It's Sunday, It's Sunday, a lovely golden Sunday. Ok, I'm typing this on Saturday and I have not had near enough coffee yet for me to even handle me. :)
It's no secret that I adore readalongs. This all started way back when I was having a tough time with blogging and a tough time with reading and just a tough time with life. Ms. Fizzy Jill hosted a readalong of Wuthering Heights and I brushed the dust off of my blogging shoulders and jumped right in. Since then Jill has more or less become a partner (or leader) in crime in terms of readalongs--some good, some bad, some worse (ahem, Brothers K, ahem).
These days about 75% of my reading is made up of readalongs or book club books. Ok, if I'm honest I'll bump that percentage up to about 90%. But there's something fun about reading the same book with others and discussing the contents. Of course it's still fun to read a book I really enjoy, post my thoughts here, and then hope that someone will interact but it's never quite the same as when it's a community effort.
Maybe that's what it is--community? Or insanity. I'm not sure.
So what kind of nonsense have I gotten myself into lately?
IT-ALONG: Jill and Christina tried to offer me up as the
NORTH & SOUTH Readalong: Andi and Heather are hosting a readalong of NOrth and South through the rest of the month. I'm halfway through the book (mostly listening) but haven't had a chance to speak my thoughts yet. Definitely not too late to join!
STEPHEN KING Project: And because I've already read one Stephen King and will read another (It), why not join the Stephen King Project hosted by Natalie and Kathleen. Trust me, I would have never guessed I'd be signing up either. Not sure if I'll do anything after IT--maybe just short stories or a novella?
In October Ms. Fizzy Jill and I have something up our sleeves, TBA and after that I think I might need a big break, but Melissa (Avid Reader) and I have already discussed Vanity Fair and many suggestions came up in the comments of my Classics Club post from last week.
Whew! And this doesn't include the two book clubs that I participate in monthly. Double Whew!
Are you a readalonger or do you prefer to go it solo?
What's on your agenda today? Scott and I have been tearing the house apart trying to get rid of some of the build up. It means that my lovely colored to-do list you might have seen on twitter is not getting many things checked off. But I keep thinking that life will be so much smoother without the clutter? Wishful thinking, I'm sure.
I like readalongs, but I don't do such a great job on follow through (see my dismal attempt at The Stand) I did reread HP with some friends this summer, though, and that was super fun!
ReplyDeleteThis has been my first readalong (for N&S) but I'm really enjoying it. I definitely want to do more in the future. It's not a book I would have picked up easily on my own, and I love the discussions and community support of dong it as a group. Fun! Enjoy your upcoming ones...
ReplyDeleteHave fun with your readalongs! I've never tried a readalong because I suspect they're not for me. :/
ReplyDeleteReadalongs rock rah rah rah!
ReplyDeleteLife doesn't get better.
I'm a solo reader, but that's mainly because what I'm reading is what the rest of y'all are reading. I tend to read older crime fiction, with some exceptions, i.e. the Walt Longmire mystery series by Craig Johnson, which I'm currently reading. I enjoy what watching, though, your enthusiasm for the readalongs. :)
ReplyDeleteWhile I have been a member of a book club for almost 20 years, I've never done a read-a-long. I've followed several, and enjoyed that, but not joined in. I suspect largely because my reading is usually too far off the beaten path and because I usually can't stand to be reading the same book for more than a week or two at most.
ReplyDelete*Amy - Some I fail as well (Ulysses comes to mind) but it's fun to join in anyway. Hope you eventually get to The Stand. ;)
ReplyDelete*Beth - I'm glad you're enjoying the readalong so far! I need to get back to my N&S reading so I can do more discussing on twitter. It's always fun to see the others react to what you're reading!
* Bermuda - I tend to think of readalongs as online book clubs.
*Christina - Sis Boom Bah. :)
*Unfinished - People are suckers for reading books with others (ahem, me)--I bet if you proposed a crime fiction readalong people would join you. Although-----your hitchfest is a kind of "along"!
*CB James - Ahhh yes...the time frame can be tricky. When we did The Stand several people finished a month before everyone else and a handful still finished after the two month deadline. I don't read as often as I used to so the longer time frames work for me.
I wish I could be a read-alonger but it just doesn't work for me. I think because I feel like too much of my reading is dictated to me as it is because of school, and I really just need some freedom in the rest of my reading. It is fun to watch others' enthusiasm though.
