This is a special feature dedicated to spreading the word about the other great blogs that are out there! I have found a lot of great blogs through such features and I want to be able to share some book blog joy too!
This is the final Lights Camera Blog Action feature (for now). Thanks to everyone who has been interviewed.
My name is Page and I live in NC with my husband and two cats. I work in a public library in the youth services department. I love reading and meeting new people.
What was your favourite book as a child or young adult, and why?
I loved the Little House Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder because even in the harshest conditions she always found a positive thing and never let it get her down.
Why do you love to read?
I love to read to learn about new cultures or to explore a world that I’ve never seen. It’s the one way to travel that doesn’t cost a cent.
How do you choose your books?
I’ve never really thought about it, I sometimes choose it by the cover, the description on the book jacket and sometimes just the title.
What are you currently reading and what's been the best book you have read in the last 6 months?
I’m currently reading several ARC’s I’ve received: Saving Max by Antoinette van Heugten and The Art of Comforting by Val Walker. The best book I’ve read is Kitchen Chinese by Ann Mah. I reviewed the book on my blog.
When and why did you start your blog?
I started my blog in April 2010 after reading The Happiness Project by Gretchen Ruben. One of the things she talks about is learning a new skill and I also recommend books to people in my library so it was an extension of something I do every day.
How did you choose your blog's name?
I like puns and wanted a pun like title that uses my name.
What do you love about book blogging?
Meeting great lovers of books and having fun.
What tips do you have to offer to other book bloggers?
Since I’m fairly new to blogging the only advice I can give the same as some who’ve been doing it awhile-
Be Yourself and have fun.
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Thanks for that great advice. I hope that everyone keeps it in mind and that they take the time to check out your wonderful blog.
I hope that everyone enjoyed finding out a little bit more about Page. Make sure you check out her wonderful blog if you haven't been there before.
This is a special feature dedicated to spreading the word about the other great blogs that are out there! I have found a lot of great blogs through such features and I want to be able to share some book blog joy too!
After almost one year of Lights Camera Blog Action, I won't be continuing it in the near future. Thank you to all those lovely bloggers who have participated.
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Today I am featuring Isaac from Tower of Stories. Isaac is a relatively new blogger, but who has lots to offer and I have enjoyed reading his blog. I hope you all check it out.
Tell us something about yourself
I love hats. Ever since I was a junior in high school I've been wearing hats whenever possible. Usually they're flat caps or my leather driver's cap, but I also have a fedora and I got a bowler hat for Christmas from my girlfriend of which I'm quite proud. I'm wearing it right now, in fact.
What was your favourite book as a child or young adult, and why?
I read "The Hobbit" by JRR Tolkien when I was in fourth grade and it made a big impression on me. I loved immersing myself in the story and its world. Two years later I read "The Lord of the Rings" and loved that, too. I loved adventures and epic tales of warriors and wizards, and these books by Tolkien werere the best I'd ever read then or since.
There are a variety of reasons why I choose the books that I read. Sometimes it's the book's reputation and things I've heard or read about it that make me think it will be a book that I'll like. Sometimes it could be written by an author I've liked before, or one whose books I've heard I should read sometime. Other times it could be plain curiosity. I recently reviewed a book of short stories just because it was by Gene Wilder, one of my favorite actors growing up (he is not, I discovered, one of my favorite writers). These are all things I take into account when choosing a new book to read. Plus, since my blog is dedicated to short fiction, I been reading a lot of that so I can review it.
What are you currently reading and what's been the best book you have read in the last 6 months?
Right now I'm dividing time between a number of different books. "The Stories of John Cheever" is taking up most of my time. I'm also picking my way through "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman, and "Rabbit, Run" by John Updike. I'm on a bit of a hiatus from "All the Pretty Horses" by Cormac McCarthy, "The Swimming-Pool Library" by Alan Hollinghurst, but plan on returning to those sometime, and I'll start in on another book of short stories to review soon. The best book I've read in the past 6 months would have to be Gaiman's "American Gods." He is one of my favorite authors, and this is my favorite book that I've read by him. A true classic.
When and why did you start your blog?
I started my blog in late June. I'd been doing a lot of reading as I worked on my dissertation, and I thought that doing a blog would be a good way to talk about the books I was reading and my thoughts about them. Also, my friend Liz of Consumed By Books had a blog that I enjoyed reading, so I thought 'Why not?' I've had trouble in the past with keeping journals and blogs, but I thought that since this one is about reading, which I do a lot anyway, that would keep me motivated to write more often. Also, my blog focuses on short stories because it's a form of writing that I love and there aren't many bloggers who write about it. So I read and review short fiction to help fill in that gap a bit.
How did you choose your blog's name?
Originally my blog was going to be "The Tower of Books" and make a play on the word tower as both a tall structure and someone who tows things, like in a wagon. Then, after looking around for blogs about short fiction and not finding much, I decided to focus my blog on short stories, and changed the name to "Tower of Stories," which also carried the clever wordplay, since usually people usually think about the height of a building in terms of how many "stories" tall it is. The tagline "Standing Tall with Short Fiction" just came to me, and is meant to be a bit humorous because I am not a tall person.
What do you love about book blogging?
