An Easter/Passover/April Readathon!

I just realized that I have a day off -- technically speaking -- on Friday. Why not, I mused, have a readathon??

So please join me here, starting at noon on Friday and continuing until midnight Sunday night. Drop in, or stay a while, just as you please.

Let me know who'll be participating, if you can, however!

me -- Chatterbox -- Suzanne in Brooklyn, NYC
cbl_tn -- Carrie, reading in Knoxville, TN
arubabookwoman -- Deborah, reading near Seattle, WA
Majkia -- Jean, reading in Niceville, Florida
Calm -- reading in Wales
Cushla -- reading in Wellington, NZ
jbd1 -- Jeremy, reading in Portland, Maine
ccookie -- reading in Toronto, Ontario
Thornton37814 -- Lori, reading in Tennessee
RebeccaNYC -- Rebecca, reading in New York
Marell -- Mary, reading in Los Angeles
lahochstetler -- Laurie, reading in W. Washington state
souloftherose -- Heather, reading in Hertfordshire, England

Great idea! I'll be out during the day on Friday and a few chores I need to complete on Saturday, but I'll have reading time in the evenings. Carrie in Knoxville, TN

Excellent! Welcome aboard, Carrie...

great!

I haven't done a read-a-thon in a while--I should be able to join in.
Deborah near Seattle

Jean, will you be joining us then?? Hope so!!

I think I'm free this weekend and will definitely be reading so I'm in:)

calm in Wales

I'm in for as long as I can manage - no school on Friday!

Cushla in wellington, New Zealand

Yes, I'll definitely be joining.

Jean in Niceville, FL

Hurrah! Three continents covered already, and the US from east to west, and top to bottom...

I'm in, at least for as much as I can! (Jeremy, Portland ME)

do we just have to read anytime or sign up for certain times? I'm interested from Toronto, Canada

Welcome aboard, Jeremy!

Ccookie, you can read as much or as little as you want, whenever you want, within that period -- just check back periodically and tell us what you've been reading and whether it's good, interesting or utter rubbish! Or share details of the chocolate rabbit whose ears you're nibbling on while you read, or... whatever! These readathons are a good way for whoever is interested and has a block of free time to sit down with some good books and share some details on what they are reading as they move along. A fab way to find ideas for new books, too, as my TBR mountain can testify!

Great! Count me in!

Excellent!!! Now we have folks from four countries and three continents. Love it.

*bumping this up to the top of the list again*

I'll be reading some. Although I have things to do most days, I'll still have some time to read so count me in.

Excellent, Lori -- welcome to what I hope will be a peaceful weekend of reading (although I also have a growing pile of work...)

Tomorrow (Friday) I'm going to be baking for Passover and then going to a Seder, but I would LOVE to have a lot of reading time on Saturday and Sunday and hope to join you (although I have a lot of chores . . . .). It's been a hectic week!

In all these years in NY, I have yet to go to a Seder! Amazing, really... Happy baking. Just spotted some rather appealing looking almond/lemon torte at my local bakery, kosher for Passover. yum yum.

OK, drooling over. Hope you can join us on the weekend & bring some baked goods along with you!!

It's Friday here now, so my long weekend has started! I'll wait for you to kick things off here Suz but hopefully I'll get some nice reading in today.

marell -- Mary in Los Angeles, CA

I'd better get to the library and stock up!

I'm in for some too!

Laurie reading in western Washington (state)

Ah - I see that my state isn't here. I forgot to add that. I'm in Tennessee.

Hurrah -- a good crowd lined up, so I'm going to have to be prepared to dodge book bullets!

Since it's already Friday, I thought I might as well get a template lined up. I'll post my own thoughts on the question sometime around the official launch of the readathon, at noon Eastern (North American) time. Feel free to kick off early if you like, although I will be working a bit in the morning. (Force majeure...)

Template: Feel free to use this, or not, or abuse it mercilessly. It's not intended to interfere with your reading, so don't feel you have to diligently log what you're doing every hour -- unless you want to. It's just intended to give your fellow readathoners a sense of what you're reading and what's going on in the background! Fill it out if you wish, and post it on this thread as you tell us how you're doing.

********

Hour/Hours: (eg noon to 2 p.m.)

Number of books read from in this period (and titles, if you want):
Number of books completed in this period:
Number of pages completed in this period:

Total number of books read from during readathon (and titles, if wished)
Total number of books completed:
Total number of pages to date:

A favorite book? Anything in what you are reading that has particularly caught your eye -- a phrase, anecdote, factoid or memorable sentence? Is there a book bullet you want to launch in our direction?

What's the background noise in your life right now? (What are you noshing on? What are your resident animals and fellow humans up to, or are they leaving you in peace and quiet? What's the weather? Did you burn the dinner while reading?)

**********

Starting "meme" -- although I admit I'm allergic to these, myself...

-- Do you have any particular plans, or are you going to read at random? Generally, do you like to plan your reading, or does serendipity rule?

-- How tall (or long) is your tallest/longest TBR stack/shelf in your home? Do you keep tabs on the number of unread books you have in your possession? Are there some kinds of books that seem doomed to linger, unread, for longer than others?

-- What are your other plans for the weekend? Holiday cooking? Visits with friends or family?

See you later on in the day...

I just noticed this thread. I'll be in too.
Kerry from Auckland (it's already Friday evening here but I'll be reading from tomorrow).

I'll be joining in too - Heather from Hertfordshire, England.

It's Friday morning here and I have an extravagantly lazy long weekend planned which will hopefully involve lots of reading.

I'll go ahead and post my starting meme since I won't be around for the official launch at noon. Sadly, even though I have the day off, I woke up at my usual hour.

-- Do you have any particular plans, or are you going to read at random? Generally, do you like to plan your reading, or does serendipity rule?
My TBR list for the weekend includes Things Fall Apart for a 12 in 12 Category Challenge group read, a NetGalley review copy of The Solitary House that I need to read before it expires, catching up on Don Quixote for the 12 in 12 year-long group read (I'm behind), and listening to Gentlemen of the Road (also for a 12 in 12 group read) while I work on some chores. Since I'm participating in several reading challenges, I've been planning my reading a month at a time for the last couple of years and I'm enjoying it more. Before I started planning my reading, I often had a difficult time picking my next read from my ridiculously large TBR stash.

-- How tall (or long) is your tallest/longest TBR stack/shelf in your home? Do you keep tabs on the number of unread books you have in your possession? Are there some kinds of books that seem doomed to linger, unread, for longer than others?
I have more unread books in my home than books I've read. Most of the time when I finish a book I'll either trade it at my local used bookstore or I'll donate it to a library. Years ago when my grandmother moved into assisted living, I inherited her custom-made book shelves. They fill an entire wall in my living room. I also inherited enough books to fill the shelves. I kept the ones I thought I would eventually read, but they're the ones that have lingered the longest in TBR limbo.

-- What are your other plans for the weekend? Holiday cooking? Visits with friends or family?
First thing on today's agenda is going to a friend's house to watch her llamas being sheared. Then I'm going shopping & out to lunch with a couple of friends. At some point we'll end up at our local used bookstore so I'll probably come home with a few more additions to my TBR stash. I'll need to make a grocery store run at some point to get ready for Sunday's church breakfast and my Easter dinner. I've already got the lamb chops. I just need to decide what to fix with them.

Our Easter sunrise service is usually held on a neighbor's riverside property at the end of my road. After the service, we have a carry-in breakfast at church. I always make baked cheese grits and I'm not sure I'd be allowed in the door without them!

I also won't be around for the official launch so I'll post my opening meme now:

-- Do you have any particular plans, or are you going to read at random? Generally, do you like to plan your reading, or does serendipity rule?

I'm in the midst of reading This Cold Heaven: Seven Seasons in Greenland for my Europe Endless Challenge and an ER book, The Little Red Guard. I hope to finish both of those. I think I can also finish The Quilter's Legacy, a fiction book by Jennifer Chiaverini and maybe even begin reading Gentlemen of the Road for our group read. However, serendipity rules on the fiction. I did receive my March ER book in the mail yesterday (The Boy Who Stole the Leopard's Spots) so I may decide to put that one in. Who knows?

-- How tall (or long) is your tallest/longest TBR stack/shelf in your home? Do you keep tabs on the number of unread books you have in your possession? Are there some kinds of books that seem doomed to linger, unread, for longer than others?

I don't have room on the shelves for TBR books, in general. Most of my TBRs are in numbered boxes (and I do have a listing of what is in each box). Most of the boxes are the ones that I get from the grocery store that held 4 gallons of milk originally and have handles. They stack well and are not too huge. There are two or three boxes that formerly held paper so those are the largest. TIOLI has played a big role in what gets read or what doesn't get read in the past. This year I have identified several books that I really want to get around to reading this year and have identified tentative months in which to read each. Of course, I sometimes shuffle the months around to fit what comes up in TIOLI, but at least I feel I'm making headway. Fewer trips to the used bookstores and more reliance on the library also means fewer TBRs around the house.

-- What are your other plans for the weekend? Holiday cooking? Visits with friends or family?

Since I have the day off, I'm heading into Knoxville ("the big city") today to do a little shopping and grab a bite to eat. I will be cooking lunch for myself on Sunday. I had thought I'd purchase lamb chops, but the grocery store didn't have them the other day. I haven't tried the other big chain to see if they have them or not. It's also possible that I'll find some in Knoxville. If that doesn't work out, I do have some ham although I'm planning to do country ham for breakfast that morning. I'll have church all morning on Sunday. I'm in the choir, and we're singing for both the early and later services this week. I also plan to do some more indexing on the 1940 census. I've been trying to do a couple of batches each evening since it's been released. I may be able to do a bit more over the weekend. It'll be a good break every once in awhile.

-- Do you have any particular plans, or are you going to read at random? Generally, do you like to plan your reading, or does serendipity rule?,

I am always reading a number of books at the same time and make a commitment to myself to read a certain number of pages each day from each book. (So I can complete each book by a certain date, either the end of the month for the Challenges OR the end of three weeks when my library books are due.)

So, for this weekend I will be reading from or listening to the following books. These are all books chosen for my April LT Challenges.

120 Days of Sodom by the Marquis de Sade
1984 by George Orwell (Audiobook)
Black Horses for the King by Anne McCaffrey (Kobo)
Daisy Miller by Henry James (Kobo)
The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz
The Fourth Deadly Sin by Lawrence Sanders
Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield (Kobo)
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table by Roger Lancelyn Green
Love in a Nutshell by Janet Evanovich (audiobook)
Straight by Dick Francis (Kobo)

And just because I loved Promise of the Wolves, today I am starting Secrets of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst

-- How tall (or long) is your tallest/longest TBR stack/shelf in your home? Do you keep tabs on the number of unread books you have in your possession? Are there some kinds of books that seem doomed to linger, unread, for longer than others?

I have over 900 books in my home and have read, maybe half of them! If that isn't a sign of a book addict I don't know what is! I just keep buying another bookshelf and another bookshelf and another bookshelf. (I don't have any more room for another bookshelf!)

Since becoming a member of LT I have added a bazillion more books TBR but they are in a LT Wishlist and not on my shelves. So, instead of adding to the literal TBR pile they are accumulating in cyberspace. And now that I have a Kobo e-reader and am giving away some books as I finish them, maybe I won't need to buy more bookshelves, hah!

-- What are your other plans for the weekend? Holiday cooking? Visits with friends or family?

