Social Distancing Readathon #76 - August 27 - 29

Welcome to another readathon!

We generally run from Friday at 5 p.m. to Sunday at midnight in whatever time zone you choose, but feel free to start earlier on Friday and wrap up overnight Sunday/Monday, if that's what you want to do.

Here are some things to track throughout the weekend, if you choose:

Books read from:
Books finished:
Time reading:
Time posting:
Snacks:
Thoughts:
Non-book activities:

Total books finished:
Total read from:
Total time reading:

Who is participating -

1. SilverWolf (SilverWolf28) -- Tennessee, USA

Count me in!

I will be joining in. Monday 30 August is a Bank Holiday here so I will be counting up to midnight on Monday too.

This weekend will be another busy one for me but I have books that are due back at the library so sign me up. I’ll do my best to both read and post (I failed both, but especially the latter last weekend).

Count me in again.

I will be joining in again this weekend.

I'm in! I am reading for a workshop and for pleasure.

I'll come back and have a go. We've been in lockdown again here in Auckland, New Zealand for last 10 or so days, not sure when we'll be allowed out and about again.
At least my overdue library books can't be returned for a while.

Checking from Auckland: 8.30pm Fri

Books read from: The Last Cavalier by Alexandre Dumas (audio)
Books finished: 0
Time reading: 60mins

Snacks: Dinner - shahi paneer
Thoughts: lots to read
Non-book activities: baked challah bread, made Guatemalan black refried beans

Total books finished: 0
Total read from: 1
Total time reading: 1 hr

Just settling in now to read Angel Mage by Garth Nix. Hope to finish this weekend.
Also reading a novella, The Jew's Beech, by Annette von Droste-Hülshoff and a crime novel, Force of Nature by Jane Harper.

I'm in.

Leaving for the beach tomorrow but I'll have several books along.

Currently reading The Orphan Collector by Ellen Wiseman, another pandemic historical novel, Spanish flu in 1918.

Started The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis last night & finished it this morning - a quick read both because of it's length and the fact that it's a reread. Heading to the library to pick up Hillary Mantel's Wolf Hall, which I've been meaning to read for some time.

I'll try to join in tomorrow and Sunday. No reading this evening. :-(

I'm in. I'm making a push to finish books for a couple of August challenges I haven't met yet and to at least start my last book for my library's summer reading bingo (which runs through Labor Day).

Friday afternoon/evening:

Books read from: The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant
Books finished: none
Time reading: 3 hours
Snacks: Chinese takeout for dinner
Thoughts: It's really remarkable how much the making of war changed between the Napoleonic Era (which I've studied intensively) and the American Civil War, in particular how much of a difference the railroad and telegraph made.
Non-book activities: laundry, work

Total books finished: 0
Total read from: 1
Total time reading: 3 hours

Too tired to post last night, so this is Friday’s update.

Books read from: 1 - Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
Books finished: 0
Time reading: A few minutes here and there during the day and a couple of hours before bed.
Snacks: Dinner (pasta and sausages), tea, biscuits, some crisps
Thoughts: I wish I didn’t have to work so I could read instead.
Non-book activities: Work, shopping shower.

Friday's update:

Books read from: 1 - Cloud Cuckoo Land
Books finished: 0
Time reading: Probably an hour after dinner - read about 5%
Snacks: Dinner: Zucchini boats stuffed with mushrooms cheese breadcrumbs and red peppers
Thoughts: Ugh I've been reading this book for way to long, time to put the pedal to the metal
Non-book activities: Watched the Indians game, you tube

I'm in Silver and enjoying David Diop's At Night all Blood is Black which I hope is not the only book I can finish this weekend.

Books read from: 6
Lara Feigel, The Group
Dawnie Walton, The Final Revival of Opal & Nev
Ruth Eastham, The Messenger Bird
Peter Lovesey, Remaindered
Lilian Li, Number One Chinese Restaurant - STARTED 27.08.21
Marika Cobbold, On Hampstead Heath - STARTED 28.08.21

Books finished: 0
Pages read: 80
Non-book activities:

Yesterday afternoon Danny and I went to the school uniform shop to buy the bits needed for the start of the new year. Thankfully less than I expected as Conor has mostly inherited thinks and only needed a new pair of shorts, and my sister had already bought them a few generic basics. Some of their uniform items need to have logos on for their particular school, some don't. I also checked out the large supermarket over the road - they have lots of non food bits as well but this branch always seems to me not to make good use of their space compared to other branches of the same chain.

