7 Random Bookish Things

I was tagged by two people for this meme recently - well, maybe a little more like a while ago, but things have been super crazy around the house of Traci lately, so I'm hoping that Wendi and Sunny will understand. So, anyway, here goes...

1. I consider myself a very eclectic reader. By that, I mean that I'll read books from nearly any genre.
2. If I were going to be stranded on a desert island (and handily enough had the foresight to bring along a book), I would like to be stranded with Inkheart, by Cornelia Funke. It is my favorite book, and I believe I could read it over and over without ever tiring of it.
3. The book that stands out in my mind as the worst book I ever finished (this is an important distinction because I've surely read bits of worse books that I gave up on) was She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb. Why I finished it still puzzles me, but I did, and it never got any better for me.
4. Occasionally, as I'm reading, I will put the faces of famous people to the names of characters in a book. I recently did this with Joseph Teller's The Tenth Case. My Jaywalker was portrayed by Tate Donovan, while Ali Larter was who I imagined Samara to be. Couldn't even begin to tell you why on either count.
5. I can not read more than one book at a time.
6. I am almost incapable of getting rid of books. Even if I read it and didn't like it, I still have a hard time letting go. I love shopping at used book stores, but I hang my head in shame when they ask if I have any store credit. Alas, you have to actually bring books in to obtain a credit, and I am just unwilling to part with them. The fact that I've moved four times in the past five years (and will likely be moving overseas within the next 6 months) has yet to cause me to whittle down my selections. FYI, if you're moving yourself, and you have a bunch a friends help, don't mark all the boxes of books as 'Books'. Mark some of them 'Medical Equipment' or 'Female Items' so the boys who're toting your heavy books up and down stairs don't give you the evil eye as they pass you in the hallway. Just a suggestion.
7. I don't remember too many books from my childhood, but one of my favorites that I do remember is I'm My Mommy, I'm My Daddy by Daniel Wilcox. It was a double sided book (one half read from one side, and you flipped it over to read the other side) with characters from Sesame Street. I long ago misplaced my copy, but a few years ago my mother-in-law gave us several boxes filled with my husband's childhood books for our kids to read (we have two voracious readers). And, what do I find among the Amelia Bedelias, Mrs. Piggle Wiggles, and Nate the Greats, but I'm My Mommy, I'm My Daddy.

I am supposed to tag 7 random people, but I'm lazy, so if you're reading this and haven't done it already, consider yourself tagged...

Read-a-Thon Mid Event Survey

Mid-Event Survey:
1. What are you reading right now? I'm reading Savvy by Ingrid Law. Brandon's still listening to The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan, but he's nearly finished. We're taking a brownie break right now.
2. How many books have you read so far? I've finished 4 (though 2 of those were already in progress) and Brandon has finished 3 (1 of which was already in progress).
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? Surviving Antarctica (which I think I'll read after I finish Savvy). I've been wanting to read it since I first saw it on the Barnes and Noble shelf months ago.
4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day? Not really - just told my husband so that he would be understanding.
5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? Just once when my dad called and wanted to talk about whether my husband and I were actually considering moving out of the country (we are, and this is something I just mentioned to my dad yesterday, so naturally, he was wanting to discuss it).
6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? How much I'm actually getting read. And, how fast the time has gone by - it's already 7:30!!
7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? I don't know. I think I might organize my personal posts a little bit better, but other than that I can't think of anything. I'm having a great time!
8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year? Have more ready-made food available.
9. Are you getting tired yet? Nope, not yet.
10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered? Hmm...no, but I will say that I think the cheerleaders are awesome!!! Thanks guys, so much. As soon as this is over, I'm going to be bombarding the blogs of all the wonderful commenters, but for now, I must return to my book (and my brownie).


Happy Reading, everyone!! If you'd like to see everyone else's responses, go here.

About Me Meme

I was tagged by two different bloggers (At Home With Books and Creative Madness) for this meme while I was out of town, and I'm just getting to it. Here are the rules:

1. Link to the person (people) who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag sixish people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know he or she has been tagged.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Ok, so six random things about me...