Today, puttering around the house, tidying, cleaning, getting the table ready for Sunday. READING

Tomorrow, preparing some of the food, cooking the turkey etc. READING

Sunday, my kids (sons 24 and 29) and their partners and one of my dear friends are coming for Easter dinner. Can't wait. And maybe some more - wait for it now - READING.

Monday, taking it easy. REST and, of course, READING!

Argh, woke up with what feels like the very beginnings of a cold. Then had to do an interview with a very boring but talkative person for a story due next week...

So I'll job down some thoughts and then curl up underneath a blanket with a cat for an hour or so to try and chase this bug away...

-- Do you have any particular plans, or are you going to read at random? Generally, do you like to plan your reading, or does serendipity rule?

This time around I've decided to try to focus on reading galleys (ER, Amazon Vine and NetGalleys), some of which are about to expire on my computer, and some of which need to be read so I can keep making requests!!! Also a priority are reading some of the mountain of library books that I have. My library has very liberal renewals; as long as no one else puts a hold on a book, you can renew it for up to 99 periods of three weeks each.

-- How tall (or long) is your tallest/longest TBR stack/shelf in your home? Do you keep tabs on the number of unread books you have in your possession? Are there some kinds of books that seem doomed to linger, unread, for longer than others?

The books that linger are those that seem dauntingly large, or complex, or where nothing prods me to "read this NOW!" I am afraid to add up my unread books, as there are little stalagmites of them everywhere. Perhaps 500 "active" TBR books, in the sense that these are books I have every intention of reading soon.

-- What are your other plans for the weekend? Holiday cooking? Visits with friends or family?

Nothing really major. I'd like to do some cleaning up; I've got some work to do (I always seem to have work to do...) Oh -- and the readathon!

Wishing you all well in your Readathon weekend! I won't be free to do much reading until Monday, when my church-related duties will be just about done. Until then, all I'll probably manage to read is a few threads in snatched moments...

Gearing up!

It's 9:30 AM here in Denver and I will definitely be doing some reading today and over this weekend. I'll pop in a little later to talk about my reading!

12:11 Sitting down to read something!

Luci in London checking in - it's 5.19 pm here, we went to an Easter Egg hunt in the park this month, then I've read this afternoon. I probably read a couple of pages after 5 pm but I'm going to start my page count when I start reading again - I'm going to rummage in the shed.

I've just finished a book and the one at the top of the pile is quite long so I don't know if I'll finish any more this weekend.

-- Do you have any particular plans, or are you going to read at random? Generally, do you like to plan your reading, or does serendipity rule?

I have some planned reading. I am currently reading and hope to finish *On the Black Hill - Bruce Chatwin I am also reading Britain B.C. - Francis Pryor - but that is my nonfiction read and I doubt if I will manage to finish it.

The other books on my TBR already listed for TIOLI are:-

#*The Janus Stone - Elly Griffiths
#*State of Wonder - Ann Patchett
#A Place of Secrets - Rachel Hore
*The Yiddish Policemen's Union - Michael Chabon
*Stardust - Neil Gaiman
*Sacred Hearts - Sarah Dunant
Blackwater - Kerstin Ekman

(# = library book and * = shared read)

No way I am going to get to all of those this Readathon but whatever I read is probably going to be from that list:)

There is a certain degree of planning to my reading, mainly pulling a selection of books off the TBR stacks that fit that month's TIOLI but the order I read them in, and if I actually manage to get them read, is definitely serendipitous:) I also take part in the 12 in 12 challenge and am trying to keep the categories balanced this year. So that I get a variety of reading in every month.

-- How tall (or long) is your tallest/longest TBR stack/shelf in your home? Do you keep tabs on the number of unread books you have in your possession? Are there some kinds of books that seem doomed to linger, unread, for longer than others?

According to my LT catalogue I have over 200 books in my "to read" collection. Most of those are stacked in one place. No idea how tall the stack is. I think it is the chunksters like War and Peace or Vanity Fair that are most likely to stay there the longest.

-- What are your other plans for the weekend? Holiday cooking? Visits with friends or family?

No real plans though my father is in the area tomorrow and, if he has time, might pop in for a cup of coffee.

Not quite ready to start reading yet but I'll be back when I've got something to report.

Hope everyone has a good weekend's reading.

--Do you have any particular plans, or are you going to read at random? Generally, do you like to plan your reading, or does serendipity rule?

I like to plan but I also like to leave enough room to read with my mood so I end up with a longlist of books to choose from and pick up whichever takes my fancy. I do have a book to read for my RL reading group which is meeting on Tuesday and a library book due back after the weekend so those need to get read at some point.

I'm likely to read some of:

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom (RL reading group)
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
The Song of the Quarkbeast by Jasper Fforde (currently reading)

-- How tall (or long) is your tallest/longest TBR stack/shelf in your home? Do you keep tabs on the number of unread books you have in your possession? Are there some kinds of books that seem doomed to linger, unread, for longer than others?

Well, I started with a TBR shelf but even though that's now doublestacked with books also laid horizontally it's no longer large enough for all my unread books. I do keep track of them on LT and I have 476 books in my 'To read' collection. That should keep me going for a while...

-- What are your other plans for the weekend? Holiday cooking? Visits with friends or family?

A couple of small family meals but otherwise I have a very quiet weekend planned.

I'm starting my reading now. I have most of the rest of the day free, so I should be reading unless I get bored.

At my side I have:

David Copperfield--on p. 231
The Solid Mandala by Patrick White--on p.117
Windswept Dawn by William Heinesen--on p. 112

I may start one of the two books I just got from the library too.

It's cold and rainy and gray here in Seattle, as it feels like it's been for the last 20 years or so. We usually don't begin spring until after July 1. Two cats are at the end of the bed, and so is the dog.

I do keep track of my unread books--they are tagged TBR in my library, and my profile says I have 757 of them. I try to keep most of them on the shelves upstairs, which are about 9 feet long and 6 shelves high, but I have a shelf or so of unread books downstairs too. I'm sure there are some that I no longer have an interest in reading, especially the ones I've had 10 years or longer, but I haven't made myself make the hard decisions about which ones to get rid of.

Sunday will be busy--my son, daughter and boyfriend, daughter and son-in-law and grandson will be here for dinner. I offered a choice of lamb, ham or brisket. Son doesn't want lamb, daughter doesn't want ham, so I guess we're having brisket.

Have fun everyone!

noon to 2 pm

I've been busy with other things but did manage to get some reading in.

Number of books read from in this period: 3

Black Horses for the King by Anne McCaffrey (Kobo)
Daisy Miller by Henry James (Kobo)
The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz

Number of books completed in this period: 0
Number of pages completed in this period: 12 pages

Number of audiobooks listened to: 1
1984 by George Orwell

Just finished lunch. Now back to housework. My dog is sleeping where I normally sit and the cat is sleeping right beside her. So cute

I'm about to get started here (it's 12:30), so I'll answer the intro questions.

-- Do you have any particular plans, or are you going to read at random? Generally, do you like to plan your reading, or does serendipity rule?
My hold came through on 1Q84 and it's going to be tough to finish it in 3 weeks, I imagine, so I'll be working on that. In general though, I'm about serendipity. Planning feels too much like an assignment from school for me.

-- How tall (or long) is your tallest/longest TBR stack/shelf in your home? Do you keep tabs on the number of unread books you have in your possession? Are there some kinds of books that seem doomed to linger, unread, for longer than others?
I've been in a process of downsizing the books in my home, read and otherwise. I am trying to read them before I get rid of them, but I had to admit that I just wasn't interested in reading some books anymore and they were the first to go. I still have several shelves of books I'm planning to read, but then they will disappear.

-- What are your other plans for the weekend? Holiday cooking? Visits with friends or family?
I don't really have any major plans for the weekend. We have no family nearby and Easter doesn't mean anything to us. Besides, my husband will be doing his PhD defense on Tuesday afternoon, so I'm pretty sure he's going to spend the whole time with his face in the computer perfecting his presentation. (Leaves me plenty of time to read, draw, and take photos!)

Okay, now on to the Murakami!

> 42 Ursula, I will be interested in your take on IQ84. My son has requested it for a birthday present and he knows his literature. He is about to graduate with his Master's in English (proud mother bragging here!)

Wish your husband all the best on his PhD defense. I understand it can be quite stressfull. ;-)

Well, I have been a bad hostess!! After my work-related morning phone call, I was still sleepy and groggy and not feeling all that well, so I rolled over and went back to sleep. I think Cassie the rescue cat is my "getting up sabotage cat". She has developed a habit of lying right up alongside my, sort of near my back and shoulders, presumably in quest of maximum warmth. It's kind of comforting and I don't want to unsettle her and her a series of aggrieved "merowwwws" (Cassie is the only cat who, if I make mewing or purring sounds at her, she'll meow right back at me, so it actually sounds as if we're having a conversation...) So, I didn't roll out of bed until 2. Shameful. Then errands. Now reading. I have managed six pages of Losing Nelson by Barry Unsworth, which will be the first book that I finish -- it will reduce my library list by one book!! Hurrah!!

2 - 4 pm

Bathroom is now clean, e-mails answered and more reading done.

Number of books read from in this period: just 1

Secrets of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst.

Number of pages completed in this period: 23 pages

Continuing to listen to 1984 by George Orwell while doing housework.

Time for takeoff- just need to get some breakfast under my belt:

***Do you have any particular plans, or are you going to read at random? Generally, do you like to plan your reading, or does serendipity rule?***
I'm planning to read books I've listed for TIOLI challenges, but my main focus is to finish
Blood Red Road - YA dystopian
Kafka on the Shore - 2.5 hrs left on my audiobook
and make a bigger dent in Oscar and Lucinda which I put aside a couple of weeks ago
and God is Back: How the Global Revival of Faith Is Changing the World which is my current nonfiction read
I also have some library books needing attention for a themed children's booklist on 'Islands'.

I generally plan my reading by keeping a small bookcase of 'must read this year' books at hand to choose from.

***How tall (or long) is your tallest/longest TBR stack/shelf in your home? Do you keep tabs on the number of unread books you have in your possession? Are there some kinds of books that seem doomed to linger, unread, for longer than others?***

The shame, the shame. Since joining LT groups my tbr piles have grown dramatically. My tallest pile is in my bedroom and supported by other stacks is about a metre high. I'm probably getting close to Deborah with the number of tbr books in the house. I'm at the stage where I can't locate books that I know I own, which makes the process of owning them rather pointless.

***What are your other plans for the weekend? Holiday cooking? Visits with friends or family?***
We're having a quiet weekend, no holiday cooking planned though yesterday I managed to prepare food for a couple of days ahead so I'm free from kitchen commitments. I'll be happy if I get some outside time to work in the garden.

Noon-2 pm

**Reading: 1Q84, as promised
**Pages read: 41

**A quote from my reading: To each web clung a small black spider, patiently waiting for its small prey to come along. Not that spiders had any awareness of being "patient." A spider had no special skill other than sitting still. It would stay in one place waiting for its prey until, in the natural course of things, it shriveled up and died. This was all genetically predetermined. The spider had no confusion, no despair, no regrets. No metaphysical doubt, no moral complications. Probably.

**My surroundings: I have to admit that I took a 15-minute power nap during this time period. My kids were here for a visit, leaving last night, and I've been on a later schedule than I'm used to. My husband left just before 2 to attend some talks. That leaves just the dog and me. And the wind, which is very strong today.

>43 ccookie: ccookie - I love Murakami though I'm not really a completist in my reading, so I've only read 3 of his books, I think. So far this one has everything I enjoy about Murakami's books, though - somewhat surreal circumstances (I'm sure they'll get more surreal), interesting characters, terrific writing.

