Thursday, August 17, 2006

One Book Meme

I'm new to this blogging game and I'm a bit unsure about what memes and tags are but I'll try and answer some of the questions as Petrona's kindly 'tagged' me :-).

1. One book that changed your life
Probably the first adult crime novel I read as my life now seems to revolve around books and crime fiction in particular.

2. One book you have read more than once?
I can't recall having ever re-read an adult fiction book. I used to re-read my books when I was a child. I read so fast then I had to read it twice to get value for money. I'd finish the book and go straight back to the beginning and start again.

3. One book you would want on a desert island?
Lord of the Rings has defeated me twice so I'd have to get through it if it was all I had to read!

4. One book that made you cry?
Tricky. I agree with crimefic reader about The Dispossesed. There is a very upsetting scene. I'm sure another one will come to mind later.

5. One book that made you laugh?
The audio books of Christopher Fowler's Bryant and May books make me laugh. eg. from The Water Room:

"I hate getting into this vehicle with you", admitted May, eyeing the rusted
yellow Mini Cooper with alarm. "I don't know why you had to get rid of your
old Rover".
"It was starting to steer itself," Bryant said mysteriously. "The man in the
garage said he'd never had a car fail every single item on its MOT before.
He was quite excited. I had to go back to Victor here." The Mini had been
purchased at the height of flower power, and still bore a painted chain of
vermillion daisies around its roof. Its noxious colour-scheme was enough to
make it stand out from the other vehicles in the police car park at
Mornington Crescent. Bryant unwedged the driver's door with the pronged end
of a cheese-knife, which he kept about him for the purpose.
"That's an offensive weapon, you know".
"What am I going to do with it?" asked Bryant. Threaten someone with a slice
of dolcelatte?" He held open the car door. "Come on, it's quite safe."
"No thanks. You nearly killed us the other day, going round Vauxhall
roundabout."
"They'd changed the one-way system without telling any-one."
"I seem to recall that you were on the pavement."
"Sometimes it's hard to tell where the pavement begins these days."
"It's usually the bit with the shoppers on it. No, Arthur. Today we're
taking my car." May bipped his graphite-sleek BMW.
"Wonderful, now we'll look like Camden drug-dealers."

6. One book you wish had been written?
Unsure but I hope Elizabeth Peters lives forever and continues writing Amelia Peabodys and while she's at it what about a Jacqueline Kirby book...

7. One book you wish had never had been written?
One book that deserved better proof reading was 'The Yeare's Midnight' by Ed O'Connor. It had some merits but contained some howlers.

8. One book you are currently reading?
Punishment by Anne Holt (more to come on that soon).

9. One book you have been meaning to read?
Jar City by Arnaldur Indridason.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Karen, a book that made you cry... The Dispossessed was the best book I read last year. It should come with a free pack of tissues!

Karen (Euro Crime) said...

Another one which gave me a huge shock, total incredulity, was a scene in 'Hell to Pay' by George Pelecanos. I may have cried as it was very sad. Excellent book, as was 'Right as Rain'. I must try his new one that getting all the buzz.