50 questions about books
Jul. 19th, 2017 09:13 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thewayneThanks (and thanks a lot!) to stardreamer ;-)
1. You currently own more than 20 books:
When I was in primary school.
2. You currently own more than 50 books:
Before I graduated high school.
3. You currently own more than 100 books:
What a ridiculous question. There have been years that I've bought more than 100 books, though not recently
4. You amassed so many books you switched to an e-reader:
I didn't switch to an e-reader because of having so many books, but because of being a computer guy and wanting to investigate new tech. Started with a Palm Pilot, went to an iPad, went through a couple of Nooks along the way. Never messed with a Kindle because of a dislike of Amazon's control over the Whispernet.
5. You read so much you have a ton of books AND an e-reader:
Definitely. And now buying a vast majority in ebook format vs dead tree editions. But that's mainly because we're likely to be leaving the country in a few years and I DO NOT want to be shipping a proverbial, if not literal, ton of books if I can get rid of them. I have so many books that I loved when I was young, and treasure having read them, but have absolutely no interest in reading again.
There's a saying/story/whatever, it could actually be a Zen koan, about a person with a huge and impressive library. Someone asks the person if they've read all of those books. The reply is "Of course!" Or the reply is "Of course not!" Though my collection falls in to both camps, I think I want to be in the latter.
6. You have a book-organization system no one else understands:
Not really.
7. You're currently reading more than one book:
I frequently have multiple books in process, though sometimes books get started and never finished. I think the record holder is Don Quixote, I really should download a Gutenberg copy and add it to my phone.
8. You read every single day:
Most certainly.
9. You're reading a book right now, as you’re taking this book nerd quiz:
Simultaneously? Not hardly.
10. Your essentials for leaving the house:
This is not a simple question. If I'm doing errands locally that do not involve a sit-down meal, it's just me and my cell phone and perhaps a camera or two. If it involves going to the observatory or down the mountain to Alamogordo or further but not a long-distance trip, then add in more camera equipment, my iPad (always loaded with books), and maybe a book and my traveling game collection. A long-distance trip requires further analysis before packing is determined.
11. You've pulled an all-nighter reading a book:
I suppose, but very rarely and when I was much younger.
12. You did not regret it for a second and would do it again:
I probably did not regret it but also probably would not do it again at my age.
13. You've figured out how to incorporate books into your workout:
Like Star Dreamer said, workout?
14. You've declined invitations to social activities in order to stay home and read:
No. It is very rare that I would decline an invitation to a social activity.
15. You view vacation time as "catch up on reading" time:
No. I will always take books with me while traveling, but vacation is to have fun and photograph. When we went to Germany/Czechoslovakia in '15 I had LOTS of ebooks on both my iPad and my Chrome laptop, plus many more loaded in my Dropbox account as I knew I'd have lots of airplane time. But aside from hotel room time, I didn't spend a lot of time reading -- too much to see!
16. You've sat in a bathtub full of tepid water with prune-y skin because you were engrossed in a book:
Nope. If I'm in a tub, I'm soaking because of either sore muscles or sick lungs. I prefer showers. How my wife is willing to risk reading fanfic on a laptop in the tub is beyond me.
17. You've missed your stop on the bus or the train because you were engrossed in a book:
No.
18. You've almost tripped over a pothole, sat on a bench with wet paint, walked into a telephone pole, or narrowly avoided other calamities because you were engrossed in a book:
No, and people who don't pay attention to what they're doing and commit such acts should be publicly ridiculed.
19. You've laughed out loud in public while reading a book:
Certainly.
20. You've cried in public while reading a book (it’s okay, we won’t tell):
I don't think so, but possibly.
21. You're the one everyone goes to for book recommendations:
I have given recommendations before. The mother of a friend was a grade school teacher, and a student asked for some science fiction recommendations. Friend came to me. I made up a list, funneled it back, and later received a thank you note from the student!
22. You take your role in recommending books very seriously and worry about what books your friends would enjoy:
If asked, yes, I would take it seriously.
23. Once you recommend a book to a friend, you keep bugging them about it:
I wouldn't bug them, but I would ask them.
24. If your friend doesn't like the book you recommended, you're heartbroken:
I wouldn't be heartbroken, but I would be curious and would like to know so as to make a better recommendation. To each their own.
25. And you judge them.
Not hardly.
26. In fact, whenever you and a friend disagree about a book you secretly wonder what is wrong with them:
Not hardly.
27. You've vowed to convert a non-reader into a reader:
One year for my brother's birthday, I bought him a $25 book store gift card. He was heavily in to air brush and showed some talent. I thought he could get some magazines or a book on technique and learn some things. He doesn't read. He can read, he chooses not to. It went unused for ages, my mom finally gave it back to me and I got myself something. There's a line attributed to Mark Twain: The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.
28. And you've succeeded:
N/A.
29. You've attended book readings, launches, and signings: Yes.
Yep. Hillary Clinton, Walter Cronkite, Leslie Nielson, Sir Terry Pratchett, to name a few.
30. You own several signed books:
Yep. Hillary Clinton, Walter Cronkite, Leslie Nielson, Sir Terry Pratchett, to name a few.
