Read-a-Thon April 2009 -- Hour 20

Still awake, still reading Red Harvest, still reading slowly.

Running stats: 612pp in 12:53:51 | 5 books read from, 3 books completed.

Read-a-Thon April 2009 -- Hour 19

I am starting to get into Red Harvest now. I am also feeling a little more awake now. It is a little after 2:00 a.m. here in the Houston area. I just might be getting my second wind. Hopefully it can carry me to the finish.

Running stats: 586pp in 12:07:53 | 5 books read from, 3 books completed.

Read-a-Thon April 2009 -- Hour 18

All right! The tea has helped a little. I have also started standing to read instead of sitting. Lying down is definitely out.

This hour I continued reading Red Harvest. The story hasn't really grabbed me yet. I am reading much more slowly than I did earlier in the day. It might take longer for me to get into the book because of the more leisurely pace.

Running stats: 565pp in 11:28:17 | 5 books read from, 3 books completed.

Read-a-Thon April 2009 -- Hour 17

I started Red Harvest this hour. I also started to become quite sleepy. I have brewed a cup of tea. I hope that helps.

Jessica's mini-challenge:

1. Go back to your blog, and tell us about the books you’re rereading during the mini-challenge. Maybe post a picture of each book and describe why you love it enough to reread it.

OR

2. Go back to your blog, and give us a list of your top favorite rereads of all time. You know, those books that you can go to time and time again for comfort and escape. Again, pictures are good. :)

I am not re-reading any books during the read-a-thon. At least I don't plan to. I am not really much into re-reading at all, to be honest. There are only a few works of literature that I have returned to:

• Gilgamesh


• The Iliad and The Odyssey by Homer


• Beowulf


• The Mahabharata by Vyasa

Running stats: 542pp in 10:50:07 | 5 books read from, 3 books completed.

Read-a-Thon April 2009 -- Hour 16

In this hour I finished Silver Canyon by Louis L'Amour. I read this for the Colorful Reading Challenge. My next book, Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett, is also for the Colorful Reading Challenge.

It was in this hour that my wife went to bed. So now the house is silent. Without the hustle and bustle of family, I can finally focus on reading. But of course, now that it is getting later, I find myself getting sleepy. And the quiet is so conducive to sleep ...

Running stats: 522pp in 10:19:21 | 4 books read from, 3 books completed.

Read-a-Thon April 2009 -- Hour 15

Alas, story time did not continue into this hour. My son became cranky and so my wife decided it was bed time. After help putting him to bed, I continued reading Silver Canyon. I have enjoyed it more than I expected. I am hoping to finish in in the hour 16, or early in hour 17.

Running stats: 462pp in 9:21:35 | 4 books read from, 2 books completed

Read-a-Thon April 2009 -- Hour 14

This hour I read some more of Silver Canyon. But I also got to read my son part of The Graveyard Book for story time, which will continue into the next hour.

Running stats: 424pp. in 8:42:42 | 4 books read from, 2 books completed.

Read-a-Thon April 2009 -- Hour 13

I am still reading Silver Canyon by Louis L'Amour. I am starting to get into the story now. I wish I had held this book in reserve though. The plot, while engaging, is hardly difficult to follow and the author's prose is clear and simple. This would have been a good book to read later, when I am very tired. Oh well. I am too interested now to put it aside.

Running stats: 400 pages in 8:09:43 | 4 books read from, 2 books completed.

Read-a-Thon April 2009 -- Hour 12

Halfway there! This hour I continued to read Silver Canyon. I also had dinner which has given me a renewed vigor. Also, the storms have abated and I can look out on blue skies over Texas this evening.

The newest mini-challenge is the mid-event survey:

1. What are you reading right now?

Silver Canyon by Louis L'Amour

2. How many books have you read so far?

I have read from 4 books so far. Of those 4, I have completed 2.

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?

I am most looking forward to story time this evening when I get to read The Graveyard Book to my son.

4. Did you have to make any special arrangements to free up your whole day?

Yes. My wife and son have been pretty cooperative in allowing me time to do this. I am grateful to them for that because I have enjoyed myself so far.

5. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those?

I have really only had three classes of disruption. First, normal family stuff. I helped my wife cook dinner, I watched my son when my wife took a nap. The second was eating. I was able to read during some of those two disruptions, but just let the rest be a break. The third disruption was the stormy weather that plagued the Houston area for most of the day. I really don't like thunderstorms. They distracted me, but I just tried to keep on reading.

6. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?

I don't remember as many people participating last time, so that surprised me.

7. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?

Nope. I think the Read-a-Thon is great the way it is!

8. What would you do differently, as a Reader or a Cheerleader, if you were to do this again next year?

Nothing really. Maybe I would like a better chair to sit in, perhaps, but that's about it.

9. Are you getting tired yet?

I am getting tired, but fortunately I do not feel sleepy yet.

10. Do you have any tips for other Readers or Cheerleaders, something you think is working well for you that others may not have discovered?

Nothing really. Although I would like to applaud the Cheerleaders. It lifts my spirits when I read their comments.

Running stats: 380pp in 7:40:35 | 4 books read from, 2 books completed.

Read-a-Thon April 2009 -- Hour 11

This hour I continued reading Silver Canyon. It is kind of interesting because I have never read a western before. It is pretty good, but so far nothing really special.

Running stats: 356 pages in 6:56:10 | 4 books read, 2 books completed.

