Summary of the Readathon

What I read during the readathon, from 7:00 a.m. on Saturday to 7:00 a.m. on Sunday:

1. 
   Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane ~ by Kirsten Larson, illustrated by Tracy Subisak, 2020, picture book, 48 pages, 10/10 — Emma Lilian Todd, a self-taught inventor, was born on June 10, 1865 in Washington, D.C.  This nonfiction biography explores both the failures and successes she had as she tackled one of the greatest challenges of the early 1900s:  designing an airplane.  Lilian's mind was always soaring — she loved to solve problems.  As a child, she took apart and reassembled clocks to figure out how they worked.  As an adult, typing up patents at the U.S. Patent Office, Lilian built the inventions in her mind, including many designs for flying machines.  However, they all seemed too impractical.  Lilian knew she could design one that worked.  She took inspiration from both nature and her many failures, driving herself to perfect the design that would eventually successfully fly.  Illustrator Tracy Subisak's art brings to life author Kirsten W. Larson's story of this little-known but important engineer.
2. 
   I Will Be Fierce! ~ by Bea Birdsong, illustrated by Nidhi Chanani, 2019, children's, 40 pages, 10/10 — This story about a girl's courage, kindness, and confidence demonstrates that all of us can be fierce, make friends, take on the monsters that stand in the way, and be the hero of our own stories.  Here's a good 4-minute YouTube video that I found of the whole book being read for "future titans."
3. No!  I Don't Want to Join a Book Club: Diary of a Sixtieth Year ~ by Virginia Ironside, 2006, fiction (England), 231 pages, DNF — I read 12 pages before marking it DNF (did not finish) and tossing it aside.  What a grumpy old lady!  Sheesh!  I adopted this book after Donna died, but I've decided she never read it either. 
4. 
   If God Is Love, Don't Be a Jerk: Finding a Faith That Makes Us Better Humans ~ by John Pavlovitz, 2021, social issues, 233 pages — I fell asleep while reading this, but Clawdia woke me up at 3:30 a.m. for food.  My favorite line so far was on page 81:  "You deserved hell . . . just for being born?"  That chapter is entitled "Oh, Hell No!"  I did not finish reading this book before the readathon ended.  In case you are interested, here's the link to John Pavlovitz's blog Stuff That Needs to Be Said.
5. Unbelievable: Why Neither Ancient Creeds Nor the Reformation Can Produce a Living Faith Today ~ by John Shelby Spong, 2018, theology, 10/10 — I re-read the section of this book that I'll be discussing with the Seekers Class in half an hour.

Today's Takeaway

I like what one Amazon reviewer (who gave the book 5 stars) said about the alliteration in Wood, Wire, Wings:  "Larson’s skillful use of alliteration — baffled yet buoyed, constructed each contraption, filed and fiddled, tweaking and tinkering — will elevate this biography to the top of the read-aloud list at school and home.  The repetition of the phrase 'buoyed by the challenge' will inspire children to persevere in spite of setbacks."  It's amazing that 69 reviewers of 70 on Amazon gave the book 5 stars, and that single person gave it 4 stars and high praise in words.

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz hosts the Sunday Salon, where we talk

about our lives, our books, and what we have been reading.

Library Loot for the 24-hour Readathon

I'm ready to start reading at 7:00 this morning, Central Time, since folks in the Eastern Time Zone start at 8:00.  Here's the list of books I got from the library this week, to be added to the one I'm already reading, which is at the top (it's from the Crown Center's small library):

1. No!  I Don't Want to Join a Book Club: Diary of a Sixtieth Year ~ by Virginia Ironside, 2006, fiction, 231 pages
2. Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane ~ by Kirsten Larson, 2020, children's, 48 pages
3. What Could Be Saved ~ by Liese O'Halloran Schwarz, 2021, mystery, 460 pages
4. Talk to Me ~ by T. C. Boyle, 2021, fiction, 352 pages
5. The Inheritance ~ by JoAnn Ross, 2021, fiction (Oregon), 376 pages
6. I Will Be Fierce! ~ by Bea Birdsong, illustrated by Nidhi Chanani, 2019, children's, 40 pages
7. The Sundial ~ by Shirley Jackson, 1958, fiction, 245 pages
8. If God Is Love, Don't Be a Jerk: Finding a Faith That Makes Us Better Humans ~ by John Pavlovitz, 2021, social issues, 233 pages
9. When the Legends Die ~ by Hal Borland, 1963, fiction, 216 pages

Claire at The Captive Reader has this week's Mr. Linky for Library Loot.

