How many times have you participated in Cannonball Read? Has it changed the way you read?
I’ve been involved from CBR 10, probably a bit earlier by just reading all the reviews, but this was the first one I participated in and wrote reviews for! It has certainly changed the way I read a book; keeping in mind what I would like other readers to know about the things I liked reading in it, and making notes or highlighting certain sections (in e-books only) that stayed with me.
Is there a story behind ‘getoffmylawnn?’ You realize we’re all picturing you as a cranky old man who can’t spell, right?
When I first made a profile just to comment in the Pajiba comments section (my focus was primarily commenting on books & literary characters), I realised my reaction to most of the goings-on in the world of celebs, gossip, or current TV shows was curmudgeonly; so I dug into that facet of me. I still am very grouchy but working on being less voluble about it :p.
The double nn at the end was me making sure the YOUTS heard me! I was also very much into Nick Miller from New Girl and hence the “get off my lawn” handle; I still like the character and the actor very much.
Who’s your favorite literary villain?
I’d define “favourite” as a villain who is so villainous; leaving the reader with zero sympathy for them, hating their guts, waiting to see their downfall, to see justice meted out to them – and the one that stays in my mind as the most hateful character I’ve ever read – is Dolores Umbridge. She has no reason to be so horrible, and wasn’t punished enough IMO.
Someone who reads Regency romances and grammar books has to have an interesting vocabulary. What’s your favorite fancy vocab word?
I end up using “If I had my druthers..” frequently in my spoken conversations, but I’m surprised how many occasions I manage to deploy “notwithstanding”, “nevertheless” and “forthwith”, especially in texts with my best friend about his dogs.
What was it that first helped you fall in love with reading? Was it a particular book? A person? Something else?
I love this question! I credit my interest in reading to my Dad, who was an avid and prolific reader of everything he could get his hands on (he got me my first library subscription at the age of 5) and my maternal uncle who would scour the second hand shops in Mumbai for rare and funny books for a pre-teen me (he too bought me a subscription at a small library just for my summer vacations I spent with him). My interest in illustrated books was a direct result of the (now rare) Russian and Chinese illustrated books easily available in the early to late 80s. Publishers like Raduga and Misha magazine and the delightful Chinese stories I read as right from when I could hold a book is what started me and I hope I never stop being delighted by a book, any book, forever.
What was the last restaurant you ordered takeout from? Are you a regular there or were you trying something new?
The very last thing I ordered was fried manchurian balls and an unholy but very delicious amalgam of Indian street food (bhel) and deep fried noodles, from a restaurant unknown to me but close enough to deliver our fusion of Indo-Chinese. I order North Indian food on the regular because it’s decadent with cream and lentils, but considering the Covid-19 outbreak, only from a trusted delivery service.
Anything else you’d like to share?
Some books are horrible, some authors too, but fancy and imagination, understanding human nature is what drives me and I love to share that with another excited reader. It’s the same with food and good coffee. I love this forum, this group of readers; feels like home.
Also, big fan of the Oxford comma.
Here’s to more good reading for ALL of us <3