First off, credit where credit is due. I pilfered the idea for this post from Mark Rogers who writes the Newsonaut blog. Apparently it’s a questionnaire that has been doing the rounds across various indie blogs for a while. However, it happens to ask some interesting questions about one’s reading habits. I read a book every month or so and I supplement this by listening to a lot of audiobooks. Yes, I’m aware they’re not the same thing entirely but both offer a means to consume and digest a book. Hence I am not interested in this “popular” internet debate and won’t waste my time on it here. I advocate reading in all its variant forms. Be it sitting in an armchair and perusing a grimoire while smoking a Meerschaum, to reading an article online on your phone or PC. I’d rather that people read in some shape or form, than not at all. As Mark Twain wisely said, “The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read”. So without further ado, here are my answers to the “five Ws of Reading”. Who: An author you would love to have a “one to one” with? There are many that immediately spring to mind. J. R. R. Tolkien, H. P. Lovecraft and M. R. James. But I have decided against them, not because they use their initials instead of their first name but because they are from a different era. I think if I could speak with an author I revere, it would be best to speak to someone contemporary, so there’s less of a historical divide. Hence, I would love to have a long and involved chat with Stephen King, especially with regard to his skill for creating and maintaining multiple characters. What: What genre do you most gravitate to? Horror, specifically late Victorian and Edwardian ghost stories and baroque tales. I like the duality of these era, as they have a lot of aspects of modernity such a vehicles, phones etc. Yet they also often have strong links with older times through customs and culture. These are times when there could be uncharted areas of the globe and one could be truly isolated and alone. I also like the language used by the authors of this period and their eloquence. For example why be anxious, when you can succumb to a blue funk or a phrenzy? Where: Where do you prefer to read? In a perfect world, I like to read in a quiet room while sitting in a firm Chesterfield wingback chair. If it’s winter, then being near to a fire adds to the ambience. I also like to have a small table nearby with suitable refreshments and nibbles. Perhaps some Madeira cake or salted nuts with a schooner of Sherry. I light well lit rooms but if it is evening and thus dark, I like a strong reading light. Sadly, I don’t live in a perfect world so I just sit on the sofa when reading, sans quality nibbles. When: What time of day do you prefer to read? This is an easy one. Whenever a suitable opportunity presents itself. I suppose early morning is the optimum time because my mind is at its best then. I try not to read too late at night as it can lead to me staying up into the small hours, especially if a book is particularly gripping. Why: Why is your favourite book your favourite book? I don’t tend not to do “favourites” per se. However, the books the mean the most to me, such as The Lord of the Rings, The Pickwick Papers and Carnacki The Ghost-finder are not just special because of their respective literary merit. My sentiment towards them also stems from the time and place that I originally read them, who recommended them to me or who may have bought me a copy. Your relationship with a book can often transcend what is just written and also be about a wider context. If you later re-read those books that are important to you, sometimes you may briefly rekindle the feelings you experienced the first time. Bonus: How do you go about selecting what you will read next? Recommendations from friends, colleagues and of course authors is a primary method. I also tend to alternate between non-fiction and fiction. When reading fiction I vary genres regularly so I don’t get burned out on specific material. Also within each genre, there are books that are considered classics, so that can determine what I read, as I think it is important to be conversant with the things you like. I also keep an eye on the book charts and pending new releases. Finally, I frequent a lot second hand bookshops. I am especially fond of seventies paperbacks with their lurid covers. I will sometimes buy a book on the strength of such sensationalist nonsense. Permalink