Friday, April 17, 2009

Book 'em

Thank God for friends like Joe and Laura, who posted this book meme over the past few days. I just saw Heather did it too and I can't wait to read hers since we talk books all the freaking time! Considering I feel like I lack ANYTHING to say AT ALL right now (and that's pretty bad, considering the mundane posts I usually whip out), this is great filler. Well, for people who like books. Well, Joe doesn't like books and he still did it, so there you go. I know at least three friends "in real life" who will skip right over this post, because it will be of no interest to them whatsoever. It's okay; they have other lovable aspects about them that allows me to forgive them that major personality defect! Also, I get to hear about books I might not otherwise have heard about, which is always exciting for me. My life would be devoid of all meaning if there wasn't books in it. Frightening, right?
Anyway, without further doo doo, here it go:

What author do you own the most books by?
Stephen King. I've read him since I was twelve years old and the love affair is still going strong. Literary snobs may sniff, but I don't give a shit about literary snobs. When you read his non-scary stuff, you realize what a damn solid storyteller he really is, and I've cried over more than one character.


What book do you own the most copies of?
There are certain King books Brian came into the relationship with, so we have two of some of them; I just don't remember which. I also have hardcover and paperback of a couple of the Harry Potters and we both had copies of Helter Skelter, the Charles Manson story and Where the Wild Things Are. Yay for diversity!

Did it bother you that both those questions ended with prepositions?
There isn't a dumber rule in all of...

What fictional character are you secretly in love with?
There have been many, but the first one who comes to mind is Harry Potter. I know; the age difference is uncomfortable and inappropriate - maybe I should've kept that a secret. Aragorn from Lord of the Rings is a close second. Obviously because of the hotness that was Viggo Mortensen in the movie, but who cares.

What book have you read the most times in your life (excluding picture books read to children; i.e. Goodnight Moon doesn't count)
Ooh. I read many books repeatedly, so I'm going to have to wager a guess here. Let's go with Prince of Tides or any other Pat Conroy.

What was your favorite book when you were ten years old?
Are You There God, It's Me Margaret, by Judy Blume - Come on! Who didn't love reading about getting your first period and wonder why she talked about a "belt" in relation to sanitary napkins!

What is the worst book you’ve read in the past year?
See, this is where keeping a book journal comes in totally handy. Except I don't have it with me, which totally sucks. Using only my memory for reference, I'd have to say The Wolf of Wall Street by Jordan Belfort. A cocky, horribly written memoir by some asshole who lucked up in the stock market, got extremely wealthy, lost pretty much everything because of drugs and alcohol, then wrote a memoir to make some money back. His insane usage of the phrase "loamy loins" when it came to describing hot women - I swear, I started counting and it numbered into the teens - was one of many irritants and I can't believe I finished the piece of shit.

What is the best book you’ve read in the past year?
God, this is harder than I thought it would be. Again, having my trusty book journal for this would've helped a lot. I'll go with Population: 485 by Michael Perry and Cruddy by Lynda Barry. It would behoove anyone to read either of these, but you know - no pressure. Thank you again Swistle, for bringing Lynda Barry into my life.

If you could force everyone you tagged to read one book, what would it be?I don't like forcing people into doing anything, especially when it comes to reading certain books, because if they hated it and I loved it, it makes me like the person a little less. Just kidding. Not really. I'll go with So Many Books, So Little Time: A Year of Passionate Reading, by Sara Nelson, just because it gives a wide variety of book ideas to someone who loves to read. It's what inspired me to start my book journal.

Who deserves to win the next Nobel Prize for Literature?
Me.

What book would you most like to see made into a movie?
Hmm. Most of the books I love are made into movies I don't love. I just found out I Love You Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle is being made into a movie as we speak and it stars that annoying blonde girl from Heroes as the title's Beth Cooper. I loved this book and I know I'll have to see the movie, but I'm scared.

What book would you least like to see made into a movie?
Any Stephen King book besides The Shining and Misery, but nobody consults me and they do it anyway.

Describe your weirdest dream involving a writer, book, or literary character.
I dreamt about Augusten Burroughs once, but I'm not going into details here, thank you very much. But he knows how I feel - we're totally Myspace friends.

