Books!

I don't remember who tagged me for this... I know it was back in 2007. Yes, it has been sitting in my drafts folder for the last two years... but I'm doing it now. That's what counts, right? :)

What was the last book you bought?
Seeing as I'm trying to reduce the obscene number of unread books* I own, I've placed a moratorium on book buying. Of course, I've been unable to completely stick to that, but I've only slipped up a few times. :) The last book I bought was a copy of Knit the Season (I had a coupon, Borders Bucks, and a gift certificate, so technically, I didn't pay anything for it!). I've been in the mood for a good girly novel and since I read/liked the first two Knit books (the first one far more than the second), I figured it was a good choice.

*There are books on only three of the shelves now!

Name a book you have read MORE than once.
I used to constantly reread books, but I notice myself doing it less and less the older I get. There are just so many new books to read and new ideas to discover! However, there is one I will always go back to - The Catcher in the Rye. It's an old, comfortable friend whose familiarity can take me back to a different place in my life; it's also one of the few books in which I always get something new out of it every time I read it. I'm not sure exactly how many times I've read it - probably close to 30.

Has a book ever fundamentally changed the way you see life?
Yes, and that's part of why I love books so much! :)
These are my top five:
1. The Catcher in the Rye
2. The Handmaid's Tale (I wrote about it here)
3. Possessing the Secret of Joy
4. The Secret Life of Bees
5. Shopgirl

How do you choose a book? (e.g. by cover design and summary, recommendations or reviews).
I choose most of my books by the summary or by recommendation (although it always depends on who those recommendations are from - I usually only take them from people I know/trust their taste). I rarely read reviews before I read any book because I don't want to know any more about it than what is in the summary; plus, I don't want my opinion to be tainted before getting into the story. If I'm not completely sold after reading the summary, I'll often open the book and read a random paragraph in order to see whether or not I like the author's style.

Do you prefer Fiction or Non-Fiction?
I like both, but I mostly read fiction. My non-fiction reading almost always consists of memoirs/biographies.

Which book or books can be found on your nightstand at the moment?
Knit the Season (which I am starting tonight)
Educating Esme (started last week, but haven't yet finished)

What was the last book you’ve read, and when was it?
I finished both Trading Up and I See You Everywhere within the last two weeks. TU was a typical Candace Bushnell novel (if you liked Lipstick Jungle, you'll like TU). I See You Everywhere was a *huge* disappointment to me; I've heard so many good things about Julia Glass, but didn't care for ISYE at all (both the writing style and the plot were disappointing). I've also heard that wasn't her best novel, so I am willing to give her another try. Have any of you read Three Junes? That's supposed to be her best novel.

Have you ever given up on a book halfway in?
I have, but it's a rare occurrence (I can count on one hand the number of times I've done it). I'll only do it if I really hate the book. Usually, I don't even stop reading; I'll just skip ahead to the last couple of chapters.

What are the best books you've read this year?
Oh, this is a loaded question! I've read so many fantastic books that I would highly recommend, but it depends on the type of lit you like. Let's go with my top ten (in no particular order)...
1. The Namesake
2. The House of Sand and Fog
3. The Almost Moon
4. Girl With a Pearl Earring
5. The Weight of Water
6. Nickel and Dimed
7. What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day
8. The Friday Night Knitting Club
9. A Lesson Before Dying
10. Strange Fits of Passion

I'm not going to tag anyone for this, but I would still love to see some of you do it (*ahem* Dr. BH and Christina).