What will YOU be reading for ReadaThing/Do Nothing But Read Day?!

What are you plans?! I think I'll probably be reading Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk or A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. I'm pretty psyched to do lots of reading. Unfortunately, I'm driving from Massachusetts to Virginia on the 6th, so it will probably be more like Do Nothing But Drive Day. Luckily there will be 3 drivers.

I'm going to be reading " A Turn In The Road " by Debbie Macomber

I haven't decided yet - it will probably be governed by what I'm in the middle of at the time!

Well for me it depends on what I have finished, and what I have received. I'm supposed to be reviewing an academic book soon, so if I get that through the post, I'll probably read that. Otherwise, on the fiction front, I am tempted to go for a big one - A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth.

#1 > I absolutely love A Walk in the Woods, it's my favourite non-article based Bryson. Absolutely hilarious! I would say it would be a good one for being stuck in a car as it wouldn't demand really intense concentration levels - good choice!

It's too far ahead of time. It's at least 5 or 6 books away.

I'm not sure yet either. Depends on what I've got started. If I happen to hit it as I finish a book, I don't know what I'll pick up either! Decisions, decisions. But I do know I need to read The Warded Man soon as well as The Darkness that Comes Before. So possibly either of those.

BeeQuiet, Morphidae and majkia: Yeah, I know what you mean. I'll be having a whole bunch of time to read, so I don't know if I'll get to those two before the 6th.

# 4> Thanks! I've heard a lot of good things about A Walk in the Woods. It's actually a recommendation from a whole bunch of LibraryThing-ers.

# 5> I'm jealous of the amount of time you have to read! Then again, I'll be at the beach, reading up a storm. How do you have so much reading time? I want to know the secret :P

I'm thinking The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

ninjafinity, you could probably pull off a Do Nothing But Listen to an Audiobook Day if you'll be driving. That is if you and the people with you would enjoy that kind of thing. Hope your trip goes well regardless.

Whatever I had started earlier in the week... :) Or if I am between books, whatever catches my eye on the shelves...

MaskedMumbler: That's a good idea. Though I have a feeling my sister would start to get annoyed after awhile :(

AnnieMod: Yeah, that seems to be most people's response.

As it is ALL VIRAGO/ALL AUGUST over on the Virago site, I will be reading all Virago books. I am going to attempt to go the full 2 days reading. The books I have slotted to read are:
The Fountain Overflows by Rebecca West
Cousin Rosamund by Rebecca West
Where the Apple Ripens by Jessie Kesson
The Ballad and the Source by Rosamond Lehmann
Liana by Martha Gellhorn
I do reserve the right to change any and all titles. ;-)
belva

>10 ninjafinity:

Last time I tried to keep books for an event, I ended up reading them before the event :) So I stopped even trying :)

#4 Bee Quiet - I LOVED A Suitable Boy! It really made me want to go to India and experience the culture and colours (not that I've ever had the chance, sadly). It's one of those books I'd love to read again, but you know, so many books....

13> Bibliobeck, I know what you mean about so many books. I have dozens of books that I own and have been meaning to read, but I never get around to it. I thought this article was interesting: http://www.abebooks.com/books/difficult-hardest-reads-obscure-staff/remaining-un...

Though right now I have a stack of library books that I need to get through. And if I'm lucky, I'll get an LTER book :)

>14 ninjafinity: Excellent article. I've bookmarked it to share with others as appropriate.

Hi! I'm new to librarything and have just discovered this group. Super excited, as I love to read and then to talk about reading with other people! I believe for my first ever "Do Nothing But Read Day" I will either choose 1) Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods (its in my "to read" library stack where its been for forever so I should get one with it already because it sounds wonderful), 2) J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (just finished Goblet of Fire, made me want to start the next one in the series, or 3) Karen Abbott's Sin in the Second City (seems kind of reminiscent of Devil in the White City, which is my favorite book ever about my favorite city ever.) Yay, I'm pumped about reading for a whole day with other people around the world!!

Hallo! Always lovely to see another person on board. I love being spoilt for choice in my day's reading, as it sounds you are too!

#14 Ninja- haha, that article is so true and I fall into categories 1-9. Oh how I wish I was in 10, searching and reviewing books for a living :o)

Interesting too that 10 of the 25 books highlighted are sitting in my TBR pile (either literally or in the TBR pile in my mind). I'd love to try War and Peace but can't help thinking of all the other books I could read in that time; a colleague has been reading it for most of the year and after listening to her describe the experience I'm not sure my memory is up to remembering the 500+ characters.

>15 Morphidae: You're quite welcome :)

>16 sarahmasonisgrig: Interestingly enough, I've never read any of the Harry Potter books. I started The Sorcerer's Stone when I was 8 or 9, but I found it too scary to read at that point. And now my sister owns all the books, but she's incredibly overprotective of all her books, so I'm afraid to read anything of hers.

>18 bibliobeck: Yeah, I tried my hand at War and Peace. I got about 150 pages into it before I had to return it to the library (thank the Lord!). Not only are there a ton of characters, but they all have extremely confusing, nearly unpronounceable Russian names. Eeek.

