“Real luxury is time and opportunity to read for pleasure.”
~Jane Brody
I decided it would be fitting to start this post, the one in which I will do regular updates throughout the day, with a sample of some of the books on my potential reading pile. The alarm clock in the picture is at least as old as I am, my parents purchased it in Germany, where I was born, while my dad was in the Army.
Mary has decided to join me in reading, at least through part of the day, and she suggested that we give a donation to the educational division of World Vision.
During the day I will post updates, each of which will have a header indicating that it is the latest update, so feel free to check back! I’m so psyched to be participating! It is raining (meaning no reason to feel guilty for not mowing the lawn) I have my everything bagel and my cinnamon twist from Einstein Bros. Bagels, a glass of orange juice, and my first read. And away we go….
Well that’s it, the first two hours have passed. I began the day with the aforementioned breakfast and the Gospel of John, Chapter 17, one of my favorite passages of scripture, wherein Jesus prays for his disciples, and then for all the rest of us, in the days leading up to his death on the cross.
Though is may seem blasphemous, I went from that to reading Housekeeping vs. The Dirt by Nick Hornby and am currently through 80 pages of this 153 page collection of Believer columns. If I had said that I was going to try to savor this one, and thankfully I did not make that promise, then I would have been deep in the throes of self-deception. As with The Polysyllabic Spree and Shakespeare Wrote for Money, I enjoy Hornby’s voice so much that it, combined with the supsense of ‘what is he going to read next?’ has ensured that I will not be sampling anything else on my delectable 24 Hour Reading Pile until this book is done.
I wasted no time, at the first brief description Nick Hornby gave of Sarah Vowell’s Assassination Vacation, in going straight to the library website and placing a hold on it. When he includes a selection from the book after that chapter, it was all I could do to not chuck this whole idea of staying home to read to instead rush out to the nearest bookstore to buy a copy of this. I cannot wait to read it.
Mary is reading A Monstrous Regiment of Women by Laurie R. King (King’s heroine shares the same name my wife did, in her previous not-shackled-to-this-doofus life, Mary Russell). Tori, not a big reader, joined in briefly to read And There You Are, by Ronnie del Carmen, which I will be reading at some point today.
Hope everyone else is having a great time! See you in roughly a few hours for another update.
READERS OF THE HOUR MINI-CHALLENGE
I find that, not surprisingly, I figured my time zone incorrectly and have been acting as if I am actually living on the east coast. I guess I am there in spirit with you friends who actually live there. So…I am an hour behind. I have just participated in my first mini-challenge, the Readers of the Hour mini-challenge and visited Rhinoa, Anna, and Lissa. The things that Anna’s daughter said, combined with her cute picture in the sidebar of the site, cracked me up. You’ve got to go over and read her ‘Introductory Mini-Challenge’ post. Very cute. Off to more reading!
BART’S MINI-CHALLENGE: BOOK COVER QUIZ!
Bart has this great book cover quiz going on for another 30 minutes, I believe. Although it will remain up there for you to test your book cover acumen. I feel I failed miserably, but it was fun!
I had hoped to have finished Housekeeping vs. The Dirt before updating again, but I wanted to get in on Bart’s mini-challenge and so needed to post about it. I have about 40 pages left of the Hornby and can’t wait to briefly talk about it. This one will need a proper review!
Have visited some blogs and done mini-challenges and answered a few of the comments here, so that is where my reading has been concentrated. Keep it up everyone!
Here I am for a third update, having completed my first book and done some additional reading.
The first book completed is Nick Hornby’s Housekeeping vs. the Dirt. As I mentioned earlier, this one deserves a proper review. It was excellent! I really would love to see all three of these books bound in one hardback volume someday. I know it is wishful thinking, but there it is. The introduction to this book, more than anything I have read in these three Believer column volumes, gives book readers a bond with Nick Hornby that nothing could sever! It is worth picking this book up just to read the introduction. I plan on posting my review of this book on Monday morning. I recommend coming by just to read the quote from the introduction to this book that I plan on including. It will warm your heart on a ‘back to work Monday morning’.
