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1raistlinsshadow
...I s'pose I ought to explain exactly what it is I'm doing. My old school district, to encourage people to read, would have a contest each school year to read a million words, which they calculated as being 25 200-page books. I've always thought it was kind of fun to keep track of, so I've done it each school year and each summer for five years now.
In short, ten million words means that I'm reading the equivalent of approximately 250 200-page books (that is, 50,000 pages). The closest I've come is nine million in nine months, so it ought to be at least somewhat of a challenge.
And now, the books I've finished since January of this year:
Ilse Witch by Terry Brooks – 467 pgs.
The Girl Who Played Go by Shan Sa – 312 pgs.
Druids by Morgan Llywelyn – 404 pgs.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman – 592 pgs.
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman – 351 pgs.
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield – 165 pgs.
Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy – 440 pgs.
He’s Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt – 165 pgs.
Making It Up by Penelope Lively – 215 pgs.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë – 493 pgs.
Dragonworld by Byron Preiss – 545 pgs.
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys – 112 pgs.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley – 216 pgs.
Atonement by Ian McEwan – 351 pgs.
Antrax by Terry Brooks – 408 pgs.
Morgawr by Terry Brooks – 424 pgs.
Things I’ve Learned From Women Who’ve Dumped Me ed. by Ben Karlin – 223 pgs.
Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk – 289 pgs.
Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman – 365 pgs.
The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman – 288 pgs.
The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman – 465 pgs.
Richard III by William Shakespeare – 106 pgs.
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien – 458 pgs.
Manuscript #1 – 80 pgs.
Manuscript #2 – 51 pgs.
The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien – 398 pgs.
Total so far: 8383 pages / 41.915 200-page books
In short, ten million words means that I'm reading the equivalent of approximately 250 200-page books (that is, 50,000 pages). The closest I've come is nine million in nine months, so it ought to be at least somewhat of a challenge.
And now, the books I've finished since January of this year:
Ilse Witch by Terry Brooks – 467 pgs.
The Girl Who Played Go by Shan Sa – 312 pgs.
Druids by Morgan Llywelyn – 404 pgs.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman – 592 pgs.
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman – 351 pgs.
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield – 165 pgs.
Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy – 440 pgs.
He’s Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt – 165 pgs.
Making It Up by Penelope Lively – 215 pgs.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë – 493 pgs.
Dragonworld by Byron Preiss – 545 pgs.
Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys – 112 pgs.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley – 216 pgs.
Atonement by Ian McEwan – 351 pgs.
Antrax by Terry Brooks – 408 pgs.
Morgawr by Terry Brooks – 424 pgs.
Things I’ve Learned From Women Who’ve Dumped Me ed. by Ben Karlin – 223 pgs.
Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk – 289 pgs.
Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman – 365 pgs.
The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman – 288 pgs.
The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman – 465 pgs.
Richard III by William Shakespeare – 106 pgs.
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien – 458 pgs.
Manuscript #1 – 80 pgs.
Manuscript #2 – 51 pgs.
The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien – 398 pgs.
Total so far: 8383 pages / 41.915 200-page books
2raistlinsshadow
Manuscript #3 – 80 pgs.
Total so far: 8463 pages / 42.315 200-page books
Total so far: 8463 pages / 42.315 200-page books
3Medellia
Your challenge definition is interesting--I like it. And certainly ambitious--good luck and happy reading!
4raistlinsshadow
The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor – 364 pgs.
Total so far: 8827 pgs. / 44.135 200-page books
Another 1173 pages to go and I'll be 20% done.
Total so far: 8827 pgs. / 44.135 200-page books
Another 1173 pages to go and I'll be 20% done.
5raistlinsshadow
Manuscript #4 – 80 pgs.
Manuscript #5 – 80 pgs.
Total so far: 8987 pgs. / 44.935 200-page books
Manuscript #5 – 80 pgs.
Total so far: 8987 pgs. / 44.935 200-page books
6raistlinsshadow
The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien – 491 pgs.
Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier – 233 pgs.
Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor – 372 pgs.
10,083 pgs. / 50.415 200-page books
Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier – 233 pgs.
Seeing Redd by Frank Beddor – 372 pgs.
10,083 pgs. / 50.415 200-page books
7raistlinsshadow
Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi – 262 pgs.
(A good quick read—helped relax my head in between the appendices of Return of the King and The Silmarillion.)
10,345 pgs. / 51.725 200-page books
(A good quick read—helped relax my head in between the appendices of Return of the King and The Silmarillion.)
10,345 pgs. / 51.725 200-page books
8raistlinsshadow
The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien – 442 pgs.
I'm always so sad after I finish these books... The elves always leave at the end.
