Readathon ~ End of Event Meme

A Readathon tradition!  In your final Readathon post, answer these questions and then link to it with the Mr. Linky [on the Readathon blog].

1.  Which hour was most daunting for you?

I'm in the Eastern time zone, so Hour 19 meant 2:00 a.m.  That's when I went to bed and to sleep.

2.  Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?

Krik? Krak! by Edwidge Danticat is nine related short stories, so I was able to read in small snatches between errands and other things I had to do.

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

Nope, it was wonderful, as usual.

4.  What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?

5.  How many books did you read?

Two, but only completed one.

6.  What were the names of the books you read?

• Krik? Krak! ~ by Edwidge Danticat (short stories)
• Bookends ~ by Liz Curtis Higgs (novel)

7.  Which book did you enjoy most?

Both

8.  Which did you enjoy least?

It wasn't a contest.

9.  If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders?

n/a

10.  How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again?  What role would you be likely to take next time?

I signed up after the Readathon was already underway, so obviously I'm unable to resist it.

Mini-Challenge ~ Cover Me

Mini-Challenge for Hour 18:  "There are two ways to participate.  1.  Vote for your favorite in each category by leaving a comment (when challenge is over come back and I’ll have them tallied up).  2.  Post your own winners in said categories and leave a link in the comment section [at Stacy's Books].   I encourage you to do both!"

Okay, here are my votes by category.

1.  Best Title ~ Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls
2.  Best Dressed ~ The Smart One
3.  Cutest Couple ~ Jane Austen, Game Theorist
4.  Most Delicious Cover ~ Homemade Love
5.  Cutest Animal ~ Love Saves the Day
6.  Cutest Kid ~ From the Kitchen of Half Truth
7.  Best to Avoid in a Dark Alley ~ A Natural History of Dragons
8.  Best Tatoo ~ Maya's Notebook
9.  Best Cover ~ Fly Away

Mini-Challenge ~ Six Word Celebration

Dewey's cat in 2007.

Mini-Challenge for Hour 17:  "Your challenge is to create a six-word celebration of Dewey's Read-a-Thon.  Go on, you know you want to!  Add the link to your Six-Word Celebration or the ACTUAL six word celebration to the comments [at Estella's Revenge]."

"Dewey's cat was a reader, too."

Yes, this is totally accurate, unbiased reporting.   In my post about her cat, I quoted what Dewey herself wrote on her blog in January 2008.  The cat claimed to be reading Finnegans Wake.  No kidding!  Dewey, however, wasn't sure she believed her.

Mini-Challenge ~ Turn the Page

Mini-Challenge for Hour 16:  "For this challenge, you must turn to page 32 of the book you are currently reading (or the nearest page with text on it) and find the most entertaining phrase to complete the following sentence:  'I would rather read than ________ any day!'   Post your sentence in the comments [at Reflections of a Bookaholic] so everyone may enjoy!  Don't forget to include the title of the book you are reading and your email so I can contact you.  Let the laughs begin."

"I would rather read than sit motionless observing the Madonna any day!"

That's from page 33 of Krik? Krak! by Edwidge Danticat.

Mini-Challenge ~ Share a Quote

Mini-Challenge for Hour 14:  "Share a quote from the book that you are reading or books that you've read during this read-a-thon.  I love quotes, so I would really love hear the one that made a big impression on you.  Or that you've found it completely hilarious!  Or that you've simply found it beautiful!  Doesn't have to be long or anything."

Here are the opening lines of Krik? Krak! by Edwidge Danticat:

"They say behind the mountains are more mountains.  Now I know it's true.  I also know there are timeless waters, endless seas, and lots of people in this world whose names don't matter to anyone but themselves."

The young man behind these thoughts is at sea, drifting in a flimsy boat away from Haiti.  Makes me wonder:  How endless are those seas, anyway?

Mini-Challenge ~ Picture It

Mini-Challenge for Hour 11:  "Take a picture of the place and/or book you are reading currently and post it somewhere – twitter, your blog, your choice.  Leave a link in the linkie so I can check them out!"

The picture of a boat above — oops! — is not where I am, but where one of the characters is.  He's in a boat escaping from Haiti, along with a bunch of other folks.  The boat is probably bigger than this one I found online, but the sun is getting to the character.  Me?  I'm reading near the bookcases I showed you in my previous self-portrait.

Mini Challenge ~ Book Cover Quiz

Click twice to enlarge

Mini Challenge for Hour 10:  Here are 17 cropped thumbnails of well known (and some not-so well known) book covers. Your mission should you choose to accept it, is to name as many of books and their authors as you can! (So marks will be out of 34.) Just drop your answers into the Google form below the covers and hit submit, it is as easy as that!"

I know very few of these, but I'll record the ones I do recognize.

Book 1 ~ Sleeping Beauty
Book 2 ~ The Hungry Caterpillar
Book 3 ~
Book 4 ~ The Great Gatsby
Book 5 ~
Book 6 ~
Book 7 ~
Book 8 ~
Book 9 ~
Book 10 ~ Where the Wild Things Are
Book 11 ~
Book 12 ~
Book 13 ~
Book 14 ~
Book 15 ~
Book 16 ~
Book 17 ~

Mini Challenge ~ Best and Worst Covers

Mini Challenge for Hour 7:  "Look up one of the books you're reading for the read-a-thon on Goodreads or Amazon, pick out two or three covers and describe which one you like the best, which one you like the least and why."  Then leave a comment at Reading My Way Through Life.

I'm reading Bookends by Liz Curtis Higgs.  Both of these are paperback books, though the library copy on the left was shelved in 2000, when the book was published, and the darker cover is being sold online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble right now.  Today.  I like the dark one better, maybe because it looks more solid to me.  Maybe because white covers get lost against the white background of my blog page.

Mini-Challenge ~ Self Portrait

Mini Challenge for Hour 5:  "Post a self-portrait and link your blog at the Estella Society."  I love their illustration, using Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring.  Mine isn't nearly as cute, so I put Vermeer at the top.

Here's a photo of me playing the piano with one hand while holding the camera out to the side.  It took several tries to actually get myself in the photo.  Notice the bookcases lining the wall.  Ah, yes, the books!

Mini-Challenge ~ Retitle Your Current Book

Mini Challenge for Hour 4:  Retitle your current read with something clever, post it on your blog, and link back to Geeky Blogger's Book Blog.

Krik? Krak! by Edwidge Danticat could be re-titled:

Kept in Our Hearts