Apr 18, 2008

Cheat Sheets or Study Guides?

Have you ever used Cliffs Notes?

Yes
No

Results of Cheat Sheets or Study Guides? poll

Mar 22, 2008

Why Do You Read?

People read for many reasons. Share with us why you read.

I read to relax.
I read to learn.
I read because I am school.
I read to fall asleep.
I read to escape.

Results of Why Do You Read? poll

Dec 8, 2007

Books and Christmas

What would you rather have for Christmas?

A well-chosen book with an inscription from a friend.
A gift card to a major book chain.

Results of Books and Christmas poll

Dec 8, 2007

Books and Christmas

What would you rather have for Christmas?

A well-chosen book with an inscription from a friend.
A gift card to a major book chain.
A gift card to a good used book store.
A movie theater gift card.
A Netflix gift card.

Results of Books and Christmas poll

Oct 1, 2007

Banning Books

Do you think it should be legal to ban books?

Yes
No

Results of Banning Books poll

Sep 19, 2007

Student's Reading Secrets

Do you really read the books for English class?

Of course!
I read the abridged version.
I listened to the audio book.
Do CliffsNotes count?
I saw the movie.

Results of Student's Reading Secrets poll

Sep 8, 2007

Madeleine L'Engle

Let me know where Madeleine L'Engle rates in your life.

She is my all-time favorite author.
I think she is a heretic.
I don't get her.
I like her.
Who is Madeleine L'Engle?

Results of Madeleine L'Engle poll

Aug 23, 2007

Why Do You Read?

Do you read to escape or to learn? Reading is the sole means by which we slip, involuntarily, often helplessly, into another's skin, another's voice, another's soul. Joyce Carol Oates He who reads, thinks; he who thinks, reasons. Victor Hugo

I read to escape.
I read to learn.
Both of the above.
I read because I am made to.

Results of Why Do You Read? poll

Aug 2, 2007

What if there are no pages?

Do you think audiobooks are a legitimate way to read a book?

yes
no

Results of What if there are no pages? poll

Jul 20, 2007

Bibliophile Alert

Are you a bibliophile? How many books do you own?

0-50
50-100
100-200
200-300
more than I care to count

Results of Bibliophile Alert poll

Jul 6, 2007

The Book Club Phenomena

Do you belong to a book club?

Yes
No
I love book clubs I belong to several!

Results of The Book Club Phenomena poll

Jun 27, 2007

How Much Do You Read

I recently wrote a blog post about the US Government Report on Reading at Risk. It claims that American's don't read as much as they used to. How many books do you read in a month?

None
0-4
4-8
8-12
12 or more

Results of How Much Do You Read poll

May 15, 2007

Summer Books

Do you have all the books on your summer reading list yet?

Yes
No
Maybe

Results of Summer Books poll

Apr 6, 2007

Literary Journals

Do you read literary journals?

Sometimes
Often
Never

Results of Literary Journals poll

Feb 11, 2007

Novel Trivia: JD Salinger

Which one is the title of JD Salinger's most famous novel?

The Lord of the Flies
The Winter of Our Discontent
The Great Gatsby
The Catcher in the Rye

Results of Novel Trivia: JD Salinger poll

Feb 1, 2007

African American History Month

Will you attend an African-American cultural event this month?

Yes
No
Don't know

Results of African American History Month poll

Jan 23, 2007

First Typewritten Novel

What was the first novel ever written on a typewriter?

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, by Jules Verne
Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain
Ruth Hall, by Fanny Fern
Uncle Tom's Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe
The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Results of First Typewritten Novel poll

Jan 14, 2007

Your Reading Resolution

How many books by African-American authors do you plan to read in 2007?

1-5
6-10
11+
None

Results of Your Reading Resolution poll

Jan 2, 2007

The Future of Books

What is the future of books, in your opinion?

