Valentine's Day Readathon - Social Distancing #308 - February 13 - 15

Happy Valentine's Day!

We'll read from Friday through Sunday or Monday.

What're your favorite memories of Valentine's Day? Or favorite books about Valentine's Day?

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 am in again! Tomorrow is our monthly gaming marathon day, so not sure how I will get read, but it is going to be pouring on Saturday so a nice day of staying in and getting some reading done.

Thanks again for hosting, Silver!

I'm in! Currently reading Magician: Master by Raymond E. Feist and SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard.

Friday 10pm: Auckland
I'm in again. I've spent the evening reading the last 100 or so pages of Irène by Pierre LeMaitre.
Books read from: Irène by Pierre LeMaitre, The Far Country by Nevil Shute
Books finished: 1 Irène
Snacks: Baked Bolognese Pasta, watermelon
Thoughts: I really liked Alex by LeMaitre which I read a few years back and have always wanted to read more of his books
Non-book activities: Food prep, organising cats

Total books finished: 1 Irène

In! Some social things happening this weekend, but I expect to finish Walk in My Combat Boots and will also be reading The Empusium: A Health Resort Horror Story as I continue reading along my interest in Tuberculosis and the society around the infected. I also have a few books on Kindle I'd like to get to ... looking forward to the long weekend!

I’m reading in Florida.
There have been distractions like family visiting, Olympics (!), too much tv, but I’m getting near the end of THE DIAMOND EYE. I have liked other WWII historical novels by Kate Quinn - THE ALICE NETWORK and THE HUNTRESS.

It's just after 5pm here in Georgia (USA), and I haven't read anything yet, lol - Olympics are taking up my afternoon!

I'm currently reading Annapurna: the First Conquest of an 8,000 Meter Peak.

I'm in, although I don't know how much reading I'll be able to fit in this weekend. I have a lot on my agenda. I finished an audiobook on the way home from work this afternoon so I'm going to count that - A Body in the Bathhouse. I'm currently reading The Love Hypothesis and I hope to finish it tonight or tomorrow. Next up after that is The Far Country.

Friday Night Wrap Up:

Books read from: Another Time, Another Place by Jodi Taylor (audiobook), Other Voices, Other Vistas edited by Barbara H. Solomon, Evensong by Stewart O’Nan, and Red Comet by Heather Clark.
Books finished: 0
Time reading: 1.75 hours + listening to audiobook

Total books finished: 0
Total read from: 4
Total time reading: 1.75 hours + listening to audiobook

Much of my day today was wrapped in our monthly gaming marathon so not a lot of reading time at all.

Saturday 7.30pm: Auckland

Books read from: The Far Country by Nevil Shute
Books finished: 1 The Far Country
Snacks: watermelon, flat white coffee
Thoughts: I need to read my 'due very soon' library books
Non-book activities: Food prep for Potatoes Dauphinoise; catch & release of mouse after cat abandoned it in daughter's room; comforting cat after it spent entire night guarding the bookcase where the mouse raced and hid behind. Locking cat door so they can only go out but not re-enter.

Total books finished: 2 Irène, The Far Country

Saturday morning update:

Books read from: The Love Hypothesis, Friday the Rabbi Slept Late
Books finished: A Body in the Bathhouse
Snacks: Breakfast was grapes, cheese, and iced latte
Thoughts: It's a beautiful, sunny morning that should be warmer than it is. I am ready for spring.
Non-book activities: Took trash to dump, cleaned bathrooms and kitchen

Total books finished: 1
Total read from: 3

I'm headed out to get my nails done and I will pick up lunch before coming back home.

>10 avatiakh:
I love Nevil Shute and have read several of his books including THE FAR COUNTRY. I think my favorites are A TOWN LIKE ALICE and PIED PIPER.

Saturday morning

Books:
Was up after midnight finishing
THE DIAMOND EYE. Good historical novel, based on an intriguing real person and events.
Next - THE BONESETTER’S DAUGHTER

Breakfast:
so far cereal and coffee; contemplating an orange and toast.

Other:
Sending postcrossing cards.
watched Netflix tv suspense series UNTAMED, set in Yosemite NP.
Checked out the resident alligator that lives in the big pond next to my condo. On most days he’s stretched out on the far bank basking in the sun.

Sunny, 59F/15C at the beach.

>12 nrmay: He's one of the authors of the month currently for the British Authors Challenge, so we've all been reading him. I just started The Chequer Board. My favourites are probably the same as yours too.

Saturday Night Summary:

Books read from: Another Time, Another Place by Jodi Taylor (audiobook), Other Voices, Other Vistas edited by Barbara H. Solomon, Evensong by Stewart O’Nan, Thelonius Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original by Robin D. G. Kelley, Where You Once Belonged by Kent Haruf, The Indomitable Mrs. Trollope by Eileen Bigland, and Red Comet by Heather Clark.
Books finished: 1, Evensong
Time reading: 3.6 hours + listening to audiobook

Total books finished: 1
Total read from: 7
Total time reading: 5.35 hours + listening to audiobook

Sunday 8.00pm: Auckland

Books read from: The Chequer Board by Nevil Shute, The Mushroom Murders: A family lunch. Three deaths. What really happened? by Greg Haddrick
Books finished: 0
Snacks: watermelon, coffee; sausages, cabbage & silverbeet with penne
Thoughts: The Mushroom Murders is a nonfiction read but stars a fictional juror - interestingly weird
Weather is windy and cold, yet we should be enjoying last days of summer.
Non-book activities: Food prep

Total books finished: 2 Irène, The Far Country

Sunday morning - around 11am

I had to work yesterday (Saturday) and, of course, I watched quite a bit of the Olympics! Between the two, I haven't done as much reading as I might have. It looks as though it's going to rain all day here in middle Georgia, so I'll definitely be pursuing indoor activities.

Books read from: Annapurna, A Wizard of Earthsea, Twisted Shadows
Books finished: A Wizard of Earthsea

Thoughts: Given that Annapurna: the First Conquest of an 8,000 Meter Peak is purportedly the best selling mountaineering book of all time, and ranks at #77 on Sports Illustrated's Top 100 Sports Books of All Time list, I'm finding it a bit of a slog. Herzog is definitely a racist, although I'm sure he thought his self reported condescending and often thoughtless (criminal?) behavior toward the Nepalese citizenry and his team's Sherpa guides / laborers was the height of consideration. Much of the text seems self-serving, so I did a little digging and was not surprised to learn that there was indeed some controversy about how he represented other members of the team.

Total read from: 3: Annapurna, A Wizard of Earthsea, Twisted Shadows
Total books finished: 1: A Wizard of Earthsea

>17 Dejah_Thoris:
I’m overdue to re-read A WIZARD OF EARTHSEA. Loved it when l read it years ago.

Sunday morning:

This morning I finished Walk in My Combat Boots: True Stories from America's Bravest Warriors, a collection of many memoirs from the recent decades of American wars. There are a few from Vietnam, one from a mother about her son's military life and death, and several extend to how the military shaped their post-service life. There isn't exactly a central theme beyond military service, so a strength in the collection was the vast spectrum of rates/roles represented from all the services (except for Coast Guard perhaps, I don't think that service had a representative memoirist). When I placed this book on Hold in Libby months ago the app informed me that my library no longer had any copies, but apparently enough other people also placed it on Hold in the interim because it became available again. Power to the Readers! :)

I also started Crammed, by Nick Pirog, a creative writer I really enjoy. I had the unusual experience here on LT of actually adding the book to LT. Now I notice another LT member has already finished it! Hahaha - I think this is solid proof that I am a slow reader and have way too many books in the TBR pile! Also, when I poked my nose into the other member's profile I notice that the books we share are almost all Nick Pirog's ... this is obviously evidence of another LT truth: you can find your fellow book/author/subject addicts here on LT!

Anyways, hoping to get back to that one and choose something to listen to this afternoon, probably Olga Tokarczuk.

For the foodies: I made Beef Barley this weekend, served with homemade biscuits and honey. Today I used some leftover shortbread dough to make little heart cookies sprinkled with red sugar and heart sprinkles. It's the thought that counts: please don't expect me to be inspired before holidays!

Sunday, early afternoon

We are traveling home today for a few days with granddaughters visiting from California. Driving through the rain, but not heavy rain so far.

Books:
BONESETTER’S DAUGHTER, but l left it in Florida to pick up again when l get back there on Saturday.
LIAR CITY is on my phone to begin in the meantime.

Other:
Olympics!
Watched season 2 of THE NIGHT MANAGER, British spy thriller series based on John le Carré's novel.

Raining, 61F/16C
in Alcolu, South Carolina.

>18 nrmay: I blush to admit this is the first time I've read A Wizard of Earthsea, probably because my mother, who otherwise liked Le Guin's work, didn't care for the Earthsea books.

I enjoyed it, even thouh I'm not particularly fond of the oral storyteller / tell not show style. I will be reading the Tombs of Atuan - I want to know what else happens!

>20 nrmay: Oh my goodness - Liar City is the book before Twisted Shadows in the Sugar and Vice that I've just started! I read Liar City earlier this month. I like this series more than others by Allie Therin, and I think I'm going to regret reading books one and two this early in the year when book three isn't out until June.

