Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Books

a meme from Earthwalker with 24 questions about books:
1. The author that is the best represented in your bookcase : Shakespeare ( if we include the children section it is Dr.Seuss)
2. what is the book you own most copies of? the Bible (long story, but I have two children versions, one NIV and one standard version(1))
3. What fiction character did you fell in love with? Alyosha Karamazov
4. What book have you read most often? the  Brothers Karamazov
5.What was your favorite book when you were 10? I cannot remember exactly but I recall enjoying George Sand's La Petite Fadette and Bronte's Jane Eyre at that age.
6. What was the worst book you read last year?
My stats textbook (honestly). the one I was most disappointed by: Cartarescu. Orbitor. Aripa dreapta.
7. What was the best book that you read last year
Novels: tie for Kundera's Book of Laughter and Forgetting and Rushdie's Satanic Verses
Poetry:tie for Ondaatje's The Cinnamon Peeler. Selected Poems and Bishop's Geography III
Short Stories: Lahiri's Interpreter of Maladies
8. If you had to force someone to read a book what book would that be?
I would never force a person to read a book, but I do suggests classic fairy tales and the Little Prince to all pre-teens out there (and not only pre-teens).
9. Who,in your opinion, should win the Nobel for literature?
A comment on this blog named Kundera. I second.
And if Marin Sorescu would have been alive, he'd win it for sure :)
10. What book would you like to see pictured on the big screen?
Since I had seen only few good books that ended as good movies, I do not have a wish list here. Maybe Humboldt's Gift (2)?
11. What was the strangest dream about a book, an author or a character?
Unfortunately I can not recall any dream about books and authors.
12. What is the less educated book you read as an adult?
I used to read a lot of policier type stories and adventure stories such as Dames Don't Care (Cheyney), but I think that for its type it ain't that bad...
13. What is the most difficult book you did read (or attempted to read)?
Kant: The Critique of Pure Reason , I started reading it at 17 and I do return to it from time to time, but I had not read it from cover to cover yet...
14. do you like Russian authors or french authors?
Let's put it this way: I like some french authors and some Russian authors. The french win one extra point because I can read them in original.
15.Shakespeare, Milton or Chaucer?
Shakespeare. But why should I compare them?
16. What bothers you the most when you read?
I do not like to have to take a break in the midst of a book I really like.
17. What is your favorite novel?
There is no exhaustive list here....
18. I did not get the question
19. Do you read short stories?
Absolutely.
20. Do you read non-fiction.
Yes. (I have to)
21. Your favorite writer?
Again , the list is not exhaustive and I could never say this one or that one. I had posted about some favorites in the past here.
22. What writer, in your opinion, is overvalued ?
Coelho, I heard some disappointed voices ....
23. What book would you take on a deserted island?
A book with basic survival tips in the midst of nature (one that, for example, will tell me what plants are eatable, which are poisonous etc. etc)
24. What do you read now?
I'm inbetween books...

I was thinking about tagging the following bloggers for this meme:

It is however a gesture that I had not forgotten you and did not ignore your blogs on purpose. I know it is a long meme and can get kind of boring, so you need not to respond...
Notes: (1) The standard version is for whomever wants it and does not reside too far ( I need to actually afford the mailing...)
(2) Because it is a book about books and/or screenplays
And note to note: even if you were not tagged, if you would like to answer the questions, please feel free to answer them. Just leave me the link in the comments so I can read it...

9 comments:

Jason Gusmann said...

my first trip to see you and i am stone intimidated by the length and breadth of yr reading. i tried to follow the link to the LJ poem but for some reason it didn't show up?

Julie said...

Great post. I love the authors you mention on your link. I agree with you about Shakespeare, Milton, and Chaucer. I enjoyed reading your thoughts. Thanks for sharing!

Ana said...

Jason,
thank you for your visit.
I updated the link for the Luis Jimenez poem and I'll also post it here:
Anaïs: Nim - from Notebooks Intimidated? I hope you were not serious. I mean I admitted that I read (and even liked at that point ) Dames don't care :)

Julie,
thank you.

gautami tripathy said...

Thanks for tagging me. I will do this.

I like Kundera and must have read Jane Eyre at least 10 times.

Did I ever tell you I have a book blog?

Just click on my name...

Ana said...

Gautami,

I wait to read it :).
The book blog was noted.

Anonymous said...

thank you for thinking of me!

I enjoyed reading your answers so much that it encourages me to undertake the challenge you have set before me!

Ana said...

Gwen,

I am happy you enjoyed my answers -Some questions are kind of plain (I haven't design it, that's why ;) ) but it is an interesting way to know thyself as a reader, and not only... Now that I own 4 copies of the Bible, read the Brothers Karamazov until the pages started falling out (of too much use) and fell for Alyosha, that should make one think...

Paul said...

Your brain is an amazing place. Don't feel bad about Kant, I don't think anyone has ever finished one of his books.

Ana said...

Paul,

I do not feel bad about Kant, I met people that got their Ph.D on that book so...
A friend told me once: "unknown are the paths of your neural networks" and now since my brain is an amzing place I can bet the neurologists are willing to pay good money for an MRI...