Monday Musings

Monday Musings is hosted by MizB at Should Be Reading.  Today's Monday Musing asks:

What is the longest book you have ever read?  How long did it take you to read it?

The longest book I've ever read is Gone with the Wind (1,011 pages).  I read it the summer I was 14 years old.  I can not remember how long it took me to read it, but I do have a vivid vision of myself sitting barefoot on my front stoop wearing my favorite jeans with the rip in the knees and reading it in the shade of a giant maple tree. Scarlet O'Hara is still my favorite character from literature.  


How about you?  What's the longest book you have ever read?  And a related question...  Does the length of a book influence whether or not you will choose to read it, regardless of how interesting the story sounds?

Musing Monday

This week’s Musing Mondays from Should Be Reading asks…



Are there any “raved reads” –books that everyone seems to be talking about– that you’re hoping to get read this year, yourself? What books are they, and why are you hoping to read them? Is it because you want to say you’ve read it? Or, would you have chosen to read it, even if you’d discovered it yourself, and no one was raving about it?“

This is such an interesting and timely question for me. Many times books come to my attention that I decide not to read simply because the topic/plot does not appeal to me. Then I start to see them referenced again and again - on blogs, in newspaper and magazines and across the desk at the library where they seem to always be on hold for someone. Frequently, at this point, I change my mind about wanting to read them. And most often my initial reaction was correct. I really don't like the book all the much. If the topic is not initially appealing, usually the book is not either, regardless of how many other people love it, the great reviews it gets or the number of blogs I see it pop up on. Just this past weekend, I had made a decision to stick to my initial reaction to a book when deciding what to read. And with that in mind, I'm off to clean up my tbr list on Goodreads. I'm looking forward to staring out 2012 with a fresh (reading) slate.

How about you? Are there "hot" books you are dying to read? Are you influenced by the buzz created around some books? Inquiring minds want to know...

Musing Mondays

This week’s musing asks…

What do you think of books that receive a lot of hype? (think of the “Twilight” saga, or “Harry Potter”, or “The Da Vinci Code”). Do you read them? Why, or why not?

This is a good question and one that I was recently discussing with Sandy of It's a Jungle Out There. For the most part, I use the same criteria for "hyped" books that I do for all others. If the topic sounds interesting, I will read it. However, there are very rare times when someone who's opinion I trust recommends a hyped book to me and I will read it. However, I never read super-hyped, "franchised" books (like Twilight and Harry Potter). Like movies, once a book goes into serialization it usually isn't very good. And books that are series right from the start are usually too commercial for my taste. In keeping with the DVD analogy, these are like movies that go straight to DVD. I can promise you that I will NEVER read the Twilight series. No matter who recommends it (with sincere apologies to all you Twi-hards out there).

Musing Mondays

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about movies based on books…

What happens when you see a movie based on a book/story, especially one you’ve not read? Do you feel the need to track it down and read it?

I love Musing Monday questions that I can sink my teeth into. And this is one of them. My quick answer is "it depends". If the movie is based on a book that I wasn't interested in reading in the first place (ie: The Devil Wears Prada), then I do not feel the need to go out and read it. If, on the other hand, the book is one that I've been wanting to read, I almost always read it BEFORE I see the movie (I can't think of an example of this right now). Usually the storyline loses something in translation from book to film and I like to enjoy the original first. Many times I have already read the book long before it is made into a film. If that is the case, I judge the movie on its own merits, because I can no longer remember the details of the book and therefore can not be disappointed that the movie is not true to the original story (ie Memoirs of a Geisha, The Time Travelers Wife and The Lovely Bones). And some times when I see a movie that piques my interest, I will do a little research on the topic/person after I see an intriguing movie (ie Robin Hood). Hence, my original answer - "it depends".

How about you? Do you enjoy movies that have been made from books? Do you seek them out? Avoid them like the plague? Watch the movie first or read the book first? I'd love to hear your take. You can also write your own Musing Monday post and link up at the Just One More Page.

