Social Distancing Readathon #221 - June 7 - 9
Talk75 Books Challenge for 2024
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1SilverWolf28
Welcome to another readathon!
We generally run from Friday at 5 p.m. to Sunday at midnight in whatever time zone you choose, but feel free to start earlier on Friday and wrap up overnight Sunday/Monday, if that's what you want to do.
Here are some things to track throughout the weekend, if you choose:
Books read from:
Books finished:
Time reading:
Time posting:
Snacks:
Thoughts:
Non-book activities:
Total books finished:
Total read from:
Total time reading:
Who is participating -
1. SilverWolf (SilverWolf28) -- Tennessee, USA
We generally run from Friday at 5 p.m. to Sunday at midnight in whatever time zone you choose, but feel free to start earlier on Friday and wrap up overnight Sunday/Monday, if that's what you want to do.
Here are some things to track throughout the weekend, if you choose:
Books read from:
Books finished:
Time reading:
Time posting:
Snacks:
Thoughts:
Non-book activities:
Total books finished:
Total read from:
Total time reading:
Who is participating -
1. SilverWolf (SilverWolf28) -- Tennessee, USA
2alcottacre
I am definitely in especially after missing the past couple of weeks while traveling.
Good reading, everyone!
Good reading, everyone!
3Carmenere
Count me in too! I've got to finish The Secret Book of Flora Lea for Monday's book discussion group. I'm also reading Demon Copperhead and listening to My Name is Barbra
4nrmay
I'm in.
Keeping my 7 year old niece Sat afternoon and my sis arrives on Sun, but I'll be reading between times.
Currently reading September by R. Pilcher, set in Scotland.
And still listening to The Bandit Queens which I hope to finish this weekend.
Finished 10 books in May; 42 for the year so far.
Keeping my 7 year old niece Sat afternoon and my sis arrives on Sun, but I'll be reading between times.
Currently reading September by R. Pilcher, set in Scotland.
And still listening to The Bandit Queens which I hope to finish this weekend.
Finished 10 books in May; 42 for the year so far.
5ChrisG1
I'm in again. Just finished Howards End and am about to start in on Ranger's Trail as I continue reading a monthly installment of Elmer Kelton.
6Cecilturtle
It's been a couple of weeks since I've participated so I'll join in! Currently reading Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood and My Husband's Wife by Jane Corry.
7benitastrnad
I am in again.
Friday Start
Books read from: Last Palace: Europe's Turbulent Century in Five Lives and One Legendary House by Norman Eisen. Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine by Serhii Plokhy. I started finished listening to Music Shop by Rachel Joyce and started City of Dragons by Kelli Stanley.
Books finished: Music Shop by Rachel Joyce
Book Thoughts: Last weekend was a good reading weekend. I don't think this weekend will be as good, but we shall see. I started reading Last Palace on Wednesday and have read a whole bunch in it. It reads fast as it is not written as a scholarly work. It is narrative nonfiction. It is about the last huge palace that was built in Europe and it just happens to be in Prague, CZ. That is the home country of my ancestors. The book starts with a short history of the Petschek family and Otto Petschek, the builder of the house. It eventually became the U. S. Embassy and the book was written by Norman Eisen who was the U. S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic during the Obama administration. His mother was Czech. I am now up to the WWII years and finding the book interesting but not compelling reading. I did read 100 pages out of it in one day, so it is definitely interesting.
Non-Book activities: I am back in Alabama after an interesting interlude at Hot Springs National Park, followed by a stop at the William Jefferson Clinton Boyhood National Historic Site. Of course I made book purchases in both places. There was a small independent bookstore in the basement arcade of the Arlington Resort Hotel and Spa. Black Ribbon Books was a very interesting place and I purchased 3 books there. I love the gift shops at National Parks and Historic Sites and always end up making book purchases there. (Whoever does the selecting for these places does a real bang up job!) I purchased 3 more books at Bill Clinton's Boyhood home. Somehow I have misplaced my National Park Passport book and so I stamped the books with the park stamp instead of my passport. I think that is a great idea and will do that same thing from now on when I purchase books from a National Park site.