I love talking about books and stories and recommending them to people, or warning them away as the case may be. I've also really enjoyed getting to know other people in the book blogging community. It's been great getting comments from people, reading other's blogs and commenting on them, participating in memes, and everything else. It has just been a lot of fun.
What tips do you have to offer to other book bloggers?
I haven't been doing this for very long and could certainly use some tips myself, but my advice to other newbies would be for them to just be as active as they can be. Write often. Comment on other blogs. Take part in things hosted by other blogs. And, of course, read often, too. There are those who say you should read outside your comfort zone in order to be a better reader, and there are those, like me, who focus on the kind of literature that appeals to them. You alone know what kind of balance you want to strike. Just go for it, and have a good time.
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I read The Hobbit when I was about in year 4 as well and it had a very big impact upon me. It is the first book I remember reading and being totally wowed by it. I didn't move onto the Lord of the Rings so quickly, but I will always remember The Hobbit fondly for really helping me to realise the fun and joy of reading
I hope that everyone enjoyed finding out a little bit more about Isaac. Make sure you check out his wonderful blog if you haven't been there before. Did anyone else discover Tolkein early in their reading years and really fall in love?
This is a special feature dedicated to spreading the word about the other great blogs that are out there! I have found a lot of great blogs through such features and I want to be able to share some book blog joy too!
If anyone would like to participate email me at pageturnersbooks(at)gmail.com
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Today I am featuring Pam from 100 Books. 100 Journeys. She reads some really interesting books - they are all from the Modern Library's Top 100. I always see so many books on that list that I can't wait to read.
Tell us something about yourself
My name is Pam, and I live up in the Great White North with my husband and 12 year old daughter. When I'm not busy shoveling snow and going into the basement to avoid tornadoes, I am an audiologist by profession, which means I test people's hearing and if they need them, fit them with hearing aids. I have hearing loss myself so it was an easy career choice. My daughter has played soccer since 1st grade (she's now going into 7th grade) so I've been a sideline soccer mom for almost a decade now. She also is a big reader. Her favorites are the Twilight series and another new YA paranormal series called City of Bones. Needless to say we don't share books. :) I met my husband on EHarmony about six years ago; we've been married now for three years. He's not a big reader, but we do share a love of all things sports-related. I've lived all over the country, and I do mean all over. I have lived for a year or more in thirteen of the 50 states.
What was your favourite book as a child or young adult, and why?
The Great Gatsby was definitely a fave. There is something so haunting about past and/or lost loves I think everyone can relate to.
Why do you love to read?
I've always loved to read, since forever. I was reading Nancy Drew books in kindergarten. Seriously. Child genius when it came to reading. Too bad I was math illiterate! I used to read under my blankets with a flashlight after my parents made me go to bed. I think reading was an escape for me because I was a really shy kid. Even as an adult, getting lost in a book is still a great escape from life's harsh realities like bill-paying and raising a pre-teenager. I still read to my daughter every night before she goes to bed. It's such a great way to relax and bond. She prefers the Little House series...Farmer Boy is her favorite. I am not allowed to read On The Shores of Silver Lake because she doesn't want to hear about Jack dying and Mary going blind.
How do you choose your books?
The Modern Library has sort of chosen the next 70 books I will read for my blog. I decided to read them in order from #100 (the "worst") to #1, primarily so I stay on track and won't skip over books I'm stressed out about reading, but also in the hopes that the books will get marginally better as I go further up the list. It's been interesting to see some really great books up in the 90's, and then some real woofers in the 80's. Sometimes I think the Modern Library threw all these book titles into a hat and picked them out randomly.
What are you currently reading and what's been the best book you have read in the last 6 months?
I'm currently finishing up Clea, the 4th book in the Lawrence Durrell Alexandria Quartet. One of the dirty little secrets of the Modern Library's list is that it's not really 100 books. There are several trilogies and series that they threw in there under one title, so I think the list actually ends up being something like 121 books. The Alexandria Quartet has taken about a month. The best book I have read on the list so far...hmmm...I think I'd have to go with Wallace Stegner's Angle of Repose. Really fantastic.
When and why did you start your blog?
I started my blog about 11 months ago. I had hit a really rough patch in my personal life and needed something new, positive and empowering to focus on. I sat down and thought about all the things I liked to do, and starting a blog about books just seemed like a natural and fantastic idea. I looked at all the 100 books lists out there, and chose the Modern Library list because there were so many books I had never read before. Plus I really love classic books. I'm such a dork. :)
How did you choose your blog's name?
The original name of my blog was 100 Books. 100 Weeks. I really thought in the beginning I could read a book a week. I did that for about three months and then was close to burning out. I realized that by putting pressure on myself to get through a book in a certain amount of time, I couldn't really savor and enjoy them, which is what reading is really all about, right? So I chose to go with 100 Books. 100 Journeys., because each book has been a journey to a new place, and a journey away from the real world.
What do you love about book blogging?
I love trying to think of a new and interesting angle to bring up when I review books. I especially love seeing what other people have to say about books I've read. I always laugh when they agree with me, and always think twice about a book I really disliked when others have enjoyed it. There has to be something amazing about every book on the list, and I've tried to make it my job to find out what's special about all of them. I think what I have discovered while blogging about books is how personal an experience reading a book can be.
What tips do you have to offer to other book bloggers?
