–Read-a-thon Wrap Up: A Great Weekend of Book Love

Sinners and the Sea, Theras and His Town, and My Ántonia.

This is my second Read-a-thon as a reader. My first outing was a cheerleader (Oct 2011) and last fall I participated at half-speed … doing more of a ‘Read-a-5k’ than a Read-a-thon.

This time, I read three books (shown above): Sinners and the Sea, by Rebecca Kanner; Theras and His Town by Caroline Dale Snedeker; and My Ántonia, by Willa Cather.

As well as several spring poems (it is Poetry Month after all), and most of the weekend New York Times—in 24 hours. That actually makes me kind of a slacker because we 494 participants who read 588 books and over 5,000 pages! Several readers cruised through 9 or 10 books, so I was perhaps flattening out the bell curve. But the glorious weather was a worthy distraction—I do hope the October 2013 Read-a-thon is on a dismal, rainy day. (Perfect for reading!)

I also participated in my first ‘mini-challenges’: the Book Sentence Challenge and the Share a Quote Challenge. Maybe the best part: I discovered some wonderful new book blogs and had a great time tweeting, commenting, and connecting with fellow bookworms.

Oh, and did I mention, I won a prize!! A book called Villa Triste by Lucretia Grindle, so looking forward to getting that in the mail.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but I did not turn on my TV during the whole Read-a-thon. Then, because Sunday was hectic catch-up (and nap!) day, I didn’t turn it on until Game of Thrones at 9 pm. So I went from Friday to Sunday night without even thinking of the TV.

Most importantly, the Read-a-thon reminded me how much more I used to read. Pre-iPhone, I always had a book with me in case I had a few spare minutes—at the checkout, at the bar, in the waiting room. Now, I sometimes do, but sometimes I’m texting or emailing. I’ve lost those few extra minutes every day of reading. Need to rectify that … for mental health purposes.

Another takeaway: it was soooo nice to turn of the phones and simply read for a few hours. That will be incorporated as a new weekend ritual.

So thank you Dewey’s Read-a-thon for a great weekend of #booklove.

Here We Go, Dewey’s Read-a-thon April 2013

Dewey’s Read-a-thon Book Sentence Challenge

Read-a-thon or Read-a-5k?

Dewey’s Read-a-Thon

Dewey’s Read-a-Thon Start Times

History of Dewey’s Read-a-Thon

Remembering Dewey Through Her Words

A Tribute to Dewey

Check Out WordHits on Facebook

Or Follow @WordHits on Twitter

Read Full Post »

–Here We Go, Dewey’s Read-a-thon April 2013

Read-a-thon Wrap Up: A Great Weekend of Book Love

In all, I read three books, several spring poems (it is Poetry Month after all), and the weekend New York Times—in 24 hours. Read-a-thoners worldwide read over 5,000 books collectively!

Check out my full Read-athon Wrap Up.

 

7:15 am Update: Back at the Books

I actually, gulp, went to bed for a few hours (#needsleep), but woke up just after 6 am. Cosy in bed finishing My Ántonia and wondering what to start next? Luckily, the doggie is still sacked out, so prime reading time. LAST HOUR #RahRahreadathon

 

11:15 pm Update: Closing in on Book 3

Oh, I do love My Ántonia.

After seeing my post on dogs and flowers, you may be asking, “Is she actually reading?” Yes, I am, though not at the rate of many #Readathon-ers who have racked up 5 to 10 books so far. I feel that I never have enough time to read, so I have really been trying to enjoy the Read-a-thon. Also, I got part of the NY Times Sunday paper delivered today, so I had to read a bit of that.

I am closing in on book 3: My Ántonia, a favorite that I am rereading for book group. Oh, I do love Willa Cather! Off to bed with my book, more tomorrow.

 

9:45 Update: Dangerous Distractions

Not only did my rascally dog Baci lure me outside for walks and games of fetch, but every time we came in … she took over my reading spot on the couch!

Dog odalisque.

Today in the mail came the two most tempting junk mail magazines, including the ‘Most Beautiful’ People. I don’t even subscribe to People, so why would the gods of junk reading send this to me today …  of all days. (I do subscribe to Entertainment Weekly—great book reviews and everything else!)

Hard to resist … but I did!

 

7:30 Update: Spring Poetry

It has been glorious out today. I’m not going to lie—I snuk out for a few dog walks. But, in keeping with Read-a-thon spirit, I first read one of my favorite spring poems, Today by Billy Collins.

“If ever there were a spring day so perfect,

so uplifted by a warm intermittent breeze …”

If you need a poetry break, try these lovely Spring Poems, via the Poetry Foundation. I also savored a reread of Tintern Abbey, by William Wordsworth.

My own azalias are at their peak, but I also saw vibrant forsythias, blooming magnolias, and the last of the daffodils.

Spring in flowers and poetry.

 

5:50 pm Update: Book Sentence Challenge

I’ve had some fun checking out all the Mini-Challenges as part of the Dewey’s Read-a-thon. Such vibrant book and readerly creativity!

Check out my entry to the Book Sentence Challenge.

 

4:30 pm Update: Two Books Read

This is a GREAT book for kids!! Educational and so much adventure.

Just as I suspected, I have gone off-piste and selected a book not from my  #Readathon TBR. How can you really know which book you feel like reading until you are about to start?

