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Asked by dior101 to Christine, Edd, Jess, Nicolas, Zara on 14 Jun 2011.
Question: What is your most favourite book to read or have you not read any?
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Edward Codling answered on 13 Jun 2011:
I have read loads of books – in fact I am always reading and always have at least one book on the go (and sometimes more which can get confusing!). My favourite book is definitely Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien – you may have seen the films but I’d definitely recommend reading the book if you haven’t already!
As scientists we also have to do a lot of reading as part of our work – we have to read books and articles by other scientists to see what other work is being done so that we don’t duplicate any work. Our research is only novel and useful if it hasn’t been done before by someone else!
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Zara Gladman answered on 13 Jun 2011:
I was a massive fan of the Harry Potter books! I wish there were more. @ Edd, I’m obsessed with the Lord of the Rings films but ashamed to say I haven’t read any of the books… I started the first one but only got as far as Tom Bombadil before I gave up! I should really try again.
Dior, i don’t think I have a favourite book but I really enjoy reading travel writing. I love travelling and I’d quite like to live abroad one day, so I love reading about new places to visit. It’s even better if the books are funny – Bill Bryson, for example has written some very comical stuff about his travels all over the world. I also read a book by Louis Theroux (who does a lot of documentaries for the BBC) recently that was hilarious.
Other than that, like Edd said, scientists have to do a lots of reading for their work, so I read books and papers about crayfish and other animals.
What’s your favourite book?
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Nicolas Biber answered on 13 Jun 2011:
My all time favourite book is ‘Peter Schlemihls wundersame Geschichte’ (‘Peter Schlemihl’s Remarkable Story’) that Adelbert von Chamisso wrote in 1814. It tells the story of a man who sells his shadow to the Devil. He is then rejected by society because he is lacking a shadow, and he has to find a way to deal with that. It’s a very short novel.
I still read a lot, and all sorts of books, but this one remains my favourite 🙂 -
Jessica Chu answered on 13 Jun 2011:
haha I am also a big harry potter fan like Zara!!
I used to stay up really late reading it until I was told off by mum because I have got school the next day!!
When I was younger, Famous Five books were my favourite!!But nowadays I tend to read scientific papers and textbooks more ): I know so little and am quite forgetful so I have to read the sciencey things 2 or 3 times sometimes!
it’s still good but in a different way! -
Christine Switzer answered on 14 Jun 2011:
I love to read and I have too many favourites to choose just one. The Lord of the Rings books are great, though a bit sluggish to start (@Zara, you have to tough it out and get past Tom Bombadil). Also, His Dark Materials trilogy. I like adventure/travel books too. I have read a bunch of books on mountaineering (Joe Simpson, Jon Krakauer, etc) and others on travel in other countries like New Zealand and Africa.
Like the others, I spend a lot of my time reading scientific literature now. I have a couple of long haul flights later this summer, so I have a small pile of books waiitng for then.
Comments
Zara commented on :
@ Jess good to meet a fellow Potter fan! can’t wait for the last film :O although the films are nothing compared to the books!
Jess commented on :
Hi Zara! yeah me too!!! yeah in a way i was really upset that the first film ruined the story I had going on in my head lol but then it’s been so long since the books so I don’t remember too much so I don’t get angry at the movies anymore!
There is this funny story I remember-
When the deathly hallows came out – my friend went to queue for it with her family – and after she got hers… her younger sister (not a HP fan) flipped to the last bit and as they drove past the massive queue outside and shouted DUMBLEDORE DIES!!!
Zara commented on :
Hahahha that’s quite funny… what an evil child!! I’d be raging! I was always terrified of spoilers, I had to pretty much lock myself in my room/avoid the internet/give up my life for a few days
Edd commented on :
You should give Tom Bombadil another chance…
Hey dol! merry dol! ring a dong dillo! Ring a dong!
🙂
Christine commented on :
@Edd, I think I appreciated Tom a bit more in the second read but he just seemed like a time waster. I think I appreciate time wasting more now! 🙂
Zara commented on :
@ Edd/Christine haha Tom was a nightmare! A song on every page… I couldn’t handle it!! Maybe I’ll try again one day. Are you a fan of the films? I saw none other than Elijah Wood, Dominic Monaghan and Billy Boyd in my local supermarket on new year’s eve! Crazy!! 😀 I was hoping Gimli would stop by and ask ‘Have you seen two hobbits?’ so that I could answer ‘YES! I’ve seen three! They’re in aisle four!’