105 Ways to Give a Book

The Second Annual 48 Hour Book Challenge

48 Hour Book ChallengeSpring is in the air (finally), which means it’s time to plan for the 48 Hour Book Challenge — that special contest that allows you to read guilt-free for as long as you can stand it! I’ve waffled between the first two weekends in June because both times have benefits and liabilities. But I finally decided that I’d rather not conflict with Book Expo in New York, and it would be fun to do a read-a-thon at the same time the NYC writers are doing a Write-A-Thon (even if theirs is for charity and ours is for fun only). And last of all, I couldn’t resist the idea of starting the Challenge on my birthday. So the chosen weekend is June 8–10, 2007.

Here are the basic guidelines to start. I am open to suggestions if you’ve got them, or ask me questions so I can establish a related rule. Here goes:
  1. The weekend is June 8–10, 2007. Read and blog for any 48-hour period within the Friday-to-Monday-morning window. Start no sooner than 7:00 a.m. on Friday the eighth and end no later than 7:00 a.m. Monday. So, go from 7:00 p.m. Friday to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday... or maybe 7:00 a.m. Saturday to 7:00 a.m. Monday works better for you. But the 48 hours do need to be in a row.

  2. The books should be about fifth-grade level and up. Adult books are fine, especially if any adult book bloggers want to play. If you are generally a picture book blogger, consider this a good time to get caught up on all those wonderful books you’ve been hearing about. No graphic novels. I’m not trying to discriminate, I’m just trying to make sure that the number of books and page counts mean the same thing to everyone.

  3. It’s your call as to how much you want to put into it. If you want to skip sleep and showers to do this, go for it (but don’t stand next to me). If you want to be a bit more laid back, fine. But you have to put something into it or it’s not a challenge.

  4. The length of the reviews are not an issue. You can write a sentence, paragraph, or a full-length review.

  5. For promotion/solidarity purposes, let your readers know when you are starting the challenge with a specific entry on that day. When you write your final summary on Monday, let that be the last thing you write that day, so for one day, we’ll all be on the same page, so to speak.

  6. Your final summary needs to clearly include the number of books read, the approximate hours you spent reading/reviewing, and any other comments you want to make on the experience. It needs to be posted no later than noon on Monday, June 11.

  7. Sign up in today’s comments. You’re welcome to post the challenge on your site to catch the bloggers that come your way but don’t come mine. Point them to today’s post to sign up. On Friday, June 8, I’ll have a starting-line post where you can sign in to say you’re officially starting the challenge.
I’ll work on some prizes for most books read, most hours spent, and most pages read (if it isn’t the same winner as most books read). Last year I allowed an alternate, personal goal challenge, but this year the logistics of that might kill me. If you want to play along, but not really do the Challenge, that’s fine, but no prizes. I’ll have a 48 Hour Book Challenge Solidarity Post to list your personal weekend book challenges.

I’ll post the rules again as we get closer, to incorporate suggestions or to answer questions that have come up. So how many books do you think you could read if you devoted a weekend to the task? Ready to find out?

85 comments:

Cindy said...

I'm in! (I'll have to check the calendar, but I think that weekend is clear).

zee said...

I need to clarify. Are you saying if you participate, you are blogging for 48 hours straight?

MotherReader said...

Reading and reviewing for 48 hours straight. Most of the time will be reading, of course, but you can count your time writing reviews/reader responses in the total hours spent.

Liz B said...

I'm in.

Robin Brande said...

Oh, how cool. What a great way to do what we really want, totally guilt-free. You are like our Fairy Godmother.

adrienne said...

I've been looking forward to this announcement because I felt in my heart that the challenge would be after my book is due (it is) when I will be FREE! FREE! FREE! to read as much fiction as I want.

In other words, in. :)

Becky said...

How fun. I'm definitely in!

Sheila said...

Yay! I've been hoping that you would do this again this year! You can count me in - that weekend looks pretty good for me so far. Thank you for not scheduling it during BEA; I wouldn't have been able to participate if you did. Thanks for organizing this!

Melissa said...

I'm in. At least I'll try to be. I'll see if my hubby can manage the four kids that weekend. Otherwise, it may not be much of a challenge. (or maybe it would: how many books can I read in one weekend while trying to take care of four kids? :)

bookbk said...

Oh, how I wish I could do this! But we're going out of town to the beach that weekend. I'll probably be reading a lot, but not in a focused enough way for it to count as a Challenge.

-Kaz said...

Rats. I'll be driving to and from upstate NY that weekend. Driving being the operative word. If I were going to be a passenger, I might have been able to get some reading in, and blog from the hotel. As it is, maybe I'll get some books on tape and make it a family project?!!

Jennifer Schultz said...

I'm in!

(If you can make it to Warrenton tomorrow to see Chris Crutcher, please do! I can give detailed instructions to the John Barton Payne building.)

gail said...