Early morning start today, although I've not been anywhere, making sure Mike got up to get Conor ready and take him to his swimming lesson. Then tired and feeling a bit icky so I've slept a bit.

Hoping to make up for it a bit tonight, tomorrow and on the bank holiday Monday, so I can return several books to pick up others from the library on Tuesday or Wednesday. I'm over my limit but I do have several books to take back. I may also need to go further afield next week to Camden Libraries but am hoping I could put that off

And the boys are now on their last week before school starts

Total books finished: 0
Total read from: 6
Total pages read: 80

Saturday morning update:

Not much reading to report so far. I read a little bit last night before going to sleep. I've been working on genealogy this morning.

Books read from: Darkened Rooms of Summer
Books finished:
Time reading: ?
Time posting: ?
Snacks: scone brownie, peach, tea
Thoughts: Looks like another hot day.
Non-book activities: Farmer's market, genealogy, laundry

Total books finished: 0
Total read from: 1
Total time reading: ?

Saturday morning update:

About 100 pages into Wolf Hall, also read from Thomas Oden's Classic Christianity: A Systematic Theology and Fables of La Fontaine

Saturday noon update

Books reading from: I finished Survival of the Bark Canoe by John McPhee for the Nonfiction Challenge here on LT. The August topic is transportation. I am about to finish Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester that I also started last weekend and I am on the end stretch of This Is the Water by Yannick Murphy. I should finish both of these this weekend.
Books finished in the last week: Survival of the Bark Canoe by John McPhee
Time reading:
Time posting: 2 hours last night and this morning.
Food: tomato sandwich with a tomato from a neighbors garden
Thoughts: I am getting ready to go out for the afternoon as tomorrow Hurricane Ida arrives and the weather here is going to get messy. I am going to have to do a Zoom teaching session tomorrow night and I hope that everything works right.
Non-book activities: none so far today other than knitting and watching some cooking shows on TV.

Total books finished since the read-a-thon began: 153
Total time reading for the Read-A-Thon since the Social Distancing read-a-thon began: 423 hours since April 2020.

I am rereading The City and The City by China Mieville. I am preparing for a workshop on Monday that I am leading. I previously read a book for pre-teens- Lumberjanes The Good Egg. I also have The Other Black Girl on my "read now" book pile.
Dinner will be great leftovers- brisket and some tofu and vegetables.

Busy day today so not much reading. Hoping to get an hour or so in before I fall asleep.

Books read from: 1 - Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
Books finished: 0
Time reading: An hour maybe in the morning, but not much since.
Snacks: Massive dinner with shrimp, crayfish, cheese pie and cake for dessert; some crisps
Non-book activities: Picking brother’s family up from the train station, grocery shopping, hanging out with family.

Saturday 11,45 pm update

Books read from: 5
Joanna Nadin, The Talk of Pram Town
Lara Feigel, The Group - FINISHED 28.08.21
Dawnie Walton, The Final Revival of Opal & Nev
Ruth Eastham, The Messenger Bird
Peter Lovesey, Remaindered

Books finished: 1
Pages read: 267
Non-book activities: Bejeweled Blitz, WhatsApp

Total books finished: 1
Total read from: 7
Total pages read: 347

Checking from Auckland: 12 noon Sun

Books read from: The Last Cavalier by Alexandre Dumas (audio), Angel Mage by Garth Nix
Books finished: 0
Time reading: 2.5hrs

Snacks: breakfast: peaches with Greek Yoghurt
Thoughts: how much I've enjoyed the Dumas novel
Non-book activities: Sat: baked ricotta & herb scones, attempted tangelo marmalade, made kimchi fried rice and made a pot of ciorba soup.
Today: baked pumpkin & sage scones, prepared Tuscan slow cooker meatballs and about to put a tray of Chamomile cup cakes in oven.