>19 PocheFamily: Isn't it nice when your library responds to demand! And I truly do love Libby. My local library system is pushing us toward Palace - I am not a fan.

>21 Dejah_Thoris:
I’m pretty sure l took the BB for LIAR CITY from you!

I’m a heavy user of Libby, and also Hoopla and kindle for ebooks and audio books. And I have 4 library cards. 🙂

Still driving, still raining. Home in an hour. I miss my cats.

>23 Dejah_Thoris: Well in that case, I certainly hope you enjoy it!

I use Libby and KU very heavily, and Hoopla, to a lesser extent. I only have three cards. :)

We're having a break in the rain, but it's not done yet. Be careful!

Weekend Wrapup

Books read from: Bending the Law: The Story of the Dalkon Shield Bankruptcy by Richard B. Sobol. Body in the Bathhouse by Lindsey Davis. My continuous reading book is Katharine Graham's Washington by Katharine Graham. My computer book is Walking It Off by Doug Peacock. I am listening to Last Chairlift by John Irving. The Rocks by Peter Nichols is now on the backburner and I finished A Brightness Long Ago by Guy Gavriel Kay.

Books finished: A Brightness Long Ago by Guy Gavriel Kay.

Book Thoughts: I am traveling this weekend. Back to Tuscaloosa to see friends and attend a Mardi Gras party. I finished listening to A Brightness Long Ago and liked this book. It is the first in the Batiara series Kay has written about the Italian Renaissance. It is also tied to his Sarantine Mosaic series. I guess I will have to add that one to my list of series books to finish. I have that series in my collection so I need to get busy and read them. Other than listening to books I am not getting much reading done. I am spending too much time talking.

Activities: It is party, party, party. The last one will be tomorrow night.

Reading Time Today: 1 hours
Time listening:
Time posting:
Food: Indian food with friends at my usual Indian restaurant in Tuscaloosa.

Total books finished since the Read-A-Thon Began: 566
Total Time Reading since the Social Distancing read-a-thon began: 1731 hours since I started doing the weekend Read-A-Thon starting in April of 2020.

>22 nrmay:, >23 Dejah_Thoris: What's the difference between Hoopla and Libby? I use Libby and Kindle, but I've never tried Hoopla.

There isn't much difference between the two services - Hoopla or Libby. Both are online services that provide library materials to people who have library cards from a library - public libraries mostly. Hoopla generally has shorter loan periods than does Libby, but if you want recorded or digitized library resources both are going to do the same things for you.

Oh I forgot - Libby is owned by Overdrive. The app is free but you have to have a library card to use it. The library pays Overdrive for the service. But libraries also have to pay for Hoopla. They pay for Hoopla on a per use basis While with Libby they pay a flat fee - usually based on the number of library cards that the library system as issued. With the rise in use of digitized library resources, the pay-by-use model has become unsustainable and many public libraries are dropping their subscriptions to Hoopla.

The big thing to remember is that the use of digitized online books is very (make that VERY) expensive for libraries. Both Hoopla and Libby are subject to the rule of 25. That means that a digital copy of a book (either sound or digitized print) can only be checked out 25 times. On checkout number 26 the library is charged for another copy of the book. It is also important to remember that digitized copies are often double or triple the cost of a print hardcopy. Digitized books often cost between $60 - 90 per copy.

...And, if a library wants to have multiple users of a copy (that is 5 people reading the digitized book at the same time) that costs extra. As in a $60.00 digitized book might cost $150.00 for 5 simultaneous readers.

And don't even ask about the astronomical costs of digitized books for academic libraries. The bill for that often runs in the hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. A large public library can also have bills of that size for digitized books.

Wow! I had no idea those services were so expensive.
I use them both because sometimes Libby won’t have a title but Hoopla does. I get a few free books on Kindle with Amazon Prime.

>27 benitastrnad: I was aware that loaning digitized books is more expensive for libraries, but sometimes it's the only option to get my hands on a book short of outright purchase - sometimes there simply isn't access through our regional library system. I do still get print copies from the library system, which is great for some things. Being aware of the expense, I'm always surprised that our library system pushes digital alternatives so hard - maybe I'll ask our library director why when I'm in on Tuesday.

I pay for two 'Out of Area' cards, with which I only access Libby and Hoopla. I hope they're charging me enough to cover expenses - I certainly feel I get my money's worth.

Sunday evening - shortly after 11pm

Much of today went to watching the Olympics and posting to LT - I'm trying to get caught up on posting books to my thread. And there was so much rain.....

