Reading Matters

Results of this week's poll #16

Fiction is more popular than non-fiction, according to those who took the time to vote in this week's poll, which asked 'do you read non-fiction?'

Out of the 79 votes cast, 56.96% of you said you read fewer non-fiction books than fiction.

Some 16.46% said you didn't read fiction at all, while 12.66% said you read equal numbers of fiction and non-fiction books.

A further 7.59% said that even though you didn't read non-fiction you hadn't discounted it completely: you'd read a non-fiction book if the right one came along.

Just 6.33% said you read more non-fiction than non-fiction.

As for me, if it isn't already obvious from the content of this blog, I'm a fiction reader, who dabbles in a little non-fiction. And the odd bit of humour on the side. I'm not sure where cook books fall, do you?

PS> I'm giving the weekly poll a little rest for awhile. Many thanks to everyone who's taken the time to vote over the past four or five months that the polls have been running. It's been fun finding out everyone's opinions about a whole host of bookish things.

Results of this week's poll #15

Sarah Waters' The Night Watch looks favourite to win this year's Booker Prize, according to those who voted in this week's poll.

The poll, which has been running since September 18, asked which of the shortlisted authors would win the prize.

From the 74 votes cast, Sarah Waters' book attracted 35.14% of the votes. This was closely followed by Kate Grenville's The Secret River with 31.08%.

The other results are as follows:
Kiran Desai's The Inheritance of Loss -- 16.22%
MJ Hyland's Carry Me Down -- 8.11%
Hisham Matar's In the Country of Men -- 5.41%
Edward St Aubyn's Mother’s Milk --  4.05%

The award will be announced this coming Tuesday, October 10.

Just a note about this week's poll...

Because I'm too lazy to change it, I thought I might keep this week's poll open for another week or so, only to see if the outcome changes much as the excitement (!?) continues to build in the run-up to the Booker Prize announcement on October 14.

As the poll currently stands, Kate Grenville (32.5%) and Sarah Waters (25%) are the two writers battling it out for the Booker Prize, with Kiran Desai (20%) not far behind.

Personally, I think the votes cast so far are pretty much on the money. I suspect the prize is going to be awarded to one of these three writers, although it would be nice if an 'unknown' won it. I'd like to think  Edward St Aubyn might get the nod, only because I'm itching to read Mother's Milk and have only heard good things about it.

But then what would I know? Who do you think will win it?

Results of this week's poll #14

Almost two-thirds of you have read a book based on one of the reviews published here, according to the results of this week's poll.

There were 45 responses to  the question "have you ever read a book based on a review you have seen on this blog?"

Some 60% of you answered "yes", 31.11% answered "no" and 8.89% chose the "not sure" option.

Given I only publish these reviews as a way of keeping track of my own reading, I am quietly chuffed. Thank-you for your support -- it means a lot.

Results of this week's poll #14

Okay, okay, okay. I know, I know, I know. This week's poll is, in fact, this fortnight's poll. It's been up for two weeks and I'm not even going to offer an excuse as to why. Something to do with being busy and being sick and then getting very busy again!

But on with the results...

According to the 103 people who answered the question "do you buy used books?" more than half of you -- 52.43% -- said you did so frequently. A further 34.95% said you "sometimes" buy used books.

Another 7.7% of you said you "never" bought used books, while 4.85% said you would "like to" at some point in the future.

Results of this week's poll #13

Curled up in bed is your favourite place to do leisure-time reading, according to the results of this week's poll. Out of the 72 votes cast, 45.83% of you said bed was where you do most of your reading.

Out of the other options presented, the results are as follows:

• favourite reading chair, 31.94%
• public transport, 8.33%
• in the bath or bathroom, 5.56%
• other, 4.17%
• in the garden, 2.78%
• at a desk, 1.39%

Where do I do most of my reading? Definitely in bed. Once-upon-a-time it was on public transport, but when I switched to commuting by bicycle I suddenly lost a large chunk of reading time. I then had to squeeze in my reading elsewhere: 30 minutes before lights-out seemed the best option. Oh, and if you promise not to tell anyone, I have been known to spend entire Saturdays (or Sundays) in my jimjams curled up in bed reading, drinking coffee and getting my sustenance from chocolate or pastries or cheese on toast. My idea of bliss.

Results of this week's poll #12

Big-time poetry-lovers are in short supply, if the results of this week's poll is anything to go by.

The poll, which posed the question 'do you read poetry?', attracted 58 responses. Of these, just 12.07% chose the 'yes, I'm a big fan' option.

Better news for the occasional fan, however, with a whopping 46.55% choosing the 'yes, I read it sometimes' option.

But 41.38% don't read poetry at all. And I'm afraid I am one of them. Sorry to disappoint, but poetry just doesn't do it for me -- how about you?

Results of this week's poll #11

Book buyers of the world unite!

Out of the 73 people who took part in this week's poll asking you to confess when you last bought a book, 61.64% purchased a book in the past week.

A further 34.25% confessed to buying one in the past month.

Just 2.74% said you had bought a book in the past year, while 1.37% said you did not buy books. If only I could say the same!

Results of this week's poll #10

Book vouchers figure pretty highly in the gift-receiving stakes, according to the results of this week's poll.

Out of the 55 votes cast, 69.09% of you said that if your best friend was kind enough to offer to buy you a book-related gift you'd prefer a gift voucher to your favourite book store.

Of the two other options presented, 25.45% of you said you would like the book to be chosen by your friend, because you like surprises. Just 5.45% said you'd prefer to choose the book yourself, that way you know you'll get something worth reading.

Can I just say I concur. But I have never received a book voucher in my life. Hint, hint.

Results of this week's poll #9

Looks like I need to dust off Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go, which has been languishing on my bookshelf since I purchased it last November.

Of the 46 votes cast in this week's poll -- in which I asked you to choose which book from last year's Booker Prize shortlist I should read and review next -- 60.87% of you said I should read Ishiguro's much-lauded novel.

Zadie Smith's On Beauty was next, with 23.91% of the votes, followed by Julian Barne's Arthur & George, with 15.22%.

If you had have asked me at the start of the poll to put these books in order of preference, this is exactly the running order I would have selected. Thank-you for justifying my preferences!! I think this means I have some smart cookies reading this blog! Or some of you are mind readers!