book blogger appreciation week 2011 - interview swap

Tuesday, September 13, 2011 |
My favorite part of BBAW is the interview swap. True story. It’s always fascinating to see how a complete stranger (but are they really strange if they love books?!) answers the questions you have formulated. My lucky victim…err… blogger this year is Tony, the titular man behind Tony’s Reading List. Enjoy!


What's your story, in three sentences?

I was born and raised in England, before the completion of a degree in foreign languages enabled me to escape. After stints teaching English in France, Germany and Japan, I eventually ended up in Australia, where I now live with my wife and my two young daughters. I still have no real idea how I landed here...


Five favo(u)rite books?

That's a horrible, nasty question to ask someone at this time of the morning... Let's see - I might cheat a little (a lot) here.

Anthony Trollope's The Barchester Chronicles

Haruki Murakami's The Rat Trilogy novels (all four of them...)

Steven Carroll's Glenroy trilogy (The Art of the Engine Driver, The Gift of Speed and The Time We Have Taken)

Thomas Mann's Buddenbrooks

...and, and, and... the collected Victorian/Russian/German/Japanese classic literature compendium. If it existed.


Are there any genres you refuse to read?

It's not so much that I refuse to read genres, more that I have so much to read within a few favourite niches that I am loath to venture outside my wonderfully snug rut. Having said that, I very much doubt that either vampires or werewolves will feature in any of my reviews in the near future (and by near future, I mean until hell freezes over, and Lucifer himself stars in Twilight on Ice).


Do you have any hidden (or not-so-hidden) superpowers?

I have the ability to spend days writing a highly-polished, thousand-word review of an obscure foreign-language book which nobody has ever heard of and then bitch and whine because I haven't got any comments on it. Is that a superpower?


If you could invite any literary characters to a dinner party, who would you invite, and what would be the party theme?

For one, the witch from Hansel and Gretel because she could obviously cook (and I can't). The whole Pickwick club from Dickens' The Pickwick Papers, both for their obvious ability to enjoy life and to make me look relatively slim. Harry Potter, obviously (free entertainment - I've heard he does some fancy things with rabbits and doves). Oh, and Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye - so that the rest of us could give him something to really complain about...


You're trapped on a desert island. Which books do you NOT want with you?

The Catcher in the Rye (see above), anything by Henry James (although a few years on a desert island might give me the chance to finish off one of his sentences), any books which mention the words sand, thirst and certain death on a regular basis, and anything written in a language which I don't understand...


Give me your best: one book I must read, one book blog I must visit, and one thing I should never say to strangers.

One book you must read: Haruki Murakami's Norwegian Wood - the words poignant, nostalgic and heart-rending were made for this novel.

One book blog you must visit: I suppose I can't say mine? Oh, alright, how about Tanabata's In Spring It Is The Dawn - a feast for Japanophiles everywhere.

One thing you should never say to strangers: Do you want to come back to my place? I could show you the new features on my blog...


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Thank you, Tony, for putting up with my silly questions and offering witty and wise responses. If you’d like to see how I answered Tony’s questions, follow this link.


Would you like to read Murakami’s Norwegian Wood? I know Tony convinced me to give it a try. I’ll give away a copy to one person who fills out this FORM. Giveaway open internationally, will end 9/16 at 11:59pm EST. Winner will be chosen randomly and notified via email. Happy Book Blogger Appreciation Week!

18 comments:

Ryan said...

Your interview questions writing skills leave me feeling a little lacking. Great interview! I signed up for the giveaway but even if I don't win, I think I'll have to get the book anyway.

Cecelia said...

Ryan - Nonsense! I recycle questions every time I do an interview (and you can do the same). But thank you - you're very kind. And doesn't that book sound lovely? I know I'll have to read it very soon.

pussreboots said...

I have Norwegian Wood on my wishlist. Come meet Sara of Glorified Love Letters.

Carol said...

Very entertaining interview, questions and answers were great.

have a good week

carol

Erin said...

LOVE this -- the questions are clever, and the answers are perfect! Both your blogs are new to me this week, and I'm happy that BBAW introduced me to you guys!

Trisha said...

Now all I can do is picture Lucifer in Twilight on Ice. That would be awesome. :)

Memory said...

I've been meaning to read Murakami for ages, and I'm pretty sure Tony's comments on Twitter played a large role in that. I'm off to enter the giveaway!

Unknown said...

Fantastic interview! I don't know Tony's blog but I plan to begin reading it after getting an idea about it from this interview!

I, too, am not a reader of vampires or werewolves for the most part. I recently bough Norwegian Wood and 2 other Haruki Murakami books and am looking forward to reading them.

The last question about the desert island cracks me up...I love how you turned a common interview question on it's head! lol And Tony's answers are awesome, as well! I can relate to not wanting Catcher in the Rye on the island with me but I might disagree about Henry James...if nothing else, you have the time to read him!

Thank you!

Brimful Curiosities said...

Very witty remarks. Tony sounds like quite a guy. I took a gander at his blog and see that his reviews are unusual, as expected. With such varied taste in adult lit, now I'm wondering just what sort of books he reads to his kids. :)

@parridhlantern said...

Great interview of a great Blogger & Norwegian Wood is a good place to start with Murakami.

Alison Can Read said...

It'd be great to have Harry Potter at a dinner party. Now that would be entertainment. I could skip Holden. I think I'd slap him after a few minutes.

Holly said...

Great questions, particularly the dinner party one. :) It's nice to meet both you and Tony. I second his recommendation of Norwegian Wood btw. It's amazing.

Lenasledgeblog.com said...

Fantastic interview. Very witty. I will definitely have to check out her blog. THanks for sharing this interview and introducing a new blogger to me.

Kristen M. said...

This interview just won the award for Most Smiles While Reading an Interview. :) Thanks, Tony and Celia!

Megan said...

Great questions, and answers that definitely made me chuckle. Repeatedly. =)

Tony's blog is new to me. Looks like I definitely need to check it out!

Unknown said...

Thanks to all for the kind comments - and to Cecelia for the great questions :)

Anonymous said...

Great interview. Both the questions and answers made me smile. I feel like we learned a little more about each of you.

Care said...

Fun interview! great questions!! I own Norwegian Wood but have yet to read it, and I adore Nat of In Spring ItIsthe Dawn. I wonder if Tony is somebody I follow on Twitter... Off to go read his blog now.

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