#33 Follow Friday with book bloggers: KOMET

2018-03-23 14:56

Hello Friday! Hello Follow Friday with book bloggers!

Meet Komet who loves history, literature, and art. You can follow Komet's blog on BookLikes: http://komet.booklikes.com

What are you reading right now? How is it?

Among the books I'm now reading is "OLD SOLDIER SAHIB" by Frank Richards.
Richards shares with the reader his experiences as a British soldier in the UK and overseas during the early 1900s. (He would later return to the Army upon the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914 and serve in France, where he made the acquaintance of Robert Graves, who later became a famous writer and poet.)

So far, I'm enjoying the book.

How did your book love begin?

I guess I've been reading books since time out of mind. As a late Baby Boomer, I don't remember a time when I didn't read. LOL.

According to your Shelf you’re read over 1200 books! WOW How much time do you spend reading daily?

I read every day - on average 4 to 5 hours daily.

Do you review every book you read? How does your review process look like?

I try to review all the books I've read. In writing a review - whether it be for a book I did or did not like, I try to provide a general outline or summary of what the book was about without giving away any key elements of the story. I am conscious that when I am writing a positive review, I want to, in effect, sell the book to the reader of my review. I want the reader to go away from reading a positive review thinking to him/herself: "WOW! This is a book I gotta check out."

What are you favorite genres? Why are they special?

I enjoy reading historical fiction; biographies/memoirs/diaries, travel books, aviation books (I love airplanes), art books, historical mystery novels, and military history.

Each of these genres reflect the special interests that I have, many of which are rooted in history, literature, and art.

Why reading is important to you?

Reading is like breathing to me. I have a wide-ranging curiosity and interest in life. Living. And I enjoy reading books that can take me across time, space, and all over the world. I've been fortunate to be able to travel overseas a bit: Canada, France, Mexico, the Caribbean, Italy, Brazil, and India.

Reviewed bookshelf

Your Planning-to-read shelf is…impressive! How do you choose your next book to read with 8K titles on your TBR list?

Frankly, I tend to choose my next book to read based on what's on my mind at the moment, usually after I've just finished reading a book. For instance, if I've heard good things about a new novel (from a variety of sources - e.g. radio interviews and the NY Times Book Review) that teases my curiosity, I'll give it a look-see on Amazon and see (if possible) if the novel is available in a local bookstore. (I try to buy local when I can, because our neighborhood bookstores - especially here in the U.S. - need to be supported.) That's how I ended up buying the Sarah Vaughan novel Anatomy of a Scandal, which I finished reading last night. LOVED IT.

What’s the most surprising book you’ve ever read?

There's no one book with which I can answer the question. But A Man Called Ove was a pleasant surprise. A close friend gave it to me as a birthday present. I didn't think it would be good. Thankfully, I was proven wrong.

What are you three favorite book covers?

Your bookshelf is full of thematic and author named shelves. Are you an organized book hoarder?

I try to be an organized bibliophile. I like to keep books in my library categorized on the basis of author and fiction/non-fiction. Paperback and hardcover.

Which books are you most excited recommending to your followers?

I am always excited to recommend ---

i) The Morland Dynasty Series of historical novels (35) by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles. Terrific stuff.

ii) The Cazalet Chronicles Series of historical novels (5) by Elizabeth Jane Howard. (She deserves more recognition.)

iii) The Narratives of Empire Series of historical novels (7) by Gore Vidal, whom I once had the pleasure of meeting. And I strongly urge any reader to check out Vidal's essays, too. He was a true master essayist. The insights he provides on a wide range of subjects are always illuminating, and he can be really funny, too. LOL.

A book that changed your life?

A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn

A paper book or an e-book?

A paperback book (Mass Market Paperbacks, preferably)

Three titles for a sunny spring day?

A Seaside Affair by Fern Britton
Women Who Blow on Knots by Ece Temelkuran
Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands by Jorge Amado
The Holiday Home by Fern Britton
London Transports by Maeve Binchy

Favorite quote?

"... our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal." -- President John F. Kennedy

If you could meet a writer, who would it be?

John le Carré

Shelfie time! Please share your home library photos :)