Thank goodness. Finding this is without a doubt the high point of my day. And you chose the right weekend for me. I am in.

Emily said...

I'm sorry I couldn't do this last year! I'll definitely try to do it this year... but I don't know yet if I have to work that weekend.

Kimberly/lectitans said...

I am SO in! About to write a post about it now.

http://lectitans.livejournal.com

Melissa said...

Ah, darn it: hubby just informed me that my in-laws will be in town that weekend. Bummer. I'll have to cheer from the sidelines.

EM said...

I WANT to be in. But d'oh - that weekend is my 10th college reunion. So instead of reading blissfully, I'll be busy feeling small and petty amid all the doctors and lawyers and politicians I went to school with...yee-ha.

TadMack said...

Heh. I guess we're reprising last year, since the date is 2006? Maybe I'll do better, if we get a do-over for last year...

Okay, all messing with your mind aside, I am in. I think. There's that small matter of my brother graduating from the 8th grade, but the way you're doing it this time means I will MAKE the time work.

Cheers, I'm looking forward to this!

MotherReader said...

I'm firing my editor. Oh wait, it's my husband. I guess we'll both have to take the blame on the date. Corrected now, since none of us has a time machine.

Little Willow said...

I AM IN.

Emmaco said...

Assuming I don't have to go away for work or anything that weekend, I'm in! Although I just mentioned it to my partner and he is of the opinion that he won't be able to tell the difference between it and a normal weekend!

Lady S. said...

I've already mentioned the finger-crossing etc. I'm doing about this in linking to your post, but hopefully... Do so want to play!

Jackie said...

Woo! I so wanted to do this last year, but I was occupied! But not this year! (and it's MY birthday too! on the 10th, I mean. I think it's a lovely way to celebrate.) I was hoping it would become annual!

Michele said...

Ooh I'll try to participate this year. I couldn't manage it last year, sadly, because my Mom was recovering from brain surgery... Of course this year I'm writing fiction - will have to try to time stories so that I've finished one and not started another that weekend... I'll let you know for definite if I'm playing nearer to the time.

Amanda said...

I'm in! And I'll have a post on it at:

http://www.apatchworkofbooks.blogspot.com

Gwen said...

Yeah, my Mom comes in from NS and would be more than happy to take care of the boy so I can read! I can't wait!
Do you want the reviews in one post updated or separate posts?

Susan said...

hey, MR. Count me in, too.

Susan
Chicken Spaghetti

MotherReader said...

I'd suggest separate posts, as it breaks up the monotony of reading, but I don't care deeply. The summary post does need to contain the final numbers, hours read, books read, and I'd suggest page count if you think it will be significant (for instance, if you include The Book Thief in your reading agenda which is totally like two, maybe three books).

Kathy said...

Bummer, it is dance recital weekend so my daughter and I will be dancing on stage the whole weekend - but I will be looking ofrward to seeing what everyone else has done with the weekend!!

Tricia said...

Oh boy. I am returning late on the 3rd from three weeks in China. I hope I'll be able to stay awake, but I'm up for the challenge!

Leila said...

I am IN!

(Hopefully I won't have a funeral to attend this year.)

Camille said...

I am on board1

Allison said...

I would like to join too! Bring on the coffee!

Alkelda the Gleeful said...

Silly me. My eyes totally glazed over the date, and I thought, "I can't do this, as much as I'd like to." Then, I looked closely and realized I had over a month to plan things out. Count me in!

Charlotte said...

I am in! But I won't actually be able to do much updating on the weekend, as our home computer is a mac and it hates blogspot and won't let me post...

abi said...

I love a challenge - please count me in!

Sarah said...

i am usually a lurker, but i am in!! can't wait!

zee said...

I am ready to sign up now!

HipWriterMama said...

This should be interesting...I'm in.

jules said...

Oh I guess I'm supposed to sign up here. I'm in.

Stephanie said...

I'm in! Thanks for putting this together!

Steph
Childlitbookclub

Abby said...

I'm also usually a lurker, but I'm in as long as I don't have to work that weekend!

PRHS Library said...

I'm yet another usual lurker, but count me in as well. Lord knows I have far too many books on my TBR list, and this is a fantastic way to shorten it up a good bit!

Nattie said...

What a fun & different challenge. I am in.

eisha said...

I should probably be packing that weekend, but this sounds like so much more fun. I'm in!

cloudscome said...

I would really love to do this! I don't know how much reading time I could do with the little guys running under foot... if it were picture books I would be more in the game I am afraid.

ZG said...

I'm in.

Nonanon said...

I'm intrigued...but does this mean no sleep for 48 hours?

Beth said...

Argh! All right, I'll play!

Actually I've been really looking forward to this - I discovered your blog in the midst of the challenge itself last year, too late to join in of course - but now that it's on I've been waffling about committing to the uninterrupted 48 hours.