I won't be able to start until I get home from work (and it's only 1:30 pm here). Happy reading all!

My current reading:

Ian Rankin, The Complaints
Suzanne Collins, Mockingjay
Jennifer McVeigh, The Fever Tree
Anna Stothard, The Pink Hotel

Helena Pielichaty, Accidental Friends
The Collected Letters of Ernest Hemingay volume 1 (1907 to 1922) How many such books start at the age of 8?

Well I haven't managed much reading - just one chapter of Britain BC which was a total of 27 pages.

Other things done - reading LT threads, playing computer games, cooking and eating dinner - chicken curry and rice. I've got a pot of soup ready for tomorrow's lunch and I had to light a fire as it was really cold here in Wales. For company I have a cat either side of me on the sofa and I probably won't be doing any more reading until I go to bed in about an hour, so I'll report back in the morning with the reading stats.

Happy reading:)

-- Do you have any particular plans, or are you going to read at random? Generally, do you like to plan your reading, or does serendipity rule?

I'm reading what I've started already Heresy by SJ Parris and The Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliff. I read the later in bed as it is on my Sony Reader. Heresy is a library book so I need to get that completed.

-- How tall (or long) is your tallest/longest TBR stack/shelf in your home? Do you keep tabs on the number of unread books you have in your possession? Are there some kinds of books that seem doomed to linger, unread, for longer than others?

The last time I checked on LT it reached about to the Moon. Probably has reached Mars now. Most of my books are ebooks so I have to think virtual.

-- What are your other plans for the weekend? Holiday cooking? Visits with friends or family? Since we aren't Christian or Jewish, its just another weekend, well, except the tourists have descended like locusts so I'm planning to only venture out of the house in grave emergency (Like for chocolate or Diet Coke). The other half is spending his days at the beach fishing - and fighting off the tourists.

Dinner tonight: fresh salad, spare ribs on the barbie, garlic bread. Oh, and I'm sipping a Carlsburg.

Wow, New Zealand, Wales, England, Canada and the US. This is kinda cool!

My babies are lying on my Kobo. No reading for me! I guess I'll have to grab an actual book! They are both on my heating pad, they like it warm when I get up from it :-)

Awwwww, the cute fur people! Tigger is curled up on the back of the sofa; Molly is in her newest favorite place, asleep atop the nice warm DVR. Theoretically, she's not supposed to be there -- it needs air to vent -- but try telling a cat what not to do...

4 to 5:30 p.m.

Number of books read from in this period: Just one, Losing Nelson by Barry Unsworth
Number of books completed in this period: 1
Number of pages completed in this period: 70

This was a fascinating and ultimately chilling book; its narrator, Charles Cleasby, is obsessed by Lord Nelson and his battles against Napoleonic France, to the point where he lives his life around Nelson's "calendar", with one day being the anniversary of the day he first joined the Navy, another the day he was blinded in battle. Miss Lily of the Avalon Secretarial Services Company seems to bring him to a kind of reality, but is that actually more damaging than being allowed to live amidst delusions, particularly when his obsession focuses on clearing his hero of charges that he engaged in cold-blooded betrayals on a particularly memorable trip to Naples in 1799? Intriguing ruminations on heroes and and hero-worship here.

On to something lighter; possibly will finish up the upcoming Alan Furst novel, Mission to Paris, which I got thanks to NetGalley and which so far doesn't seem to have a touchstone!

> 54 Chatterbox, you seem to be the first one to complete a book. Did you plan it that way? (grin)

LOL, nope! It is actually one that I've been reading for a while, and while it was good it was also very slow-paced... So the readathon gave me a push to get it done. I had intended to finish it anyway, as it was a holdover from last month. Think I started it when I was in Boston mid-March, and that's a LONG time for a novel I've started to hang around unread.

4 to 6 pm

Not much reading in the last couple of hours. Vacuumed my stairs. Set the roomba to do the flat surfaces on the landings.

Checking LT posts, surfing the net, reading 'about' the books I am reading on wikipedia etc etc.

Listening still to 1984, I am 59 years old and never read this before. What planet have I been living on?

Going to sit and read for the next hour, then eat.

2 pm - 4 pm

**Reading: On with the 1Q84. The plot thickens.
**Pages read: 15.

In other news, as it turns out my husband had a change of plans. Instead of going to the talks, he is sitting at the Apple store waiting for the folks at the genius bar to be able to help him. For the second time in as many days, his computer refuses to turn on. Gotta love Murphy and his Law, there's no time like 4 days before a dissertation defense for your computer to completely melt down!

Meanwhile, I did some computer-related tasks of my own, moving some files from my old laptop and scanning some things.

>53 ccookie: ccookie - Adorable pets! I sometimes wish our dog was a little more that size; she's a 40-lb Australian Cattle Dog. Also, in spite of my current read, I've never completed 1984 either. I've tried on a number of occasions, but I really can't get past about 20 pages of it.

#53 Eek! Is that a Tribble????

Ouch, 4 days between dissertation due date and today and computer shuts down?? that's beyond murphy... Mind you, a friend once lost her PhD dissertation thanks to FedEx-- in the days before computers. She had to rewrite from scratch..

Hours: from 5:30 PM to 7 PM

Number of books read from in this period: Mission to Paris, by Alan Furst (no touchstone)
Number of books completed in this period: 0
Number of pages completed in this period: 63 pages

Total number of books read from during readathon: 2
Total number of books completed: 1 (Losing Nelson by Barry Unsworth)
Total number of pages to date: 133

Aiming to finish this up in the next few hours - -it's a very good spy thriller, a low key noirish way. There is one image that has stuck with me -- when the hero, Hollywood actor Fredric Stahl, who was born in Vienna, returns to Germany and meets a Nazi film director, he sees the triumph of the mediocre, and some observations on how the knowledge of one's own mediocrity can be channeled into hate for "the other" -- Jewish, gay, foreign, "elitists", etc.

Hurrah, finished another book, this time one of the overdue galleys, an electronic ARC of "Mission to Paris" by Alan Furst. The last 30 pages or so are incredibly suspenseful...

7 P.M. to 8 P.M.

Number of books read from in this period: 1
Number of books completed in this period: 1
Number of pages completed in this period: 71

Total number of books read from during readathon: two, Losing Nelson by Barry Unsworth & Mission to Paris by Alan Furst (no touchstone)
Total number of books completed: 2
Total number of pages to date: 204

I'm now a bit headachey -- migraine?? gah, hope not -- so may not be around a lot this evening. But happy reading to all!!

> 59 Now that you mention it, she does look like a tribble!

She is a 5 lb. Yorkshire Terrier. Her name is Addison Bundren after the mother in William Faulkner's short story "As I Lay Dying" which I have not read yet.

The cat is 13 lbs Jean-Luc Moustache named after Jean-Luc Picard of Star Trek fame.

> 58 I love big dogs also. I used to have a 78 lb Siberian Husky. Lovely animal. So gentle.

6 to 8 pm

Fading fast!

De-haired the roomba. Damp moped the front entry way.

Listened to some more 1984

Sat and read for an hour:

Number of books read from in this period: 5

The Fourth Deadly Sin by Lawrence Sanders
Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield (Kobo)
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table by Roger Lancelyn Green
Straight by Dick Francis (Kobo)
Valley of the Horses by Jean M. Auel

Number of books completed in this period: 0

Number of pages completed in this period: 63

Going to eat now and tidy the kitchen. Here comes more 1984

6-8pm

Yay, I am now home from work and can commence reading. I think I'll be continuing with The First Rule of Ten which I started the other night. It's a mystery about a detective who grew up in a Tibetan Buddhist monastery but rebelled when he grew up and went to Los Angeles to join the police force. Sounds bizarre, but it seems to work.

Well I interrupted my reading with a long nap today (I only slept a few hours last night). However, I did read for about 2 1/2 hours and read 112 pp in Windswept Dawn. I haven't finished it, but I need a change of pace, so I'm reading Departure Lounge by Chad Taylor. I'll get to my daily dose of Dickens tonight too.

Took a break to watch Renee Fleming perform at the Kaplan Penthouse @ Lincoln Center; the first half was v. good, the second part, with her doing crossover rock, was very underwhelming. That's not what her voice is. Anyway, bedtime for me. Wrestled the duvet into a new cover, so now I can go and curl up underneath it. With a book, of course!

8 to 11 pm
Prepared and ate dinner. Tidied up kitchen. Talked to a friend for half an hour and started 120 days of Sodom by the Marquis de Sade
Read: 16 pgs. This is going to be a weird one!

Off to bed

8am-4pm Saturday update

Number of books read from in this period (and titles, if you want): 2
Number of books completed in this period: 1
Number of pages completed in this period: 250pgs & 30mins audio

A favorite book? Anything in what you are reading that has particularly caught your eye -- a phrase, anecdote, factoid or memorable sentence? Is there a book bullet you want to launch in our direction?

I've finished Blood Red Road which is a fast paced dystopian YA novel. Very short sentences moves the action along quickly. An enjoyable read though I seem to be reading quite a few of these grim dystopian books lately and need to cast my net a bit wider.
I've also been enjoying listening to Kafka on the Shore.

What's the background noise in your life right now? (What are you noshing on? What are your resident animals and fellow humans up to, or are they leaving you in peace and quiet? What's the weather? Did you burn the dinner while reading?)

I've been cuddling up to my beagle on the sofa and then moved on to our black catten, he's so darn cuddly.
I lost some reading time when my daughter called in for a while. She's lived in London for the past 3 years and is making a brief visit to NZ and Rarotonga as her partner is best man at two weddings. So great to see them, but they're heading to the South Island tomorrow for a few days, so a very short and sweet encounter.
At the supermarket this morning I was given a Lindt chocolate to sample and ended up bringing a pack of their chocolate balls home for the family to try.

Grump grump. Headache, toothache (which ebbs and flows, and is now really bothering me, but I don't have the thousands of $$ needed to visit the dentist...) So I read some more.

10:30 PM to Midnight ET

Number of books read from in this period: 1 - The Child Who by Simon Lelic
Number of books completed in this period: 0
Number of pages completed in this period: 119

Total number of books read from during readathon: 3
Total number of books completed: 2 Losing Nelson by Barry Unsworth & Mission to Paris by Alan Furst (suddenly, there is a touchstone!!)
Total number of pages to date: 323

#41 Love "Reading Time."

Off to a good start. Went to the library and checked out a bunch of books. A slow, sort of lazy day; finished The Likeness by Tana French. I really like her books, Faithful Place being my favorite so far. Lovely writing and can hardly put them down.

For the rest of the readathon, I will be reading:
Isaac's Storm by Erik Larson;

dipping into A Year with C.S. Lewis: Daily Readings from His Classic Works for my April Monthly Author Reads group; and

finishing The Kitchen Counter Cooking School by Kathleen Flinn. Even though I'm a pretty good cook, you can always learn something new. This book is entertaining as well as helpful.

>60 Chatterbox: Chatterbox - luckily, the actual dissertation has already been handed around. Of course, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't want to go in there and have to wing his hour-long talk about it!

4 pm - midnight

Well, things got busy there for a while with dinner and watching Jeopardy and bad news from the Apple store (it'll be a week till he gets his computer back).

Luckily, his old laptop is still serviceable and they got the files off his current one. Otherwise we'd be talking about a real disaster!

I only started reading after 11 sometime, and now it's definitely time for bed.

