(no subject)

[bubosquared]

*kicks LJ* BAD REQUEST THIS!

Book meme, stolen from deepsix:

Hardback or paperback?

Paperback, if at all possible. And preferably pockets. Hardbacks are a bitch to fit into a purse, and since I read primarily on the bus (and in the bath, which raises the same concerns), that's a deal-breaker for me. The last one I bought was Wolves of the Calla, which as you can imagine was no joy to lug around for the four days of commute it took me to read it all. Hence, I'm waiting for Song of Sussanah to come out in paperback. And now I want to re-read WotC. Shit. Also, paperbacks are cheaper.

Highlight or underline?

Highlight, but never in actual non-textbook books. I usually mark things in the margin in pencil or use those little book arrow things.

Lewis or Tolkien?

Tolkien. I've never read Lewis, though I've been meaning to get into the Narnia books for a while now.

E.B. White or A.A. Milne?

Milne by default, even though I never read more than one Pooh book, but then I never read any White at all, so. (Shut up, okay? I should change this meme and change questions to ones more relevant to Belgians. :p )

T.S. Eliot or e.e. cummings?

Never read either. Not much of a poetry lover to begin with, and the only poet I ever did get into was Jotie 't Hooft.

Stephen King or Dean Koontz?

King. I've never even read Koontz, and I love King. His recent horror novels don't appeal to me anymore, but then I'm not much into horror anymore at all, and the Dark tower series will never cease to amaze me.

Barnes & Noble or Borders?

... I don't care? Don't have either over here (though I think there's B&Ns in London at least), so.)

Waldenbooks or B. Dalton?

Huh? Waterstone's!

Fantasy or Science Fiction?

Fantasy.

Horror or suspense?

Er. Suspense, I suppose, these days.

Bookmark or dogear?

Bookmark if I have one on hand, which is rare. Yes, I'm a terrible person who abuses her poor books. Sh'up.

Hemingway or Faulkner?

Never read either.

Fitzgerald or Steinbeck?

Um. Never read either?

Homer or Plato?

Homer, as much as it pains me. Plato I've technically never read as such, and while I like a lot of his ideas, the man was also a mysogynist. Homer, at least, was merelythe slightly annoying bane of my Latin-studying years.

Geoffrey Chaucer or Edmund Spenser?

Never read either! Because you couldn't see that one coming. :D

Pen or pencil?

For proper writing, pen. Specifically, for anything more than a grocery list, fountain pen.

Looseleaf or notepad?

Notepad.

Alphabetize: by author or by title?

Seperate into fiction and non-fiction, and within fiction by author, then by title (or title of a series, and then chronologically within the series). OCD what?

Dustjacket: on or off?

On. On the rare occasions that I buy a hardcover, might as well protect it.

Novella or epic?

Epic. I love me a good epic.

John Grisham or Scott Turow?

Never read Turow, so Grisham.

J.K. Rowling or Lemony Snicket?

Lemony who? Rowling, with the caveat that I'm not wild about her actual writing, but the woman can tell a story.

John Irving or John Updike?

Guess what? Never read either! I'm starting to sound like V, here.

Fiction or non-fiction?

Either. I read more fiction than nonfic, but I'll happily pick up either if they catch my eye. It's just that I've this annoying tendency to get into really long series of books which I must then all own. Argh.

Historical biography or historical romance?

Biography, if properly written, because it'll have less historical inaccuracies that'll make me want to throw the book against the wall. Unless it's a same-sex romance, in which case, bring it on. (Side note: Why is there no gay and lesbian version of those trashy historical romance novels? Or of any trashy romance novels, really. Harlequin novels, but m/m or f/f. I'd buy that shit by the dozen, man. Clearly, this is where I shall go out and make my fortune!)

A few pages per sitting or finish at least a chapter?

At least a chapter. Actually, a chapter at a time means I'm holding back. I never did get the hang of that whole "reading in moderation" thing. I'll read whenever and wherever I get the chance, and even on my commute, which is about 45 minutes, I usually manage to read a quarter of a medium-sized paperback.

Short story or creative non-fiction essay?

Short story. I like the feminist essay books I've got, but "creative nonfic essay"? Hm, no.

"It was a dark and stormy night" or "Once upon a time"?

Once upon a time. Because I flipped a coin.

Buy or borrow?

Buy. I fear for the day I inevitably move out from here because I now have more than twice as much shelf space for my books, and actual space to put more shelves, and now there's no more incentive for me to go through and weed out my collection every six months.

Book reviews or word of mouth?

Word of mouth, if by that you mean Ruth telling me what to read. :D I don't read book reviews at all, so I usually go by what looks interesting, what friends tell me is good and/or contains touchy boylove or girllove (I'm easy), or what Ruth tells me I'll like. Because she's been right every time so far.

Comments

[riikkarocks.livejournal.com]

within fiction by author, then by title (or title of a series, and then chronologically within the series)
Obviously! Like there's any other way, man.

[bubosquared.livejournal.com]

See, tha's what I used to think, but apparently some people don't even order their books at all!

