BookJournal: a very meme beginning

Sorry to have gone all Quiety McQuiet on you this week here at the blog. It's been a busy one. I have been studying, working, making, talking, reading, planning, updating, socialising, risking, worrying, learning, and even a little unwell.

Because my head is elsewhere, I cling today to that beloved lifebelt of the blogger with an empty imagination, the humble meme. Today's meme has a purpose other than simply taking up space in your feed reader, however: it's the beginning of a beautiful new thing, the first of a bunch of bookish discussions I want to have with you all. I was thinking Thursday would be a great day to talk books -- but they might slip in anywhere -- and I'm starting with The Great and Wonderful Book Meme:

What was the last book you bought?
Hmm. This is a hard one (particularly since I've been poor superawesome at not buying books lately). No. Wait. I've got it. It was The Guardian of the Veil by Gregory Spencer.

Name a book you have read MORE than once:
There are many, with the Bible being at the top of the list as a constant re-read. Little Women is also a biggie. I probably read it ten or twelve times between the ages of ten and twenty.

Has a book ever fundamentally changed the way you see life? If yes, what was it?
I'll steer clear of the obvious answer here and mention a more unlikely life-changing book. L'Abri, by Edith Schaeffer, gave me a whole new insight into the concept of community and relationships within the body of Christ. It was pretty cool. I think I need to re-read it.

How do you choose a book?
If I'm at the library, I'll take a chance on a book based on its title and the blurb. Sometimes I'll pick one up if it has a really cool cover. But mostly I go with books others have recommended to me or authors whose books I've loved previously.

Do you prefer Fiction or Non-Fiction?
I couldn't decide! I read more fiction, because it's delightful and so easy to read. But non fiction has definitely impacted my life in greater ways than (most) fiction.

What’s more important in a novel - beautiful writing or a gripping plot?
Neither; the characters are the most important.

Most loved or memorable character:
I don't like "mosts" and "favourites" because they change too often and one could take hours to decide. So I'll play the first-thing-that-comes-into-my-head game and say Daniel, from Elizabeth George Speare's The Bronze Bow. I could identify with him heaps and would also like to marry him as he was on his way to becoming a great man. Too bad he's fictional.

Which book or books can be found on your nightstand at the moment?
My little ESV.
Postern of Fate by Agatha Christie.
The Chosen by Chaim Potok.
Feminine Appeal by Carolyn Mahaney.
Did I Kiss Marriage Goodbye? by Carolyn McCulley (reread)
Solo by Eugene Peterson et. al.
God's Guidance by Elisabeth Elliot.

Yes, I'm in the middle of them all. Ridiculous, isn't it?

What was the last book you’ve read, and when was it?
I'll say last book finished, since I'm in the middle of a few just now: The Guardian of the Veil by Gregory Spencer, and I finished it at the end of September.

Have you ever given up on a book half way in?
Heaps of times. It's disappointing, but usually I quit because a) the content is worthless, b) the writing is incredibly poor, or c) the book is not right for just now.

What are you reading just now?