One Book, Two Book, Three Book, Four...and Five...

Thanks to Simon for this lovely meme which a few of us seem to be grabbing hold of at the moment...

1. The Book I am currently reading:

The Novel in the Viola by Natasha Solomons - totally sweet and beautiful - not a book I was expecting to pick up and enjoy but I am loving it so far...

2. The Last book I finished:

Solar by Ian McEwan - a novel with one of the most unlikeable main characters I have ever read about! Review to come soon.

3. The Next book I want to Read:

A Jane Austen Education by William Deresiewicz - It just arrived in my mail box this afternoon and I want to discard all of my other reading to jump straight to it!

4. The last book I Bought:

Tucked In: For Everyone Having a Doona Day by Meredith Gaston - just too cute to ignore really!

5. The Last Book I was Given:

Breakfast at Tiffany's: The Official 50th Anniversary Companion Book by Sarah Gristwood - A gorgeous Birthday present from my best friend - she knows me too well!

Me Through My Reads

I just saw this meme over at Iliana's blog and had to join in, the key is to fill in the rest of the sentence with the title of a book you have read this year;

In School I was: The Help

People Might be surprised I'm: The Debutante

I will never be: Inside The Whale

My Fantasy job is: Campaign Ruby

At the end of a long day I need: Reading by Moonlight

I Hate It When: The Winter Ghosts

Wish I Had: The Hours

My Family Reunions Are: An Education

At A Party You'd Find Me With: Vanessa and Virginia

I've Never Been To: The Painter From Shanghai

A Happy Day Includes: Love and Summer

Motto I Live By: One Day

On My Bucket List: A Week At The Airport

In My Next Life, I Want To Be: The Time Traveler's Wife

What My 2009 Reading Says About Me...

I have seen this on a few blogs but I first noticed it over at Danielle's.

Using only books you have read this year (2009), answer these questions. Try not to repeat a book title. It's a lot harder than you think!

Describe yourself: Fire In The Blood (Irene Nemirovsky)
How do you feel: Wanting (Richard Flanagan)
Describe where you currently live: The Room of Lost Things (Stella Duffy)
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Alan Bradley)
Your favorite form of transportation: The Flâneur (Edmund White)
Your best friend is: The Piano Teacher (Janice Y. K. Lee)
You and your friends are: We Are All Made of Glue (Marina Lewycka)
What's the weather like: Butterfly (Sonya Hartnett)
You fear: The Lost Life (Steven Carroll)
What is the best advice you have to give: I Capture The Castle (Dodie Smith)
Thought for the day: Affinity (Sarah Waters)
How I would like to die: Nocturnes (Kazuo Ishiguro)
My soul's present condition: Tales From Outer Suburbia (Shaun Tan)

This one definitely made me think - lots of fun!

Writers Who Have Influenced Me - Meme

I saw this meme over at So Many Books and it looks like it has been doing the rounds of the blogging world so I thought I would join in.

Name 25 writers who have influenced you. These are not necessarily your favorite writers or those you most admire, but writers who have influenced you. Then you tag 25 people.
Like others I’m not actually going to tag 25 people but I would love to read lists from all of you if you would like to join in too.

My 25 influential writers are:

1. Enid Blyton
2. Ruth Park
3. Thurley Fowler
4, Eleanor Spence
5. Louisa May Alcott
6. L. M. Montgomery
7. Judy Blume
8. Kate Grenville
9. Helen Garner
10. Jhumpa Lahiri
11. Toni Morrison
12. Margaret Atwood
13. Margaret Drabble
14. Jane Austen
15. Charlotte Bronte
16. Anne Lamott
17. Maggie O'Farrell
18. Marian Keyes
19. Germaine Greer
20. Ayaan Hirsi Ali
21. Carol Shields
22. Judith Wright
23. Anne Morrow Lindberg
24. Alice Sebold
25. Jane Austen (yes, I know this is on the list twice and is kind of cheating but that's just how much influence she has in my life!)

I realise now looking over the list that all of the writers I have chosen are women - I really did not mean this to happen but I think it does say something about how much I admire and seek out women writers. Sorry guys!!

All Things M

Mari from MariReads has given me the letter "M" for the 10 things I love meme (thanks Mari!). So, 10 things I love starting with the letter M:

1. Melbourne - one of my all time favourite cities. Beautiful walks and city streets and lane ways, wonderful shopping and food and fantastic bookshops - what more could you want?