Time reading today: 1 hour
Time reading this weekend: 1 hours
Time listening:
Time posting:
Food: As soon as I got back to Tuscaloosa I had to go grocery shopping and cook a meatloaf for my Potluck Lunch group. The meatloaf turned out to be very good and I had a great time with the ladies. We talked books and the Orange Haired Gasbag's conviction. It was a fun day. Now I will spend the rest of the day paying bills.
Total books finished since the Read-A-Thon Began: 428
Total Time Reading since the Social Distancing read-a-thon began: 1249 hours since I started doing the weekend Read-A-Thon in April of 2020.
Friday Start
Books read from: Last Palace: Europe's Turbulent Century in Five Lives and One Legendary House by Norman Eisen. Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine by Serhii Plokhy. I started finished listening to Music Shop by Rachel Joyce and started City of Dragons by Kelli Stanley.
Books finished: Music Shop by Rachel Joyce
Book Thoughts: Last weekend was a good reading weekend. I don't think this weekend will be as good, but we shall see. I started reading Last Palace on Wednesday and have read a whole bunch in it. It reads fast as it is not written as a scholarly work. It is narrative nonfiction. It is about the last huge palace that was built in Europe and it just happens to be in Prague, CZ. That is the home country of my ancestors. The book starts with a short history of the Petschek family and Otto Petschek, the builder of the house. It eventually became the U. S. Embassy and the book was written by Norman Eisen who was the U. S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic during the Obama administration. His mother was Czech. I am now up to the WWII years and finding the book interesting but not compelling reading. I did read 100 pages out of it in one day, so it is definitely interesting.
Non-Book activities: I am back in Alabama after an interesting interlude at Hot Springs National Park, followed by a stop at the William Jefferson Clinton Boyhood National Historic Site. Of course I made book purchases in both places. There was a small independent bookstore in the basement arcade of the Arlington Resort Hotel and Spa. Black Ribbon Books was a very interesting place and I purchased 3 books there. I love the gift shops at National Parks and Historic Sites and always end up making book purchases there. (Whoever does the selecting for these places does a real bang up job!) I purchased 3 more books at Bill Clinton's Boyhood home. Somehow I have misplaced my National Park Passport book and so I stamped the books with the park stamp instead of my passport. I think that is a great idea and will do that same thing from now on when I purchase books from a National Park site.
Time reading today: 1 hour
Time reading this weekend: 1 hours
Time listening:
Time posting:
Food: As soon as I got back to Tuscaloosa I had to go grocery shopping and cook a meatloaf for my Potluck Lunch group. The meatloaf turned out to be very good and I had a great time with the ladies. We talked books and the Orange Haired Gasbag's conviction. It was a fun day. Now I will spend the rest of the day paying bills.
Total books finished since the Read-A-Thon Began: 428
Total Time Reading since the Social Distancing read-a-thon began: 1249 hours since I started doing the weekend Read-A-Thon in April of 2020.
8nrmay
>7 benitastrnad:
Hot Springs Nat. Park sounds very appealing. One of my travel goals is to visit all 63 of our Nat. Parks.
I started reading this afternoon.
About half-way through September by Rosamunde Pilcher. Loving the Scottish highlands setting.
Vegetable beef soup for dinner.
Other activity: postcrossing, laundry, filled birdbaths and feeders, watched the birds from the sun porch. I saw my rabbit and chipmunk.
Hot Springs Nat. Park sounds very appealing. One of my travel goals is to visit all 63 of our Nat. Parks.
I started reading this afternoon.
About half-way through September by Rosamunde Pilcher. Loving the Scottish highlands setting.
Vegetable beef soup for dinner.
