A Writer and His Reading
Today, I’m participating in the Classic Club’s second annual Classics Readathon. I plan to return to this post throughout the next 24-hours and make updates (as I feel like it), and also to update it at the end of the 24-hours, which would be 8am Sunday morning, for me. I’ll give a note on my progress, take a look at how many total pages I read, where I stand in each my books, etc. Very exciting!
Here’s our kick-off prompt and my responses:
Update 1: 8:30pm local time (Central US).
Although I have taken quite a few breaks, today, to exercise, shower, eat, and run out for some errands (we are expecting 10+ inches of snow and temperatures nearly 20 degrees below zero in the next few days), I think I’m making some good strides.
I’ve read 150 pages of Ulysses, putting me 50 pages beyond my goal mark for that book, and leaving me with just 3 episodes left to complete the entire book! Thrilled about that. Also, I read 100 pages of Leaves of Grass, hitting my goal with that one, too. So, I just need to try to read 100 pages of Walt Whitman’s America and I will have successfully achieved what I set out to do with this readathon. Hope I don’t fall asleep or give up! My eyes are pretty tired (and my brain is rather mushy after 150 pages of Ulysses, let’s be honest).
Update 2: Midnight
I only managed to get through one chapter of Walt Whitman’s America. Distracted by too many other things! But I did a lot of reading today, especially with Ulysses, so I’m good with that. Here’s my favorite excerpt from today’s reading:
From this hour I ordain myself loos’d of limits and imaginary lines,
Going where I list, my own master total and absolute,
Listening to others, considering well what they say,
Pausing, searching, receiving, contemplating,
Gently,but with undeniable will, divesting myself of the holds that would hold me.
I inhale great draughts of space,
The east and the west are mine, and the north and the south are mine.
I am larger, better than I thought,
I did not know I held so much goodness.
All seems beautiful to me,
I can repeat over to men and women You have done such good to me I would do the same to you,
I will recruit for myself and you as I go,
I will scatter myself among men and women as I go,
I will toss a new gladness and roughness among them,
Whoever denies me it shall not trouble me,
Whoever accepts me he or she shall be blessed and shall bless me.
Book 1: Walt Whitman’s America by David S. Reynolds
Starting Page: 81 of 704
Ending Page: 111
Total Pages Read: 30
Book 2: The Complete Poems by Walt Whitman
Starting Page: 125 of 912
Ending Page: 245 of 912
Total Pages Read: 120
Book 3: Ulysses by James Joyce
Starting Page: 350 of 657
Ending Page: 501 of 657
Total Pages Read: 151
So, even though I didn’t read 100 pages from each of my books, I still read 301 total pages – which, I think, is a success! Yay!
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Good luck! With those chunksters, any challenge to read extra is a bonus! 🙂
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How fun – enjoy!
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