Bookworm Meme

I found this meme on Helen's blog, and I believe she picked it up from Kerryn. Being the inveterate bookworm that I am (the picture is of the stack of books currently beside my bed), how could I resist?

Hardback or trade paperback or mass market paperback?
It doesn't really matter much to me, as long as it's readable--I do like books that I can easily prop open with a bookweight (or tube of toothpaste) so that I can read "handless" from time to time.

Amazon or brick and mortar?
Both,please.

Barnes & Noble or Borders?
In my neck of the woods the only real choice for this type of bookstore would be Chapters, although I've been in Borders in the States. Mmmmm, nice.

Bookmark or dogear?
Always a bookmark. I don't think I've ever been guilty of dog-earing, and I love having pretty or interesting bookmarks. I also like these little copper linemarkers also known as Book Darts that I bought from Lee Valley. But a grocery receipt, piece of tissue, or shopping list will also do.


Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random?
Some of my books are alphabetized by genre/author, some are grouped by size, others rather randomly. The important thing is, I know where to find what I'm looking for...usually.


Keep, throw away, or sell?
Mostly keep. Give away would be next. I don't know if I've ever sold any...and now I get a lot out of the library just because we're running out of room!

Keep dustjacket or toss it?
Keep it, although it's an irritation sometimes.

Read with dustjacket or remove it?
I usually take the dustjacket off to read, and replace it later.

Short story or novel?
I'm on the fence with this one. I enjoy both novels and shorts.

Collection (short stories by same author) or anthology (short stories by different authors)?
Hard for me to choose here, too. I suppose I've read many more anthologies than collections, but I don't know if it's by design or happenstance.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?
I think I like Harry Potter better, although I've read only snippets of Snicket.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?
Heh. I stop exactly when I'm tired. Even to the point of sometimes stopping mid-sentence. My daughter thinks this is extremely strange as she must read to a chapter or scene break.

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?
I think a combination of the two hits the mark for me.

Buy or Borrow?
I used to buy almost exclusively, but now I'm a frequent patron of the local library. I still buy, but more selectively, and if it's a new author for me I generally borrow first.

New or used?
As long as it's readable, I really don't care. A large part of my book collection was bought used when I was in university, and I still love used book stores. They have much more of the feeling of treasures waiting to be found.

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse?
Usually I'll only buy if it's a tried-and-true author or if I have a solid recommendation or review that I trust. However, bookstore impulse does come into play sometimes, especially if I'm using a gift certificate!


Tidy ending or cliffhanger?
If I have the next book ready to hand then I don't mind cliffhangers, but a while back I gave up buying trilogies as soon as each book came out--I don't have the patience to wait any more.

Morning reading, afternoon reading or night time reading?
Anytime is reading time, although I do most of it at night, tucked into bed.

Standalone or series?
I like both, although I'll give up on a series if it gets too repetitive.

Favorite series?
Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker books, Nancy Kress' Sleepless series, Terry Pratchett's Discworld, and Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic books, to name a few. Oh, and my new favorites, Jim Butcher's Dresden Files.

Favorite book of which nobody else has heard?
Someone has certainly heard of it, since it won the Arthur C. Clarke award in 1988, but I rarely come across anyone who has read George Turner's The Sea And Summer. It's one of the first books that looks into a near future that I read and thought, "yes, that's how it's very likely to be." It held the ring of a possible truth for me and stayed with me for that reason. Hmmm...I should read it again sometime soon...

Favorite books read last year?
Hmmm...off to check my All Consuming account for the list...oh, my, I really liked a lot of the books I read last year. I guess my favorites were Bushworld by Maureen McDowd for its absolutely cutting insights, Polaris by Jack McDevitt for intriguing storyline, Cat's Eye Corner by Terry Griggs and The Hunter's Moon by O.R. Melling for wonderful writing, and Size 12 is Not Fat by Meg Cabot for sheer fun.

Favorite books of all time?
Wow, tough call. Hitchhiker's, Discworld, and the A Man of His Word series by Dave Duncan. They're all on my desert island list.