Digital Publications Only - No Print Media
Digital and Print Media
Audio, Digital and Video Books - Tie Ins
No Room For Literature in Future
Blogged Books and Movies, No Literature

Results of The Future of Books poll

Dec 10, 2006

Holiday Books

Are you giving the gift of a book by an African-American author this holiday season?

Yes
No
Maybe

Results of Holiday Books poll

Dec 4, 2006

Holiday Theme Reading

Around the holidays several books always come out centered around the holiday itself, like the ones mentioned in the Dec 3rd blog on Christmas Fiction. Do you read any Holiday themed fiction?

I love holiday themed fiction! It gets me in the season's mood.
I read it, but don't go out of my way to buy it.
I'll read it there isn't any other book around.
I can take it or leave it.
I don't read it at all.

Results of Holiday Theme Reading poll

Nov 3, 2006

Holidays and Reading

The holidays are here again, and if the stores were to be believed poor Thanksgiving doesn't even exist anymore - just the marketable duo of Halloween and Christmas. Do you find that the hectic holidays leave you more or less time to read that stack of novels waiting for your attention?

I'm so busy this time of year I can't even think about reading.
I love the holidays! All the time off helps me read them all.
Depends which holiday - it's about 50/50 here.

Results of Holidays and Reading poll

Oct 12, 2006

Poetry and Fiction Readings

Have you ever gone to a poetry or fiction reading?

Yes
No
I don't remember

Results of Poetry and Fiction Readings poll

Oct 10, 2006

Author Blogs

So many people have blogs today, famous authors like Walter Mosley and George R R Martin included. Do you read blogs written by your favorite authors?

Yes, I read author blogs voraciously
Yes, but I can take it or leave it
Sometimes
No
I had no idea authors were jumping on the blog bandwagon

Results of Author Blogs poll

Oct 1, 2006

After Banned Books Week

How did you celebrate Banned Books Week last week?

Educating a class about banned books
Educating people I know about banned books
Writing about banned books
Talking about banned books
Did not celebrate

Results of After Banned Books Week poll

Sep 19, 2006

Banned Books And Education

Banned Books Week is coming up on September 23 - 30, 2006. I know I find it shocking that in this century, in America as well as other countries, books are still being banned. Do you think banned books should be taught in high schools and colleges? Do you think the bans should be honored and the books not taught? Discuss.

Banned books SHOULD NOT be taught
Banned books SHOULD be taught
Books should no longer be banned at all
Wait a minute, books are still banned nowadays!? I had no idea.

Results of Banned Books And Education poll

Sep 6, 2006

American as Apple Pie

Who do you consider the most "American author? Who comes to mind as Americana personified for you? Keep in mind the polls are limited to five choices, so if you don't see your favorite start a discussion!

Margaret Mitchell
William Faulkner
Mark Twain
Willa Cather
Ernest Hemmingway

Results of American as Apple Pie poll

Sep 4, 2006

Back to School

Students, teachers, and parents, do any of your or your children's courses include African-American authors?

Yes
No
Maybe
Don't know

Results of Back to School poll

Aug 17, 2006

Summer Reading

How many books by African-American authors have you read this summer?

1-3
4-6
7+
None

Results of Summer Reading poll

Aug 4, 2006

Favorite American Classics

Which of the books on this (very) short list is your favorite American Classic? Feel free to start a discussion on why. With only five slots available for polls, I know I've left out many books. Feel free to start a discussion on your favorite title not listed also!

The Catcher In The Rye by JD Salinger
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

Results of Favorite American Classics poll

Aug 1, 2006

Book and culture fairs

Have you ever attended an African-American book or cultural fair?

Yes
No

Results of Book and culture fairs poll

Jul 20, 2006

Harlem Renaissance Writers

Who is your favorite Harlem Renaissance author?

Langston Hughes
Zora Neale Hurston
Jean Toomer
Claude McKay
Another author

Results of Harlem Renaissance Writers poll

Jun 30, 2006

What do you like to read?

