Friday, April 24, 2009

Seven Things About Me as a Reader


I swiped this neat meme from Vasilly over at 1330V. You can see the original post here.

1. I shop for books constantly. Even if I'm not in a buying mood, I visit different bookstores 3-4 times a week, just to look around at what's new. Chains, indies, big, small- it doesn't matter. I even browse bookstores that sell books I can't read- like the Russian bookstore near where I work- just to see what they're selling and ask questions.

2. I always spent a lot of time in libraries, but never seriously considered becoming a librarian before my late twenties. I spent the first eight or so years after college in the corporate world and I have to say I am thankful every day that I changed paths. Not only is it more fulfilling but it has put me in contact with a whole world of readers and booklovers I never would have known.

3. When we had required summer reading in high school, I kept incredibly detailed journals about what I was reading. Now I can barely remember even a single book that I had to read then.

4. I miss reading poetry. I used to be really fluent in contemporary poetry but somewhere I fell off the bandwagon and now I feel hopelessly behind.

5. I can read several books at a time, but when I really get into a book, everything else gets shoved to the side until I finish.

6. When I'm reading I can block out nearly all ambient noise and distractions. People can sit right next to me and talk to me and I will not even hear them.

7. I am very thankful to all the wonderful teachers I had who recommended weird but wonderful books to me and helped me push boundaries and challenge myself. I'm also glad that the YA genre basically didn't exist the way it does now, because I got to go straight to adult books without reading anything "suitable for children."

Want to play along? Leave a comment- I'd love to read your 7 things!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

If I did a list, I could just copy and paste numbers 5 and 6 -- I'm exactly the same way in those regards.

Anonymous said...

I enjoy reading meme lists! I can never think of enough things to participate in them, or else they make me sound OCD, and I would hate to leave that (accurate) impression! But it was fun reading yours! I love bookstores too - we always make indie bookstores a part of any vacation trip.

bermudaonion said...

If I'm reading a really good book, I can block out everything else too. Oh, and I love to shop for and buy new books even though I already have tons that I haven't read.

Anonymous said...

I love your list. I'm just like you when it comes to numbers five and six. If I'm reading, you have to touch me to get my attention or I won't hear you. I also usually read several books at a time. When I become really interested in one, I read just that one but I may not return to the others.I think it's cool how you are constantly going to bookstores!

Vasilly

Jen said...

I love the feeling of having blocked out all other noise and distractions while reading ^_^

MartaSzabo said...

1. My favorite kind of book is a memoir that is well written -- personal, detailed, gets at invisible things.

2. I used to love walking to the library on Saturday mornings when I was a kid, stopping at the candy store, getting a stack of new books, and then lying on my bed reading books and eating candy...bliss.

3. Everyone in my family read. We were always in our separate rooms, each person reading. It was a good way to avoid each other.

4. My first grown-up book was Gone With the Wind. I'd just seen the movie, got it for Christmas when I was 12, and read it in 4 days, impressing myself.

5. I go to bookstores, write down the books I want to buy but can't afford, then order them from the library -- which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't.

6. It's hard for me these days to find books I want to read, even though reading is crucial to me. I hunt and hunt every day, reading everything that comes before me, and it is a real find when I find a book I love. It happened a couple days ago -- only happens a few times a year.

7. I used to be able to read fiction, but not anymore.

8. Oh, I just realized we only have to do 7.

Anonymous said...

I liked reading your answers! I'm like that with ambient noise, too - it drives my husband crazy, cause he'll think I'm listening to him, when I'm really engrossed in my book.

Tasha said...

What a lovely list! It tells me many wonderful things about you.

Serena said...

i love this list. I am trying to get more up to date with my contemporary poets as well. #6 I can do when it is a really good book. I might snag this meme for myself.