Do what you love. Love what you do. Don't worry about writing the perfect review. The reviews I enjoy most are the ones where a blogger's personality really comes through, not so much the bare bones summary of the book.
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I used to think of being an audiologist or a speech pathologist when I was choosing my career. I learnt sign language (auslan) as a teenager and it seemed like something that I would enjoy doing. I often wonder if I would have been good at it.
You seem to have such a different life to me - shovelling snow and hiding from tornadoes are definitely not things you would ever have to worry about in Sydney. It's very tame in comparison.
The Modern Library List seems like a great way to choose your books. You get a variety but you can be assured that they are all worth reading (even if you don't necessarily like them).
I hope that everyone enjoyed finding out a little bit more about Pam. Make sure you check out her wonderful blog if you haven't been there before. Does anyone else try to read books from the Modern Library Top 100?
This is a special feature dedicated to spreading the word about the other great blogs that are out there! I have found a lot of great blogs through such features and I want to be able to share some book blog joy too!
If anyone would like to participate email me at pageturnersbooks(at)gmail.com
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Today I am featuring Scoot from See Scoot Read. This is a relatively new blog but it is wonderful - I particularly love the header.
Tell us something about yourself
Hello! My name is Scoot. I am 27 years old, happily married and a self diagnosed book-a-holic. I love to read and I am "expanding my horizons" into book reviewing! I am basically turning something I already enjoy into an even bigger hobby. I love to read all sorts of books - but generally stick to fiction. It has been a lot of fun creating my blog and getting to meet lots of other book-addicts who get as excited about reading as I do!
What was your favorite book as a child or young adult, and why?
My favorite book as a child was Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. I loved that book and would read it over and over! I loved the time period, the way they dressed, the struggles the girls went through, and I just loved Jo. I think I wanted to be her when I grew up.
Why do you love to read?
I have always LOVED to read. I was homeschooled for part of my life and we would go weekly to the library bringing home stacks and stacks of books to read. I just find new stories very intriguing. I love getting wrapped up in a new world created in a good novel. I enjoy getting to live vicariously through the adventurous and fantastical lives of fictional characters. Sometimes they can take you on an emotional roller-coaster, but it is so worth it!
How do you choose your books?
I choose them in a variety of ways. I LOVE libraries and on a frugal budget that is mainly how I am able to read new books. I browse the shelves and grab whatever looks appealing to me! I will also choose books based on reviews I have seen on book blogs or sites like Goodreads. I also choose books based on authors; if I enjoyed one of their books I am very likely to enjoy another one they have written.
What are you currently reading and what's been the best book you have read in the last 6 months?
I am always reading a couple of different books at once and I currently have a huge back up pile! I commute an hour to work every day, so I spend a lot of time listening to audiobooks. In my spare time I prefer to actually READ instead of listen. Right now I am listening to Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen and I am reading The Wizard Heir by Cinda Williams Chima.
It is so hard to choose a favorite book from the last six months! I loved a lot of them in different ways. Right now the one that stands out the most is If I Stay by Gayle Forman. I cried buckets during that book. It was fabulous.
When and why did you start your blog?
I just started my blog in July of 2010! I decided to start my book blog just for fun! I was already reading tons and attempting to win book contests, so I figured I might as well go for the gusto and start reviewing too! In addition, I just enjoy messing around with the blog itself - creating widgets, changing backgrounds and posting random stuff! It has been an adventure!
How did you choose your blog's name?
My family started calling me Scoot when I skipped the crawling stage as a baby and instead ‘scooted’ around all over the place. Obviously the nickname stuck. 26 years later and I am still Scoot. After e-mailing a bunch of blog name ideas back and forth with my husband he came up with See Scoot Read; which I loved! And the rest is history...
What do you love about book blogging?
I have not been book blogging long, but really I enjoy being able to meet other book lovers and being able to have direct contact with authors and publishers. It has been fun getting ‘tweet’ responses back from authors. It always makes me feel special! I also enjoy being able to have a place to share my view on books I have read. Friends were always asking for my opinion and now I can just direct them to the site.
What tips do you have to offer to other book bloggers?
My tip is just to have fun! Find books that you like, read them, and then post what you think about them! Don’t be pressured to read things you don’t enjoy. Just stick to what makes you happy. Reading should not be a chore, it should be a pleasure!
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I wish that I had your discipline and could only borrow from libraries as well. I am meant to be on a small budget but I am notoriously bad for going over it week after week, mainly because of the volume of book purchases. Like you, I get most of my reading done on the commute to and from work as well. I travel by train and it is about 45mins each way so I can get a fair bit of reading done in that time.
Thank you so much for participating in Lights, Camera, Blog Action Scoot and I wish you all the best with your blog.
Are you a frequent visitor of Scoot's blog or is this the first time that you have come across it? Why not leave a message for Scoot and then head over to See Scoot Read for a look.
This is a special feature dedicated to spreading the word about the other great blogs that are out there! I have found a lot of great blogs through such features and I want to be able to share some book blog joy too!
If anyone would like to participate email me at pageturnersbooks(at)gmail.com
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Today I am featuring Rachel from And the Plot Thickens. Rachel's blog has been on my favourite blogs for a long time now. There are so many things about it that just click with me - the two main things being the design (which is fabulous) and the content. Rachel reads such good books that I am constantly thinking to myself that I want to read that book as well. Her reviews are also really well written, which is always a plus!