2. Margaret Atwood- one of the first "serious" authors I started reading for pleasure rather than study. Her stories have continued to impress and entertain and I always look forward to her new work.

3. Mykonos - I visited this island for the first time a couple of years ago and absolutely loved it. I don't think I have ever seen water so blue and beautiful.

4. Manolos - Ok, so I don't actually own a pair - but that doesn't mean I can't love from afar!

5. Marshmallows - light, fluffy, pink and supposedly fat free - what's not to love?!

6. Missy Higgins - fantastic Australian singer and song writer - beautiful lyrics and an original voice - does a great live show too.

7. Monica (character from Friends) - Ahh Monica - her obsessive cleanliness, competitive nature and attention to detail endeared her to me from the start! Some would say I resemble her just a little - but I don't know what they're talking about!

8. Mango - a fruit I wasn't always a big fan off but a couple of years ago my taste buds must have changed because I absolutely love them now.

9. Magazines - I guess you could say I love magazines (addicted to might be another way of putting it!). I love to browse them all, fashion, design, home, travel, current events. My current favourite would have to be the English mag Red - I like to read it and pretend I actually am living in the UK.

10. Margarita's - especially in the summer!

If you would like to play along leave me a comment with your contact details and I will send you a letter.

Five Questions

Kim over at Sophisticated Dorkiness has emailed me five questions so that I can play along...

1. What is your favorite setting from a book (fiction or nonfiction)? Why?

It would have to be any setting in an English village in a Jane Austen novel. It is quite strange actually as I grew up in a regional country area in Australia and I hated it but I just love all of the descriptions of these settings in Jane Austen's work.

2. When you're not reading or blogging, what is a favorite hobby?

This is a hard one as I don't see myself as a "hobby" person except for my reading. Is it bad to say shopping?? I did enjoy photography once but I haven't really got into that in a long time.

3. On a long plane/train/car ride, what kinds of books do you like to read?

Definitely something light and character driven - the Alexander McCall Smith books that I am reading now would be perfect. I also really like to take audio books with me for longer trips.

4. What book has influenced your perspective on an important political or social issue?

The book Fast Food Nation definitely made me think about the food choices I was making. I have also just picked up the new Peter Singer book - The Life You Can Save: Acting Now To End World Poverty which I expect will have a big impact when I read it.

5. If you could only read one genre of books for the rest of your life, what genre would you pick and why?

I know this is being a bit broad and non-specific but I will have to say literary fiction - I don't want to cut off my options!

Do you want to play along? Leave me a comment to this post that says “Interview Me” with contact information, and I’ll send you a list of five questions to answer on your blog.

One Book...

I saw this meme over at Kiss A Cloud and A Striped Armchair:

One book you’re currently reading:
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay By Michael Chabon
One book that changed your life:
Fast Food Nation By Eric Schlosser
One book you’d want on a deserted island:
The Collected works of Jane Austen (I have to agree with Eva on this one!)
One book you’ve read more than once:
Persuasion By Jane Austen
One book you’ve never been able to finish:
Les Miserables By Victor Hugo
One book that made you laugh:
The Other Side of The Story By Marian Keyes
One book that made you cry:
Atonement By Ian McEwan
One book you keep rereading:
Persuasion By Jane Austen
One book you’ve been meaning to read:
A Suitable Boy By Vikram Seth
One book you believe everyone should read:
The Book Thief By Markus Zusak
Finally,Grab the nearest book. Open it to page 56. Find the fifth sentence
"Hook still had the power to haunt their dreams" From, Peter Pan in Scarlet By Geraldine McCaughrean.

Pondering 2008 Meme

I saw this meme over at Jen's blog and thought I would give it a go...

What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Blogging!

Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I tend not to make new year's resolutions - it only ends badly! I try to concentrate more on my goals for the year (not sure what difference the different terms make but I seem to like it!).

Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes! 1 new niece and 2 new nephews; Evie, Edward and Isaac all born in 2008.

Did anyone close to you die?
No, thankfully.

What places did you visit?
Not too much travel in 2008 but did manage trips to the South Coast of NSW (Kiama - simply beautiful), Melbourne and Sydney.

What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
International travel - which will happen in September 2009 with our trip to England and Ireland.