Other activity: postcrossing, laundry, filled birdbaths and feeders, watched the birds from the sun porch. I saw my rabbit and chipmunk.
9alcottacre
Friday Night Update:
Books read from: Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb (audiobook), The Gentle Tamers by Dee Brown, Jewish Literacy by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, The Blue, Beautiful World by Karen Lord, Facing the Mountain by Daniel James Brown, The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney, and Marking Time by Elizabeth Jane Howard
Books finished: 2, The Blue, Beautiful World and Facing the Mountain
Time reading: 3.45 hours + listening to audiobook
Total books finished: 2
Total read from: 7
Total time reading: 3.45 hours + listening to audiobook
Books read from: Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb (audiobook), The Gentle Tamers by Dee Brown, Jewish Literacy by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, The Blue, Beautiful World by Karen Lord, Facing the Mountain by Daniel James Brown, The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney, and Marking Time by Elizabeth Jane Howard
Books finished: 2, The Blue, Beautiful World and Facing the Mountain
Time reading: 3.45 hours + listening to audiobook
Total books finished: 2
Total read from: 7
Total time reading: 3.45 hours + listening to audiobook
10Carmenere
Friday night update:
Books read from: The Secret Book of Flora Lea
Books finished:
Time reading: 2 hours
Time posting: Saturday 8:55am
Snacks: Charcuterie board
Thoughts: I thought I was tired of WWII novels but this one is intriguing
Non-book activities: Had gin & tonics on my neighbors deck
Total books finished:
Total read from: 1
Total time reading: 2 hours
Books read from: The Secret Book of Flora Lea
Books finished:
Time reading: 2 hours
Time posting: Saturday 8:55am
Snacks: Charcuterie board
Thoughts: I thought I was tired of WWII novels but this one is intriguing
Non-book activities: Had gin & tonics on my neighbors deck
Total books finished:
Total read from: 1
Total time reading: 2 hours
11benitastrnad
Saturday report
Books read from: Last Palace: Europe's Turbulent Century in Five Lives and One Legendary House by Norman Eisen. Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine by Serhii Plokhy. I am listening to City of Dragons by Kelli Stanley.
Books finished: Music Shop by Rachel Joyce
Book Thoughts: I read another 75 pages in Last Palace. This is not a very academic book and is about the 5 people who lived in the house in Prague that eventually became the U.S. Embassy. It is not about the house itself - although that history is also included in the book. The section I just read today was about the head of the German Army in Czechoslovakia and his decision to surrender Prague rather than see it destroyed by ravaging armies. His decision was much like the decision made by the General in charge of the defense of Paris in 1944. We should be thankful for these men and the decision that they made not knowing how it would turn out for them. History has looked kindly on them.
Non-Book activities: I spent the day knitting with friends in my local yarn shop because it was International Knit in Public Day. I enjoyed myself, but will have to rip out the sleeve I was knitting in my sweater because following the pattern made the sleeve too small. Oh well - such is life.
Time reading today: 1 hour
Time reading this weekend: 2 hours
Time listening: 4 hours
Time posting:
Food: The owner of the yarn shop brought food for us for lunch and of course there was tea. It is a tea and yarn shop, so it was a tasteful day.
Total books finished since the Read-A-Thon Began: 428
Total Time Reading since the Social Distancing read-a-thon began: 1254 hours since I started doing the weekend Read-A-Thon in April of 2020.
Books read from: Last Palace: Europe's Turbulent Century in Five Lives and One Legendary House by Norman Eisen. Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine by Serhii Plokhy. I am listening to City of Dragons by Kelli Stanley.
Books finished: Music Shop by Rachel Joyce
Book Thoughts: I read another 75 pages in Last Palace. This is not a very academic book and is about the 5 people who lived in the house in Prague that eventually became the U.S. Embassy. It is not about the house itself - although that history is also included in the book. The section I just read today was about the head of the German Army in Czechoslovakia and his decision to surrender Prague rather than see it destroyed by ravaging armies. His decision was much like the decision made by the General in charge of the defense of Paris in 1944. We should be thankful for these men and the decision that they made not knowing how it would turn out for them. History has looked kindly on them.