1. I love coffee. Ok, not so true, exactly. I like coffee, but I love Starbucks coffee-ish drinks. Cinnamon Dolce Latte, Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha, Caramel Frappuccino...yum.
2. I like the Sims 2. I don't actually play the game with the little people and all, but I like designing the houses and neighborhoods.
3. I rarely cook. My kitchen is largely for decorative purposes only.
4. I've seen the move You've Got Mail at least 60 times. I own it on vhs and dvd and will watch it every time it I see it's on tv.
5. My dream vacation would be an extended trip to Ireland.
6. I am completely happily married, but if Hugh Laurie showed up on my doorstep, I'd be tempted...

Ok, so I'm supposed to tag six people, but I always feel slightly worried that they will feel obligated, so I'm just sending this out there, and if you haven't done this one and would like to, consider yourself tagged.

What's in a name?

I discovered this cute little meme over at The 3 R's: Reading, 'Riting, and Randomness and thought it looked like fun.

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME (first pet, current car): Mickey (since I don't have a car, I'm one of those cool, one name stars, and in case you're wondering, Mickey was a mean, bird food slinging parakeet)

2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME (fave ice cream flavor, favorite type of shoe): Peanut Butter Clog (Doesn't that just scream Gangsta?!?)

3. YOUR NATIVE AMERICAN NAME (favorite color, favorite animal): Green Dog

4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME (middle name, city where you were born): Michele Decatur

5. YOUR STAR WARS NAME (the first three letters of your last name, first two of your first name): Shatr

6. SUPERHERO NAME (2nd favorite color, favorite drink): Red Sunkist

7. NASCAR NAME (the first names of your grandfathers): Al Bradley, Jr. (I had a step-grandfather who was as much a grandad as any - we even shared a birthday, so he's included (Al), my paternal grandaddy was Brad (Bradley), and my maternal grandfather was William, but everyone called him Junior - not a bad Nascar name)

8. STRIPPER NAME ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy): Summer Hill Andes

9. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME (your fifth grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter): Geneva Gore (I switched these because who'd hire an anchorperson with a first name like Gore??)

10. SPY NAME (your favorite season/holiday, flower): Christmas Daisy

11. CARTOON NAME (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now): Lemon Jeans

12. HIPPIE NAME (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree): Pop Tart Willow (I think I'm going to start going by that one - it's definitely my favorite!)

Your turn...

Tuesday Thingers: Favorite Authors

Today's Question: Favorite Authors. Who do you have named in your LT account as favorite authors? Why did you choose them? How many people share your choices? Can you share a picture of one of them?

I actually have 21 favorite authors. In alphabetical order, they are:

• Peter Abrahams (including me, he has 5 fans - the fewest of all my favorites)
• Jane Austen (has 1103 fans - the most of all my favorites)
• Dan Brown (I know, I know - don't throw anything!! He's got 130 fans, so I'm not the only one, okay!?!)
• Michael Buckley (author of the Sister's Grimm books, in case you're scratching your head on this one - has 7 fans)
• Lauren Child (creator of the wonderful Charlie and Lola books - has 12 fans)
• Eoin Colfer (has 67 fans)
• Michael Crichton (has 153 fans)
• Clive Cussler (has 53 fans)
• Kate Dicamillo (has only 13 fans - I'm actually surprised this one is so low.)
• Fannie Flagg (has 38 fans)
• Cornelia Funke (has 48 fans)
• John Grisham (has 126 fans - he's a sentimental favorite. I haven't read anything of his lately that I was crazy over, but The Pelican Brief will always be one of my favorite novels.)
• Jan Karon (has 34 fans)
• Janette Oke (has 15 fans)
• Rosamunde Pilcher (has 22 fans)
• Terry Pratchett (has 893 fan)
• Philip Pullman (has 746 fans)
• Nora Roberts (has 211 fans)
• J.K. Rowling (has 1,081 fans)
• William Shakespeare (has 532 fans)
• Nicholas Sparks (has 82 fans)

I only favorited an author if I absolutely loved more than one of their books. If I had to narrow it down to just five, I would pick Funke, Rowling, Pilcher, Crichton, and Pratchett. I share 7 favorite authors with one other user, 6 with three other users, and from there it goes up quite a bit.

If I'm forced to pick an absolute favorite author, it would be Cornelia Funke because of one book - Inkheart. Here is a photo of Mrs. Funke.

