Book answers

From the centre of downtown BaghdadMiddlesbrough, let’s get this done.

First up is The_Blind_Archer:
Have you read ‘On the Road’ by Jack Keroac? Thoughts?

I haven’t read On The Road. I want to, but for some reason I’ve never got round to getting it.

Or what five books have influenced your outlook on life?

Despite the fact that I had worked for both McDonalds and Burger King by this time, it was reading Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser that really put me off fast food.

The Hobbit was the first fantasy book I ever read and is responsible for me being a huge fan of the genre.

The Hitchhikers Guide to the galaxy is, or at least should be, a rites of passage for any young person.

The Millennium Trilogy by Steig Larsson remain the only books I have ever immediately re-read purely because they were that good. They also showed me that it is possible to have an ongoing series without losing sight of what drives your characters.

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson is the only science book I’ve ever understood. And it proves that you can educate people in an amusing way.

toile_de_jouy was next:
What book, if any, have you determined to finish even if you didn’t really like it? Or do you put down a book if it doesnt grab you straight away?

Actually, I’m going to throw in Steven the Rills question here, cos it’s kinda similar:
What was the last book that you started to read but chose not to finish – and why?

I tend to put down books straight away if it doesn’t grab me for some reason. I do generally go back to that book and give it another couple of chances if I do that. It may be because of the type of mood I’m in at the time. If after three or four attempts I still can’t get into it, I’ll generally give up completely.

The last book I did this with was We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver. I just couldn’t get into it. It’s not her, cos I love The Post-Birthday World. The subject is one that really, really interests me. It’s not even the way it was written, cos The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is written in the same style (letters) and I consider that my find of the year. I just couldn’t get into it. I’ll try again though.

What books have you read purely on other people’s recommendations and found weren’t really that good?

Apples by Richard Millward. A friend lent it to me as it’s set in Middlesbrough. The characterisation is for shit, there’s no real plot or point to 99% of what happens. It has some weird chapters (like the one written by a character that’s dyslexic) that made me think that the writer went for style over substance. (His second book is promoted chiefly on the basis that it is all one paragraph so that seems to be his style.)

And then we have dear_gertrudeperkins:
Which fictional character do you most indentify with?

At the moment? Arthur Dent, mostly.

You top 5 fictional character shags.

Lisbeth Salander from The Millennium Trilogy sounds like she’d be fun. And we could spend time comparing and contrasting tattoos.

Anne from The Famous Five always struck me as one of those posh girls who could be really filthy if given a chance.

Tonks from Harry Potter as long as she didn’t keep changing.

Trinity from The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Well, if she’s willing to go out with Zaphod, surely I stand a chance.

Katie from The Rule Of Four co she seems cool.

And finally, we have Suzy_Brat:
Noticing your a HHGTTG fan, have you read or are you planning to read the new sixth book by Eoin Colfer. If you’ve read it what are your thoughts.. I’m slowly reading my way through it

I have not read it. I’m not planning to read it either. I really cannot see it the point of it existing to begin with and there is no way it can be anywhere near as good as the other five.

And there you go. TTFN.

Will