I am an avid reader.  It is one of the things in my life that I will always make time for.  I grew up reading and my only disappointment with it is that I read too fast.  I can't make a good book last more than a couple of days!  I read everything from mystery to fiction to sci-fi and fantasy, romance, history, women's studies and sociology, military history and current affairs, the list goes on!

I just finished a wonderful book by Sarah Addison Allen called "Garden Spells".  I think it is on the bestseller list right now, so it's probably pretty well known.  It's by a new author from Asheville, NC.

I think it would be intersting to see what the last book is that everyone has read.  So what is the last book you've read, did you like it, what do you normally read?

I just started a book called "Crossroads of Twilight"... It's book 10 of a series called "The Wheel of Time" by Robert Jordan. I just finished book 9, "Winter's Heart" a few days ago. This series... it's what Tolkein set out to be. A bold statement, to be sure... but... Tis true. Quite frankly, I can not say enough in praise of this series... So I won't even try. Just.. trust me... if you like Fantasy... Heck, if you like a good story in general... pick up book one. "the eye of the world." seriously. do it.

Okay, now that I've got that shameless promotion out of the way... I enjoy mostly fantasy, with a smattering of SciFi, history, pretty much anything about physics, space, animals, etc... (wanted to be an astrophysicist... still kinda do, actually)  

Favorite authors are R.J. as mentioned above, Mercedes Lackey, and oddly, a Web-author named Alexandra Erin... she's been publishing a series called "tales of MU" online, chapter by chapter... for a while now.. before that was "star harbor nights"... Which unfortunately is on hiatus at the moment. i'm a webcomic nut... and I like reading, so a story, told in comic type format(IE an update every weekday)... somehow works. Warning, if you search for it, you might want to have an open mind.

Most recently, I've been working on The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe, which is essentially everything that he ever wrote, so that's going to take awhile.  ::)

When I finish that, I'll move onto Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen. But The Complete Works of Lewis Carroll is also calling to me from a shelf in my armoire...I'll get to that eventually.

Yeah, I'm a sucker for 3 things: Barnes & Noble, enormous leather hardcover volumes with gold edged pages and classic literature. Last year, I read the entire Sherlock Holmes Canon.

Right now I'm in the middle of reading Gone With The Wind.  I started it several months ago, but don't read every day--so it's taking me quite a while to finish it.  My favorite genre, though, is murder mysteries, especially those of the Brittish persuasion.  

The last book I read was the last Harry Potter.  That was really good!!! 8-)  Before that I read Valide: A story of the Harem. It was about the Topkapı Palace serraglio, in turkey.  It was okay, it read more like a sleazy romance novel at times. :P  But it did have some good history in it.

The last book I read was also the last Harry Potter. Sadly, being in a small town in a non-English speaking country, there weren't any midnight release parties I could attend.  :'(

Right now I'm re-reading Jane Eyre. In my mind's eye, the part of Edward Rochester is being portrayed by Timothy Dalton and Jane is played by...me. I know. It's lame.

I also read the final Harry Potter book, have almost finished the "Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter-Guilty Pleasures Vol.1" graphic comic (I took it with me to Las Vegas and just haven't picked it up since we got back) and am currently reading "Mama Gena's Marriage Manual".

RenChick, I ,too am an avid reader.  I have been known to inahle a book in a day ("The Stones of Shanara" when it came out in the '80's) and I go through them so fast hubby's always in disbelief when he asks what I'm reading.  God love him, English is his second language and he is a slooow reader.  At least he reads!  ;D

Juri, you're so not lame!!!  ::)

I used to read a lot of Stephen King and I have read the Bible twice cover to cover but I have not sat down and read a book in a long time ::)

So, my answer is I don't remember :o


But, my wife has taken up reading books and now when we go to a store with books in it that is where she can be found ;)

Jerry

Sakina wrote on Sep 14^th, 2007 at 11:52am:

Juri, you're so not lame!!!  ::)

lol, thanks a lot, Sakina! :-*

The last book I read for pleasure was the last Harry Potter book.  I have one of the Anita Blake vampire books that I started, but haven't finished yet.  However I have made myself not pick up any new fun books until I complete my real estate license.  I've been reading lots and lots of text books!  I'm almost done with the course, then the live exam prep class early October, and finally the exam.  