What was your favourite book as a child or young adult, and why?
Reading was my favourite activity as a child and it still is. I would read whatever I could get my hands on and spent a fair few of my lunch times hunkered down in the school library reading. My favourite book from the school library was called 'Bog Bodies' and it had pictures and details of the mummification process of bodies caught in natural disaster, such as avalanches. Kinda sick right? But I loved it and read that book over and over again. Other than that, my mum is a big reader so she would always read to me, or get me to read to her, from a very early age. Some of the authors I remember loving were Enid Blyton, Paul Jennings and Roald Dahl.
Why do you love to read?
I guess I find it relaxing and entertaining. Reading is my favourite way to unwind on my days off or before bed after a long day at work. I believe some of the most important things in life are learning and growing as a person, and reading always offers something new – you learn a lot from books, even fiction. Books hold not only a lot of facts and history, but insight into what is it to be human, which I find fascinating.
How do you choose your books?
I choose my books by recommendations from fellow bloggers, friends and family. If I love a particular author I may use Fantastic Fiction to recommend similar authors. Sometimes I just walk into a bookstore and see what takes my fancy. I have found some really good books this way.
If you had to narrow it down - who would be your 3 favourite authors and what would be your 3 favourite books?
This is probably the hardest question for a book lover to answer. I am going to go with Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami. I love Murakami and am slowly making my way through all his books. Kafka is my favourite to date. Secondly, I would say Middlesex by Jeffery Eugenides. I have read this book a number of times and loved it every time. Thirdly, We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver. This book blew me away. It was so well written, so touching and emotional. I am yet to read anymore of Shriver’s works as I am not sure they could ever measure up to this masterpiece.
What are you currently reading and what's been the best book you have read in the last 6 months?
I am currently reading ' The Passage' by Justin Cronin. This may very well shape up to be the best book I have read in the past 6 months. For now though, I am going with 'The Shadow of the Wind' by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Brilliant.
When and why did you start your blog?
I started my blog in January 2010. I was working on the 101 goals in 1001 days project and one of my goals was to read 101 books. I found that my favourite part of my blog became writing book reviews and tracking my reading progress. So with some encouragement from fellow 101 bloggers, I decided to take the leap and start my very own book blog. Best decision ever. I love book blogging.
How did you choose your blog's name?
Once I decided to start my blog I found coming up with a name to be really hard. I deliberated for a few days and eventually ‘And the plot thickens…’ just popped into my head! I probably read it in a book. I loved it and it stuck!
What do you love about book blogging?
I love the book blogging community. Everyone is so friendly and encouraging. It’s been wonderful meeting people who share my passion for books. I also love discussing books. There is nothing better than writing a review and having people comment and discuss their own opinions of the book. Comments and discussions make my blog worthwhile.
What tips do you have to offer to other book bloggers?
The only advice I can really offer is to be yourself and write in your own voice. That’s what makes a blog special, seeing the person who is writing it come through. Also, don’t be afraid to read new books or try new genres, you will be surprised what treasures you may find if you open up your mind.
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I considered becoming an English teacher when I finished school, but wasn't sure that I had the patience for teaching. I sometimes still think about doing a Dip Ed. I love the thought of studying English at University and have recently been considering going back to do just that. Then I remember how difficult it was studying and working and think about my current HECS debt - and then put it off :-) It must be great to teach English to children though, especially in High School. It was always my favourite subject.
We have so many favourites in common, but I have to admit that I haven't read any of Carlos Ruiz Safon yet, despite all the good things that I hear about his books. I will try to prioritise him when I can.
Thanks for participating in Lights Camera Blog Action. I hope that everyone takes the time to leave a comment for Rachel and heads on over to her blog. It's well worth it!
This is a special feature dedicated to spreading the word about the other great blogs that are out there! I have found a lot of great blogs through such features and I want to be able to share some book blog joy too!
If anyone would like to participate email me at pageturnersbooks(at)gmail.com
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Today I am featuring Suzanne from Bibliosue. The great thing about Bibliosue is that she has fabulous taste in books and writes wonderful reviews. She reviews a real variety of books which makes it all the more an interesting blog to follow.
Tell us something about yourself
I’m originally from Winnipeg, Canada, and now live northwest of Chicago. I’m married with no children, but 4 nieces and nephews that I love to spoil. In addition to reading I love to travel (though lately it has been more of the armchair variety) and I enjoy watching hockey and baseball.
What was your favourite book as a child or young adult, and why?
I loved Nancy Drew mysteries; they were great adventures and I loved trying to solve the mysteries along with her. When I was 8 or 9 I read Anne Frank: The Diary of A Young Girl, and that was my first encounter with the Holocaust. Since then, this period of history has fascinated (I don’t think that’s quite the right word) me and I’ve read many books on this topic.
Why do you love to read?
I love being able to learn about people and places and ultimately to be entertained by a good story.
How do you choose your books?
Randomly! I don’t really have a method to my madness, I pick up books wherever and whenever I encounter them, though now that I’m blogging and involved in various challenges and readalongs, I do try to make a plan of what I “need” to read in a given month. I have a quote on my wall by A.J. Jacobs that best explains my situation: “My reading list grows exponentially. Every time I read a book, it’ll mention three other books I feel I have to read”.
