It’s no secret that I LOVE books and reading. I loved reading the responses to the A to Z Book Survey shared by Lindsey of A Design So Vast, and Jessica of School of Smock {the survey was originally created by The Perpetual Page-Turner}. Today I’m sharing my responses with you. I’d love to hear your answers to any of these questions!
Author you’ve read the most books from: I don’t think I’ve read tons of books by the same author since I was a kid. So it would either be Judy Blume or V.C. Andrews.
Best Sequel Ever: I rarely read series. {Though I did read almost every V.C. Andrews series as a teenager!}
Currently Reading: I often read several books at once. Right now, it’s Still Writing by Dani Shapiro, The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert, and Operating Instructions by Anne Lamott.
Drink of Choice While Reading: Coffee. Always coffee.
E-reader or Physical Book? Physical book! I have a Kindle, and some books on my iPad, but I much prefer to hold, admire, and smell a physical book. I like to highlight and add sticky notes to pages, and write in the margins, even while reading fiction.
Fictional Character You Probably Would Have Actually Dated In High School: I think in high school I would have wanted to date Elizabeth Wakefield’s boyfriend from Sweet Valley High. Wasn’t his name Todd? That’s my husband’s name! Hmmmm…..
Glad You Gave This Book A Chance: The Age of Miracles. I don’t generally read young adult fiction, but I loved this one. I found the concept of the slowing of the earth’s rotation, and how people would react to time being drawn out, to be fascinating.
Hidden Gem Book: Buddhism for Mothers by Sarah Napthali. So much wisdom. I return to it all the time.
Important Moment in your Reading Life: Joining Amazon prime. I love the Kindle lending library. And discount books, delivered to my home, for free, within 48 hours?!?! We truly live in a wonderful world.
Just Finished: Faithiest by Chris Stedman. It’s a thought-provoking memoir about Stedman’s journey through atheism, evangelical Christianity, coming out as a teenager, returning to atheism, and now working with the Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard. It’s also a well-written appeal for greater dialogue between theists and atheists, and avoiding the stridency of the “New Atheism.”
Kinds of Books You Won’t Read: Horror. Or Vampires. Just not my thing.
Longest Book You’ve Read: I read the full unabridged version of Les Miserables in high school. I think it was about 1200 pages.
Major book hangover because of: I absolutely loved reading Karen Armstrong’s The Case for God. It is a sweeping history of humanity’s ideas about God since the Paleolithic Age to the modern era. I didn’t want it to end. So fascinating. So beautifully written.
Number of Bookcases You Own: At least six. Plus about 10 boxes of books in the garage that I just can’t part with.
One Book You Have Read Multiple Times: I don’t think I’ve read a book twice since elementary school. But I remember reading Tough Luck Karen by Johanna Hurwitz over and over in the 5th grade.
Preferred Place To Read: In the glider that I used to rock my babies in. Now it’s in our family room.
Quote that inspires you/gives you all the feels from a book you’ve read: Karen Armstrong, in The Case for God, has probably stated better than anyone else what I believe when it comes to religion:
“Religion, therefore, was not primarily something that people thought but something they did. Its truth was acquired by practical action….
Religion was never supposed to provide answers to questions that lay within the reach of human reason. That was the role of logos. Religion’s task, closely allied to that of art, was to help us live creatively, peacefully, and even joyously with realities for which there were no easy explanations and problems that we could not solve: mortality, pain, grief, despair, and outrage at the injustice and cruelty of life. Over the centuries people in all cultures discovered that by pushing their reasoning powers to the limit, stretching language to the end of its tether, and living as selflessly and compassionately as possible, they experienced a transcendence that enabled them to affirm their suffering with serenity and courage.”
Reading Regret: That there isn’t more time! That I buy too many books and then feel guilty when I can’t read them right away!
Series You Started And Need To Finish (all books are out in series): I’m still only part-way through Mockingjay.
Three of your All-Time Favorite Books: Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand. In the Garden of Beasts, by Erik Larson. The Case for God, by Karen Armstrong.
Unapologetic Fangirl For: Karen Armstrong. Definitely my favorite ex-nun.
Very Excited For This Release More Than All The Others: I can’t think of one, which is a good thing, because I have so many unread books on my shelf right now! {see below}
Worst Bookish Habit: Spending too much money on books. Buying more than I can read at once.
X Marks The Spot: Start at the top left of your shelf and pick the 27th book: The Complete Guide to Pilates, Yoga, Meditation, and Stress Relief.
Your latest book purchase: The Liar’s Club by Mary Karr.
ZZZ-snatcher book (last book that kept you up WAY late): Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.
What about you? I’d love to hear what you’re reading now, your all-time faves, or your answer to any of these questions!
- A Mindful Approach to New Year’s Resolutions - January 13, 2020
- Just This Next Step - December 16, 2019
- WAIT: A Mindfulness Practice for Waiting in Line - December 9, 2019
