These kind of posts have been popping up left and right on multiple blogs. Not sure who started it. Elisabeth? Engie? Stephany? Anyways, I have been saving the questions and it is time to share my own answers. I have answered 25 questions about me as a reader a couple of years ago if you are interested. Maybe you enjoy the questions for readers too. Feel free to copy.
1. Five books that have influenced you?
If I want to have a serious conversation with people I ask them what five books have had the most influence for them. Important here is not favorites but the influence they had. Makes it much more interesting. Here are mine:
- Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren– the first book I read on my own.
- The Solitaire Mystery by Jostein Gaarder – the first book I used transfer thinking and understood something that was not explicitly said in the book. And it is three stories in one.
- Pillars of the Earth (part one of the Kingsbridge series) by Ken Follett – my love for historic fiction was born.
- Wizards first Rule by Terry Goodkind – my love for fantasy was born. First book in the Sword of Truth series. I walked to church with this book on my confirmation day and sneaked it to the party to read in the bathroom. Also early on in the book there is a scene where someone is focusing on a sword and sitting still, breathing. I have done this practice again and again only to understand much later that it is a form of meditation. Maybe I tried to do magic?!
- East of Eden by John Steinbeck – the first book I really (had to) analyze and questions. And I loved the language and poetry.
2. What are your three favorite books?
I am boring and it’s the same as above “The Solitair Mystery“, “Sword of Truth” and the Kingsbridge Saga.
3. What books have you reread the most?
Anne Franks Diary – I have read this book six time in a very short time period in my teenage years. Closely followed by The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens which I probably read three or four times.
4. What is a book you felt differently about after rereading it?
As much as I love the Solitaire Mystery there is a rhyme in there that in German uses the translation of the N*word. It’s rain backwards in German and the Joker in the book mumbles it. I am rather sure the original (in Norwegian) doesn’t have that rhyme and the English translation can’t have it either. I need to reach out to the publisher and ask if they consider rephrasing it. I want to gift it to my godchildren.
5. What is a book that changed your perspective or taught you something important?
There are many books that have taught me something. I mean any English book helps me get better in a foreign language. If I had to name a few… The Year of the Dugong – loved the change of perspective on climate crisis here. The Lost Art of Listening – very educational. Daughter of the Dragon – opened up a whole new view on WWII in Asia. Wild Remedies – such an educational read about plants.
6. What is a favorite book of yours in a genre you don’t usually read?
I never read horror but for some reason I read Carrion by Bets Really not knowing it was categorized as horror. I loved it. So creepy. So psycho. But no blood. Made it to the spooky reading list of course.
7. Have you ever had a crush on a book character?
Mhm… tough one. Not sure I really ever had a book crush. If I had to name one, I think it’s Richard from the Sword of Truth series. First time I read it I was 14/15. I reread at 30. I think I mainly loved that he had a strong partner in Kahlan and she was equal if not superior at times. And he was not intimidated by it which made him an interesting character.
8. Have you ever met a (famous or semi-famous) author face to face? Where?
Does my mom count? She has written probably 10 books (non-fiction). Also a couple of my parents friends have published books. Some I have read. And then in our Heybooklovers book club we have had the chance to talk to Kirsten Miller, Laurie Frankel and Jill Santopolo. So yes.
Edit: last night I dreamed I met Matt Haig at some sort of street festival and we had a good long chat. I didn’t take a selfie.
9. When did you last visit a library?
It’s been a while I stepped into a physical library. Earlier this year when I got three books on sketching and art in preparation for my 100 days project. Other than that I constantly get books through my digital library.
10. What’s the last book you bought?
I bought one ebook in November: Upon a Frosted Star by M.A. Kuzniar – a retelling of swan lake for my fairytale reading adventure.
Now your turn: Last book you bought? Any book crush? What would you say are influential books for you? Any face time with authors?
26 comments
The last book I bought was the audio version of The Great Hippopotamus Hotel by Alexander McCall Smith. Several years ago, he gave a lecture close to my area, so I traveled to see him, and it was so worth it!
A couple of years ago… I don’t buy many books but a few a year. I have never heard of the book you mention or the author. What is he about?
Pillars of the Earth was one that I really enjoyed also! I don’t know (don’t think) if it was my first historical fiction, but I do remember reading some of his others afterward and being able to learn about Russia and the Jewish people there and how they had to leave and the Tsars etc. and I just loved it. I guess I didn’t realize in High School that history could be fun!
One of my favorite books as a kid and I have reread it a lot is My Side of The Mountain which is about a boy who runs away to live in the mountains/woods and survive on his own. I loved it, and wanted to do that so much when I was young. Of course, I grew up in the mountains/woods, so it would not have been much of a change for me.
I lived history and art in school so it was not a far wander for me to read Follett especially that one.
I don’t know the book you mention. Having that kind of story you are so drawn to is pure magic.