What is your favorite African-American literature?

Poetry
Fiction
Nonfiction
All of the above
None of the above

Results of What do you like to read? poll

Jun 24, 2006

Define

We're having quite the debate over at my house this week. I think American Fiction is written by an American born author, preferably in America. Honey thinks it can include authors from other countries who have transplanted here and write here. I'm interested to also get a dialogue going on this - what do you think? How do you define American Fiction?

An American born author, writing and living in America
An American born author, writing and living elsewhere or here
An non-native who has moved here to live and write
Any novel published in America, in English, by anyone
Other - discuss

Results of Define poll

Jun 19, 2006

Toni Morrison, Beloved

Have you read Beloved or seen the movie?

Yes, I've read the book.
No, I haven't read the book.
I've read the book and seen the movie.
I've only seen the movie.

Results of Toni Morrison, Beloved poll

May 28, 2006

Topic Question

The answer to the last poll: 9 American Authors have won the Nobel Prize. ------------------------------------------------------------ Today's Question: Would you like to see more Author Snapshot Biographies?

YES
NO

Results of Topic Question poll

May 24, 2006

American Authors and the Nobel Prize

How many American Authors (American born and America based) have won the Nobel Prize?

1
27
13
9
5

Results of American Authors and the Nobel Prize poll

May 6, 2006

The Disappointing Book Poll

Answer to the last trivia question: A Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin ------------------------------------------------ New Poll Question: What do you do when a book is so disappointing you find yourself having trouble reading further?

Put the book down, keep it but move on to the next one
Finish anyway, but do not recommend it to others
Put the book down and give it away
Put the book down and sell it online or at a book fair
Other

Results of The Disappointing Book Poll poll

Apr 21, 2006

American Fiction Trivia # 6

Answer to last week's question: Harriet Beecher Stowe ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This weeks question: What was the name of the book Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote to refute critics of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" who said the novel wasn't based in fact?

Dred
Old Town Folks
The Minister's Wooing
A Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin
The Pearl of Orr's Island

Results of American Fiction Trivia # 6 poll

Mar 26, 2006

American Fiction Trivia # 5

Last Week's Answer: 1930 This Week's Question: What author was a neighbor of Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) in Hartford, CT?

Harriet Beecher Stowe
Henry James
Louisa May Alcott
Helen Hunt Jackson

Results of American Fiction Trivia # 5 poll

Mar 19, 2006

American Fiction Trivia # 4

Sinclair Lewis won the Nobel Prize for literature in what year?

1942
1940
1939
1935
1930

Results of American Fiction Trivia # 4 poll

Mar 11, 2006

American Fiction Trivia # 3

"Lying back on the sofa, she read the manuscript carefully through, making dashes here and there, and putting in many exclamatio points, which looked like little balloons. Then she tied it up with a smart red ribbon, and sat a minute looking at it with a sober, wistful expression, which plainly showed how earnest her work had been." ~ This excerpt come from which novel?

"Uncle Tom's Cabin" by Harriet Beecher Stowe
"The Awakening" by Kate Chopin
"The Prophet of the Great Smokey Mountains" Mary Murfree as CEC
"Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
"Macaria, or Altars of Sacrifice" By Augusta Jane Evans

Results of American Fiction Trivia # 3 poll

Mar 6, 2006

American Fiction Trivia # 2

Which Ernest Hemingway novel is the only one set in the United States? (correct answer will be posted in bulletin when poll ends)

For Whom the Bell Tolls
The Sun Also Rises
The Killers
To Have and Have Not
The Snows of Kilimanjaro

Results of American Fiction Trivia # 2 poll

Mar 3, 2006

American Fiction Trivia # 1

What is the title of JD Salinger's most famous novel? (correct answer will be posted in bulletin when poll ends)

The Winter of our Discontent
The Lord of the Flies
Franny and Zooey
Tom Sawyer
The Catcher in the Rye

Results of American Fiction Trivia # 1 poll