I doubt that Clawdia would put up with a little mouse reading here in our apartment, but I think he's cute.  We shall see how much reading gets done today.  The clock below will symbolize periodic reports on my reading.

I may update throughout the day.  Let's see how my reading goes.

Opening Event Survey

1)   What fine part of the world are you reading from today? — St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

2)   Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to? — All of them (see above), but I'll start with the children's books and the novel at the top of the list because it's about an older woman who is around the age of my children.

3)   Which snack are you most looking forward to? — I never understood the emphasis on snacks.  I'll eat regular meals and maybe a tangerine and a few fig bars in mid-afternoon.

4)   Tell us a little something about yourself. — I'm retired, 81 years old, and have always loved words and books.  Being retired means I can read whenever I like, any day, unless I have scheduled something else.

5)   If you participated in the last readathon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today?  If this is your first readathon, what are you most looking forward to? — I participated in the FIRST readathon, the one started by Dewey, and many since then.  My only goal today is to read when I feel like it.  I'll finish all nine of those books above before they are due back at the library.

Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon ~ tomorrow!

I'm ready for Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon, which I told you I had signed up for.  It starts at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time tomorrow morning.  The idea is to see how many pages (or books) you can read during a 24-hour period, from Saturday morning until Sunday morning.  You can consider it a successful readathon if you read more than you normally would read in a day.  There's still time to sign up, if you are interested.  Go ahead and give it a try.  Click here to sign up.

Cancer, books, and Dewey's Readathon

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month dates back to 1985, when the first organized movement to bring awareness to the cause of breast cancer occurred in the U.S.  One of my daughters is a survivor, so I'll be wearing pink today to honor her and other breast cancer survivors.

Reading now

• When the Men Were Gone ~ by Marjorie Herrera Lewis, 2018, historical fiction

This novel is based on the true story of Tylene Wilson, a woman in 1940's Texas who, in spite of extreme opposition, became a female football coach in order to keep her students from heading off to war.  Football is the heartbeat of Brownwood, Texas.  Every Friday night for as long as assistant principal Tylene Wilson can remember, the entire town has gathered in the stands, cheering their boys on.  Each September brings with it the hope of a good season and a sense of unity and optimism.  The war has changed everything.  Most of the Brownwood men over 18 and under 45 are off fighting, and in a small town the possibilities are limited.  Could this mean a season without football?  But no one counted on Tylene, who learned the game at her daddy’s knee.  She knows more about it than most men, so she does the unthinkable, convincing the school to let her take on the job of coach.   Faced with extreme opposition — by the press, the community, rival coaches, and referees and even the players themselves — Tylene remains resolute.  And when her boys rally around her, she leads the team — and the town — to a Friday night and a subsequent season they will never forget.

• Unbelievable ~ by Jon Shelby Spong, to discuss it via ZOOM with the Seekers Class at my church in Chattanooga.
• Belwin Complete Adult Keyboard Course ~ by Sandy Feldstein, to teach a couple of friends to play the piano.
• At the Water's Edge ~ by Joan Uda, as I read (or re-read) all six of her books.

We can begin signing up for Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon now.  On October 23rd, we will read together for the whole 24-hour day — or for as long as you can stay awake.  It starts at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Deb Nance of Readerbuzz hosts Sunday Salon.

