I finished reading"

"Blue Night" written by Cindy McCormick Martinusen. 387 Pages.

"Mr Stone and the Knights Companion" written by V.S. Naipaul. 126 Pages.

Books# 68 and 69 finished in 2009 for 22,540 pages at an average of 327 pages per book.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"Winter Passing" written by Cindy McCormick Martinusen. 377 pages.

"The Don Flows Home to the Sea" written by Mikhail Sholokhov. 688 pages.

Books# 66 and 67 of 2009 for 22,027 pages at an average of 329 pages per book.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"Alistair MacLean's Dead Halt" written by Alastair MacNeil. 376 pages.

"The Love-Child and the Innocent" a play written by Alexander Solzhenitsyn. 133 pages.

"Selected Tales" written by Nikolai Leskov. Five Short Stories: "Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District", "The Enchanted Wanderer", "The Left-Handed Craftsman", "The Sentry" and "The White Eagle". 300 Pages.

These are books number 63, 64 and 65 on the year for a total of 20,962 pages at an average of 322 pages per book.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"Germinal" written by Emile Zola. 499 Pages.

Book #62 and 20,153 pages at an average of 325 per book.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"Humboldt's Gift" written by Saul Bellow. 471 pages.

Book# 61 for the year 19,654 pages at an average of 322 pages per book.

-Richard

In Memorium:
When I got back from Texas I got home to one of the most horrible shocks I ever experience. I got home to find that one our special, precious foster cats had died. Nimbus. We trapped Nimbus and some of his siblings behind Red Lobster in Raleigh a few years ago. He initially went to another foster home with some of the others. However, they were doing so badly that they came to us. Nimbus was a wild, scared, feral little boy when he came to us. After a lot of time and work (and quite a few scratches and bites!!) he came to be a sweet, loving boy. He stayed a foster cat, but, in reality was a "permanent" foster as he only trusted Jenn and I and could not go to events as he totally freaked out. He lived with his buddies in my home office, made his opinion known on conference calls, helped me write e-mails and sat on my lap purring all day whilst I worked. My home office is a very, very,lonely place at the moment.

We've wondered several times the last few days why and can we keep doing this? The answer is in Nimbus' life. He would have been a wild cat with a very, very low survival chance. We gave him love, a home and above all he learned to trust and love back and was the happiest little boy. This is why we do it and why we will do it again and again in honour of his memory and all the others that have passed before him and those that will after him.

Nimbus: We will miss you, we love you and thanks for all the happy memories and joys you gave us.

-Richard

I went to a my first Ice Hockey game this last week. Despite the fact that we live so close to the RBC Center in Raleigh where the Carolina Hurricanes play and that we watch hockey on TV I had never been to a game. So, ironically enough it wasn't until I went back to Texas and Dallas more accurately for a meeting I went to the first game: Dallas Stars vs Calgary Flames. It was fun and I think we will definitely go to come 'Canes games. The game? It finished 3-2 to Calgary in overtime.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"Seize the Day" written by Saul Bellow. 128 Pages.

Book # 60 for 2009. 19,183 pages at an average of 320.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"Candle in the Wind" a play written by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. 152 Pages.

One of my favourite authors and I enjoyed this, perhaps, not as much as his novels, but, still enjoyed it.

59th book of the year. 19,055 pages at an average of 323 pages per book.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"Men of Men" written by Wilbur Smith. 561 Pages.

I generally like Wilbur Smith books, but, this one was not one of my favourites.

Book# 58 of 2009. 18,903 pages at an average of 326 pages per book.

-Richard

End of Read-a-Thon Meme

1. Which hour was most daunting for you?
1am Eastern when I fell asleep
2. Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
Suspense or Thrillers
3. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
No
4. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
Good as it was
5. How many books did you read?
Finished 4 and 75% through one more
6. What were the names of the books you read?
The Spire - Golding, Pere Goriot - Balzac, Eugenie Grandet - Balzac, Banker- Francis and currently reading Men of Men - Smith
7. Which book did you enjoy most?
Banker because I didn't really expect to!!
8. Which did you enjoy least?
The Spire
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?
Definitely as a reader. I will try again to go for 24 hours. This time was the closest I have come to it, but, only managed 20.

-Richard

Read-A-Thon. The End!!

Pages Read Last Hour - 94
Total Pages Read - 1286
Time Read Last Hour - 56 Mins
Total Time Read - 13 Hours 32 Mins
Books Finished - 4

I finished at page 417 of Men and Men which leaves 144 left

-Richard

Read-a-Thon End of Hour 23. One Hour to go!!!

Pages Read this Hour - 64
Total Pages Read - 1192
Time Read this Hour - 38 Minutes
Total Time Read - 12 Hours 36 Minutes
Books Finished - 4

I am up to page 324 of Men to Men

-Richard

Read-a-Thon End of Hour 22

Pages Read this Hour - 57
Total Pages Read - 1128
Time Read this Hour - 29 Minutes
Total Time Read - 11 Hours 58 Minutes
Books Finished - 4

I am up to page 260 of Men of Men

-Richard

OK, so I didn't make it and fell asleep. However, I am up for a final hour or so to finish off.

-Richard

Read-a-Thon End of Hour 17

Total Pages Read this Hour - 91
Total Pages Read - 1071
Time Read this Hour - 56 Minutes
Total Time Read - 11 Hours 29 Minutes
Books Finished - 4

I am now up to page 203 of Men and Men.

I am also in uncharted territory as this is now the latest I have gone for a read-a-thon. I am not sure how long I can keep going, but, we are about to take the dog for a walk to try and freshen up.

-Richard

Read-a-Thon End of Hour 16.

Pages Read this Hour - 94
Total Pages Read - 981
Time Read this Hour - 54 Minutes
Total Time Read - 10 Hours 33 Minutes
Books Finished - 4

I am up to page 112 of Men and Men

-Richard

Read-a-Thon end of Hour 15

Pages Read this Hour - 56
Total Pages Read - 887
Time Read this Hour - 30 Minutes
Told Time Read - 9 hours 39 minutes.
Books Finished - 4

The new book is Men of Men written by Wilbur Smith. I am currently up to page 18 out of 561.

-Richard

I finished reading:

"Banker" written by Dick Francis. 303pages.

I enjoyed this despite the fact that I was not sure I would. Certainly, not a hard read, but, fun. I will pick up more of his to read.

Book # 57 of 2009. 18,342 pages at an average of 322 per book.

-Richard

Read-a-Thon End of Hour 13 and 14

Pages Read these Hours - 63
Total Pages Read - 831
Time Read these Hours - 34 Minutes
Total Time Read - 9 Hours 9 Minutes.
Books Finished - 3

-Richard