Total books finished: 0
Total read from: 2
Total time reading: 3.5 hr

I have a zoom meeting this afternoon so I'll keep reporting through Monday as I haven't spent much time with books. I'm doing a lot in the kitchen though I'm finished now as dinner is in the slow cooker. Will just have to prepare icing for those cupcakes.
The chamomile cup cake recipe is from Ruby Tandoh who was on the GBBO a few years ago. It's a reliable recipe, I've made them 5 or 6 times.
https://www.littleobservationist.com/recipe-camomile-vanilla-cupcakes-by-ruby-ta...

Saturday evening update:

Books read from: Hot Money
Books finished:
Time reading: ?
Time posting: ?
Snacks: black-eyed peas, grapes, sparking water
Thoughts: It's been a lovely Saturday, although too hot for my comfort.
Non-book activities: cleaning, laundry, cooking, walk with the dog

Total books finished: 0
Total read from: 2
Total time reading: ?

Saturday evening:

Books read from: The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant
Books finished: none
Time reading: 3 hours
Snacks: leftover Chinese takeout
Thoughts: Such a gorgeous day--mid-70's, sunny, clear air and blue skies
Non-book activities: errands, including farmers market and birding supply store

Total books finished: 0
Total read from: 1
Total time reading: 6 hours

Saturday night update

Books reading from: I finished This Is the Water by Yannick Murphy and started listening to Secret Keeper of Jaipur by Alka Joshi. I am about to finish Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester that I also started last weekend.
Books finished in the last week: This Is the Water by Yannick Murphy, Survival of the Bark Canoe by John McPhee
Time reading: 1 hour this afternoon
Time posting:
Food: falafel wrap for supper
Thoughts: I am getting ready for Hurricane Ida as she arrives early tomorrow morning and the weather here is going to get messy. Forecast is for 4 - 6 inches of rain tomorrow and Monday. I am going to have to do a Zoom teaching session Sunday night and am not looking forward to getting out in the rain. I just hope that everything works right.
Non-book activities: none so far today other than knitting and watching some cooking shows on TV.

Total books finished since the read-a-thon began: 154
Total time reading for the Read-A-Thon since the Social Distancing read-a-thon began: 424 hours since April 2020.

Completed At Night All Blood is Black and now hurtling through A Kind of Loving from Stan Barstow, a writer from my hometown of Wakefield, which was written in 1960 and is in the 1001 Books First Edition.

Saturday update:

Books read from: Cloud Cuckoo Land
Books finished: none
Time reading: a couple of hours
Snacks: Pizza with a side of broccoli
Thoughts: Finally! I've reached 50% in this book.
Non-book activities: I'm glued to Hurricane Ida updates. Be safe all those in line.

Sunday morning update:

Books read from: Hot Money
Books finished:
Time reading: ?
Time posting: ?
Snacks: breakfast was a cinnamon roll and tea
Thoughts: It's a beautiful Sunday morning!
Non-book activities: Sleep

Total books finished: 0
Total read from: 2
Total time reading: ?

Sunday afternoon:

Books read from: The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant, Sparrow Envy
Books finished: The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant, Sparrow Envy
Time reading: 4 hours
Snacks: cheese crackers
Thoughts: Grant's memoirs are a remarkable work for a man on his deathbed, and from my experience reading this book and a fair amount of Wellington's correspondence, I think one of the common traits to great generals is being a deadpan snarker.
Non-book activities: church

Total books finished: 2
Total read from: 2
Total time reading: 10 hours

Checking from Auckland: 11.30am Mon

Books read from: The Last Cavalier by Alexandre Dumas (audio), Angel Mage by Garth Nix, King Hereafter by Dorothy Dunnett (audio)
Books finished: 2
Time reading: 3.5hrs

Snacks: breakfast: challah toast with marmalade
Thoughts: King Hereafter will require a large dose of concentration, I've restarted a number of times to catch all the names and relationships
Non-book activities: early morning shopping trip
Total books finished: 2
Total read from: 3
Total time reading: 7 hr

Want to finish The wind on the moon by Eric Linklater by the end of the month so better get a move on. Also want to make a start on The garden of the Finzi-Continis today and continue with Force of Nature by Jane Harper.

Sunday night update

Books reading from: I started listening to Secret Keeper of Jaipur by Alka Joshi. I finished Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester and started on Witchshadow by Susan Dennard. I also picked up Traffic:Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us) by Tom Vanderbilt this afternoon and while waiting for Hurricane Ida to stop raining down on Tuscaloosa. I am now almost half done with this book.
Books finished in the last week: This Is the Water, Survival of the Bark Canoe and Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester
Time reading: 3 hours this afternoon
Time posting:
Food: Take out Butter Chicken from the Indian resturant
Thoughts: I had my reading time cut short because I went to work and had to do a Zoom session with a student, but it was a great afternoon of reading while watching the sporadic rain squalls from Hurricane Ida come through.
Non-book activities: none so far today other than knitting and watching some cooking shows on TV.

Total books finished since the read-a-thon began: 155
Total time reading for the Read-A-Thon since the Social Distancing read-a-thon began: 427 hours since April 2020.

Sunday night update

Books read from: Wolf Hall by Hillary Mantel, Kingdom Conspiracy: Returning to the Radical Mission of the Local Church by Scot Mcknight, Fables of La Fontaine, Classic Christianity: A Systematic Theology

Pages read: 420

Non-reading activities: Watched Detroit Tigers baseball

Update for Sunday.

Books read from: 2 - Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell and Death Comes as the End
Books finished: 1 - Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
Time reading: Unsure. Some time in the morning before the house woke up and a few hours in the evening, but not as much as I should have.
Snacks: Lasagna, cake.
Thoughts: Can't quite believe I finished a book that was nearly 800 pages long.
Non-book activities: Spending time with family, checking social media, wasting time.

Sunday update:

Books read from: Cloud Cuckoo Land
Books finished: none
Time reading: 2ish hours
Snacks: spaghetti
Thoughts: I'm finally at 55% of CCL and beginning to appreciate Doerr's original and complex novel.
Non-book activities: Worked on Shutterfly Album for 2020, watched Hurricane Ida coverage and Cleveland Browns

Sunday night update

As today is the Bank Holiday I will update on today's reading later

Books read from: 10
Joanna Nadin, The Talk of Pram Town
Dawnie Walton, The Final Revival of Opal & Nev - FINISHED 29.08.21
Peter Lovesey, Remaindered - FINISHED 29.08.21
Ruth Eastham, The Messenger Bird
Deborah Levy, Black Vodka
Ruth Thomas, The Home Corner
Esther Freud, I Couldn't Love You More
Hermione Lee, Penelope Fitzgerald: A Life
Marika Cobbold, On Hampstead Heath
Lilian Lee, Number One Chinese Restaurant

Books finished: 2
Pages read: 171
Book related activiites: LT and GR updates, choosing next planned reads
Non-book activities: Bejeweled Blitz, WhatsApp, radio and TV

Total books finished: 3
Total read from: 11
Total pages read: 518

I didn't get a chance to post an update last night. Here's my final report:

Books read from: Hot Money, Darkened Rooms of Summer
Books finished: Hot Money
Time reading: ?
Time posting: ?
Snacks: tea
Thoughts: Another successful readathon!
Non-book activities: Walked the dog, Zoom book club, cleaning kitchen, laundry

Total books finished: 1
Total read from: 2
Total time reading: ?

almost finished my reread of The City and the City
Food- last night -great pizza at an outdoor party -get together of friends.

Final update: 3.30am Tue

Books read from: King Hereafter by Dorothy Dunnett (audio), Force of Nature by Jane Harper, Triton of the Sea by Osamu Tezuka (graphic novel)
The Jew's Beech by Annette von Droste-Hulshoff
Books finished: 0
Time reading: 2.5hrs

Snacks: breakfast: challah toast with marmalade
Thoughts: The wind on the moon will need to be a 2 chapters daily read, too juvenile to read in one sitting
Non-book activities: another early morning shopping trip, made date scones and spanakopita
Total books finished: 2
Total read from: 6
Total time reading: 10.5 hr

Bank Holiday Monday update

Books read from: 7
Ruth Eastham, The Messenger Bird
Deborah Levy, Black Vodka
Ruth Thomas, The Home Corner
Esther Freud, I Couldn't Love You More
Hermione Lee, Penelope Fitzgerald: A Life
Marika Cobbold, On Hampstead Heath
Lilian Lee, Number One Chinese Restaurant

Books finished: 0
Pages read: 205
Book related activiites: LT and GR updates
Non-book activities: Bejeweled Blitz, WhatsApp, radio and TV

Total books finished: 3
Total read from: 11
Total pages read: 723

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/334948