August readathon

It's readathon time again.  The official hours are from Friday 7:00 pm CST until Saturday at 7:00 pm, so I'll be reading whenever I can during this time.  The books I'm reading include the small gift book Meditations: A Collection for Women by Ronnie Polaneczky (1996) and the novel Coast Road by Barbara Delinsky (1998).  I simply plan to do a lot of reading today and skip the hourly challenges.  Only 15 signed up?  It's a sacrilege!

24-hour Readathon

Anne at My Head Is Full of Books has put a twist on Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon.  She plans to read 24 hours during the weekend, rather than all in one day, rather than stay up all night.  I will stick with Dewey's twenty-four hours, but I'm sharing Anne's option in case you are interested.  Here's where you sign up to take part.  I'll post my updates on this page, if you want to follow my progress.  Meanwhile, here's a Bingo game for ya!

Opening Survey

1)  What fine part of the world are you reading from today?  St. Louis, Missouri

2)  Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?  The Curious Heart of Ailsa Rae by Stephanie Butland.  It's a library book I need to return.

3)  Which snack are you most looking forward to?  Triscuits and French onion with bacon dip.  I like salty foods, but they aren't good for my heart and blood pressure.  That's why this is a treat today.

4)  Tell us a little something about yourself.  I'm retired and able to do this regularly.  My cat Clawdia is catnapping the day away and letting me read.

5)  If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today?  Although the first 24-Hour Readathon I took part in was in 2007, when Dewey herself was in charge (see Dewey's comments), I haven't participated every year.  I've always enjoyed doing the mini-challenges, but this year I plan to spend my time reading.

Closing Survey           

1)  How would you assess your reading overall?  I didn't do nearly as much reading as I thought I'd do.

2)  Did you have a strategy, and if so, did you stick to it?  I'm not into "strategy" for reading.  I simply planned to read.  Since reading is what I do most days anyway, I guess I wasn't as inspired as I might have been in other years.  But the reason I read is to enjoy a book, not to achieve a reading goal.

3)  What was your favorite snack?  Talking about snacks during a READ-a-thon has always struck me as irrelevant.  What's snacking got to do with it?  If I'm hungry, I eat.  Period.

4)  Wanna volunteer for our next event?  Nah, I think this was probably the last time I'll bother with this readathon.  What's the point?  It was more fun back when Dewey was doing it, back in the olden days when we were all book bloggers.  Now it's spread out over Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media, and there's no cohesion now.

Word of the Day

co·he·sion / kōˈhēZHən / noun = the action or fact of forming a united whole.  Example:  "Dewey's Readathon lacks the cohesion it once had."

2020 edition of Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon

It's time, once again for Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon.  I have signed up (#690 of 843, when I looked last night).  I have chosen a book to read.  Yes, only one book because it's 455 pages long, and I just started it.  That way, I can spend time doing hourly memes (maybe) and visiting other blogs (likely).  My beginning time is at 7:00 a.m. today, because I'm in the Central Time Zone.  I'm ready to start reading.  Ready, set, go!

Your Perfect Year ~ by Charlotte Lucas, translated by Alison Layland, 2016, translation 2019, fiction (Germany)

Lucas uses a parallel storyline between the two main characters.  Jonathan is an editor in Hamburg, and Hannah is a young woman dreaming of a proposal from her boyfriend.  Someone called this a "beach read," so I don't expect it to be heavy reading at all.  Since 2020 has been so awful, I'm ready to visit a perfect year, even if it's fiction.

UPDATES:

1.  What fine part of the world are you reading from today?

St. Louis, Missouri, USA

2.  Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?

There's only one.  Your Perfect Year by Charlotte Lucas

3.  Which snack are you most looking forward to?

Between meals, I may have an orange, graham crackers, or raisins.  I'm not much into snacks while reading.

4.  Tell us a little something about yourself.

I'm an 80-year-old reader, writer, word-lover, blogger, punster, and retired pastor.

5.  If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today?  If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?

I participated in Dewey's first readathon and have done several since then.  I plan to read and write occasional updates on this blog.  Have fun reading, everybody!