I had made a solemn promise to Qugrainne to savor this book, and savoring it I am. I have read my one and only chapter out of Bird by Bird for the day, you won’t be seeing it again in the read-a-thon. Today’s chapter was on plot, which really was a chapter on characters and how important it is to let your character’s in your writing reveal themselves to you. Now I am not a writer, though I love reading books on writing as they do apply both to the romantic idea that I have of being a writer but also to greater life lessons, which is the bigger point of Anne Lamott’s book. Reading about character and her process made me smile simply because she gets what we all love about books so much…the people that inhabit them. The people we love or loathe and cannot get out of our minds even after we have finished a book.
And finally, for this update, I have finished Ronnie del Carmen’s sketchbook, And There You Are, which includes drawings and watercolors from both his daily sketchbooks and studies on the character, Nina, featured in his stories entitled Paper Biscuit. I fell in love with the look of this character many years ago and regularly hope that del Carmen gets more time to actually put a proper story together for her, rather than the snippets that have come out over the years. This is a beautiful little volume. I’ll be posting more about Ronnie del Carmen and this book in a Friday Favorite post. One of the things that really struck me was a quote seen in a photo of one of his sketchbooks on his 48th birthday which read:
“I’m more myself than anytime in my life. Happier too”.
Despite the recent turmoil with work, I often find at each birthday that I too am more myself, more the person I always thought I was, especially in regards to my openness and comfort level with the things that interest and inspire me. I’ll end this update with a picture from the book that seems tailor made for Dewey’s 24 Hour Read-a-thon.
It has been quite a few hours since my last update, this solely because I have been outside on the back porch, watching blossoms fall like rain from our Bradford Pear tree and reading:
I had read the first 19 pages earlier in the week and then decided to save it for today. I read pages 20-162 in one sitting (with a few food and ‘powdering my nose’ breaks) in the sun. As I said with Housekeeping vs. the Dirt, this one deserves and will get a proper review.
Having spent the last several hours with Anne Fadiman, I can say, unreservedly, that we had a few minor disagreements, she unwittingly insulted me once, and the rest of the time she was a fascinating host (she would object to the word ‘hostess’, I expect) who made sure that I dined well on all mannerr of essays related to books and reading. I cannot wait to review this one and get into the meat of the book. For those who like to underline passages and dog-ear favorite pages, go ahead and buy yourself a copy of this one now. You’ll thank me later.
The nice weather has held and soon I am going to take a break from 9.5 hours of mostly non-stop reading to grill food. I also think I’ll be stepping away, as mentioned when I decided to participate in the event, to watch some sort of literature-inspired film later this evening with the family. But in the meantime, and afterwards, I will continue reading and visiting blogs and reveling in this oh-so-enjoyable day!
I almost forgot, before going out and spending time with Anne Fadiman, I spent time with one of my absolute favorite authors and artists: Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess. Jeff loaned me his copy of Blueberry Girl and I will now have to purchase one of my own. It is a slight but beautiful little story, written originally for Tori Amos when she was pregnant with her daughter. Vess’ art captured the tale perfectly and I loved how several different girls were pictured throughout the story, giving it a more universal appeal. Very sweet. Thanks for the loaner, Jeff.
This latest gap between updates was filled with art, words, and the combination of the two in the form of film.
We sat down this evening to eat and watched the Criterion Collection DVD of the 1952 film version of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. I have been a fan of this film for decades, most especially because Dorothy Tutin, as Cecily, is darling. I have to track down the 1958 version of A Tale of Two Cities as she has a major role in that film. And of course Oscar Wilde wrote some of the best lines ever. I cannot watch this movie, and An Ideal Husband, without chuckling constantly. He was a fantastic wit.
My reading time was taken up with a cover to cover reading of:
As with every issue it is filled to the brim with fantastic art and interesting articles and interviews. Each issue also manages to have some art that disturbs me just a bit, and this issue was no exception. Some of the artists I liked featured in this issue are cover artist Mark Ryden (who incidently is also an artist whose work sometimes disturbs me. It is a weird dichotomy.) Also:
Thomas Doyle (these glass enclosed dioramas are amazing!)
Brandi Milne (have to do a Friday Favorite on her sometime soon…incredible stuff!)
