Another Reading Meme

I found this reading meme and thought I'd give it a go, seeing as it'll be a few more days before I can get through Jane Eyre and post my review.

Which book do you irrationally cringe away from reading, despite seeing only positive reviews?
Usually chick-lit books such as those by Janet Evanovich, Sophie Kinsella and Helen Fielding (although I have to admit that I've given in on Fielding and bought Bridget Jones' Diary).

If you could bring three characters to life for a social event (afternoon tea, a night of clubbing, perhaps a world cruise), who would they be and what would the event be?
I'd have a few lads around to my place for dinner: Alex from A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess, Raoul Duke from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S Thompson, and Dean Moriarty from On the Road by Jack Kerouac. Let chaos reign! It would certainly be an interesting night!

(Borrowing shamelessly from the Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde): you are told you can’t die until you read the most boring novel on the planet. While this immortality is great for awhile, eventually you realise it’s past time to die. Which book would you expect to get you a nice grave?
The Bible? Although from what I remember reading of it during my childhood days, there were some interesting parts in it. I really can't think of anything too boring. I'm sure there are plenty out there but as I don't make a habit of reading boring books, it's a bit difficult to know really...

Come on, we’ve all been there. Which book have you pretended, or at least hinted, that you’ve read, when in fact you’ve been nowhere near it?
I can't recall ever pretending to have read a book.

As an addition to the last question, has there been a book that you really thought you had read, only to realise when you read a review about it/go to ‘reread’ it that you haven’t? Which book?
I don't think that's happened either :) I certainly buy doubles of books occasionally, because I can't remember what I've already got!

You’re interviewing for the post of Official Book Advisor to some VIP (who’s not a big reader). What’s the first book you’d recommend and why? (If you feel like you’d have to know the person, go ahead of personalise the VIP.)
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. One of the greatest books ever written and, of my personal favourites, the most likely that is to appeal to the broadest audience (and therefore have a greater chance of pleasing the VIP).

A good fairy comes and grants you one wish: you will have perfect reading comprehension in the foreign language of your choice. Which language do you go with?
Ooh, tough choice. On the one hand, I'd like to be able to read Russian so I can enjoy Tolstoy and Dostoevsky as they were meant to be enjoyed. However, there's also a lot of French literature that I'm looking forward to reading one day, by the likes of Emile Zola and Marcel Proust. Ultimately there's probably more French literature I'm interested in reading, so I'd have to go with that.

A mischievious fairy comes and says that you must choose one book that you will re-read once a year for the rest of your life (you can read other books as well). Which book would you pick?
It's a close call between To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Hmm, I'll go with To Kill a Mockingbird.

I know that the book blogging community, and its various challenges, have pushed my reading borders. What’s one bookish thing you ‘discovered’ from book blogging (maybe a new genre, or author, or new appreciation for cover art-anything)?
I've discovered the wonder of reading challenges. They're quite addictive: I'm doing 9 this year, although I haven't officially signed up for any on the various blogs. I'm just doing them on my own terms. Every time I read about a new one I want to take it up. They all sound so good! There are challenges celebrating author's birthdays, dead authors, 19th century women, etc.

That good fairy is back for one final visit. Now, she’s granting you your dream library! Describe it. Is everything leatherbound? Is it full of first edition hardcovers? Pristine trade paperbacks? Perhaps a few favourite authors have inscribed their works? Go ahead - let your imagination run free.
A good-sized room with high ceilings, but not so large that it becomes impersonal. It needs to be cosy, with a fireplace and lounges, armchairs, chaises etc - plenty of different seating to suit my different moods (all matching, of course). Large windows to allow plenty of natural light but also big enough to watch thunderstorms from - it will have a window seat, of course. And there'll be plenty of reading lamps on tables for atmosphere. The bookcases will stretch from the floor to the ceiling, and cover all the walls (except where the windows are!), with a ladder on tracks to get to the higher books.

As for the books themselves, I don't need anything fancy. Just my usual paperbacks, with the odd hardback thrown in. A mixture of new and second-hand books, with maybe a few autographed copies as well.