If you had to narrow it down - who would be your 3 favourite authors and what would be your 3 favourite books?
At this point in time:
Authors: Margaret Atwood, Jennifer Weiner, Sophie Kinsella
Books: SmallIsland by Andrea Levy, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, The Help by Kathryn Stockett
When and why did you start your blog?
I started in November 2009. I had been on Twitter for a few months and was amazed at the number of book bloggers. As I’ve always loved discussing books I figured I may as well throw my hat into the ring.
How did you choose your blog's name?
I thought biblio would give a good book sound to it, and sue is just the short form of Suzanne. Quite simple, really.
What do you love about book blogging?
I like to talk about books and love communicating with others via their blogs as well.
What tips do you have to offer to other book bloggers?
Write about books you want to read, not books that you feel you have to read. Participate in the blogging community via commenting, memes, challenges, etc. Don’t make it feel like a chore.
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I like that when you answer the question about what your favourite books are you said "At this time". My favourites change all the time. It changes because I am constantly reading and finding new books that become favourites or change my opinion of previous reads, and I think it would also depend upon the mood that I am in when you ask me if I were to be honest.
Having said that, Margaret Atwood would always be in my top 3 list, I love all of her books (with the exception of The Robber Bride). I just purchased her latest book The Year of the Flood which I am very excited about reading soon.
Thanks for participating in Lights, Camera, Blog Action! I hope that everyone takes the time to leave a comment for Suzanne and head on over and check out her blog.
This is a special feature dedicated to spreading the word about the other great blogs that are out there! I have found a lot of great blogs through such features and I want to be able to share some book blog joy too!
If anyone would like to participate email me at pageturnersbooks(at)gmail.com
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Today I am featuring Chris from Eclectic Indulgence. I enjoy this blog because it is about the classics, books that are important and interesting but that are under appreciated in the blogging world (in my humble opinion). The reviews are also of a great quality; this is one blog that is worth following.
Tell us something about yourself
I'm the slowest reader in the history of the planet. It partly has to do with the fact that I hear myself speaking the prose in my head as I read and when the book is not to my liking or I'm particularly busy in 'real life', I tune out quite a bit. I have a passion for leather books and books with slipcases (the former because I like the feel and smell and the latter for the structure).
My perfect moment would be sitting in a hammock by a quiet lake, reading a book while the wind dances with the trees and caresses my skin. There is nothing better in the world. Add a coffee to this and the warmth of the sun and I just may cry due to happiness overload.
What was your favourite book as a child or young adult, and why?
I remember in elementary school, taking out our textbook and reading selected excerpts from popular works. Other than “Jabberwocky”, the ones that stick out in my head were Homer’s “Odyssey” (which I have yet to read) and “Riddles in the Dark”, the popular chapter where Bilbo wins the Ring in a battle of wits with Gollum. I loved the excerpt so much that I made my father buy me the novel along with most of the Lord of the Rings books that the store had (they were missing the Fellowship of the Ring, so I ended up getting a different edition – this perturbed me for years afterwards). Anyway, I remember being shocked that my father would actually buy these for me. I can’t remember him ever having bought me anything, and he has never been a fan of literature (he only reads John Grisham novels), so I must have made some sort of impression on him.
I loved “The Hobbit” the most of the Tolkien books. I have read it twice and I still have many fond memories that will never be affected by the movies. I long to attend the table of Beorn and watch him shapeshift. I would like to whistle with Tom Bombadill, roving through tall grasses and sitting by willow trees. I long to sit by the fire and eat sweetcakes with Bifor, Bofur and Bombur... and all the other dwarves. When in a rut, I’d love to go adventuring on the downs (despite the danger) and see what prizes can be found there. In short, the world Tolkien created fascinated me and appealed to me on a level that I never knew existed. It took me to places I had never been before and I continually want to grab the book from my shelves and dive back into it.
Why do you love to read?
Occasionally, I will read something that will strike such a tremendous chord with me. It will change the way I look at life, the world, or my place in it. When this happens, I can feel as if my life is expanding... as if I am growing in a productive manner, despite not doing anything typically termed 'productive'. I read for these moments, and I am constantly looking for inspiration and I'd like to think in an eclectic way... something that is very unique to myself. I have quotes on sticky notes all around my work space to remind me of things that are important. Here are two: "Nobody promises you tomorrow" [dont' know where I got this one - it's a bit hokey, but it's holistic] and "Man is free the moment he wants to be" by Voltaire.
How do you choose your books?
I read mostly classics. Some think this is stuffy, but my rationale is this: I have limited time on this earth (and you all know I read very slowly now), and I would like to offer myself the greatest probability of obtaining these precious moments through literature. I constantly feel the weight of remorse... that I will not get to read everything I want to before I leave my body. If I read something modern, I have to really believe it will be something special because it will cause me to not have time for something else.
(Parenthetically, I never read synopsis', because I feel they will change my perspective on books).
What are you currently reading and what's been the best book you have read in the last 6 months?
I'm currently reading "The Curse of Lono" by Hunter S. Thompson. This kind of flies in the face of my usual classics, but the book is a work of art in itself (Ralph Steadman's artistic personifications of the author's thoughts scare and teach me at the same time).