This will also give me an excuse to prettify my own blog before the start date.

Jen Robinson said...

To my devastation, I'll be traveling that weekend, and seeing a bunch of friends and relatives. I think that I'll have to pass on official participation, but I'll be sure to cheer from the sidelines.

Nancy said...

I'm going to try very very very hard to do this! Just depends on whether my family will cooperate. And my job. And other things....

Wheeeeee!

Literature Life - Milda said...

This sounds like fun! I'm definitely in! I love challenges like this!

I'll be posting on two sites:

www.literaturelife.com
www.mildaharris.com

Patty said...

I'm in again! I had such fun doing this last year.

Laura said...

I'm in. I'll have to get back to the blogging to be in top-form, though. I'm looking forward to it!

Kristi said...

Count me in! That is, as long as my actual job (library internship) doesn't interfere.

Sherry said...

I'm going to do it. Somehow I'll work around homeschool conference that weekend.

Mary Lee said...

Franki and I have been in since the very first minute you announced this! I guess it's time to make that official!

Laura said...

Ag, I just found out there's a family reunion that weekend, which will probably cut down on reading time quite a bit. I'll still try, but it won't be anything spectacular.

Brian Mandabach said...

I'm game! And I found out about it on Zee's blog.

Jennifer said...

I can't wait for this to start!! I'll be participating for sure.

I'll be using the following blog to record my reviews.
http://madelinefan.wordpress.com

Nancy said...

I can't do the reading, because my Sunday is shot. For that matter, Saturday doesn't look promising either.

But are you still looking for prizes? I'll offer a $25 Starbucks gift card as a prize if you need it. Just drop me an email.

Aimee said...

Another lurker here. Can I play? I've never blogged about books before, but I'd love to do this.

heather said...

i'm in! this is exciting and a new thing for me... looking forward to it!

heatherteaches.blogspot.com

lorilann said...

I'm in. This sounds really cool. I got this from little willow.

Miri said...

Robin Brande pointed me here, and I have to say, this'll be awesome!

Are we allowed to re-read things that we already own but have never reviewed? If we, say, are on substantial meds and can't get to a library?

Libby said...

I've already seen this question but since I don't see an answer I'll ask again: is rereading ok? I need to work through the Harry Potters again before the new one, for example, and I haven't really reviewed/blogged them. And I'm an inveterate re-reader anyway, though I'll certainly do my best to read some new stuff too.

anyway, if rereading is ok, I'm in.

Garret Freymann-Weyr said...

This is such a great idea and I have so many books waiting for me to do this by Nathan Englander, Kiran Desai (plus two huge biographies!). Sadly, I am racing to finish a manuscript. But I'll be with you all in spirit and envy. Best, Garret.

Jennie said...

I'm in! I have stuff that has to get done this weekend, but I'll blow off what I can...

Can I count the pages I read for school even if I don't read the whole book? Can I count the 100 or so pages of "Discovering Computers" that I will read?

Beth said...

I'm in. Who knows what will be going on this weekend, but I figure that's part of the challenge. I'll what I can do to my to-read stack.

Beth, a lurker

Dewey said...

COUNT ME IN!

My husband will even understand and be supportive, since he and our son do 24 hours comics day!

Dewey said...

Wait, I have one question. For reading other blogs, does that mean only the blogs of other participants? Because that would be a cool rule. It'd let us all get to know each other when we need breaks!

Sam said...

This sounds like fun! Count me in! :D

cloudscome said...

I decided I am going to try it. I won't be able to read anywhere near a fantastic amount with my lttle hooligans running around, but I am going to make an effort! It just sounds like too much fun to miss.

Kelly said...

Umm...I think I said I was in in another post. But, I'm in!

Gina MarySol Ruiz said...

I'm in! how exciting!

Alina said...

Pointed here just in the nick of time! I'm in and will be blogging over here: http://piratefanatic.livejournal.com/

Holly Doe said...

I'm in. I am going to have an extra challenge of watching three kids since my husband is on a business trip, but we are visiting my parents this weekend!
Holly-Mombrarian

2ndGenLibrarian said...

I'm in! When I'm not madly packing this weekend I'll be reading and blogging.

Flinn said...

I am totally in!

Krissy said...

Count me in!

Flinn said...

I managed to not leave a link to my blog. So I am doing so now.

Dewey said...

I started at 7am today. I have out of town guests on Sunday, so I had no choice. Has anyone else started yet? I'm lonely!

Phoebe said...

I hope it is not too late but I'd lvoe to join. I plan to start when I get home from work...8pm.

Julie said...

I just heard about this! What a great excuse to read on my porch swing on a beautiful weekend! I'll start tonight...

Mary Ann said...

I am in - will be blogging at librarygrl.wordpress.com
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