A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court - Mark Twain

A man mysteriously talks about King Arthur's court as though he has been there. He then leaves some papers with a stranger and encourages him to read. The papers are an account of this man's time in court. How he tried to change the way those people worked and how he was sent on his own crusade by King Arthur himself.

When I picked this up I was hoping for/expecting something light and extremely funny. Sadly that's not actually what I got. Whilst there was plenty tongue in cheek the book took itself a little too seriously, I thought. First the humour was really a ridicule of the King Arthur legends. It strips away the romantic view everyone has of King Arthur and his court. The men and women are slobs. The men make up or exaggerate their tales of adventure before King Arthur. Everyone realises this but it's all part of the ritual. The ladies are crude, laughing and making jokes that would make a women of Hogan (the time traveler  era blush.They are also none too bright.

Once Hogan manages to save his own neck he believes that he can change the way the world works with him as the leader. This is where the serious part comes in. He spends much of his time trying to remove power from the church and put it in the hands of the man. He sets up a school to educate the masses. When he is sent (against his will) on his own quest he rescues prisoners and sends them to his schools. He brings about commercialism and advertising.

Had I known that much of this was going to be an essay on the power of the state and the church I probably would have left it to another time because it's not what I was in the mood for. That's not to say it wasn't a good book./ It was, it just wasn't what I wanted at that time and as a result I didn't enjoy it quite as much. I also found the narrator, Hogan, to be quite irritating. He was quite pompous and so sure that he was right. Quite a lot of the time he made a bit of a fool of himself but he was also Twain's mouthpiece. On the plus side I was amused at recognising some of the stories thanks to John Steinbeck.

I read this as part of the classics challenge hosted by Katherine of November's Autumn. This months prompt is about the last chapter read. As I tend to wait until I finish the book before doing these prompts I am going to go for most memorable. For me that would be the first chapter. The one in which the story is set up. The person who comes to read Hogan's story is admiring a portrait of King Arthur's court. As he does he notices that one of the figures in the painting has been damaged so you can't see the features. It's then that Hogan approaches him and claims to have known Arthur. We can guess that Hogan had deliberately damaged the painting so that he wouldn't be recognised. This set up makes the book sound more promising and more like what I was expecting.

What I Learned - Redathon Wrap Up

So I made it through the readathon. I have napped (not enough) and I am actually wanting to pick up my book again. Does this mean I am a glutton for punishment or just dedicated?

Anyway, thank you to everyone who has sponsored me for this. I have so far collected £118 on behalf of SAMH. I have a few sponsorship's to collect and a friend of mine took part for 6 hours (she's not a blogger so did this just to help raise money). This means that I will have beaten April's £130 for Crohns and Colitis UK. So big thank you everyone as the mental health charity means a lot to me and my family.

April I read 4 books and just over 1200 pages. This time I read 3 books and 1354 pages. I don't know if that means I beat last year on that front to or if it equals out. Either way I am chuffed with the results. Sadly I doubt I will be able to take part next April. If I can though I might join in for 12 hours at the most. Which means I won't be beating this years tally. The books I read were;

A Patchwork World - Anne Tyler
Monday Mourning - Kathy Reichs
Skulduggery Pleasant: Kingdom of the Wicked - Derek Landy.

Hopefully I will get reviews up over the next week. I did enjoy them all but the first one was a favourite. Every year I seem to make mistakes in my readathon choices so here are my tips if you decide to take part (ignore them if you want).

1. Remember to buy snacks. A mix of healthy and naughty works for me. Anything heavy just makes you all the more tired later on.

2. Start on the caffeine when you really need it. It will eventually lose it's effect if you start straight away (think that was my problem last night).

3. Have your books decided before hand. Don't go for a huge pile unless you won't be disappointed if you don't read them all. Can be off putting when you realise you will be lucky to finish half of them. Instead go for  3 or 4 and a couple reserves (if this wouldn't bother you then pile them on).

4. Go for light reads. Anything that doesn't require concentration and you know that you will enjoy them. I know some people choose classics but I personally wouldn't be able to concentrate on them when it's hour 20 and all I can think about is sleep.

5. Book size, here is the big mistake I made this year. I would recommend shorter books. 400 pages at the most. One of mine was just over 600 and in the end it felt like a slog.