Booking and Musing

It's a book meme feast here today. As you all know, there are few bookish memes I sometimes participate in - depending on my interest in the question or topic. It just so happens that this week I'm interested in both the Booking Through Thursday and Musing Mondays topics. So today it's a two for one. Lucky you, right? (I'll take that as a "yes".)




Booking Through Thursday: Are your book choices influenced by friends and family? Do their recommendations carry weight for you? Or do you choose your books solely by what you want to read?

This is a great question and one I'm asked fairly often. (Or at least I'm asked where I find the books that I choose to read.) The answer is twofold. First, I definitely listen to the recommendations of my friends and coworkers (my family members rarely recommend books to me). Many of my friends/coworkers have the same taste in books and I always research any book that they recommend.


But the second part of my answer is that after I research a book, I will only read it if it truly seems interesting to me. I don't read books just because someone recommends them or because they are the latest "hot" book. I have to be interested in the story. However, I will make an occasional exception. There are a couple of friends whose opinion I trust so much that if they say I simply MUST read a book, even after I've decided the topic is not of interest, I will do it. That is how I read the simply divine Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. I have never regretted reading that book.

How about you? How do you decide what books to read?





Musing Mondays: Do you have to carve out time in your day for reading (due to work and other obligations), or does your reading just happen naturally?

I don't "carve out" a specific time for reading. Reading is something that happens very organically for me. I am never without a book and I fit in little bits of reading throughout the day. It is very rare for me to carve out a large block of time specifically to read. I read the newspaper while I eat breakfast, I read a few pages of whatever book I'm reading during lunch, I read while waiting for appointments, I sometimes read in the evenings during the commercials of my favorite shows, or while sitting at the kitchen table if my kids have monopolized the TV. The time that I have designated as reading time, is right before bed. I can not go to sleep without reading for at least 20 minutes. Most times I don't remember a single word that I read the next morning and I have to reread those pages, but reading in bed is my sleeping pill. That is the only time I "carve out" specifically for reading.

How about you? When do you do your reading?

Musing Mondays

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about library etiquette…

For the regular library patrons among us: do you have your own idea of what constitutes proper library etiquette? Is there anything you always try to do? Anything you hate when others do?

Oh boy! Don't get me started... Of course, I'm going to be coming at this from the other side of the circulation desk. But truthfully, I'm anxious to read what bugs library patrons. There are probably things I can do differently to make using the library more enjoyable for my patrons. Hmm...

My number one pet peeve, is parents who come into the library with toddlers and then sit at the computer and completely ignore their child/children. For long periods of time. And they don't bring anything for the kid to do nor do they even direct them to play with the puzzles or look at books. They simply ignore them or even worse yell at them the whole time to "behave". Seriously?! These children are under 5 years old. Guess who ends up entertaining these poor little kids. Yup! The staff of the children's room. Grrr!

Patrons who steal from the library. OK, maybe this is number one. Of course books are sometimes never returned, but sometimes people steal CDs and DVDs right out of the cases on the shelf. Our entire collection of country music has been stolen. Right now we keep the new discs behind the counter, so the cases are empty. But our country music thief is very patient. As soon as the discs are back in the cases... they disappear. So now ALL music will be behind the desk. And it doesn't end there, our donation jar has been stolen numerous times and we've even had a computer stolen. Come on, people. We're a library. We're not "the man". We're here to serve you. We're not ripping you off. You don't need to "stick it to us". I hope your conscious is killing you.

People who take hardcover books to the beach and return them with bits of sand under the plastic cover. Somehow it feels as though the book has been defiled.

Books that come back smelly like cigarette smoke. Totally ruins the reading experience for me. I will go so far as to order a different copy. Reading is a very sensual experience for me. If the book reeks like stale smoke, I can't enjoy the reading experience.

As I said, I could go on and on. But, I'll stop there.

