Dream book meme

Another fab book meme, this one pinched from Claire.

1) Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews?

Any political biography or autobiography. I find Bill Clinton interesting and I've had his autobiography for years, but I can't bring myself to pick it up.

2) If you could bring three characters to life for a social event (afternoon tea, a night of clubbing, perhaps a world cruise), who would they be and what would the event be?

Ooh, what a thrilling idea. On the assumption that if I brought him to life, he'd have to sleep with me, I'd have to choose Peekay from The Power of One. I was so in love with him when I read that novel... Then I'd need Mouse from the Tales of the City books and maybe Cornelia from Marisa de los Santos's Love Walked In and Belong to Me. As for the event, well ... following some sort of hotel-based debauchery with Peekay, I'd go out for dinner with Cornelia and then to a gay club with Mouse. Aw. I wish this was really happening now. Pah.

3) (Borrowing shamelessly from the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde): you are told you can’t die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for a while, eventually you realise it’s past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave?

I did an English Lit degree so I have many to choose from. I couldn't finish Ivanhoe, but it was Middlemarch that made me lose the will to live.

4) Come on, we’ve all been there. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you’ve read, when in fact you’ve been nowhere near it?

I can't think of any... In fact, David is shocked at how ill-read I am, despite the fact that I read all the time and I've done an English degree, but the classics just tend not to do it for me. Given my job, maybe everyone assumes I've read The Devil Wears Prada, but I haven't!

5) You’re interviewing for the post of Official Book Advisor to some VIP (who’s not a big reader). What’s the first book you’d recommend and why?

Oh goodness. Probably The Power of One again. I can't imagine anyone not loving it. Also Barbara Vine's Asta's Book, which I recommend to EVERYONE.

6) A mischievous fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will reread once a year for the rest of your life (you can read other books as well). Which book would you pick?

Martha Beck's The Joy Diet, I think. I *should* re-read it every year since it's a fabulously inspiring manifesto for living the life of your dreams. In fact, I must read it again soon.

8) That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she’s granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leather bound? Is it full of first edition hardcovers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few favourite authors have inscribed their works? Go ahead-let your imagination run free.

If I could manage to keep it clean and tidy, my current office/library is pretty ideal. The massive piles of books, padded envelopes, kitchen roll (pulled off the roll by a small boy), shoes, receipts and sundry crap, plus the maiden covered in damp clothes, aren't exactly relaxing.

I once saw a picture of Drew Barrymore's library and I coveted it for ages (sadly the house it was in burned down). From memory, the walls were floor to ceiling wooden shelving (hence the fire). There was a fabulously comfortable-looking green velvet (suede?) sofa and the light was gorgeous.

That aside, I'd have my books arranged by colour, a full collection of the Enid Blyton Dean & Sons editions, a shelf full of various editions and translations of my own books (this is a dream library, right?), Orla Kiely furniture, fresh flowers at all times ... and a book signed to me by George Clooney: "My darling, how I wish we could be together..."

Comments

[Helen]

I've had Bill's book by the side of my bed for years...not read more than a few chapters. I think he is still in his late teens/early twenties.

[Joyce]

I love the idea of a library arranged by book colour. At work we've all agreed that's how it should be, but we have to conform to the usual alphabetical in genre order - boring :-( (apart from the Mills and Boons - the Mills and Boons are always arranged by colour and there's many more brown ones creeping in these days too - the brown ones are the rude ones!) Although we once did a huge display of red books on Red Nose Day and that went down well.

[Stella]

I think I shall have to do this one on my book blog! I love the whole idea of colour coded bookshelves but I'd probably never do it.

Sigh.... how wonderful it would be to have a whole room dedicated to books and reading.