Sunday Stealing: Books

Oh, I am really gonna enjoy these questions. I love talking about books. 

Thanks to Bev at Sunday Stealing for providing them.

1. Has reading a book ever changed your life? Which one and why, if yes?

There has been a few books which have altered the course of my life. Louis de Bernières Captain Corelli’s Mandolin sent me off to Greece. Anthony Doerr’s All The Light We Cannot See sent me to St Malo last year..

But it’s Dr Spencer Johnson’s Who Moved My Cheese  that really changed my life. It’s a little book about change management. The big message in the book, for me, was ‘What would you do if you weren’t scared?’ I asked myself that at least once a day.

2. Do you prefer to read fiction or non-fiction?

Generally, I prefer fiction, however there is nothing better than a really well-crafted non-fiction book. I love the works of Bill Bryson., And there is a book called Born to Run by Christopher McDougall which I adore.

3. If you could be a character in any novel you’ve read who would you be?

I would really love to be part of Hogwarts one day, and I think I’d make a great Hermione Granger. Hermione is the bomb. We're a bit alike, down to the fuzzy hair. 

If it were a grown-up book, I think I would like to be a character in Sarah Winman’s Still Life, mainly because I would love to be living in Florence. Also, the family environment at the pensione is wonderful.

4. His reading a book ever made you cry?

Yes.

5. Which one, and why?

Other than my year 11th physics textbook at school, which drove me to tears of bored and rage, Any book which has an animal which suffers in it or normally bring me to tears very quickly.

A lot of books about adversity and war will also make me cry.

6. How many books do you read a year?

This year, according to my goodreads.com challenge I am on target to read 60 books this year. I will normally read somewhere between 45 and 50 books. I will remind you that I always have an audiobook on as well as something on paper or my going at the same time.

7. Name a book you had to read but hated.

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy.

8. Why did he hate it?

Okay, I’ll let you in on a secret. I hate Russian literature. Seriously, all they do is sit around doing nothing complaining for around 700 pages. While reading Anna Karenina I couldn’t wait for her to jump under the train. I just find it really annoying. I can cope with Chekhov, but that’s because he writes plays and they’re short. 

9. If somebody wrote a book about your life, what would it be called?

She’s not the Messiah, She’s a Very Naughty Girl.

10. Have you ever written (Or started to write) a book?

Yes. I have two novels of which I have about 60 to 80,000 words written and I’m just starting on a new non-Fiction adventure. I’ve got about 5000 words written of that. I will finish one of them in the near future.

11. If you could pick a book you’ve read to make into a movie, what would it be?

I am a big fan of Sarah Winman. I love her book Still Life I can see that being a wonderful movie. Even though Benedict Cumberbatch is a little bit old to play Ulysses now.

12. What was your favourite book as a child?

I remember spending hours pouring over my grandmother’s encyclopaedias. Does not feel the same as the pages of a good encyclopaedia , even if the information dates.

I also remember loving Snugglepot and Cuddlepie and The Magic Pudding. They are very Australian books. Enid Blyton was great too.

13. What are you reading right now?

At the moment on audiobook, I am listening to Bill Bryson’s The Body – A Guide for Occupants. It’s both informative and entertaining.

On paper, I am reading Benjamin Stevenson’s Everybody on this Train is a Suspect. I’m reading it for book group, and it’s not really my genre and I don’t like the writing style, but I only have 30 pages to go and that’s done for the month. Looking forward to reading something a little bit more substantial.

Today’s Song: