Social Distancing Readathon #242 - November 15 - 17

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

I'll try to join, but I have to prepare for a work trip next week (leaving on Sunday afternoon) so don't know if I'll have as much time as I'd like. Next weekend I'll definitely join as I'll be decompressing w´from what will be a very long and tough week.

I’m in again.
I’ll be reading during any break l get from unpacking boxes. I love the new house already - great windows in every room and views of trees from all of them.
I am really enjoying We Solve Murders by Richard Osman.

Silver, thank you for continuing to host the read-a-thon week after week.

It's been a long while since I've participated: I'm in!

Unfortunately I cannot join this weekend. Kerry and I are having our monthly gaming marathon today and then over the weekend we have to clear out everything in our kitchen for installation of our new cabinets next week.

I hope everyone reads lot of books and has tons of fun over the weekend!

I'm in - currently reading All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque and Living in Wonder by Rod Dreher.

I’m in. I will be reading The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommendations, Howl’s Moving Castle and Blue Sisters.

Launching into the weekend:

Books read from: Beneath of Sands of Egypt by Donald P. Ryan
La mort, entre autres by Philip Kerr
Books finished:
Time reading: 1h
Time posting: 6:00 pm
Snacks: Indian left overs (yum)
Thoughts: I'm engrossed by both books; the one on Egypt is a very accessible account of all that is entailed in archaeology
Non-book activities:

Total books finished: 0
Total read from: 2
Total time reading: 1hr

Friday night update:

Books read from: Howl’s Moving Castle and Readers of Broken Wheel Redommend
Books finished:
Time reading: 2 1/2 hours
Time posting: 9:30 pm
Snacks: pulled pork sandwich with a cucumber salad
Thoughts: I'm very surprised not to have read Howl’s Moving Castle before now.
Non-book activities: watching Cleveland Cavalier’s basketball

Total books finished: 0
Total read from: 2
Total time reading: 2 1/2 hours

Friday update

Books read from: Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, The October Country by Ray Bradbury and Blood and Circuses by Kerry Greenwood
Books finished: 0
Time reading: ca 2 hours
Non-book activities: Work, watching TV, pedalling on the exercise bike, trying to figure out what to pack for my work trip

Friday Update

Media read from:

Carpe Jugulum, by Terry Pratchett 27 minutes
Children of Blood and Bone, by Tomi Adeyemi 70 minutes
Return of the Native, by Thomas Hardy 63 min
Desmond Cole: Beware the Werewolf, by Andres Miedoso 30 minutes

Media finished:

Desmond Cole: Beware the Werewolf, by Andres Miedoso

Time reading: 190 minutes

Snacks: Oatmeal and chili

Thoughts: Enjoying Carpe Jugulum and Children of Blood and Bone. Return of the Native is good, but I'm 3 hours in and just beginning to sende a plot. Desmond Cole is great, as always.

Books read from: Beneath of Sands of Egypt by Donald P. Ryan
La mort, entre autres by Philip Kerr
La sorcière moderne du foyer by Arin Murphy-Hiscock
Books finished:
Time reading: 5h
Time posting: 4:30 pm
Snacks: Ferrero Rocher
Thoughts: I'm hoping to finish The One from the Other (La mort, entre autres) a very clever and engrossing spy-thriller full of contrasts which show how complex the politics in post WWII Germany and Austria were.

Non-book activities: I went to see Anora at the cinema; not sure how I feel about it - the ending is great but many of the characters are unlikable

Total books finished: 0
Total read from: 3
Total time reading: 6hr

Saturday update

Books read from: The October Country by Ray Bradbury and Blood and Circuses by Kerry Greenwood
Books finished: 0
Time reading: ca 3 hours
Non-book activities: A long walk, Duolingo, procrastinating packing for my work trip

>13 PawsforThought: Fun! I really like Greenwood!

Books read from: Beneath of Sands of Egypt by Donald P. Ryan
Sunset Park by Paul Auster
Books finished: La mort, entre autres by Philip Kerr
La sorcière moderne du foyer by Arin Murphy-Hiscock
Time reading: 4h
Time posting: 9:00 am
Snacks: oatmeal
Thoughts: Auster is such an amazing story teller: once I pick up one of his books, I have a really hard time putting it down.

Non-book activities: off to do a walk and some birding: high time I got over my pesky laryngitis with some fresh air

Total books finished: 2
Total read from: 4
Total time reading: 10 hr

Saturday update

Books read from: Howl's Moving Castle, Readers of Broken Wheel.....
Books finished: 0
Time reading: about 4 hours
Non-book activities: Made sourdough cinnamon raisin bread

>14 Cecilturtle: Me too. I’m reading quite a lot of dense, tough things at the moment so it’s since to have something easy and lighthearted (despite the murders…) to balance it with.

Sunday Report

Books read from: Yellow Rambutan Tree Mystery by Ovidia Yu. Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer. I am listening to book 4 and 5 in the Kingsbridge series by Ken Follett - Armor of Light and Evening and the Morning.

Books finished: So much time on the road combined with a couple of sleepless nights allowed me to finish several books this last week. Finished were Yellow Rambutan Tree Mystery by Ovidia Yu. Armor of Light by Ken Follett and Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Book Thoughts: Driving from one part of the US to another is quality time with recorded books. I listened to Armor of Light and continue to think it is fascinating how Follett brings religion into this series and how much I am learning about church history. I am also discovering that Follett is a very favorable author towards Napoleon and the French Revolution. He gave me things to think about regarding those two French events and their influence on British political development. I first encountered this in the Poldark series by Winston Graham. It is interesting to me that Follett continues along this line in his historical fiction saga. I also enjoyed listening to Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid. It is very different book from the Kingsbridge books but was a great book to listen to. I would recommend it to anybody who likes to read about California, surfing, or Hollywood culture. I also finished the latest book in the Crown Colony series by Ovidia Yu. This are great books to read when you can't sleep at night. There is some meat in them, but they aren't going to disturb your sleep. I don't understand why this author doesn't have a wider audience among the cozy mystery reading people?

Non-Book Activities: finished cleaning out the house and turned in the keys on November 15th. I am back in Kansas and will be doing some cooking and cleaning out in preparation for the arrival of my furniture - whenever that may be. I have heard nothing from the moving company in the last week.

Reading Time Today: 8 hours
Time Reading this weekend: 8 hours
Time listening:
Time posting:
Food: cheese sandwich and oatmeal cookie

Total books finished since the Read-A-Thon Began: 471
Total Time Reading since the Social Distancing read-a-thon began: 1436 hours since I started doing the weekend Read-A-Thon starting in April of 2020.

Books read from: The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, Hangsaman by Shirley Jackson, The October Country by Ray Bradbury and Blood and Circuses by Kerry Greenwood
Books finished: None
Time reading: About 3 hours
Non-book activities: A walk, biking, finally packing, Duolingo, travelling to my brother’s place, hanging with brother’s family

Total read from: 4
Total time reading: About 8 hours

I’ve been on a roll the past few readathons, getting more reading done than in literal years. I think it’s largely due to my decision to cut down on phone time and social media. I’m already noticing a difference when it comes to my ability to concentrate for long periods of time.

And now a fairly early night because I have to get up at 04:30 tomorrow in order to catch the first flight. An intense three days ahead and then decompressing a bit before next weekend - I have no plan except maybe baking some saffron buns for Christmas. Hopefully lots of reading time.

Sunday evening

Book:
3/4 way through We Solve Murders,
Funny, quirky characters.
Sunday NY Times.

Dinner: spaghetti & meatballs

Other activity:
Unpacking and celebrating! Our old house sold today for close to asking price. Only listed it on Fri - sold in 3 days. Me - happy dancing! 💃🏼

Weekend summary:

Books read from: All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque, Jade City by Fonda Lee, Living in Wonder by Rod Dreher
Books finished All Quiet on the Western Front
Pages read: 450-ish

Non-reading activities: Got to watch my granddaughter perform in her HS play "Peter and the Starcatcher". Also watched plenty of college & pro football (half watching/half reading).

Wrapping it up -

Books:
Finished We Solve Murders late last night.
Now reading A Prayer for the Crown-Shy. Liked the 1st one - A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Becky Chambers)

Breakfast was the usual - berries & granola.

🌞sunny, 60F/15C

>21 nrmay: Congratulations on the sale of the house! That must be a big load off your mind!

Weekend wrap-up: this has been my best reading weekend in a long time.

Books read from: Beneath of Sands of Egypt by Donald P. Ryan
Sunset Park by Paul Auster
La cuisine des sorcières by Pauline Capmas-Delarue
Books finished: La mort, entre autres by Philip Kerr
La sorcière moderne du foyer by Arin Murphy-Hiscock
Time reading: 5h
Time posting: 1:00 pm
Snacks: oatmeal
Thoughts: Auster is such an amazing story teller: once I pick up one of his books, I have a really hard time putting it down.

Non-book activities: café time with my bestie and bargain hunting

Total books finished: 2
Total read from: 5
Total time reading: 15 hr

Weekend wrapup

Books read from: Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer. Secret Life of Dust by Hannah Holmes. I am listening to book 5 in the Kingsbridge series by Ken Follett - Evening and the Morning.

Books finished: So much time on the road combined with a couple of sleepless nights allowed me to finish several books this last week. Finished were Yellow Rambutan Tree Mystery by Ovidia Yu. Armor of Light by Ken Follett and Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Book Thoughts: Under the Banner of Heaven is turning out to be quite a story. It is narrative nonfiction and I am learning a great deal about the Mormons and the history of that religion is fascinating. I am also enjoying my science book Secret Life of Dust and finding it an interesting blend of flowing narrative and then hard heavy science.

Non-Book Activities: I started a grocery list and then decided that I really needed to do a hardware store list instead. First thing on the list was a spackling kit. There are lots of holes in the walls that I need to patch.

Reading Time Today: 1 hours
Time Reading this weekend: 9 hours
Time listening:
Time posting:
Food: I mixed up a batch of almond banana granola this morning and it sure made the house smell nice. Lots of maple syrup in it and a hearty dose of vanilla. Can't wait to eat it tomorrow morning for breakfast.

Total books finished since the Read-A-Thon Began: 471
Total Time Reading since the Social Distancing read-a-thon began: 1437 hours since I started doing the weekend Read-A-Thon starting in April of 2020.

>19 nrmay: Congratulations!

Sunday update

Books read from: Readers of Broken Wheel and Howl's Moving Castle
Books finished: 0
Time reading: approx 2 hours
Non-book activities: Attended neighborhood book club. Everyone enjoyed The One

I'll get the next readathon up sometime later this evening. Probably around 8:00 or 9:00 pm Central time.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/365998