So, what about you? Who are your favorite authors, and why?

Serendipitous Roadkill...

Caite tagged me for this Inside the Reader's Studio meme several days ago, and I've been horrid at posting lately, so it's gotten shoved to the side. I think I'm getting back into my rhythm, though, so hopefully it won't be so far between posts any more. Anyway, here goes:

What is your favorite word? For the sound of it only, I've always liked 'Verisimilitude'. Say it out loud. Now wasn't that fun? For sound and meaning, I really like 'Serendipitous'. It's pleasant to the tongue, and I like the idea of surprising good fortune.

What is your least favorite word? Hate. For obvious reasons.

What turns you on (creatively, spiritually or emotionally)? Color. I love rich, vibrant colors. I think it's why I enjoy creating quilts. I love playing with the colors to see where they'll take me - it's usually somewhere lovely. On a more personal level, my children inspire me in every way.

What turns you off (creatively, spiritually or emotionally)? Money. It's not that I don't enjoy having money (this is presumptive - I don't actually have any money to speak of, but I imagine it would be delightful). But I find that I'm inspired (or creatively turned on) to do something from the doing of it, not from the rewards it may garner. If I know I'm getting paid to create something, it loses its appeal quickly.

What sound or noise do you love? My children's laughter, Celtic music, and Dave Matthews' voice.

What sound or noise do you hate? Because I spent the last 6 months living at the end of a naval runway - jet noise.

What’s your favorite curse word? Jacka**. I only use it in reference to my husband, and it's always said with a smile. On the flip side (this wasn't asked, but I will tell you anyway), I abhor the word b*tch. I don't know who decided to make that word ok in reference to a woman (ex. "I'm going out with my b*tches later tonight."), but I find it repulsive.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I'd love to work in a book store. If I had to work for money, though - and since working in a book store would probably cost me more than it made me, that can't count - I'd want to be a psychiatrist. It's what I set out to do. I got as far as my bachelor's degree, but then marriage and children got me sidetracked, and I wouldn't change that for anything.

What profession would you not like to do? Anything icky. If it involves the words sewage, refuse, vomit, or roadkill count me out.

Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? "Well done."

I'm supposed to tag others, I know. I'll have to look around and get back to that.

Booking Through Thursday: Stories

Today's Topic: If you’re anything like me, one of your favorite reasons to read is for the story. Not for the character development and interaction. Not because of the descriptive, emotive powers of the writer. Not because of deep, literary meaning hidden beneath layers of metaphor. (Even though those are all good things.) No … it’s because you want to know what happens next?
Or, um, is it just me?

Nope, it's not just you. When I write reviews, I am quick to mention if the author was particularly adept at developing her characters or evoking a strong emotional attachment, but for me, it's really all about the story. I think it's the main reason I relate so well to children's literature. Generally, you find that most books geared toward kids are going to be focused on the tale they have to tell. If they're really exceptional, they'll have all that other stuff, too (I'm thinking J.K. Rowling, Cornelia Funke, and Kate DiCamillo). But, what draws me in and holds me til the very end isn't how this character has grown or that imagery made me want to weep. It's the gotta finish, gotta know what's going to happen, dang, I'm on the last page and I don't want it to be over kind of feelings I get from really good storytellers.

So, what do you look for in the books you read?

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays asks you to:

• 
  
  Grab your current read


• 
  
  Let the book fall open to a random page.


• 
  
  Share with us two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.


• 
  
  You also need to share the title of the book that you're getting your "teaser" from...that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given!


• 
  
  Please avoid spoilers!
  

My 2 'Teaser' sentences for today:

On the bus going back mum started teaching us italian, she pointed at things out of the window and I learned "keyazer" which means "church" and "makiner" which means "car" and "pizza" which means "pizza" so I thought "this is quite easy, actually, perhaps I can learn italian after all." When we got back mum told Franseen we were going to stay till the summer and Franseen gave a look like she was surprised, she said "but that's wonderful news."

- from page 47 of When We Were Romans by Matthew Kneale

Tuesday Thingers: LT and RL

Today's question: LT and RL (real life)- do you have friends in real life that you met through LibraryThing? Have you attended any LT meet-ups in your area? Would you be open to attending meet-ups or is LT strictly an online thing for you?