What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory?
13th January - my 7 year anniversary with my boy - and no itch in sight!

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I think finally getting some clarity in regards to my professional life - very satisfying to know where I would like to head at last.

What was your biggest failure?
I don't think there were any major failings - although still not having finished the scrapbook for my beautiful little man, Sammy is one regret. It was supposed to be a present for his 1st Birthday and he has now just turned 3!!

Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing major at all thankfully.

What was the best thing you bought?
Books, books and more books! Oh, and the perfect bra!

Whose behaviour merited celebration?
All of us!

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
No one comes to mind...

Where did most of your money go?
Books, food and the (very) occasional pair of shoes

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Planning my next overseas trip and my Birthday trip in December. Having dinner at the top of Sydney Tower was also pretty exciting.

What song(s) will always remind you of 2008?
Black and Gold by some guy whose name I can't remember - my partner absolutely hates the song but I love it!

Compared to this time last year, are you:Happier or sadder? Happier Thinner or fatter? I have no idea and for possibly the first time in my life - don't care!Richer or poorer? Richer I hope!

What do you wish you’d done more of?
Travelling and reading - can't get enough of either.

What do you wish you’d done less of?
Working.

What was the best book you read?
The Book Thief

What did you want and get?
Varying experiences.

What did you want and not get?
My own private jet.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
More travel and holidays by the sea.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Ballet flats

What kept you sane?
My boy and my cat.

What political issue stirred you the most?
Sorry Day in Australia and the election of Obama in the US.

Who did you miss?
My pop.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008
You know what is best for you.

The Fairy Godmother Meme

I saw this meme over at Charlotte's Web and it was first developed by Aphra Behn - looks like a fun thing to think about given the gift giving and receiving season is about to be upon us!

What good gift did your Fairy Godmother actually give you?
I would have to say persistence - I tend to keep going and going until I get what I want (or what I need).
What good gift do you wish she’d given you instead?
I'd like to hold on to the persistence but I wish I also had a little patience.
What bad gift did the wicked Fairy give you?
The gift of procrastination - I have this one in droves so I feel like some others are probably missing out - I've taken their allocation!
What bad gift do you wish she’d given you?
Selfishness - or at the very least the ability to say no more often.
And finally: if you could have one magical item, what would it be?
Definitely a magic wand!

40 Random Things Meme (or is it 37??)

Thanks to Charlotte for the idea for this one...

1. My uncle once: smoked cigarettes.
2. Never in my life: have I ridden an elephant.
3. When I was five: I was given my very first Barbie doll.
4. High school was: a rollercoaster experience.
5. I will never forget: the beauty of Bath.
6. Once I met: Helen Garner.
7. There’s this girl I know: who's growing up fast.
8. Once, at a bar: I met a boy...
9. By noon, I’m usually: wanting to go home.
10. Last night: I went to a pliates class in a blackout.
11. If only I had: my very own bookshop.
12. Next time I go to church: Will probably be for a funeral or wedding, hopefully the latter.
13. What worries me most: being stuck and uninspired.
14. When I turn my head left I see: a white cupboard door.
15. When I turn my head right I see: a window with a view down my street.
16. You know I’m lying when: I tell you I'm lying.
17. What I miss most about the Eighties is: bubble skirts and Wham!
18. If I were a character in Shakespeare I’d be: Hamlet - always questioning instead of just getting on with things.
19. By this time next year: I will be about to go overseas - yay!
20. A better name for me would be: Anything but the one I have.
21. I have a hard time understanding: ignorance.
22. If I ever go back to school, I’ll: study international relations.
23. You know I like you if: I laugh with you.
24. If I ever won an award, the first person I would thank would be: My boy.
25. Take my advice, never: drive with your eyes closed.
26. My ideal breakfast is: pancakes and strawberries.
27. A song I love but do not have is: the new Carla Bruni song.
28. If you visit my hometown, I suggest you: Go out dancing.
29. Why won’t people: Drive properly!
30. If you spend a night at my house: expect to talk about books.
31. I’d stop my wedding for: John Cusack.
32. The world could do without: intolerance.
33. I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: go bungy jumping.
34. My favourite blonde(s) is/are: my best friend and god daughter.
35. Paper clips are more useful than: staples for really big documents.
36. If I do anything well it’s: Talk.
37. And by the way: My head hurts now!