This is just a small sampling! And lest you think it is all pretty pictures, there was a lot of written material in here to get through and I enjoyed spending the evening doing so. I even read this while grilling…and oddly enough the asparagus and the hamburgers turned out better than ever before…maybe grilling with one hand while holding reading material with the other is the way to cook?!?!
Okay, back to more reading. How’s everyone else holding up?
It is 1:15 a.m. and I’m at work. I’ve just finished some more reading though, this time in the form of comics.
Sorry for the rough quality of the picture, my flash didn’t work and my camera battery promptly died after uploading this image. But, there you have it, 9 issues of DC Comic’s House of Mystery. I had read and enjoyed the first 3 monthly issues and then had let several pile up unread. They are unread no more. I was first attracted to this series by the issue one cover and its connection to an old DC Comics’ book that had the same name and was a feature, with its inhabitants, Cain and Abel, of Neil Gaiman’s Sandman comics. The art and story kept me buying it. Luca Rossi’s pencils are excellent. House of Mystery and Fables have some of the most consistently enjoyable art out there in the comics world right now, in my opinion. The story has been mysterious and somewhat enigmatic at times, and was a little slow building, but after reading these issues I am certainly hooked on the story and look forward to seeing how all the threads unravel.
Each issue features a story-within-the-story, illustrated and written by someone other than the main artist and writer, and I’ve enjoyed those, for each reveals something about a character inhabiting the House of Mystery and that fleshing out of the characters has really added to the overall story. Very fun stuff. I am so thankful for the read-a-thon as it gave me an excuse to get caught up with this series. Yay comics!
I’ll probably crash soon…do a bit of sleeping here…before waking up to read the last hour or two of the event. We’ll see. I’m fading fast though and had committed to not trying to stay up through these wee hours because of things I need to get taken care of tomorrow. And I’m old! 😉
And here it is, morning, and the end of Dewey’s 24 hour read-a-thon. Such great fun. I’ll do a wrap up post later on today, including the way Mary and I chose to give to our chosen charity that made me strangely giddy.
After catching a few Z’s, I ended the read-a-thon with a sampling of the art assemblage book, Exhibition 36, and a few chapters of Nick Hornby’s Fever Pitch. I’ll check in with everyone later and do my update. Happy Sunday everyone!
How is it that I’ve never visited your blog until now? I’m always astonished at how many book bloggers there are out there. Something that comforts me, somehow.
Good luck in your reading. I plan to read and blog, read and blog throughout the twenty-four hour period.
Even the weather is conspiring to make your Read-a-Thon experience a blast! (I think that may make me squee a little more than it should…)
*waves* Enjoy!
Morning Carl, look at all those lovely graphic novels I don’t know about. Can’t wait to read what you think about ’em.
Enjoy your reading today, Carl! *Cheers for you!*
Are you reading As Shadows Fade? What fun on a rainy day – I loved it, though I was sad to say goodbye to Victoria.
It is 70 and sunny here, so I won’t be joining you until tonight. Have a great 24 hours!!
Hi Carl! Glad to see you’re ready to go. Happy reading. Oh, and I love the design of your blog. Very visually appealing!
Good luck Carl – I think the Patrick O’Brian will make a very good reading choice. Fab that you’re donating.
Woohoo! Glad to see you hear Carl and glad that Mary is reading along. Great charity too.
YAY…I’m so happy to hear that Mary’s joining you!!! Rich always wants to join, too, but ummmm…well, little boys need someone in attendance, don’t they? Maybe next time we should ship them off to Grammy and Papa’s.
Hope you both have loads of fun today!!!!
Good luck Mary and Carl!!
Hi Rich! So, did you drop the boys off in the woods and came back home? 😛
(Okay, that’s not funny. Someone slap me! Only 2 hours in and look at me, lol)
Good luck and happy reading! I’m cheering all you readers on today! Look forward to your updates!
Happy reading! How can it not be a good start to the morning when you have some Einstein Bro bagels? Really!
Good luck! I can’t participate, so will just serve as an unofficial cheerleader. Happy reading!
