Weekend READ-A-THON: Saturday/Sunday (5/14-15)

* We'll be officially starting at 2:00 pm Eastern Standard Time on Saturday, May 14, and will end at 2:00 pm on Sunday, May 15. Feel free to jump in anytime! *


"Dokusho" (Woman Reading) by Kuroda Seiki (ca. 1890)

Summer break has started for me, so what better way to celebrate than by hosting a 24-hour read-a-thon?

If you're joining in for the first time, here's how it works: We'll be reading from 2:00 pm EST on Saturday afternoon until 2:00 pm EST on Sunday (you can Google to find an online time converter if you’re in a different zone). Sign up whenever you decide to join us by leaving your name and location on this thread, and I'll add you to the list below the next time I check in. If you'll be posting anywhere other than on this thread, include the link as well. This thread will be your check-in point and read-a-thon HQ. I'll be posting memes at hours 1, 12, and 24.

There are no hard and fast rules here. Please don't think that you've committed to a sleepless 24-hour period or that you can't participate if you have other obligations! (This tired old body nodded in the chair last time but finally gave in around midnight and went to bed.) The point is simply to commit to focus on your reading for whatever amount of time you choose. We'll each track the number of hours spent reading and posting and the number of pages we've read. Post updates as often as you like; in past read-a-thons, some folks posted hourly while others checked in a few times. Give us the basics or tell us more: How are you enjoying your books? What's going on around you? What are you eating, drinking, listening to in the background? What are you doing during your breaks? Stop by to cheer on everyone else, comment on others' reading choices, or just chat a bit. It's all up to you.

So get the comfy chair warmed and the hot tea (or iced tea) ready. And let’s make a dent in those towering TBR stacks!

Here's who is participating so far:

1. Cariola (Deborah)--Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
2. AnneDC (Anne)--Washington, DC
3. Chatterbox (Suzanne)--New York, New York
4. Carmenere (Lynda)--Cleveland, Ohio
5. Elkiedee (Luci)--London, England
6. kidzdoc (Darryl)--Atlanta, Georgia
7. Whisper1 (Linda)--Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
8. calm--Wales, UK
9. maggie1994 (Karen)--Lake Stevens, Washington
10. Kwidhalm (Katie)--Dedham, Massachusetts

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Check-in questions. Usse these to report your progress when you check in, either hourly or whenever you get back to the thread.

I've been reading: (Name of book or books you've read in the last hour)
Books finished: (in the last hour)
Pages read: (number of pages)
Reading time: (in minutes)
Posting time: (time spent writing updates and visiting threads, in minutes)

Total books read:
Total pages read:
Total time read: (in hours and minutes)
Total time posting: (in hours and minutes)

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First Hour Meme (3:00 EST):

1. Where are you reading from today?
2. How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?
3. What book did you start with, and why?
4. Tell us a little about the main character in the book you are reading. If it’s a book to which that doesn’t quite apply, just give us a general idea what it’s about.
5. Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on threads)?
6. If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, do you have any advice for people doing this for the first time?

Hi--I'm in, although probably not until evening. (Anne, Washington DC)

I think the link you posted in the Readathons thread leads back to that thread and not to this one--at least that was my experience.

Thanks, Anne. Got it fixed now. I'm glad you'll be on board.

Moi -- Suzanne in NYC (or Brooklyn, whatever...)

I hope to join you, Deborah, but I know for sure it won't be before 7pm on Saturday. Baby Shower to attend first. Lynda - Cleveland, Ohio

I will join in, probably a bit later Saturday as 7 pm here is a bit mad, and I won't be around for parts of the 24 hours - we plan to go out Sunday.

I'm in. I'll probably take a nap from late morning to mid afternoon on Saturday and Sunday, as I have to work the night shift on Sunday night. So, I may start late, but I hope to be here from Saturday afternoon and evening through Sunday morning.

Darryl (from Atlanta)

I hope to join in.

Glad to have you all join in, whenever you can, for as long as you can.

Thanks for setting this up Cariola and I love the picture.

If I got it right that's a 7pm start time in the UK so I'm in, though I'll be starting an hour or so late. (Neil Gaiman written Dr Who and a behind the scenes programme with him are too tempting to miss). Not missing my sleep but the times allow for a good chunk of reading time tonight and a lot more tomorrow.

calm - who will be reading at home in Wales

Nice to have you with us, calm. I set the time with those of you in Europe in mind.

It's almost time to begin! I'm going to be away from the computer briefly, so If I'm not here promptly at 2:00, start the party without me. I'll be back to post the First Hour Meme. Happy reading!

I'm ready to get started, although I might take a nap in the next hour or two. I'll start reading To Siberia by Per Petterson, and I'm also planning to read Open City by Teju Cole and Princess Noire: The Tumultuous Reign of Nina Simone by Nadine Cohodas. Happy reading, everyone!

I am definitely enthused about doing some concentrated reading this weekend. I need to go pull some weeds while the weather permits, but I'll be back soon. I'll be reading in one of a couple big comfy reading chairs in a suburb north of Seattle, WA and I'll probably be reading in Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption on my Kindle, a hard back copy of Work Song by Ivan Doig, and A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin, on my Nook.

I don't know why the touchstone is not working for Work Song but it is a new novel by Ivan Doig who writes about western pioneers. This book is kind of a sequel to The Whistling Season.

See you a little later....

I'm a little early, but here are the check-in questions. Fill them in hourly, or whenever you get back to the thread:

I've been reading: (Name of book or books you've read in the last hour)
Books finished: (in the last hour)
Pages read: (number of pages)
Reading time: (in minutes)
Posting time: (time spent writing updates and visiting threads, in minutes)

Total books read:
Total pages read:
Total time read: (in hours and minutes)
Total time posting: (in hours and minutes)

First Hour Meme (3:00 EST):

1. Where are you reading from today?
2. How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?
3. What book did you start with, and why?
4. Tell us a little about the main character in the book you are reading. If it’s a book to which that doesn’t quite apply, just give us a general idea what it’s about.
5. Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on threads)?
6. If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, do you have any advice for people doing this for the first time?

I've been reading: The Sister: A Novel of Emily Dickinson by Paola Kaufmann.
Pages read: 18
Reading time: 15 minutes
Posting time: 35 minutes

Total books read: 0
Total pages read: 18
Total time read: 15 minutes
Total time posting: 35 minutes

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First Hour Meme (3:00 EST):

1. Where are you reading from today? My comfy blue chair, but I plan to take off for Starbuck's for a change of scenery and a Happy Hour frappucino.
2. How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours? I don't have a special stack for the read-a-thon. I'll just grab what appeals from my many TBR mountains. (I've got a whole range here!)
3. What book did you start with, and why? The Sister: A Novel of Emily Dickinson by Paola Kaufmann, because I'm almost halfway through it.
4. Tell us a little about the main character in the book you are reading. If it’s a book to which that doesn’t quite apply, just give us a general idea what it’s about. The main character is the narrator, Dickinson's younger sister Lavinia. She's a bit more extroverted than Emily, but both sisters are dominated by their father and their brother Austin. Vinnie sees her mission in life as protecting Emily.
5. Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on threads)? Just to read as much as possible and to read books that give me pleasure, since most of the reading I've done lately has been work-related.
6. If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, do you have any advice for people doing this for the first time? Have something light or a book of short stories handy; these are a great switch if you're getting bogged down. Take all the breaks you need. Have fun!

