So, we did it. The 24 hours of the read-a-thon are complete, and here we are at the closing ceremonies.
- Which hour was most daunting for you? Not sure if there was any in particular that was daunting, but I will say that it became difficult to keep reading in the last half hour. Had to keep re-reading pages because I’d start nodding off and my mind would make up all kinds of crazy plot points or ideas. There was something weirdly present about it, though.
- Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year? Persepolis was a great graphic novel, and graphic novels are a nice way to give your eyes a bit of rest and some candy to look at when you’re starting to feel fatigued. Still, Persepolis has a serious edge that makes it a very enjoyable and insightful read.
- Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? Everyone was great. I just plan to improve my own reading habit. Too many distractions came up for me throughout the day.
- What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? I think everything went quite smoothly. There was a real sense of community going across blogs, the Read-a-thon website, and twitter. It was really great to feel that sense of camaraderie.
- How many books did you read? About one and a half. I’m disappointed with myself, but it’s not about the totals or the pages read or the complexity of the texts. Really, I just enjoyed reading with the community, and that’s all that matters.
- What were the names of the books you read? Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi and Girl with Curious Hair by David Foster Wallace.
- Which book did you enjoy most? I enjoyed both books for different reasons. Persepolis really provided insight and a bit of a history lesson into a culture and nation I knew little about while still providing a bit of comic relief amidst the deadly serious and sometimes horrific developments. DFW is DFW–his texts are complex, his prose is incredible, but when everything clicks, it’s like the punchline of a magic trick. It’s astounding.
- Which did you enjoy least? I enjoyed both texts, but the last DFW story I was reading was written with a southern affectation and syntax, so that was exhausting during the last hour. It was well-done, of course–just taxing.
- If you were a Cheerleader, do you have any advice for next year’s Cheerleaders? I wasn’t a cheerleader, but it was nice to receive the encouragement throughout the day.
- How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time? I’ll definitely take part in the next Read-a-thon, no question. The community is great, and it’s nice to meet like-minded folks, talk about books, and pick up on new titles you may have never heard of otherwise. I’m absolutely fine with being a reader, but being a cheerleader would be a nice way to meet new people and keep the spirit of the Read-a-thon alive.
Motion Sick Lit 
I’m so glad you participated!! This was my first time too and I absolutely loved it. Persepolis is the shit. Did I tell you it was assigned reading for all freshmen at my college? That’s pretty cool.
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You didn’t, but that is pretty awesome. I don’t think there was any kind of required reading at my college, unfortunately, but, then again, I transferred. I did come across Craig Thompson’s graphic novel, Blankets, in a non-fiction textbook, though, so I’m immensely grateful there. Still, Persepolis would be a very good accessible text for a common read or education or whatever you may like to call it.
And you’re right–the read-a-thon was a lot of fun, and I think I have some ideas for the next one. Can’t wait!
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Came here to sing Persepolis’ praises as well—it was one of my readathon reads this year, too! Did you just read the first volume, or the complete set?
I’m so glad you enjoyed your first readathon! Last October’s event got me into book blogging/the bookish community, and I couldn’t be more grateful.
P.S. DFW during the readathon? You’re a brave soul.
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I read the first volume. It’s just what I happened to have on my Kindle, and I need to change up what I had. Wasn’t feeling ’em. I’ll definitely be looking into the other volumes. You went for the complete set?
Julianne got me into the blogging world, but things like the Read-a-thon are why I stay. And I stay for books, of course. (And all you fellow bloggers are pretty okay, too.)
I really like DFW. I’ve read a lot of his non-fiction, and it’s incredible. His fiction is very good, too, but sometimes he just writes in a style that can be difficult to get your head around. It’s incredibly skillful prose, but it’s dense, and I don’t see his short stories ever having the more mainstream appeal of a short story guy like Raymond Carver. Still, though, not everyone has to be mainstream, and it sure seems like he had a vision he was trying to create. Maybe he’s just more of a “writer’s writer” sort.
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Ah, I was unclear! I adore DFW’s non-fiction (I could read him write about grammar forever) and think he strung together some absolutely lovely sentences, but he wouldn’t be my pick for readathon, mostly because I think his work deserves to be lingered over. I think you’re a brave soul for tackling that over a sleepless 24 hours.
I did go for the complete set and really enjoyed it. I actually don’t know where Volume #1 would have ended in the omnibus I have. In the complete collection, you watch Marjane grow from a little girl to her mid-20s. I think you’re right that Persepolis offers such a different view from the ones we normally hear out of the Middle East (namely, decadently rich and frighteningly fundamentalist).
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RE: Comment above, add “poor and uneducated” to the list of stereotypical Middle Eastern stories.
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