Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction discussion
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. Astrild . wrote: "I really don't like making assumptions, because there are some people who are blessed with the lives of not having responsibilities to maintain. Doesn't make them bad people, just extremely fortunate with a lot of time on their hands. .."I'm retired, but I never seem to have enough time on my hands. There's always something else I have to do that keeps me away from reading and writing. So even though I'm not working outside the home, I can barely manage one book every 4 or 5 days. Either I'm a slow reader or I've just got too much going on in my life--or a bit of both.
Anyway, thanks to all who responded to my random question.
I agree with Astrild. Anybody reading more than one book a day is not reading they are skimming... or they are reading small books that are practically novella size.Some of the Young Adult and Junior Fiction are only 250 or so pages long. And often they are bigger font size.
They aren't reading a 395 to 475 book in the smaller font.
Oh, and the 'reward' I guess is that they are competing to try and be higher in the Best Reviewer category. (The number under your profile avatar if you get inside top 100 best reviewer, top reviewer, top librarian etc...).
Doing the maths, I read at about 30 to 40 pages a sitting which equates to about an hour. So a 400 pg book, larger type font would be about 10 hrs or say 13 hours for a smaller font. Which if you allow for sleep and feeding is doable in a day but nowt else. Some listen to audio books whilst en route to work or during exercise which can have them reading books at a faster rate
I can easily read a book in a day - depending on length - although I would rarely have time to do that these days.Don't forget there are many people who can speed read also. I have a friend who can read a 400 p novel in a couple of hours, and that's when he's reading slowly to try and prolong the pleasure. A book for him is like watching a movie.
Terri wrote: "Oh, and the 'reward' I guess is that they are competing to try and be higher in the Best Reviewer category. (The number under your profile avatar if you get inside top 100 best reviewer, top review..."And here I thought that the "watch me! See what I can do?" time should end with primary school...
Yeah, Simona, it always seemed a bit childish to me too. Not childish to get a smile out of seeing you got a Top 100 spot that month. Childish to actually try for it and focus on keeping it...and to go after it.And to check your profile each month to see if you have a top 100 spot and if you've moved up a number etc...
Exactly.And this said, there isn't a RIGHT way to read, it's fine if you prefer to savour your book, it's fine if you are more of a glutton...but somehow I doubt you really are enjoying what you are reading, if you read four or five books a day, every day. IMO.
How would you even process four or five books a day?!... someone’s bluffing their way to a shiny new “top 100 reviewer” badge or whatever it is.
No, Terri, I am not competing... with anyone else, with any lists, with myself even. I simply read all the time. I have had a book with me since I was little. I love that I have Kindle on my phone. I can read a page or two while I wait for a house showing (I am a Realtor) or a Drs appointment. I always read a bit before calling it a day. I do not know how many books I read in a year... it does not matter. I only care if it is a good/great book and the author has a way with words! 😊
I can read over 200 books in a year if I'm in the right mood, so I could totally see someone be able to read a book a day. It just depends on how fast you are and how much time you have. For me, audiobooks make a big difference. Because I listen to them at double speed and commute over an hour a day I can get through them fast.
Yep, book a day is totally achievable. I can ach8ieve it too but for my reading pace, it has to be a shorter book ie 35pps or less. And I can't do anything else in that day but lay around in bed. lol. As I struggle to read long sessions unless I am lying down in a comfy place. If I have to sit and read, or lounge and read, I can't read many pages. I get uncomfortable too easily and get distracted too easily. :)
Thanks for the PCH responses! We are the only people in our town to win it. All these years we have waited for our ship to come in! Who'd thunk it?
Sour dough bread is delicious. I do not make it now since I have become bone idle, but I got my starter dough from my sister. I think James Michener writes about gold miners and the camp cooks getting their starter before going out to their claims. Someone with memory can tell that story better than me.COS: Have you ever met a teller of tales in real life? Recently I reconnected with an old friend who has a story about any subject, and they are wonderful stories. I really thought age had destroyed my dreams and goals for the future. Through my 'teller of tales', I have learned that revisiting the past is just as good a dream as dreams of the future.
Linda, my dad was a Teller of Tales. His stories of our family's past were captivating.
Linda wrote: "Sour dough bread is delicious. I do not make it now since I have become bone idle, but I got my starter dough from my sister. I think James Michener writes about gold miners and the camp cooks gett..."That's fascinating, Linda. So they kept those starters alive in order to continue making leavened bread while on their claims. Wonderful.
Do you still do your swimming, Linda? You used to have such a lovely time chatting with your fellow swimmers.
I still swim three days a week. Our pool closed so I swim in the next town over. It is an hour's drive, and my husband drives me. I saw my teller of tales last night at his daughter's all you can eat catfish restaurant. Are such restaurants found in other places? Margaret, you were blessed to have such a father
So my distributor went into liquidation today...It's hard enough working with small publishers and distributors.
Now it's significantly harder.
So my distributor went into liquidation today...It's hard enough working with small publishers and distributors.
Now it's significantly harder.
I just checked Bernard Cornwell's website looking for an update on Starbuck's Civil War series. Nothing there, BUT the new Uhtred is coming out this winter!! Yea! I wonder...with Bernard now living in the US, if we will get our edition the same time the UK does??
May wrote: "I just checked Bernard Cornwell's website looking for an update on Starbuck's Civil War series. Nothing there, BUT the new Uhtred is coming out this winter!! Yea! I wonder...with Bernard now living..."I think so, my ebook from the U.S. site is preordered for October and the print books seem to be on sale in October too.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006...