What is the most lowbrow book you’ve read as an adult?
That horrible unauthorized biography of John Belushi - Wired: The Short Life and Fast Times of John Belushi, by Bob Woodward. After I read the REAL story by his wife Judith, I felt dirty for ever having held that other piece of trash in my hands. Also the bullshit by Candace Bushnell and the Nanny Diaries. Crap.

What is the most difficult book you’ve ever read?
I thought I'd be a showoff smartass and picked Doctor Zhivago for my eighth grade lit project. Yeah, a book over 500 pages about a tormented love story in pre-revolutionary Russia? I don't know what the hell is wrong with me sometimes. I gave up after two weeks of pure torture.

What is the most obscure Shakespeare play you’ve seen?
In ninth grade, my English class did different scenes from MacBeth (I had to memorize the Bubble bubble, toil and trouble scene) and then in college I took an entire course that studied nothing but Hamlet. Those have been my only involvements with the Bard.

Do you prefer the French or the Russians?
I prefer good old American.

Roth or Updike?
Updike, but only because of The Witches of Eastwick.

David Sedaris or Dave Eggers?
SEDARIS FTW!!!

Shakespeare, Milton, or Chaucer?
I guess Shakespeare, but just barely. I prefer my reading a little lighter and a lot dumbed down.

Austen or Eliot?
I know there are a lot of Austen lovers out there. I'm not one of them.

What is the biggest or most embarrassing gap in your reading?
What is this gap you speak of? I don't think there have been too many days I haven't read a book since first learning how to read.

What is your favorite novel?
That's funny, the idea of picking out just one. I can't do it.

Play?
Does Rent count? Because that's it.

Poem?
I went through a poetry phase when I was an angsty 20-something. I don't remember any that stand out, but I remember liking some Dickenson, as in Emily.

Essay?
I have no idea. I thought this thing was about books.

Short story?
No question about it - The Jaunt, by Stephen King. An 18-page sci-fi freak-out mindfuck that blew me away to the point I have to read it every few years just to make sure it has the same effect.

Work of nonfiction?I read a lot of memoirs, some of which are amazing; some not so great. I'll go with Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs, A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel and The Liar's Club by Mary Karr.

Who is your favorite writer?
I have quite a few, but I'll go with someone I haven't mentioned here yet: Shirley Jackson. Creepy, sarcastic and brilliant - my fave.

Who is the most overrated writer alive today?
I'll have to agree with Laura on this one - Stephanie Make-My-Eyes-Bleed Meyer and running close behind is the bestseller I love to hate, Danielle Steele.

What is your desert island book?
Some sort of wilderness survival handbook, otherwise I'm totally screwed.

And… what are you reading right now?
Bright Shiny Morning by James Frey, but I'm nearing the end so time to head back to the library.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yep. We need to live closer so we could have a little book club or have planned library trips (with food or drink involved after we got our books)! :)

The Stephen King movies...arg. You know my favorite is still 'Delores Claiborne' and I don't know why I don't own it.

The first King book I read was 'Eye Of The Dragon'. I'm not sure how old I was, maybe high school. It was later than Amy and Lea had started, I remember that much.

Judy Blume!!

Anonymous said...

Oh! And we both said we wouldn't force books on anyone! Well, I DID kinda force two on you, but with the caveat that you didn't have to read them if you didn't want to! Hahaha!

LL Cool Joe said...

Hey another cool list! You've inspired me to write something on my blog actually about music. Well you didn't expect it to be about books did you? :D

Anonymous said...

Okay, I'm kind of embarrassed to ask, since I see it used EVERYWHERE, but what does FTW mean? "For The Win"?

Kim said...

Heather - I forgot about your Deloris Clayborne recommendation. I'd see that just based on your opinion. And I'm very thankful you "forced" Mr. Moore on me!

Joe - I loved the blog post I inspired you to write; you worded it perfectly.

Snerk - Yes. Usually I try not to jump on acronym bandwagons, but this one fits in so many situations!

Anonymous said...

FTW in the metal community means "FUCK THE WORLD". :D

Taoist Biker said...

I think "for the win" and "fuck the world" are interchangeable in that context. As in, "I'll take Sedaris and fuck the [rest of] the world!"

At least that's my argument. :D

I never understood how a book could really be scary before I read Pet Sematary in college. Nice. I'm still not a huge King reader but the man sure as hell can write.