And now my sister owns all the books, but she's incredibly overprotective of all her books, so I'm afraid to read anything of hers.

it's so funny you would say that in reference to HP. i've been a huge fan since day 1 and bought all the books except the first one on the day they were released. my younger sister never cared to read them but she's a fan of the movies. after seeing the last installment together she decided it was time to read the books (since i've been telling her all the things that are left out). she asked to borrow mine...

and i had a little freak-out about loaning them to her. i've never loaned them to anyone. i mean, how do you trust someone with a first edition Sorcerer's Stone? but i took a big girl pill and loaned it to her. with strict instruction for it's care: don't even think of messing up the dust jacket, don't bend any pages, don't use receipts for bookmarks (they have a bad tendency to bleed), and under NO circumstances let my adorable 2-yr old niece ANYWHERE near it.

my sister looked at me like i was insane and pointed out that she's never given me such rigid instructions when she left her CHILD with me. which is true and a bit embarrassing.

today, my 12 year old cousin asked if she could borrow them... and i'm having a REALLY hard time convincing myself to let her. which makes me feel ridiculous.

#20 - I really wouldn't feel silly about that. They bring enormous amounts of money, and caring for a book often doesn't have the same obvious or frequently repeated rules as looking after a child. Would I lend something as easily damaged and extremely valuable to a 12 year old? No, I wouldn't. Think of it as something that could turn into an heirloom. It makes a lot more sense to other people that way. Us fellow bibliophiles know that even without the economic value, the intrinsic value of something that means so much to you and can be so delicate is quite enough. Books are there to be read, but I would make a special exception for a first edition, keeping it only for those I would trust implicitly!

I agree with you, BeeQuiet. I think all of us are a bit overprotective of books. Every time I see someone take a brand new hardcover (or paperback for that matter) and flatten it out unceremoniously on the nearest table, a little piece of me dies :P. I HATE when people open paperbacks up all the way, and the cover and some pages won't close fully after that. At the same time, I have a whole bunch of mistreated books that I will always love. I have a copy of Dune that is missing it's back cover and has wrinkled pages (my own fault, I admit; I was too rough with it at the beach for too long, and the salty air caused the pages to wrinkle) that I have read many times. That was several years ago that it came off though. In some ways, gentle wear and tear almost brings a uniqueness or familiar air to a copy of a book. If it's "broken in", it's kind of nice.

And the beach is a constant dilemma for me. I need to bring books to the beach, but all I can think about is Dune...

>22 ninjafinity:
Get a e-reader -- helps with the wear and tear of books when you need to travel :)

23> Yeah, I suppose I could, but I really like having an actual book :/

#22 - Oh goodness, I can't stand people flattening books, hardback or not. Bookmarks exist for a reason. My friends know to treat my books with respect, or see me flinch as if it's me they've just been bending in the wrong direction.

uhm, it's my damn book. honestly....

ETA: I, like others, have arthritis in my hands that can make my arms ache so badly I'm brought to tears (as it is right now). If someone is doing something you don't like, you might consider that perhaps they have a good reason. It HURTS to hold books sometimes, especially thick ones. Which is why I have an ereader, but sometimes I'm forced to read dead tree editions.

Huh? Which is your "damn book"? We were speaking about somebody else's first edition and lending out personally owned books.

You may, like others, have arthritis so bad it makes you cry, but the people I am referring to don't. I am referring to friends that I very politely request that they don't do that with my property - especially as I know which of my friends do and do not have arthritis. The people I tut at have no good reason, and acknowledge as such. I don't particularly expect people to assume I have a good reason for doing the things I do because I have ME, because there's no real reason why it should occur to them. I don't expect people to tiptoe around me worrying they're going to cause offence, I'll just correct them if they assume wrong.

I believe majkia was speaking of this: "Every time I see someone take a brand new hardcover (or paperback for that matter) and flatten it out unceremoniously on the nearest table, a little piece of me dies."

Every time does not mean someone else's first edition or lending out. It means every time.

Ahhh, missed that one! Still, the vast vast majority of people doing it don't have arthritis - I think that to assume people do is perhaps a little bit far. If it had been "every time I see someone flattening a book I go and tell them off", I would agree wholeheartedly!

#8 - Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is such a fun easy read...that would be great for a read-a-thon!

Re: all the discussion about treatment of books - I have to crack the spine of a book a bit in order to be able to see the pages properly, so my books always look like war casualties. Or like well-loved rag dolls. :)

Re: the original question - What I'll read will depend on book shipments, library requests, and my mood at the time.

26> Yeah, I suppose I don't really think of that. I guess I mean whenever I see someone who has no good reason to do so does it.

30> Haha, people always look at me like I'm crazy because I'm holding the book barely open so I won't hurt it. I guess I should start doing this: http://boingboing.net/2010/09/06/how-to-open-a-new-bo.html

Although I know what I WANT to read, until Friday comes, I don't know what I WILL be reading... there's always that book that seduces you away from your good intentions!

Part of me wants that seduction, because book seduction is fun, but part of me wants to read what I've got planned to read.

I'll just have to wait & see... patience is not my strongest trait.

