This is my Read-a-thon progress report, which means that rather than bombarding the cyber-wires with lots of new posts, I updated this one regularly over 24 hours. I posted new stuff above old, so if you’re checking in for the first time on Monday morning, you might want to start from the bottom and work backwards. 🙂 Click here to read details of my mini-challenge.
1304 GMT / 2304 AEST:
The October 2008 Read-a-thon is well and truly over. I started late so tacked a bit of time on the end to browse the other Readers’ blogs. Fantastic stuff! If you enjoy reading in any way, shape or form, I’d highly recommend having a look at this page on Gargantuan Books, which contains a list of every participating blog – who knows, you may discover a new favourite for your feedreader.
If you think you might be interested in taking part yourself next time, keep an eye on The Other Side of a Leaf for details – they’re run twice a year, in October and April-ish. There’s lots of scope for getting involved as much or as little as you like. I reckon it’s probably the most fun you can have on the internet 😉
I’m also about to draw the winner of the prize for the mini-challenge I ran, with the help of my lovely assistant Mr D… see my mini-challenge post for the name of the winner.
My not-so-grand total now stands at:
What I read: Bomb, Book and Compass: Joseph Needham and the Great Secrets of China, by Simon Winchester
Total time spent reading: 10.5 hours
Total pages read: 140, plus a couple of pages of the Sydney Morning Herald!
Total number of books read: 0
Total participants visited: I lost count towards the end, but about 50. Not everyone, unfortunately, but I’ve bookmarked a couple to go back to!
In terms of reading, this represents a massive increase on last year’s effort (2007 total pages read: 0!), and the trade-off is a decrease in cheerleading efforts unfortunately. I have a few ideas for how I’ll plan it next time around – probably October again, but who knows? Maybe I’ll go for the mid-year one too! All in all, I’m had a great time reading, talking about reading, thinking about reading, blogging about reading and commenting about reading. A big thank you to everyone who organised it!! ‘Til next time.
1041 GMT / 2041 AEST:
What I’m reading: Bomb, Book and Compass: Joseph Needham and the Great Secrets of China, by Simon Winchester
How much time spent reading since last update: 2.5 hours
How many pages read since last update: 33
Total time spent reading: 9 hours
Total pages read: 135, plus a couple… etc!
Total number of books read: 0
Other participants visited since last update: 0
Been to China and back this last stretch – wonderful! I’m now about to spend some time checking out other people’s blogs to see who’s left. We’re now officially about to enter the final hour of the Read-a-thon, so I imagine there’ll be more than a few scratchy eyes and unfocussed frowns out there 🙂 I started a bit late so will hang around for a bit after the official ending to see if there are any stragglers left! I’ll also do the draw for the mini-challenge and post the winner here, before contacting them directly.
0806 GMT / 1806 AEST:
What I’m reading: Bomb, Book and Compass: Joseph Needham and the Great Secrets of China, by Simon Winchester
How much time spent reading since last update: 2.5 hours
How many pages read since last update: 31
Total time spent reading: 6.5 hours
Total pages read: 102, plus a couple… etc!
Total number of books read: 0
Other participants visited since last update: 0
After a lovely dinner I really relished settling in to a couple of hours of reading. I’m thoroughly enjoying this book and am so fascinated, I’m even taking notes as I go along. I heard Simon Winchester give a talk about China at the recent Brisbane Writers Festival and was inspired to buy his book on the basis of that. Joseph Needham is a really fascinating character and I can’t think of a better way to learn about China’s scientific history than through his eyes.
The plan is to keep reading for now, then do another round of cheerleading in a couple of hours again. Hope everyone’s having fun!
0506 GMT / 1506 AEST:
What I’m reading: Bomb, Book and Compass: Joseph Needham and the Great Secrets of China, by Simon Winchester
How much time spent reading since last update: 0
How many pages read since last update: 0
Total time spent reading: 4 hours
Total pages read: 71, plus a couple… etc!
Total number of books read: 0
Other participants visited since last update: 25 (with plenty of comments left along the way!)
My how time flies when you’re on a Read-a-thon! After a couple of laps around the exercise trail in my local park (my body is a temple, and all!) I got stuck into the not-at-all unpleasant task of visiting the Readers who had signed up for my mini-challenge so far. I’m delighted so many people are willing to give it a go, regardless of how rusty they feel their language skills are. And there’s still lots more time left to participate too as the mini-challenge doesn’t end until 1200 GMT / 2200 AEST – another 7 hours!
A big call out to the cheerleaders too by the way, they’re doing such a sterling job. There are 119 Readers registered and only 19 cheerleaders, so that’s a lot of cheering no matter what way you look at it 🙂
All in all, it’s LOTS of fun, and like last year, I’ve discovered some great blogs that I can’t wait to get back to later…
But for now, discipline is the name of the game. I’m putting the laptop down and getting back to my book!
0120 GMT / 1120 AEST:
What I’m reading: Bomb, Book and Compass: Joseph Needham and the Great Secrets of China, by Simon Winchester
How much time spent reading since last update: 4 hours
How many pages read since last update: 71, plus a couple of pages of the Sydney Morning Herald 😉
Total time spent reading: 4 hours
Total pages read: 71, plus a couple… etc!
Total number of books read: 0!
Just logged in after breakfast on the verandah and a couple of sections of the Sydney Morning Herald. Would love to linger here reading for the day but I know I have some cheerleading duties to attend to too! Delighted at the fantastic response to the challenge so far.
I read for quite a while last night after going to bed, making it a pretty late night all around (in fact, I could hear the birds starting up as I finally dropped off to sleep). I was sorely tempted to get up and check in online a couple of times, but I knew once I did that, I’d be embroiled in the blogosphere for the night so I’m glad I resisted.
The plan now is spend an hour or so checking in on a few blogs, then return to reading again. (I also have a few chores and an attention-starved husband to contend with 🙂 ) Not sure how often I’ll update – last year I spent my whole time surfing/ cheering and updating, this year I’d really like to get some reading in too… oh I do love a challenge!!
1400 GMT / 0000 AEST:
Good news is the Read-a-thon has just started 🙂 Bad news is I’m about to go to bed 🙁 It’s midnight after a long and busy Saturday here in Brisbane, but I have my reading chair primed and my book list ready so I’m looking forward to starting fresh in the morning!
[1421 GMT / 0021 AEST: correction… I’ve just checked the rather fantastic Gargantuan Books and realised I’m starting ONE HOUR LATE!!! How on earth did I manage that?! I mean, I deal with international time zones for a living!!! Too tired to work it all out now, I’ll look at it again in the morning 🙂 ]
****