31. You would recognize your favorite authors on the street:
Some of them. Some I would hope not to as they are deceased.
32. In fact, you have:
Nope.
33. If you could have dinner with anybody in the world, you'd choose your favorite writer:
Probably not.
34. You own a first-edition book:
Many.
35. You know what that is and why it matters to bibliophiles:
Yes.
36. You tweet, post, blog, or talk about books every day:
No. I talk about them often with my wife, but I wouldn't say daily.
37. You have a "favorite" literary prize:
No. I respect several, but I wouldn't call any a favorite.
38. And you read the winners of that prize every year:
Not really.
39. You've recorded every book you've ever read and what you thought of it:
I've started getting more consistent at doing that.
40. You have a designated reading nook in your home:
No. I wish I did, but I do not.
41. You have a literary-themed T-shirt, bag, tattoo, or item of home décor:
I have a few t-shirts. My favorite item is two USB flash drives that look like library card catalog drawers from the Unshelved Kickstarter drive.
42. You gave your pet a literary name:
Heh. Yeah, I'd say Dante is a literary name.
43. You make literary references and puns nobody else understands:
Oh, most certainly. And my wife has become a bit of a punner.
44. You're a stickler for spelling and grammar, even when you're just texting:
I do my best. My grammar is not perfect, but I do my best with spelling. Having a browser underline spelling errors certainly helps.
45. You've given books as gifts for every occasion:
For many occasions, yes. Every? No.
46. Whenever someone asks what your favorite book is, your brain goes into overdrive and you can't choose just one.
No. Too many different categories that have great books. Plus, tastes change. I loved Douglas Adams 30 years ago, now I view him as a one-trick pony who could have been so much more.
47. You love the smell of books:
Well, sorta. But not enough to prevent me from dumping most of my physical collection to clear space.
48. You've binge-read an entire series or an author's whole oeuvre in just a few days:
Definitely. But only for smaller series, say less than a dozen books. If I can't easily carry the entire series without a box, forget it. I've binged the Vorkosigan series, and very recently Elizabeth Moon's Vatta series in preparation for her (now released) new book.
49. You've actually felt your heart rate go up while reading an incredible book:
Certainly.
50. When you turn the last page of a good book, you feel as if you've finally come up for air and returned from a great adventure:
There have been books that I've read that were that good.
stardreamer ;-)1. You currently own more than 20 books:
When I was in primary school.
2. You currently own more than 50 books:
Before I graduated high school.
3. You currently own more than 100 books:
What a ridiculous question. There have been years that I've bought more than 100 books, though not recently
4. You amassed so many books you switched to an e-reader:
I didn't switch to an e-reader because of having so many books, but because of being a computer guy and wanting to investigate new tech. Started with a Palm Pilot, went to an iPad, went through a couple of Nooks along the way. Never messed with a Kindle because of a dislike of Amazon's control over the Whispernet.
5. You read so much you have a ton of books AND an e-reader:
Definitely. And now buying a vast majority in ebook format vs dead tree editions. But that's mainly because we're likely to be leaving the country in a few years and I DO NOT want to be shipping a proverbial, if not literal, ton of books if I can get rid of them. I have so many books that I loved when I was young, and treasure having read them, but have absolutely no interest in reading again.
There's a saying/story/whatever, it could actually be a Zen koan, about a person with a huge and impressive library. Someone asks the person if they've read all of those books. The reply is "Of course!" Or the reply is "Of course not!" Though my collection falls in to both camps, I think I want to be in the latter.
6. You have a book-organization system no one else understands:
Not really.
7. You're currently reading more than one book:
I frequently have multiple books in process, though sometimes books get started and never finished. I think the record holder is Don Quixote, I really should download a Gutenberg copy and add it to my phone.
8. You read every single day:
Most certainly.
9. You're reading a book right now, as you’re taking this book nerd quiz:
Simultaneously? Not hardly.
10. Your essentials for leaving the house:
This is not a simple question. If I'm doing errands locally that do not involve a sit-down meal, it's just me and my cell phone and perhaps a camera or two. If it involves going to the observatory or down the mountain to Alamogordo or further but not a long-distance trip, then add in more camera equipment, my iPad (always loaded with books), and maybe a book and my traveling game collection. A long-distance trip requires further analysis before packing is determined.
11. You've pulled an all-nighter reading a book:
I suppose, but very rarely and when I was much younger.
12. You did not regret it for a second and would do it again:
I probably did not regret it but also probably would not do it again at my age.
13. You've figured out how to incorporate books into your workout:
Like Star Dreamer said, workout?
14. You've declined invitations to social activities in order to stay home and read:
No. It is very rare that I would decline an invitation to a social activity.
15. You view vacation time as "catch up on reading" time:
No. I will always take books with me while traveling, but vacation is to have fun and photograph. When we went to Germany/Czechoslovakia in '15 I had LOTS of ebooks on both my iPad and my Chrome laptop, plus many more loaded in my Dropbox account as I knew I'd have lots of airplane time. But aside from hotel room time, I didn't spend a lot of time reading -- too much to see!
