for a moment, I may carefully place them open on bed/chair/desk.

Fiction, nonfiction, or both?

Everything. Usually I’ll have one fiction and one non-fiction on the go, but because I’m doing a PhD, I usually have about three or four non-fiction on the go. Fiction is a nice escape, but I never have more than one on the go.

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of a chapter, or can you stop anywhere?

Depends on the book. In the evenings, unless I’m falling asleep while reading, I’ll get to the end of the chapter. During the day, it all depends on what I’m doing. Also, some authors don’t do chapters! Terry Pratchett never used to, so I got used to just stopping at the end of scenes.

Are you the type of person to throw a book across the room or on the floor if the author irritates you?

No, I’ll just quietly close it, and put it on the Bottom Shelf of Book Doom (where books go to be forgotten), until I do an Oxfam clear-out.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop and look it up right away?

Not really. If I’m really stuck, and there’s nobody around to ask (I know a lot of English Literature/Studies PhD students), then I’ll just keep reading. Good authors can make the meaning clear through the rest of the scene. I honestly can’t think of the last time I didn’t understand a (real) word, though.

What are you currently reading?

Steve Martini’s Shadow of Power (first one of his I’ve ever read, and it’s good if unevenly paced). I’m also about to start Laura Bush’s memoir, Spoken From The Heart. For my PhD, I have Julian Zelizer’s Arsenals of Democracy and Stephen Graubard’s The Presidents on the go.

What is the last book you bought?

James Mann’s The Rebellion of Ronald Reagan and Sam Sykes’s The Tome of the Undergates

Are you the type of person that reads one book at a time, or can you read more than one?

Oops, already answered this – see the “Fiction, non-fiction, both?” answer.

Do you have a favourite time/place to read?

Anytime and anywhere. I particularly like to read on trains and planes, but also in coffee shops. I do most of my pleasure reading in the evening in bed, though.

Do you prefer series books or stand alones?

Don’t think I have a preference. For reviews, I prefer stand-alones or new series, because I often don’t have the chance to catch up with entire, long series. That being said, the character development allowed through series is something I do love. So, I guess no preference.

Is there a specific book or author you find yourself recommending over and over?

Fiction: Terry Pratchett, Anne Rice, Kevin J. Anderson, Timothy Zahn, Scott Lynch

Non-Fiction: David Lampton, Stefan Halper, James Mann, Robert Dallek, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Henry Kissinger

How do you organize your books?

By author, but I do split Non-Fiction and Fiction. I really hate it when people move things, too…