Roughly 10 hours ago I started my first readathon.
24 in 48 (24in48.com) asks readers to section off 24 hours over the course of a weekend. 24 hours of reading in whatever format, whether it’s audiobook, print, or electronic, to be divided over 48 hours however you wish.
Today I wanted to log a good 12 hours. Aside from numerous breaks for tea, snacks, and one short nap, my focus never wavered. I made it 10 hours at the most, subtracting for lunch, posting, and the impromptu nap time.
Honestly, I’m embarrassed not to reach my goal.
I regularly spend hours on end devouring books. Just yesterday I slammed a new book club selection over a croissant and some chai, occupying a highbacked cafe couch for about 4 hours of loitering bliss. However, I’m not sure if I’m up to the challenge of reading for a full 24 hours, even if it is spread over 48 hours. I still have time tomorrow, but still…
I did finish Empire of Things, though. (Finally!)
Have you ever read something and immediately wanted to re-read it because the information was so seemingly infinite you know you would notice new things the second time through? If I had nothing to do for a week, I would read it again.
This book traces intricate patterns through centuries of global history: mainly, the interaction between society and its various cycles of consumption. The relevancy of shifting consumption patterns connected meticulously to the larger concepts addressed in each chapter, which in turn connected to the larger context addressed in each section. I never felt lost or considered the information irrelevant because the careful focus and clear explanations in each chapter clearly described the context and connection between each point of research.
Even the sequence of the chapters were fastidiously organized. The decidedly inclusive global perspective and staggering historical scope presented in the first section implicitly laid the foundation for the analysis and data presented in the second section. Frankly, it’s surprising the author only needed 700 pages to explore the topic.
Because of this relative economy, any reviews of this book tend to fall woefully short of encapsulating both its importance and purpose. One reviewer even asserted the goal of the book was to examine the wastefulness of consumer culture. This is far too reductive. Although the argument for eliminating waste is compelling, it is by no means the author’s only purpose. The book itself is much larger than any singular message.
Instead, it presents the facts and then leaves the reader to make of them what he or she will.
After reading the (albeit, fascinating) nonfiction leviathan, I craved fiction, so I just started Peter Buwalda’s Bonita Avenue. I’m already mesmerized by the complex characters and am excited to see them continuously tangled up in fascinating ways. But more on that tomorrow!
For now, I better head to bed. I have a lot of reading left to do…
shelf-conscious 