The best book I have read in the last six months is Thomas Hardy's "Jude the Obscure." Thomas Hardy is a genius, but he takes an emotional toll.
If you had to narrow it down - who would be your 3 favourite authors and what would be your 3 favourite books?
Favourite Authors:
Ernest Hemingway
John Steinbeck
The third is tough, because I have only read one by each, but I'm going to have to go with either Boris Pasternak or Vladamir Nobokov.
Favourite Books:
"The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger
"Notes from Underground" by Fyodor Dostoevsky
"Doctor Zhivago" by Boris Pasternak
The talent here is so dense, it is painful to pare it down to such a small list.
When and why did you start your blog?
I started my blog for me... because I realized that I forgot a lot about the books I read over time. In most cases I knew how I felt about a work, but only really select tidbits about it. I created this blog to keep my memories in tact. What I found out was, my experiences with books do not end. Over time, my perceptions and thoughts about a work change and I have realized that all these experiences are floating inside my being, making me who I am.
How did you choose your blog's name?
I've always felt like an "Eclectic" person and I really LOVE this word, so it kind of stuck. The Indulgence part just came to me one day, because really... my experiences with good books can be classified as an indulgence, like a creamy unbaked cheesecake or a coffee made of freshly ground beans on a Saturday morning. There are no price tags on experiences like these, and the indulgences are what makes life magic.
Thus, my blog's name is "Eclectic Indulgence."
What do you love about book blogging?
Learning... about myself, others and literature out there I have yet to experience.
What tips do you have to offer to other book bloggers?
If you blog, do it for yourself first. People will enjoy hearing what you have to say if you just be who you are and love what you do. You don't have to be technically astute, you just have to love and be willing to share that with the world.
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I felt quite nostalgic listening to you talk about the Hobbit. I love all of Tolkien's works too, and The Hobbit was the first one I read. I read a lovely big edition that had these wonderful colourful pictures in it. I own that edition now and love flicking through it to look at the pictures. I was recently listening to The Hobbit as an audiobook and it was so well done, I was really surprised at how much I loved hearing the story being read to me.
I also like your take on why it is important to read classics. If you are a true reader and love the power of language, what better a way to enjoy books than reading those that are truly wonderful!
This is a special feature dedicated to spreading the word about the other great blogs that are out there! I have found a lot of great blogs through such features and I want to be able to share some book blog joy too!
If anyone would like to participate email me at pageturnersbooks(at)gmail.com
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Today I am featuring Skip from The Reading Ape. This is perhaps the most intelligent blog that I have the pleasure of following. I has such wonderfully thoughtful discussion of literary issues that I can't get enough of it. If you are looking for something slightly different to the average book blog, something that holds real interest and inteliigent discussion, then this is a blog for you.
Tell us something about yourself
Well, I grew up in Kansas, moved to New York for graduate school, and now teach writing and literature at a small liberal arts college in Manhattan. I guess my best reading-related biographical story is that when I was a kid, my folks would send me to my room when I got in trouble—until I discovered novels. After that, being sent to my room wasn’t much of a deterrent, so it was off to the laundry room with me. I thought it wise not to tell them that I eventually wedged a few books behind the washing machine.
What was your favourite book as a child or young adult, and why?
Like many young readers, I burned through a bunch of series: Lord of the Rings, the Narnia books, the Wrinkle in Time stuff, Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and on and on. In sixth grade, I pulled The Last of the Mohicans off the shelf at my school library and can still remember the feelings of danger, sadness, and I guess you might say honor that book spurred in me. There’s a non-zero chance I’m still chasing that first shock in my reading to this day.
Why do you love to read?
Because it makes my life richer. Rounder. Deeper. More meaningful. Reading provides wonder, sadness, and exultation in quantities no other human activity can match. It’s pretty swell, really.
How do you choose your books?
No idea. Not kidding here. I definitely have a stable of authors who make me rush to the bookstore when they release something new, but as for finding new writers, the process that leads me to check someone out is a bit of a mystery to me. Some combination of reviews, blogs, cover blurbs, and subject matter has to coalesce in some obscure way. If anyone has a better way to do it, I’d love to know.
What are you currently reading and what's been the best book you have read in the last 6 months?
I just wrote a post about my favorite novels of 2010 (so far), and Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes took the top spot. As a student and scholar of American literature, I track war writing somewhat carefully, and I think this is a significant work. The tone is really remarkable—clear-eyed and critical, where much writing about Vietnam plays up the hysteria of the experience and of the domestic politics.
When and why did you start your blog?
I started my blog in earnest a few months ago, but I’ve been circling it for about five years (There was in fact a previous version of The Reading Ape for a while in 2005, but school and teaching devoured it—quite mercifully actually, like a lion plucking a diseased zebra). I wanted a venue to talk about books and literature in a way the academy doesn’t really accommodate, somewhat less formal and dare I say joyful than what passes for scholarly discourse. I also like to write things other than criticism, and I thought The Ape might provide some structure for those experiments. We’ll see.
How did you choose your blog's name?
Is nothing sacred? But really, it’s because I’m a Virginia Woolf junkie and her account of the remunerations of the reading life seems to me a kind of gospel for the bookish(Side note: Woolf’s sister called Virginia “Ape” as well):When the day of judgment comes therefore and all secrets are laid bare, we shall not be surprised to learn that the reason why we have grown from apes to men, and left our caves and dropped our bows and arrows and sat round the fire and talked and given to the poor and helped the sick – the reason why we have made shelter and society out of the wastes of the desert and the tangle of the jungle is simply this – we have loved reading.
