Hour 0
My book stack is ready, as is my journal!
I always take longhand notes on things I read, but I thought the occasion warranted something extra, hence the special spread. A little bit of smashing in my writing journal, why not?
Hour 1
Kick-off Meme
1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today?
London, UK
2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?
Tricky. I think it will be 100 Years of Solitude, but I also can't wait to get on with Valente.
3) Which snack are you most looking forward to?
Palmiers from M&S. Yum.
4) Tell us a little something about yourself!
I have over 400 unread titles in my home.
5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today?
Nothing really, I am happy with what I did last time, which was spending part of the time in a cafe. I plan on going to Waterstone's today, and tomorrow, should the weather hold, I'd love to finish the Readathon at a park.
Finished The Bread We Eat in Dreams, which I enjoyed very much.
Entered 3 mini-challenges.
Best Fantasy Book of Your Reading Year
Best Supporting Character of Your Reading Year
Hanna Schmitz from The Reader.
Hour 3
Finished The Bread We Eat in Dreams, which I enjoyed very much.
Entered 3 mini-challenges.
Hour 6
The Best of My Reading Year Mini Challenge
Here are my responses to this mini-challenge hosted by Lisa's World of Books.
Best Book of Your Reading Year
I am not sure if I can do it, but I so far One Hundred Years of Solitude, which I am reading right now for the Readathon is a revelation. If it continues in the same vein, it will be the best book of the year to date, hands down.
Otherwise, Wise Children by the late and great Angela Carter. A smart, witty, layered read with a lot of social awareness.
Best Fantasy Book of Your Reading Year
The Kingdom of Gods by NK Jemisin. Identity, power, politics, and one of the best and most thoughtful takes on the divine and the numinous in the modern fantasy.
Hanna Schmitz from The Reader.
Hour 8
I am a quarter into One Hundred Years of Solitude. I am completely entranced and captivated. Can't wait to get back to the reading.Hour 17
Two thirds into One Hundred Years of Solitude. I think I have another 3.5 hours of reading to go before finishing it. Since the last update, I slept for about 4 hours, and so now feeling refreshed and ready to read until the end of the Readathon.
Hour 21
One Hundred Years of Solitude: 55 pages to go.
Hour 22
Completed One Hundred Years of Solitude!
And now I am in a bit of a bind: I can continue reading now, but I am not sure that I want to. The completed novel is dominating my thoughts now and I am not sure I am ready to let go off it.
Hour 24
At the end of Hour 24 I have further read 100 pages of It's All Chinese to Me and 72 pages of The House in the Forest, leaving me with both at 50% read.
Now it is time to take a break and summarize my Readathon experience.
Now it is time to take a break and summarize my Readathon experience.
Readathon in Numbers
Texts Finished: 2
Catherynne M. Valente, The Bread We Eat in Dreams, a short storyGabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude, a novel
Other Texts Read During the Readathon: 3
Michele Desbordes, The House in the Forest, a novel
Pierre Ostrowski & Gwen Penner, It's All Chinese to Me. An Overview of Culture and Etiquette in China
Michele Desbordes, The House in the Forest, a novel
Pierre Ostrowski & Gwen Penner, It's All Chinese to Me. An Overview of Culture and Etiquette in China
Rhoda Lerman, The Book of he Night, a novel
Total Pages Read: 594
Hours Spent Reading: 13
Pages Read Per Hour: 46
April 2014 Readathon Time Distribution
Challenges Entered: 4
End of Event Meme:
Which hour was most daunting for you?
Hour 12! I was fighting a battle with sleep that I have ultimately lost.
Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
Literary: The Painted Veil or Cakes and Ale my W. Somerset Maugham, both very smoothly written, sharply observed, witty and not too long.
SFF: The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson, if you like high magic and the fast pace.
Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
Can't think of anything.
How many books did you read?
What were the names of the books you read?
Completed 2 texts (1 novel and 1 short story), and reads sections of 3 more. Details above.
Which book did you enjoy most?
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Which did you enjoy least?
The House in the Forest
How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
I'll be reading again.
I'll be reading again.
