The Reader GeneaMeme

A few weeks ago, Jill Ball at Geniaus posted at GeneaMeme for readers in recognition of 2012 being the National Year of Reading. This Meme combines my two loves of reading and genealogy so I’ve been trying to find time to post my reply. At last here it is, a little later than I would have liked.

The Reader GeneaMeme

The list should be annotated in the following manner:
Things you have already done or found: bold face type
Things you would like to do or find: italicize 
Things you haven’t done or found and don’t care to: plain type
You are encouraged to add extra comments in brackets after each item

Which of these apply to you?

1. Have you written any books? Not yet. I am working on the family history of my maternal line, the Waters family
2. Have you published any books? No
3. Can you recommend an inspiring biography? It’s Not About The Bike: A Journey Back To Life by Lance Armstrong. Have read it three times and always find it very inspiring.
4. Do you keep a reading log? If yes, in what format? I never have in the past, but this year to honour the National Year of Reading, I am recording my reading on tumblr: http://justmybooks.tumblr.com/
5. Are you a buyer or a borrower of books? Both, but these days I only buy books which I know will be special, or for book club. Otherwise I borrow from the library.
6. Where do you get reading recommendations? Book club, blog comments, genealogical society journals, twitter and friends. I tend not to read reviews.
7. What is the one genealogy reference book you can’t do without? This depends on research at the time. Lately I have been referring to Tracing Your Donegal Ancestors by Helen Meehan & Godfrey Duffy
8. Do you hoard books or do you discard them when you have finished? Definitely a hoarder of books
9. How many books are in your genealogy library? About 30
10. What’s your favourite genealogy magazine or journal? Australian: Inside History, UK: Family Tree Magazine
11. Where are the bookshelves in your house? I am ashamed to say I don’t have one since I moved house. I need to find someone who can build one for me. My books are in boxes and I hate that.
12. Do you read e-books? How? On my Ipad.
13. How many library cards do you have? Three – Bendigo Library, State Library of Victoria and National Library of Australia.  Of course I have many cards for use in genealogical society libraries
14. What was the last genealogy title you read? An Unlock The Past publication – Discover Scottish Church Records by Chris Paton
15. What is your favourite bookshop? I love Readings in Carlton
16. Do you have a traditional printed encyclopaedia in your house?  Years ago, we had a full set, but not these days.
17. Who are the authors in your family tree and what have they written? My daughter Lisa Dempster wrote Neon Pilgrim about a 1200km Buddhist pilgrimage walk she did in the mountains in Japan.
18. Who is your favourite author? This changes often. At the moment I would say it is Charles Dickins as I am reading as many of his books as I can this year to celebrate his 200th birthday
19. Where do you buy books? Mostly from bookdepository.co.uk and Gould Books for Genealogy books
20. Can you nominate a must-read fiction title? Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
21. How many books are in your personal library? I sold or gave them all away when I moved a few years ago, so only about 60 now
22. What is your dictionary of choice?  I don’t use one any more. Usually refer to Wikipedia these days
23. Where do your read? On my red couch or outside at the table in the sun. Always have a book in my handbag and read anywhere there is a spare minute or while waiting.
24. What was your favourite childhood book? I loved Blinky Bill when I was a child. I read Mulga Bills Bicycle to my children for many years. I still love both of these books
25. Do you have anything else to say about books and reading? We have busy lives and finding time to read can be difficult, but try to just find a few minutes at the end of every day. And read to your children. This is very important and sets them up to enjoy school more, in my opinion and in my experience