Meme

Phlegm Fatale over at Fatale Abstraction has tapped me to produce answers to this bookish meme. I'm game, so here we go!

Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews?

"The DaVinci Code" has never, ever tempted me, and some people I know, who shall remain nameless, are, shall we say, passionate about this book...
Same goes for "Message in a Bottle", "Bridges of Madison County", etc., etc.

If you could bring three characters to life for a social event (afternoon tea, a night of clubbing, perhaps a world cruise), who would they be and what would the event be?

Harry Dresden from Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files", Juan Rico from Robert A. Heinlein's "Starship Troopers", and Sophy from Georgette Heyer's "The Grand Sophy".
I'd just like to invite them over to my house for dinner and a confab, 'cause I'd want to hear, in person, all about their adventures. Then Johnnie and Sophy could leave, and I'd proceed to bang Harry Dresden like a drum. Hey, it's okay to fantasize about fictional charaters, at least in MY reality it is.

You are told you can't die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for awhile, eventually you realise it's past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave?

This one is easy. I was a rather strange child. I felt compelled to finish every book I started, no matter how awful or boring it was. One book foiled every reading attempt, and I'll never forget it..."Algonquin, the Story of a Great Dog", by Dion Henderson. THE most boring book in the universe.

Come on, we've all been there. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you've read, when in fact you've been nowhere near it?

Beowulf. I even owned a copy for quite a while, until I decided my life would be well lived without pretension, and removed the book from my shelf.

As an addition to the last question, has there been a book that you really thought you had read, only to realise when you read a review about it/go to 'reread' it that you haven't? Which book?

Nope, but I've bought the same book on different occasions, in different locations, simply because it had been a while since I read it originally, and had forgotten all about it.

You've been appointed Book Advisor to a VIP (who's not a big reader). What's the first book you'd recommend and why? (if you feel like you'd have to know the person, go ahead of personalise the VIP.

Depending on the kind of person the VIP is, either something by Heyer, she is the most witty author; something by Heinlein, if I think the VIP can handle him; or "The Three Musketeers", since it's a classic (in case the VIP is snobbish), and a rip-snorting adventure.

A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. Which language do you go with?

Ancient Greek. I'd love to read all the classics in the original!

A mischievous fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will reread once a year for the rest of your life (you can read other books as well). Which book would you pick?

"I Dare", by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. Gotta love the Liaden Universe! I pretty much re-read the entire series every year, anyway.

I know that the book blogging community, and its various challenges, have pushed my reading borders. What's one bookish thing you 'discovered' from book blogging (maybe a new genre, or author, or new appreciation for cover art-anything)?

Author Charlaine Harris's "Book and Blog" feature on her website led me to discover Jim Butcher's work. What a find! So many hours of reading pleasure...

That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she's granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leatherbound? Is it full of first edition hardcovers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few favourite authors have inscribed their works? Go ahead-let your imagination run free.

My dream library is a large home I live in that has books in every room. Comfy chairs and couches, good reading lamps, and lots and lots and lots of reading material and shelves everywhere. Since the good fairy is handling this, she'll make it possible for me to purchase any book I want, any time. Ah, nirvana...

That's it for me, but I'll tag a few fellow bloggers, who should in no way feel obligated to complete this meme...

Mauser*Girl
Fat Hairy Bastard
Sonja
Zelda
FarmGirl

Have at it, Folks!
(and to go along with Phlegmmy, anyone in my blogroll is more than welcome to do this one, too!)