not your average reading meme

Stephanie, who just happens to one the sweetest, most adorable bloggers out there, tagged me for this interesting reading meme. The meme was actually started by Eva (A Striped Armchair), whom many of you already know and love.

Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews?

The books that immediately come to mind are Colleen Gleason's books. Remember, the question did say "irrationally"?!! So, what's holding me back? The fact that they're shelved in the romance section. Why can't I get past this? I honestly don't know. I've read so many wonderful reviews of her books, by people whose opinions I trust implicitly. Heck, I even have her first two books (autographed copies even!) sitting on my shelves. And one of these days, I will overcome idiocy on this matter...I promise.

If you could bring three characters to life for a social event (afternoon tea, a night of clubbing, perhaps a world cruise), who would they be and what would the event be?

Hmmm...this is really tough, mostly because social events just make me extremely uncomfortable. So I think I'll just have a laid-back barbecue in our back yard, and invite a few laid-back characters. Shadow (American Gods) and Larry (The Stand), both laid-back fellows with good hearts, each of whom has enough of an edge to make them really interesting. And to round things out, August (The Secret Life of Bees), because, well, I just loved this woman. Another down-to-earth character who could really spice up a get-together.

(Borrowing shamelessly from the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde): you are told you can’t die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for awhile, eventually you realize it’s past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave?

Babbitt. Maybe I would feel different if I read this book today, but back in high school I truly believed that being made to read this book was a form of cruel and unusual punishment.

Come on, we’ve all been there. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you’ve read, when in fact you’ve been nowhere near it?

I honestly can't think of any. I'm the first to admit that I'm not a well-rounded reader. There were, however, a few required reads back in high school, that I probably didn't give my full attention to...Ethan Frome, for example, comes to mind.

You’re interviewing for the post of Official Book Advisor to some VIP (who’s not a big reader). What’s the first book you’d recommend and why? (If you feel like you’d have to know the person, go ahead and personalize the VIP).

Crap. This one's just too hard. Maybe And The Band Played On. Yes, it's the story of the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, especially in the U.S. But it has lessons to teach us about so many things...humility, bigotry, misguided intentions, selfishness, greed, etc.

A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. Which language do you go with?

Another tough one. I think I could be happy with whatever ability the good fairy gave me. Maybe Chinese?

A mischievous fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will reread once a year for the rest of your life (you can read other books as well). Which book would you pick?

My immediate thought was The Stand. But I'm afraid once a year might take away some of its magic for me. So I'm going to say The Lorax. Hope it's not cheating to choose a Dr. Seuss book. I truly love this book and its message.

I know that the book blogging community, and its various challenges, have pushed my reading borders. What’s one bookish thing you ‘discovered’ from book blogging (maybe a new genre, or author, or new appreciation for cover art-anything)?

Okay, and this one's tough for an entirely different reason...how to limit it to one thing! Book blogging has opened so many doors for me. I've grown to love fantasy; I've read more non-fiction than I have in many years; I've entered into the world of graphic novels; I've read more classics than I have since high school; I've discovered new-to-me authors, like Neil Gaiman and Ray Bradbury, that I adore. I simply can't believe how much my horizons have expanded in the past year!

That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she’s granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leather-bound? Is it full of first edition hardcovers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few favorite authors have inscribed their works? Go ahead-let your imagination run free.

I think my vision is pretty stereotypical. A huge stone fireplace. Big comfy chairs and loveseats. Floor to ceiling bookshelves lining all the walls. And, of course, the rolling ladders. An area with a huge table to spread out books and papers. Favorite framed photos and travel finds interspersed amongst the thousands of books. Ahhh...if only.

Tag 4 people for this meme...

Jean of Runs with Scissors...and a Sword (Haha...I can do this now that you have a blog!)
Kara of Calm and Chaos
Chris of Stuff as Dreams are Made On
Nymeth of Things Mean A Lot