I chose a children’s classic that was one of my repeat reads as a kid,  Theras and His Town, by Caroline Dale Snedeker.

Theras is a young boy growing up in Athens who has  all sorts of adventures. (It would make a great  Disney film!)

Also, er, I took a nap. Something about allowing yourself a day of reading is soooo relaxing!

 

12:30 pm Update: Got Physical

The Read-a-thon website said “Let’s Get Physical!” I took my dog Baci to the park for an intense game of fetch. She loves tennis balls the way I love books, so I couldn’t deprive her. Also, this is the nicest Saturday we’ve had this spring. Throwing is a good way to open up the muscles and stretch after a morning hunched over my book. I try not to hunch, but one does get sucked in.

Baci is indefatigable!

 

11:00 am Update: One Book Read

Yes, I get a buzz from decaf.

 

One book down–Sinners and the Sea. I’m not reading as fast as some (who have knocked off two or three), but I have been  distracted by all the fun #Readathon updates on Twitter.

Woo hoo, #Readathon has trended to the TOP spot!!! And I am loving reading everyone’s blog updates … I was told that this counts . 😉 😉

Also, had to finally make coffee! Didn’t get to it due to pre-start dog walk and eagerness to get cracking, spine cracking that is.

Now, which book next?!

 

9:15 am Update: Love the first book!

I was so excited about the day of reading that I woke up early at 4:30 am—like on Christmas! Woke up for real at 7:17 am and feeling great after a night of dreaming about books!

I’m starting with Sinners and the Sea, by Rebecca Kanner—the tale of Noah’s Ark told by his unnamed wife. I had peeked at the first few pages last night. So far I am really liking this book—lovely but spare writing and so readable! I’m on page 217 out of 337.

Bookmark from Barrett Bookstore, featuring their mascot Riley, the Golden Retriever.

 

Friday Preparations: the Stack to choose from … but not limited to!

 

My Read-a-thon Stack: mostly rounded up from
independent bookstores and the public library.

I’m psyched for the Dewey’s Read-a-thon tomorrow, Sat April 27. It’s not too late to sign up if you want to join more than 400 bookworms in this worldwide read-in.

Dewey’s Read-a-thon starts at 8am for me, that’s Eastern Standard Time. Here’s a link to all the Read-a-thon Start Times around the globe.

Above is the stack of books I will be choosing from, though I’m not sure I can get through them all. (Unlike most participants who mow through stacks much taller than this!)

I am soo excited to have a great excuse to sit and read … and read and read!! Last time, I Read-a-5k, but hoping to crank tomorrow. More later, as I will be updating as I read…

Read-a-thon or Read-a-5k?

Dewey’s Read-a-Thon

Dewey’s Read-a-Thon Start Times

History of Dewey’s Read-a-Thon

Remembering Dewey Through Her Words

A Tribute to Dewey

Check Out WordHits on Facebook

Or Follow @WordHits on Twitter

Read Full Post »

–Read-a-thon or Read-a-5K?

Started my Readathon off right! Coffee and savoring a pore through the Sunday NY Times

I’m SO excited about the Dewey’s Read-a-thon on Saturday, Oct 13, starting at 12:00 pm GMT, which is 8:00  am EST in the US. Hundreds of people around the world will devote a whole day just to reading! If you are interested in joining, sign up here! Or you can sign up to be a Read-a-thon Cheerleader. Yes, it’s a sport and we have cheerleaders.

Make no mistake—these folks are not fooling around. They prepare meals in advance so they won’t have to take time off for cooking, and they stock up on caffeine to fuel them for 24 hours. Full disclosure: there are some people (like moi) who will take breaks and actually stop to sleep. But there are an impressive number of readers who go the distance. And they go through a crazy amount of books!

My Read-a-thon stack. JK!

I know because they post (via blogs and Twitter) pictures of the aforementioned swollen—towering—stacks of books. Check it out via #Dewey or #Readathon hashtags. Most impressive, and er, intimidating. Alas, I will be a teense of a Read-a-Thon slacker—hence my not-quite-a-stack, pictured right. It’s not by choice, but I have to work for several hours tomorrow. Also, I’ve had a trying couple of months in which I’ve only managed to sneak reading in hurried bursts on the subway, over lunch, or staying up late. It’s been so rushed, and, honestly, I’m just not in peak perusatory form.  (E.g., I’m pretty sure that’s not a word.)

But I want to join in spirit. So I am approaching the Read-a-Thon as an exercise in savoring the read, the peruse, the pore. I will take it slow and enjoy. On deck: one of my favorite poets—Edward Thomas, at times called the ‘British Robert Frost‘ (apologies to the Brits who would say Frost was the ‘American Thomas’). I’ll linger over his poems, like Adlestrop, October, and The Sun Used to Shine (about him and Frost).

Beyond that, I’m going to wing it from my embarrassingly-tall and not-shrinking-fast-enough TBR. Also, I am definitely going to allow myself a leisured, every-section read of the Sunday New York Times, which I haven’t had the luxury of enjoying in months. So instead of a marathon, for me, it will be like a fun run. A reading 5K, if you will. You don’t really need to train. You can just cruise along and enjoy the ride—or read.

Here We Go, Dewey’s Read-a-thon April 2013

Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-a-Thon

Sign Up to Read

Read-a-thon Start Times

A Tribute to Dewey

Check Out WordHits on Facebook

Or Follow @WordHits on Twitter

Read Full Post »