All About Books discussion

1. Have you always loved books? Who, if anyone, in your life has most inspired you to read?

I have always loved books and been a voracious reader, I was reading for myself when I was two years old and there’s never been a moment in my life where I haven’t adored reading. My mum has definitely inspired me the most; she’s as big a reader as me and always spent hours reading to me/with me when I was younger. Reading has always been a sacred thing in my family and me and my mum both know we’ll get no sense out of the other when we are reading. I’ve always been surrounded by people who read; my mum, my dad, other family members (me and my brother always send one of our uncle’s biographies every year and have done as long as I can remember) and friends. Books are and will always be one of the most important things in my life.

2. What was your favourite childhood book?

The ones that stand out most in my memory are A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett and Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, and then Harry Potter later on. I can’t get down to one favourite childhood book as there was never one that stood out above the others.

3. Which books do you remember studying at school? Did you enjoy them?

I realised the other day that I don’t really remember studying many books at school, I studied loads of books at university – favourites of which were The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter. Before that I remember studying Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne and The Color Purple by Alice Walker, and I absolutely adored The Color Purple when I read it, the others have had more of an impact in hindsight as I’ve gone through an English degree and English teacher training.

4. Where do you most enjoy reading? Do you need silence to read, or can you read almost anywhere?

I can read absolutely anywhere but my favourite place is in my bed or on a particularly comfy chair/sofa. Somewhere warm and comfortable is always going to be preferable but I will read anywhere and in any situation, I don’t need silence to read, although I preferred silence when I was younger, now I will just read regardless of what is going on around me. I love sitting outside in the summer and reading as well.

5. Choose five of your favourite books and tell us why you loved them so much!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling – I’m only going to choose one of the series as I have pretty much the same thing to say about each. Harry Potter completely changed my life for the better; they are my ultimate safety blanket and my favourite books in the world. I think they are brilliantly imagined and written and I will never tire of Harry and his adventures. I love everything about them, seriously, I have no criticisms and I never will.

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank – I first read this when I was around thirteen and it had a huge impact on me, it’s one of those books that I believe everyone should read, there’s just something so remarkable about it; a young girl, ostracized from society because of her religion who somehow manages to hold onto the hope that the world isn’t bad, not really. An incredible book about an incredible girl.

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie – everything Peter Pan makes me sublimely happy, there’s something incredibly magical and undeniably dark about the boy who wouldn’t grow up, a sentiment that I share; I never wanted to grow up so I always felt a deep connection with Peter, who would ever want to be a part of this horrible adult word of stress and problems?

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller – I only read this book last year but I fell head over heels in love with it, I just think it is utter perfection. The story and romance was so achingly beautiful, and the ending had me sobbing like a baby.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis – a magical wardrobe, a fantasy world, talking animals, a kingly lion and a prophecy that makes four ordinary children royalty, what’s not to love? Another long-time favourite, I can think of few things better than being able to disappear into a magical, fantasy world and have adventures. I am just a massive child at heart and don’t want to grow up, books offer me the escapism that I need and crave.

6. Do you prefer reading fiction or non-fiction?

Fiction, every time. I have read a few non-fiction books that I have really enjoyed, usually survivor stories from WWII, but fiction is more to my suit – I read to escape and imagine, not to be informed.

7. Are you fond of a particular author and what attracts you to their books? (You can pick a few if you can’t choose!)

J.K. Rowling is my literary heroine, I just don’t think she can do any wrong and the Harry Potter series is probably always going to be my favourite series of books, I’ve been reading them on a loop since 2000 and I don’t see that stopping any time soon. Harry Potter is my security blanket and nothing makes me feel better than reading them. I just love how she writes and her characters are always amazingly crafted.

Other favourites are C.S. Lewis, Roald Dahl and, more recently, Cassandra Clare, John Green and Michael Grant. I just adore all of their writing and the way they craft their worlds and characters.

8. Is there an author you haven't yet tried but you'd really like to?

Sylvia Plath, Virginia Woolf and a lot of poets who I keep discovering thanks to this group!

9. Do you rely on goodreads to keep track of your reading or do you have your own method?

I don’t really rely on anything except storing them in my brain I think, I find that if I’ve if read a book that’s memorable it sticks in my mind, but I love being able to see what I’ve read on goodreads. I find goodreads most helpful with keeping track of everything I want to read, I’d never be able to keep track of all of those by myself.

10. What's the best book you've read so far this year? What are you reading at the moment? What will you be reading next?

Best books this year (I’m going to use 2013 as I’ve hardly read anything this year) – The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, The Scorpio Races by Maggie Steifvater. I couldn’t pick one book if I tried, I’ve been very lucky to discover a lot of fantastic books recently.

Right now I’m reading City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare and Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, which I’ve been reading since last July and will probably still be reading next July.

Next will be…City of Glass by Cassandra Clare and something I’ll pick from my NetGalley list that need to be reviewed, probably Treason by Jo MacAuley.

awesome answers Sigourney! I enjoyed little women and the harry potter books too. ^_^

What a great journey. I too love the Harry Potter series they're modern classics. I highly recommend Virginia Woolf and for poems try some Oscar Wilde. The ballad of reading jail is brilliant. Thank you for sharing

Great journey, Signourney! Thanks for sharing... I like a lot of your favorites too :)

I don't know Cassandra Clare, so I will have to add to my ever-growing list of books tbr.

Really interesting answers Signourney! And as others have said before me, a lot of books I love: Little Woman, the Rowling's ones, ...

Great reading journey. I also love Harry Potter, it's definitely due yet another re-read soon!

Great answers, Sigourney! I love all your favourite books! I have The Song of Achilles on my kindle to read, so I am glad you liked it, as I have heard mixed reviews...I too was really impacted by The Diary of Anne Frank when I read it, and I would have been about thirteen, too. I haven't heard of Cassandra Clare or Michael Grant, so I will look them up. Nor have I heard of The Scorpio Races - so I will have a look at that one too, as we seem to be quite similar in our likes.

Thanks so much for sharing!

Thanks everyone! :) I'm glad that there are a lot of common interests in this group, especially Harry Potter ;D

Tracey - thanks for the recommendation :) I've read The Picture of Dorian Gray, but never any of Wilde's poetry.

Shirley - I LOVED The Song of Achilles, it's just so beautifully written. The ones you haven't heard of are generally in the 'Young Adult' category but I just love their writing, John Green can take you from tears to laughter in a second.

I loved reading your reading journey Sigourney. A lot of your answers echoed with me especially about being an early reader and being inspired by your mum. You have also whetted my appetite for The Song of Achilles which I have had on my kindle for a while ..... I wonder if I can fit it in somewhere!

Tweedledum wrote: "I loved reading your reading journey Sigourney. A lot of your answers echoed with me especially about being an early reader and being inspired by your mum. You have also whetted my appetite for [bo..."

Thanks! Ooh, lovely coincidence :) I really can't recommend it enough, I enjoyed it so so much, I hope you do manage to fit it in somewhere, fingers crossed you enjoy it when you do!

Lots of interesting book choices Sigourney, it seems like you really enjoy magical books, they can be a nice escapist read can't they. I don't read much children's or YA fiction, but one series that I have been surprised to have read and loved lately is The Wizard of Oz, it greatly surpassed my expectations.

Oh and by the way, I've been reading Les Mis since last January and will probably still be reading it until next year too!

Thanks :) I do, I don't tend to like books set in the real world unless they are really well written. Ah Wizard of Oz is such a lovely book :)

Haha that makes me feel a lot better about it! I'm really enjoying reading it but it's such a long book.