BookJumper

1. Age 25-34 2. Gender Female. 3. What do you read on a daily basis? Books, and the newspaper if there's one free on the bus. 4. How often do you read for fun in a week? I try to everyday, even if it's just a paragraph 5. What time of day do you like to read? Evening, which is ironic because I never have the time or strength to read in the evening these days. 6. Where do you read? On buses and in coffeeshops, though I'd prefer to be able to read in bed with a cuppa or in a frothy bath. 7. How many books have you read in the last 6 months? To its end, one, but to be fair I do have eight currently on the go - I'm a book polygamist. 8. What type/genre do you enjoy reading most? Speculative Fiction (Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction and all things in between). 9. Why do you read? To escape from problems while learning almost effortlessly about the way other human beings think and feel. 10. What barriers prevent you from reading more? Stress and the consequent lack of time / concentration. 11. Do you think reading for fun is important? Vital. I personally would never have survived the solitude of school without books. 12. Do you fold page corners or use a bookmark? I used to fold page corners down when I was small, poor and only bought millionth-hand books. As a slightly older collector, it's bookmark or death in my, haha, book. 13. Do you prefer to read to music or in silence? Silence, thank you. I find sounds impossible to ignore. 14. Do you discuss books with your friends? 90+% of my friends are my friends because they read books. 15. Do you borrow books from the library? I used to when, again, I was small and poor. Nowadays I always buy before I read; I form an emotional connection to specific reading copies, hence I don't like giving books back. 16. Do you borrow/loan books from/to friends? I try not to borrow, and when I do I warn the owner they might never see the book again. I can count on the fingers of one hand the people I'd lend books to, and trust to give them back in more or less the same condition I loaned them out in.

Ooooh, I do like the sound of Stephen Sondheim's Finishing the Hat: Collected Lyrics with Attendant Comments and Vol. 1 of Twain's Autobiography. None of the novels they listed interest me in the slightest though *cries* what's wrong woth me?!

Well, as we all know the pen is mightier than etc. etc. etc.

I've only read his Anthropology and admittedly, it didn't make me want to run out and buy any of his other books what do you like about him, what am I missing?

Off the top of my head... Authors who have never disappointed me: - Douglas Adams - Jasper Fforde - Terry Pratchett - Neil Gaiman Authors who have disappointed me: - J.K. Rowling - Stephen King

I have just rescued a copy of this (it had been lying dusty and unloved on the murky top of a fridge for about a week...!), so I will be delving into it shortly and sharing my thoughts - can't wait, I've been meaning to read it for so long, as my post above will attest.

Stephen King's The Dark Half for me, without a shadow of a doubt. The film's very good too, in a very '80s sort of way.

Well what can I say, we're a very helpful, friendly and lovely bunch so friendly in fact, we want to hear all about what you think of these books when you read them, and any others you might stumble upon between now and then. Glad we could help, and hope to see you around again soon!

Terry will be signing his latest in Waterstone's Piccadilly, London on September 1st. I have a plane already booked to return home for a month, flying out on the 31st of August *tears hair out*!!!

My two most epic mishaps: - San Siro Stadium in Milan, Bruce Springsteen gig. It thunderstormed on us for three hours straight, and I so happened to have Douglas Adams's The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul in my zipless bag. The pages were so glued together as to form a book-sized brick... no more reading to be gotten out of that one! - one of London's too many stations. I had a huge suitcase on wheels full of university books; they were already damp as the rain had been seeping through the fabric for ages, but then the bottom of the bag split and whole years worth of English Lit reading lists fell in the mud. I remember asking for help carrying the utterly broken bag full of utterly ruined books, but people flat out told me they couldn't be sure I wasn't a terrorist...

I think your hubby may well be right, Kell - when I first saw Mycroft I thought he was Moriarty because he was suitably oily and creepy, and when he introduced himself to Watson as Sherlock's archenemy I was all like, 'a-ha!' Mycroft's position would make his evil masterplans all too easy to put in place, and it all ties in neatly with the fact that so many of us just don't think Jim fits the ultimate villain role. Besides, if we're having a grand showdown with the ultimate villain at the end of season one, there's not much meat left for season two now is there?

Though I have never read any Cohelo myself, Brida's post's just made me have a brainwave called Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach. Beautiful in an indescribable way, it quite literally helped saved my life at the point where I felt most devoid of it. Compulsory electro-shocking material, I should think.

I seem to be setting aside all my current books, no matter how much I'm otherwise enjoying them, as soon as romantic aspects come into play. They pull me right out of the story and back into the here and now, which is precisely what I'm trying to escape from by reading, so it's all a bit counterproductive. In order for me to actually finish something anytime this century, does anyone know about really good books (possibly fantasy, science fiction, horror or similarly speculative fiction - I'm not much of a realist, for the same reason stated above. If I wanted real life, I wouldn't be looking for it in a novel) which do not, and I repeat do not feature a love story? Thanking you all kindly !

*rejoices*! That said, I wasn't overly impressed with Moriarty's accent, I just couldn't take him seriously I'm afraid which is sad, because Benedict & Martin were marvellous (and bromancing) as usual !

I admire your restraint, MountainGirl I would have been less than pleased, and friend or no, the perpetrator would have been left in no doubt of my less-than-pleasedness.

I'm always jotting down recommendations from here and actively seek out my favourite authors on Facebook to see what they're up to, however my main method is the simplest one you could think of: spending quality time in bookshops, looking at new release shelves / announcements for future signings and making a note of what looks interesting. It works, though it would help if they started putting book posters around town for all genres as opposed to just what's in the charts.

Absolutely no idea but I do hope that one of our lovely members will recognise it - sounds like something I'd love to read myself!

Booknutt - please try to cover ending spoilers... I for one didn't know how WH ends .

Unfortunately I can't see a pattern in the books you've liked so... hmmm, challenging. The one book that did spring to mind when you asked for something that would 'electro-charge' your soul, has a title that sounds supernatural - but don't let that put you off, as the supernatural element is decidedly secondary to the story and, most importantly, the characters. I recommend it often, both here and offscreen, and it never fails to electro-charge the souls of the recommendees from what I gather. The book in question is Carl-Johann Vallgren's The Horrific Sufferings of Mind-Reading Monster Hercules Barefoot, His Wonderful Love and His Terrible Hatred. It is a testament to just how sad yet uplifting, tragic yet inspirational, terrible yet tender it is that though I read it two years ago it's the book I find myself recommending most.

Why do I have to pay to get my hands on my university transcripts, which I can't do without if I want to pursue an academic career? Alright, it's only £6.50, but that's not the point - the point is that it's a question of principle. Exactly what do £4000 of tuition fees cover?!

Yay happy reading! Am really anxious to hear your thoughts on Praise of Folly, so please share them when you're done...?

Because everything that isn't a restaurant closes at six in Stratford, and I'm used to Londonite hours now !