The Results of the 48 Hour Book Challenge and Your Chance to Donate to the Library

Greetings, my brother readers! The CARLMAN has not only met the 48 Hour Book challenge but has conquered it! And not only conquered, but, in true MANLY MAN fashion, exceeded it!! My goal was to read 12 hours in the 48-hour period from 7am Saturday morning to 7am Monday morning. Yes, that seems like a lot but I not only rose to the occasion, I actually got in 14 HOURS!! Yes, I will pause now for gasps of astonishment. Here's the story.

I had 4 books on my TBR (To Be Read) pile--Redwall, The Red Pyramid, and The Emperor's Code, and Lucky: Mantle, Maris, and My Best Summer Ever by Wes Tooke (a book I had started before the Challenge) Here I am, reading away with no trouble in true MANLY MAN fashion.

It got tiring after a few hours, however--

--yet I knew I must go on, no matter how tough it was!
The guys are counting on me!

I--can't stop--no matter how heavy--the book gets--

must---keep--reading!

But in the end, my superhuman powers of endurance prevailed, proving that, when it comes to reading, the CARLMAN is an Iron Guy!

OK, enough silliness. Here's what really happened (briefly):

Saturday, June 5

7:30 am--11:30 am

Lucky: Mantle, Maris, and My Best Summer Ever. A really good book. I'll give reviews later in the week on the books I read this weekend.

Redwall by Brian Jacques

Had to break for meals and a major phone call with some bad news.

12:30 pm--5:30 pm

Got hungry for some grownup reading:

Some writings of William Booth, who founded the Salvation Army

A section of The Civil War: A Narrative Part 1 Fort Sumter to Perryville by Shelby Foote--really riveting stuff. This book will keep you turning page after page for a very long time.

Our good friend Ms. Yingling said that physical activity is important during the Challenge, so I listened to Lad, A Dog by Albert Payson Terhune while taking an extended walk and attending to other duties. A really good Guy Book. I thought it would be some warm and fuzzy man-and-his-dog story but it surprised me. Within 3 chapters, there was a fight to the death with a copperhead, an attack on a burglar, and a fight with a rival dog.

More Redwall

We got to spend 1 hour looking at other blogs for every five hours of reading, so I checked out several other blogs.

After that, I hosted a going-away party for someone we all know. Will tell you about it later this week.

Saturday's total: 9 hours

Sunday, June 6

Sunday mornig is a time of spiritual nourishment for me, so from:

7:30 am--8:30 am read Centuries of Meditations by Thomas Traherne. C. S. Lewis used this book a lot for his own edification.

After attending services, I had to go to the library to help with a special event, so I had to break up my reading time.

1:00 pm--2:00 pm More Redwall
5:00 pm--6:00 pm More Redwall

6:00 pm--7:00 pm left Redwall at the library, so I started on The Emperor's Code

8:00 pm--9:00 pm More Emperor's Code and some time reading Bulfinch's Mythology to my daughter.

Sunday's total: 5 Hours

Weekend total: 14 Hours!!

Yes, you call me a hero, but this is your chance to show your heroic side. I did this so you could donate money to the library for every hour I read. (You and your family should determine how much you give, of course) Donating is easy. Here's what you do:

1. Donate cash at the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library branch closest to you. Please put the money in an envelope and make sure the envelope is addressed to Dick Pahle, Main Library, 310 N. Tryon. No need to put a stamp on it because you're not mailing it. In fact, you should NEVER send cash through the mail!! As long as Mr. Pahle's name is on the envelope, it will get to him. (He's in charge of all our fundraising) If your local branch has a cash donation box, you could put it in there or you could give it to the helpful, friendly librarian behind the desk.

2. Your parents could write a check. You can mail it or drop it off at your local branch. If you mail it, make sure it goes to Dick Pahle, Main Library, 310 N. Tryon, Charlotte, NC. 28202. If you drop it off, please be sure to put Mr. Pahle's name and Main Library on the envelope.

Whether you write a check or donate cash, please add a note that says it's from the 48 Hour Book Challenge.

3. Donate online. All the info for donating online is here. Online donations automatically go to Mr. Pahle. If you do this, make sure your parents know about it first!! Or your parents could make the donations, of course.

I'll post the final amount when I know it. I've received two pledges already of $60 and $20 for a total of $80 so far and I've heard of another one out there. If you'd like to leave a comment with your donation/pledge, please feel free.

Thanks for donating, everyone. The library is in trouble and we need your help. Thanks also for Mother Reader for hosting this Challenge and to all who sent in comments over the weekend. It was fun and I'm looking forward to next year, when I can smash this year's record! Spoken like a true MANLY MAN!