Yeah, yeah, it’s Wednesday and I’m doing a Ten on Tuesday. I got in trouble for not doing this yesterday, even though it was about books. (Courtesy roots and rings via Kathleen and Megan).

1. Favorite book(s) as a child and why?

This might not come as a surprise to anyone, but the earliest book I remember reading for fun was Encyclopedia Brown. I always enjoyed trying to solve the mystery, and never seemed to mind the fact that I never could. I always wonder, if I read them again now, would I still be surprised by the endings? Are they logical and reasonable, or just outrageously ridiculous? I plan to find out when Lucas is old enough to enjoy them.

2. First “grown-up” book you remember reading?

For starters, I’m not even sure what this question means. Grown-up is in quotes, which might imply that it isn’t meant to be serious. If that’s the case, then it would have to be the expanded universe Star Wars novels I read in junior high. These are “grown-up” in the sense that their target audience is people (like me) who haven’t ever grown up.

3. Favorite movie that came from a book?

It’s a tie, but to be fair it’s two movies based on books by the same author (Nick Hornby): High Fidelity and About a Boy. I chose these because, first, both are great movies. Second, they treat the source material with respect. Third, you can either watch the movies first, then read the books or go books then movies and still really enjoy both. They are more supplemental and complimentary than most book/move relationships and I appreciate that.

4. Movie that you loved so much that you WISHED there was a book out so that you could find out more about the movie.

Donnie Darko. If you’ve seen the movie, you understand.

5. Worst book you’ve ever read?

Unlike some of my other friends I, unfortunately, have a really hard time putting a book down no matter how bad it is. It happens, but not often. At the top of the list is The Once and Future King by T.H. White. I remember hating this book in high school. I even wanted to enjoy it, but it simply wasn’t happening. Sorry Merlin.

6. Book that everyone raves about that you either a) haven’t read and feel slightly dumb for not having read it or b) have tried to read and hated and so feel slightly dumb that everyone is getting something you don’t?

Little Women. But I don’t feel particularly dumb about it since I’m clearly not in the target audience.

7. If you were forced to choose only 3 books that you could read for the rest of your life, which ones would they be?

I’m going to steal an idea from Megan, and go with Aristotle’s Complete Works. In addition, it would probably be Lord of the Rings, and The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead.

8. Name one book that you would recommend everyone you know read.

Other than East of Eden and The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, the only other book I’ve been recommending to everyone is I Am A Cat by Nastume Soseki. It’s funny, clever, and surprisingly approachable for a book about 19th Century Japan. Plus, it’s not the type of book most people would come across on their own, so it needs as much recommending as it can get.

9. What is your guilty pleasure reading?

Definitely juvenile fiction. It’s the perfect light reading between more mature books and most of them are just so fun to read. In the past year, it has been Percy Jackson and The Olympians, Fablehaven and just recently The Hunger Games. I also highly recommend Artemis Fowl, or pretty much anything by Eoin Colfer.

10. What book (excepting the Bible or other major document of your religion/faith) has changed your outlook on life the most?

Honestly, I don’t know. Is that terrible? That I don’t let books impact me in that way (or that I don’t read books that should?) It’s not as though books to speak to me in profound ways (The Catcher in the Rye certainly did), but it’s more often that they reach me as I am now, and not that they change me. Maybe I’m not just not aware of the change?