Last year (or rather, back in January this year) I posted my answers to a 'bookish challenge', answering a number of questions using the titles of books I'd read over the past year. I decided to try that again, using this year's list of books I read/listened to. Some new to me, others re-reads.
The links attached to some titles go to reviews of those books here on my blog. (I normally only write reviews of books that I read for the first time. I'm not really consistent in writing a review of every new book either, though.)
As usual, quite a few books I 'read' this year have been audio recordings of favourites from the past. Some of those don't even get added to the list I keep on my computer. Depends a bit on how long it's been since I last read them - and also how much I kept falling asleep while listening! (I tend to listen old favourites as 'bedtime stories'...)
From my answers below, readers may be able to deduct that some 'old favourites' repeated this year have been: a collection of novels and short stories by P.G. Wodehouse (read by Stephen Fry); Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy; Mary Stewart's 'Arthurian' series about the wizard Merlin (four books, starting with The Crystal Cave); and also (for the umpteenth time) the Harry Potter series (also read by Stephen Fry - one of my favourite audio narrators).
DESCRIBE YOURSELF
The Last Correspondent (Soraya M Lane)
HOW ARE YOU?
"in my prime" (The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, by Muriel Spark)
DESCRIBE THE PLACE YOU
LIVE IN
The Locked Room (Elly Griffiths - Ruth Galloway 14)
IF YOU COULD GO
ANYWHERE, WHERE WOULD IT BE?
Blandings Castle (P.G. Wodehouse)
YOUR FAVOURITE MEANS OF
TRANSPORT
Once Upon A Wardrobe (Patti Callahan)
YOUR BEST FRIENDS
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (J.K. Rowling)
The Fellowship of the Ring (J.R.R. Tolkien)
WHAT IS THE WEATHER
LIKE?
Heavy Weather (P.G. Wodehouse)
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE
MOMENT OF THE DAY?
* Joy in the Morning (P.G. Wodehouse)
WHAT IS LIFE FOR YOU?
Those who leave and those who stay (Elena Ferrante)
YOUR FEAR?
Something Wicked This Way Comes (Ray Bradbury)
WHAT IS A PIECE OF
ADVICE YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN?
As you sow [you will reap] (Michael Hjorth & Hans Rosenfeldt)
(Swedish: "Som man sår" - Swedish detective novel, part of a series)
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY?
This Time Next Year We'll be Laughing (A 'Memoir' by Jacqueline Winspear; author of the Maise Dobbs series that I've been following over many years.)
HOW YOU WOULD WISH TO
DIE?
The Last Enchantment (Mary Stewart, #3 in her "Merlin" series)
THE CURRENT STATE OF
YOUR SOUL?
Surprised by Joy (C.S. Lewis, autobiography - reread)
YOUR DREAM?
The Return of the King (J.R.R. Tolkien)
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* N.b. None of the answers above is to be regarded as
"the whole truth and nothing but the truth"... ;-)
I liked last year's bookish challenge and your answers, and I like this one, too. Still don't think I could really answer them all, but certainly better this year than in previous years before my eye operations :-)
ReplyDeleteWell, I have gone and looked at all my book reviews from this year so far, and have indeed come up with (more or less truthful!) answers to most of the questions. Here goes:
DeleteDESCRIBE YOURSELF
The Woman on the Island
HOW ARE YOU?
In the Palm of a Dale
DESCRIBE THE PLACE YOU LIVE IN
Christmas Tree Land
IF YOU COULD GO ANYWHERE, WHERE WOULD IT BE?
Coppitts Green
YOUR FAVOURITE MEANS OF TRANSPORT
Sleigh Bells in the Snow
YOUR BEST FRIENDS
Unlikely Soldiers
WHAT IS THE WEATHER LIKE?
A Study in Stone
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE MOMENT OF THE DAY?
-
WHAT IS LIFE FOR YOU?
The Importance of Being Interested
YOUR FEAR?
An Invitation to Murder
WHAT IS A PIECE OF ADVICE YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN?
It's Nobbut Snow, Doctor!
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY?
-
HOW YOU WOULD WISH TO DIE?
No Trace
THE CURRENT STATE OF YOUR SOUL?
Wanderlust
YOUR DREAM?
Illingworth House
Enjoyed your answers, Meike - thanks for sharing! (And I think I must have missed some of your reviews... Or perhaps my memory just considers itself busy enough keeping track of my own reading!)
DeleteI can't remember the names of any of the books I read this past year and to lazy to get up and find a list. reading your book answers was fun
ReplyDeleteSandra, without the list I keep on my computer I wouldn't remember what I read either. Or at least not *when*!
DeleteAn interesting list!
ReplyDeleteGinny, I quite enjoy this exercise as a way of reminding myself of what I've read over the past year :)
DeleteI've been making more of an effort to read books lately rather than be online more than I need to be, I've read some great books lately.
ReplyDeleteSounds good, Amy. I agree it's easy to just get caught up in one thing after another online, while reading a book may require a bit more concentration!
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