Surfing serendipity: Austenology & Me, me

Thanks to flexnib's tweeted meme for Day 6 of #blogeverydayofjune I surfed the backtrail (< normblog < Harriet < cornflower < callmemadam < Bookish NYC ) to discover new input for my Fun First subscriptions:

A blog collecting, explaining and discussing "Jane Austen's life, times and works": Austenonly

About and Contents « austenonly via kwout

and its sister site A Jane Austen Gazetteer from where I can "virtually visit the real places that Jane Austen and her family inhabited in reality".

A Jane Austen Gazetteer via kwout

Along the way I found someone else who had seen the "me" "me" in "meme", Harriet Devine:

Harriet Devine's Blog: A Reading Meme via kwout

Before answering this meme's questions I have my own to ask:

1. How often do you even open a meme post by someone else?
2. About how much of that post would you really READ rather than scan?

Image via Wikipedia

Do you snack while reading? 

Not since I reduced my carb intake. But before that quite often, unless it was a meal or there were no snacks available.

What is your favourite drink while reading?

Tea: Daintree if available; white; no sugar

Do you tend to mark your books while you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?

I have not discovered a way to be certain to retain the material I want from a book, but marking a note *in* the book definitely does not seem the way to get the point *out* of it.

How do you keep your place? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book open flat?

Bookmark of some sort, if I can't get at the supply (which are in a magazine box on the non-fiction shelves which are in mum's room which has been converted from a sitting room).

Fiction, non-fiction or both?

Both, although I'm less likely to be spell-bound by non-fiction.

Do you tend to read to the end of a chapter or can you stop anywhere?

Wherever I am not in the grip of the author's words.

Are you the type of person to throw a book across the room or on the floor if the author irritates you?

Although I couldn't say for absolute certain not, but I don't think so: I might growl and close the book with a snap but place it down with exceptional restraint.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop and look it up right away?

If I absolutely cannot make sense of the point without doing so, or if it seems like it might be an interesting word. Though I do remember when I was a teen, reading Leslie Charteris' Saint books I kept notepaper and pen as bookmark and jotted down every unfamiliar word to look up when I got out of bed the next day. I am sure he made some words up.

What are you currently reading?

Davies, C. (2005). Finding and Knowing: Psychology, Information and Computers. London: Routledge.

Parker, R. S. (1977). Effective Decisions and Emotional Fulfillment. Chicago: Nelson-Hall.

White, H. S. (1992). Ethical Dilemmas in Libraries: A Collection of Case Studies. New York: G.K. Hall.

What is the last book you bought?

A pile of weeded books on librarianship

Do you have a favourite time/place to read?

When I'm awake.

Do you prefer series books or stand-alones?

Neither/both. I like the story to be told well, without waffle, whether it takes one book or more or less.

Is there a specific book or author you find yourself recommending over and over?

People I know are too different, they all relate to different things. But my catalogue can be sorted to show those I give highest rating, though they're not otherwise sorted by genre.

How do you organize your books (by genre, title, author’s last name, etc.)?

It depends on the space available. Non-fiction (and some fiction and games) by Dewey; Children's separate and then by size/shape/reading-age; General fiction alphabetical by title; My fiction roughly by author's last name but less favoured works are relegated floorwards regardless. And then there are the piles of recently obtained books as yet uncatalogued.

Barbara’s additional question: background noise or silence?

As my sons would report, it doesn't really matter once I'm reading.

Just in case anyone from CULLB602C wants to pick up the meme, here are those questions sans answers:
Do you snack while reading? 
What is your favourite drink while reading?
Do you tend to mark your books while you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?
How do you keep your place? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book open flat?
Fiction, non-fiction or both?
Do you tend to read to the end of a chapter or can you stop anywhere?
Are you the type of person to throw a book across the room or on the floor if the author irritates you?
If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop and look it up right away?
What are you currently reading?
What is the last book you bought?
Do you have a favourite time/place to read?
Do you prefer series books or stand-alones?
Is there a specific book or author you find yourself recommending over and over?
How do you organize your books (by genre, title, author’s last name, etc.)?
Barbara’s additional question: background noise or silence?