#24 You might be surprised how much you like an ereader. I love books, the feel and smell of them and seeing how far through you are, but I got an ereader from my hubby at christmas because, like Majkia, I was struggling to hold a book open (prolapsed 3 discs in my neck - much better now thankfully) and I can honestly say it's one of the greatest pressies I've ever had. It's lightweight and I can curl up in bed reading it and best of all I have multiple books wherever I go :o) I thought I'd never use an ereader but I'm so glad I got one :-)

As for the read-a-thon, not sure yet what I'll be reading but it may well be Harbour by John Ajvide Lindqvist or, after three renewals, the library staff will be round knocking on my door demanding it back!

The Bible!!! But not for the reason's you think, I'm researching for a book I'm writing, so I'm reading, reading, reading, and studying. I'm looking at the interrelationships between Mary Magdalene, Jesus, and the disciples. Anyone out there who has any suggestions for a really really good book they think I should look at...well don't hesitate to let me know. I'm up for suggestions...and I have plenty of time to read...That's all I do...LOL.

#34 by mhowar19> if you're open to fictional hypothesis about those relationships (and open to some bawdy language from the narrator) i HIGHLY HIGHLY suggest Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Best Friend by Christopher Moore. it is one of my very favorite books. Biff is supremely naughty, but his relationship with Josh (Jesus) is very touching and Jesus's humanity is all the more moving with his unwavering acceptance of his very flawed best friend and his deep love for Mary Magdalene. the chapters dealing with the crucifixion are some of the best i've ever read.

probably won't help you with actual research, but it sure is a great read.

eta: now that i'm gushing about it, i might be rereading Lamb for ReadaThing... ;)

>24 ninjafinity:

Me too. But the kindle makes it much easier when you travel (and a paper magazine/small book because they don't allow you to use the kindle during take-off and landing...)

36> I suppose that's true. I would just have to bring one device rather than lug a backpack full of books with me on vacation.

>37 ninjafinity:

You know - it suddenly turns out you have enough space for your gifts and luggage :) I had been known to mail books home when I had been on a longish trip. ;)

I discovered another great thing about using Kindle on my phone, it makes reading and eating at the same time so much easier. I can eat a sandwich, and just prod at my phone with my little finger to flip a page. Brilliant! Still generally prefer books, but this is one of the reasons why I now have three books on the go at a time - one being a Kindle.

> 22 et al. re: "flattening"

I actually remember having a ritual of "exercising the spine" when I got a new book as a child, but the point was to GENTLY open the pages at various points and SMOOTH them open so as to PREVENT cracking the spine. I've noticed that now-a-days book quality is often so poor that there is no way to open a book without "cracking" the spine somewhere—OH HORRORS!

And I had to smile reading these posts because today I bought a huge pile of books (well, actually redeemed a generous gift certificate) at a small independent bookstore and almost left a couple of the books on the shelf because they were the only copy and were slightly "damaged" (some pages wrinkled on the edge, a tiny pen mark on the page edges, but not enough to ask for a discount) . . . then decided I was being obsessive :)

Not sure if I'll read from my new pile of books or do what I SHOULD do: finish those Early Reviewer Books that I've received and haven't reviewed yet . . . I have one that's finished but the review needs to be written, one that's half-read, and a couple that I haven't even started! An embarrassment of riches right now. Too many options to touchstone, but will definitely do that as the list narrows.

Really looking forward to the reading weekend, even after realizing that the huge neighborhood Art Fair is this weekend. I might have to sneak away for a bit to check that out at some point.

Yay! I got the books in the mail today that I had hoped would arrive in time for Read-a-Thing, so I'm all set to go. The Reinvention of Love and Notre-Dame de Paris.

#40 - It's funny, I don't mind getting books in a poor state, I just hate seeing them get worse. It's like how seeing someone with a scar is fine, but you cringe at the thought of seeing them get another. This is unless it's something I really want for keeping nice, but that's rare, and more for books I have a sentimental attachment to. I just got a book through the post that I'm reviewing for an academic journal, so I'm going to be very careful to limber up the spine before I get going with it!

Also, yes review the Early Reviewer books! The earlier you do it, the more it helps them with promotion. You did get it free, remember. ;)

A bit more planned

I have an ER book Triple Crossing, two challenge books (Grace, Tamar and Laszlo the Beautiful and The Long-Legged Fly plus City for the same challenge). So these will be at least part of the books this weekend.

I'm reading THE FIVE by Robert McCammon. I'm a little over half way done and so far the book is very good. This is the second ebook that I have read so far. I really like reading books in this format because it allows me to do other things bat the same time (like ride the exercise bike at the YMCA).

I like purchasing a book that's been kind of worn and loved on but I'm with everyone else with "when you loan out a book it needs to come back in the same shape you loaned it in".... I decided to read Sin the Second City. I'm about halfway through with it so I think I'll pick it for my official readathon selection!

Hello everyone..just wanted to let you all know there is another thread THE LOG BOOK: The August 2011 ReadaThing Record of..... where we have been posting our reading.

Not that you can't post here as well, if you so desire... :)