One... Two... No, Three Things

Thing Number One:

The Mad Elvish Poet has given me the I Love Your Blog award! Thank you ever so much! I love hearing about how much people love my blog (and yes, I said that in a very humble manner....)! :D

Rules:

1. Award 5 people

2. Tell who awarded you

3. Tell the people you awarded them

4. Always put the picture above the post
5. Always show the rules

I won't be lazy and not award any like I did with the last awards I won. ;)

Beth Grace of The Musings of Me, Myself, and I... And Other Such Fantastical Nonsense

Jessa Bri of Life Of A Michigan Homeschooler

Anne-girl of Scribblings of my pen and tappings of my keyboard

Kathryn of Hidden Orchards

Eowyn of inklings press

Thing Number Two:

Is it too late to join in? I noticed that many of my cyber friends were participating in a Charles Dickens Reading Challenge over at Newly Impassioned Soul, and I wondered if there was still time for me to jump on the bandwagon. Since the event is going on until the end of the year, I assume it's safe for me to join. :)

So, I'm reading five Dickens books this year, my selection being (the first four already in my possession):

David Copperfield (already finished)

Nicholas Nickleby (in progress)

Oliver Twist

Hard Times

And then Little Dorrit, Bleak House, or A Tale of Two Cities (depending on which book I first get my hands on)

Thing Number Three:

Just a note on my LOTR/Narnia post which I published yesterday. The page views on that post SOARED yesterday, much quicker than I even thought they would. I took this screencap this morning: 

And actually, now the count is higher. It's currently at 54. That number, I must say, amazes me. I knew this would be a big post when I wrote it, but it's just going to get bigger still once I finish my magic research and publish that post. 

My study is going well, but as I've said to my family, this very well may turn out into one of those long research papers. There's so much more there than most people think. I was actually glad for an excuse to dive into this study, because for the longest time I have wondered about the magic in LOTR, Narnia, and Harry Potter. I knew somewhere in my mind that it was different, but how? Now, I know how. And I will share it with you all sometime soon, once I get all my thoughts organized.

As always,

"With Her Nose Stuck In A Book..."

Yes, I know I'm continuing the Belle theme from Miss Dashwood's tag, but I couldn't help it. Besides, I thought the theme very appropriate for the content of this tag. :)

That's so me... except for the fact that I'm a blonde. I mean, I have
blonde hair, not the fact that I *am* blonde and ditzy... oh, bother.

I read this swell tag here, here, and here, and then decided that it was high time I followed suit. So, here are my answers! Enjoy!


Do you snack while you read? If so, favourite reading snack: I usually don't snack while I read, mainly due to the fact that I once ate cheetos while reading and left an orange thumbprint on the beautiful white page of a book. I was mortified! 


What is your favourite drink while reading? Water. Yes, I know... boring.


Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you? I usually don't write in books. The idea is not so much horrifying as it is just a bother to find a pencil to make the marks. That, and I have no need to write in books for there is never an excuse to change what the author says due to the fact that I enjoy it. In those cases which I disagree with the writing, I put the book down.


How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open? No, no, no!! Never, never leave the book flat open! Just think of the damage one can do to the binding! I always do my best to use a bookmark, or if none are at hand, I memorize the page number.


Fiction, non-fiction, or both? I've read mostly fiction, so I'd have to go with that one.


Are you a person who tends to read to the end of a chapter, or can you stop anywhere? I like reading until the end of the chapter, but life doesn't ever want to wait for you to finish the chapter. Dash it all!


Are you the type of person to throw a book across the room or on the floor if the author irritates you? I've never thrown a book, although I have felt compelled to do so once or twice when the mood took me. 


If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop and look it up right away? Shamefully, no. I don't. I usually try to guess the meaning according to the context and continue on. Sometimes I'll look up the word later, but it's rare that I remember to find the dictionary. 


What are you currently reading? Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens. It's a swell book, especially the copy I have! Not only does it have the immortal words of Dickens contained within the covers, but it has been "reproduced in facsimile in two volumes from the original parts of 1838–9 with an essay by Michael Slater and extra illustrations." In between parts of the story, there are numerous pictures by "Phiz" and articles and advertisements from the paper Nicholas Nickleby was originally published in. Yes. Envy me. It's swell.

This cover is on my copy, minus the No. 27 in the corner.

What is the last book you bought? Nicholas Nickleby. I gave my mother money as a just in case precaution when she went to our library's used book sale, and lo, and behold! there was Dicken's beautiful work just waiting for a purchase!


Do you have a favourite time/place to read? I like lounging on my bed to read, but as to time, I read whenever I find a spare moment. Actually, in reality, the most reading I've done recently is in the car. Not that we're traveling a lot, but that's my free time. :)


Do you prefer series books or stand alones? Both. But it really depends on the type of story. I like long stories, whether they be split into a series or an individual book, but they must be well worth my time. 


Is there a specific book or author you find yourself recommending over and over? Austen, Dickens, Alcott, etc. I'm very much into the classics right now, and that's what I want everyone else to read. 


How do you organize your books? (by genre, title, author’s last name, etc.)  My sister (Beth Grace) keeps our bookshelves (and I say bookshelves, for there are several) in good order; I just read all the books. But I think the volumes are all organized by size. Authors we tend to keep together naturally, and genre is attempted to keep together, but I can never recall to replace a book exactly where my sister shelved it. And yes, it drives her nuts. :)

Yours respectfully,