Booking Through Thursday Survey

What do you mean 'it's Saturday?' No it's not, I don't believe you! And even if I did, I would still post this survey today, simply because I can. It's not like I saw it on Musings of a Bookshop Girl and any potential restraint was overshadowed by my pathological need to fill out surveys or anything.

1. What’s your favorite time of day to read?

All the time! I know that's a bit of a cop-out answer, but it's pretty much true. I'm not good at reading right after I've just got up, but any other time is fair game. I don't work, so you can pretty much find me with a book in my hand at any given time. I do especially like reading in the early evening though, or maybe just after tea.

 

2. Do you read during breakfast? (Assuming you eat breakfast.)

No, it's the only time of day when I don't. I can't really. I have ME so most days I wake up fairly ill. Imagine your most groggy morning of the last month and multiply it by about four and then pretend you have a sheet of clingfilm across your vision. I do carry my book about with me though, ready for when I'm read to act like a normal person!

 

3. What’s your favorite breakfast food? (Noting that breakfast foods can be eaten any time of day.)

Again, I wake up too ill to eat actual breakfast. The combination of ME and IBS mean that I tend to automatically throw up anything I eat too soon after I wake up. Wow, this is turning into quite a woe-is-me post, isn't it? I do love sausage sandwiches with red sauce though - those are definitely my favourite breakfast food.

 

4. How many hours a day would you say you read?

It varies. I spend half my time at my parents house in Bradford, and the other half with my boyfriend in Sheffield, so it depends where I am, really. I tend to read less when I'm staying at Lewis' because I'm more likely to watch a film with him. Probably only about an hour and a half a day, unless he's obsessed with a particular x-box game, in which case it will be more.

At home it's easily three or four hours a day, simply because I have a short attention span for anything else. 

5. Do you read more or less now than you did, say, 10 years ago?

More, but only because I have more spare time. I've always been a huge reader. I was a little more into TV back then though whilst now I hardly ever turn the damn thing on, so that probably makes a difference.

 

6. Do you consider yourself a speed reader?

I don't know, what's a speed reader? And no, that isn't as stupid a question as it sounds! I don't skim read, but I do read quickly.

7. If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

How odd, I had this conversation just yesterday! I'd want to be able to freeze time. There are so many practical applications! You could sit on the floor of Waterstones and read forever, without ever having to buy a book or move out of the way. You could avoid people you don't like and you'd never be late for classes. This is always my 100% convinced answer to this question.

Failing that, because it doesn't really count, I'd like to jump into books like Thursday Next. 

8. Do you carry a book with you everywhere you go?

Yes. More out of habit than anything else. I trail my book about everywhere in the damn house, so it's a logical progression to shove it in my handbook before I go out. It used to annoy me in the Sixth Form Common room when I'd take out my book to read when I was alone, and someone would come over and say "Oh, I saw you were bored so I thought I'd come over!" No. I'm not bored, I'm reading. GO AWAY.

9. What KIND of book?

Big books, little books, cardboard book? All kinds!

 

10. How old were you when you got your first library card?

I don't remember. Very young. I remember they were basically just pieces of laminated white paper with printed black text. You could get six books out at a time, and I remember being so excited when I turned ten and my limit increased to twelve books! It was great because the library is literally a five minute walk from our house.

 

11. What’s the oldest book you have in your collection? (Oldest physical copy? Longest in the collection? Oldest copyright?)

Oh god knows. I have my Mum's old copy of Little Woman, so probably that. It's hardback and the binding is falling apart, but I love it.

I have a lot of classic books, so I have no idea about the oldest copyright. I have a collection of Euripedes' plays, so that's probably the one. Not that they had copyright 2000BC, but you get the idea.

 

12. Do you read in bed?

Every single night when I'm at home. I spend a large portion of the day reading on the bed too, because both The Boy and I live with our parents, so it's the only place to get privacy.

 

13. Do you write in your books?

No, never. I don't have a problem with reading or buying books that have been written in; sometimes I find it quite interesting. But I don't even like breaking the spines, so writing in them really goes against the grain!

14. If you had one piece of advice to a new reader, what would it be?

Surely if they're already a reader, the hard part is done? They've already decided to give a books a go and found reading to their liking! I guess I'd remind them that if they aren't getting alone with a book, it's perfectly acceptable to put it down and choose another.