**Reading: Captain Trips, the first in a series of graphic novels of The Stand
**Pages read: 72

**Books read from: 2
**Total pages so far: 134

Since I last reported I read and finished Departure Lounge by Chad Taylor

Number of books read from during readathon: 2
Number of pages read during readathon: 285
Number of hours read: 5 1/2
Books finished: 1

Last night:

Number of books read from in this period (and titles, if you want): 1 - On the Black Hill by Bruce Chatwin
Number of books completed in this period: 1
Number of pages completed in this period: 99

Total number of books read from during readathon (and titles, if wished) 2 - Britain BC by Francis Pryor and On the Black Hill
Total number of books completed: 1
Total number of pages to date: 126

This morning:

Number of books read from in this period (and titles, if you want): 1 - The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths
Number of books completed in this period: 0
Number of pages completed in this period: 135

Total number of books read from during readathon (and titles, if wished) 3 - Britain BC; On the Black Hill and The Janus Stone
Total number of books completed: 1 - On the Black Hill
Total number of pages to date: 261

So last night I took a mug of hot chocolate to bed and finished On the Black Hill - a novel about the lives of twin brothers on a farm on the borders of England and Wales. I thought it was a wonderful picture of a bygone age. As it covered eighty or so years in a mere 249 pages the story skipped across history but I really enjoyed reading it.

This morning I started The Janus Stone, with my morning coffee, and am really pleased to be reading the second of the Ruth Galloway stories. I'm finding it a fast read and just keep wanting to turn the pages.

Time now to get some breakfast, do a bit of house tidying and catch up on what has been happening on LT before returning to the books.

Back later.

4pm-9pm Sat

Number of books read from in this period (and titles, if you want): 2
Number of books completed in this period:0
Number of pages completed in this period: 35pgs & 30mins audio

Total number of books read from during readathon (and titles, if wished): 3 - Blood Red Road, Cinder & Kafka on the Shore
Total number of books completed: 1
Total number of pages to date: 285pgs

Hit a slow patch as late this evening as I tried to watch a dvd while reading and did no justice to either. Cinder is a scifi retelling of Cinderella as cyborg set in a futuristic New Beijing, just getting started.

- Do you have any particular plans, or are you going to read at random? Generally, do you like to plan your reading, or does serendipity rule?

I sort of plan my reading, but it comes from a current reading pile and I pick up another book once I finish one. I probably won't finish any during this Readathon, as I finished several short books in the days before it and the top book in my pile is quite long, I have 300+ pages left of that one.

-- How tall (or long) is your tallest/longest TBR stack/shelf in your home? Do you keep tabs on the number of unread books you have in your possession? Are there some kinds of books that seem doomed to linger, unread, for longer than others?
Read books and unread books are shelved and/or boxed together, some fiction and crime alphabetically, some boxes very mixed up, and I also have books that I may or may not have read more than 20 yeardles ago and ones I know I read more than 20 years ago and would like to reread. I have "Collections" on my Kindle for "Read" (on the Kindle and "Past Read" (I've read these before I got the Kindle but have taken the to have a copy on it, or they are free downloads of books like What Katy Did.

-- What are your other plans for the weekend? Holiday cooking? Visits with friends or family?
Yesterday we went to an Easter Egg Hunt. Hanging out in the park, weather permitting (forecast is rain), rummaging in the shed (a lot of book boxes there) but quite lazy, several busier weekends coming up.

Books read from so far: a total of 140+ pages, mostly divided between the first 5 of the 6 books below. I'm still reading introductory material in the Letters! It's a substantial but beautiful book, not designed for trugging about in my bookbag. Some of this is unnumbered Kindle pages so is an estimate.

a 2010 Introduction to A Wreath of Roses by Elizabeth Taylor, intro by Helen Dunmore - I have an older and non-Virago edition of the book but downloaded a sample on my Kindle which includes the new intro
Ian Rankin, The Complaints
Suzanne Collins, Mockingjay
Jennifer McVeigh, The Fever Tree
Anna Stothard, The Pink Hotel

Helena Pielichaty, Accidental Friends
The Collected Letters of Ernest Hemingay volume 1 (1907 to 1922) How many such books start at the age of 8?

Hey folks, the toothache flared up very badly overnight to the point where I now can't even drink and swallow without pain. Easter/Passover weekend is a VERY bad time for that to happen, so I'll likely be spending this morning trying to track down my dentist or an emergency clinic that will treat me (I've got major dental issues and most folks won't deal or don't know where to start or whatever. The pain is very, very intense, so I'm not sure if I'll be hanging out here much. Apologies. Hope you folks can run with the readathon.

>77 Chatterbox: - Yikes - good luck, toothaches are the worst!

Last night:

Number of books read from in this period (and titles, if you want): 1 - The Song of the Quarkbeast by Jasper Fforde - book 2 in his children's/young adult trilogy
Number of books completed in this period: 1
Number of pages completed in this period: 290

Total number of books read from during readathon (and titles, if wished) 1 - The Song of the Quarkbeast by Jasper Fforde
Total number of books completed: 1
Total number of pages to date: 290

This morning:

Number of books read from in this period (and titles, if you want): 2 - Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick and Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
Number of books completed in this period: 0
Number of pages completed in this period: 150

Total number of books read from during readathon (and titles, if wished) 3 - The Song of the Quarkbeast by Jasper Fforde, Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick and Tuesdays with Morrie
Total number of books completed: 1 - The Song of the Quarkbeast
Total number of pages to date: 440

I'm getting through the pages quite quickly but that's beacuse I'm mainly reading children's books and illustrated books. I'm going to take a break now to tidy up a bit as some family are coming over for hot cross buns for lunch then this afternoon I might spend some time on LT catching up on the threads.

#77 Really hope you can find a dentist to help you today.

>77 Chatterbox:- ugh, feel better!

> 77 - I hate dentists (although I go every 4 months). Feel better fast!

ccookie, I should have started going every four months about 20 years ago, when the medications I take for migraines and other stuff started wreaking havoc on my teeth. Sadly, the dentists forgot to tell me this...

Saturday morning 6 - 8 am

Up since 6:00; morning routine - stretches, put the dog out, feed the animals, empty dishwasher, meditation / quiet time, review days activities, receive phone call from sponsee, tidy a little, LT check-in, call from friend and readings from:

Alcoholics Anonymous: Large Print (a daily read) AND Twenty-four Hours a Day by Anonymous (a daily read)

Number of books read from in this period: 2
Number of books completed in this period: 0
Number of pages completed in this period: 7

Total number of books read from during readathon: 10 +1 audiobook
Total number of books completed: 0
Total number of pages Friday: 114

Off to get breakfast. Oh, and listen to 1984

> 79
440 pages - ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!! Congratulations. That is a real accomplishment!

I had a great day yesterday but didn't get much reading done. I spent about 2 1/2 hours at a friend's house helping with the shearing of her two alpacas. (The extent of my help was holding the bag to collect the fiber as it came off the alpacas!) I left before they started on the three llamas.

I had an enjoyable shopping excursion with friends that included a stop at our local used bookstore. I came home with Betsy-Tacy and Tib, A Rich, Full Death, Tears of Pearl, When in Germany, Do as the Germans Do, Colonial American Travel Narratives, Survivors in Mexico, and Passage to Ararat.

I was so tired last night that I could only manage about 10 pages of part 2 of 2666 before I fell asleep. I've been more successful this morning. I finished part 2 of 2666 and I've read several chapters of Things Fall Apart. I'll read for a while longer, then switch to the audio of Gentlemen of the Road while I do some cleaning.

> 86
Alpacas and llamas and books, oh my!

Ooh, sorry about the toothache, Suz! Hope you can find a dentist fast.

I will be starting within the next hour, after finishing up a few last things on the computer, so here are my responses to the starting meme.

Do you have any particular plans, or are you going to read at random? Generally, do you like to plan your reading, or does serendipity rule?
Generally, serendipity rules for my reading, and I pick up what seems to speak to me at the moment, although I usually have a general sense of what authors/subjects I want to read in the near future. For this readathon, I will be reading Europe Central because it is too long and requires too much attention for me to make it a subway read. I am hoping to be able to read for several hours today and tomorrow, and that should help me make significant progress in it.

How tall (or long) is your tallest/longest TBR stack/shelf in your home? Do you keep tabs on the number of unread books you have in your possession? Are there some kinds of books that seem doomed to linger, unread, for longer than others? I have a whole TBR section on my bookcases (haven't measured), but this is basically only new acquisitions over the past several years, and not the vast number of books on my regular shelves that I haven't read. I made a "hope to read soon" collection on LT, and it now includes 395 books, but this is misleading too because in addition to newish acquisitions it only includes a smattering of the unread books languishing on my shelves, ones that I thought I might like to read soon. To some extent, several tomes are lingering on my shelves, but I have serious ambitions to read several of them. I would say the books that may linger unread almost forever are ones that seemed interesting at the time I bought them but never quite rise to the top. I believe I am getting better at not buying books that seem interesting but that I know in my heart of hearts I am unlikely to get to anytime soon, but I may be deluding myself.

What are your other plans for the weekend? Holiday cooking? Visits with friends or family?
I spent yesterday baking for Passover and at a cousin's Seder. I still have some things to do around the house, and a work project I should get started on, and if the nice weather continues I'd like to take some walks in the park, but as I said above I hope to have some good chunks of reading time. Of course, I'll have to get off the computer for that!

Since I was last here:-

Number of books read from in this period (and titles, if you want): 2 - Britain BC by Francis Pryor and The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths
Number of books completed in this period: 0
Number of pages completed in this period: 116

Total number of books read from during readathon (and titles, if wished) 3 - Britain BC; On the Black Hill and The Janus Stone
Total number of books completed: 1 - On the Black Hill
Total number of pages to date: 377

Managed to read a chapter of my latest nonfiction and some more of the Ruth Galloway story. I've also done some housework, played some solitaire and read some LT threads.

Sorry to hear about the toothache Suzanne, hope you manage to get some relief.

Have reached my dentist, thank God; he called me back within 10 mins despite being in Italy and standing on a street corner in Florence. Is calling in antibiotic & Vicodin prescriptions -- thinks it's an infection en route to being a abscess but not there yet, so trying to prevent that until he is back on Weds. If the antibiotics kick in it will still take 24/36 hours, tho.

I haven't done very good at reading or posting so far. I got home later than expected, but I had fun with my friends. Here's what I've done so far:

Number of books read from in this period (and titles if you want): 2 (The Little Red Guard by Wenguang Huang and The Quilter's Legacy by Jennifer Chiaverini
Number of books completed in this period: 1
Number of pages completed in this period: 171

Total number of books read from during the readathon (and titles, if wished): 2 - see above
Total number of books completed: 1 (The Little Red Guard)
Total number of pages to date: 171

>90 Chatterbox: Ouch. At least the Vicodin will kick in sooner than that. Although for me personally, that wouldn't help my reading any because that stuff doesn't agree with me.

8 am - 9:30 am

**Reading: Back to 1Q84
**Pages read: 35

Totals
**Books read from: 2
**Pages read: 169

Went to bed too late last night, woke up too early this morning (thanks, dog!). Read a couple of chapters but otherwise spent my morning catching up with online stuff. In a little bit here, it'll be time for the gym and hopefully that will get rid of the sluggish feeling of the morning.

Pleased to hear you managed to get hold of your dentist, even if he was a very long way away, Suzanne. Hope the antibiotics and pain relief will let you eat, sleep and read.