I've met some great LTers online, but no, I've never met up with any in real life. Library Thing is unique for me, because typically I'm not very social online. While I haven't been overly outgoing even on LT, I'm certainly more so that in any other online venue. As for whether I would consider getting together with other LTers in real life, I would say yes. Again, this is fairly unique to LT. Although, in general I would think it could be risky to meet people you 'meet' online, I feel like most of the people on Library Thing are like me - crazy, but crazy about the same thing: books. Which makes them my kind of crazy, and I would feel totally comfortable meeting them in real life. So, if there happened to be an LT (more specifically, the arc-loving bloggers) meet-up in the future in or around the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, I'd definitely be interested in attending.

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays asks you to:

• Grab your current read
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you're getting your "teaser" from...that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given!
• Please avoid spoilers!

My 2 "Teaser" sentences for today:

"How easily other people's beliefs masquerade as our own. The enemy outside invades, and we, young and impressionable, are vulnerable; the enemy is so insidious that we're changed without even being aware of it."

- from page 105 of First Daughter by Eric Van Lustbader

Booking Through Thursday: Other Worlds

Today's Topic: Are there any particular worlds in books where you’d like to live?
Or where you certainly would NOT want to live?
What about authors? If you were a character, who would you trust to write your life?

Are there any particular worlds in books where you’d like to live?

Well, if you've got even the slightest hint about me at all, you could probably guess that I'd love to live in the world of Harry Potter. Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley - all are fascinating to me, and I think it would make for a magical place in which to reside.

On a completely different note, I think I would like to live in the Mitford created by Jan Karon in her books about Father Tim and the other Mitfordians. It's so sweet and simple, and everyone knows everyone else. It has a very Mayberry feel to it, which in theory is appealing. On the other hand, having spent four years in a very rural area of Vermont (and barely escaping with my sanity), I am not sure that I would like it as much as I think I would like it.

Similarly, I think I'd like to live in any of Rosamunde Pilcher's beautiful stories. Her beautiful writing has always made me believe that there could be nothing better than sitting in a stone kitchen with an aga stove sipping tea and looking out over my lush gardens. (Which just goes to show how great she really is, because I hate tea, cooking, and gardening....)

There are some books that I would like to be able to be dropped into at certain key points and then removed from after the adventure was over - Timeline and Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton spring to mind, not that I want to get chased around by dinosaurs, but I would like to see them.

A less fictional place that I'd like to at least visit is the area depicted in Frances Mayes' Under the Tuscan Sun. I found her descriptions of the area, the food, the people, the architecture to be delicious, and I would love to experience even a little bit of that before I die.

Or where you certainly would NOT want to live?

Harry Potter's world as long as Voldemort was running amok. After his demise, though, count me in.

The Papua New Guinea areas explored in Kira Salak's The White Mary (see my review here to get a better picture of why).

In any setting of a Stephen King novel.

What about authors? If you were a character, who would you trust to write your life?

This is definitely tougher. I think most of my favorite authors could make my life more interesting, but is that what I would really want? J.K. Rowling, Cornelia Funke, Phillip Pullman would all create excitement and fun, but also they tend to get their characters in quite a bit of trouble. I think of all the authors I adore, Jan Karon might be the most trusted for not making my life more exciting than I could possibly stand.

Booking Through Thursday: Famous Last Words

What are your favourite final sentences from books? Is there a book that you liked specially because of its last sentence? Or a book, perhaps that you didn’t like but still remember simply because of the last line?


There are many wonderful endings that have left me with a smile (or sometimes a few tears) on my face. Here are a few of my favorites...

• There's the wide-eyed innocence of Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time: "And I know I can do this because I went to London on my own, and because I solved the mystery of Who Killed Wellington? and I found my mother and I was brave and I wrote a book and that means I can do anything.
• After some worrisome events in Inkspell, the second book in Inkheart trilogy by Cornelia Funke, we are left with this optimistic message: "This story will have a happy ending. I swear!"
• In the context of the story, I thought Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife, the final words are a sweet finish to a lovely story: "He is coming, and I am here.

Do you have any favorite last words?

I've Been Nominated...