HOUR 1 (3:00 pm EST)

I've been reading: To Siberia by Per Petterson
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 26 (pp 5-30 of To Siberia)
Reading time: 25 min
Posting time: 30 min

Total books read: 0
Total pages read: 26 pp
Total time read: 0 hr 25 min
Total time posting: 0 hr 30 min

First Hour Meme (3:00 EST):

1. Where are you reading from today? I'm starting out at home, sitting on my glider, but I'll probably go to Borders tonight, and possibly Starbucks or a 24 hour cafe tonight or early tomorrow, for a change of pace.
2. How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours? Three: To Siberia by Per Petterson, and I'm also planning to read Open City by Teju Cole and Princess Noire: The Tumultuous Reign of Nina Simone by Nadine Cohodas.
3. What book did you start with, and why? I chose To Siberia, as it is an LT Early Reviewer book that I haven't read yet, and it counts toward Luci's (elkiedee's) TIOLI challenge.
4. Tell us a little about the main character in the book you are reading. If it’s a book to which that doesn’t quite apply, just give us a general idea what it’s about. The main character is a young girl in a small town outside of Copenhagen in 1934, who has an older brother that she adores, and parents who are strict and quite mean to her.
5. Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on threads)? I'd definitely like to finish To Siberia, and to make a dent in Open City, although I don't expect to finish it.
6. If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, do you have any advice for people doing this for the first time? This is meant to be a fun group activity, and not a competition to see who can read the most number of pages or books. Take breaks when and as often as you need to (I'll take a nap soon after I finish this message), and feel free to comment about what other people are reading.

I'm not big into memes, but I'll fill in some notes. Here are the stats!

I've been reading: The Crow Trap by Ann Cleeves
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 44
Reading time: 45
Posting time: 5

I had intended to read some library books that are due back shortly, but instead ended up picking up a chunkster of a mystery that has been on my TBR stack for eons. It's starting off well, so I imagine it will be one of my main reads this weekend, although I might venture off and read some more of Tragedy in Crimson by Tim Johnson (no touchstone). It's an indifferently-written and sometimes irritating book about a rather fascinating subject, the Dalai Lama and Tibet, but written from the POV of Chinese politics and as an example of how China implements its national/foreign policy goals, which I find v.v. intriguing. So I'll put up with the ho-hum writing.

My TBR stacks are alarmingly large...

I haven't been reading, yet, but I'll start as soon as I post this.

First Hour Meme (3:00 EST):

1. Where are you reading from today?
At home in the living room for now.

2. How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?
I've three books that I am currently reading and have another four shortlisted to pick up if I fancy a change. Plus plenty more on the TBR.

3. What book did you start with, and why?
Persian Fire by Tom Holland as I tend to read nonfiction at this time of day.

4. Tell us a little about the main character in the book you are reading. If it’s a book to which that doesn’t quite apply, just give us a general idea what it’s about.
I'm still near the start and at the moment it's mainly about Cyrus, King of the Persian. The whole book is about the conflict between Persia and Greece in the fifth century BC.

5. Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on threads)?
Not really - just to have fun.

6. If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, do you have any advice for people doing this for the first time?
Take your time; have breaks; have several different types of books to choose from.
I also use two bookmarks in each book I am reading to make it easier to work out the page count.

I have pulled a few weeds, fixed a quick lunch, and am ready to go. This is my kick-off thread.

1. Where are you reading from today? At home in the living room, in my big comfy chair with ottoman, for now.

2. How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours? I've three books to read. As I mentioned above - post #14.

3. What book will I start with, and why? I am starting with Doig's Work Song as it is the next book for my RL book group.

4. Tell us a little about the main character in the book you are reading. If it’s a book to which that doesn’t quite apply, just give us a general idea what it’s about. The main character is "Morrie Morgan, the itinerant teacher, walking encyclopedia, and inveterate charmer last seen (in The Whistling Season) leaving a one-room schoolhouse" (quoted from dust cover)... in Montana. This time Murray is in the copper-mining capital of the world, and it is just after WWI.

5. Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on threads)?Not really - just to have fun.

6. If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, do you have any advice for people doing this for the first time? Relax, have a good time, post whatever you want or follow the leader.

OK, see you later!

ETA a little formatting fix

A quick post as I'm about to take a break, hop in the shower and make some sandwiches.

I've been reading: The Crow Trap by Ann Cleeves
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 78
Reading time: 45
Posting time: (time spent writing updates and visiting threads, in minutes) 10

Total books read: 0
Total pages read: 122
Total time read: (in hours and minutes) 1 1/2 hours
Total time posting: (in hours and minutes) 15 mins

Still planning to read some non-fiction and delve into some library books, but this mystery is starting off rather well and I'm intrigued by the characters.

I'm going to relocate from the upstairs (living room, bedroom) to the downstairs (home office) where I often end up reading at this time of day. No thumping noises from small children overhead!

I'm reading Mrs. Somebody Somebody
Not quite finished
Read 139 pages of 191
Reading time 1 hour 1/2
posting time visiting threads 15 minutes

1. Where are you reading from today?
In a comfortable chair in the living room. It is softly raining and I can listen to the water as it gently taps the sky light.

2. How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?
Three

3. What book did you start with, and why?
Mrs. Somebody, Mrs. Somebody I'm reading this because the title is intriguing and Laytonwoman3rd (Linda) recommended it in March of 2010.

4. Tell us a little about the main character in the book you are reading. If it’s a book to which that doesn’t quite apply, just give us a general idea what it’s about.

This is a series of short stories about the troubled factory town of Lowell, Mass. Each short story seems to be connected in that one chapter will paint the picture of a young millworker who dreams of escape via finding a rich man to marry, from there on various characters from rich-poor struggle with their hopes and their demons.

5. Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on threads)?
No. This is the first read athon I've done and I don't want to put pressure on myself. If I only finish one-two books, I'm ok with that.

Hour 3 (10PM BST)

I've been reading: Persian Fire and Irish Fairy Tales
Books finished: 1
Pages read: 42 from Persian Fire and 26 from Irish Fairy Tales
Reading time: 90 minutes
Posting time: 10

Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 68
Total time read: 1hr 30 minutes
Total time posting: 25

Well I wasn't doing too well reading Persian Fire - I kept re-reading sentences and paragraphs so I picked up the collection of folk tales that I had nearly finished and read that instead.

This will be my last post of the night and I'll probably be reading A Place of Greater Safety which I started earlier today. I've also got a short story collection Mythangelus; a book of American Indian Myths and Legends to dip in and out of and a YA The Riddle of the Wren just in case.

I look forward to seeing what everyone else is reading, see you in the morning.

Good night to you in Wales!