Read-a-Thon April 2009 -- Hour 10

I didn't get much reading done this hour. I started Silver Canyon by Louis L'Amour. I have only read the first two chapters, but it starts off at a rip-roaring pace.

My eyes are starting to sting a little and I am getting a headache. I tried to get a good night's sleep last night, but I awoke in the middle of the night and slept restlessly, if at all, after that. It is unfortunate that I am feeling this way this early in the Read-a-Thon. But, if it was easy, everybody would do it, right?

Running stats: 333 pages in 6:37:08 | 4 books read, 2 completed.

Read-a-Thon April 2009 -- Hour 8 & 9

The thunderstorms here got so bad during hour 8 I thought it prudent to turn off all my computer equipment, so I shall combine hours 8 & 9.

First, the mini-challenge for hour 8:

1. What is the name of your local library? What city is it located in?: I am fortunate to have two local library systems to use. The Fort Bend Public Library System (mostly the First Colony Branch in Sugar Land) and Houston Public Library System.


2. How often do you go to the library? If you're a regular, do the staff know you?: I probably go to the library twice a week. I am sure the staff recognizes me, but I wouldn't say the know me. When I lived in a smaller town outside of New Orleans called St. Rose, I got to know a couple of the librarians, but here the libraries are much busier.


3. Do you browse while you're there or just pick up items you have placed on reserve?: Oh I browse! I cannot go into the library without at least perusing the New Books shelves. But most of the time I feel compelled to walk through the stacks to see if there are any interesting books that remains undiscovered.


4. What is your favorite thing about your local library?: The books, of course!

During the last couple of hours I finished The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (yeah!!!) and read a little bit of The Graveyard Book to my seven year old son. I will provide a full review of Junot Diaz' book in a day or two. As for The Graveyard Book, it is fabulous. I read it aloud for story time. My son, wife, and I are enjoying it immensely.

Running stats: 315pp in 6:16:57 | 3 books read, 2 books completed.

Read-a-Thon April 2009 -- Hour 7

This hour the storms continue unabated, and I continue my reading of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. I have less than 100 pages now, so hopefully in the next hour or two I will be moving on to another book, probably Silver Canyon by Louis L'Amour

Running stats: 224 pages in 4:39:26 | 1 book completed.

Read-a-Thon April 2009 -- Go For A Walk?

The challenge for this hour is go for a walk. Well, as you may have gathered from my previous posts, that is kind of a problem here in the Houston area. We're getting some really nasty thunderstorms here (severe thunderstorm warnings, tornado warnings, flood watches, the whole enchilada). So, no dice on the walk.

When I look outside I see dark clouds, and so much rain that it is pooling in large puddles in the street (which is normal for this area). We are in for a little bit more stormy weather, but hopefully by later this afternoon all these thunderstorms will be out of here.

I took some pictures, but the camera is set up for my wife's computer, so she has to put them on her laptop and send them to me. I will post then when I get them.

Here are the pictures I took:

Read-a-Thon April 2009 -- Hour 6

I read some of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, had lunch (which my lovely wife brought to me), and checked the weather frequently to find out about the yucky weather we are having.

Running Stats: 200 pages in 4:10:15 | 1 book completed.

Read-a-Thon April 2009 -- Hour 5

I finished On Love and Death by Patrick Suskind and started back on The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. Meanwhile, the storms here in Houston are getting nastier.

Running stats: 177 pages in 3:19:07 | 1 Book Completed

Read-a-Thon April 2009 -- Hour 4

During hour 4 I decided to take a break from The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. I started On Love and Death by Patrick Suskind. It is a very short book of 76 pages. I didn't quite finish it this hour. I will do so in the next hour before returning to The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.

Running stats: 150 pages in 2:49:49

Read-a-Thon April 2009 -- Hour 3

Still working my way through The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. What started as a very funny book has become a little sad now. But it is still a great read so far.

The weather here in the Houston area is turning nasty. I don't like thunderstorms and we're getting some doozies here this morning. I know some others are buried in snow, but how is the weather where you are? Is it conducive to your reading?

Running stats: 95 pages in 2:09:47

Read-a-Thon April 2009 -- Introduction Post

Three facts about me:

1. I am a married to a wonderful woman and together we have a really great son.


2. I am a freelance programmer/stay-at-home-dad.


3. I am doing Script Frenzy this month too.

How many books do you have in your TBR pile for the next 24 hours?

See my pre-read-a-thon post.

Do you have any goals for the read-a-thon?

I would, of course, like to stay up and read during the entire 24 hours. I think I can do that, I did last year. I also would like to finish The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Silver Canyon, and Red Harvest. But at my current pace, that isn't likely to happen. But most of all I want to have fun!

Where are you reading from today?

Right now, from my home office. But I will be reading from several different places in the house. As a matter of fact, in the next hour I plan to read while walking around a little bit.

If you’re a veteran read-a-thoner, Any advice for people doing this for the first time?

I have done one other Read-a-Thon. But my advice comes more from running several marathons. Pace Yourself! This is going to be a long event. Don't come out of the gates at a sprint. You will pay for it later. Take breaks. Get up and walk around. Rest your eyes by looking at stuff in the distance every so often. But most of all, even though it may get grueling, have fun!

Read-a-Thon April 2009 -- Hour 2

I am still reading The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. I feel like I read a little more slowly this time. It seemed there were more allusions or Spanish expressions to look up in the chapter I just finished.

Running stats 57 pages in 1:21:49.