the five Ws of reading

(a quick questionnaire i found on theresmiling.eu, originally by the wry writer.)

WHO?

Name an author you would love to have a 'One to One' with.

i'd LOVE to grab a beer with Mr Robert Rankin, the undisputed daddy of far-fetched fiction! he's been making me chuckle since i read his The Book of Ultimate Truths as a spotty teenager.

WHAT?

What genre do you most gravitate to?

fanstasy, scifi, and technology, primarily. but im up for reading a bit of anything. my absolute favourite genre is early science fiction (H.G. Wells, Jules Verne, Lovecraft, type stuff)

WHERE?

Where do you prefer to read?

anywhere! (when i actually have the chance or motivation to do it) note to self: read more...

WHEN?

What time of day do you prefer to read?

bedtime or early morning (or anytime really, see above)

WHY?

Why is your favourite book your favourite book?

hmm, i probably should be claiming something like Hitchhiker's Guide or Lord of the Rings as my favourite book, but the one i keep coming back to is the og Dracula by Bram Stoker. i've always had a thing for (fictional or real) journals and epistolic novels, and this one is just the perfect example of atmospheric and thrilling storytelling in that form. here's a passage i especially love (someone once said this says a lot about my personality. ive always been unsure if it was a compliment..?)

BONUS! HOW?

How do you go about selecting what you will read next?

usually anything in the pile collection that i havent read before and isn't too similar to whatever i've just finished. i can get a bit bogged-down tackling a whole series in one go, so i try to mix things up.

BONUS BONUS!! NOW?

my bonus question: well that's it for now, but what does it remind me of?

this 1902 poem by Rudyard Kipling, i hope you like it :)

I keep six honest serving-men
   (They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When 
   And How and Where and Who.

I send them over land and sea,
   I send them east and west;
But after they have worked for me,
   I give them all a rest. 

I let them rest from nine till five,
    For I am busy then,
As well as breakfast, lunch, and tea,
   For they are hungry men.

But different folk have different views; 
  I know a person small—
She keeps ten million serving-men,
  Who get no rest at all! 

She sends 'em abroad on her own affairs,
   From the second she opens her eyes—
One million Hows, two million Wheres,
  And seven million Whys!
  

the five 5Ws elsewhere

• tash's 5 Ws (mixtapes and dialtones)

even more stuff to read

• shen answers 100 questions for webmasters

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