You're stuck inside Fahrenheit 451. Which book are you going to be?
I haven't read this book, so I'm not entirely sure what this question means... something about saving books from being burnt? I think I'll choose Thomas Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions - possibly the most controversial, influential and variously-interpreted book in my field.
Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character?
Well... There has probably been more, but I can only think of two. Mr. Darcy is the predictable answer - proud but reformed. The other is Daniel Deronda (from the book of the same name by George Eliot), although he does seem a little too perfect - impeccably moral, deeply sensitive and caring, intellectual, loyal, completely unselfish, seeking a higher calling than being an English gentleman...
The last book you bought was...
I was in Borders on Thursday, intending to buy two books - William Golding's Lord of the Flies, and Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum. However, I got sucked into the 'Buy 4, pay for 3' promotion. Unfortunately, both copies of Foucault's Pendulum were damaged, and I have issues with buying damaged books. So, I ended up with Lord of the Flies, Jasper Fforde's The Eyre Affair, Arturo Perez-Reverte's The Dumas Club and Ian McEwan's Enduring Love.
I really am an addict - I can never stop at just one!
The last book you read was...
The Getting of Wisdom by Henry Handel Richardson. I've been reading a lot of fiction lately - trying to catch up on some of the "classics" that I've never got around to reading.
What are you currently reading?
I'm always in the middle of too many books. I've been reading both Quicksilver and Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, and Vilette by Charlotte Bronte.
I'm also in the middle of the Left Behind series. Though I've only read three out of the twelve books, and I hate to abandon a series in the middle, I'm not sure I can endure reading the rest of them.
At the moment I should be reading Homer's Odyssey, for the CASE Christianity and the Great Books course.
Five books you would take to a desert island...
Always a hard question. The Bible, of course. Hmmm... Maybe Pride and Prejudice or Jane Eyre. The Princess Bride. Desiring God, by John Piper. The Complete Works of Rene Descartes, in French (with a French dictionary, if that doesn't count as a separate book!)
What is the next book you would procure, had you the choice?
There are always so many! There are two that stand out, which are books that I can't afford to buy at the moment, or justify spending that amount of money on a single book. Firstly, a copy of the Geneva Bible. Secondly, the 4-volume set of the Boyle Lectures from 1692-1732.
Which author would you most like to spend the day with, and why?
I'm not really sure. I don't tend to think much about the authors of the books I read (perhaps not a good thing). Maybe Paul Feyerabend. I'm sure no conversation with him would ever be boring. Or Rene Descartes. His philosophy/physics is so beautiful.
And, adding my own question...
Which fictional character do you most identify with, and why?
I identify with various aspects of different characters, but if I had to pick one, it would be Elizabeth Bennett. That's mostly aspirational, though - I would love to be her. My adopted theme-quote from Lizzie: "I am determined that nothing but the very deepest love will induce me into matrimony... so, I shall end an old maid and teach you ten children to embroider cushions and play their instruments very ill indeed!"
Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons) and why?
I have a limited number of friends with blogs to pass this on to, so I choose:
1. Agnes, because she has excellent and interesting taste in books. It's just a shame that her blog is in Icelandic and I don't know the link...
2. Donna, because it will give her something more to add to her fledgling blog, and because she loves reading.
3. Haydn, because I don't actually know what kind of literature he's into, and I would like to find out.
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