Great questions and interesting answers. Last book I bought was a danish knitting book that I also want to review on the blog, but we’ll see if that happens. It has this lovely pink cover so I couldn’t resist owning it. :-)
PS: glad another Swede was mentioned today, haha (Astrid Lindgren), a favorite of mine as well.
How can Astrid Lindgren not be a favorite. I always wanted to read a memoir of her but habit yet.
I love owning craft books because you can always go back and get inspired.
I’m so intrigued by The Solitaire Mystery! I’m putting on my list for my “Christmas Book Flood.” I own Pillars of the Earth but haven’t read it yet. i recently read Ken Follett’s Century Trilogy, and it was amazing. I would say it fits your question of a book that changed my perspective/taught me something important. I think the third book fo that trilogy was the last book I bought- but usually I get my books from the library.
Oh if you happen to read the Solitair mystery let me know how you like it. But it is a YA book just you know. Maybe your library does have it?
You can’t really go wrong with owning a Follett book. It’s long epic and you can reread because I am sure there is something you didnt pick up the first time around.
Loved the questions, and loved the answers. And yes, I just might steal this to write up my own answers as part of NoBloPoMo.
As for the last book I bought? Murder Most Royal by SJ Bennett. And, as I was a book editor for a number of years, I’ve met quite a few authors.
Oh that sounds fun. You could tell us a bit more what a book editor does and how work looks like. I never quiet understood the difference between agent and editor.
I didn’t know your mom was a writer! That’s amazing!
Pillars of the Earth is such a good book. I am not generally a historical fiction lady, but I just love Ken Follett’s books!
I am not sure my mom would say she is a writer… she is a historian (specialized the Peaceful Revolution) and has published books on certain events.
I agree you can’t do anything wrong with a Follett book.
I wish I loved Pillars of the Earth, but I felt like it was never going to end. I didn’t connect, not sure why.
The last book I bought was ‘Tell Me Everything’, by Elizabeth Strout. I bought the audiobook.
The last physical book I bought was ‘The United States Governed by Six Hundred Thousand Despots’ by John Swanson Jacobs, which is a story of slavery in the US, written by a man who escaped slavery and left the country. He was living in Australia when he wrote it, and the Civil War had not yet started, so it was very much current. I’m in the middle of reading that right now, really good.
Usually I read a physical book before bed, and listen to books while I take my morning walks or cook, but I recently bought a kindle book,’Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl’, by Harriet Jacobs. She is the sister of the author of the other book. I’m not sure when I will read that one, since it is on my iPad kindle app, but maybe I’ll figure that out soon.
Oh you are on a roll a taking a deep dive into that topic. What sparked that interest?
I have different books on different mediums and for different times a day too.
Sorry the Follet book was a snooze. You need to like the epic descriptions.
Some influential books for me were “Playing Beattie Bow” by Ruth Park, which probably started my love of books with time travel, and “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, which prompted my love of fantasy. Also, the Sharon Penman books started me on historical fiction, and they are still some of my favourites. And I love the Pillars of the Earth too.
I have to check out that time travel book. And the Sharon Penman author. Oh and lord of the rings is great too but I didn’t read them until I was 20 or so. But they were one of the first books to read in English.
We could probably agree the Follett is a classic. Seems like every one of us has read something by him.
When I read Jane Eyre for the first time I was young, not married, no kids etc and I LOVED it. For years I listed it as one of my all-time favourite books. I re-read it last year and HATED IT. So I think the moral to this story is to no re-read beloved books. They might not age well!
I agree some books do not age well unfortunately. But on the other hand it shows that we grow and don’t need the support/knowledge/ encouragement of that story. Or we have grown as society and have other values.
I love book posts like this! :) I had no idea your mom was a published author – how cool!
The last book(s) I bought were The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon and The Temporary Roomie by Sarah Adams. I have had many a book crush thanks to all of the romance I read, haha. And I’ve met Taylor Jenkins Reid, which was a cool experience!
That is so cool that you met Taylor a Jenkins Reid. We are worth it and what was your impression of her? My mom published a lot of nonfiction books she was partly researching or in charge of. I loved Frozen River and I hope you do too. It may be one of my top three books in 2024.
Taylor Jenkins Reid was SO NICE. I asked her if she ever feels like what she’s writing is complete crap and she had such a kind response. (Basically: Yes, of course!)
Oh that is so precious.
There have been a few author talks at our local library and it was quite a treat for my daughters and I to hear & meet authors of books we had all read!
I usually read nordic noir or art-related books; two books outside the genre that I truly enjoyed were Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow (Gabrielle Zevin) and The River (Peter Heller).
Oh I read The River and really enjoyed it. I want to read more of him. The other one is on my TBR. I need to google what Nordic noir is… which is not my thing.
I can get behind the art Realtek books. I am always looking for good historic fiction about a time a trade/craft or person.
How fun your library is hosting authors. I don’t think mine does that.
Oh, that was so fun to read… and I did not know that your mom has published books. What kinds of books?
She has published a bunch of nonfiction books about the Peaceful Revolution and people who escaped through tunnels under the wall. She is a historian with a expertise in biography science.