Books read from: Annapurna, Twisted Shadows
Books finished: Annapurna

Thoughts: Reading one expedition book inevitable leads me to another...and another, lol.

Total read from: 3: Annapurna, A Wizard of Earthsea, Twisted Shadows
Total books finished: 2: A Wizard of Earthsea, Annapurna

Tomorrow (Monday) is a holiday in the U.S. Is anyone going to continue posting another day?

>24 benitastrnad: I really liked the Sarantine Mosaic duology. My favorite GGK book to date. I haven't read any of the Batiara books yet.

Weekend summary:

Books read from: Magician: Master by Raymond E. Feist, SPQR by Mary Beard, and Echo Park by Michael Connelly.
Books finished: Magician: Master
Pages read: 400-ish

We took the dive and bought a new 65 inch TV, replacing the 49 incher we've had for 10 years. We're running into software issues, as the old set is no longer supported. Now, to install the darned thing...

Sunday Night Synopsis:

Books read from: Another Time, Another Place by Jodi Taylor (audiobook), Other Voices, Other Vistas edited by Barbara H. Solomon, Thelonius Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original by Robin D. G. Kelley, and Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman
Books finished: 1, Other Voices, Other Vistas
Time reading: 2 hours + listening to audiobook

Total books finished: 2
Total read from: 8
Total time reading: 7.35 hours + listening to audiobook

I battled sinus headaches and naps all day long. Not a good reading day for me at all.

>26 benitastrnad:, >27 benitastrnad: Thank you! Wow! I didn't know they were that expensive!

>31 Dejah_Thoris: Go ahead and keep posting. When I made the thread I was focused on Valentine's Day and forgot about President's Day.

Happy President’s Day. I’ll be honoring previous Presidents, just not the current one.

Book: LIAR CITY
And l picked up a couple by Nevil Shute I’ve had on the shelf for a while.

Dinner last night at our fav pizza place as there was little food in the house when we got home from our trip. Dessert was a raspberry pavlova with lemon curd and whipped cream. My last dessert for a while as l stepped on the scale this morning and discovered l’d gained a few pounds on vacation…
I’m having tomatoes and kale for breakfast.

Other:
My beloved cats came back from my sister’s and seemed pleased to be home again. We watched a horrible ending to season 2 of THE NIGHT MANAGER. 🫤

This morning it’s sunny, 46F/8C.
I plan to take a long walk and go to the gym.

Weekend wrap-up: with the long weekend including President's Day, I am including my Monday reading as well. February whips by quickly ... this morning our doggie walk included birdsong for the first time in ?? many months, and I spotted robins and bluebirds. Spring isn't far away now...an excellent beginning to a new week!

Books read from but as yet unfinished: Crammed and The Empusium: A Health Resort Horror Story
Books finished: Walk in My Combat Boots: True Stories from America's Bravest Warriors and Iron Lake (recommended in one of the weekend Read-a-thons by ChrisG1 - thanks! it was good!)
Time reading: every chance I got, but almost none on Saturday

Thoughts: Kind of not-so-cheerful reading, but all interesting, good stories.
Non-book activities: starting to think about the next phase of life's housing needs and desires, so we spent a lot of time on Zillow, talking, and a few hours visiting open houses and unfamiliar neighborhoods. I also call this "Housekeeping Procrastination" because I can't seem to get the spousal unit to focus on cleaning up his stuff! But good discussions ... should be an interesting process!

Total books finished: 2
Total read from: 4

Edited: I forgot to add a book I completed!

>38 PocheFamily: Glad you liked it! Good luck on the house-hunting.

I hope that none of you think I was doing a self righteous finger pointing thing. However, I think that most library users have no idea how much these electronic/digitized books cost. We were brought up with the idea that digitization should make things cheaper and more accessible, but that has proved to not be the case.

Hoopla provides instant access to digitized books but that is expensive. These costs are deliberately hidden from consumers. It is easy to see that a hardcopy costs money to produce, but much harder to see the costs involved in producing a digitized copy of a book. It is my opinion that libraries should be telling their consumers how much these books cost. That would help them to understand why there are fewer books on the shelves. And choices in the available digitized book lists.

>40 benitastrnad: I didn't think you were providing anything but information - and a great perspective! I'm a big user of every form books come in, and was very interested in what you wrote as I'd previously only guessed at the business model behind the curtain/screen.

As a former software designer, can certainly attest to the cost of the digital life - people make money by producing goods, afterall. As the friend of a bookseller I can also attest to the sufferings of those in the paper trade. I've watched my friends go from a storefront to a warehouse they access periodically for online sales. The glass half full part is that now they reach consumers they had limited interaction with or no access to previously. Living in this world of rapid transition is not easy ...

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/378812