J. Kaye over at J. Kaye's Book Blog has just nominated me - thanks, J. Kaye!

Once an award is received, the rules are as follows:

1. Put the logo on your blog....done.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you....got that covered.
3. Nominate at least seven other blogs...seven? I do frequent other blogs, but they tend to be within a group, and it looks as though this has been making the rounds - I may end up with less than seven, but I'll give it a shot.
4. Add links to those blogs on your blog...got it.
5. Leave a message for your nominee on their blog...okey dokey.

My nominees are (in no particular order):

1. Random Wonder - is a blog I've just stumbled upon, and it's lovely. From what I've read Tasses, the blogger, is a fascinating woman whose 'own personal hell would involve airplanes and silverfish.' See, fascinating...
2. Minds Alive on the Shelves - is a fellow member of the Books and Blogs webring, and I love her blog if for nothing other than her adorable little cherry girl icon.
3. Shhh I'm Reading - is another fellow Books and Blogs webringer with great reviews that have lead me to add a few books to my already too long wishlist.
4. Bookish Ruth - Ruth and I seem to share eerily similar tastes in reading material. I find myself peeking through her library on LibraryThing occasionally to see what I might also enjoy. Her blog is great, and if you get over by July 30, you can enter to win a copy of First Daughter by Eric Van Lustbader.

Ok, so it was supposed to be seven, but four will have to do for now. I'll look around, and I may add more.

I do think this is a nice way to express to someone that you enjoy their blog. Often I will read and not comment, but it's not for lack of enjoyment - I just may not have anything to offer. But I think it's nice to hear that someone is reading besides me. So what blogs do you enjoy? You should go tell them!!

Tuesday Thingers: Recommendations

Today's topic: Recommendations. Do you use LT's recommendations feature? Have you found any good books by using it? Do you use the anti-recommendations, or the "special sauce" recommendations? How do you find out about books you want to read?

Do you use LT's recommendations feature?
Yep. I love it.

Have you found any good books by using it?
A few - Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo, Fablehaven by Brandon Mull, and The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm by Nancy Farmer were recommended, and all were pretty good fits. I've got way more on my to be read and wish list that I've yet to read, including Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind by Ann B. Ross, The Wish List by Eoin Colfer, and The Ruby in the Smoke by Philip Pullman.

Do you use the anti-recommendations, or the "special sauce" recommendations?
I've looked at the unsuggester for kicks, though I think it's fairly useless as an actual tool. I mean, I'm supposed to look to it to what? See what not to read, right? But the thing is the titles are either completely obvious like A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature or The Voluptuous Vegan: More Than 200 Sinfully Delicious Recipes for Meatless, Eggless, and Dairy-Free Meals (really??) or are totally inaccurate like quite a few Neil Gaiman's that I would totally read and The English Patient which is actually in my library.
On the other hand, I think the member recommendations are pretty helpful.

How do you find out about books you want to read?
Recommendations from places like LibraryThing and Amazon, for sure. I think LT is probably more accurate because Amazon takes into account things I've purchased for myself as well as my husband and my kids. LT's recommendations are based solely on my books. Another thing I like on LT is being able to see what other people have in their libraries, and if I find someone whose taste seems pretty well in line with my own, I'll peruse their choices for suggestions. I also read reviews on the blogs I read. And, if someone I know suggests a book, I'll pick it up sometimes, but that doesn't happen too often.

Oh, and I'm always open to recommendations from you all!

Book Club Classics - Classics Meme

I was tagged by The Koolaid Mom for this meme, so here goes:

1. What is the best classic you were “forced” to read in school (and why)?
2. What was the worst classic you were forced to endure (and why)?
3. Which classic should every student be required to read (and why)?
4. Which classic should be put to rest immediately (and why)?
5. **Bonus** Why do you think certain books become classics?

1. What is the best classic you were “forced” to read in school (and why)?

Well there are a couple, actually. Of course, I'd have to say Pride and Prejudice is at the top of the list, but I think I actually chose that from among a list to do a report on in 10th grade, so maybe that one shouldn't count. So, maybe I should say The Great Gatsby instead. I'm not really sure I can pinpoint exactly why this book spoke to me, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. My favorite book, though, that I was forced to read in high school would have to be Allen Drury's Advise and Consent. I read it for Ms. Montgomery's AP Government class, and I went into it thinking it was going to be a snooze-fest. 700+ pages discussing senatorial confirmations, come on! But, oh wow! I'm not sure if it's a classic in the strictest terms, but it should be.

