#jane talks

lighthouse

Ophelia painting by John Williams Waterhouse

lament for Hector of Troy (would require creativity but could be done)

mozzarella sticks

lip balm

Don Quixote charging at a windmill

Pride and Prejudice hand scene

argyle socks

every possible combination of animals having a lightsaber duel

Diego Luna:

thank you for the ask, friend <3

7. Is there a series/book that got you into reading?

ahhhh thank you so much for the ask, friend!!

1. Book you’ve reread the most times?

oh great question! I think it would have to be one of The Accidental Detectives books, The Cooper Kids books, or maybe Lara and the Gray Mare. I easily read each of those 50+ times as a kid.

4. What sections of a bookstore do you browse?

I am a bargain bookhunter first and foremost, so I gravitate towards the clearance / discount sections! in terms of genre, I usually look at classics, children's, and general fiction for authors and genres I like.

7. Is there a series/book that got you into reading?

yes!! The Accidental Detectives by Sigmund Brouwer. I never cared for reading until I discovered The Disappearing Jewel of Madagascar (book four) in my church library in third grade. I became a reading fanatic after that :D

8. What is the first book you remember reading yourself?

I had a 1970s book called The Magic of Words that was published by Childcraft Annual. I remember paging through that on my own from the time I was old enough to remember anything. I also had a book of fairytales and a book of virtues / fables that I was obsessed with!

9. When do you tend to read most?

generally in the afternoons, somewhere between 2:00 and 6:00. I don't get to read every day, but if I miss the afternoon, I usually try to read a little before bed!

10. Do you have a guilty fave?

The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson. it's one of the greatest books I've ever read, and I could never recommend it to another living soul. very graphic content of all kinds, lots of stuff I have to skim through, but there's just something about it, man.

11. What non-fiction books do you like if any?

I love a good nonfiction book! A Cheesemonger's History of the British Isles, Inventing English, The Plain Man Looks at Himself, Atomic Habits, Grit, and The Peregrine would be my all-time favorites.

12. Did you enjoy any compulsory high school readings?

I did! The Scarlet Letter, Silas Marner, The Pilgrim's Progress, and Julius Caesar stand out in my mind as favorites from high school. there were quite a few shorter works I absolutely loved too: The Lady of Shalott, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, The Lady or the Tiger, Sherlock Holmes stories, the stories of O. Henry and Edgar Allan Poe, etc.

17. Top 5 children’s books?

this is so difficult because there are so many good ones!! five of my favorites would be these:

The Secret Garden

Island of the Blue Dolphins

Tom's Midnight Garden

Queenie Peavy

Lara and the Gray Mare series

19. Most disliked popular books?

I absolutely can't stand The Alchemist or The Full Moon Coffee Shop, and I don't like The Poisonwood Bible either. I'm not sure how popular they are, but Curious Tides, We Were Liars, The Sirens, and The Ten Thousand Doors of January were major flops for me. I also have an extremely complicated relationship with The Great Gatsby, though not because it's a badly written book.

20. What are things you look for in a book?