I've been reading: Work Song by Ivan Doig
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 53
Reading time: 60 +/-
Posting time: (time spent writing updates and visiting threads and making a snack and putting in a load of laundry, etc.) 25 minutes

Total books read: 0
Total pages read: 53
Total time read: (in hours and minutes) 1 hour
Total time posting: (in hours and minutes) 25 mins

Am enjoying Work Song very much. Doig has a knack of capturing conversational cadences and I feel as if I am there in the small mining community populated by recent immigrants: Irish, Welsh, Italians, Norwegians and Sweds, and the Chinese. There's an atmosphere of tension due to early attempts at labor unions, the IWW is in town, etc. Will prove to be gripping, I predict.

G'night calm. Reporting in from hours 3 & 4 in NY...

I've been reading: A Voyage Long and Strange by Tony Horwitz
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 60
Reading time: 1 hour
Posting time: (time spent writing updates and visiting threads, in minutes) 10 mins

Total books read from: 2
Total books read: 0
Total pages read: 182
Total time read: (in hours and minutes) 2 1/2 hours
Total time posting: (in hours and minutes) 25 mins more or less

Picked up the Tony Horwitz book, again bypassing the library books and other stuff I should be reading. Sigh.

Just finished Mrs. Somebody, Somebody...Highly recommended!

Heading out for dinner and won't return until around 10:00 p.m. tonight when I plan to read many hours through the night.

Next up is a book purchased last year called Land of Milk and Honey by William Taylor, a story of a British war orphan arriving in New Zealand and used as slave labor for a farmer...depressing? maybe, but I want to learn more about WWII war orphans.

I've been reading: 4 books including The Rules of Civility by Amor Towles
Pages read: 43 (since 7 pm BST)

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First few hours Meme (after 11 pm BST):

1. Where are you reading from today?

My sitting room - I did all my reading so far between about 7 and 9 but then went to try and settle Conor to bed, rather a struggle tonight, I left him with his dad eventually and am plucking up the courage to go and see what's happened, as it's been very quiet, touch wood, for a while.

2. How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?

7 books which are my current reading pile - I expect to finish one and am wondering which of the 7 books in my read to review pile to replace it with. The most interesting looking one is Gillespie and I by Jane Harris, but it's rather huge, and although it is an ER book I have two other ER books that I've had longer.

3. What book did you start with, and why?

Mainly The Rules of Civility by Amor Towles, set in 1930s New York, because it's my main book of the moment - I usually read the top book in my current reading pile much faster than the others, so books work their way up the pile.

I've read from all the others - #2 is Edith Wharton, The Custom of the Country - I heard some of it on the radio last year and wanted to read it properly.

4. Tell us a little about the main character in the book you are reading. If it’s a book to which that doesn’t quite apply, just give us a general idea what it’s about.

The main character in The Rules of Civility is the first person narrator, Katey Kontent, the orphaned daughter of Russian immigrant parents, who works in a typing pool law firm. She and her best friend Evie meet the stylish Tinker, but is he all he seems.

The novel is set in 1930s Manhattan, and it's a great read although there are times when it doesn't quite ring true, and I've caught one howler which I've tried to email the publisher about, a reference to the death of Virginia Woolf (a suicide) at least 3 years before it happened. This is not in any way a plot spoiler or I wouldn't mention it.

5. Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on threads)?

No particular reading goals - would like to get another review written.

6. If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, do you have any advice for people doing this for the first time?

Have fun, do it your way and don't worry about it being different from other people's.

HOUR 5 (7:00 pm EST)

I've been reading: To Siberia by Per Petterson
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 18 (pp 31-48 of To Siberia)
Reading time: 20 min
Posting time: 30 min

Total books read: 0
Total pages read: 44 pp
Total time read: 0 hr 45 min
Total time posting: 1 hr 0 min

Comments: I'm enjoying To Siberia, the first Petterson book I've read. I've had a good nap and caught up with LT threads, so I'm ready to dive into this book.

I've been reading: Back to The Crow Trap by Ann Cleeves
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 96
Reading time: 1 hour
Posting time: (time spent writing updates and visiting threads, in minutes) 5 mins

Total books read from: 2
Total books read: 0
Total pages read: 278
Total time read: (in hours and minutes) 3 1/2 hours
Total time posting: (in hours and minutes) 30 mins more or less

Had something to eat, but realized I will have to venture out to schlep my laundry to the laundromat (they do it; I have to schlep, which is a major ordeal) and stock up on essentials at Walgreens (drugstore/general store).

Hour 5 (7:00 PM)--just getting started

I've been reading: The Memory of Love (a little bit on the bus) and an audiobook of Oliver Twist
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 33
Reading time: 100 min
Posting time: 15 min

Total books read: 0
Total pages read: 33
Total time read: 100 min
Total time posting: 15 min

First Hour Meme (3:00 EST):

1. Where are you reading from today? So far, I'm not reading much! I squeezed in a bit of reading on the bus earlier this afternoon, then listened in the kitchen while doing chores. I will probably settle in and read in my living room for a bit.

2. How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours? Too many, and I'm not sure which ones I'll read. The Memory of Love, Oliver Twist audiobook, and The Breaking of Nations (for the Orwell Prize challenge) are all in progress. I may start Visitation or On the Road, or a little bit of Maus. I may also read parts of Moving Violations or The Shock Doctrine, two books that I'm in the middle of and reading a bit at a time.

4. Tell us a little about the main character in the book you are reading. Since I'm not even sure I know who the main character in The Memory of Love is going to be yet, I'll go with Oliver. Oliver is a poor orphan with a mysterious history and a long string of bad luck, who is in training to be a thief in the streets of London--except he is basically a good boy and resists becoming a thief. I am about halfway through, and have entered into territory that was not part of the musical.

5. Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on threads)? I'd just like to settle in and get some reading done, though I always like to finish something, even if it's short.

6. If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, do you have any advice for people doing this for the first time? Don't obsess about reading time/reading progress. Take a little time to engage with what other people are reading--it makes it more fun.

I've been reading: Work Song by Ivan Doig
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 53 + 80
Reading time: 60 +/- + 95 min =
Posting time: (time spent writing updates and visiting threads and making a snack and putting in a load of laundry, etc.) 25 minutes + 10 miutes

Total books read: 0
Total pages read: 133
Total time read: (in hours and minutes) 2 hours 35 min.
Total time posting: (in hours and minutes) 35mins

Am enjoying Work Song very much.

My last snack was steamed aspargus with a mayo/mustard dipping sauce. Mmmmmm

I've been reading: The Crow Trap by Ann Cleeves
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 98
Reading time: 55
Posting time: (time spent writing updates and visiting threads, in minutes) 5

Total books read from: 2
Total books read: 0
Total pages read: 376
Total time read: (in hours and minutes) 4 hrs 25 mins
Total time posting: (in hours and minutes) 35 mins?

off to do the errands now; will post again in 2 hours instead of 1.

HOUR 6 (8:00 pm EST)

I've been reading: To Siberia by Per Petterson
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 34 (pp 49-83 of To Siberia)
Reading time: 30 min
Posting time: 10 min

Total books read: 0
Total pages read: 78 pp
Total time read: 1 hr 15 min
Total time posting: 1 hr 10 min

Comments: I've had dinner, and I'm enjoying a mug of coffee. To Siberia continues to be a good read.