Since I was last here:-

Number of books read from in this period (and titles, if you want): 2 - Britain BC by Francis Pryor and The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths
Number of books completed in this period: 1 The Janus Stone
Number of pages completed in this period: 134

Total number of books read from during readathon (and titles, if wished) 3 - Britain BC; On the Black Hill and The Janus Stone
Total number of books completed: 1 - On the Black Hill and The Janus Stone
Total number of pages to date: 511

and another chapter of Britain BC completed and I zipped through The Janus Stone - a real page turner:)

Time for a bit of a break as I am not sure which book will be coming off the TBR pile next. Maybe I'll start some dinner, watch a bit of television and then see what takes my fancy.

Back later.

First update.

10:45 - 12:45
Number of books read from in this period: Europe Central
Number of pages: 41
This is a very slow read for me: not only does it require concentration, but I'm constantly looking up people on Wikipedia, as well as some of their artistic works and background info. Thank goodness for being able to do this on my iPhone so I can read on the sofa away from my computer. May take a little break for a while.

8:00 am to 2:00 pm

Had breakfast, dressed, call from another sponsee, out to Staples.(where I just remembered I left my Visa card.) Guess where I am off to in a few minutes?

Went to a meeting, the fruit market, the grocery store, came home and put the turkey in cold water in the sink to thaw. It is huge. I wonder how late I will be up to tonight. More time to read?

While I was driving I listened to 1984. I am just past Chapter 4.

As soon as I get home I am getting on my heating pad in my lazy boy chair and READING.

It's Sunday morning here in Wellington and I've been hopeless with updates!

I didn't get as much reading time in yesterday as I'd hoped, but I did make a 60 page dent in When God Spoke English by Adam Nicholson. It's about the making of the King James Bible, and I'm really enjoying it so far - lots of background about James I and religion in England around 1600.

I have a loose idea on how big the TBR pile is - it's in the hundreds but it isn't growing very fast this year because I'm being much better about not buying any books. (I just looked... apparently my TBR collection has 429 books. That's terrible - I thought it was in the 200s!!)

Hopefully today will be pretty quiet and I'll have time to get further through When God Speaks English. After that I'll probably pick up one of the mysteries next to the bed - I have the 2nd Matt Rees book set in Palestine, Belshazzar's Daughter by Barbara Nadel, and several Inspector Brunettis.

Suz I hope the antibiotics start to work soon.

Another update. Took 4 amoxicillin at once, and just took my first Vicodin, so hopefully will start to feel better, if a bit groggy. My upstairs neighbor, Paul, is a superstar. He took over the texting to my dentist in Italy when my "dumbphone" declined to cooperate, picked up cat food and "Greenies" for the resident felines, and stopped off at one of the great NYC institutions, Hale & Hearty soups, to pick up soup for me for lunch and dinner (chicken & veg; tomato basil).

Haven't done that much reading, though.

Midnight to 4 p.m. ET

Number of books read from in this period: 3 - The Child Who by Simon Lelic; The Sister Queens by Sophie Perinot; The House on Willow Street by Cathy Kelly (needed something mindless...)
Number of books completed in this period: 0
Number of pages completed in this period: 86 in the first; 20 in the second; 46 in the third: 152

Total number of books read from during readathon: 5
Total number of books completed: 2 Losing Nelson by Barry Unsworth & Mission to Paris by Alan Furst
Total number of pages to date: 475

If the Vicoddin permits, I may get a bit more reading done -- and a bit of that pesky stuff known as work.

9:30 am - 2:00 pm

**Reading: Captain Trips
**Pages read: 47
**Books completed: 1

Totals
**Books read from: 2
**Pages read: 216
**Books completed: 1

Went to the gym. Did some running and some weights. Got thoroughly irritated by a guy who clearly thought I was some sort of second-class citizen who should wait for the dip station while he took as long as he wanted. Got some amusement when he failed repeatedly, though.

Debating how to spend the rest of the afternoon. I have a lot of old photos to organize, so I'm considering working that in there. I have to admit, I'm also considering a nap.

2 to 4 pm

Got the Visa card back. Thank God for good Samaritans!

No actual reading done in this two hour slot but listened to more Orwell on the MP3. I am really liking this book.

Major cleaning in the kitchen in preparation for family dinner tomorrow.

Got to rest. And read.

Since last report (about 11 a.m.-5 p.m.):

Number of books read from in this period (and titles if you want): 1 - The Quilter's Legacy by Jennifer Chiaverini
Number of books completed in this period: 1
Number of pages completed in this period: 82

Total number of books read from during the readathon (and titles, if wished): 2 - The Little Red Guard by Wenguang Huang and The Quilter's Legacy by Jennifer Chiaverini
Total number of books completed: 1 (The Little Red Guard by Wenguang Huang)
Total number of pages to date: 253

Rebecca, meant to say that I'm really looking forward to your thoughts on Europe Central; as you know, I'm fascinated by that interwar era and I'm also curious about the characters, esp. Shostakovich and Kathe Kollwitz.

My reading has been far less elevated, I fear.

4 PM to 5:15 PM

Number of books read from in this period: 2 - The Child Who by Simon Lelic; The House on Willow Street by Cathy Kelly (needed something mindless...)
Number of books completed in this period: 1 (The Child Who)
Number of pages completed in this period: 98 in the first; 27 in the second: 125

Total number of books read from during readathon: 5
Total number of books completed: 3 -- Losing Nelson by Barry Unsworth, The Child Who by Lelic & Mission to Paris by Alan Furst
Total number of pages to date: 600 -- exactly! Really!

I was left underwhelmed by The Child Who; I'll make further notes on my own thread, but I do think an author tackling this kind of subject should be able to move beyond the obvious....

Nothing else is really grabbing my attention, which may mean it's time to succumb to a Vicodin nap.

I can't come close to some of you 'dyed-in-the-wool' readers.
>86 cbl_tn: ? like the idiom?
lol

Suzanne - I hope the medication helps and sounds like you have a great neighbour.

9pm Sat-9am Sun

Number of books read from in this period (and titles, if you want): 2 - Cinder and Finder's Shore
Number of books completed in this period:0
Number of pages completed in this period: 115

Total number of books read from during readathon (and titles, if wished): 3 - Blood Red Road, Cinder, Finder's Shore & Kafka on the Shore
Total number of books completed: 1 - Blood Red Road
Total number of pages to date: 400 pgs & 1 hr audio

Didn't read that much last night, but have found Cinder quite a fun read. I'll have to prepare some sushi soon and get outside for a while before returning to the books.

Suzanne--I hope you've gotten some relief from the pain by now. Your dentist sounds very dedicated!

Rebecca--I have Europe Central very near the top of my TBR pile, and your reading it now makes me want to start in too. I read The Kindly Ones a few years ago, but although it covers some of the same ground, I'm sure it's very different.

I only read about 10 pp of David Copperfield last night before I fell asleep, and I won't be able to start reading again for a while. Will check in then.

4 to 6 pm

e-mail checks, e-cards sent for Easter, phone call with my oldest son re: tomorrow's plans

Number of books read from in this period: 3

Black Horses for the King by Anne McCaffrey (Kobo)
Daisy Miller by Henry James (Kobo)
Valley of the Horses by Jean M Auel

Number of books completed in this period: 0
Number of pages completed in this period: 20 pages

TIRED!

Well, I did read for another hour or so, but will report more tomorrow.

Suzanne and Deborah, I've had Europe Central for about five or six years, and was moved to read it now by a discussion about Vollman on another thread. It requires careful reading, so I think it will take me a while because, as I said, it isn't subway-suitable. I'm not quite sure what to make of it yet, and in some ways it is quite confusing (there are multiple narrators and it isn't clear who they all are; they are more observers than participants), but Vollmann is a fascinating writer and I'm eager to figure out more about what he's trying to say.

To date, number of pages read:

The Likeness by Tana French - 108 pages - Finished

Kitchen Counter Cooking School - 53 pages - Finished (except for writing down recipes and helpful info)

A Year with C.S. Lewis - 5 pages - readings from his book Miracles. So much to digest with him, I can only read bits at a time.

Today I washed salad greens, chopped kale for a dish for tomorrow, made coleslaw for tonight and cut up some strawberries to have with vanilla ice cream for dessert tonight.

My son is coming to visit and for dinner; after he leaves I will begin Isaac's Storm. Happy reading all, and Suzanne, I hope you feel better soon.

6 to 8 pm

No actual reading done.

I peeled potatoes, chunked sweet potatoes, got squash, green and yellow beans ready; rice is measured and in the rice cooker. My giant turkey is just now defrosted so, in spite of my good intentions to cook the turkey today, it will have to be done in the morning. I'll make the stuffing then also.

I normally make my gravy the day before as well but I am too tired to face that tonight.

I will go and tidy up the living room (about 10 minutes) after I finish my dinner and that will be it for today.

Listened to a couple of more chapters of 1984

Maybe reading before bed. I am way behind in my reading commitments for today.

Thanks for the good wishes, all... I just hope the antibiotics kick in so that I can hang on until my own dentist is back on Weds. Bad enough having to go in for unanticipated work (with the expense...) but worse still to do it with a new dentist...

I really must start reading Tana French!!

In the meantime, I picked up some Sherlock Holmes:

6 PM to 8 PM

Number of books read from in this period: 1 - A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle
Number of books completed in this period: 0
Number of pages completed in this period: 38

Total number of books read from during readathon: 6
Total number of books completed: 3 -- Losing Nelson by Barry Unsworth, The Child Who by Simon Lelic & Mission to Paris by Alan Furst
Total number of pages to date: 638

Another "meme" -- but just because I'm curious!

Do you consciously or unconsciously find yourself trying to balance your reading -- eg serious vs light fiction; novels vs non-fiction?

In light of Rebecca's comments about her current dense read, do you have any tips to pass along for those of us contemplating or reading a hefty book that requires a lot of attention? What's the trickiest book to read that you have finished?

When you don't finish a book is it because it's bad? Or difficult? Or boring? Or just because your mood changes??

This period was approximate 5-9 p.m., but I've also been distracted by laundry and TV.

Number of books read from in this period (and titles if you want): 1 - The Quilter's Legacy by Jennifer Chiaverini
Number of books completed in this period: 0
Number of pages completed in this period: 124

Total number of books read from during the readathon (and titles, if wished): 2 - The Little Red Guard by Wenguang Huang and The Quilter's Legacy by Jennifer Chiaverini
Total number of books completed: 1 (The Little Red Guard by Wenguang Huang)
Total number of pages to date: 377

No more pages read since my last update. I did manage to listen to about half of Gentlemen of the Road while I got some work done.

I'm calling it a night. I have to get up at 5 in the morning to cook for the carry-in breakfast we're having after sunrise service. I probably won't make much progress on my reading until afternoon.

Suzanne, I'm glad you were able to get some medication for your toothache. I hope you'll soon be feeling better.

Feeling significantly better, probably because the antibiotics are kicking in and the vicodin is building up in my system. Phew. Still can't eat as I can't chew on one side, but hey, that's life.

8 PM to 10:30 PM

Number of books read from in this period: 3 - A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle, A Lion Called Christian by Anthony Bourke, The House on Willow Street
Number of books completed in this period: 1 (A Study In Scarlet)
Number of pages completed in this period: 70 in the Sherlock Holmes opus, 65 in #2 and 49 in #3: 184

Total number of books read from during readathon: 7
Total number of books completed: 4 -- Losing Nelson by Barry Unsworth, The Child Who by Simon Lelic, A Study in Scarlet & Mission to Paris by Alan Furst
Total number of pages to date: 822

Two of the books I've finished I'd read at least half of before the readathon got going -- the Unsworth novel and Alan Furst's new book.

