BBAW: Interview with Maria

Maria Grazia lives in Italy, not far from Rome. She teaches English as a foreign language to teenage students and loves her job. Fly High is her main blog about books, art, period drama and movies. She’s also got a Jane Austen- dedicated page, My Jane Austen Book Club, where she “meets” Janeites to discuss everything Austen and reviews Austen-dedicated fiction and non-fiction. She’s also created a blog for her students, Learn on line (actually it is her first, oldest one). She’s married and has two teenage sons.


Why do you like being a book blogger?
Since I started blogging I could really widen my horizons. I’ve met so many interesting people - both readers and writers – and I’ve read so many new books. To compare tastes and and share opinions has made reading an even more stimulating activity. Then, last but not least, I go on receiving lots of books from publishers and authors. Though I can’t actually read them all, I love that!

What is your favorite place to read?
Sitting on the beach facing the sea, but I actually read wherever and whenever I can.

What do you do when you aren't reading or blogging?
If you mean as another hobby, watching a period drama or a costume movie. That’s another of my passions. I especially like watching and reviewing adaptations of classics. I collect DVDs of adaptations. If you mean out of leisure, working, working, working. Preparing my lesson plans, tests, PPT slides, correcting papers and tests, studying and preparing notes. When I’m not cooking, ironing, doing the housework, driving my sons…

Who is your favorite character in a book? Which bookish character would you like to be?
Actually , I don’t like her very much as a character but … I’d love to be her. I’m thinking of Margaret Hale in North and South by Mrs Gaskell . I’d like to be her to meet Mr Thornton my favourite hero in a classic novel. He is my … Mr Darcy!

Who is your favorite author?
There are few authors whose work I’ve read and loved as much as Jane Austen’s, Elizabeth Gaskell’s and Edward Morgan Forster’s. I‘ve read almost everything they wrote and more than once. I love English 19th century literature most of all.


How can we promote reading to those who say they don't like it?
Well, that’s my job. Or better a thorn in my flesh. I cope with teenage students hating reading everyday. I teach them English (language and literature) and it’s hard to convince them to read even a chapter from a book. Most of them simply hate reading and find it difficult and boring. Their tasks must be quick and easy. I try to make my classes more interesting using multimedia sources: the Net, PPT slides , films and videos, music. This make them got interested in the “stories” I tell them. Sometimes it works, they get the book, they read it. And that one time out of a hundred, it’s a great joy to me.
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I hope now that you've met Maria, you will head over and check out all of her blogs! And be sure to head over and read my answers to these oh-so-awesome interview questions!