Books, Books, Books.....

What author do you own the most books by? I tend to buy as many books as possible by my favourite authors so this is much less about who has written the most and who has written the most. i would say Anne McCaffery. I started reading her many , many years ago and although I like her more recent books less, she has been very prolific....

What books do you own the most copies of? Copies of books? Why? I guess it would have to be a dictionary though... I have more than one of them.

Did it bother you that those questions ended in prepositions? No. Language changes and evolves. Some of the old grammar has become a little out dated I think...

With which fictional character are you secretly in love? Most recently... Edward but their have been others....

Which books have you read the most frequently? Anything by Charles de Lint. Raymond Feist's, Magician. The Winding Stair by Joan Aiken. Howl's Moving Castle by Dianne Wynne Joans. Anne McCaffery's Dragon books.

What was your favourite book when you were ten? Um.... There was some lovely horsey books in my classes little library. I have no idea what they were called..... Well actually I have just been hunting on Amazon and I think it was The Palio: The Wildest Horse race in the World by Maguerite Henry. I also think Sea Star sounds familiar. I also loved My Friend Flicker and a series of books about a girl called Ginny and her red arab stallion.

What is the worst book you've read in the past year? I once started to read a romance but somehow they had managed to print the unedited version. It was awful. The grammar and spelling were so bad it made it unreadable.

What is the best book you've read in the past year? Best> How do you compare apples, pears and strawberries? I have loved The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold and also the Time Traveler's Wife. Apart from that there are all my favourites.... I have also loved some children's fiction... The Spook's Apprentice, the Septimus Heap books.... I could go on...

Which book would you most like to see made into a film? Nooooo don't do it! All the richness of the book is lost when it is made into a film. Have you ever read a book that has come out of a film? They are dull and lifeless things...

Which book would you least like to see made into a film? I agree with Mel... Leave them all alone!

What is the most low-brow book you've read as an adult? I do have a liking for tacky romances - there is nothing high brow about them... *grin*

What is the most difficult book you've ever read? Difficult? In what way? H G Wells heavier stuff is tricky to read, very old fashioned language.... I am with Mel on Lord of the Flies - in fact we have previously discussed it! I loathe it. Horrid book.

What is the most obscure Shakespeare play you have ever seen? Not seen any obscure ones....

Do you prefer the French or the Russians? Definitely the Russians! I am English, I couldn't possibly admit to liking the French! *laugh*

Shakespeare, Milton or Chaucer? Not read any Milton or Chaucer so has to be Shakespeare....

What is the biggest gap in your reading? None! I read what I fancy reading!

Favourite Novel? eek! how about favourite bookcase?

Poem? The Voyage of the Arctic Tern by Hugh Montgomery. This book deserves a bigger audience. It is a story of ghosts and treasure and pirates based in Plymouth partly. I left in the bathroom and even F read it. Not many long poems would appeal to young boys of late primary age but this one... Gripping story!

Work of non-fiction? I have a set of encyclopedias that are about 100 years old. They badly need refurbishment and are sat at my parents in a cupboard... The pictures are beautiful..... They are fascinating books....

Most influential novel you've read? Influential? On who? On me? No idea.... They all influence me in some way....

Most overrated author? I have to say Phillip Pullman. I didn't enjoy His dark Materials as much as I thought I would. They strike me as being the sorts of childrens classics chosen by adults and appeal to a few very bright literary inclined children... Sorry....

Which less widely read novel would you recommend? I think the books of times gone by should not be forgotten... There are so many little gems new and old but rushing on to find the next best thing means so many so many greats are forgotten. Like Cynthia Harnett for instance - lovely historical childrens books.

What are you reading right now? Re-reading Wind in the Willows... Have a pile of books to read at the mo... Oh, also reading growing fruit an Royal Horticultural Society book.