BLOGS VISITED:

1.  Deb Nance at Readerbuzz, where I left a comment.
2.  Jenn at Jenn's Bookshelves, where I discovered she's using Instagram to update her progress.
3.  Michelle at True Book Addict, where I learned she's just moved.  I left her a comment and also plan to add her to the book blogs I read.

4.  Joy at Joystory, where I left a comment.

MINI-CHALLENGES:

1.  Spell Your Name With Books

• B = Bluest Eye ~ by Toni Morrison
• O = On Writing Well ~ by William Zinsser
• N = Noah ~ by Ellen Gunderson Traylor
• N = Noah's Flood ~ by William Ryan and Walter Pitman
• I = I and Thou ~ by Martin Buber
• E = Elsewhere ~ by Gabrielle Zevin
• JACOBS = Jacob's Journey ~ by Noah benShea

THE ENDING:

As we approach the end (30 minutes left on the clock), I see that a total of 940 people took part in this year's Readathon.  I've almost finished the book, and I've enjoyed it.  I didn't do nearly as many visits or mini-challenges as in the past, partly because fewer folks are blogging these days.  But I'm satisfied, and I had a good time.

Reverse Readathon

What is it?

It's a challenge to read during these 24 hours and post about it on my blog.  Mini-challenges are offered throughout the day.  The 24-hour readathon happens twice a year, in April and in October.  The first readathon, hosted by Dewey, was held in October 2007 (I was there).  Dewey died in late 2008, and though we’re still saddened by her absence (I still have links on the right sidebar, down near the bottom), the show must go on.  The read-a-thon was renamed to honor Dewey in 2009.  Now it's a Reverse Readathon, hosted by Kate of Kate’s Book Nook and Gabby of Gabs About Books.

When is it?

The Reverse Readathon began at 7:00 pm on August 7, 2020 in the Central time zone, where I am.  Yikes, I'm late discovering it.  I can't find the sign-up page, but I could see 519 were already on the list of readers.  So I'll just do my own thing, here on my blog, and start reading.

Books I may read

1. Redhead by the Side of the Road ~ by Anne Tyler, 2020, fiction (Maryland)
2. Life's Compline: A Journey Just Begun ~ by Betty Creamer, 2020, theology
3. Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor ~ by Layla F. Saad, 2020, race relations

Bingo card

An explanation of how to play this Bingo card is on this Readathon page, but here's the simple version:

1. For a book to count for a square, you must have read a minimum of 50 pages.
2. You are NOT required to finish a book before marking a bingo square complete.
3. You may fit your book into as many squares as you can.

Readathon and daily questions

Report on the Social Distancing Readathon

I haven't actually done much reading, though I did finish the book Talk Before Sleep by Elizabeth Berg (1994, fiction, 9/10).  I've added it to my list for the Mount TBR Reading Challenge as a book I have read from my own "to be read" shelves.

Now I've started on Rambam's Ladder by Julie Salamon, 2003.  It's short enough that I may finish it before the end of the day tomorrow.

My daily questions for the new state of our world

1.  What am I grateful for today?

It's been a lazy sort of day, so I'm grateful I did not need to be anywhere.  No obligations, except to stay isolated from people, especially in crowds.

2.  Who am I checking in on or connecting with today?

Besides online and texting with a few folks, Sharon and I met at the elevator area of our floor to "practice social distancing" by pulling a couple of chairs ten feet apart to talk and catch up.  She still hasn't found toilet paper, so I gave her a roll and she offered me a couple of fresh lemons she had bought.

3.  What expectations of "normal" am I letting go of today?

I am sort of already in "new normal" mode, getting used to staying in my apartment.  Hmm, I just remembered I haven't gone down to check my mail today.

4.  How am I getting outside today?

I didn't, unless we count opening the window for Clawdia to sniff that wonderful fresh air, even if it is cold out there.  When I asked, "Do you want me to open the window?" and started putting aside my laptop, she ran straight there before I even got up.  She had understood me.

5.  How am I moving my body today?

I moved along with some of the SilverSneakers videos that pop up on my Facebook page.  Not a lot, but enough to say I actually did move my body today.