*glomps you* Hi!

[selenak.livejournal.com]

A lot of slash reads like the m/m version of a bad harlequin romance. In fact, there is a great essay (though probably not online anymore), written eons ago in Blake's 7 fandom, about how certain stereotypes of harlequin romances show up in slash again and again. (In that essay, they concentrated on the Taming of the Shrew archetype, and the Gothic Hero/Damsel archetype, but you could find ohters.) I've long given up the illusion that same-sex romance improves writing in any kind or way.

However: if you're looking for classy historical novels featuring both same sex and m/f, I have several recs. Steven Saylor writes the best mystery novels set in Ancient Rome I've read, and I read a lot - his are the only ones which don't go for either deliberate or unintentional anachronism, and he's create with making both the male and the female characters, and both the m/f and m/m relationships equally interesting.

Going a little back in time, there is Mary Renault, of course, with her novels about Alexander. The Persian Boy especially.

[bubosquared.livejournal.com]

A lot of slash reads like the m/m version of a bad harlequin romance.

Oh, definitely, and I'm as much of a sucker for it in slash as in non-fanfic. The problem is, in slash, the trashiness usually comes hand in hand with bad spelling, bad grammar, and internal plotholes you could drive a goddamned truck through. Also, slash requires me to believe that these characters are X and Y, of whom I have a certain image that just doesn't mesh with the way they're presented in the story, which is the other thing that often spoils the story.

I've long given up the illusion that same-sex romance improves writing in any kind or way.

Oh, definitely--though I will say at least same-sex fic sill let me avoid some of the nastier and sneakier sexist vibes I sometimes get from bad het. But no, quality and content don't necessarily correlate.

Ancient Rome

Yay, you said the magic word! :D *sribbles name down to go look for tomorrow* (I love Ancient Rome. Also, if you happen to have any recs for m/m or f/f fantasy stories, go for it! I love those, too.)

Mary Renault I'd heard of before, I just keep forgetting to pick up her books when I'm in the bookstore.

[deepsix.livejournal.com]

For historical (pseudo-)gay lit, check out Timothy Findley, esp. The Wars. And Pilgrim, in which Da Vinci is ubergay for about ten pages. And if you're interested in Indian writers, try Shyam Selvadurai, especially Cinnamon Gardens. None of these are really romances, but they are very very gay.

[bubosquared.livejournal.com]

Yay, more recs!

And I thought you were doing schoolwork? :p

[deepsix.livejournal.com]

I was!

...for like ten minutes.

[bubosquared.livejournal.com]

Bwahahaha you are HELPLESS TO MY CHARMS!

[deepsix.livejournal.com]

It's almost entirely true!

[deepsix.livejournal.com]

Also! Haven't read it yet, but you might check out Sappho's Leap by... someone? It's supposed to be Sappho's autobiography, so there has to be at least SOME gayness. Though my understanding is that Alcaeus, for SOME REASON, is supposed to be her one true love, which doesn't sit right. But yes.

And unfortunately I can't think of anything else I should make you read.

[rsadelle]

Hardbacks are a bitch to fit into a purse, and since I read primarily on the bus (and in the bath, which raises the same concerns)

You take your purse in the bath?

Homer, at least, was merely the slightly annoying bane of my Latin-studying years.

Um. You do know that Homer wrote in Greek, don't you? Because this is not making a lot of sense.

OCD what?

Pshaw! That's how any sensible person arranges fiction on a shelf.

Harlequin novels, but m/m or f/f. I'd buy that shit by the dozen, man.

No, no you wouldn't. I followed some of Mona's recs for some of that, and believe you me, it being same-sex doesn't make the writing any better. Remember Substitute for Love?

Because she's been right every time so far.

*bow*

[bubosquared.livejournal.com]

Um. You do know that Homer wrote in Greek, don't you? Because this is not making a lot of sense.

They made us read the Latni translations during the Yeawr Of Poetry, as I called it. HATE! (But at least not as bad as Cicero.)

No, no you wouldn't. I followed some of Mona's recs for some of that, and believe you me, it being same-sex doesn't make the writing any better. Remember Substitute for Love?/em>

Oh, I know that, but I have this thing for trashy novels, y'see ...

*bow*

When I win the lottery, I'm gonna hire you to just buy me books, full-time. :D

[rsadelle]

....

Latin translations of Homer? What the hell?

Hee! You'd also have to pay me to read books so I'd know what to buy for you.

[wibbble]

There'd Borders in the UK, but I've never seen a Barnes and Noble.

I think there's a Borders out at Kinnaird Park, and I know that there's on on Buchanan Street in Glasgow, next to the Gallery of Modern Art.

[bubosquared.livejournal.com]

Yeh, I think I confused the two, there. I tend to do that. I did remember seeing one of the two in London, though!

[sileas.livejournal.com]

Pah. My books are all randomly thrown together. And that for a librarian!
Only my Star Wars and non-fiction are seperate and the books in a trilogy are usually no farther away than 5 books from each other.

I also have the habit to stuff insurance papers and money in my books.