DS, I’m playing unofficial cheerleader too. Which may, or may not, be a useful comment to make. ^-~
Carl, did you get the whole family reading for the Read-a-Thon now? Glad to hear that you’re enjoying your book so much! I hope everyone in your household is enjoying theirs as well!
Hopefully they can fend for themselves for a while. Lots of nuts and berries in the woods, you know. 😉
OOOPS! But a good oops…that was a laugh I really needed!!!!
Thanks for the words of encouragement everyone, the excitement is palpable and I am enjoying myself immensely.
The Nymeth/Rich comments completely cracked me up. Very funny!
Shanra: They are all playing along a bit, they won’t read as many hours as I will, but I’m glad they are participating in it some, makes it more fun.
I love how all of your posts, even for the read-a-thon are gorgeous. 😀 You make the rest of us look bad Carl! hehe
I love that we’re both reading Hornby today!!!
I have offically joined in. I woke up this morning and finished reading Nick Hornby’s Shakespeare Wrote for Money, which was great, and I thought that was all I would get in until this evening because of planned kids soccer games today. Well now the wonderful rain has come down to wash out the games ( Thank you Dewey! ) and now I can read. ( Although my lawn is getting out of control as well Carl 🙂 ).
I’m now going to sample so of The Sword-Edged Blonde by Alex Bledsoe. I’ll report in on my progrss in a couple of hours.
Say Hi to Mary and Tori!
Keep going, Carl!
What a great picture of your books! It’s so much fun meeting so many other great book bloggers. I’ll be excited to see what you read today. Good luck!
Becky: Thanks!!!
Vasilly: I will!
Jeff: You’ll love Housekeeping vs. the Dirt as well. I’ll bring it to you Wed.
Speaking of lawns, that old fart (and I say this affectionately) who mows my neighbor’s lawn has done so twice already! He was out there doing it yesterday and I’m not sure anything had grown! Bastard! My okay lawn looks like a jungle now! 🙂
Eva: Look bad, ha! This from the person who is faithfully posting every hour and doing vlogs! Yeah, sure…. 😉
Oooh, sorry to hear you’ve not finished the Hornby book yet, but it sounds like you’ve been wonderfully busy! (Who knows, maybe by the time I post this you’ll have zipped through the remaining pages and moved onto something else!)
Your book picture is gorgeous…so full of texture and color. The clock is a nice touch.
Looks and sounds like you have got a great reading list for the read-a-thon! Have fun and good luck! I’m enjoying visiting all these new (to me) blogs today.
Thanks man! More Hornby is always a good thing.
SEB: Wow! I have finished the first three chapters and it’s unlike any fantasy novel I’ve ever read before. This isn’t a bad thing at all though just a totally different take on the conventional PI story really, but dropped into a fantasy setting. Eddie is great. I can’t wait to see where this story keeps going. I was going to jump over to Scalzi for awhile but I’m going to keep traveling with Eddie for awhile more today.
As for your neighbor and her yard. I totally understand. One of my neighbors uses a lawn service and I can never keep up with them. Argh!
Jeff: I’m so glad to hear you are enjoying it that much. I felt the same way about it when I read it. Lots of vibes from other stories, like Conan and others, with a noir-ish private eye feel. I wish the next book would come out.
Lorin: I enjoy visiting the other blogs as well, though I am not getting to do it much because of all the reading I am finding myself lost in! Thanks for visiting and for the kind words.
Bybee: Thank you so much, it was fun getting it all set up.
Eva: Its done now, I loved it!
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee! That image (of the reader with the winged-cat) is so cute! And huzzah on getting three things off your reading pile!
(I seem to have got caught up in some reading of my own, but durnit I’m going to work on my essay for a bit now!)
Bird by Bird is one of my favorite books on writing. It should definitely be savored, so I’m glad you’re not rushing through it.
Good luck with the rest of the Read-a-Thon!
I can’t wait until I can read more Hornby! I might just buy them instead of waiting a couple months for the library. 🙂 Happy reading!
Shanra: Darn the things that interfere with reading! 😉
Kim: I am glad I am as well, it has been a real pleasure.
Kailana: I know the feeling. Around here it seems impossible to find Housekeeping vs. the Dirt in bookstores. The other two are all over.