The Social Distancing Readathon

Here's a cool idea for those of us practicing social distancing and feeling rather stuck in our homes.  I found this on Readerbuzz and wondered what's involved.

Q:  How does 24 in 48 work?  Do I have to read 24 books in 48 hours?
A:  24 is for the number of hours, not the number of books.  Over the course of 48 hours, you challenge yourself to read for 24 of those hours.  This can mean reading 12 hours each day, 20 hours one day and 4 hours the next, or 24 hours straight.  However the scheduling works best for you!

So this isn't about trying to read the most or hoping to win prizes, as in other readathons.  Nope, it's just a time for reading when we are having to keep our distance from each other.

Stay home,

wash your hands.

read books.

It's planned for the two days of this weekend, March 21-22, from midnight to midnight Eastern Time, though we can adjust it to make the 48 hours work for us.  Start at a time you decide, and end 48 hours later.  Deb of Readerbuzz has her own ideas:

"I plan to start today, Thursday, and read for what I hope will be a total of 24 hours over the next few days."

I'm trying to read books from my own shelves for the Mount TBR Reading Challenge and the library books that will be due back whenever my library opens again.  (It's shut down because of the Coronavirus threat, with all books we've checked out having their due date extended.)

I may choose from some of these I bought years ago, all on one day.

Many of the books on my shelves come from these four "shopping trips" where I loaded up on books in February 2015 and in February 2017 and in August 2017 and in February 2018.  I never got around to reading all those books.  I pulled some of these off the shelves to choose what I want to read starting at midnight Eastern Time (11:00 pm Central Time).  Yikes!  That's right now.

The point of this readathon is to dedicate a weekend to reading, while still allowing time for sleep and exercising, and whatever else you need to do. You’re free to customize the readathon to fit your life.  Sign up if you plan to participate in any way, even if you know you won’t be able to fit in a full 24 hours.  Here's where to sign up, if you are interested.

Bingo ~ and Thankfully Reading Weekend

Donna and Bonnie ~ notice my shirt (explanation below)

I filled out what I could of the Bingo card, so it's time for my report on it and the Thankfully Reading Weekend, even though our reading for this event doesn't end until midnight.

1st LINE ACROSS

• East a healthy snack ~ Hummus on celery.  DONE
• Read more than one book ~ I did, but I didn't finish either of them this weekend.
• Do a 60 minute reading sprint ~ Doesn't everyone do this?  DONE
• Read for a total of 8 hours ~ Being retired, I do this on a regular basis.  DONE
• Read before breakfast ~ Pretty much a daily thing.  DONE

2nd LINE ACROSS

• Comment on someone's blog ~ Left comments for Deb, Jenn, and Helen.  DONE
• Read 100 pages ~ easy peasy.  DONE
• Read when it's dark outside ~ I always read at bedtime ... and well beyond.  DONE
• Read under the covers ~ Reading in bed means I do lots of undercover reading.  DONE
• Listen to an audiobook ~ Nope, not my thing.  I'm a visual person.

3rd LINE ACROSS

• Post a book review ~ I don't write reviews as often as I used to.
• Read a book you are thankful for ~ All books?  Every book I read?  No, that's cheating.  Hmm.
• TURKEY ~ free spot.  DONE
• Read a recipe ~ At my age (79), I prepare mostly familiar foods, so I'll skip this one.
• Wear something bookish ~ I happen to have just the thing.  The photo taken today with my friend Donna at the top proves it.  (See *1  below for explanation.)  DONE

4th LINE ACROSS

• Take a break and do some stretches ~ Did that on Friday afternoon with my exercise pals.  DONE
• Cheer on other readers ~ I used to cheer on the readers doing Dewey's 24-hour Readathon, but none this weekend.  Sorry.
• Read twice in one day ~ I'm retired, so I read off and on EVERY day.  DONE
• Read outside ~ I laughed when I saw this, then I remembered that Bingo-creator Deb lives in Texas.  (See **2 below for my wordy response.)
• Read a book on the computer ~ Kindle is allowed, Deb said.  DONE

5th LINE ACROSS

• Read something that is not a book ~ I read Reader's Digest, The New Yorker, and a bunch of stuff on Facebook (oh, wait, that time-waster probably doesn't count).  DONE
• Recommend a book to someone ~ I do this often, but I don't remember specifically doing it during this weekend.
• Read 200 pages ~ another easy peasy.  DONE
• Drink something delicious ~ Does orange juice count?  Or flavored tea?  DONE
• Write down a quote from a book ~ I'll share it with you now, along with a story.  (See ***3 below.)  DONE

It appears that the only Bingo I achieved this weekend was the center row, up and down ... unless the four corners and the center count.  But it's been fun.  Thanks, Deb and Jenn.

* Note #1

I'm the seasonal bookworm, who reads in all seasons.  Since you can't really see that bottom line, even if you click to enlarge the photo at the top, here's what it says on my shirt:

SEASONAL BOOKWORMS

.... WINTER ....

It's snowing. I should stay inside and read.

.... SPRING ....

I have allergies. I have to stay inside and read.

.... SUMMER ....

It's too hot. I'd better stay inside and read.

.... AUTUMN ....

It's so windy. I think I will stay inside and read.

Donna's shirt has nothing to do with this weekend, but it's fun and somewhat related.  She and her friends play Bananagrams most Saturday evenings — words relate to books, right?  They've chosen the sloth as their spirit animal because the beautiful little 2-letter word "ai" is a three-toed sloth.  Donna's shirt says:  "I finally found my spirit animal ... SLOTH ... does absolutely nothing and just sleeps."

** Note #2

I had just read the Bingo suggestion to "Read outside" and remembered that Deb lives in Texas before opening the memoir I'm reading to Chapter 6.  Almost immediately I was laughing again.  The part that made me laugh is below.

*** Note #3

QUOTE from page 66 of God Land: A Story of Faith, Loss, and Renewal in Middle America, a memoir by Lyn Lenz (2019):

"I didn't grow up in the Midwest; I grew up in Texas, where the openness of the land sprawls hard and wide — like a big, calloused hand.   There, people stretch rather than cluster.  The weather rarely gets cold.  Blizzards don't blow piles of snow against doors and windows, so there are fewer windbreaks and less grace in the geography."

How's that for coincidence, reading about Texas in a book that is not about Texas?  I'm from the South (Chattanooga, Tennessee), but I now live in St. Louis, Missouri.  Last week, we had snow on the ground for days.  It's been rainy all weekend, and temperatures have been in the thirties and low forties.  So the only way I could "read outside" would be to stand under the awning of my building for just long enough to read one or two — or possibly three — paragraphs before running back inside.  That's why I laughed.

Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon

Dewey's 24-Hour Readathon officially started at 7:00 a.m. my time, but I was still asleep.  I had decided NOT to participate this year, but at 11:00 a.m., I saw my first Dewey's post and gave in.  I need to read from my Kindle, since I bought four more books this week.  Okay, I'm off and running!  I mean, reading!

7:00 am.  Zzzzzzzz.  I was still asleep, perhaps dreaming of books.
11:30 am.  Put this together and posted it, fed the cat, ate breakfast.
12:30 pm.  Found where to sign up to participate today.
12:45 pm.  Started reading The Book of Forgiving by Desmond Tutu and his daughter Mpho Tutu.
2:35 pm.  Linked this post to the Pre-Party Post for introductions.

1)  What fine part of the world are you reading from today? I live in St. Louis, Missouri.  Specifically, I live in University City in St. Louis County.
2)  Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?  The Book of Forgiving by Desmond Tutu and his daughter Mpho Tutu, published in 2014, which I'll be teaching in a few weeks.  I picked it up today at Loc 1359, which is 50% into it.
3)  Which snack are you most looking forward to?  I didn't plan anything, but I know I have ice cream in the freezer.
4)  Tell us a little something about yourself.  I did this exact same meme in 2013, saying:  "Reader, writer, blogger, mom, grandmother, great-grandmother, retired pastor, teacher, friend."  That will have to do.
5)  If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today?  If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?  I haven't participated in Dewey's 24-hour marathon since April 2013, but I know I won't push myself as hard this time, partly by skipping all the fun mini-challenges.  The cat who will try to distract me is named Clawdia.

