A Bookish Survey

This A-Z survey apparently began life on The Perpetual Page-Turner, but I first saw it on Pretty Books. I thought it looked fun, though a couple of the questions are difficult for me to answer, as I don't read series, except in juvenile literature.


Author you've read the most books from: Probably Barbara Pym at 13. Close second, Emily Kimbrough at 11.
Best sequel ever: John Galsworthy's tryptich A Modern Comedy, which is the sequel to his tryptich The Forsyte Saga.
Currently reading: If the truth be known, I'm celebrating the imminent start of the school year by re-reading some Trixie Belden and Sue Barton books.
Drink of choice while reading: Iced water. After that, my "cocktail"—half ginger ale, half sparkling cherry-flavored water.
E-books or physical books: Do you even have to ask?
Fictional character you would have wanted to date in school: Colonel Brandon in Sense and Sensibility. (Fictional character you would have actually dated: Probably Willoughby. I had a fondness for rakes.)
Glad you gave this book a chance: Hm. I'd have to say Little Women. I first tried it in 6th or 7th grade, thought it was boring, chucked it after a couple of chapters; then in 8th grade, my brother gave me the beautiful Tasha Tudor illustrated edition for Christmas, so I gave it another chance and wound up absolutely loving it.
Hidden gem book: Seventy-five percent of the books I read are "hidden" gems.
Important moment in your reading life: The very first complete sentence I remember being able to read—I was around five, I think—was from a Dana Girls mystery: "Louise Dana, a pretty, dark-haired girl of seventeen, paused in the doorway with an armful of paper novelties." I still remember the sentence, because your first is not easily forgotten.
Just finished: Trixie Belden and The Mysterious Visitor.
Kind of books you won't read: Well, I recently wrote a whole post about that. Sci-fi, adult mystery, crime, thriller, anything to do with vampires, and, as a general rule, best sellers.
Longest book you've read: Hmm, that would probably be Gone With the Wind. But Henry Handel Richardson's Maurice Guest was pretty long, too.
Major book hangover (lingers longest in the mind): Persuasion.
Number of bookcases you own: Can't really say, because most of my shelves are twelve-by-twelve- inch units that I've pushed together along one wall to form one longer unit. And I have miscellaneous shelves scattered round the house as well as actual cases.
One book you've read multiple times: Only one??? Seriously? There are about 100 or more books I read multiple times. And I really mean multiple.
Preferred place to read: At the dining table. That way I can have everything to hand that I need: drink, snack, Kleenex, a place to put my regular specs while I use my reading specs, a pencil just in case, my lap desk with the beanbag underside that I use to prop my book up higher so I won't get neck ache, my book weight to hold the pages open as it lies on the lap desk (this way, my hands are free to reach for drink or snack or pencil or Kleenex or whatever). I use a lot of accoutrements when I read.
Quote: I'm not sure if this means book-related quote or actual quote from a book. In any case, I can't think of one right now, and I'm too lazy to look one up.
Reading regret: At this very moment, my regret would be reading the blog where I saw this survey.

—You'll notice that as I get near the end of the alphabet, I tend to get a bit loopy.—

Series you started and need to finish: Well, I haven't read every Nancy Drew book ever written, and I probably never will. I generally only read the ones written pre-1960s.
Three all-time favorite books: Three??? Seriously? Take a look at my "Novels I Love" list at left.
Unapologetic fan of: That would be the aforesaid Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, Dana Girls, and Sue Barton books. They are my not-so-guilty pleasure.
Very excited for this release: Since I tend not to read newly published books, I will leave this unanswered.
Worst bookish habit: Trying to read too many things at once and not finishing any of them.
X marks the spot—start at the top left of a shelf and pick the 27th book: A Small Place in Italy by Eric Newby.
Your latest book purchase: Modern Saints, 2 vols., by Ann Ball
ZZZ-snatcher book (one that keeps you up at all hours): The last book I stayed up till the wee hours to finish was, I think, An Imaginary Experience by Mary Wesley. But that was years ago. Nowadays, if I read in bed, I fall asleep after fifteen minutes.

Done, done, and done! You know, it occurred to me that most of these could apply to a film survey .... No, don't go there.