2. What was the worst classic you were forced to endure (and why)?

Oh, there are so many. Dickens alone provided much of my reading angst in high school. And then there was Crime and Punishment, A Day No Pigs Would Die, Catcher in the Rye, and who can forget Lord of the Flies. Perhaps if I reread them now I'd be better equipped to appreciate them....but I'm not going to try and find out. Of all of them, I think A Day No Pigs Would Die takes my 'worst' honors. I just really saw no point in this one, other than to make me feel horrible.

3. Which classic should every student be required to read (and why)?

That's a hard question. I'm not sure there is one book I think everyone should read. Mostly, I think that we should all be able to read what we like. I don't like the idea of banning certain books from libraries because one or two moms finds them subversive. If you don't want your child reading Harry Potter, tell him not to. When he's an adult, he can decide for himself to read it or not. But, don't pull books off my children's library shelves because the ideas of a wizard book you've likely not even read offends your sensibilities.

4. Which classic should be put to rest immediately (and why)?

See #3. Honestly, I don't think there are any books I'd say shouldn't be available. Required reading? Well, that's hard to say. I know there are certain books that allow us glimpses into specific time periods as well as genres, and the fact that I might not particularly like the books doesn't really negate that. So, I'll just say that as a homeschooler, I would let my kids decide what they want to read - within limits, but there will probably come a time when I will want them to read certain books. They may not like them, but it can't all be candy sprinkles and sunshine.

5. **Bonus** Why do you think certain books become classics?

Well, I know the right answer probably has something to do with relevance and timelessness, but honestly, I can't even begin to see how The Illiad is relevant to me today. I do think that classics teach us things - about the times in which the book was written, about the way people thought, about life in general. I don't always get what it is I'm supposed to learn with certain 'classics', but I do think that most books that are considered classics have merit - even the ones I don't care for. While Moby Dick isn't exactly my cup of tea, I can see why it has stood the test of time. I do think it would be interesting to look back a few hundred years from now and see what books, of the so many that are published today, have become classics, and which ones have faded into obscurity.

So, what do you think? I'm tagging: The Boston Bibliophile and J. Kaye.

Tuesday Thingers: Popularity Continued...

This week's Tuesday Thinger's entry:

Since some of us in America may be busy or traveling this holiday week, I thought I would keep things simple for Tuesday Thingers.

Here is the Top 100 Most Popular Books on LibraryThing. Bold what you own, italicize what you've read. Star(*) what you liked. Star multiple times(***)what you loved! I hope all the American participants have a great Fourth of July weekend!

