Liebster Blog Award

A couple of weeks ago my friend Aloi from guiltless reading nominated me for the Liebster Blog Award. So I thought it was about time to accept the award and answer her questions, then pass on the award to some other book bloggers.

Aloi describes the award as follows:

The Liebster Blog Award is given to bloggers with less than 200 followers …  and is a sneaky way to get to know the person behind the blog.

According to Aloi:

Liebster is a German word which means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome.

Here are the rules for the award:

1. Each person must post 11 facts about themselves.
2. Answer 11 questions the tagger has given you and give 11 questions for the people you’ve tagged.
3. Choose 11 people and link them in your post. Tell them you’ve tagged them.
4. Remember, no tag backs.

Check out 11 facts about me and my answers to Aloi’s questions after that.

First of all, 11 facts about me:

1. I was born in Scotland, but now also have Canadian citizenship.
2. This year my wife and I will celebrate 22 years of marriage.
3. I am a vegetarian and after more than three years of this I can honestly say that I have no desire to eat meat ever again.
4. I have problems with heights.
5. I am a huge football (soccer) fan.
6. I would love to be a writer, but I don’t see myself making any money from this any time soon.
7. I own almost everything that U2 have released.
8. I enjoy making music and intend to learn to play piano in the near future.
9. My religious views have changed radically over the past 10 years.
10. I don’t own any green coloured clothes.
11. I am numerically obsessed – especially the numbers 4 and 8.

Now my answers to Aloi’s questions:

1. Aside from books, what else are you interested in?  My other interests include, but are not confined to, music and movies.
2. Why did you decide to start blogging about books and reading? How are you finding it so far?  I started blogging, mainly about life, in 2005 at Once Upon A Time In The North. I move to WordPress in 2007 and started up Two week from everywhere. This started out as a general blog, but in the last years or so I discovered the world of book blogging, which probably accounts for over 90% of my posts now. I enjoy discovering new books and new people.
3. Bestest, most favourite book you’ve ever read? Why?  J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit is my all-time favourite. I never tire of reading it and have no idea how many times I have.
4. E-book, paperback, hardbound? Why?  I really have no preference. I own a Kobo, which is great for long trips, but I still also like the feel of a ‘real’ book in my hands.
5. What childhood book do you credit for getting you started as a “real” reader?  I think that it is The Hobbit. We read it at school when I was about 9 and I also remember it being read on Jackanory (BBC kids show) about the same time, by Bernard Cribbins (I think).
6. Most memorable literary character?  Has to be Bilbo Baggins!
7. What genre are you most happy/comfortable reading?  I don’t have a strong preference. It’s all about the story for me.
8. Do you ever get a “hangover” from over-reading? What does it feel like?  It has happened and I didn’t enjoy it! I couldn’t concentrate on what I was reading and could remember nothing much of what I had read.
9. What do you like to eat or drink while reading?  Coffee and chocolate.
10. What book intimidates/scares you most … but you would still like to read?  At the moment In The First Circle by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn is intimidating me, but I really do want to get it read!
11. Choose one question from the many questions already asked of me … and answer!  My choice of question is: What’s the meaning behind your blog name?  It’s part of a line from George Clooney’s character in one of my top five movies, O Brother, Where Art Thou. My about page explains the significance more.

Now for the 11 people I want to nominate for the Liebster Blog Award:

• Carly @ A Little Bit Of Everything
• Valentina @ Peek A Book
• Kate @ booksaremyfavouriteandbest
• Chris @ In A Bookshelf
• Michael @ Nashville Book Worm
• Amy @ book musings
• Lauren @ Book Addict
• kwizgiver @ what if this is as good as it gets

I think I’ll have to stop at eight, but if you are not on this list and want to be, then feel free to join in. If I have nominated you and you don’t do awards, then I offer my apologies. There are so many good book blogs out there that I follow, that it is hard to narrow it down.

Here are the eleven questions I would like you to answer:

1. What is your favourite book of all time?
2. Can you read with noise going on or must you have complete silence?
3. Do you have a problem letting go of a book, even if it was one you didn’t particularly like?
4. What are your main interests outside of reading?
5. Star Wars or Star Trek?
6. Who is your favourite author?
7. Coffee or tea?
8. Do you ever listen to audio books? If not, why not?
9. Where is your favourite place to read?
10. Do you own an e-reader? If not, why not?
11. Do you always finish a book, regardless of whether you like it or not?

I look forward to reading your answers and thanks again to Aloi for nominating me.