What do you love about book blogging?
Man, book bloggers are supportive. That’s been the real surprise—the level of enthusiasm people have for books, for their and each other’s blogs, and for talking about books. It’s really pretty inspiring.
What tips do you have to offer to other book bloggers?
Well, shoot. I don’t know that I have much writerly advice yet, but as a reader of book blogs, I find variety, voice, and honesty the most compelling reasons to read someone.
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I love how you describe why you read. I have been thinking about this lately. I used to answer escapism, but increasingly I think that it is something more than that. Escapism is an enjoyable side effect (if I can use that phrase) but I think my motivation to read is something bigger than that, and I like how you expressed it.
Thank you for participating. I hope everyone takes the time to have a look at The Reading Ape.
This is a special feature dedicated to spreading the word about the other great blogs that are out there! I have found a lot of great blogs through such features and I want to be able to share some book blog joy too!
If anyone would like to participate email me at pageturnersbooks(at)gmail.com
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Today I am featuring Danielle from The Book Nerd Club. This is a blog I have been following for a very long time and one I can very much recommend. She is another Australian book blogger with great taste in books and great reviews.
Tell us something about yourself
I am a psychologist and I work with Deaf/deaf and hard of hearing children.
What was your favourite book as a child or young adult, and why?
When I was little, my favourite book to read was the old testament of my children's bible. I find that funny now as I'm not religious at all, but there was something really dramatic about the stories of God and Adam and Eve and Abraham and Moses etc. Maybe because they were the first stories I read about grown-ups that was the part that was so enticing for me. And that love of those kind of stories has stayed with me (one of my favourite books is The Red Tent by Anita Diamant) - like my husband says, I love a good sandals epic.
Why do you love to read?
I love to read for lots of reasons. One is escaping from the real world. Another is that I love spending time by myself (which I don't get a lot of these days) and snuggling up on the couch with a cup of tea and a good read is my idea of heaven. Another is that people and their stories fascinate me, and I find that reading helps me to understand more about people, and more about different ways of living, I think it helps to keep my mind and my heart open.
How do you choose your books?
I follow a lot of blogs and subscribe to 'Good Reading' Magazine and get lots of ideas about what I'd like to read from them. But I also spend a lot of time hanging out in bookstores and so I have a pretty good idea about what is out and might be interesting. I also look at the shortlists for major awards like the Booker and the Miles Franklin to get ideas. At the moment I mostly like getting ideas from people's blogs - there's always a huge variety of books reviewed and I trust the opinions because people aren't being paid for what they write, so they don't have any agenda and so might be more honest than other reviews.
If you had to narrow it down - who would be your 3 favourite authors and what would be your 3 favourite books?
Paulo Coehlo is my absolute favourite author. I received a copy of The Alchemist for my 13th birthday and it changed my life. I've read a lot of his books, but not all, but for sentimental reasons I'd say my favourite of his is The Alchemist. Stephen King is my second favourite author, Salem's Lot was the first book I bought for myself with my first paycheck from my teenage part time job. I've also read a lot of his books, but not all. It's so tough to pick just one as a favourite because I love so many of them for different reasons. I'm going to say The Dark Tower series (if you aren't going to let me have the series as 'one book' I'll go with the last one) as it is the culmination of all the different things he's ever written about. And the third is The Red Tent by Anita Diamant, I just love it.
When and why did you start your blog?
I started blogging last year because I wanted to do something a bit different that I hadn't done before. I had a baby boy and so wasn't working and after awhile wanted to do something a little bit more with my brain - but not too demanding! I love to read and read a lot, so I thought a blog reviewing books would be a good idea.
How did you choose your blog's name?
In my family I am the book nerd, so that's where the name came from (my husband is a gaming nerd, my mum is the embroidery nerd, my dad is the woodworking nerd and my sister is the animal nerd).
What do you love about book blogging?
What I wasn't expecting and what I love the most is the feeling of community I get. It's great to find so many other people passionate about reading and about books, and how supportive and kind other bloggers have been.
What tips do you have to offer to other book bloggers?
I don't really think I've got many tips to offer to other book bloggers, as my blog is really just something little that I do for fun, I'm not really trying to be a professional blogger or reviewer. What I would suggest to other bloggers is to join the Book Blogs ning, http://bookblogs.ning.com/ It's a great way to connect with other book bloggers, find out about other blogs and share your own blog too.
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Your job sounds fascinating. I learnt Auslan when I was in my late teens and as I went into my twenties I volunteered as a teachers aid at The Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children in NSW at their primary school for children with Auslan as their first language. I really enjoyed it, although I have since lost a lot of my sign language school. Like all languages, unless you use it, it is easy to forget.
I read The Alchemist in the last 12 months and I really enjoyed it. A little bit moralising perhaps, but still really nice. The name 'Santiago' has appealed to me for a little boy ever since. Thanks for the top on the Book Blog Ning, I have heard some mention of it and must check it out.
Thanks for participating - I hope everyone takes the time to check out this wonderful blog.
