Week 1

I've always been an avid reader and devoted bibliophile, so spending this first part of Be More Bookish focused on what I already know was true delight.

Assignment 1

For the Adult and Children quizzes on Sporcle I scored (respectively) 83% and 80%.

The books I missed, I've never heard of.  So...basically I scored 100%?

Assignment 2

When I choose books, I try not to avoid any one genre.  I've always read widely and without concern for genre.  A steamy, lusty romance is as delicious as a fantastically built science fiction in my opinion.  It's intriguing that so many covers can be classed as a certain genre based solely on its cover design.  It's also intriguing that I am so bad at deciphering the meanings of the different cover image. I thought the flag cover was a legal thriller and the small town romance cover an example of western fiction.  I'm just a little mediocre on my genre divisions.  That being said, I have always had some frustration with some genre names.  What is a "Beach Read"?  Are these books that can only be read on a beach?  Are they books about beaches? Can a girl from small town Kansas read and enjoy a Beach Read even if she never went to a beach before the age of 24?  The same goes for "Chick Lit".  Are these books read by women or are they books about women?  Can only women like these books?   I really don't get it.

This genre confusion explains why I did not do well on this activity.

Assignment 3

I really enjoyed the Golden Rules of Reader's Advisory's Service.  As I read through them, I continually whispered, "yes, yes, yes" to myself.  (Thankfully the Librarian's Office was empty the first time I read through them so my lovely Woodlawn coworkers did not have to endure that.)

Rule #7 which states that Reader's Advisory is not about you and your interests, but rather your customer's interest really struck a chord for me.  Too often, I'm standing at the Service Desk staring at the New Book shelves in front of me silently dying because A God in Ruins or The Fair Fight are still on the shelf.  I wonder how I could have enjoyed the books so much to the point where I've put every single other book of Kate Atkinson's on hold while her newest novel is still in the same spot it was placed two weeks ago.  Rule #7 reminded me that my taste in books is not universal.  My taste in books is my own.  Just as I don't have to enjoy or check out items enjoyed by others, my customers do not have to enjoy or check out the items that I deem worthy.

Assignment 4

I have chosen to follow The Daily Beast Books and Street Fiction for the future assignment requiring me to report on these topics.  I'm looking forward to seeing what these sites have to offer.  

Assignment 5

This child's description of The Catcher in the Rye was on point.  I'm going to use it from now until the end of time.  Yep.  It's going to happen.

I'm looking forward to the next segment of this endeavor.  Until next time, muchachos!