Non-Book activities: I spent the day knitting with friends in my local yarn shop because it was International Knit in Public Day. I enjoyed myself, but will have to rip out the sleeve I was knitting in my sweater because following the pattern made the sleeve too small. Oh well - such is life.
Time reading today: 1 hour
Time reading this weekend: 2 hours
Time listening: 4 hours
Time posting:
Food: The owner of the yarn shop brought food for us for lunch and of course there was tea. It is a tea and yarn shop, so it was a tasteful day.
Total books finished since the Read-A-Thon Began: 428
Total Time Reading since the Social Distancing read-a-thon began: 1254 hours since I started doing the weekend Read-A-Thon in April of 2020.
12alcottacre
Saturday Night Update:
Books read from: Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb (audiobook), The Gentle Tamers by Dee Brown, Jewish Literacy by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney, Marking Time by Elizabeth Jane Howard, 36 Children by Herbert Kohl, Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe, Those Who Hold the Fire by Victoria Goddard, and The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater
Books finished: 3, The Tenderness of Wolves, Gender Queer: A Memoir, and Those Who Hold the Fire
Time reading: ~5 hours + listening to audiobook
Total books finished: 5
Total read from: 11
Total time reading: ~8.45 hours + listening to audiobook
Books read from: Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb (audiobook), The Gentle Tamers by Dee Brown, Jewish Literacy by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney, Marking Time by Elizabeth Jane Howard, 36 Children by Herbert Kohl, Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe, Those Who Hold the Fire by Victoria Goddard, and The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater
Books finished: 3, The Tenderness of Wolves, Gender Queer: A Memoir, and Those Who Hold the Fire
Time reading: ~5 hours + listening to audiobook
Total books finished: 5
Total read from: 11
Total time reading: ~8.45 hours + listening to audiobook
13Carmenere
Saturday night update:
Books read from: My Name is Barbra, The Secret Book of Flora Lea
Books finished:
Time reading: 5 hours
Time posting: Sunday 7:35am
Snacks: Leftover Pad Thai for dinner
Thoughts: Sometimes I wonder, especially when there's a mouse in the house, if I can manage a house. It could be my fault. I've been hearing scratching in the attic so I filled a couple of opening beside my garage, maybe with no way out, this is what I have to deal with.
Non-book activities: Weeded the paver bricks on one of my 2 patios and started working on the driveway while listening to My Name is Barbra. Finally 66% finished. 16 hours to go!
Total books finished:
Total read from: 2
Total time reading: 7 hours
Books read from: My Name is Barbra, The Secret Book of Flora Lea
Books finished:
Time reading: 5 hours
Time posting: Sunday 7:35am
Snacks: Leftover Pad Thai for dinner
Thoughts: Sometimes I wonder, especially when there's a mouse in the house, if I can manage a house. It could be my fault. I've been hearing scratching in the attic so I filled a couple of opening beside my garage, maybe with no way out, this is what I have to deal with.
Non-book activities: Weeded the paver bricks on one of my 2 patios and started working on the driveway while listening to My Name is Barbra. Finally 66% finished. 16 hours to go!
Total books finished:
Total read from: 2
Total time reading: 7 hours
14benitastrnad
>13 Carmenere:
I think that varmints in the house is just one of the hazards of home ownership. Don't beat yourself up about it.
I think that varmints in the house is just one of the hazards of home ownership. Don't beat yourself up about it.
15Carmenere
>14 benitastrnad: Thanks Benita, I appreciate your comment. I try to be tough but sometimes it gets the better of me.
16benitastrnad
Sunday night report
Books read from: Last Palace: Europe's Turbulent Century in Five Lives and One Legendary House by Norman Eisen. Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine by Serhii Plokhy. I am listening to City of Dragons by Kelli Stanley.
