Reading A-Z

I found this on My Friend Amy's book blog and decided, before I dive into a 25 page logic script, now on its fifteenth revision, it's best I complete this bookish survey in an effort to procrastinate as much as possible.

Author You've Read the Most Books From:

I've read all but two of Haruki Murakami's books, one because it's too heavy to carry on the subway and I haven't yet had the hours to sit at home with it and the other because it has not yet been translated to English.

Best Sequel Ever:

Well, I can probably count the number of series I've read on one hand (actually...maybe two fingers.) I suppose I will have to go with Catching Fire in the Hunger Games series by default.

Currently Reading:

Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage

Drink of Choice While Reading:

Water? I don't really drink anything while reading.

E-reader or Physical Book

Physical book, I hope, forever and always.

Fictional Character You Probably Would Have Actually Dated in High School:

I pined in high school. I didn't date. I don't think fictional characters would have dated me either. I'll leave this alone since it's clear I'm heading to a dark place.

Glad You Gave This Book A Chance:

A recent read. Starglass by Phoebe North. It's rare for me to read science fiction and this book surprised me in beautiful ways.

Hidden Gem Book:

Another recent read (the library card catalog in my brain does not extend far.) Once the Shore by Paul Yoon.

Important Moment In My Reading Life:

Such a difficult question. I'd love to look back and know the moment I became a reader or a writer. The sentence or page that may have sent me towards this strange, long, love affair with books. But I can not.

Just Finished:

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender.  I finished it last night. This book was haunting, beautiful, magical, dizzying, uncomfortable.

Kind of Books You Won't Read:

I can't think of a particular group or set of books I'd refuse to read. But I don't like books that are arrogant, offensive, or poorly written.

Longest Book You've Read:

Anna Karenina, Gone With the Wind, and The Fountainhead must be up there.

Major Book Hangover Because Of:

I'm unsure of the definition of a book hangover. A book I had a little too much fun with? That left me groaning from all the excess the next day? I'll be playful with this answer. My Life In France by Julia Child and Alex Prud'Homme.

Number of Bookcases You Own:

Just three and now that I have to turn my office into a nursery, I really don't know what's going to happen to the shelves or the books. I'm losing sleep over this.

One Book You Have Read Multiple Times:

I am not a re-reader which is why I have little to no comprehension of most of the books I've read in my life. There is just one book I have read twice. The Diary of A Young Girl by Anne Frank.

Preferred Place To Read:

My bed.

Quote that Inspires You / Gives You All the Feels From A Book You've Read:

I'm not a quote person. I've fallen in love with many sentences through the years and I can recall none of them at this time.

Reading Regret:

I think this refers to a book you regret reading. But I have far too many reading regrets beyond that and I feel like talking about them (remember the procrastination situation.) I feel like I read a lot and, yet, there are huge, humongous, puddle-jump gaps in my reading life. There are entire countries and cultures with precious literature I have never touched. I have missed more classics than you can list and there are authors you'd be appalled I've never read.

To give you an idea of how bad it is, in the By The Book feature of The New York Times, one of my favorite features, they ask famous authors about the books they've read. This feature has run for a while and, in that time, they've listed hundreds or thousands of books. I can probably count on one hand the number of books I have even heard of, never mind read.  I feel equally inadequate when I talk to people who read only commercial, best-seller books as I do with those who read major literary forces. I feel like I read and read and read and, yet, feel as if I've read nothing in almost any conversation I ever have about books.

I just wondered if anyone else feels the same?

Series You've Started and Need To Finish:

See letter B.

Three of Your All-Time Favorite Books:

For some reason, I can only think of two right now.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Unapologetic Fangirl for:

Obviously Murakami.

Very Excited For This Release More Than All The Others:

The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri

Worst Bookish Habit

Buying more books and taking books from the street when I haven't finished so many I own and I have to get rid of my bookshelves.

X Marks the Spot: Start At the Top And Pick the 27th Book:

This is such a weirdly awesome X and I'm so glad I get to talk about it!  It's Hear The Wind Sing by Haruki Murakami. It's Murakami's first book and it was never released in English, except for a little pocket-like booklet for Japanese readers to learn English. I paid some ridiculous sum for it on e-bay (Maybe $30?)

Your Latest Book Purchase:

Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan.

ZZZ-snatcher book (last book that kept you up WAY late)

Since I've been pregnant, it's hard for me to read for more than twenty minutes without falling asleep. So, this is a testament to how absorbed I was in this read: The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay.