The Book Habits Meme

I saw this one appearing on just about half the blogs on my blogroll so I thought I'd have a go at it as well.

Do you snack while you read? If so, favourite reading snack?

I will do anything for a bowl of katjang pedis but since they contain enough calories to fuel a Boeing 747 I try to keep it to a minimum.

What is your favourite drink while reading?

Water or coffee. Can't live without caffeine.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?

I usually put my name and the date and place I got them in the books I buy. I marked a passage once but generally I prefer to keep my books as pretty as possible. I'm a little more protective of the hardcovers than paperbacks though.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open?

I do have bookmarks somewhere but I never use them. I either remember the page of chapter last read or put whatever is available at the moment between pages. Bits of paper, pens, hairbands, cds....

Fiction, non-fiction, or both?

Mostly fiction, once a year or so the urge to read history or something in the natural sciences seizes me so I have a couple of those at hand.

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of a chapter, or can you stop anywhere?

I can pretty much stop at any place but I prefer to do so at the end of a chapter. Unless it ends in a really bad cliffhanger.

Are you the type of person to throw a book across the room or on the floor if the author irritates you?

No such abuse allowed in my house no matter how bad the book.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop and look it up right away?

I mostly read in English these days, which is a second language so this does happen once in a while. Unless it is really important to the story and I have absolutely no idea I don't use a dictionary. Would be too distracting to look up every word I can't immediately translate. In fact, I try not to translate at all. Works fine most of the time but I will admit reading China Miéville is a challenge.

What are you currently reading?

Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik. May finish it tonight, if so expect the review tomorrow.

What is the last book you bought?

Ship Breaker by Paolo Bacigalupi. It has yet to arrive.

Are you the type of person that reads one book at a time, or can you read more than one?

I can read several at a time but I find it easier to review books if I concentrate on one. These days I mostly stick to one at a time.

Do you have a favourite time/place to read?

Mostly in the evening when everybody else has gone to bed.

Do you prefer series books or standalones?

No preference really.

Is there a specific book or author you find yourself recommending over and over?

Paolo Bacigalupi, Ian McDonald, Alastair Reynolds and Daniel Abraham.

How do you organize your books? (by genre, title, author’s last name, etc.)

I own way too many books so I have resorted to the most economical way to stow them in the bookcase. The order which they are in only makes sense to me.