End of Hour 6 (8:00 EST)

I've been reading: The Sister: A Novel of Emily Dickinson by Paola Kaufmann
Books finished: See above--DONE
Pages read: 145
Reading time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Posting time: 10 minutes

Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 163
Total time read: 2 hours 5 minutes
Total time posting: 45 minutes

The Menu: I had a cappucino light and a scone at Starbuck's while reading. Now that I'm back home (with a grocery run on the way), I'll be making a chili recipe I saw on one of Rachael Ray's shows this afternoon. She drives me nuts, but every once in awhile she comes up with something that looks good.

I'm kind of glad to be done with The Sister. I have read a lot of novels and nonfiction books about Dickinson, so the last quarter, about Vinnie's suit against Mabel Loomis Todd, was old hat. Not sure what I will pick up next.

So . . . how has everyone been doing? Are you distracted by the sunny weather? (Not here, but the weeds are still calling.)

First Hour Meme (3:00 EST):

Just returned from a baby shower and checking in for the first time. It's 8:30pm EST here.

1. Where are you reading from today? My son's yellow bean bag chair in the family room.

2. How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours? I'm only going to concentrate on two A Forest of Kings and The Three Musketeers

4. Tell us a little about the main character in the book you are reading. In the book I'm reading right now there are really no main characters other than the ancient Maya kings that are mentioned.

5. Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon (i.e. number of books, number of pages, number of hours, or number of comments on threads)? No goals in particular I just want to read for a long period of time uninterrupted.

6. If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, do you have any advice for people doing this for the first time? Relax, don't stress about how much you read just enjoy what you read.

HOUR 7 (9:00 pm EST)

I've been reading: To Siberia by Per Petterson
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 38 (pp 84-121 of To Siberia)
Reading time: 35 min
Posting time: 10 min

Total books read: 0
Total pages read: 116 pp
Total time read: 1 hr 50 min
Total time posting: 1 hr 20 min

Comments: I'm halfway through To Siberia, and I should finish it around midnight EST.

I've been reading: Work Song by Ivan Doig
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 46
Reading time: 1 hr 20 min
Posting time: (time spent writing updates and visiting threads and feeding the dogs, patrolling the yard for doggie do-do) 20 min

Total books read: 0
Total pages read: 180
Total time read: (in hours and minutes) 4 hours.
Total time posting: (in hours and minutes) 55 mins

Am enjoying Work Song very much.

I think I'll probably keep at it tonight until I've finished Work Song. That'll be a fine accomplishment. Fresh start tomorrow morning.

Hello! I'm jumping in on the readathon! Hope you don't mind. :) I'm starting in 10min so 9:30pm est.

I'm reading Matched by Allie Condie. :) Not sure what I'll start next.

Kate

8:30pm to 9:30pm EST

I've been reading: A forst of kings - Linda Schele and David Freidel
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 15
Reading time: 1 hr
Posting time: 5 minutes

Total books read: 0
Total pages read: 15
Total time read: (in hours and minutes) 1 hour.
Total time posting: (in hours and minutes) 5 mins

Menu: Graham Crackers and Milk

HOUR 8 (10:00 pm EST)

I've been reading: To Siberia by Per Petterson
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 66 (pp 122-187 of To Siberia)
Reading time: 40 min
Posting time: 10 min

Total books read: 0
Total pages read: 182 pp
Total time read: 2 hr 30 min
Total time posting: 1 hr 30 min

Comments: I have less than 60 pages to go in To Siberia. So far it's been a good but not great read.

39> Glad to have you joining us!

I'm not posting an update because I have been busy housecleaning and cooking since I got home. But I'm about to sit down to a new book.

Darryl, I have been looking at the Petterson for awhile but am holding out. I have SO many TBRs here that it's embarrassing when company comes over. If you end up being ecstatic about it, I will give it ago; otherwise, it will go on my "maybe later" list.

Hour 1

I've been reading: Matched by Allie Condie
Books Finished: 0
Pages Read: 231-276
Reading Time: 50 minutes
Posting Time: 10 minutes

I've been reading: Work Song by Ivan Doig
Books finished: 1
Pages read: 94
Reading time: 1 hr 25 min
Posting time: I don't know, I get lost reading threads in LT

Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 227
Total time read: (in hours and minutes) 4 hours 10 min.
Total time posting: (in hours and minutes) indeterminate
Enjoyed Work Song very much. Great characters, a very evocative setting and plot, definitely felt like "olden days" in Montana. Sweet ending, but it did feel a little convenient.

Did relatively well staying on my Weight Watchers program. It is hard when I read all day as I feel like eating and drinking right along with the reading.

ETA: I am finished with keeping track of the reading for the night. I'll watch a little TV, and read a little George R.R. before I go to sleep. Catch you tomorrow.

End of Hour 9

I'm still where I was at Hour 8. It took a lot of time to chop up all the veggies for the chili, but it smells awesome! I'm off to start my new book and get in a bit of reading before posting the 12 Hour Meme and heading for bed.

from 8 pm Eastern to 11 pm Eastern (hours 7-9?)

I've been reading: The Crow Trap by Ann Cleeves & "Tragedy in Crimson" by Tim Johnson (no touchstone)
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 126 pages of the former, 16 pages of the latter; 142 pages total
Reading time: 85 mins?
Posting time: (time spent writing updates and visiting threads, in minutes): 5

Total books read from: 3
Total books read: 0
Total pages read: 519
Total time read: (in hours and minutes) 5 hrs 50 mins
Total time posting: (in hours and minutes): 40 mins

Did my errands, so I'm feeling marginally productive. Came back from Walgreen's with some overpriced milk, some deep discount diet Pepsi and a small bag of SmartFood white cheddar popcorn, which I've noshed on.

HOUR 9 (11:00 pm EST)

I've been reading: To Siberia by Per Petterson
Books finished: 1
Pages read: 58 (pp 188-245 of To Siberia)
Reading time: 40 min
Posting time: 20 min

Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 240 pp
Total time read: 3 hr 10 min
Total time posting: 1 hr 50 min

Comments: I finished To Siberia, which was a disappointing read. I'd give it 3 stars, so I wouldn't recommend it to you, Deborah. It was an interesting but very slight story, particularly in comparison to the book I finished this morning, Visitation by Jenny Erpenbeck, which was excellent.

I'll take a break for the next hour or so, before I start my next book. I had originally planned to read Open City, but I may decide to read another Kindle book first, maybe The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta by Mario Vargas Llosa.

Hour 10 (to midnight, EST)

I've been reading: "Tragedy in Crimson" and The Crow Trap
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 45 in the former; 22 of the later; 67 total
Reading time: 55
Posting time: (time spent writing updates and visiting threads, in minutes) 5

Total books read from: 3
Total books read: 0
Total pages read: 586
Total time read: (in hours and minutes) 6 hrs 45 mins
Total time posting: (in hours and minutes) 40 mins

Bummer about To Siberia; I had wondered whether that might prove interesting. I struggled with the first two segments of Visitation and put it down, but may try again before the weekend is out.

