Books Books Books - A Meme

Here's a book meme I came across at Awesome Mom. I enjoyed the chance to think about books this way. Interestingly though, it kind of misses the point in some ways, in that I don't think it really gets at what kind of books I do read and keep and love.

Hardback or trade paperback or mass market paperback? Depends. Hardcover if I want to keep it. Hardcover for cookbooks. Trade paperback if I'm buying it. But mass market paperback - never! They are too small, and generally things published in that format aren't things I want to read.

Amazon or brick and mortar? Amazon or half.com or addall.com or Paperback Swap or the public library. Though sometimes I buy books at a store - like Books of Wonder, which is a great kids bookstore near my office in the city, or the independent bookstore in my town.

Barnes & Noble or Borders? Barnes & Noble is closer to the office, but usually neither - I buy online or go to the library.

Bookmark or dog ear? Bookmark. And I don't write in my books either.

Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random? Alpha by author for fiction. Otherwise, shelved by category. Of course, right now, the lion's share of our books are still in boxes in the cellar, even the dictionary. Luckily the cookbooks are accessible.

Keep, throw away, or sell? Depends. Do I want to keep it? Otherwise, sell or give away or list on Paperback Swap. I find it unseemly to even think about throwing books away.

Keep dust jacket or toss it? Keep.

Read with dust jacket or remove it? Read without, replace when done. And a rant: why do little kid's books have dust jackets? They just get torn or misplaced. I've taken to removing the dust jackets from my daughter's books and stuffing them in a box before they even make it to her room. I just don't see the point of dust jackets on kid's books, especially when the cover is redundantly printed with the same illustration/text as the dust jacket!

Short story or novel? Yes. Or non-fiction.

Collection (short stories by same author) or anthology (short stories by different authors)? Collection. Anthologies seem too ongepotchket for me.

Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket? Well, I've never read Lemony Snicket, and I did read the first three Harry Potter books in a weekend, so, Harry it is.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks? Tired. Or it's time to get off the train.

Buy or Borrow? Both. Either. Depends. I love the library, and I can reserve books and they call me when they come in. Paperback Swap is almost like the library. But I buy too, especially for things I want for a while or forever. Like cookbooks. And Ferber and Weissbluth. Though I've turned those last two over to my sister, who needs them more than we do right now.

New or used? Either. If I'm buying, probably used because I'm cheap. Or thrifty. Or both.

Buying choice: book reviews, recommendation or browse? All of the above.

Tidy ending or cliffhanger? Tidy ending.

Morning reading, afternoon reading or nighttime reading? On the train on the way home from work, and before turning out the light at night.

Stand-alone or series? Stand-alone, though I did like reading those first three Harry Potter's all in a row!

Favorite children's book? The Phantom Tollbooth. I can't wait 'til my daughter is ready for it.

Favorite book of which nobody else has heard? Mistress Masham's Repose. Wait, maybe that's my favorite children's book!

Favorite books read last year? I haven't any idea. So far this year? Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma.

Favorite books of all time? Wow. I don't know. Most of my books are still in the aforementioned boxes from when we moved two and a half years ago, so I can't even peruse the bookshelves and find a favorite.

Least favorite book you finished last year? I found Snow to be an awful slog. While it had moments of grace and lucidity and humor, it just didn't hang together for me.

What are you reading right now? See my Library Thing sidebar!

What are you reading next? Two things from the next pile: An Episode of Sparrows and Decca: The Letters of Jessica Mitford.