The next Alex Bledsoe – Eddie LaCrosse novel will be out from TOR publishers this time Sept. 1, 2009 and I have already added to my wishlist. TOR is also releasing a MMPB edition of The Sword-Edged Blonde this June.
I love the Ronnie Del Carmen artwork as well.
Wow…you’re getting so much good reading in! And such a variety! I finally finished my first book…and I think I’m going to have to count it for OUaT! It’s not a retold fairy tale (at least I don’t think so), but it is very fairy tale-esque! The Castle Corona–perfectly delightful.
So glad you’re having fun! Hope you guys will be sticking around for a while yet!
Well, I had to run to the grocery store, but I am back and ready to read once again! I listened to part of a book on tape and visited the library on my way, so I can be excused. Carl offered to grill, so I had to run and get the goods.
Happy reading to all!
What?!!!! Carl’s grilling! Kids let’s get in the car! 🙂
I love your updates, Carl! You are doing beautifully! Bird by Bird is a great book.
Vasilly: Thanks, and thanks for all you did prior to the event and are continuing to do today in supporting everyone!
Jeff: Hey! I resemble that remark!
Mary: I’m thrilled you are participating…and that you didn’t have me go along to get the groceries. 😉
Debi: I look forward to your review, it definitely sounds like a Once Upon a Time book.
Jeff: and thanks for the Bledsoe update!
You’re doing so great!! Keep it up. 😀
Sounds like you are having a fun day of reading! And, you know, adding to my TBR pile in the process! This is the problem with lots of bloggers reading lots of books that interest me! lol
I love the way you have this post set up. It reminds me of the RIP posts. Also, I love that you are savoring Bird by Bird. It’s a great book.
Wow, Carl you’ve got some great reading going on there. 🙂
Have you listened to Neil Gaiman read part of the Blueberry Girl? I haven’t read the book, but I’ve listened to that extract more than once – it’s lovely.
Good going!!!
I’m dying to know how she insulted you! And isn’t The Blueberry Girl just beautiful in every conceivable way?!! Hope you all enjoy your dinner! Grilling = Pure Deliciousness
No problem, Carl! I just want this event to be as good as if Dewey was here in person. What did you think of the essay “Marrying Libraries?” Fadiman is great. Happy reading!
I’m envious–these always sound like so much fun, but I would have a hard time getting away from chores and family stuff on the weekends to participate–maybe someday! Enjoy the rest of your read-a-thon! 🙂
Congrats on getting so much reading done. I originally clicked over to comment on the amazing picture you took of your books for the day. I just love the way you have it set up!
No problem on the loaner. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Wonderful art and a nice story. Tori Amos is so lucky to have such muses creating such a wonderful tale for her daughter.
Ex-Libris sounds interesting. You’ve defiently peaked my curiousity. I’m looking forward to your review of it.
In the read-a-thon spirit I spent time tonight reading Red Planet by Robert A Heinlein to my kids tonight. We are all really enjoying Jim and Frank’s adventure with Willis. Ashley even drew a picture of Willis as I read the story tonight. Too cute. Heinlein juvenile’s are just the wonderful.
I’m a third of the way through SEB and lovin it Carl and I fully intend to read more tonight. I hope you enjoyed literary film.
Jeff: There are some great quotes about reading aloud in the Ex Libris book that I will probably share during the review. I was thinking of you reading to your kids and me reading to Mary and Tori while I was reading this section.
Very cool that it inspired Ashley to draw!
So glad you are loving Sword Edged Blonde.
Ginny: Thanks, I hope to do more as the night wears on. And thanks, I’m glad you like the picture.
Danielle: I will, thanks. And yes, someday!
Vasilly: Marrying Libraries was great, as was so much of the book.
Debi: It was a very silly offense, I’ll certainly share it in the review, but don’t hold your breath, it isn’t worth any anticipation. Ha!
Maree: No, I haven’t heard him read that, but as I love him reading everything else of his I have no doubt I would this as well.
Jessica: Thanks, it does have a RIP feel with the black update images, doesn’t it?