As for what I do to make the experience nicer for patrons, I always greet everyone who comes into the library. I try to be pleasant and smile to each patron who comes to the desk. I make an attempt to learn the names of the all the toddlers who come to story hour and speak to them individually when they come up to the desk. Basically, I try to be everything that the stereotypical librarian is not. Cheerful, friendly, helpful and kind - even when moms are surfing the net while they're bored, hungry, tired children are running rampant in the children's room.

How about you? What bugs you? I'd love to hear how library staff can help make your library visits more pleasant. This is your chance to really let me have it. I'd love to hear from you.

Musing Mondays

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about your bookshelf…

What books did you read while in school? Were there any that you particular liked, or even hated? Did any become lifelong favourites?

I don't remember a lot of what I read in school and I think I wasn't old enough or mature enough to enjoy most of the reading that was assigned to me. I remember reading Billy Budd, Death of a Salesman and the The Sun Also Rises in 9th grade. The only books I remember from 10th grade are Sherwood, Ohio, A Raisin in the Sun and To Kill a Mockingbird. In 11th grade (British Literature), we read Beowulf, The Canterbury Tales and lots of Shakespeare. I remember absolutely loving both The Canterbury Tales and Shakespeare, even though I didn't understand all of it. I think it was the language and the "history" that I loved most of all. But that was the start of my great love of all things Shakespeare and in college I took two Shakespeare courses. Again, I didn't always understand absolutely everything, but I LOVED it just the same. Oddly enough I can't remember what I read in 12th grade. Not a single thing. Weird. Anyway, the one book I read in school (for an 8th grade book report) that became an absolute life long favorite and one of my "transcendent books" is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. This book stayed with me (which is very unusual) and I decided to reread it a few years ago. I was delighted to discover that it was just as good as I remembered. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it.

How about you? Do you have any favorite books from your school days?

Musing Mondays

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about social reading…

How much of your reading do you share with others (outside of blogging?) Do you belong to a book or library club? Do you trade books with friends? Do you tell others what you’re reading?

Reading is hugely social for me. Most of my friends are avid readers and we are always sharing our thoughts about what we are reading with each other. Of course, reading is also a big part of my profession (I'm a Library Assistant) so much of my work day revolves around sharing books. I also belong to two book clubs - one social and one that I run at the library. As for sharing books with friends ... I don't share actual, physical books too often because I rarely buy books. I do own some of my all time favorites and I'm always happy to share those with friends, but most of the time the opportunity does not arise. But my friends and I are always sharing books in the sense that we will recommend something that we have read and loved with each other. And I am beyond thrilled to tell others what I am currently reading. Just ask. I love to talk books. Most of the time it's pretty obvious what I'm reading, because I tend to carry my current book with me wherever I go. I'm more attached to my current read than I am to my cell phone. Here on my blog, you can always see what I'm reading in my Good Reads widget on my sidebar. Right now I'm about halfway through The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. It's a book about books. Can't beat that!

How about you? Is reading social or solitary? What are you reading now? I'd love to hear all about it. I really, really would!

Image from Google Images

Musing Mondays

MUSING MONDAYS are hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page. Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post (taken from the Musing Mondays archives) is about your to be read (tbr) pile…


How many books (roughly) are in your tbr pile? Is this in increasing number or does it stay stable? Do you ever experience tbr anxiety in the face of this pile? (question courtesy of Wendy)

As of the writing of this post there are 28 books on my tbr list. This number changes constantly. Because I work in a library, interesting looking books are constantly crossing my desk and being added to the list. And a new source of books to read is all the great book reviews I've been reading on all of your blogs. (You are seriously killing me). Of course, I also have a 66 book list of books I need to read for Reading Across Rhode Island. I have read 23 of them and some will be eliminated soon at the first committee meeting in July. (Hopefully lots of the books I haven't read will be eliminated). As for anxiety... I'm not sure that's the right word, but I do get a little anal about organizing the list and making sure I don't get too many books (from the library) at once. Right now the books are scheduled out until late August. And many times, if a book sits on the list too long, my interest in it wanes and I remove it. Guilt free. There are too many books and authors out there. It is impossible to keep up. Not a bad problem to have, though.