Books finished: Music Shop by Rachel Joyce
Book Thoughts: I had hopes that I would finish Last Palace today, but my Zoom book discussion went longer than I thought that it would. I only have about 70 pages left to read so will finish it tomorrow. City of Dragons is a real drag. It has a great plot but it gets dragged down by the endless retrospection of the main character. I keep wanting to shout at the main character that "I get it already - move on!" Another drag is the endless description. I feel like I should be sitting there with a map of San Francisco by my side. The novel is full of descriptions of walking two blocks down Market and then two blocks straight up the hill on Powell, then a right hand turn on Main Street followed by a walking four blocks on 15th Street. Again I want to shout at the author. It is a real shame when an author ruins a great storyline like that.
Non-Book activities: Met with my Zoom book club. We had a good time talking about Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty. Then I watched TV and talked on the phone for the rest of the evening. Tomorrow I will be purchasing more Banker's Boxes and then packing more books. Banker's Boxes are perfect for packing and moving books as they are just the right size, strength, and carry the right amount of weight that I can easily move them around when I need to do so. I should finish packing all of the books in my office tomorrow.
Time reading today: 2 hour
Time reading this weekend: 4 hours
Time listening: 4.5 hours
Time posting:
Food: my regular Sunday lunch at the local Indian restaurant. There were lots of new people there and two of the regulars. It was nice to see the regulars.
Total books finished since the Read-A-Thon Began: 428
Total Time Reading since the Social Distancing read-a-thon began: 1256.5 hours since I started doing the weekend Read-A-Thon in April of 2020.
Books read from: Last Palace: Europe's Turbulent Century in Five Lives and One Legendary House by Norman Eisen. Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine by Serhii Plokhy. I am listening to City of Dragons by Kelli Stanley.
Books finished: Music Shop by Rachel Joyce
Book Thoughts: I had hopes that I would finish Last Palace today, but my Zoom book discussion went longer than I thought that it would. I only have about 70 pages left to read so will finish it tomorrow. City of Dragons is a real drag. It has a great plot but it gets dragged down by the endless retrospection of the main character. I keep wanting to shout at the main character that "I get it already - move on!" Another drag is the endless description. I feel like I should be sitting there with a map of San Francisco by my side. The novel is full of descriptions of walking two blocks down Market and then two blocks straight up the hill on Powell, then a right hand turn on Main Street followed by a walking four blocks on 15th Street. Again I want to shout at the author. It is a real shame when an author ruins a great storyline like that.
Non-Book activities: Met with my Zoom book club. We had a good time talking about Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty. Then I watched TV and talked on the phone for the rest of the evening. Tomorrow I will be purchasing more Banker's Boxes and then packing more books. Banker's Boxes are perfect for packing and moving books as they are just the right size, strength, and carry the right amount of weight that I can easily move them around when I need to do so. I should finish packing all of the books in my office tomorrow.
Time reading today: 2 hour
Time reading this weekend: 4 hours
Time listening: 4.5 hours
Time posting:
Food: my regular Sunday lunch at the local Indian restaurant. There were lots of new people there and two of the regulars. It was nice to see the regulars.
Total books finished since the Read-A-Thon Began: 428
Total Time Reading since the Social Distancing read-a-thon began: 1256.5 hours since I started doing the weekend Read-A-Thon in April of 2020.
17alcottacre
Sunday Night Update:
Books read from: Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb (audiobook), The Gentle Tamers by Dee Brown, Jewish Literacy by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, Marking Time by Elizabeth Jane Howard, 36 Children by Herbert Kohl, Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson and The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater
Books finished: 2, Fantasy in Death and The Gentle Tamers
Time reading: ~2.15 hours + listening to audiobook
Total books finished: 7
Total read from: 12
Total time reading: ~10.6 hours + listening to audiobook
Today turned out to be much more of a gaming day than a reading day. I finished a book that I had not planned on finishing today - Fantasy in Death - and did not finish one that I thought I would - The 57 Bus. Ah well, the best laid plans. . .