ReplyDeletePhew indeed, you sound very busy! At least your to-do lists has a cheerful look to it, Trish ;) Like you, I've discovered the joys (and motivation) of readalongs. I'm saying this while I've failed horribly in my book club's summer plans. Perhaps it doesn't work as well if you've planned ahead too much :s
ReplyDeleteThe Stephen King project is a great idea! I'm still in doubt whether to join the Gunslinger/Dark Tower readalong. I fear that I'll never around to reading without someone to help me along.
August is the busiest month at uni (where I work). I'm really looking forward to September, when everything has settled down.
I'm so glad that you're joining the #ITalong! Oh, it's going to be so much fun! And thank you for posting about The Stephen King Project, woot woot! I never thought in my entire life I would read one book by Stephen King, much less devote an entire year to reading as much of his work as I possibly can. Who knew! 11/22/63 was my first dive into his work and I haven't regretted anything I've read, even though I've come across a few titles that weren't my favorite (The Tommyknockers, for example), but at his storytelling core is an incredible spinner of tales and I get hooked every single time!!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE ReadAlongs...my first one ever was The Historian with Natalie/Coffee and a Book Chick. I somehow managed to keep up on that one but find myself now falling behind every single time I try to read along. I'm still reading The Stand :( I've given myself a deadline of Sept. 1 to finish The Stand if I'm going to read It. We'll see if I can make it...or It...or whatever :p
ReplyDeleteI do like to join in read alongs, since it MAKES me stretch my reading boundaries. But, I just can't do another Stephan King. Clutter? what can I say, it just creeps up on us. Good Luck taming yours. I'm not very successful with that.
ReplyDeleteDepending on the book, I will join in on a readalong, but I find that sometimes life just gets in the way and I don't complete them on time.
ReplyDeleteI am a goer alone type, love the idea of a read-a-long but I can be so erratic with my reading style that I think I'd drive others mad :-)
ReplyDeleteI love read-alongs but I'm not that good at them. :-/
ReplyDelete*Debi - I completely understand what you mean about dictated reading and I suspect that if I don't lessen up a bit with either book clubs or readalongs I'll eventually get burned out.
ReplyDelete*Chinoiseries - I think you're right about not planning ahead too far--that's the problem that I had when I was joining a lot of reading challenges--I got so bogged down in all the reading I HAD to do that it wasn't fun anymore. Here's to hoping September comes sooner rather than later for you!
*Natalie~Coffee Book Chick - I can't believe I"m saying this but I can't wait to start IT! I'm scared to death but that feeling is kind of exciting and novel right now (It's been a long time since I've read anything scary). Wondering if you have any favorites you've come across so far? I've heard great things about The Talisman.
*Peppermint Ph.D. - LOL!! I hope that you're able to finish The Stand in the next two weeks. Hoenstly if it weren't for my own deadlines I don't think I would have finished in time either. The deadlines are kind of tough at times and it's what I struggle with the most--sometimes less structured readalongs work better but then you miss out on a bit of the weekly/biweekly discussions. Hmmm. ;)
*Irene - I can't believe how much stuff we gathered this past weekend to donate to Salvation Army. We also created quite the mess but once we get the mess cleaned up hopefully the house will feel much more free. And like you--I love how readalongs sometimes stretch my boundaries!
*Melissa - Oh, I know just what you mean about life getting in the way! Usually hosts are pretty understanding.
*Jessicabookworm - LOL! Curious what you mean by erratic--do you mean tastes in books or the schedule of reading? It is tough to find the perfect readalong schedule/balance!
*Vasilly - There are some that I've had to give up on as well--and even now I'm behind in North and South readalong. Hopefully IT will be a good one!
Like a few others have said, I like the idea of read-alongs. It's so easy to get caught up in the enthusiasm! But I am terrible at keeping up--and participating in the discussions.
ReplyDeleteOh, the memories. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI think I need to join the SK Project, too. Since this has turned into quite the year for SK books.
And who are you calling a loon?
I totally LOVE read alongs and if you guys do Vanity Fair.. I am IN!! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm participating in the IT-along as well! I just got an email that it is waiting for me at the library and all of a sudden I'm really nervous. Really, really nervous :) But it shall be fun, right???
ReplyDeleteI read Vanity Fair years and years ago (I'm thinking that I was pregnant with my oldest) and would be interested in hearing your thoughts on it. I didn't really care for it that much although there were some good parts. Enjoy if you do read!!
So far I've really only done one online readalong and I didn't get much from it. Maybe because I'm not really using Twitter? I'm reading IT and keep thinking I need to figure out how to join in the conversation.
ReplyDelete