How about you? What's the status of your tbr pile? PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with your opinion or link to your own Monday Musing post.

Image from Google Images

Musing Mondays

MUSING MONDAYS are hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page. Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post (taken from the Musing Mondays archives) is about library borrowing…

Do you restrict yourself on how many books you take out from the library at a time? Do you borrow books if you already have some out? Do you always reborrow books you don’t get to?
.

I don't have a hard and fast rule about how many books I take out of the library. Of course, I work in a library and that adds a whole other dimension to this question. I try not to take more than I can read in the three week circulation period. Because many of the books I want to read have a long list of patrons waiting to get them, I can't always predict when my name will rise to the top. Sometimes they all come in at once. Recently, I've begun scheduling exactly (to the day) that I want the books to arrive - one perk of working behind the circulation desk. I currently have books scheduled out until the end of August. I would say that for the most part I have 3 library books checked out at a time. And usually I get them read before I have to return them. Of course occasionally I return them late - and I don't have to pay fines - another perk.

How about you? What are your library habits? Please leave a comment here or link to your own Musing Monday post.

Image from Google images

Musing Mondays

MUSING MONDAYS are hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page. Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about mid-year reading…

Now that we’ve come to the middle of the year, what do you think of your 2009 reading so far? Read anything interesting that you’d like to share? Any outstanding favourites?

2009 has been a fantastic book year for me so far. As you all know, I've been on a bit of a book roll recently. I've already posted reviews of all my 2009 favorites. Here are the links:

Mudbound by Hillary Jordan

The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson

The Help by Kathryn Stockett (for some unknown reason, I can't get the link to work for this one. If you are interested you can type The Help into the Search box on my sidebar to read this post. Sorry.)

It's pretty unusual for me to find 3 amazing books in one year, let alone by mid-year. 2009 - it's been a very good year.

How about you? How has your 2009 reading shaping up? Please leave a comment here or link to your own Musing Monday post.

Image from Google Images

Monday Musings

MUSING MONDAYS are hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page. Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about award winning books…

Do you feel compelled to read prize-winning (Giller/Booker/Pulitzer etc) books? Why, or why not? Is there, perhaps, one particular award that you favour? (question courtesy of MizB)

This is an easy one. I absolutely do NOT feel compelled to read prize-winning books. As a matter of fact, I usually avoid them at all costs. For the most part, I find the books that have won the Pulitzer to be dull, boring and/or bland. However, there have been a few notable recent examples, both of which happen to be short stories - Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiria and Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. So maybe I should rethink this. But considering there are so many awesome books to read, I doubt I would ever choose to read a book simply because it won some prize. I choose books based on the description written in the inside jacket and book recommendations from people whose opinions I trust.

How about you? Do you feel compelled to read award winning books? PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with your opinion or link to your own Monday Musing post.

Musing Mondays

MUSING MONDAYS are hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page. Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about reading time…

Do you have a set reading time (before bed, perhaps)? Do you read more at night or during the day? Is there a day of the week, perhaps, that you set aside to catch up on reading?

