SUNDAY (EVENING) POST

The PWR Reading Marathon (W-Sun.  morning) and Rae’s Reading Race Sunday afternoon was a success and was the quarterly get together for the PWR’s.  It was hard to schedule a time when all could meet, and interestingly enough, one member of the group who could not attend said, “October is such a busy month.” With November (Thanksgiving) and December (Christmas) holidays coming up, we could not postpone the “event” any longer. (We were already overdue to meet.)

There were six in attendance and enough food to feed twelve or more, but we “made the best of it” by making returns to the food table.  Most of the guests brought books for Rae’s Little Free Library with promises of even more.  We piled all the books together, and some left with as many as four books to add to their TBR stacks. It was an informal, informative and down-right good time.

Personally, between Wednesday and Sunday, I whittled down my TBR stack as follows:

Started and Finished The Improbable Theory of Ana and Zak, a young adult novel, reviewed on this blog Sunday morning.

Started and almost finished a delightful cozy mystery, A Wee Murder in My Shop, which my husband’s cousin who is my  book buddy ,sent me.  It will be reviewed soon.

I had to work on something serious, so I managed (in between serious housecleaning and baking for the “party”) to read 24 pages of Train to Crystal City, my Third Tuesday Book Club assignment (due Tuesday–Yikes!) and 41 pages of The True American:Murder and Mayhem in Texas —a loan from a friend who should be getting antsy about its return, but he isn’t because he is a good, patient friend.

I find marathons a helpful way to whittle down that TBR stack and get reading done that wouldn’t have happened without a concentrated effort.  Dewey’s 24 Marathon is coming up next weekend, and I hope to participate in that. I am determined to MAKE TIME for reading, and marathons can make that happen.

What I’m reading now:  The three books mentioned above; the two non-fiction and the cozy mystery

What I’m looking forward to reading next: The Thoughtful Dresser: The Act of Adornment, the Pleasures of Shopping, and Why Clothes Matter   I checked it out from the Alvin Library, and I sure hope it automatically renews!

It’s been a happy week for reading, and although this week promises to be busy (handing back mid-term papers), I hope I can MAKE TIME FOR READING.

Advertisement

My Own Little Reading Marathon Report Part II

Reading Log for 24 hours of the marathon

Sunday, Sept. 4th

Noon:Marathon begins:

12:00 p.m. Continued reading Song of Susanna, Book 6 of The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King. I’ve never heard of a writer writing himself into a book as a character!

12:35 Houston Chronicle Sunday paper

1:08 snack break

1:10 Back to Song of Susanna

2:00 changed pace by reading children’s chapter book, Which Witch by Eva Ibbotson finished  (delightful/adults will love too)

3:00 Housework “break”

3:30  Sunday School quarterly and lesson notes

4:00 Sunday Houston Chronicle

5:00 Song of Susanna

5:30 Supper break

6:00 Song of Susanna (finished) Can’t wait for Book 7/Book 6 leaves you hanging (on purpose)

7:00 Break to read and reply to book blogs

9:00 Started Library Book, Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher

10:00 Sleep Break

Labor Day

1:30 a.m. Resumed Dear Committee Members

2:30 a.m. Coffee and snack Break

2:45 Began Dollhouse by Fiona Davis

4:15 Resumed reading Dear Committee Member

5:00 Finished Dear Committee Member and took ten minute break

5:10 Resumed reading The Dollhouse. (GREAT read, wanted to keep turning pages)

7:30 break and Breakfast (prepared by husband/more coffee)

8:00 Monday morning Houston Chronicle (more coffee)

9:00 Sleep break (coffee didn’t work)

11:00 a.m. New Yorker (Sept. 5th issue) short story “A Gentleman’s Game”

11:20 Lunch Break

12:00 noon End of Marathon

Later that afternoon and evening, Monday, I finished The Family (a book bought from Deadalus Bookstore in NY that has been sitting around unfinished for at least six months) and finished The Dollhouse.

I felt the Marathon was a complete success because my primary goal was to whittle down my TBR stack, and I did. Plus, I finished my library book way before it was due and can now take the non-fiction The Family to Half-Price Books next trip.

 

My Own Little Reading Marathon–Report Part I

Well, it was a long twenty-four hours, but it’s done, and I’ve rested. (some)

Here are the results:

Finished books    3

Read whole book    1

Started and almost finished books    2

Total hours sleep during marathon    3

Good meals eaten (with help from husband) 4

Loads of wash done (with help of husband) 2

Snacks (mostly leftovers left in bags of assorted chips, crackers, candy, etc.)     plenty!

Cups of coffee consumed     approximately 5 (not too bad!)

 

Rating: Success

Thanks for taking an interest!

 

 

 

My Own Little Reading Marathon–Join In

Because my TBR (To Be Read) pile is so high,and…

Because about four books arrived in the mail this past week, and…

Because school started and I had no time to read,

I am having my own, personal Reading-Marathon.  It will run from noon Sunday, Sept. 4th through noon Monday, Labor Day, Sept. 5th. I will read, read read.  If I understand correctly, one of the most important things in a marathon of this sort is having snacks on hand, which I took care of today, for I do not wish to go to any grocery store on the Labor Day weekend. I have also prepared meals ahead, so I can warm up lunches and dinners in thirty minutes (included eating time!) I will report back Monday afternoon on what books which I’ve already started I finished up and what new books I started or read.  Wish me luck, and join me if you do not have family plans for Labor Day. Write here or to my personal e-mail to let me know if I will have company.

Good luck and do lots of reading!     Rae