1. What author do you own the most books by?
Well, thanks to my husband's interest in Don Camillo, we own all 6 books in this series written by Giovanni Guareschi. Oh wait, Jenn reminded me of the whole Harry Potter series. That makes 7 by J.K. Rowling.
2. What book do you own the most copies of?
Like Alicia, the Holy Bible. My most treasured copy is of the New Testament with side by side English and Greek that my grandfather used when he was studying to be a Baptist preacher.
3. Did it bother you that both those questions ended with prepositions?
Bother me? What ever are you talking about?
4. What fictional character are you secretly in love with?
Mr. Rochester was my secret love in high school and it had nothing to do with Timothy Dalton!
5. What book have you read the most times in your life?
Jane Eyre. See #5.
6. Favorite book as a ten year old?
Heck if I can remember. Probably something insipid like a Sweet Valley High story. I also remember liking The Girls With the Silver Eyes but I don't remember how old I was.
7. What is the worst book you’ve read in the past year?
Haven't read any bad ones recently, but if you changed those last four words to "ever" then it would have to be Billy Budd, Sailor. Ugh! I'm NOT a Melville fan.
8. What is the best book you’ve read in the past year?
Honestly? That would be the whole Ranger's Apprentice series that I previewed for my son.
9. If you could force everyone you know to read one book, what would it be?
You'll probably think I'm silly: Emotional Vampires: Dealing With People Who Drain You Dry by Albert Bernstein. Dr. Bernstein very cleverly uses a vampire analogy to help explain the tendencies of some personality types to emotionally drain others. By learning the tendencies of others in your life (and yourself) you can save yourself a lot of heartache and frustration.
10. What book would you most like to see made into a movie?
Any of the Ranger's Apprentice books, if only so that I could watch The Professor's face while he watched it and then discuss with him later any discrepancies.
11. What is the most difficult book you’ve ever read?
Probably something from my philosophy of education class. As a homeschooling mom, should I be ashamed to admit that?
12. What is your favorite book?
I'm afraid that to choose one I would have to compare apples to chickens. I think it rather unfair to ask someone that without specifying a category. There are novels, historical fictions, non-fictions, books yet to be published (hint, hint Aunt Red), etc.... Not to mention books that I've read and forgotten. Hmmm... maybe if I've forgotten them, they weren't that memorable and shouldn't be considered a favorite. Oh boy. Now I really can't decide. Let's make this easier. How about if I say, my favorite book that I have read with my kids is... Nim's Island. We read the book after seeing the movie and honestly love them both so much we can't choose which version is better. I haven't read the sequel yet, but my kids gobbled it up!
13. Play?
That's a tough one, too. My senior project as a theater major was Romulus Linney's Three Poets which I used to know backwards and forwards. If you are talking Shakespeare, I have always been partial to The Tempest. But, the one that has a special place in my heart as it was my first introduction to the world of the theater is Barbara Lebow's A Shayna Maidel (the play that this Hallmark movie was based on only much better).
14. Poem?
Oooo. Not much into poetry. Um... does Dr. Suess count?
15. Essay?
Again, not sure I can specify a favorite but, The Six-Lesson School Teacher by John Taylor Gatto was one of the first essays I read when researching this crazy thing called home education and I enjoy re-reading it frequently.
16. Who is the most overrated writer alive today?
I really don't pay attention to modern writers unless they write children's books. So, with that in mind, I would have to say Daniel Handler, better known as Lemony Snicket. I don't understand the appeal of his work at all.
17. What is your desert island book?
SAS Survival Handbook: How to Survive in the Wild, in Any Climate, on Land or at Sea. I'm a practical kind of girl.
18. And . . . what are you reading right now?
Bless Me, Father, For I Have Kids and loving it!
OH!!! I started the Ranger's Apprentice series a couple weeks ago, and am anxiously waiting book 4 from the library. (Online it says it is being held, but they were closed today! :( ) They are GREAT books!!! After reading the first book, I checked out the audio version for my boys to listen to and they love it too. I keep hearing them quoting Halt! lol! I'm not sure about letting them listen/read the others quite yet, but soon! I was thinking too what a wonderful movie the series would make. Can you tell I am just a little excited about it?? =) I already looked back at your Ranger's Apprentice Birthday Party for future use!
ReplyDeleteYou might want to listen to the audiobooks first yourself. My son isn't used to hearing some of the coarser language that Halt uses in the later books. It's easier for him to skip over a word he reads so he doesn't mind it so much in the books. We also talked about how an author will sometimes use rougher language to demonstrate a character's state of mind. Anyway, just a heads up.
ReplyDeletesusie lloyd is AWESOME!! let us know how the "...I have kids" book is :)
ReplyDeleteAmen on the overrated Lemony Snickett - someone gave the books to our daughter - thankfully I previewed them. Absolutely NOT books for any child with abandonment issues (we adopted DD as a 5 yr old). The kids go out for the day and the parents are killed?!? After 9 years (tomorrow - thank you God!!!!) she still worries if one of us is late home or out while the weather is bad. She is all too aware that bad things can and do happen - and they aren't entertainment.
ReplyDeleteI agree totally on Melville - blech.
ReplyDeleteLemony Snicket - takes a particular bent of humor. I loved them.
Keeping checking the library for Ranger's Apprentice Book 1, but it's very popular. No luck yet.
good choice on the survival guide.
also currently reading Blees Me, Father. Funny.
Not into poetry? Goodness, girl, that's my favorite school subject with the kids! I admit, I did not appreciate it as much until I read them over and over and over (and memorized them). I suggest any poem by Robert Louis Stevenson. And you can't go wrong with The Harp and Laurel Wreath for a colection of poems worth memorizing.
What age is the Ranger's Apprentice series appropriate for? You mentioned language...how strong? Wondering for my nephews; this looks like a series they'd enjoy. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteKaty,
ReplyDeleteI personally don't think the language is very strong (just "hams" and "dells", as we call them). I grew up with worse, but my kids don't hear those words on any kind of regular basis and my son especially is bothered by reading them over and over. He says they show up in limited quantity in all of the books, but the highest quantity are found in the third book. One of the main characters, Halt, is especially aggravated in the third book because of his desire to fulfill his promise to Will. Flanagan uses Halt's language and his actions to demonstrate this frustration which helps him begin to fulfill his promise.
In someone else's house, "hams" and "dells" might not be considered strong language and wouldn't cause a problem. As far as age appropriateness, I think the reading age level is 9-12 and that sounds about right to me.