Kailana: My too read pile has grown as big, if not bigger, today than anything I’ve managed to take off of it!
Eva: I will! I am!!!
Your blog is visually STUNNING. Happy R-A-T!
Oh please do. Do a Friday Favorite on Brandi Milne, that is. I love that piece you shared!!! I’ve never heard of her before. Well, duh, this is me talking here. 😉
Debi: No worries, I will. I love her stuff. It is so incredible and so perfect for a feature during the Once Upon a Time III Challenge.
Care: Wow, thank you so much!!!
I’ll add my request for a FF on Brandi Milne as well.
I’m holding up well. While not reading the quanity of different items as you I have stayed on track with SEB most of the day and I’m on page 100 of 232 as we speak. I plan getting some more before I crash tonight. I did watch some of the Royals game tonigt and they won again 2-0 over Texas which followed last night’s 12-3 win. They are now 7-4 to start the season. I so pray we have finally turned the corner and can really get excited about them again. I know I am. I’m sure you think I’m crazy but I do follow them and sports in general a we bit too much at times I suppose. 🙂
Jeff: You will certainly relate to Hornby in Fever Pitch, then! Maybe I’m the good luck charm, since I haven’t been paying attention at all. If I stared watching, or checking scores, they would probably go dramatically downhill.
What an excellent 24 hours, Carl! Can you imagine spending every day like that? Wow – now that would be heavenly.
I spent as much time as I could reading (with a morning and evening of writing in between). Thinking about traveling this summer, I have been inspired to check out some “travel writing” books, which I sampled yesterday. The Best Women’s Travel Writing 2009: True Stories From Around the World, edited by Lucy McCauley, and The Best American Travel Writing 2008, edited by Anthony Bourdain. They are both fascinating, with a variety of writers, who of course led me to various websites and blogs about travel.
“Hope and Squalor at Chungking Mansion” by Karl Greenfeld for WorldHum.com was so compelling I had to do some research and further reading about this unbelievable place – I think a fantasy or science fiction story is just waiting to be written about it.
And before I knew it my eyes could no longer be propped open.
Thanks for hosting Carl – it was a fun day reading with everyone!
Our minds must be linked, because I was just thinking about doing a book/travel series on the blog sometime this summer…it would be a bit unconventional, the idea I have…but its weird I was thinking about this not 10 minutes before reading your post.
I love Anthony Bourdain.
I am looking forward to reading your latest post. I had it up yesterday but decided to save it until I could really ‘read’ it, hopefully later today.
And just to make things very clear, I had no part in hosting this event, I was just a humble participant. Trish and Hannah and Nymeth deserve HUGE props though for all their work.
Oops, sorry… Thanks to Trish, Hannah, and Nymeth! It was a great event, and I enjoyed reading many of the linked posts.
Great job, Carl! I didn’t know about that Criterion Collection release of The Importance of Being Earnest. That is one of my absolute favorites … I need to go out and grab it!
And now I really hope to participate in the next read-a-thon …
How did I miss this whole thread?! You mean I could’ve been following you the whole time? lol…Lord I’m slow :/ I had a lot of fun catching up on all of the comments though! Especially the Rich/Debi/Nymeth identity crisis :p
My grandmother had that clock!
this looked like so much fun! i really have to do this some time.
this might be a dumb question, but for the 24 hr readathon, do you have to read for 24 hrs straight?
JP: No you didn’t. You could choose to do so, of course, but you were allowed to just participate in whatever way you wanted to. Some of the prizes were only available for those that made it through the entire day, but there were many mini-challenges and prizes for those who just wanted to participate for awhile as well.
Janet: That’s hilarious! I remember this clock so well from my childhood. Unfortunately it no longer works, but it is still fun to have from a sentimental standpoint.
Chris: Yes, I felt like you abandoned me out here! 😉 Ha! Just kidding. It was fun to do the updates. And the Rich/Debi identity scandal cracked me up.
Kristen: Oh, do! It is such a sweet and funny film. I love it.
Qugrainne: They worked really hard, that is for sure!
This is one of the few blogs (and only one dedicated to books) that I routinely read. You do an awesome job and it is because of posts like this that keeps me coming back. Well done!