I thought Bernard has lived in the US for some 30 years??
Has anyone read IN THE SHADOW OF 1,000 HILLS by Haupt or A CHARMED LIFE.
I want to thank Bookbub for giving me top tier books for free or less than three dollars. They do a service for readers and authors. I just finished SUMMER STORM by Susan Muller, a four-five star read, which came to me free from Bookbub.
May wrote: "I just checked Bernard Cornwell's website looking for an update on Starbuck's Civil War series. Nothing there, BUT the new Uhtred is coming out this winter!! Yea! I wonder...with Bernard now living..."He said something on his website a few years ago that he doesn't know if or when he'll do another Starbucks. He implied his published really thought more Sharpe books would sell better. (It was about the time the Sharpe prequel books started coming out) I really hope he continues the series also.
Very interesting article on newly discovered crop marks in the uk, after our unusually hot summer. Watch the video.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...
Mark wrote: "Very interesting article on newly discovered crop marks in the uk, after our unusually hot summer. Watch the video.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england..."
Nice find, there's been a few in the papers as well but great to see them all together & see how many there's been - lets hope they can preserve
Andy wrote: "Mark wrote: "Very interesting article on newly discovered crop marks in the uk, after our unusually hot summer. Watch the video.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england..."
Nice find, there's ..."
Hope a few can be geophysics and hopefully dug.
Mark wrote: "Andy wrote: "Mark wrote: "Very interesting article on newly discovered crop marks in the uk, after our unusually hot summer. Watch the video.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england..."
Nice f..."
I did an archaeology course a whilst back & they recommend that in order to keep things intact they dont always like to dig..... geophysical survey yes & only if they're likely to find anything new will they then make digs..... which did surprise me.... I was like where's me pickaxe.... lets get digging!! :)
Mind, I think those that have been found off the beaten track & are completely new will surely be investigated
I find the whole thing fascinating!! Whether they dig or use ultra sound or whatever techniques suit, I hope we all learn more!!
So sad. Jacqueline Pearce who played Servalan on Blake's 7 has passed away aged 74.Servalan was the first really strong female character I saw on TV.
Loved her character in Blake's Seven & reportedly she was as feisty of screen too
Yeah. I know a few people who met her at cons. They reckon she was lovely, but take liberties and Servalan came out to play.
Apologies for my absence for a few weeks. No major drama. I've been away from computer doing a lot of birding but the main reason I checked out for a while is because our Government brought in some new laws that affected our ability to farm our land.We've challenged them because this law affected us wrongly. They stuffed up. I've had tk put together a rather indepth report for them and have had appointments with Government officers to present our case.
Looks like we've won our case. We have to live with this wrong law for a few months because it takes a few months on the backlog before our property gets attended to.
Haven't been reading at all while this is going on. Brain is exhausted from reading too many stupid Government documents. Lol!
I wondered if that was why you were keeping radio silence.
Dang Terri Sometimes it seems you are having more than your share of problems
I hope this clears up quickly!
Glad all has worked out well for you and I echo Happy: I hope it'll be resoled soon!
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger! 😊
Andy wrote: "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger! 😊"Sometimes, not always!
Terri wrote: "Apologies for my absence for a few weeks. No major drama. I've been away from computer doing a lot of birding but the main reason I checked out for a while is because our Government brought in some..."Funny! That's what I use books for. Escaping. When I get overwhelmed, I put the bull dust aside, open my book, find a nesting place, and move to another place in my mind.
That's great Terri, glad you could prove and win your case.
Terri, sure glad you have the grit to take each day on!! Wishing you a spell of easier days!!!
Thanks everyone! It sure was a shock to see our Gov change laws and implement flawed software to enforce them. Their software was wrong, big time. But who had to pay for the fix? We did. We had to pay them $500 to apply to correct their wrong mapping. That's government bureaucracy for you.
Getting head back in the right space for reading now. When I have too much going on in my head I just can't seem to escape into reading. Can't concentrate on the book.
I know many people, as with Laureen, go the other way. I don't know how you do it!
Terri, as much as I am an avid reader, I know I am stressed / overwhelmed when I find myself only reading magazine articles... obviously too rattled to focus on plots threads or character development. Glad you won your case! Wishing you easier days ahead!
I cannot read when I am stressed, but I make up for it by eating. It is 1:30 p.m. and I have already eaten breakfast four times. I am going to a highschool reunion in two weeks and wanted to lose a few pounds before that date. Instead, I am stressed and have gained more than a few pounds.
Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction
Books mentioned in this topic
The Berry Pickers (other topics)Fortune's Child (other topics)
Hild (other topics)
Sharpe's Command (other topics)
Edenglassie (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Amanda Peters (other topics)Nicola Griffith (other topics)
Bernard Cornwell (other topics)
Bernard Cornwell (other topics)
Allan Hands (other topics)
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Some of the groups I'm on in goodreads have people claiming to read a book a day. They post reviews of what they've read--sometimes 2-3 ..."
I'd say probably not. They either skim it, get info from the jacket, or read magazine/newspaper reviews: some of the latter are pretty comprehensive. Also, public libraries may post reviews from book collection journals such as Library Journal or Booklist.
As far as I know, there are no "brownie points" for the more reviews one writes on GR. The only thing might be the temporary "lift" someone would get from seeing someone "like" their review, especially some they haven't friended.