10,787 pgs. / 53.935 pgs.
I'm always so sad after I finish these books... The elves always leave at the end.
10,787 pgs. / 53.935 pgs.
10raistlinsshadow
Been a while... Yikes.
A Spell for Chameleon by Piers Anthony – 344 pgs.
11,446 pgs. / 57.23 200-page books
A Spell for Chameleon by Piers Anthony – 344 pgs.
11,446 pgs. / 57.23 200-page books
12raistlinsshadow
Forgot to add this one earlier—the best textbook that I've ever read, and I read it cover to cover.
A History of Western Society Since 1300 by John P. McKay, Bennett D. Hill, and John Buckler – 1143 pgs.
13,159 pgs. / 65.795 200-page books
A History of Western Society Since 1300 by John P. McKay, Bennett D. Hill, and John Buckler – 1143 pgs.
13,159 pgs. / 65.795 200-page books
15raistlinsshadow
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas – 894 pgs.
14,562 pgs. / 72.81 200-page books
An absolutely fantastic book. It's the book that I've spent the longest reading (a week longer than Les Misérables, for instance), but it was well worth it.
14,562 pgs. / 72.81 200-page books
An absolutely fantastic book. It's the book that I've spent the longest reading (a week longer than Les Misérables, for instance), but it was well worth it.
17raistlinsshadow
A Dash of Style: The Art and Mastery of Punctuation by Noah Lukeman – 206 pgs.
15,097 pgs. / 75.485 200-page books
15,097 pgs. / 75.485 200-page books
18raistlinsshadow
Sin and Syntax: How to Craft Wickedly Effective Prose by Constance Hale – 285 pgs.
15,382 pgs. / 76.91 200-page books
15,382 pgs. / 76.91 200-page books
23raistlinsshadow
Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk – 411 pgs.
A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters by Julian Barnes – 308 pgs.
17,121 pgs. / 85.605 200-page books
A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters by Julian Barnes – 308 pgs.
17,121 pgs. / 85.605 200-page books
24raistlinsshadow
The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston – 209 pgs.
Mind: Introduction to Cognitive Science by Paul Thagard – 213 pgs.
17,543 pgs. / 87.715 200-page books
Mind: Introduction to Cognitive Science by Paul Thagard – 213 pgs.
17,543 pgs. / 87.715 200-page books
25raistlinsshadow
Richard II by William Shakespeare – 86 pgs.
Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare – 78 pgs.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare – 62 pgs.
Twelfth Night; or, What You Will by William Shakespeare – 72 pgs.
17,841 pgs. / 89.205 200-page books
Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare – 78 pgs.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare – 62 pgs.
Twelfth Night; or, What You Will by William Shakespeare – 72 pgs.
17,841 pgs. / 89.205 200-page books
27raistlinsshadow
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare – 104 pgs.
The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin – 197 pgs.
18,641 pgs. / 93.205 200-page books
The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin – 197 pgs.
18,641 pgs. / 93.205 200-page books
31lilisin
The Count of Monte Cristo at 894 pages? Sounds like you read the abridged version.
Why didn't you read the unabridged version?
Why didn't you read the unabridged version?
32raistlinsshadow
Nope, it was unabridged. I hate reading abridged versions.
It was the size of a trade paperback and the print was at about 6-7 point font—calculated out, it's about twice the number of words per page as an average MMPB (in this case, Ender's Game). Otherwise the "Complete and Unabridged" on the front cover is lying to me, too!
It was the size of a trade paperback and the print was at about 6-7 point font—calculated out, it's about twice the number of words per page as an average MMPB (in this case, Ender's Game). Otherwise the "Complete and Unabridged" on the front cover is lying to me, too!
33lilisin
Ah, good. I'm glad to hear that. Good job with your reading goal. I wish I had read as much when I was in school. I mean, I was a big reader but not to this extent.
34raistlinsshadow
Demons Don't Dream by Piers Anthony – 340 pgs.
Tales From Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin – 280 pgs.
20,319 pgs. / 101.595 200-page books
Tales From Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin – 280 pgs.
20,319 pgs. / 101.595 200-page books
35raistlinsshadow
Harpy Thyme by Piers Anthony – 342 pgs.
The Other Wind by Ursula K. Le Guin – 211 pgs.
20,872 pgs. / 104.36 200-page books
The Other Wind by Ursula K. Le Guin – 211 pgs.
20,872 pgs. / 104.36 200-page books
37raistlinsshadow
The Silken Shroud by ElizaBeth Gilligan – 480 pgs.
21,908 pgs. / 109.54 200-page books
...In actuality finished just before the New Year. Yay!
21,908 pgs. / 109.54 200-page books
...In actuality finished just before the New Year. Yay!
