Reading habits

    Here's a meme from Bookish NYC via Life must be filled up; do take it to your own blog or answer the questions in the comments on this post if you wish.

Do you snack while reading? Rarely, though like Barbara, I couldn't eat on my own without reading.

What is your favourite drink while reading? It depends on the time of day, but it's most likely to be coffee in the morning.

Do you tend to mark your books while you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you? I do occasionally mark passages lightly in pencil, but I would never write in a book which didn't belong to me.

How do you keep your place? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book open flat? I have a large collection of bookmarks. Dog-ears belong on dogs, and I can't bear broken or cracked spines so ...

Fiction, non-fiction or both? Both, though markedly more fiction.

Do you tend to read to the end of a chapter or can you stop anywhere? I prefer a natural break of one kind or another.

Are you the type of person to throw a book across the room or on the floor if the author irritates you? I have never thrown a book. I have, however, beaten my head against the desk in frustration when I've encountered bad writing.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop and look it up right away? Usually - unless I'm in bed.

What are you currently reading? I've just started The Poet's Wife by Judith Allnatt and Gardening Women: Their Stories from 1600 to the Present by Catherine Horwood, while Alberto Manguel's A Reader on Reading is for taking slowly in between.

What is the last book you bought? I've just ordered Allyson Hayward's Norah Lindsay: The Life and Art of a Garden Designer.

Do you have a favourite time/place to read? Bed, either at night or in the morning (though I rarely have a lie-in).

Do you prefer series books or stand-alones? No strong preference, but I'm unlikely to read a series (or even part of it) all in one go.

Is there a specific book or author you find yourself recommending over and over? That's a tricky one as there are quite a few, but let's say One Fine Day by Mollie Panter-Downes.

How do you organise your books (by genre, title, author's last name, etc.)? By genre, and within that by author's surname.

Barbara's additional question: background noise or silence? Silence.

Comments

[Dark Puss]

You sound much like me ... I might have a go at this on my weblog later today.

[Skip]

I keep hearing about A Reader on Reading. How are you finding it? I might need to pick it up.

[Nan]

This was fun! Thank you. My answers are here:

http://lettersfromahillfarm.blogspot.com/2010/05/reading-habits-meme.html

[Danielle]

I need silence when I read, too. One of my pet peeves is when I take my lunch at work I go out into the library part (break room is often too noisy) to find a quiet corner to sit,eat and read and often I can't find a quiet spot--lots of chatter and lots and lots of cell phone conversations. I think libraries are no longer quiet places! (I could go to our quiet please/no talking floor, but if I have an apple I hate making crunching sounds!).

[BookishNYC]

Hello Cornflower -- Thanks for the mention and the link. This was a more-interesting-than-usual meme, I thought, and I had fun answering it.
Best,
Karen

[Cornflower]

I'm not far enough in to comment properly yet, Skip, but so far I am enjoying it.

[Cornflower]

I enjoyed it, too!

[Sarah AB]

I too can't eat on my own without reading!

[Margaret Powling]

I like the occasional biscuit when I read, something lemony preferably to chocolate - chocolate a no-no because it might melt and leave a nasty smear on a page. I mark passages in pencil in my own books, and if I find a word I'm unfamiliar with, if it's at night and I'm in bed, I mark the page where the word is and, if during the day, I have to look it up immediately. I like to drink coffee or tea, depending on whether morning of afternoon or evening. A cup of tea in bed at night with a good book is my idea of heaven. And I have to have quiet in order to read - I can't read whilst Himself is watching footy on TV, for example; I have to go into the bedroom, the study or the bed sitting room.

[Audrey]

This was fun to answer, and you've led me to another reading blog I'll enjoy following!

http://booksasfood.blogspot.com/2010/06/reading-habits.html

thank you!
Audrey

[Cornflower]

It is fun, Audrey, and great to read everyone's answers. (I like the sound of your couch!).