I'm feeling like something resembling dinner (eating, I mean; not that I feel like a dinner dish) but may settle for something very basic like baked beans on toast. *eyes roll* Sadly, no sausages around.

Hour 11 (1 am)

I've been reading: The Memory of Love, and aloud to kids: Mr. Popper's Penguins, Winnie-the Pooh, The Swiss Family Robinson
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 51
Reading time: 85 min
Posting time: 5 min

Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 84
Total time read: 185 min
Total time posting: 20 min

Not getting much reading done, still, and now I am going to bed.

HOUR 11 (1:00 am EST)

I've been reading: The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta by Mario Vargas Llosa
Books finished in the past hour: 0
Pages read: 25 (pp 1-25 of The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta)
Reading time: 30 min
Posting time: 20 min

Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 265 pp
Total time read: 3 hr 40 min
Total time posting: 2 hr 10 min

Comments: The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta is a refreshing change from To Siberia!

I'm getting pretty sleepy, so I think I'll take a nap for a couple of hours, and resume reading at 3-4 am, or so.

Suz, I had toast and tea at midnight; no beans or sausage, though.

Anne, I'm curious to know what you think of The Memory of Love.

Hour 12 (1:00 a.m. EST)

I've been reading: Sir Philip Sidney: A Double Life by Alan Stewart
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 11
Reading time: 15
Posting time: 10

Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 174
Total time read: 2 hours 20 minutes)
Total time posting: 55 minutes

I'm a little late on this one; fell asleep in the chair, I'm afraid.

12 Hour Meme

1. What are the titles of the books you have read so far? The Sister: A Novel of Emily Dickinson; Sir Philip Sidney: A Double Life
2. In what place and time period is the book you’re now reading set? (If not fiction, history, biography, or something else where the place and time are important, what’s the subject matter?) Late 16th century England.
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-Thon? Looking forward to getting further into the Sidney bio.
4. If you could tell a character or person in your book one thing, what would it be? "Whatever happens, don't take off your thigh armor!"
5. What have you been doing during breaks? Shopping, cooking, house cleaning, sleeping.
6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-Thon, so far? Well, it always surprises me how easily I am distracted.
7. Do you have any tips for other readers, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered? I probably should have gotten more sleep last night or taken a nap this afternoon.

I'm signing off for now but will be back tomorrow morning. Carry on!

Well, yuck, my beans and toast turned into beans and hash browns. Of course, removing a container of soured milk from the fridge, I ended up spilling it all over the floor and spending 45 mins trying to mop & clean. Then the hash browns had ended up freezer burned. Which left me with the beans, which didn't taste good solo. Beans, and a can of peach slices (half of it, light syrup; couldn't find much fresh fruit locally today.) Gah.

Hours 11 & 12:
I've been reading: The Crow Trap and "Tragedy in Crimson", about Tibet & China
Books finished: 1
Pages read: 75 in the former, 18 in the latter; total 93
Reading time: 45 mins
Posting time: (time spent writing updates and visiting threads, in minutes) 5

Total books read from: 3
Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 679
Total time read: (in hours and minutes): 7 hours, 30 mins
Total time posting: (in hours and minutes) 45 mins

Finished The Crow Trap; a "thumping good read" of a mystery novel that kept me engrossed from the first to last pages. Have dipped into A Voyage Long and Strange, but would like to finish this book about Tibet, in part because the author/narrator is a deeply irritating writer who rambles about and has no structure to the book. However, the subject is deeply interesting -- not just Tibet, but China's role vs. minorities; comparisons implied to other "stateless" national groups (Kurds, etc.)

I loved The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta, Darryl, and remember it vividly even though it's been about 25 years since I read it. It amazes me it isn't one of MVL's better known works.

I've been reading: "Tragedy in Crimson", about Tibet & China
Books finished: (this hour) 0
Pages read: 26
Reading time: 30 mins
Posting time: (time spent writing updates and visiting threads, in minutes) 30

Total books read from: 3
Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 705
Total time read: (in hours and minutes): 8 hours
Total time posting: (in hours and minutes) 1 hour, 15 mins

There's a crazy man outside my house, muttering and yelling at me through the windows, so I think my books & I shall retreat upstairs, where I'm less visible and the noise will be less annoying.

Heavens, maybe I'm the only one still reading??

Hour #14

I've been reading: My Korean Deli by Ben Ryder Howe
Books finished this hour: 0
Pages read: 39
Reading time: 30 mins
Posting time: (time spent writing updates and visiting threads, in minutes) 10

Total books read from: 4
Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 744
Total time read: (in hours and minutes): 8 hours
Total time posting: (in hours and minutes) 55 mins

I realized I have to power through this book, because the deli in question is only a few blocks from where I live and I've been in it (although there are about eight delis closer to me, it's on my way home from my former gym, from Brooklyn Heights (home to movie theater & Barnes & Noble) and Court St. stores. I think I bought supplies there for refreshments while we were packing up donations for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts at a school a block away. Go figure...

Suzanne I'm back, so you are not the only person reading:)

I managed to read for less than an hour in bed last night and just over an hour in bed (with a pot of coffee and a pair of snuggle cats this morning)

Hour 4(ish) (10.30 - 11.30)

I've been reading: A Place of Greater Safety and Mythangelus

Books finished: 0
Pages read: 25 from A Place of Greater Safety and 15 from Mythangelus. Total 40 pages
Reading time: 45 minutes
Posting time: 0

Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 108
Total time read: 2 hours 15 minutes
Total time posting: 25

Hour 13 - 15 (7 - 9 AM BST)

I've been reading: A Place of Greater Safety; Mythangelus and American Indian Myths and Legends
Books finished: 0
Pages read: A Place of Greater Safety - 30
Mythangelus - 44
American Indian Myths and Legends - 14
Total pages - 88
Reading time: 80 minutes
Posting time: 15

Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 196
Total time read: 3 hours 35 minutes
Total time posting: 40 minutes

Well I had a good nights sleep and am back reading. I think next up is some of Persian Fire. In between chapters of that I'll be reading a short story or one or two of the myths and legends. I think the Mantel is better as my "in bed" book as it is a bit of a chunkster and I find it easier to hold a book there.

Cats are fed, watered and cuddled. Breakfast has been eaten. I'll just check out what has been happening on LT overnight and then I'll dive back into the books.

See you later.

HOUR 15 (5:00 am EST)

I've been reading: The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta by Mario Vargas Llosa
Books finished in the past hour: 0
Pages read: 32 (pp 26-57 of The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta)
Reading time: 40 min
Posting time: 0 min

Total books read from: 2
Total books completed: 1
Total pages read: 297 pp
Total time read: 4 hr 20 min
Total time posting: 2 hr 10 min

Comments: I napped from about 1:15 am to just after 4 am, and I'll try to stay awake until mid morning. The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta continues to be very good. I'll be pleased if I can get to or past page 160, which would be the halfway point of the book.

Suz, that snack is most unappetizing! And your "visitor" sounds unappealing and disturbing (although possibly entertaining if there is enough security between you and him). I'm curious to get your take on My Korean Deli ; it sounded interesting when I first heard about it on NPR, but someone here or on Club Read didn't like it.

