Books have always been a big love of mine. As a child, I used to go to bed early to read, then when my mother left after telling me to switch off my light and get some sleep, I’d wait until I heard the living room door close again and [...]]]> Photo Credit

Books have always been a big love of mine. As a child, I used to go to bed early to read, then when my mother left after telling me to switch off my light and get some sleep, I’d wait until I heard the living room door close again and switch the light back on to read some more. As I grew up, new interests emerged. Magazines, computer games and later the Internet all cut into my reading time, but I still found the pull of a really good book irresistible, and indeed the Internet helped me to discover yet more books I wanted to read!

University, and in particular the Graduate Diploma in Law that I have just recently completed meant that academic books had to take priority, but my book shopping habit seemed to grow to compensate for the fact! I now have an enormous “to read” pile that I finally have time to devour, so I thought I would share with you five of the books that shaped my formative years.

Andra by Louise Lawrence

If I recall correctly, this is the first book I read when my local library finally let me loose on the “teen” section when I was 10. Set in a future where the surface of the Earth is no-longer inhabitable, Andra is a teenage girl who awakens from the first successful brain graft operation to see her world in a new way as she inherits some of the traits and memories of the donor who died in 1987. Andra’s rebellion against the harsh rules of the society in which she lives is a really engaging read even as an adult (I recently re-read it and loved it just as much as I did the first time around) and I credit this book as helping to shape me into the geek that I became!

Children of the Dust by Louise Lawrence

Of course having read one of her books I needed to read more, and thus, Children of the Dust is another title from my childhood that really stands out in my memory (and another that I have subsequently re-purchased and still enjoyed as an adult). Surprisingly harrowing for a children’s’ book, it opens with the outbreak of nuclear war, and tells first the story of the immediate aftermath, followed by the emergence of a brave new world in three parts from the perspectives of three different but connected characters.

This book still managed to have a huge impact on me, even though I’m a few years too young to really remember the threat of impending nuclear war (though there was something of a close call the year I was born).

The Complete Borrowers by Mary Norton

Nowadays I always insist upon reading a book before seeing the TV show / movie adaptation, but in this case I watched the BBC series and read the books because I loved it so much. The Hollywood version really didn’t compare at all to the original book or the TV show.

I re-christened my dolls house a borrowers house and then built it an extension out of an old shoe box after reading this!

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I know I’m not alone in citing this as one of my favourite books and the single best novel I ever had to read at school, but it would be a crime not to include it in this post. I believe I was around 14 when I studied it, and I think it was around then I first started to think about studying Law. Atticus Finch is my fictional idol!

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

As a young girl I lived in my own little world a lot of the time and loved making up stories and playing games that relied almost entirely on my own imagination. It’s not surprising then, that this book really resonated with me as a child! I had an absolutely beautiful copy of it too, with gorgeous illustrations many of which depicted fabulous dresses, and I think it helped foster my desire for frills and finery too!

What were your favourite books when you were a child?

Right now I’m reading a lot more than I have in the last few years, but still not as much as I used to. I saw this survey on a couple of blogs I read and although I believe it was created for a blogging event that has now passed, I couldn’t resist [...]]]> Photo Credit

Right now I’m reading a lot more than I have in the last few years, but still not as much as I used to. I saw this survey on a couple of blogs I read and although I believe it was created for a blogging event that has now passed, I couldn’t resist filling it in.

Do you snack while you read? If so, favourite reading snack?

It depends what I’m reading. If it’s something “light” that doesn’t require much concentration, I’ll snack if I’m hungry. If I’m reading something really engrossing however then I will occasionally completely forget to eat and only realise when my stomach complains!

Do you tend to mark your books as you read them, or does the idea of writing on your books horrify you?

I have written in books I bought specifically for essays, however in general I don’t like writing on books. In fact, I’ve been known to purchase a second copy to keep on my shelf if I’ve read a book for uni, written on it, but enjoyed it enough to want to add it to my collection.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog ears? Leaving the book open flat?

I don’t have a proper bookmark, I generally use whatever happens to be lying around, so train tickets if I’m travelling, old to-do lists, receipts, etc. at home. When reading hardback books I sometimes use the inside fold of the dust jacket as a bookmark, and when I need to mark pages in several books at once, such as when I’m writing an essay, I will occasionally slot the books together to save the pages in two of them.

Fiction, Non-Fiction or both?

Definitely both – good fiction is a wonderful thing but I also love learning new things and reading about real life, so non-fiction books are a must too.

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?

I prefer to read until the end of  a chapter or at least somewhere there is a clearly-defined break, however it doesn’t upset me too much when this is not possible.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?

This may sound a little conceited, but I can’t honestly remember the last time that happened. I would probably look it up straight away though, I hate not knowing things.

What are you currently reading?

Dead Until Dark: A True Blood Novel by Charliane Harris, I’m addicted to the True Blood TV series so thought I ought to start reading the books that inspired it too. I’m also reading various law books as usual.

What is the last book you bought?

Generation A by Douglas Coupland, because I’ve read all his other books and had completely missed the fact that there’s a new one out! Also Bringing Nothing To The Party by Paul Carr, a recommendation, purchased on impulse.

Are you the type of person who can only read one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?

I tend to only read one non-academic book at a time, but I can juggle reading for fun and reading for my course.

Do you prefer series or stand alone books?

I don’t really have a preference, though when I fall in love with a character it’s always nice to find out that there’s more available!

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?

I always tell people they need to read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, it’s probably my favourite book of all time and I read it for school!

How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)

One day I’d like to organise them properly, but at the moment it’s all a bit haphazard! My course books are all together, and I tend to have bigger, heavier books on the bottom shelf, some books grouped by author where the editions are all similar-looking (Haruki Murakami paperbacks for example) but other than that there’s no real order, everything’s just packed in where it will fit! Perhaps when I’ve moved house I’ll be inspired to organise my reading material properly.

I’d love to hear about your reading habits!