At one point an hour or so ago, all of the resident felines were curled up on my bed along with me -- that almost never happens, except when I have been away for a while. Now it's just me and poor, skinny Jasper-cat. And a bunch of books!! And my Kindle!!

So, does anyone have a fave book for this readathon? Has anything you have read -- or seen other people read -- give you any ideas?

8:00 pm to 11:30 pm

Packing it in for the night. In the last few hours I read a few pages.

Ate, tidied the kitchen, got my meds poured for tomorrow, place looks pretty good.

Number of books read from in this period:2

Black Horses for the King by Anne McCaffrey (Kobo)
Daisy Miller by Henry James (Kobo)
The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz

Number of books completed in this period: 0
Number of pages completed in this period: 22 pages

Number of audiobooks listened to: 1
1984 by George Orwell

Total number of books read from during readathon (and titles, if wished): 11
Total number of books completed: 0
Total number of pages to date: 158 pgs

9am - 5pm Sun

Number of books read from in this period (and titles, if you want): 1 - Cinder
Number of books completed in this period:1
Number of pages completed in this period: 280

Total number of books read from during readathon (and titles, if wished): 3 - Blood Red Road, Cinder, Finder's Shore & Kafka on the Shore
Total number of books completed: 2 - Blood Red Road & Cinder
Total number of pages to date: 680 pgs & 1 hr audio

Quiet day with some time for reading, couldn't stop reading Cinder so my other books went on the back burner. I'll probably read a few pages from a mix of books this evening.

Do you consciously or unconsciously find yourself trying to balance your reading -- eg serious vs light fiction; novels vs non-fiction?
I definitely make a conscious effort to do this. I'll pair up serious fiction with lighter YA or children's books and /or crime or speculative fiction. I read across a lot of genres but try not to have two of the same type going at the same time. I don't read as much non-fiction as I should.

In light of Rebecca's comments about her current dense read, do you have any tips to pass along for those of us contemplating or reading a hefty book that requires a lot of attention? What's the trickiest book to read that you have finished?
If I'm finding myself holding back from reading a hefty book I often find that setting goals of reading so many pages per day/week makes the book feel more manageable. I'll also prepare for some reads by watching a documentary, movie or finding a reference book/website on the subject and/or atlas to refer to. Also knowing more about the author and why they wrote the book can give it much more appeal.

When you don't finish a book is it because it's bad? Or difficult? Or boring? Or just because your mood changes??
All of the above have been reasons for me not to finish a book. I'm much more likely to give up on a library book than a book I've paid money for. If my mood changes I usually put it aside for a few days or weeks and come back to it. Bad or boring books don't get a second chance unless a rash of great LT reviews can persuade me. I did force myself to finish The Dovekeepers recently because I owned a copy and the setting appealed strongly but if it had been a library book I would have ditched it after the first couple of chapters.

2 pm - 11 pm

**Reading: Back to 1Q84
**Pages read: 30

Totals
**Books read from: 2
**Pages read: 246
**Books finished: 1

Well, I managed to get completely sidetracked with the photos. I was busy all day, but didn't actually read anything again until about the last half hour. Planning to spend more time actually reading tomorrow, and probably starting The Moon Is Down for the Steinbeckathon.

Last night

Number of books read from in this period (and titles, if you want): 2 - Britain BC by Francis Pryor and Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant
Number of books completed in this period: 0
Number of pages completed in this period: 79

Total number of books read from during readathon (and titles, if wished) 4 - Britain BC; On the Black Hill, The Janus Stone and Sacred Hearts
Total number of books completed: 2 - On the Black Hill and The Janus Stone
Total number of pages to date: 590

This morning

Number of books read from in this period (and titles, if you want): 1 - Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant
Number of books completed in this period: 0
Number of pages completed in this period: 99

Total number of books read from during readathon (and titles, if wished) 4 - Britain BC; On the Black Hill, The Janus Stone and Sacred Hearts
Total number of books completed: 2 - On the Black Hill and The Janus Stone
Total number of pages to date: 689

Meme:

Do you consciously or unconsciously find yourself trying to balance your reading -- eg serious vs light fiction; novels vs non-fiction?

I know that I try to keep a mix of reading, various genres and subjects. I normally read one novel and also have a nonfiction or a short story collection (maybe both) on the go at the same time.

In light of Rebecca's comments about her current dense read, do you have any tips to pass along for those of us contemplating or reading a hefty book that requires a lot of attention? What's the trickiest book to read that you have finished?

That's a difficult question. I suppose for a hefty or dense book I would take it slowly maybe just a few pages at a time so that I understood what was being said and allowing my mind time to put all the information together. "Trickiest book"? No idea maybe either Herodotus' Histories or the Old Testament - partly because of the difference in culture and the way the texts are put together.

When you don't finish a book is it because it's bad? Or difficult? Or boring? Or just because your mood changes??

Did not finish books - I haven't had too many of those. I did stop reading Don Quixote during Book 2 - the tone had changed so much from the first book that I just did not enjoy it. I also couldn't finish Thus Spoke Zarathustra - probably because I didn't have the background to understand it. I have also stopped reading some nonfiction because it wasn't what I was expecting or the style just rubbed the wrong way. Most novels I do complete.

So, does anyone have a fave book for this readathon? Has anything you have read -- or seen other people read -- give you any ideas?

I thought The Janus Stone was a perfect (for me) Readathon book - the kind of book that you just want to keep turning the pages to see how the twists and turns of the story come together. I'm finding the way Francis Pryor writes very informative and light enough for the non expert so, if you want to know any more about pre-Roman Britiain, Britain BC is a good choice.

Books other people are reading - I'm interested in The Sister Queens and also in reading more Murakami so 1Q84 is definitely interesting to me.

5pm - 10pm Sun

Number of books read from in this period (and titles, if you want): 2 - Finder's Shore & Kafka on the Shore
Number of books completed in this period:1
Number of pages completed in this period: 16 & 1.5hrs audio

Total number of books read from during readathon (and titles, if wished): 3 - Blood Red Road, Cinder, Finder's Shore & Kafka on the Shore
Total number of books completed: 3 - Blood Red Road & Cinder & Kafka on the Shore
Total number of pages to date: 696 pgs & 2.5 hr audio

So, does anyone have a fave book for this readathon? Has anything you have read -- or seen other people read -- give you any ideas?
I really enjoyed Kafka on the Shore and Cinder. I'm noting several books that others are reading, I have Britain BC; On the Black Hill and Sacred Hearts so am waiting to hear calm's verdict on them. Also seeing Tana French's name reminds me that I should move her In the Woods up my tbr pile.

I watched the first episode of Sherlock starring Benedict Cumberbatch and will watch the second installment tomorrow night. Then went and cleaned my fridge so I could listen to the last 30mins of Kafka on the Shore, I've really enjoyed the narrators on this one. Will settle now for some straight reading before calling it a night.

> 117
Love this Sherlock !

Here's what I read from about 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. (mostly in the latter hour):

Number of books read from in this period (and titles if you want): 1 - The Quilter's Legacy by Jennifer Chiaverini
Number of books completed in this period: 1
Number of pages completed in this period: 82

Total number of books read from during the readathon (and titles, if wished): 2 - The Little Red Guard by Wenguang Huang and The Quilter's Legacy by Jennifer Chiaverini
Total number of books completed: 2 (The Little Red Guard by Wenguang Huang and The Quilter's Legacy by Jennifer Chiaverini)
Total number of pages to date: 459

I have to head out to church soon for warm-up and sound check before the first service. It will be after lunch before I have any time to read.

6 am to 8 am

Morning routine: done

Reading:

Alcoholics Anonymous: Large Print (a daily read) AND Twenty-four Hours a Day by Anonymous (a daily read)

Number of books read from in this period: 2
Number of books completed in this period: 0
Number of pages completed in this period: 5

Meme:

Do you consciously or unconsciously find yourself trying to balance your reading -- eg serious vs light fiction; novels vs non-fiction.

I do not even think about 'the balance' of what I am reading. I just read whatever strikes my fancy at the time. I do read a lot of non-fiction as well as fiction. I do find that with the LT challenges I am reading a lot of things that I normally would not. It is great fun!

In light of Rebecca's comments about her current dense read, do you have any tips to pass along for those of us contemplating or reading a hefty book that requires a lot of attention? What's the trickiest book to read that you have finished?

I am terrified of the 'chunksters'. Have just started Infinite Jest, highly recommended by my son and have only read a few pages. I guess that is the best way, like the 12 Step philosophy of 'one day at a time', one page at a time can add up to a whole book eventually.

When you don't finish a book is it because it's bad? Or difficult? Or boring? Or just because your mood changes??

I find that, usually, I just am not 'hooked' by a book and I put it aside, pick it up again later and find it easy reading. There are a few books that I really WANT to enjoy but am unable to get into, but I will keep trying. Mostly, I love what I read. Some non-fiction I only read parts of, as they apply to my situation.

So, does anyone have a fave book for this readathon? Has anything you have read -- or seen other people read -- give you any ideas?

Since this is my first time, I came in without much thought at all. I can see, however, that choosing at least one book that I can finish over the 3 days would have given me a nice sense of accomplishment. I may focus on the shortest book on my reading list today and save my others for tomorrow.

Books other people are reading

1Q84 is definitely interesting to me. Also The Hunger Games series and the LT Group reads: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon

Since I was last here:

Number of books read from in this period (and titles, if you want): 2 - Britain BC and Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant
Number of books completed in this period: 0
Number of pages completed in this period: 100

Total number of books read from during readathon (and titles, if wished) 4 - Britain BC; On the Black Hill, The Janus Stone and Sacred Hearts
Total number of books completed: 2 - On the Black Hill and The Janus Stone
Total number of pages to date: 789

Kerry - I finished on the Black Hill I thought it was an interesting read covering around eighty years of the lives of twin brothers who never move far from their birthplace. It was also sad in places and very evocative of time and place. I really liked it.

Britain BC is very readable, Francis Pryor makes it clear that this is his personal interpretation of the past but it contains copious notes for his sources; his personal experience as an archaeologist; lots of illustrations and colour plates. I think that it is a very good examination of the millennia of human prehistory. In places his style is conversational and it definitely comes across as suitable for non-experts though I think there is also enough there for someone who already has some knowledge.

Sacred Hearts is going well. I do like the research that Sarah Dunant puts into her historical fiction. She gives enough of the background history of what is going on outside the convent to give context to the lives inside. I also really like the characters. Of course until I read the end no final thoughts but so far very good.

Last night, about 8:30 to 10:00

Still reading: Europe Central
Pages read: 47
Total read: 81
Total hours reading: 3 1/2

Today's meme
Do you consciously or unconsciously find yourself trying to balance your reading -- eg serious vs light fiction; novels vs non-fiction?
When I'm reading a long and/or dense book, I will probably also read several shorter easier books, if only to have something to read on the subway but sometimes for a break. I generally read serious books, although I do occasionally leaven them with lighter reads, and have several favorite fun reads for times when I get into book funks or just need something more fun in my life.

In light of Rebecca's (thanks!) comments about her current dense read, do you have any tips to pass along for those of us contemplating or reading a hefty book that requires a lot of attention? What's the trickiest book to read that you have finished? I think the trickiest long book that I've read in recent years was Terra Nostra by Carlos Fuentes, which took me six weeks (776 pages) and which I often despaired of understanding. While I was reading it I also read about 8 or 9 other books, including some that were shorter and some that were lighter. So my tip is to take the time the book deserves and read other things to break it up.