This is a special feature dedicated to spreading the word about the other great blogs that are out there! I have found a lot of great blogs through such features and I want to be able to share some book blog joy too!
If anyone would like to participate email me at pageturnersbooks(at)gmail.com
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Today I am featuring Amanda from Desert Book Chick. This is a relatively new blog but one that I have found has become essential reading. The reviews are well written and interesting and cover a variety a books. More importantly though, it is a blog that markets itself as a tool for bloggers. It has lots of resources for writing good reviews and building a following (which is particularly useful for new bloggers). She has recently started putting out a monthly newsletter which was a really good read. If you haven't had a look at Amanda's blog yet, make sure you check it out now.
This beautiful image is of Kings Canyon, and is taken from (would you believe it!) Amanda and her husband's front yard in their park house. Amanda's husband is the chief ranger of one of Australia's Northern Territory outback national parks.
1.Tell us something about yourself
I’m forty-three years old, and I live in outback Australia, in a famous town called Alice Springs. I have a PhD in Anthropology and work as the Manager of Anthropological Research at a small government agency which protects Aboriginal sacred sites.
I speak Indonesian (I spent a semester in Java at university) and Arrernte, a Central Australian Aboriginal language.
I have two children, Rhiannon (20) and Ben (13). My partner, Gary, is the chief ranger at King’s Canyon (Watarrka) national park. I also have two dogs (one Papillion and one Cavalier King Charles Spaniel), two cats, and seven chickens.
Besides reading, I love gym, running and yoga, and have worked casually as a fitness instructor for over 20 years. If you read my blog, you’ll know I go camping and hiking a lot, too. I hate grocery shopping, drama queens, and closed-mindedness.
I am also a published author and have won a number of short story competitions.
2.What was your favourite book as a child or young adult, and why?
As a child, Elyne Mitchell’s Silver Brumby books were my favourites. This series captured the landscape of the Australian Alps –especially its flora and fauna- in near-poetic prose.
The Silver Brumby books inspired me to write. By the time I was 14, I’d written two Silver Brumby books of my own.
Patricia Wrightson’s books –The Ice is Coming, An Older Kind of Magic and The Nargun and the Stars- were also childhood favourites. If you’ve read Wrightson and experienced her affinity with Aboriginal culture, then I suspect you wouldn’t be surprised that such a reader of these books became an anthropologist.
As a young adult, I began to read fantasy. I read fantasy almost exclusively for 15 years. The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks stands out as the book which started my love affair with the genre.
3.Why do you love to read?
Reading is like breathing. It fills me with life … with the creativity that is my life. Reading takes me away, relaxes me, inspires me. The day I stop reading is the day I die.
4.How do you choose your books?
I used to choose my books by browsing the local bookstores or going into the library and surfing the shelves. Now, I largely choose my books based on the recommendations of other bloggers. I still surf the library and browse the bookshelves, however.
I think publishers –especially Australian publishers- are still blind to the power of book bloggers on readers’ choices in book purchases. I have a number of subscribers to my RSS feed who don’t have blogs, but are keen readers. They tell me that they buy books based on the recommendations of on blogs like my own.
5.If you had to narrow it down - who would be your 3 favourite authors and what would be your 3 favourite books?
That’s easy:
Kate Elliott - Jaran
Peter Mattieson - The Snow Leopard
Marcus Zusak – The Book Thief
6.When and why did you start your blog?
I started a book blog in January 2010, although I’ve been blogging and reviewing books on my various blogs since 2004. Desert Book Chick in its current incarnation was started in February 2010, but I didn’t settle on its theme (resources for book bloggers) until 20 April, 2010.
I was driving along in a Toyota landcruiser, on my way to Uluru, when the theme for the site hit me.
7.How did you choose your blog's name?
I wanted something that reflected where I lived and who I was. Also, since most book bloggers are female, I wanted a female-friendly name. Desert Book Chick was the title I selected. I think I was inspired by BookChickCity – which remains one of my favourite blogs.
8.What do you love about book blogging?
Three things stand out for me about book blogging:
Meeting new people all over the world. I’ve met so many wonderful people who’ve become friends. We are all linked by our love of books –even though we may not speak the same language, we have a language we can all share.
I’m going to the Book Blogger’s Convention in New York next year and I’m going to meet a few of the people I’ve become friends with when I get there.
Discovering new books. I’m constantly finding incredible new books to read. My reading horizons have expanded exponentially this year thanks to all the amazing blogs I’ve read.
Being in touch with my muse. For many years, I was unable to speak with my creative muse. For someone like me –who needs to create to feel alive- not being able to speak to my muse meant not being fully alive. Book blogging has awakened my muse and brought me back to life.
9.What tips do you have to offer to other book bloggers?
Shameless promotion here: visit my blog! Desert Book Chick specializes in resources for book bloggers.
Seriously, here’s my top 5 tips:
1.Focus on writing great content
2.Help other bloggers whenever you can
3.Don’t clog up your site with too much bling
4.Be yourself
5.Have fun
I have always thought that it sounds like you have such a unique an active lifestyle that it makes me sometimes long for something more than my sedentary city lifestyle. It was nice to see that one of your favourites is The Book Thief. I read it this year and fell in love. I hope to read more of his books as soon as I can.
Thanks for participating Amanda, I hope that everyone heads on over to her blog now.
