It’s no secret that I love books. I believe books change lives.
“There’s more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island”- Walt Disney
I absolutely enjoyed answering questions about Anything but Books, the last time. So today, I am going to talk all about books and how much of a bibliophile I am. Thanks to Shilpa and Vinay for introducing the tag! I think I can speak all day and night when it comes to books 🙂
1.Do you have a specific place for reading?
No. I carry a book with me always. Be it to the kitchen, to my coffee table, my bed or while traveling. I always carried a paperback in my bag while traveling so that I could grab it while waiting for the bus or on a flight. It has now been replaced by a Kindle and Man! I can read through the night too, without switching on the lights and be disturbing the husband.
2. Bookmark or random piece of paper?
Bookmarks for sure! I love collecting those cute ones! This time though, I couldn’t find one at my parent’s home. When I asked my sister for one, she asked me to dog-ear the pages. The nerve!!! So I used a cute little tic-tac-toe hairclip as a bookmark 🙂
3. Do you eat or drink whilst reading?
Yup. If it’s an ordinary book, you can find me sipping a cup of coffee. If the book is interesting, I wouldn’t mind taking it to my dinner table. However, as a kid, my parents were always against this habit of mine. Mom would slip in pieces of bitter gourd onto my plate and I wouldn’t even know!
4. Music or TV whilst reading.
No to both. But if the husband is watching a movie, I wouldn’t want to disturb him. I will plug in my headphones, put on some soothing music, read and get transported to a whole new world.
5. One book at a time or several?
Just one. I know it is an art in itself to read multiple books at a time. I somehow, cannot quite wrap my head around it. It will definitely split my focus. I will want to dedicate my time only to one book at a time.
6. Do you prefer to read at home or elsewhere?
Oh, at the comfort of my home, yes! But I also used to like reading during my commute to the office. Once I was smiled at by a passenger reading the same book. It feels nice you know, you feel connected at some level. Nowadays, I sit on the verandah, or on the swing in my little garden. It’s really nice and quiet up here, in the mountains.
7. Read out loud or silently?
Silently always. It is like talking to myself.
8. Do you read ahead or skip pages?
I try my best not to skip pages. But if the book is really boring, I might just skip a page or two, or a chapter max, until the story picks up again. But not to the last page like how my husband does. Phew!
9. Break the spine or keep it like new.
Oh, I can never do that to a book. I would like to leave it in a pristine condition, however hard it may be.
10. Do you write in books?
Just on the first and last page. My name and the date I started reading the book, that is.
11. What books are you reading now?
I’m reading Sita – Warrior of Mithila by Amish Tripathi. I can’t wait to finish this one because next on my TBR is Chocolat by Joanne Harris. I waited long to read this one!
12. What is your childhood favorite book?
I have two. The first book which I ever read was “The Promise” by Danielle Steele. It was my Mom’s and I remember stealing it from her shelf to read. Because ‘Mills and Boons’ was out of bounds for a twelve-year-old me. 😛 I still remember the story and I very much love it even now. I then raided the school library and gorged on Nancy Drew series. I’d read them all.
13. What is your all-time favorite book?
Gone With the Wind! Period. This is the first ‘humongous’ book I’d ever read. The story had fascinated me and I was/still am under the spell of Scarlett O’ Hara and Rhett Butler. Twelve years have passed since I last picked it up. But I can say that I still love it after all this time. I connect with Scarlett in so many different ways. While one may argue about the ‘loose morals’ of Scarlett, I’d say she is brave.
That’s all folks! Let me know your answers in comments or feel free to pick up this tag. I would love to read!
I’m participating in the Write Tribe Pro Blogger Challenge.
V says
We do have similar tastes when it comes to books and reading, I see. 🙂 What’s a tic tac toe clip? And how are you finding Warrior of Mithila? I’m not a big fan of Amish post the Vayuputra book, so…
Also, time to acquire a copy of Gone With The Wind, I think. 😀 I’ve not read that.
Shilpa Garg says
Aha! We have nearly similar reading habits.
I can read all through night and then all through day too. And who breaks spines of book? It’s like murdering a book.
I read Gone with the wind ages ago. Have it on my Kindle but yet to read it.
Happy that you picked up this tag, Shalini! 🙂
Keerthi Vydyula says
Even i tend towards NO to tv or music while reading, as i do not like any disturbance while i read.
I am going to do this post today 🙂
Nick Wilford says
This was a fun post, I love reading about others’ reading habits! To me, dog-earing a book is a cardinal offence. So is leaving it cracked open outside down so the spine gets worn. They’re precious things! And while e-readers are a boon, especially when it comes to packing for a holiday, I fear something has been lost because you can’t see what others are reading, so that magical moment you mentioned could never happen if two people were reading the same book on a Kindle. I also liked to show off what I was reading!
Bellybytes says
Your reading habits seem to resonate with mine…. I do tend to skip pages especially when the book is dragging. And sometimes I actually read the end and then figure out how the author came to that conclusion. I don’t use book marks, nor do I fold page corners, nor do I like to underline or put marks anywhere in the book except my name, place where I bought the book and the date on the fly leaf. I hate lending my books and I like my books to look like they’ve never been opened. In fact, I don’t like buying second hand books either though I don’t mind borrowing books from the library.
Aesha Shah says
I was reading ‘Sita’. Few pages yet to be completed. Didn’t find it intriguing? What about you feel, Shalini?