1. Harry Potter and the sorcerer's stone by J.K. Rowling (32,484)*******
2. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Book 6) by J.K. Rowling (29,939)*******
3. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Book 5) by J.K. Rowling (28,728)********
4. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Book 2) by J.K. Rowling (27,926)******
5. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Book 3) by J.K. Rowling (27,643)*******
6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Book 4) by J.K. Rowling (27,641)*******
7. The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (23,266)***
8. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (21,325)
9. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7) by J.K. Rowling (20,485)********
10. 1984 by George Orwell (19,735)
11. Pride and Prejudice (Bantam Classics) by Jane Austen (19,583) *******
12. The catcher in the rye by J.D. Salinger (19,082)
13. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (17,586)****
14. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (16,210)***
15. The lord of the rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (15,483)
16. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (14,566)
17. Jane Eyre (Penguin Classics) by Charlotte Bronte (14,449)
18. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (13,946)*
19. Life of Pi by Yann Martel (13,272)
20. Animal Farm by George Orwell (13,091)
21. Angels & demons by Dan Brown (13,089)****
22. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (13,005)
23. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (12,777)
24. One Hundred Years of Solitude (Oprah's Book Club) by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (12,634)
25. The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, Part 1) by J.R.R. Tolkien (12,276)
26. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden (12,147)
27. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (11,976)*
28. The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, Part 2) by J.R.R. Tolkien (11,512)
29. The Odyssey by Homer (11,483)30. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (11,392)
31. Slaughterhouse-five by Kurt Vonnegut (11,360)
32. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (11,257)
33. The return of the king : being the third part of The lord of the rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (11,082)
34. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (10,979)
35. American Gods: A Novel by Neil Gaiman (10,823)
36. The chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis (10,603) *
37. The hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy by Douglas Adams (10,537)
38. Lord of the Flies by William Golding (10,435)
39. The lovely bones : a novel by Alice Sebold (10,125)
40. Ender's Game (Ender, Book 1) by Orson Scott Card (10,092)
41. The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, Book 1) by Philip Pullman (9,827)***
42. Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Neil Gaiman (9,745)
43. Dune by Frank Herbert (9,671)
44. Emma by Jane Austen (9,610)*******(Named my daughter Emma because of dear Jane)
45. Frankenstein by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (9,598)
46. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Bantam Classics) by Mark Twain (9,593)
47. Anna Karenina (Oprah's Book Club) by Leo Tolstoy (9,433)
48. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke (9,413)
49. Middlesex: A Novel by Jeffrey Eugenides (9,343)
50. Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire (9,336)
51. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov (9,274)
52. The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien (9,246)
53. The Iliad by Homer (9,153)
54. The Stranger by Albert Camus (9,084)
55. Sense and Sensibility (Penguin Classics) by Jane Austen (9,080)
56. Great Expectations (Penguin Classics) by Charles Dickens (9,027)
57. The Handmaid's Tale: A Novel by Margaret Atwood (8,960)
58. On the Road by Jack Kerouac (8,904)
59. Freakonomics [Revised and Expanded]: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt (8,813)
60. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery - (8,764)
61. The lion, the witch and the wardrobe by C. S. Lewis (8,421) *
62. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle (8,417)
63. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (8,368)**
64. The Grapes of Wrath (Centennial Edition) by John Steinbeck (8,255)
65. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (8,214)*
66. The Name of the Rose: including Postscript to the Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco (8,191)
67. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (8,169)
68. Moby Dick by Herman Melville (8,129)
69. The complete works by William Shakespeare (8,096)*****
70. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies by Jared Diamond (7,843)
71. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris (7,834)
72. The Poisonwood Bible: A Novel (Perennial Classics) by Barbara Kingsolver (7,829)
73. Hamlet (Folger Shakespeare Library) by William Shakespeare (7,808)****
74. Of Mice and Men (Penguin Great Books of the 20th Century) by John Steinbeck (7,807)*
75. A Tale of Two Cities (Penguin Classics) by Charles Dickens (7,793)
76. The Alchemist (Plus) by Paulo Coelho (7,710)
77. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (7,648)
78. The Picture of Dorian Gray (Barnes & Noble Classics Series) (Barnes & Noble Classics) by Oscar Wilde (7,598)
79. The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition by William Strunk (7,569)
80. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (7,557)
81. The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials, Book 2) by Philip Pullman (7,534)***
82. Atonement: A Novel by Ian McEwan (7,530)
83. The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (7,512)
84. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd (7,436)
85. Dracula by Bram Stoker (7,238)
86. Heart of Darkness (Dover Thrift Editions) by Joseph Conrad (7,153)
87. A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess (7,055)
88. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (7,052)*
89. The amber spyglass by Philip Pullman (7,043)**
90. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (Penguin Classics) by James Joyce (6,933)
91. The Unbearable Lightness of Being: A Novel (Perennial Classics) by Milan Kundera (6,901)
92. Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse (6,899)*
93. Neuromancer by William Gibson (6,890)
94. The Canterbury Tales (Penguin Classics) by Geoffrey Chaucer (6,868)*
95. Persuasion (Penguin Classics) by Jane Austen (6,862)
96. Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman (6,841)
97. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova (6,794)*
98. Angela's Ashes: A Memoir by Frank McCourt (6,715)
99. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers (6,708)
100. The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli (6,697)

What does this tell us? I haven't a clue.

Booking Through Thursday: Definition

What, in your opinion, is the definition of a “reader.” A person who indiscriminately reads everything in sight? A person who reads BOOKS? A person who reads, period, no matter what it is? … Or, more specific? Like the specific person who’s reading something you wrote?

I've never really thought about it before. I guess for me it's someone who reads and enjoys books. I know there are comics and other forms of 'reading material', but in my mind, when someone describes themselves as a reader, I assume (yes, I know what that makes u and me) they mean they love books the way I do. Genre doesn't matter. It can be classic works of literature, or books of poetry, or science fiction, or children's books.