I want to read 233267::A Place of Greater Safety this summer, so I'm interested to get your take on it, calm. Suz, you've read it, right?

ETA: My page count for The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta is an approximation, as I'm reading the Kindle version, and this book doesn't have page numbers. I'm using the Kindle Page Numbers Tool to get an approximate page location; I'm 17% done at the moment.

I headed off to watch (and drool over) Rufus Sewell play Aurelio Zen in a DVD I acquired from the UK... Happily, the monsoon-like rains returned and drove away the loonie-tune, who was separated from me by an 8 1/2 foot high set of railings (scaleable only by the sane and determined), one wooden door easily capable of being broken down, and a set of window bars that only a direct nuclear strike could take out. Oh, and one attack cat.

I'll read for another hour or so, then snooze a bit with one of the resident snuggle cats (she will probably try to use me as a body pillow), get up and read some more! And don't worry -- my dessert is a tapioca/coconut pudding, which is actually delish. I'll eat it now so that I limit the risk of waking up with a migraine. And I'll go out for a late brunch when the readathon wraps up.

Yes, I have read A Place of Greater Safety; I really liked it. It was a more straightforward book than Wolf Hall but I thought it was just as good. Of course, I'm a historical fiction buff, and this was quality HF, in my opinion -- a phenom that is all too rare...

Hour 16: Final report before early morning naptime

I've been reading: Blood Count by Robert Goddard
Books finished this hour: 0
Pages read: 56 pages
Reading time: 30
Posting time: (time spent writing updates and visiting threads, in minutes) 10

Total books read from: 5
Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 800
Total time read: (in hours and minutes): 8 hours
Total time posting: (in hours and minutes) 1 hr 5 mins

HOUR 16 (6:00 am EST)

I've been reading: The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta by Mario Vargas Llosa
Books finished in the past hour: 0
Pages read: 15 (pp 58-72 of The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta)
Reading time: 20 min
Posting time: 30 min

Total books read from: 2
Total books completed: 1
Total pages read: 312 pp
Total time read: 4 hr 40 min
Total time posting: 2 hr 40 min

Comments: I didn't read as much as I would have liked to in the past hour. I'll read for the next hour, and then go to Einstein Brothers for a breakfast wrap and my local supermarket (Publix) for groceries and the Sunday Atlanta Journal-Constitution (I've already received today's New York Times on my doorstep). I'll flip through the NYT Sunday Book Review in a moment.

Suz, I'm guessing you're getting the heavy rain that somehow missed us; the cold front went through yesterday afternoon, but the rain passed to our south. After a week of summer like weather with high temperatures of 85-90 degrees it will only reach 68 degrees today. I wish I didn't have to work tonight, as I would definitely spend the day outside.

Is there any way to secure your front door any better?

I'm not fond of tapioca or coconut, but that combination sounds infinitely better than beans and peaches!

I thought that you had read (and liked) A Place of Greater Safety.

I forgot about the 12 Hour Meme; I'll complete it during the 8 am EST hour.

Hour 16 (10 - 11 BST)

I've been reading: Persian Fire
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 49
Reading time: 55
Posting time: 5

Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 251
Total time read: 4 hours 30 minutes
Total time posting: 45

Darryl - I'm liking A Place of Greater Safety, I'm still near the beginning and being introduced to the characters and their early lives, though signs of revolution are looming. It looks like it's going to be a great read.

Enjoy your break Suzanne and that desert sounds delicious. I hope it makes up for the earlier stuff.

Oops - missed the 12 hour meme. Here goes.

12 Hour Meme

1. What are the titles of the books you have read so far? Persian Fire; Irish Fairy Tales; A Place of Greater Safety; Mythangelus and American Indian Myths and Legends

2. In what place and time period is the book you’re now reading set? I'm in the 6th Century BC, I've been in Persia, Babylon and Sparta and am just about to visit Athens.

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-Thon? Looking forward to reading more of Persian Fire and I'm really liking the stories in Mythangelus, also dipping into more American Indian myths and legends. In other words all the books I've got lined up for the rest of the readathon

4. If you could tell a character or person in your book one thing, what would it be? I can't think of an answer to this one!

5. What have you been doing during breaks? Sleeping, eating, cuddling cats, visiting threads.

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-Thon, so far? How tired I was yesterday, I normally manage to read more in the evenings and at bedtime. Though maybe that Dr Who episode had something to do with it:) The best of this series!

7. Do you have any tips for other readers, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered? Nothing really new, just take breaks when you need them; the two bookmarks for page counting and having non messy finger food ready if you want to read and eat at the same time:)

edit - to fix bold:)

HOUR 17 (7:00 am EST)

I've been reading: The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta by Mario Vargas Llosa
Books finished in the past hour: 0
Pages read: 29 (pp 73-101 of The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta)
Reading time: 30 min
Posting time: 20 min

Total books read from: 2
Total books completed: 1
Total pages read: 341 pp
Total time read: 5 hr 10 min
Total time posting: 3 hr 0 min

Comments: I'll head out now to get breakfast and groceries, and check back in at 8 am EST. I've gotten very sleepy in the past hour, so I may go back to sleep after breakfast.

I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying A Place of Greater Safety, calm.

Hour 17 - 19 (11 - 1 BST)

I've been reading: Persian Fire and Mythangelus
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 47
Reading time: 50
Posting time: 25 Including the 20 mins it took me to do the meme

Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 298
Total time read: 5 hours 20 minutes
Total time posting: 70 minutes

Well not much reading in the last couple of hours and I now feel in need of a break. So I'm going to get something to eat, see if there is anything interesting on TV, check out Sundays on the Acre and some other LT threads.

I'll return to the books in an hour or so.

See you later.

9:30 to 11:30pm EST Saturday
5am to 8am EST Sunday

I've been reading: A Forest of Kings & The Three Musketeers
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 35 from Kings 15 from Musketeers
Reading time: 1 hr 35 minutes
Posting time: 5 minutes

Total books read from: 2
Total books read: 0
Total pages read: 65
Total time read: (in hours and minutes)2 hrs 35 mins
Total time posting: (in hours and minutes): 10 mins

Had a good nights sleep and am now making breakfast for the family.

I haven't read anything since 7 am EST, but I hope to get one or two more hours in before I take my pre-overnight call snooze.

12 Hour Meme

1. What are the titles of the books you have read so far?
To Siberia by Per Petterson (completed), and The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta by Mario Vargas Llosa (roughly one-third completed).

2. In what place and time period is the book you’re now reading set? (If not fiction, history, biography, or something else where the place and time are important, what’s the subject matter?)
The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta is set in late 20th century Lima, the capital of Peru, and is mainly based on historical events that led up to and followed a leftist insurrection in 1962.

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-Thon?
Unless I decide to pick up something else, it will be The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta.

4. If you could tell a character or person in your book one thing, what would it be?
Hmm...I'd probably tell him to avoid visiting the nuns in their covent in a bad neighborhood in Lima, where his car was broken into.

5. What have you been doing during breaks?
I slept, ate dinner and a snack last night and early this morning, went out a couple of hours ago to a bagel chain for breakfast and for groceries at a local supermarket, and mainly read and posted on LT threads.