When you don't finish a book is it because it's bad? Or difficult? Or boring? Or just because your mood changes?? I very rarely don't finish a book, although I have completely believed for a decade or two now that life is to short to read a book you don't like. That's mostly because I've gotten better at knowing which books I'm likely to like, although this probably means I miss some books I would like because I don't think I would. Sometimes I'll finish a book I don't like because it's been highly praised and it's short enough or easy enough that I can finish it without wasting too much time on it (or it's easy enough to skim). Examples of this are The Finkler Question and The Imperfectionists. Occasionally I will stop reading a book because I'm not in the right mood or don't have time, but hope to get to it later. Citizens by Simon Schama is one example of this, and I am once again hoping to read it this summer.

I have some other things to do first, including looking at the Sunday Times, but I hope to be reading again by 10:30 or 11.

> 122
'life is to short to read a book you don't like. That's mostly because I've gotten better at knowing which books I'm likely to like, although this probably means I miss some books I would like because I don't think I would. '

I kind of agree with this. I hadn't really thought about it but I usually read books that I am pretty sure I am going to like.

8 am to 10 am

I made the stuffing, stuffed the turkey and it is now in the oven. Had breakfast. Talked to two sponsees.

Reading: Daisy Miller 4 pages

Just completed Heresy by SJ Parris (Stephanie Merritt).

Still reading The Eagle of the Ninth

Do you consciously or unconsciously find yourself trying to balance your reading -- eg serious vs light fiction; novels vs non-fiction?
Absolutely not. I'm an old fart and I read what I want to read when I want to read it. I don't worry about impressing anyone with my reading or knowledge. I'm out to enjoy myself.

In light of Rebecca's (thanks!) comments about her current dense read, do you have any tips to pass along for those of us contemplating or reading a hefty book that requires a lot of attention? What's the trickiest book to read that you have finished?
I love Trollope and Wilkie Collins so I often read 'dense' books. I'm not sure I have any advice. I love books that delve deeply into things, so for me it isn't much of a struggle. Sorry can't help!

When you don't finish a book is it because it's bad? Or difficult? Or boring? Or just because your mood changes??
I used to feel obligated to finish every book I started. NO LONGER! Life is too short to waste my time on a book I'm not enjoying. I've quit books for any number of reasons, not always because it isn't good (some of them were excellent). The main thing that will make me quit a book, is when there is no primary character I care about. I don't care how well written, how exciting, or whatever. If I don't care about what happens to the people in the book, then phah! Out it goes.

I only managed a couple of chapters of Things Fall Apart last night before falling asleep. I listened to quite a bit of Gentlemen of the Road this morning while I was cooking for our church breakfast. I'll probably finish it this afternoon while I'm cooking dinner. I think the first thing on my agenda is a nap! I got up at 5 to start cooking, and since I had a big breakfast I'm not quite ready to think about lunch.

We had a perfect morning for our sunrise service down at the river. It was a little nippy, but not as cold as it's been some years. We've had an early spring so things are already very green. The fog rising off the river and the almost cloudless sky were a beautiful sight. Although we couldn't see them, we could occasionally hear another church's sunrise service across the river.

My answers to the most recent meme:

Do you consciously or unconsciously find yourself trying to balance your reading -- eg serious vs light fiction; novels vs non-fiction?
I read more fiction than non-fiction. I almost always stick to one fiction at a time. I sometimes will have two or three non-fiction going at once, although not as much as I used to. I don't necessarily make an effort to intersperse light and heavy reading. I think it's a side effect of my conscious effort not to read the same author back to back. I can burn out on an author – even a favorite author - if I read too many of his/her books in close succession.

In light of Rebecca's comments about her current dense read, do you have any tips to pass along for those of us contemplating or reading a hefty book that requires a lot of attention? What's the trickiest book to read that you have finished?
Sometimes when I'm reading a hefty book I set goals for reading a certain number of pages or chapters a day. This strategy usually works well for me when I try it. Albion's Seed is a heavy book that took me over a year to read. I felt like I had accomplished something when I finally finished it.

When you don't finish a book is it because it's bad? Or difficult? Or boring? Or just because your mood changes??
It's rare for me not to finish a book. I'm selective about what I read and I don't usually start something that I don't think I'll like. The few books I don't finish are mostly the heavier books that require more concentration. I do most of my reading in the evenings, and it's hard for me to read a large chunk of a heavier book without getting sleepy. After several weeks of reading a few pages every day or every other day I sometimes forget why I started the book in the first place.

So, does anyone have a fave book for this readathon? Has anything you have read -- or seen other people read -- give you any ideas?
I've loved Gentlemen of the Road so far. Books others are reading that caught my eye are The Eagle of the Ninth, Britain BC , and Sacred Hearts. The first one was already on my wish list. Now the other two are, too.

Lost track of pages and hours read (I always do this in readathons) but so far books read from are:

The Song of the Quarkbeast by Jasper Fforde - Finished
Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick - Finished
Black Hearts in Battersea by Joan Aiken - Finished
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom - Abandoned (see comments below)
American Notes for General Circulation by Charles Dickens - in small doses

I also need to get back into Clarissa by Samuel Richardson so will probably pick that up this evening.

--Do you consciously or unconsciously find yourself trying to balance your reading -- eg serious vs light fiction; novels vs non-fiction?

I want to balance my reading; I think with fiction I generally do ok but I still struggle to read as much non-fiction as I would like to. Having said that, when I'm tired I often end up reading children's books or lighter adult books but that's usually balanced out by other reading during the rest of the month. Since joining LT I find I have so many interesting books that I want to read that I think I would struggle to exclude a particular type of book from my reading for long.

--In light of Rebecca's comments about her current dense read, do you have any tips to pass along for those of us contemplating or reading a hefty book that requires a lot of attention? What's the trickiest book to read that you have finished?

I finished Barnaby Rudge this week (started it 2 months ago) and really struggled to get through it despite the fact that Dickens is one of my favourite authors. With a dense book I find that reading a bit every day helps to keep my momentum going and it's important not to try and give myself too high a target of how many pages to read in a day because I'll just get discouraged and give up. Going back to a dense book I've stalled on can be really difficult (this happened with Barnaby Rudge). I'm also reading Samuel Richardson's Clarissa this year as a group read and I've found our schedule of a little bit a day really helpful. I think I'm a couple of days behind at the moment though so I need to pick it up again!

--When you don't finish a book is it because it's bad? Or difficult? Or boring? Or just because your mood changes??

If my mood changes then I'll put it down but generally come back to it (I read several books at once for this reason). I generally try to finish books even if I don't like them but I will stop if I get to the stage where the book makes me want to scream or throw it at the wall which is what happened with Tuesdays with Morrie. Unfortunately it's for my reading group and the lady who chose it thought it was amazing so I need to find a more measured way of saying I didn't like it by Tuesday!

10:00 to 1:30

Step Study with my sponsee
More prep for dinner tonight
lunch prep and eating
Bunny baskets prepared

Read from Daisy Miller 14 pages
Listened to more 1984
Off to pick up the kids!

Won't be back here until later tonight. I am bound and determined to finish Daisy Miller before midnight

11:45-1:15
Only 20 pages. Lots of time on Wikipedia looking things up, so probably less than 45 minutes of actually reading Europe Central. Also lost sleep last night because of transformer explosion underneath street down the block from our apartment, and resulting traffic of police, fire dept, and Con Ed (electrical utility), so my concentration is poor. May take a nap after I eat some lunch.

Do you consciously or unconsciously find yourself trying to balance your reading -- eg serious vs light fiction; novels vs non-fiction?

I usually have a novel or mystery and a book of poetry or a cookbook-type book or a picture book -- something just to browse or read for short bursts -- going at the same time. So I don't have two novels, mysteries or non-fiction going at the same time. I also don't read an author back to back or too close together as I can experience burn-out on even a beloved one.

For hefty or difficult books, I do try to read little bits. Sorry, that's all I can say. The Old Testament I like to read in bits and use a pictorial dictionary and maps or the like to help out. Other than that, I'll have to think about another "hefty" I finished.

When you don't finish a book is it because it's bad? Or difficult or boring? Or just because your mood changes?

I don't have a big problem with this usually because I'm pretty good at knowing what I might like. Two books come to mind: I tried to read Dr. Zhivago when I was about 21. It's a pretty long book and I just didn't get it and couldn't get interested in it, despite having seen the movie as a teen-ager. But I picked it up again in my middle '50s and couldn't read it fast enough and it became one of my favorite reads of all time. Conversely, last week, because of some reviews I read, I picked up Bitter in the Mouth by Monique Truong and just couldn't get interested in the main character or subject at all. I like coming-of-age stories, but this one just turned me off somehow, but I think perhaps if I were younger I might have liked it.

So, does anyone have a fave book for this readathon? Has anything you have read -- or seen other people read -- give you any ideas?

I really liked Kitchen Counter Cooking School and Sacred Hearts was a good reminder that I want to read Sarah Dunant. It just moved up my TBR list!

I'm going to take a nap before resuming reading, but I do anticipate being able to complete a third books today -- eventually.

MEME QUESTIONS

Do you consciously or unconsciously find yourself trying to balance your reading -- eg serious vs light fiction; novels vs non-fiction?

I wouldn't say it's completely conscious, but if I'm reading something more intense non-fiction wise, I will be more apt to read a light fiction novel at the same time or right afterwards.

In light of Rebecca's comments about her current dense read, do you have any tips to pass along for those of us contemplating or reading a hefty book that requires a lot of attention? What's the trickiest book to read that you have finished?

Like the old fable says, slow and steady wins the race. Take breaks and read something that you know you will enjoy, such as the next in a favorite series. I have no idea which book I would consider the trickiest to finish.

When you don't finish a book is it because it's bad? Or difficult? Or boring? Or just because your mood changes??

I only abandon one or two a year. To be honest, it could be that there's too much profanity or indecency in the book; it could be poorly written; or it could be a book that just isn't for me. I try to avoid books that I know I won't enjoy. I recently finished a book to which I only gave a half star rating and another to which I only gave a 1 star rating so you can tell that I rarely abandon them even just because they are poorly written.

So, does anyone have a fave book for this readathon? Has anything you have read -- or seen other people read -- give you any ideas?

Jennifer Chiaverini's The Quilter's Legacy is my favorite of the readathon so far. It's one of those comfort reads. I haven't had as much time for reading threads as I would like to have. I'm getting ready to begin Gentlemen of the Road probably tomorrow so I've been curious to see the reaction to that one.

#109 - There is a lot of profanity in Tana French's books, something I think could be toned down at least. Just so you know if you ever give them a try!

Since I was last here:

Number of books read from in this period (and titles, if you want): 1 - Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant
Number of books completed in this period: 0
Number of pages completed in this period: 111

Total number of books read from during readathon (and titles, if wished) 4 - Britain BC; On the Black Hill, The Janus Stone and Sacred Hearts
Total number of books completed: 2 - On the Black Hill and The Janus Stone
Total number of pages to date: 900

Didn't manage to pick up my nonfiction read this afternoon but have managed a bit more from Sacred Hearts. Going to be taking a bit of a break now and will probably not be reading very much until bedtime here. There's still a long way to the end time of the readathon so I expect I'll have more to report:)

Hope everyone else is having some great reading time.

Sorry I've been AWOL, but have been in a Vicodin fog. When the pain meds are working, I'm quite OK, but a bit doped up; when they abate, the pain is nagging. Oh well. Think I can tough it out until Weds.

