Musing Mondays

Coming towards the end of April, we’re a third of the way through the way through the year. What’s the favourite book you’ve read so far in 2009? What about your least favourite? (question courtesy of MizB)

I've had a really good run of reading so far this year!

Since I switch back and forth between fiction and non-fiction I thought I'd double answer this question.

Street Gang by Michael Davis is probably my favorite non-fiction book so far this year. I don't know how much of this has to do with my past work experience in TV, but I thought this book was really great in the amount of detail the author was able to cover without the book ever becoming dry.

If you twist my arm, I would have to say Alex & Me by Irene M. Pepperberg was my least favorite non-fiction book so far. Although I have no regrets about reading it. The only thing that puts it at the bottom of the list is the writing. I feel like I could have written the book myself if I had had those same experiences. Still, it is a great story and well worth the little time it takes to read!

Moving on to fiction...by George by Wesley Stace is such a good book! Multi-generational, focus is on the young male character and a ventriloquist's dummy, but the women in the book are very well developed and strong.

And, least favorite fiction would have to go to The James Boys by Richard Liebmann-Smith. It's an ambitious book imagining Jesse and Frank James as brothers to Henry and William James. I really like the premise but the author put things together in a very confusing manner by including biographical research in a way that pulls the reader out of the story. Still, I will pick up his next book, if there is one.

I've linked the titles to my reviews if you're interested.

Musing Mondays

Do you keep track of what and/or how many books you read? How long have you been doing this? What's your favorite tracking method, and why?If you don't keep track, why not? (question courtesy of MizB)

When I was a kid I, pretty much, read only mass market paperbacks. I would tear out the page that list all the authors works in the front of the book and in the back of the book there were always pages that had other books by the same publisher listed, I would tear those out too. Then I would cross the books off as I read them.

Now that I'm a big girl, I no longer feel the need to tear pages from books, not even the "unimportant" ones. And, there's a lovely thing on the internet called LibraryThing!

Now, some of these LTers, as we're called, are very anal and feel it should only be used for books that are actually on your shelves at home. That doesn't make much sense to me. I can see those books. I use it, not only for those books, but also for books I no longer have, for whatever reason, and books I hope to read one day. Unfortunately, I'm old and can't remember everything I've read and I get bored or distracted, by a shiny object or a title that makes me wonder if I've read something else or want to read something else, or I pick up a book I'm listing and start leafing through it, or I try to decide whether or not I want people knowing I've read a particular book (you know, Mom and Dad could drop by that list! Should I list the books in the sock drawer!), well...you see where this is going and stop listing the books I own. But, like I said, I can see those.

The answer is...I use LibraryThing. And perhaps I'll finish the list before I kick it.

Musing Mondays

We were all warned as children to 'never talk to strangers', but how do you feel about book-talk with random people? When you see people reading, do you ask what it is? Do you talk to people in the book store or the library? Why or why not? What do you do if people talk to you?

Well, generally speaking, I don't like talking to people and I don't like them talking to me!

But, seriously folks...but you were serious...shhh!

If I'm reading, I'm reading, don't talk to me! I find it rude. If you're reading, I'll leave you alone.

However, in a bookstore or library it is a totally different thing. Talking while browsing is perfectly acceptable as long as it doesn't become "the beginning of a beautiful friendship". One must know when the conversation is over. Some people don't have that skill. Or the skill of ending a conversation. Have you ever run out of things to say to a stranger, but they just linger, while you're wondering if it would be rude to just say "OK. Bye-bye now."?

Musing Mondays

What is your policy when it comes to new authors? Do you feel comfortable purchasing a book or do you prefer to borrow new authors from the library? How often do you 'try out' a new author?

I love reading new authors. Good new authors, that is.

I don't, at all, mind paying for the books. I'm actually more likely to just borrow an author that I know.

The trick is to read the first chapter (or few pages) of the book before you buy it. It doesn't usually take long to decide if the author fits your taste.

Musing Mondays

Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about book reviews…
Do you read any non-blogging book reviews? If so, where (newspaper, library etc)? Do you have any favourites sources you'd like to share?

Well, I must admit, I'm a bit back-half-asswards on this particular topic.

You see, I don't read reviews at all until after I've read the book. Then I'll read any review I can find just to compare opinions. The problem with reading them before-hand is I feel like I've already read the book while I'm reading it. Maybe it's just me...

If I should find the New York Times Book Review or Publishers Weekly lying around at work I'll read reviews of books that I have no intention of reading (my mind has never been changed). Or books that I know I'll never have the time for (I'm an incredibly slow reader).

There is a nice magazine called BookMarks that I like to pick up from time to time. It has little short, one paragraph, type of reviews or synopsises (spellcheck says that's right, I'm not convinced). That can be fun. There's about a million in each issue. Well, maybe not a million, but a lot!

Musing Mondays

What do you use to mark your place while reading? Do you have a definite preference? Do you use bookmarks, paper, or (gasp) turn down the pages? If you use bookmarks, do you have a favourite one?

Well, I'm really late to the party but I've been meaning to play for a long time.

As for bookmarks:

I tend to use whatever is handy:

Index cards

Post-it notes

Stray piece of paper

Magazine subscription cards

Free bookmarks

I have one bookmark with monkey faces and a tassle that keeps the cats amused while I read

Most often, a receipt

But, I'm currently making bookmarks for my other blog. I've been using the prototypes.