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-Thon, so far?
Nothing that I can think of has been a surprise to me.

7. Do you have any tips for other readers, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered?
I've used Visine eye drops twice during the Read-a-Thon, which has been helpful.

Good morning, everyone! I've been awake for about an hour and a half, fed the dogs, read some threads, watched a Dr Who episode finish and am now sort of listening to a Biography episode about Jodie Foster, who I definitely love. Very talented lady. that one.

12 Hour Meme

1. What are the titles of the books you have read so far?
Work Song by Ivan Doig
2. In what place and time period is the book you’re now reading set? (If not fiction, history, biography, or something else where the place and time are important, what’s the subject matter?) Post World War I in Montana, a mining community
3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-Thon? I think I will spend the next bit of reading in A Clash of Swords. I have no reason to read this one...no group read, no book group, I just want to... although I may pick up Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption or In the Company of Crows and Ravens. The latter has been sitting on my TBR pile for way too long and I really want to read it.

4. If you could tell a character or person in your book one thing, what would it be? This is too hard to answer right now.
5. What have you been doing during breaks? Eating, cleaning kitchen, or picking up poo in the back yard, watching a little TV, or posting on my Weight Watchers site what I've been eating.
6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-Thon, so far? How much it is hard for me to stick with reading for the majority of a day. I always think of other things I wanted to get done...
7. Do you have any tips for other readers, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered? Keep a notebook and pen right at your side so it is easy to note hours and pages finished.
I'm going to continue reading threads, and posting for a while, then watch Sunday Morning on TV, and then get down to reading for a couple of hours. That's All, Folks!

Hour 19 (9 am)

I've been reading: The Breaking of Nations
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 47
Reading time: 60 min
Posting time: 5 min

Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 131
Total time read: 248 min
Total time posting: 25 min

I got up early to read but have not been able to keep myself from dozing, so I am still not getting much read. I guess I am suffering the consequences of waiting up for my daughter to get home from prom Friday night.

Now drinking coffee to perk up.

My book is interesting, though--about the emerging international political order, a change of pace from anything I've read recently.

Darryl, I am enjoying The Memory of Love quite a lot although I've yet to have a good feel for the direction of the story--more quiet flow and unfolding so far. Beautiful writing. I had noticed your 5 star recommendation and that helped to pull it to the top of my list (though I'm still hoping to get through the whole Orange short list by June).

Last night I finished here Land of Milk and Honey



Approximately 750 children from war-torn Britain were sent to New Zealand. History shows many of these children suffered like Jake Neill.

This is a disturbing book regarding Jake's treatment at the hands of the Pearson family who used him like a slave, beat him and verbally and physically abused him.

It was difficult to read this book, but it was very well written and compelling.

I'm currently reading a National Book Award winner What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell

HOUR 18 (10:00 am EST)

I've been reading: The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta by Mario Vargas Llosa
Books finished in the past hour: 0
Pages read: 23 (pp 102-122 of The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta)
Reading time: 25 min
Posting time: 20 min

Total books read from: 2
Total books completed: 1
Total pages read: 364 pp
Total time read: 5 hr 35 min
Total time posting: 3 hr 20 min

Comments: That's it for me, I think, as I can barely keep my eyes open. It's possible that I might wake up before 2 pm, but I doubt it. Thanks for hosting this Read-a-Thon, Deborah!

Thanks for the update, Anne. Luci (elkiedee) also posted her 5 star review of The Memory of Love on her thread last night. How many of the other shortlisted books have you read? And which is your favorite so far?

Hour 19 - 21 (1 - 3 BST)

I've been reading: Persian Fire
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 27
Reading time: 30
Posting time: 5 minutes

Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 325
Total time read: 5 hours 50 minutes
Total time posting: 75 minutes

I had a long break from the books but did manage to finish the chapter on Athens in Persian Fire. Time for a short story or two and to see how much more reading I can do before the end of the Readathon.

If I don't get back before the finish, I too want to thank Deborah for doing the fine job of hosting us. Fun, as always!

Yes, Deborah, many thanks for all your time and effort. It was my first read-a-thon and I enjoyed it!

Good morning, everyone. Well, I guess I really was tired as I slept in until almost 10:00. That's what happens after a week-long grading marathon. Just a few more hours to go!

End of Hour 20

I've been reading: Jamrach's Menagerie. This one just happened to be on the nightstand when I went to bed.
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 12
Reading time: 15
Posting time: 10

Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 186
Total time read: 2 hours 35 minutes
Total time posting: 1 hours 5 minutes

I think I'm going to switch to a little "how to" book that I'm halfway through. I'll feel more of a sense of accomplishment having finished two books, despite my woefully low page count.

You can add me to the list of those waiting to read A Place of Greater Safety. It has been on my TBR pile for several years.

Darryl, the eye drops are a good idea!

Add kitty cuddling to my list of distractions as well. When Rafe wants to sit on my lap and get lovies, there's no doing anything else (he weighs 14 pounds).

I'm going to try to check in at 12 and 1 as well as to post the Last Hour Meme at 2:00.

Hour 21 (11 am)

I've been reading: The Memory of Love
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 30
Reading time: 50 min
Posting time: 5 min

Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 161
Total time read: 298 min
Total time posting: 30 min

12 Hour Meme

1. What are the titles of the books you have read so far?
The Memory of Love, Oliver Twist, The Breaking of Nations, and read-alouds Mr. Popper's Penguins (finished), Winnie-the-Pooh (started), and The Swiss Family Robinson.

2. In what place and time period is the book you’re now reading set? Sierra Leone before, during, and after the civil war in the 1990s

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-Thon?
I will most likely keep reading The Memory of Love alternating with my Oliver Twist audiobook.

4. If you could tell a character or person in your book one thing, what would it be?
I don't know. Since The Memory of Love is told in both the present and the past, the characters know far more than I do about what happened there. But I'd like to be able to warn their past selves about impending disaster.

5. What have you been doing during breaks?
Oh, this Readathon has been more breaks than reading. I went to my daughter's soccer game, ordered and ate Thai food, watched Pride and Prejudice with the kids, and nodded off a lot.

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-Thon, so far?
How tired I am.

7. Do you have any tips for other readers, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered?
No tips from me--maybe I need some tips!

End of Hour 22

I've been reading: Writing Historical Fiction by Rhona Martin..
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 15
Reading time: 30
Posting time: 10

Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 201
Total time read: 3 hours 5 minutes
Total time posting: 1 hours 15 minutes

I tried to post at noon but my server was apparently down.

The Menu: Kahlua-flavored decaf coffee, a glass of tomato juice, and a piece of whole grain toast with cheddar.

The End-of-Event Meme (Hour 48)

1. How many books did you read? 1 completed, parts of three others.
2. Which book did you enjoy most? Writing Historical Fiction.
3. Which did you enjoy least? I enjoyed them all, although the ending of The Sister was a bit dull.
4. What was your biggest distraction? Being tired and needing to clean house.
5. Do you plan to keep on reading after 2:00 p.m.? Yes--making up for lost time!
6. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the next read-a-thon? No.
7. How likely are you to participate in another read-a-thon? Very!