However, just the act of reading doesn't make a reader, in my opinion. You can read for a class, and get nothing from the experience short of a grade, but to be a reader, you do it because you want to and get some pleasure from it.

So, what is your definition of a "reader?"

Booking Through Thursday: Flavor

Today's Topic: Favorite Authors...

Think about your favorite authors, your favorite books . . . what is it about them that makes you love them above all the other authors you’ve read? The stories? The characters? The way they appear to relish the taste of words on the tongue? The way they’re unafraid to show the nitty-gritty of life? How they sweep you off to a new, distant place? What is it about those books and authors that makes them resonate with you in ways that other, perfectly good books and authors do not?

Trying to narrow down favorite authors is always difficult for me. I have quite a few, and it's not like they're all within the same genre or even several from two or three genres. They're rather all over the map categorically speaking, and it makes it more difficult to pinpoint the quality that draws me to them.

I would have to say my top favorite books are the Harry Potters (more especially books 3-5) and Inkheart. These I think I like for generally the same reasons - escape. Rowling and Funke have, with these novels, created amazing worlds that are as real to me as my own living room. To be able to walk down Diagon Alley or share a story with Meggie and Mo - these are my people, my places, everything I love about reading is contained in these books. I could read and reread and reread them and never tire of the way I feel each time I turn the pages. There is definitely something magical going on.

Then there are authors like Michael Crichton and John Grisham - neither of which I've read lately, but both of which I still count among my favorites. For me, their talent lies in realism. Where The Goblet of Fire gets me with its fantasticalness (totally made up that word), books like The Firm and even Jurassic Park are so well thought out and explained, that you don't even question the plausibility of the plot. Dinosaurs created from DNA extracted from a mosquito? Sounds good to me.

And then there are others like Rosamunde Pilcher, who's been with me for a while, and Nicholas Sparks, who's a relatively new friend. Both of these authors tug at my heart a little bit, make me cry, and give me hope all at the same time.

I could go on and on...but I think the answer really is that each of the authors I count among my favorites are brilliant at creating life on the pages of their books, characters that breathe, cities I want to visit, and stories I want to hear over and over again. And I am so grateful that they've found their place in the world of literature.

So who makes you swoon?

Tagged: About Me

I was tagged by kbookreviews with this meme, so here goes:

1. Who's your all-time favorite author, and why?
I feel like I should say someone like Shakespeare (who I do love) or Jane Austen (who I also love), but if I'm being honest, I'd have to say the person I read and re-read most often is J.K. Rowling. I absolutely adore the Harry Potter books. I get lost in the story and the setting each time I open one of her books, and it's just so comforting to know that if I'm feeling particularly blue, I can escape to Hogwarts for a great pick me up.

2. Who was your first favorite author? Do you still consider him or her among your favorites?
This is difficult because I don't really remember all that much of what I read as a child. I do remember enjoying Judy Blume, and I loved the Shel Silverstein books of poetry. I wouldn't say that either are favorites now, but I have started introducing my children to their books.

3. Who't the most recent addition to your list of favorite authors, and why?
Hmmm...I think that would be Michael Buckley, author of the Sister's Grimm series. I started reading them a few months back, and I really enjoy the stories. I've also recently begun reading Neil Gaiman. After reading Neverwhere and Stardust, I will definitely be looking for more from him.

4. If someone asked you who your favorite authors were right now, which authors would first pop out of your mouth? Are there any you'd add on a moment of further reflection?
Well, like I said in question one, I think my initial response is to go to Jane Austen, Shakespeare, and probably I'd mention Rowling. If I thought about it, though, there are so many that come to mind. Rosamunde Pilcher, Michael Crichton, John Grisham, Jeffrey Deaver (he's a new favorite), Eoin Colfer, Jan Karon, Nora Roberts (shhh...don't tell anyone about that one), Dan Brown, Anne Rice (the Witches more than the vampires), Dean Koontz, James Patterson, Terry Pratchett, and on, and on....But, I'm always looking to add to the list, so if you've got any suggestions, I'm all ears!!

So, now I get to be the tagger:

Planet Books, you're it.