Meme about reading, from ladyvivien and hhertzof:

What are you reading right now?

A Doctor Who book - Salvation by Steven Lyons. It's a First Doctor, Steven and Dodo book essentially telling the story of how Dodo came to travel with them and why Steven went back. It's quite interesting so far.

Do you have any idea what you'll read when you're done with that?

Probably the Philip Pullmans I have sitting on my shelf waiting for me to read.

What's the worst thing you were ever forced to read?

As a child I was forced to read improving books. I remember sitting in the doctor's back in the days before appointments and I was reading one such book. I don't remember anything about it, probably because I did not understand one word of it. I'm sure it somehow managed to only include long words, and no 'the's and 'and's. I didn't get very far into it and I was so bored of reading it - that's the point when I decided I was going to read whatever I wanted to and no one was going to make me read improving books any more.

What's the one book you always recommend to just about everyone?

There isn't one, but since hapendfro asked for some recently, I'll repeat them here.

Classics: I really enjoyed A Christmas Carol, Tess of the D'Urbervilles, Emma, The Importance of Being Earnest.

Straight fiction: The Bad Mother's Handbook (Kate Long), We Have to Talk About Kevin (Lionel Shriver), The Colour of Love (Preethi Nair), Legally Blonde and Family Ties (both by Amanda Brown).

I've been enjoying stuff by Philip Pullman. If you haven't read any of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, you should. There's Lois McMaster Bujold who writes both science-fiction and fantasy.

Admit it, the librarians at your library know you on a first name basis, don't they?

No. The only reason I go there is to pick up books I've reserved - it's so small there's never any books I want in there.

Do you read books while you eat? While you bathe? While you watch movies or TV? While you listen to music? While you're on the computer? While you're having sex? While you're driving?

I do while I eat. I always have - eating's so boring you need something to take your mind off it (and the taste of the food, specially at lunchtime). Not while I bathe - I can't see well enough. While I'm watching TV I cross stitch. I often have music on, as it's a choice of that or the neighbours', so I quite often read with music in the background. I'd far rather read in silence, though, it's easier to get lost in the story then, with fewer distractions. I do sometimes read while I'm waiting for the computer to do something.

The last two are just silly. How can you read a book when your eyes are involved in looking at the near and distant road, the rearview mirror, the wing mirror, the idiot in front of you, and both your hands and feet are occupied too. Who do you think I am, Zaphod Beeblebrox?

I do listen to audios though, to give the half of my mind not always occupied in driving something to concentrate on, so my mind doesn't wander.

What's the last thing you stayed up half the night reading because it was so good you couldn't put it down?

Nothing. I get to the stage where I'm too tired to move my eyes.

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