Anonymous asked: How're you finding your Kindle? Has it grown on you?
I’ve actually been thinking of doing a post on this, if people are interested. What do you guys think? Would you want to know how someone who was/is firmly grounded in physical books has found her Kindle experience? Like this if you do, and I’ll write a review.
Anonymous asked: A really random question, but how do you keep books in such pristine condition in your bag? Mine tend to get bumped around and badly scuffed up!
I think I’m just careful and I don’t care too much. I always carry at least one book around with me, so I long ago made peace with the fact that I’ll crease a couple of corners, or dent some pages, etc. I don’t mind if it happens by accident. I do try and put my book in a separate compartment to the rest of my stuff, but I also have a lot of bags where I don’t have compartments. I’m also not really one who “throws” stuff in her bag, I always put my bag down before I put my book in or out, ditto with my purse, keys, and knick-knacks. So… yep. No secret to it, just being a wee bit careful.
mydearela asked: Do you have a Twitter?
I don’t use Twitter. I think I’m addicted to tumblr enough to balance out usage of several other social networks. Also, I don’t really see the point.
Anonymous asked: Are you what you read??
“It is what you read when you don’t have to that determines what you will be when you can’t help it.” ― Oscar Wilde. So, yes, I do think they’re enormously related.
I wonder if I could answer every reading-related ask with an Oscar Wilde quote. I bet I could.
salt—onmyskin: Have you ever read any of Agatha Christie’s books? By the way, I adore your blog :)
Thank you very much, that’s kind. I actually haven’t read Agatha Christie! Awful, I know. I may have read one or two when I was very young, but I don’t remember them if I did. I do want to read her, because it feels ridiculous not to read one of the most prolific writers and the woman who is apparently the best-selling novelist of all time. It’s funny you should ask now, ‘cause I’ve been hankering after And Then There Were None. I’m just waiting to get back to the UK to buy it.
winterlief: somebody wrote you have to read Winterson’s other books before you read Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal. what do you think? thanks :)
I do understand why someone would say that — Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit, the book they would be referring to, is semi-biographical. Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? is an actual memoir, and she often references the book and speaks about certain things that were true of her life. I did wish that I’d read it first, but it really didn’t matter. I think it’s just a preference thing.
mydearela: How do you choose a book? What makes a book good?
I wrote a whole post about how I choose books, so go here to read it. As for the second part of your question… For me, the most important aspect of a book is style. It’s not a type of style so much as a distinctive tone and structure, which frames the entire book. Good characterization/realisation is quite important, too. I really don’t know how to summarise it! Books that take my breath away, or books that make me think and re-evaluate are brilliant. Books that make me feel acutely. Mostly, though, I like stuff that’s written well. I get zero enjoyment out of badly written books. As the master says: “Books are either well written or badly written. That is all.” — Oscar Wilde.
Anon: Dear Laala, your blog has always been an inspiration to me. I just wanted to know what you put in your moleskine notebook as I am looking for more creative outlets when writing on mine and I need some suggestions. Thank you :)
Thank you for the kind words. A couple of people have asked after the Moleskine, so I’m going to take some pictures and I’ll put them in a post, probably tomorrow.
Anonymous asked: Do you like Milan Kundera?
I do, very much. You can track my tag of his: basically quotes and my reviews of the books of his I’ve read.
Anonymous asked: How many books have you read?
I genuinely have no idea. It depends on how far back and what kind of books you want to include. If we go from early age, say about eight, when I started reading “proper” books, then aconservative estimate would be about 700, but I think somewhere in the region of 800 is more accurate.
You guys, please don’t ask Anon if you can help it. Some questions I don’t want to have to publish to answer, for whatever reason, and so I could just answer you privately if you didn’t do it anon.
Anon: Would you please share the date of publication/publisher of the Moby Dick novel you bought? Thank you!
Sure. My lovely copy is published by Reader’s Digest in 1996.
fragmentedknowledge: What was the documentary that resulted in you walking home crying?
Amandla: A Revolution in Four Part Harmony. It’s a documentary of the apartheid struggle in South Africa. It’s just so moving and so disturbing. It especially resonates with me at this moment in time as events around the world (and at home) unfold. If you live in the United States (possibly Canada, too? They sometimes allow that), you can see it online for free (and legally) here on Youtube. But of course everyone who lives outside of the US lives in No Man’s Land so we don’t get that privilege.
Anon: Soooo…. this may be old news but how is London since the riots?
I am, unfortunately, not the best person to ask about this. I wasn’t in London during the riots and I wasn’t there in the aftermath. I’ve only been home to London for a few scattered days in the past couple of months.