Once I'm sucked in I have a hard time doing anything else until I'm finished.  

I enjoy reading, but my eyes have a hard time with me reading as much as I would like, so I have switched to audiobooks that I can listen to while doing other things.  I usually listen to about 2 books a month.  I prefer the unabridged versions (I don't like to miss ANYTHING).

The last books I listened to was Empire by Orson Scott Card and the Bourne Betrayal by Eric VonLustbader (who continued Robert Ludlum's storyline).  I like spy-action, science fiction, and adventure books.  I prefer a book that makes me think.

I'm about to start Orson Scott Card's series of books starting with the Seventh Son: Tales of Alvin Maker.  Some of you may know of this author's Ender's Game series which I also enjoyed.

Any book a person reads is a good book - even if they have read it before.

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Any book a person reads is a good book - even if they have read it before.

Sorry, BB, but I'm gonna have to disagree with you there. I've read some pretty horrible books in my time.  ;D

OK - I relent - not ALL books are good.  My statement was coming more from the aspect that reading any material is better than not reading at all.  But hopefully good choices will be made.

The last book I read was Soul Music by Terry Pratchett - it's a part of the Discworld series.  I've read nine and a half of the books from that series in the past month (I started Wyrd Sisters months ago but didn't finish it until the middle of August - exams got in the way)  In general I do tend to read fiction, but more fantasy within that than anything else.  I've also read The Time Traveller's Wife and 5 People You Meet in Heaven recently...

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But hopefully good choices will be made.

That's assuming that you have a choice. There isn't a whole lot of that in school. And even when there is, it's usually awful vs. awful, so...yeah. Some people have books that they recommend to read, others have books that they recommend to avoid.  ;)  An academic reader will likely have both.

I have finished reading a series by Joel C. Rosenberg.  It is a series of 4 books beginning with the Last Jihad, the Last Days, the Ezekiel Option, and the Copper Scrolls.  It is the kinda reading which I dont put down readily.  Part todays timeline, part Biblical prophesy.  It has its bad guys and heros.  Man, I enjoyed that.  It follows what is going on in the world today.

Debr

I know this has been posted quite a bit around the blogs, but Robert Jordan passed away on Sunday.  He was the author of the Wheel of Time series that isn't quite finished yet.  He did give his notes to his family and explained how he wants the books to end, so we may still see the end of the series as he wanted it done.  

I've only read the 1st one in the series.  I wanted to wait until they were finished.  He will be missed.  

MEEP. I didn't know this... *is seriously freaked out and crying right now*

I hope they finish the final book...

R.J. you will be missed....  

Finished Jane Eyre a few days ago and read The Handmaid's Tale today during work. (I went to the BOE office and there wasn't anything for me to do but talk to the other two JETs and read)

Lord of the Rings... For the umptheenth time.  :D I just love it. And Kiraela, how can you even suggest that "Wheel of Time" is better?!  :o No freaking way.  ;)

eh, I never cared much for Tolkein... the writing was too stilted for me. But hey, to each her own, I guess. or his, depending.

I have to admit, although I did manage to read The Hobbit, I gave up reading The Fellowship of the Ring while they were still in the Shire because he kept talking about how pretty it was... it just got to the point where I thought "Ok, I *know* the Shire is pretty, can they please do something now?"

I am horrid at reading. I have not finshed a book other than the one I wrote myself and 'Catcher in the Rye' which was only 134 pages and took me two weeks @ 4 hrs a day in 1972.

But the last one was my "Tale of Two Best Friends'. I decided to read the whole thing and it took me over a month. Ugh.