A to Z book survey

R.'s very artistic impression of KyusiReader
I like, like, like, like, like, like.

There's an ongoing very bookish survey that's been making the rounds of book blogs lately. Kaz's post at Books Anonymous inspired me to come up with my own answers to the survey. Really a great way to kill time just thinking of the answers.

Author you've read the most books from
Easy. Ian McEwan! I think I've read all of his books, except for his latest (Sweet Tooth). I particularly like his short story collections entitled In Between the Sheets and First Love, Last Rites. Among his novels, I am quite fond of The Innocent.

Best sequel ever
Not really a fan of sequels. Based on experience, sequels rarely live up to the promise of the first. I just recently read the 2nd book of Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy entitled Siege and Storm. I liked it better than the first book.

Currently reading
Reading 3 books as of the moment. Markus Zusak's The Book Thief for the book club's unofficial discussion. Neil Gaiman's Brief Lives, the 5th volume of The Sandman series. Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch, because I really loved The Secret History and The Little Friend.

Drink of choice while reading
None. I suck at multitasking.

E-reader of physical book
Ah, the inevitable question, which I'm now getting tired of answering. Paper still rules.

Fictional character you probably would have dated in high school
Hmmm... Robb Stark of George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. Or Khal Drogo. Or Jon Snow. Or Renly Baratheon. Heck, even Tyrion Lannister. Yes, would totally date him. Or his brother, Jaime Lannister.

Glad you gave this book a chance
Neil Gaiman's Fable and Reflections. A gift from R. actually. It totally changed my perspective on graphic novels.

Hidden gem book
Probably any of the titles published by the New York Review of Books. NYRB is my book porn. I loved Alberto Moravia's Contempt and Glenway Wescott's Apartment in Athens, and John Williams's Stoner.

Important moment in your reading life
Reading Halldór Laxness's Independent People in 1994. It made me realize that there are many wonderful books outside of the US and the UK. Never knew that I would dig a novel from Iceland.

Just finished
Neil Gaiman's Season of Mists, the 4th volume of The Sandman series. Just in time for the discussion this Saturday.

Kinds of books you won't read
Oy! I'll read anything.

Longest book you've read
Victor Hugo's Les Misérables. Or David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest. Or Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace. Or the complete Gossip Girl series by Cecily von Ziegesar.

Major book hangover because of
Gary Schmidt's The Wednesday Wars, which was a Newbery honor book. It was funny, heartbreaking, and filled with joy and hope. I remember telling my friends to read it. And I kept thinking about the book for several days after finishing it.

Number of bookcases I own
Just 2 actually. Well, those 2 run the entire length of my room.

One book read multiple times
Not really a big fan of rereading. But when I was a kid, I read over and over Nick Joaquin's collection of children's stories entitled Pop Stories for Groovy Kids (Green Edition). He's still my favorite Filipino author. And each book in the collection was just beautiful. I remember the books being larger than A4 size, having thick paper, and filled with gorgeous paintings as illustrations. I spent several afternoons reading and rereading the books in this collection.

Preferred place to read
I'm not choosy. Just as long as there's complete silence.

Quote that inspires you or give you all the feel from the book you read
David Levithan's Boy Meets Boy has several wonderful quotes. But my favorite would have to be this:

I find my greatest strength in wanting to be strong. I find my greatest bravery in deciding to be brave. I don't know if I've ever realized it before. . . I think we both realize it now. If there's no feeling of fear, then there's no need for courage.

Reading regret
None. Life's too short enough as it is. I'd rather read.

Series you started and need to finish
I can think of a lot. Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time (which is probably just one long novel divided into several books). Also Tove Jansson's Moomin books and the Moomin comic strips. Yukio Mishima's Sea of Fertility.

Three of your all-time favorite books
Robert Graves's I, Claudius. Halldór Laxness's Independent People. Hendrik Willem Van Loon's The Story of Mankind, which incidentally is the first novel to be awarded the Newbery.

Unapologetic fanboy for
George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire. I love everything about it—the books, the TV series, the toys, the merchandise, the fandom. I can't get enough.

Very excited about this release more than all others
Donna Tartt's The Goldfinch. Could a novelist be so un-prolific? Just 3 novels in a span of 21 years! Seriously, that's like 10 years between novels. Can't complain though, all her novels are really very good.

Worst bookish habit
Impulsive book buying

X
What?! No question starting with X? Boo.

Your latest book purchase
Volumes 1 and 2 of Brian K. Vaughan's Saga. Because after reading his brilliant Y: The Last Man graphic novels, I've made it a vow to read everything he wrote and will be writing.

ZZZ-snatcher book (the last book that kept you awake)
I have to confess—I go to be really early. It takes a huge effort just to keep my eyes open beyond 10 pm. Anyway, Stephen King's Night Shift (one of the very few instances I reread) kept me past my bedtime. Creepy short stories.

That's it. Quite fun to answer actually. Made me pause for a few minutes to think of answers for some. Now back to reading. Till the next post, dear readers!