Thanks to all who participated this time around!

I've been reading: The Clash of Swords by George R.R. Martin
Books finished: 1
Pages read: 39
Reading time: 60 minutes
Posting time: 10

I don't want to take the time to figure out totals right now. I've been eating breakfast, watching TV, reading threads, and just now teaching the 9 year old next door how to train a dog. Unfortunately, Greta Garbo is well trained so it looks way easier than it is. So that was an hour and 5 minute break. Back to reading now: The Clash of Swords Looking forward to the TV episode tonight.

I've been reading: American Indian Myths and Legends and Mythangelus
Books finished: 0
Pages read: 31
Reading time: maybe 30 minutes or so (not much reading in the last few hours)
Posting time: 15 minutes

Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 356
Total time read: 6 hours 20 minutes
Total time posting: 90 minutes

The End-of-Event Meme

1. How many books did you read? 1 completed (started before the readathon) , parts of four others.

2. Which book did you enjoy most? It's hard to say as they were all very different and mostly enjoyable. If I had to make a choice I would probably say Mythangelus a short story collection by Storm Constantine. I'm enjoying the stories and it seems like a good choice for a readathon. I also think A Place of Greater Safety is going to be very good and Persian Fire is very readable and informative.

3. Which did you enjoy least? Probably Irish Fairy Tales by Padraic O'Farrell as I didn't like all the tales.

4. What was your biggest distraction? Being tired; a lap cat who kept head butting and trying to drool on my book (she thought she was being ignored) and some pain.

5. Do you plan to keep on reading after 2:00 p.m.? Well it's gone 7.00 p.m. here but I will be reading more later tonight when I go to bed.

6. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the next read-a-thon? No.

7. How likely are you to participate in another read-a-thon? Very!

Thanks for hosting Deborah!

The End-of-Event Meme (Hour 48)

1. How many books did you read?
Two; I finished To Siberia by Per Petterson, and read the first 1/3 of The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta by Mario Vargas Llosa

2. Which book did you enjoy most?
The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta

3. Which did you enjoy least?
To Siberia

4. What was your biggest distraction?
Following posts and battling sleep, as I was staying awake artifically, not for the Read-a-Thon, but for my overnight hospital call (8 pm to 8 am).

5. Do you plan to keep on reading after 2:00 p.m.?
I hope so! I have to start getting ready for work at ~6 pm, so I might get some reading done over the next 3 hours (although I may go back to sleep shortly). If I have a quiet call night I'll be able to get some reading done; I finished one book on each of my call nights last weekend, so I might be able to finish The Real Life of Alejandro Mayta by tomorrow morning.

6. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the next read-a-thon?
No.

7. How likely are you to participate in another read-a-thon?
100%; I'm a huge fan of Read-a-Thons, as I get more reading done in these 24 hour periods than other days that I predominantly spend reading. I finished 364 pages during this Read-a-Thon, on a day that I struggled to focus on my reading, which is excellent for me. I especially enjoyed the conversations during this Read-a-Thon, especially during the late night and early morning hours.

Thanks again to Deborah and all of the participants!

The Final Report!

I've been reading: My Korean Deli, by Ben Ryder Howe
Books finished the last 2 hours: 0
Pages read: 145
Reading time: 1 hr, 40 mins
Posting time: (time spent writing updates and visiting threads, in minutes) 5

Total books read from: 5
Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 945
Total time read: (in hours and minutes): 9 hours, 10 mins
Total time posting: (in hours and minutes) 1 hour?

Wow, if I had focused my efforts, I might have finished a second book! I read one chunkster mystery cover to cover, dipped into A Voyage Long and Strange by Tony Horwitz, tried to make some headway in an interesting but poorly structured and indifferently-written book about Tibet and China and finally settled down with a new novel by one of my long time faves, Robert Goddard, and the book by a Paris Review editor about buying a deli (a few blocks from chez moi) with his Korean in-laws. I'll finish the latter today at some point, and probably read further in the Goddard and Tibet books. Though I also have Mr Chartwell demanding my attention, as well as a NetGalley book about to expire.

A day in the reading life...

Oooh, the classical radio station is about to play Holst's the Planets, so I must log off and listen.

Final Report

Well I did no reading since my last update so the final report is:

Total books read: 1
Total pages read: 161
Total time read: 298 min
Total time posting: 30 min

>69 kidzdoc: Darryl, I have so far read only Room and The Tiger's Wife. I enjoyed reading both of them, for entirely different reasons. Such very different books! I read Room with high expectations and a lot of hype, and I read The Tiger's Wife with almost no expectations, so they're hard to compare from that perspective also. I think I'd have to say that I wouldn't predict either of them winning the prize. We'll see. Meanwhile The Memory of Love is really drawing me in. I will have to look for Luci's review but maybe once I am finished.

The End-of-Event Meme

1. How many books did you read?
I read bits of The Memory of Love and The Breaking of Nations, and listened to multiple chapters of Oliver Twist. I also read a few books aloud with my kids: we finished Mr. Popper's Penguins during the Readathon and started Winnie-the-Pooh and The Swiss Family Robinson.

2. Which book did you enjoy most?
The Memory of Love
I also enjoyed reading the first chapter of Winnie-the-Pooh (about the bees and the honey tree).

3. Which did you enjoy least?
I've never read The Swiss Family Robinson and am wondering whether we will enjoy it or not.

4. What was your biggest distraction?
Sleepiness and my kids' needs and activities.

5. Do you plan to keep on reading after 2:00 p.m.?
Yes! I will probably get more reading done this afternoon and evening than I did over the last 24 hours.

6. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the next read-a-thon?
I have thoughts on how I could improve my focus, but not the read-a-thon itself.

7. How likely are you to participate in another read-a-thon?
Absolutely, I love read-a-thons. Even though I struggled with this one, I love the sense of reading along with others.

Thanks Deborah for hosting!

Sorry I missed this. I will have to remember to check the main 75 group more often.

Final Report

Total books read from: 8
Total pages read: 389 (I'm not quite sure of this since I'm not totally sure from my notes when I started or stopped)

The End-of-Event Meme

1. How many books did you read?

I finished Amor Towles, The Rules of Civility

I also read from

Edith Wharton, The Custom of the Country
introduced by Michael Palin, Ox Travels
E M Delafield, Consequences
Jacek Hugo-Bader, White Fever
ed Janine Armin and Nathaniel G Moore, Toronto Noir
Alexis Hall, Into the Red
Nadine Gordimer, Telling Times

2. Which book did you enjoy most?
Probably Consequences, although I'm also enjoying the first two, I've only read very small amounts of the others

3. Which did you enjoy least?
None that I'm not enjoying

4. What was your biggest distraction?
Kids - although we abandoned plans to go out because one of the boys wasn't feeling very well and they both went to sleep before we got to the local park (in lieu of going further afield as originally intended)

5. Do you plan to keep on reading after 2:00 p.m.?
I came back to reading after 10 pm, not much reading between 7 and 10 pm

6. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the next read-a-thon?
No!

7. How likely are you to participate in another read-a-thon?
Almost certain, on a drop in as and when basis