Turn the Page

When I was in college I had a boyfriend who loved the song Turn the Page by Bob Seger. He'd sing along and even do the "Turn the paaaaaaa-juuuhh!" along with Bob.

Anyway, here's a book meme. You know me loves the book memes. Makes me look all literate and emphasizes the irony of me saying things like "me loves". Sorta. And I'll do it because I loves me some Hilda and Katya. Me loves a lot of stuff, eh? Too bad proper grammar isn't always one of those things.

What are you reading now?
I'm currently re-reading Other Voices, Other Rooms by Truman Capote. I'd recently watched Capote and from seeing Truman Capote and Nelle Harper Lee together I got the urge for this re-reading. Harper Lee is his Idabel and Truman Capote is her Dill. And since I like a bit of fluff to read I've just started Needled to Death by Maggie Sefton. It combines three of my favorite things - fluff mystery novel, books in a series and knitting! With free blueberry pie recipe and two knitting patterns included! How could I say no to that?

Do you have any idea what you'll read when you're done with that?
I've got a lot on my plate between now and the time I leave town in October so my reading time will be limited. I just don't have time for any proper reading so I probably won't read much more than the book that comes after Needled to Death, A Deadly Yarn. This one has a recipe for chili rellenos!

What's the worst thing you were ever forced to read?
Forced? Like for school? That's the only time I can think of where I'd be forced to read anything. My top pick would be The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. Get up, pee, get in boat, row, row, row, fish, fish, fish, row, row, row, fish gets eaten, row home, pee, go to bed. If we're talking about crap I read willingly, if misguidedly, my choice would be The Bridges of Madison County. Such pretentious, pretentious crap. This piece of shit makes any drivel that Nicholas Sparks ever even thought about writing look like Shakespeare.

What's one book you always recommend to just about anyone?
Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore. Irreverent, to be sure but I love the humanity of Jesus in this book.

Admit it, sadly the librarians at your library know you on a first name basis, don't they?
No, but Amazon.de does.

Is there a book you absolutely love, but for some reason, people never think it sounds interesting, or maybe they read it and don't like it at all?
Stone from the River by Ursula Hegi can be a hard sell to others. "Okay, it's a book that takes place in Nazi Germany in a little village along the Rhine and the main character is a dwarf woman who loves to trade gossip..." I love it though. One of my favorites.

Do you read books while you eat?
Not meals but I think a bowl of popcorn and an icy cold Coke go quite well with fluffy mystery series novels and semi-autobiographical first novels by flamboyant Southern-born gay authors both.

While you bathe?
Oh hell, me being in a bathtub alone is dangerous enough without me mixing in reading.

While you watch movies or TV?
Occasionally. Depends on how boring the TV program is and how fluffy the novel I'm reading is.

While you listen to music?
I can do anything to music. Anyone can do anything to music. If a surgeon can remove someone's big ass brain tumor while listening to Miles Davis wail then I can read Needled to Death while listening to The Fratellis.

While you're on the computer?
I can't even fathom why I'd ever want to. There's multi-tasking and then there's being completely ridiculous.

When you were little did other children tease you about your reading habits?
No, but I believe I'm of the age where during my childhood kids didn't get teased about stuff like enjoying reading. Now if you had a weirdly shaped head or goofy glasses or dressed like your granny that was a different matter.

What’s the last thing you stayed up half the night reading because it was so good you couldn’t put it down?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling. Staying up until nearly 4:00 AM to finish it reminded me of when I would drive from Virginia to Mississippi. It's a very long trip to make in one day but if you stop at the halfway point you'd be stopped around 1:oo PM so why stop? If you stop when you're really, really tired then you're stopping about 60 miles from your destination so you just keep on going because you can't wait to finish.

No tagging - steal if you love books. Or if you're desperate for something to write about.