SUNDAY:

Number of books read from in this period: 3 - A Lion Called Christian by Anthony Bourke, The House on Willow Street by Cathy Kelly, Reading Chekhov by Janet Malcolm
Number of books completed in this period: 1 (A Lion Called Christian)
Number of pages completed in this period: 136 in #1, 36 in #2, 20 in #3: 192 total

Total number of books read from during readathon: 8
Total number of books completed: 5 -- Losing Nelson by Barry Unsworth, The Child Who by Simon Lelic, A Study in Scarlet by Conan Doyle, A Lion Called Christian by Anthony Bourke & Mission to Paris by Alan Furst
Total number of pages to date: 1,014

Will be back later to answer my own questions!!

Sunday (about 4-6 p.m.)

Number of books read from in this period (and titles if you want): 1 - This Cold Heaven: Seven Seasons in Greenland by Gretel Ehrlich
Number of books completed in this period: 1
Number of pages completed in this period: 181

Total number of books read from during the readathon (and titles, if wished): 3 - The Little Red Guard by Wenguang Huang; The Quilter's Legacy by Jennifer Chiaverini; and This Cold Heaven: Seven Seasons in Greenland by Gretel Ehrlich
Total number of books completed: 3 (The Little Red Guard by Wenguang Huang; The Quilter's Legacy by Jennifer Chiaverini; and This Cold Heaven: Seven Seasons in Greenland by Gretel Ehrlich)
Total number of pages to date: 630

Where has the day gone?

I didn't do any reading at all until about 2:00 today.

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
**Reading: The Moon Is Down
**Pages read: 69

Totals
**Books read from: 3
**Pages read: 315
**Books finished: 1

It's a gorgeous day so I sat outside for a while with my book, throwing the ball for the dog. Also went to the gym this morning. I imagine I'll probably finish this Steinbeck before the end of my day - it's a short and fast-paced book.

Here's a quote that interested me: "For Major Hunter set his men in rows like figures and he added and subtracted and multiplied them. He was an arithmetician rather than a mathematician. None of the humor, the music, or the mysticism of higher mathematics ever entered his head." I was struck by it because it was an interesting way to describe the character, and also because my husband's previously-mentioned dissertation is for his PhD in Math.

Do you consciously or unconsciously find yourself trying to balance your reading -- eg serious vs light fiction; novels vs non-fiction?
I don't really try to balance heavy/light, but I do somewhat try to keep a balance between fiction and non. I am still weighted heavily toward fiction, but I enjoy nonfiction as well. I just have to remind myself to read it.

In light of Rebecca's comments about her current dense read, do you have any tips to pass along for those of us contemplating or reading a hefty book that requires a lot of attention? What's the trickiest book to read that you have finished?
I could probably use more advice than I can offer. I tend to put a book aside when I get bogged down, leave it for too long, and then I dread having to pick it back up again and probably start over.

When you don't finish a book is it because it's bad? Or difficult? Or boring? Or just because your mood changes??
I used to always finish everything. Then I realized my time on earth is finite and I really don't want to spend it reading books I hate. So mostly I don't finish them if I find them very bad or very boring. Occasionally if they're difficult (see answer above).

So, does anyone have a fave book for this readathon? Has anything you have read -- or seen other people read -- give you any ideas?
I've been reminded that I want to read some Sherlock Holmes one day.

4 pm to 6:30 pm

Number of books read from in this period: 2 - The Sign of the Four by Arthur Conan Doyle; The House on Willow Street by Cathy Kelly
Number of books completed in this period: 1 (The Sign of the Four)
Number of pages completed in this period: 118 of the former; 46 of the latter: 164

Total number of books read from during readathon: 9
Total number of books completed: 6 -- Losing Nelson by Barry Unsworth, The Child Who by Simon Lelic, A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of the Four by Conan Doyle, A Lion Called Christian by Anthony Bourke & Mission to Paris by Alan Furst
Total number of pages to date: 1,178

Finished the books for my RL book circle -- the Sherlock Holmes tomes!

I try to balance my reading a bit -- to always have a non-fiction book on the go. I'm pleased when I find that non-fiction makes up about 1/3 of my total reading, although I realize that is very arbitrary!!

I have started being more experimental in my reading, trying new authors of whom I know little or nothing, rather than simply gravitating to books that I know I'll like. The good part is that I discover some wonderful new stuff that way; the downside is that I don't get around to reading the stuff I know that I'll like as rapidly, even though I'm still buying them and/or requesting them from the library. So my TBR backlog is even larger than ever.

I like the idea of reading a chapter at a time of a particularly difficult book. For me, the challenge often is to keep up with a book that takes a week or more to read. I'll always be reading something else, as well, but there are some books that it's harder to go back to and harder to pick up if you do put it down and want to read something lighter. I think that's my biggest frustration!

I do leave books unfinished -- not that many, but there are some that turn out to be simply dreadful and not readable. Occasionally, I'll go back and finish something that I started a long time ago and discover that I do like it after all. Most of the DNFs are either heavyweight subjects of nonfiction books that prove less interesting or compelling in execution than in theory, or genre books (mystery or historical fiction) that are just bad -- tremendous flaws that make them unreadable.

I've been reminded that I'm going to read the Chatwin novel On the Black Hill this month -- and that I should note to myself to pick up the Wollman book.

Well, I ended up taking a nap and then a long walk in the park, and now it's dinner time. I hope to read a little more after dinner, if I don't get seduced by the Sunday crossword.

Thanks, Suzanne, for organizing this and for being such a good hostess despite toothache and Vicodin fog. And thanks to all for interesting reading ideas. Suz, in addition to reminding me I want to do more Sherlock Holmes rereading, you've reminded me that I have Reading Chekhov and would like to read it.

Sunday 6-9 p.m.

Number of books read from in this period (and titles if you want): 1 - Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon
Number of books completed in this period: 1
Number of pages completed in this period: 204

Total number of books read from during the readathon (and titles, if wished): 4 - The Little Red Guard by Wenguang Huang; The Quilter's Legacy by Jennifer Chiaverini; and This Cold Heaven: Seven Seasons in Greenland by Gretel Ehrlich; Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon
Total number of books completed: 3 (The Little Red Guard by Wenguang Huang; The Quilter's Legacy by Jennifer Chiaverini; This Cold Heaven: Seven Seasons in Greenland by Gretel Ehrlich; and Gentlemen of the Road by Michael Chabon)
Total number of pages to date: 834

I think that's going to about do me for the readathon. I feel a need to take a break from reading so I'm going to do a little TV or DVD watching.

6:30 pm to 10 pm

Did some work, mostly on "must-do" projects; I still have two of those that aren't finished yet, which is going to make tomorrow grim...

Number of books read from in this period: 1 The House on Willow Street by Cathy Kelly
Number of books completed in this period: 0
Number of pages completed in this period: 112

Total number of books read from during readathon: 9
Total number of books completed: 6 -- Losing Nelson by Barry Unsworth, The Child Who by Simon Lelic, A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of the Four by Conan Doyle, A Lion Called Christian by Anthony Bourke & Mission to Paris by Alan Furst
Total number of pages to date: 1,290

I'll finish this novel, which is OK chick lit, and maybe read a bit more of either The Sister Queens or the Janet Malcolm book on Chekhov. The choice as to which will depend on my ability to process information!!

Will check back at midnight to round up the readathon...

I suppose everyone else has headed off to bed to get ready for a new week.

Here's my own final update:

Number of books read from in this period: 1 The House on Willow Street by Cathy Kelly
Number of books completed in this period: 1 (as above)
Number of pages completed in this period: 121

Total number of books read from during readathon: 9
Total number of books completed: 7 -- Losing Nelson by Barry Unsworth, The Child Who by Simon Lelic, A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of the Four by Conan Doyle, A Lion Called Christian by Anthony Bourke & Mission to Paris by Alan Furst, The House on Willow Street by Cathy Kelly
Total number of pages to date: 1,411

11:58

Well, I did it. I finished Daisy Miller.

Granted, it is a novella only 48 pages but I didn't think I would make it. An odd little book. Chronicles a young American girl’s willful yet innocent flirtation with a young Italian, and its unfortunate consequences. She refuses to change her natural ways in order to please a culture to which she does not belong.
But the question remains, did she stay true to herself?

I can't say that this is going to go down in history as a great read but I am glad that I read it.

Number of books read from in this period: 1
Number of books completed in this period:1
Number of pages completed in this period: 10

Total number of books read from during readathon: 12

1. 1984 by George Orwell (Audiobook)
2. Alcoholics Anonymous: Large Print (a daily read)
3. Black Horses for the King by Anne McCaffrey (Kobo)
4. Daisy Miller by Henry James (Kobo)
5. The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz
6. The Fourth Deadly Sin by Lawrence Sanders
7. Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield (Kobo)
8. King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table by Roger Lancelyn Green
9. Secrets of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst
10. Straight by Dick Francis (Kobo)
11. Twenty-four Hours a Day by Anonymous (a daily read)
12.Valley of the Horses by Jean M. Auel

Total number of books completed: 1 - Daisy Miller by Henry James
Total number of pages Friday noon to Sunday midnight: 181

Thanks everybody. This has been an interesting experience!

10pm Sun - 6pm Mon

Number of books read from in this period (and titles, if you want): 1 - Finder's Shore
Number of books completed in this period:1
Number of pages completed in this period: 185

Total number of books read from during readathon (and titles, if wished): 3 - Blood Red Road, Cinder, Finder's Shore & Kafka on the Shore
Total number of books completed: 4 - Blood Red Road, Cinder, Kafka on the Shore & Finder's Shore
Total number of pages to date: 980 pgs & 2.5 hr audio

I've spent another lazy day reading and watching some tv shows - Firefly, Sherlock and Jonathan Creek. I decided to finish up the YA I was reading, Finder's Shore as it's the 3rd of a trilogy and the quality of writing was so good.

#121: calm - Thanks for the info on the books. I'll look for a slot for them in the coming months, they all have a place in my 12in12 challenge.

Thanks for hosting Suzanne.

Since I was last here:

Number of books read from in this period (and titles, if you want): 2 - Britain BC and Sacred Hearts
Number of books completed in this period: 0
Number of pages completed in this period: 98

Total number of books read from during readathon (and titles, if wished) 4 - Britain BC; On the Black Hill; The Janus Stone and Sacred Hearts
Total number of books completed: 2 - On the Black Hill and The Janus Stone
Total number of pages to date: 998

Well I managed another chapter of Britain BC yesterday evening, mainly during TV ad breaks. Then I took Sacred Hearts to bed and read for a while. Overslept a bit this morning, the cats weren't too happy with me:) Then I took a pot of coffee back to bed and stayed there until I finished Sacred Hearts, unfortunately that was outside the official readathon time so I can't say that I read two whole books over the weekend. But I think it was a successful readathon for me.

Thanks to Suzanne for hosting and I look forward to whoever volunteers to host the next.

Kerry - they all fit into my 12 in 12 as well, though I must say I have neglected that thread a bit. Must do some catching up on book comments and see what is happening over there. Hope you like them as much as I did.

Suzanne - I picked up the Chatwin for this month as you entered it on the TIOLI wiki ... hope you get to it.

I developed a headache yesterday evening, possibly food-related, so I ended up going to bed early to sleep it off. I didn't make a lot of progress on the physical books on my TBR list, but I finished the audio of Gentlemen of the Road and listened to quite a bit of Night.

I read some of three books and finished one.

Heresy completed early Sunday morning. - a library book.
The Winter Garden Mystery -audio
The Eagle of the Ninth - ebook

Great readathon. Thanks for hosting!

Thanks for hosting, Suzanne! I have just finished When God Spoke English - the readathon pushed me to read in more than 5 minute blasts and I got 180 pages read over the weekend.