One of the things I often do as I'm reading a novel or short story is keep track of words whose definitions I do not know or that I find interesting. Either way, these interesting words are ones I feel might be of use in my own writing. That, and it's good to expand one's vocabulary every once in a while.
Read my review of Farthing.
bourgeois: a member of the middle class
coppiced: a dense growth of bushes
drugget: a rug made of a coarse fabric having a cotton warp and a wool filling
histrionic: characteristic of acting or a stage performance; often affected ("Histrionic gestures")
invigilating: to keep watch; to keep watch ove... [More]