I don't have a large chunk of time that I set aside for reading. But I do read the newspaper every morning while I eat my breakfast and then at lunch time I read a few pages of whatever book I happen to be reading at the moment. Most days I also fit in a more extended period of time to read. Sometimes it's in the afternoon (though I tend to fall asleep if I get too comfy) or sometimes it will be in the evening. I also never leave my house without a book, so I usually read a few pages while waiting in my car to pick up my kids, waiting for appointments or killing time between appointments. And I always read a few pages before bed. Since I never remember what I've read at bedtime I usually have a separate non-fiction book that I read only at bed time. Something that doesn't have a story that you have to follow. Just a topic that interests me and isn't essential that I remember all the details. Right now my "bedtime book" is Sixpence House: Lost in a Town of Books by Paul Collins. It's the story of an author who moves his family from San Francisco to Hay-on-Wye in Wales - a small village with 41 book shops that hosts a huge book festival (with an international following) every year. The topic fascinates me, but it's not essential that I remember all the details from day to day. By the way, I must credit Tammy of Keepin' in Touch with Mommakin for inspiring me to go back and pick up this book by sending me an email about this intriguing town and festival. Thanks, Tammy. I've added a trip to Hay-on-Wye's book festival to my bucket list. Who wants to join me?


How about you? Do you have a set reading time? PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with your opinion or link to your own Monday Musing post. Thanks.

Musing Mondays

MUSING MONDAYS are hosted by Rebecca at Just One More Page. Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about sticking with it…

How much time (or how many pages) do you give a book that you aren't really enjoying before you'll set it aside? If you're reading it for a book group discussion, or for review, will you give it more of a chance then, say, a book you're reading for your own interest? Why, or why not? (courtesy of MizB)

There was a time in my life where I would finish absolutely every book that I started - whether I liked it or not. Not anymore. I don't really have a set "rule" for how long I'll give a book before I give up. I am familiar with the 50 page rule, which states that if you are younger than 50 you should read 50 pages before deciding to set a book aside and if you are over 50 then you subtract your age from 100 to determine how many pages to committ to. This is a good guideline, but I have "dumped" a book after as few as 2 pages and as many as 600!

I will usually give a book the benefit of the doubt if it's by an author I really love, it was recommended by someone whose book opinion I trust or I've read some amazing reviews of it. And I (almost) ALWAYS finish any book that is for a book club discussion. (I have been in at least one book club since 1996 and I can think of two instances where I wasn't able to finish a book club book, but it didn't have anything to do with not liking the book). For me, being in a book club means that there are times when I will NOT like the chosen book. That's the point -to be exposed to books that I wouldn't otherwise have read and discussing them with people who feel differently about that very book. And many times I come away from those discusssions feeling a bit more positive about the book.

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Musing Mondays post, or share your opinion in a comment here. Thanks.

Musing Mondays (better late than never)

Yesterday I stumbled across three intriguing book blogs. And I thought I was a crazy book lady. These ladies put me to shame. The three bloggers are Nan at Letters from a Hill Farm, MizB at Should be Reading and Rebecca at Just One More Page. Apparently every week Rebecca hosts MUSING MONDAYS in which she poses a question about reading and books. Being a bibliophile myself, I couldn't resist. So even though it's Friday, here is this week's Musing Monday question:

Do you remember how you developed a love for reading? Was it from a particular person, or person(s)? Do you remember any books that you read, or were read to you, as a young child? (question courtesy of Diane)

I don't remember exactly how or when I developed a love for reading, but I do remember always being curious about books. I also remember my dad reading to my brother and me when we were very little and using different voices for the different characters. I also remember the Scholastic book orders in elementary school and how, even though we didn't have a lot money when I was growing up, there was always money for me to order books.

I do, however, remember exactly when I fell in love in libraries. I was 10 years old and in 5th grade. I had a friend who always seemed to have an interesting looking book in her desk. I asked her about those books and she said she got them at the public library in town. Believe it or not, I wasn't familiar with the public library - just the school library. I asked my mom to take me to the town library and she did. I can still vividly remember standing in the children's room, holding a Katie John book (do any of you remember that series? I absolutely loved it!), and marveling at all the books I could choose from. And, unlike the school library, I could browse as long as I liked and take out as many books as I wanted. That was it! I was smitten. I've been in love ever since.

How about you? Do you remember how you developed a love of reading? I'd love to hear about it.

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Musing Mondays post, or share your thoughts in a comment here. Thanks.