6:30 pm.  Time for a break, so I'll do the Mid-Event Survey.

1.  What are you reading right now?  I switched to a memoir, which is going faster:  The Girls, Alone: Six Days in Estonia by Bonnie J. Rough, 2015
2.  How many books have you read so far?  Parts of two.

3.  What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon?  Continuing this "six days in Estonia" memoir, which is also a travel narrative.  I searched and found this online photo overlooking "old town" Tallinn, Estonia.  Now I can also SEE where I'm reading.
4.  Have you had many interruptions?  How did you deal with those?  Only Clawdia, the cat, wanting to eat after a long nap.  I fed her.  Being retired has its advantages.
5.  What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far?  How fast the day is going by!  It's already almost dark outside, but I hadn't noticed.

7:30 pm.  Did laundry and worked in the library at the Crown Center, where I live (and volunteer).  It gave me time for some reading while my clothes were in the washer and the dryer.
10:00 pm.  Took a break.
12:30 am.  Still reading, but getting sleepy.

3:00 am.  Okay, here's a mini-challenge I can't ignore.  "Shelfie mini-challenge, just take a picture aka Shelfie of your shelves, or you and your shelves, post it up somewhere and link it below."  So here's the top section of one of my bookshelves at 3:00 in the morning.

11:00 am.  Zzzzzzzz.  Shortly after posting that photo, I fell asleep with the book (actually, the Kindle) in my hand and slept a solid 7-8 hours.  I feel great this morning, partly because I finished one book — The Girls, Alone: Six Days in Estonia by Bonnie J. Rough, 2015, memoir — which I rated 9 of 10, an excellent book.

National Readathon Day ~ this Saturday

On January 24th, I plan to take part in National Readathon Day for the four hours between 12:00 noon and 4:00 pm.  This readathon is to help "create, promote, and sustain a lifelong love of reading."  Do you want to join me?  What will you be reading?

And tell me, please, "Where is your book while you sleep?"  Mine can be found in all of these places:  A, B, D, and E.  Yes, all of those places, since I usually am in the middle of more than one book at a time.  Kiki died in 2012 and I don't think she ever slept on a book, so never as illustrated in C.  The most likely place for whatever book I was reading when I fell asleep, however, is on my chest with my finger marking the place where I stopped reading.  Yes, the light would still be shining in my face.

Update post ~ as I complete Once Upon a Readathon

1.  I set a GOAL of reading from one or more of these books during the three days of this readathon (Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday):

The Dalai Lama's Cat ~ by David Michie, 2012, fiction (India)

Under Fishbone Clouds ~ by Sam Meekings, 2009, fiction (China)

The Death of Fidel Perez ~ by Elizabeth Huergo, 2013, fiction (Cuba)

I am almost through with the 410-page novel Under Fishbone Clouds, set in China.  Therefore, I think I met my goal nicely.

2.  We were instructed to "post the button on the SIDEBAR to spread the word and so you don't forget."

Check, I did that.

3.  "Make sure you do at least one UPDATE POST."

This is my update post (and I went back and added this link to my original posting about goals)

4.  "Participate in at least one challenge."  Here are the THREE MINI-CHALLENGES I participated in:

Cover2CoverBlog ~ on Monday ~ about two books choices and a character I'd like to meet.

BookBFFs ~ on Monday ~ about how I met my Book BFF.  Here's a more recent photo of her.

Dizneeee's World of Books ~ on Wednesday ~ about favorite genre, book, and character.

I reported my wrap-up post here.

Once Upon a Readathon ~ challenges

The hosts of this readathon are giving away a $100 gift card to Amazon or Barnes and Noble.  To be eligible, I must post at least one update and participate in at least one challenge.  Here are the challenges:

Monday Challenges (July 8, 2013)

Cover2CoverBlog

For my mini challenge I would like to know...

