Welcome back for the second half of the 50 Bookish Questions Tag. If you missed my answers for the first half, you can find them here. Now, let's move on with more of my personal bookish information!
26. Do you like when books become movies?
This is such a mixed bag. In most cases, yes...I enjoy watching movies based on books. But sometimes they just can't translate the story to screen properly or they make too many alterations that wreck everything that felt lovely about the book. For me, it's just the rule that I have to read the book first.
27. Which book was ruined by its movie adaptation?
I'm sure if I think about this one for a while I could come up with some recent examples, but right now only one is burning a hole in my brain. Beowulf. It's an old story and it can be more difficult to read due to language, but it's still a decent tale. The movie though. UGH. So awful. So, so awful. The computer animation was just painful to watch and Angelina Jolie totally rubs me the wrong way. No. Bad movie.
28. Which movie has done a book justice?
Harry Potter. All of the movies did a pretty good job of staying true to the story. I wasn't as big of a fan of the last couple of movies as I was the middle (Prisoner of Azkaban is my favorite book and also felt like one of the better movies in terms of the acting), but I still enjoyed the whole series.
29. Do you read newspapers?
Kind of. We don't subscribe, but two of the local papers send out a free condensed copy once a week. I thumb through those, which are primarily ads and the current events schedule. I use them to help me plan our family activities and I also do the Sudoku and crossword puzzles.
30. Do you read magazines?
I don't. I used to read a couple of magazines that I received in subscription form as part of a gift, but I'm too cheap to pay for them myself. Besides, I have plenty of books to keep me company, I probably don't really need magazines as well.
31. Do you prefer newspapers or magazines?
I actually prefer reading magazines, but what are you going to do? They tend to be more substantial and a little more optimistic and cheerful in terms of their content. Newspapers seem to focus more on negative events and, while I like knowing what's going on in the world, I don't really need additional blegh in my life.
32. Do you read while in bed?
Yep. This is where I do most of my reading. Having two little kids means that I don't really have "quiet time" during the day. Once they are safely tucked in bed, I can settle in and get involved in a good tale. This is a tricky situation though because sometimes it ends with me staying up WAY to late with a book.
33. Do you read while on the toilet?
Nope. I get approximately 3.56 seconds to use the bathroom before my youngest starts losing his mind because I'm not in the same room.
34. Do you read while in the car?
I can't really read physical books in the car without getting carsick. I also am too much involved in checking out the scenery when I'm in the passenger seat on a long trip. But...when it's just me and the boys in the car I do very often put on an audiobook. I don't subject the Farmer to my reads (he would NOT be interested most of the time), but the kids don't seem to mind.
35. Do you read while in the bath?
I don't get a relaxing bath very often (see question 33). However, when the stars align and I do have a nice soak, I occasionally take a book with me. It's not the most productive location for me since I'm not uber in love with our bathtub (I really want a jacuzzi style tub if we ever remodel or move) and I have a hard time staying cozy while not dipping my pages (or e-reader) in the water.
36. Are you a fast reader? / 37. Are you a slow reader?
I'm just going to combine these questions and save us all a little time and effort. I think I'm probably right in the middle of the road when it comes to reading speed. I do tend to read faster when I have a book I like.
38. Where is your favorite place to read?
I have a couple of places that are ideal...none of which I really get to do anymore. Reading in bed is nice, but it isn't always the best. I like to read on our enclosed porch or in my papasan chair in the living room. My favorite thing to do is set up the tent in the yard, put in the air mattress, and do some pseudo camp out reading.
39. Is it hard for you to concentrate when you read? / 40. Do you need a room to be silent while you read?
These two questions go hand in hand for me. I can get into a book pretty easily, but I get distracted by some sounds. I can't have music on that has any lyrics and I have a difficult time reading in a room that has a TV on. I've tried reading during sports broadcasts and I do okay, but I get terribly distracted. I'm best off if I'm just by myself in a nice quiet place or with others who are also being quiet doing their own thing.
41. Who gave you your love for reading?
You know, I'm not really sure. Both of my parents do read novels on occasion, but definitely no where near the amount that I read. They definitely got me started on reading since they read to me a lot when I was a child, but I don't know that they necessarily share the love for reading that I have.
42. What book is next on your list to read?
Well..that's pretty easy. My entire September TBR is already set. You can see it here. Right now I'm reading All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr and Trapeze by Leigh Ansell. I'm not sure what audiobook I'll pick next, but my next physical read is set to be The Beginner's Goodbye by Anne Tyler for my local book group.
43. When did you start to read chapter books?
Uh...somewhere around 6, maybe 7? The first chapter books I remember reading were the Ramona series by Beverly Cleary, Charlotte's Web by E.B. White, and the Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing (Fudge series) by Judy Blume.
44. Who is your favorite children's book author?
I really enjoyed the books listed above, which I think is why I still remember reading them so well all these years later. I also very much enjoyed Madeleine L'Engle. A Wrinkle in Time and A Ring of Endless Light were among my favorites.
45. Which author would you most want to interview?
I would be AWFUL at this. I am not great with people in person unless I know them fairly well. I have some social anxiety issues and I tend to either trip over my own tongue, completely blank on something reasonable to say, or say something that makes little sense given the situation. I'm much better in writing when it comes to that. But...I have a lot of authors that I think are incredibly smart and talented. Right now, the one at the forefront of my mind is Margaret Atwood. I think she is brilliant and marvelous.
46. Which author do you think you would be friends with?
I honestly don't know. Authors I wouldn't mind being friends with include: John Green, Meg Elison, Cassandra Clare, Rainbow Rowell, Lauren Oliver, and Emily Lockhart.
47. What book have you reread the most?
Hands down, Jane Eyre. I've read it at least five times.
48. Which books do you consider "classics"?
This is a totally muddy answer, but to some degree it's based on publishing date. I'd say anything published before around 1950? Definitely those before 1900, but the ones between 1900 and 1950 would likely be on a case by case basis.
49. Which books do you think should be taught in every school?
This changes over time as I think that there are some fantastic and groundbreaking works being produced all the time. I think that there is still some merit in some of the classics, but I also think that there are important more modern reads. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas is one that I think has been powerful most lately. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, 1984 by George Orwell, and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury are all fantastic reads to stress the importance of autonomy and political awareness. I know it's wildly divisive, but I find great merit in Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher.
50. Which books should be banned from all schools?
I don't believe in banning books. That being said, I do think there needs to be some evaluation of the books selected for assignment in school as well as those stocked in the libraries. The books available need to be age appropriate and not overly explicit. By explicit, I mean excessively sexual, bordering on erotica. One or two scenes alluding to sexual interactions between the characters aren't a problem. Lolita in a high school library is.
Do you agree with any of my bookish opinions? Do you disagree? Based on what you've learned about me, are there any books you would recommend?
This is a book tag, but I'm doing it more for my own enjoyment than to pass it on to others. So...if you feel like doing this tag on your own, consider yourself tagged and enjoy!
Happy reading, everyone!
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