Books read from: Fantasy in Death by J.D. Robb (audiobook), The Gentle Tamers by Dee Brown, Jewish Literacy by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, Marking Time by Elizabeth Jane Howard, 36 Children by Herbert Kohl, Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson and The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater
Books finished: 2, Fantasy in Death and The Gentle Tamers
Time reading: ~2.15 hours + listening to audiobook
Total books finished: 7
Total read from: 12
Total time reading: ~10.6 hours + listening to audiobook
Today turned out to be much more of a gaming day than a reading day. I finished a book that I had not planned on finishing today - Fantasy in Death - and did not finish one that I thought I would - The 57 Bus. Ah well, the best laid plans. . .
18Carmenere
Sunday update:
Books read from: The Secret Book of Flora Lea, My Name is Barbra
Books finished:
Time reading: 5 hours
Time posting: Monday 8:00am
Snacks: Cheese, crackers and lemon hummus
Thoughts: Sorry I didn't make more headway with My Name is Barbra. Some people may speed up the audio but I think it would lose something. Her book is very thoughtful and the reader needs to take that into account.
Non-book activities: Weeded again, put more tarp on the pachysandra I am trying to suffocate
Total books finished:
Total read from: 2
Total time reading: 12 hours
Books read from: The Secret Book of Flora Lea, My Name is Barbra
Books finished:
Time reading: 5 hours
Time posting: Monday 8:00am
Snacks: Cheese, crackers and lemon hummus
Thoughts: Sorry I didn't make more headway with My Name is Barbra. Some people may speed up the audio but I think it would lose something. Her book is very thoughtful and the reader needs to take that into account.
Non-book activities: Weeded again, put more tarp on the pachysandra I am trying to suffocate
Total books finished:
Total read from: 2
Total time reading: 12 hours
19ChrisG1
Weekend summary:
Books read from: Ranger's Trail by Elmer Kelton, Robots and Empire by Isaac Asimov
Books finished: Ranger's Trail
Pages read: 450-ish
Non-book activities: Family gathering for my daughter-in-law's 40th birthday - good times!
Books read from: Ranger's Trail by Elmer Kelton, Robots and Empire by Isaac Asimov
Books finished: Ranger's Trail
Pages read: 450-ish
Non-book activities: Family gathering for my daughter-in-law's 40th birthday - good times!
20Cecilturtle
I ended up with a dismal reading weekend. I was out and about all day Saturday and not feeling well on Sunday.
Books read from: Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood; Payback by Margaret Atwood; Naming Canada by Alan Rayburn
Books finished: 0
Time reading: 3
Time posting: Monday morning
Snacks: really yummy scones from our local Scone Witch store
Thoughts: I'm having trouble concentrating on books these days - the lure of the outdoors is too strong and then I just spend too much time on the pesky social media apps: I need to do better!
Non-book activities: hiking, birding, photography, dining with friends, visiting friends
Total books finished: 0
Total read from: 3
Total time reading: 3 hours
Books read from: Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood; Payback by Margaret Atwood; Naming Canada by Alan Rayburn
Books finished: 0
Time reading: 3
Time posting: Monday morning
Snacks: really yummy scones from our local Scone Witch store
Thoughts: I'm having trouble concentrating on books these days - the lure of the outdoors is too strong and then I just spend too much time on the pesky social media apps: I need to do better!
Non-book activities: hiking, birding, photography, dining with friends, visiting friends
Total books finished: 0
Total read from: 3
Total time reading: 3 hours
21alcottacre
>20 Cecilturtle: I hope you are feeling better today, Cecil!
22Cecilturtle
>21 alcottacre: Much! Thanks, Stasia ! Too bad it's right on time for Monday morning and back to work :P Serves me right for overdoing it on Saturday :)