1.  Which book you are most excited to read in the coming year?

The Fourth Gospel: Tales of a Jewish Mystic ~ by John Shelby Spong, 2013

2.  Which book would you re-read if you had the time and weren't so busy reading ALL of the other good thing?

The Mists of Avalon ~ by Marion Zimmer Bradley, 1982

3.  If you could meet any fictional character who would it be and why?

Miss Rumphius ~ by Barbara Cooney, a 1982 children's book character who grew up wanting to make the world a better place.  I love how she did it.

BookBFFs

"Enter by leaving a comment or video response on this video saying how you met your Book BFF, or what you look for in a Book BFF.  Giveaway runs from 7/8 12:00 AM EST until 7/10 11:59 PM EST."

I met my Book BFF in an online book club in 1996.  We didn't meet face to face until 1998, but eventually she sold her house in St. Louis and moved to Chattanooga, where we opened a suburban bookstore together from 2004 to 2006.  But we still discuss books together, sometimes daily, but at least every week.  What works for us is that we read the same kind of books and have enough of the same interests that we always have something to talk about.

Tuesday Challenges (July 9, 2013)

Better Read Than Dead
IB Book Blogging
(I'm not doing either of these mini-challenges.)

Wednesday Challenges (July 10, 2013)

Rainy Day Ramblings
(I'm not interested in this topic either.)

Dizneeee's World of Books

"For my little challenge, I would like for you to tell me your favorite genre, favorite book within that genre, and your favorite character from the same genre."

Favorite (fiction) genre = literary fiction

Favorite novel = The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, 2002

Favorite character = Lily Owens, the girl in that novel

Favorite (nonfiction) genre = theology

Favorite nonfiction book = The Heart of Christianity by Marcus J. Borg, 2003

Sunday Salon ~ a new (to me) readathon

ONCE UPON A READATHON

Once Upon a Readathon is new to me.  Since it starts in a few minutes, I needed to make a quick decision:  to participate or let this one pass.  I decided to go for it, since the 164 people already on the sign-up list all seem to be new to me.  I heard about the readathon by visiting the blog of Julie who commented on my blog earlier today — that's the joy of the book blogging community, that we enrich each other's worlds.  So consider this my readathon post.  Here's a summary from the sign-up page:

Set a goal for yourself to read books beyond the average number of books you read.  There is no minimum.  Read anything you like — any genre, any subject.  Grab the button and post it on your sidebar to spread the word and so you don't forget.  Then, from 12:01 am on July 8th to 11:59 pm on July 10th you read, read, and read some more.  Make sure you do at least one update post, and participate in at least one challenge.

My goal is to read as much as I can from one or more of these books, mentioned elsewhere on my blog:

The Dalai Lama's Cat ~ by David Michie, 2012, fiction (India)
Under Fishbone Clouds ~ by Sam Meekings, 2009, fiction (China)
The Death of Fidel Perez ~ by Elizabeth Huergo, 2013, fiction (Cuba)

Hmm, I see three of these have "travel" destinations.  I'll be visiting India, China, and Cuba in the next few days.  Three days of reading, three books.  Can I complete at least one?

Update:  I've participated in three readathon challenges and written a separate update post.

POSTCARD FROM THE UK

Dear Jen, I got your card today and love the weird thing your customer said.

Customer:  "I need a copy of 'For Room the Belt Holes' for college."
Me:  ...?
Customer:  "It's by Hemingway.  I think it's about losing weight."

Thank you so much for making my day.

Jen Campbell, who works at a bookstore in North London called Ripping Yarns, has published a couple of books about Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops and More Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops.  Recently, she offered to send fifty of her readers postcards with either a new weird thing or a bit of her poetry.  As one who once owned a bookshop, I asked for a new weird saying -- and got it.  My card arrived Monday, July 1, and it (as I said above and on Jen's blog) made my day.  She has a YouTube video answering questions about herself.

The Sunday Salon's Facebook page has links to other blogs.

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