16. You've sat in a bathtub full of tepid water with prune-y skin because you were engrossed in a book:
Nope. If I'm in a tub, I'm soaking because of either sore muscles or sick lungs. I prefer showers. How my wife is willing to risk reading fanfic on a laptop in the tub is beyond me.
17. You've missed your stop on the bus or the train because you were engrossed in a book:
No.
18. You've almost tripped over a pothole, sat on a bench with wet paint, walked into a telephone pole, or narrowly avoided other calamities because you were engrossed in a book:
No, and people who don't pay attention to what they're doing and commit such acts should be publicly ridiculed.
19. You've laughed out loud in public while reading a book:
Certainly.
20. You've cried in public while reading a book (it’s okay, we won’t tell):
I don't think so, but possibly.
21. You're the one everyone goes to for book recommendations:
I have given recommendations before. The mother of a friend was a grade school teacher, and a student asked for some science fiction recommendations. Friend came to me. I made up a list, funneled it back, and later received a thank you note from the student!
22. You take your role in recommending books very seriously and worry about what books your friends would enjoy:
If asked, yes, I would take it seriously.
23. Once you recommend a book to a friend, you keep bugging them about it:
I wouldn't bug them, but I would ask them.
24. If your friend doesn't like the book you recommended, you're heartbroken:
I wouldn't be heartbroken, but I would be curious and would like to know so as to make a better recommendation. To each their own.
25. And you judge them.
Not hardly.
26. In fact, whenever you and a friend disagree about a book you secretly wonder what is wrong with them:
Not hardly.
27. You've vowed to convert a non-reader into a reader:
One year for my brother's birthday, I bought him a $25 book store gift card. He was heavily in to air brush and showed some talent. I thought he could get some magazines or a book on technique and learn some things. He doesn't read. He can read, he chooses not to. It went unused for ages, my mom finally gave it back to me and I got myself something. There's a line attributed to Mark Twain: The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.
28. And you've succeeded:
N/A.
29. You've attended book readings, launches, and signings: Yes.
Yep. Hillary Clinton, Walter Cronkite, Leslie Nielson, Sir Terry Pratchett, to name a few.
30. You own several signed books:
Yep. Hillary Clinton, Walter Cronkite, Leslie Nielson, Sir Terry Pratchett, to name a few.
31. You would recognize your favorite authors on the street:
Some of them. Some I would hope not to as they are deceased.
32. In fact, you have:
Nope.
33. If you could have dinner with anybody in the world, you'd choose your favorite writer:
Probably not.
34. You own a first-edition book:
Many.
35. You know what that is and why it matters to bibliophiles:
Yes.
36. You tweet, post, blog, or talk about books every day:
No. I talk about them often with my wife, but I wouldn't say daily.
37. You have a "favorite" literary prize:
No. I respect several, but I wouldn't call any a favorite.
38. And you read the winners of that prize every year:
Not really.
39. You've recorded every book you've ever read and what you thought of it:
I've started getting more consistent at doing that.
40. You have a designated reading nook in your home:
No. I wish I did, but I do not.
41. You have a literary-themed T-shirt, bag, tattoo, or item of home décor:
I have a few t-shirts. My favorite item is two USB flash drives that look like library card catalog drawers from the Unshelved Kickstarter drive.
42. You gave your pet a literary name:
Heh. Yeah, I'd say Dante is a literary name.
43. You make literary references and puns nobody else understands:
Oh, most certainly. And my wife has become a bit of a punner.
44. You're a stickler for spelling and grammar, even when you're just texting:
I do my best. My grammar is not perfect, but I do my best with spelling. Having a browser underline spelling errors certainly helps.
45. You've given books as gifts for every occasion:
For many occasions, yes. Every? No.
46. Whenever someone asks what your favorite book is, your brain goes into overdrive and you can't choose just one.
No. Too many different categories that have great books. Plus, tastes change. I loved Douglas Adams 30 years ago, now I view him as a one-trick pony who could have been so much more.
47. You love the smell of books:
Well, sorta. But not enough to prevent me from dumping most of my physical collection to clear space.
48. You've binge-read an entire series or an author's whole oeuvre in just a few days:
Definitely. But only for smaller series, say less than a dozen books. If I can't easily carry the entire series without a box, forget it. I've binged the Vorkosigan series, and very recently Elizabeth Moon's Vatta series in preparation for her (now released) new book.
49. You've actually felt your heart rate go up while reading an incredible book:
Certainly.
50. When you turn the last page of a good book, you feel as if you've finally come up for air and returned from a great adventure:
There have been books that I've read that were that good.
no subject
Date: 2017-07-19 11:42 pm (UTC)The LOTR parody "Bored of the Rings."
no subject
Date: 2017-07-19 11:56 pm (UTC)That brought a smile to my face! "Ve ist der merry gay Roitanners!" It's been a very long time since I read that. Even though I'm doing a major book purge, I'll definitely keep that, and also Doon. "Arrukis: the dessert planet. A planet totally devoid of entres. 'Steak for dinner sometime soon!' 'Muave-bib!'"