6. If you normally like a mix of books then mix them. You don't want to get bored. Oh, and this is one I learned in April, do not leave the scary books until the early hours of the morning. Maybe that's just me but I have an overactive imagination. Books that wouldn't normally scare me in the light of the day had me wondering if there was a serial killer waiting for me outside the kitchen.

7. Find somewhere comfy to read where you are unlikely to be interrupted. Also if you can change rooms every so often.

8. The last couple of times I've had a yankee candle lit and it's been refreshing. Especially this years candle which was Garden Sweet Pea. However, if there is a chance you might fall asleep then put it out.

9. Face wipes! They do refresh you a little.

10. If you need to nap then nap. Set your alarm for a couple of hours and come back in. It's actually rare for people to manage all the way through with out a nap. You shouldn't feel you've let yourself down because of it.

Lastly, enjoy it.

Nearly There! Last Readathon Update

Hour 24: This is the last hour and I'm onto book 4. Went for the second Anne Tyler rather than the Karen Rose as I need to get this back to a friend and I doubt I will get much read this last hour. So far have read 3 books and am 10 pages into this one. This brings my total page count up to 1,327. Despite my 2 hour nap I think I have beaten last years page count.

End of Event Questionnaire;

1. Most daunting hour was probably right before I fell asleep around 7.30am. Think that's around hour 19.

2. Not sure I can recommend any books from this years pile. I think I picked ones that were far too long. The first Anne Tyler was my favourite though.

3. No suggestions for improvement.

4. The mini challenges seemed interesting although I didn't take part in that many.

5. I have read three and a bit books this time.

6. I read; A Patchwork World, Monday Mourning, Kingdom of the World.

7. Already mentioned my favourite book in question 2.

8. The book I enjoyed the least was the Skulduggery. Simply because I was at my most tired and it wasn't quite as good as the rest of the series. More disappointed than dislike.

9. No advice for future cheerleaders. Thought they did a fab job and they made me laugh (in a good way).

10. I doubt I will be able to take part over the next few years as my studies are getting heavier. If I had known how much my work load was going to increase I wouldn't have taken part in this one (had already taken in sponsorship).

FINISHED: I am so tired now. How did I manage the full 24hours and the stay awake reading for another two in April? Anyways, I am off for power nap. I will give my final update later. Well done everyone!

Readathon Update 2

In case you haven't noticed me mention it before I am doing this and trying to raise money for the Scottish Association for Mental Health. It's a fantastic charity which promotes well being. It helps many people who suffer from mental health problems and their families  Little known fact but anyone can reach a crisis point at some time in their lives which will affect their mental health and 1 in 3 people do. So if you have a few pennies you can donate by clicking on the SAMH image.

Enough of my spouting. Have finished book 2 and I have now moved onto book 3. That brings my page count up to 741. I think I am still behind April but I am getting there. The main thing is I am enjoying it and have now reached the half way point. Here is the mid event survey;

1. I am doing okay although I am very tired. It's 1.10am here in the UK and I would like my second wind right about now. Haven't gone cross-eyed yet though.

2. Just finished Monday Mourning by Kathy Reichs which I enjoyed.

3. Favourite read is the first one, A Patchwork Planet by Anne Tyler.

4. I haven't really snacked yet. I am about to toast some pitta bread and have that with humous. Looking forward to that.

5. No new blogs discovered but I am re-discovering some I haven't visited in a while

Hour 14: Breached the halfway mark and I got my wish for a second wind. Lets hope it lasts. 76 pages into book 3. Am away to toast the pitta bread I've been promising myself and then back to bed cause it's freezing!

Hour 16: Starting to slow down again and feeling VERY tired. Dozed off for about 10 mins there. 184 pages into book 3.

Hour 18: Still here, still going. 310 pages into book 3 which is just over the half way mark. That means I have read a total of 1,021. I am ahead of April as I reached 1,021 by hour 19.

Hour 22: oops, fell asleep for 2 hours. Really didn't mean to do that but I can see myself finishing now. 422 pages into book 3.

Read-A-Thon Update Post

Like April I am going to update by editing the same post. Unlike April I'm not going to interrupt those posts with reviews. Will leave those until next week. I'm also starting two hours early. Mainly because I am bored just now and can't think of anything to do. Also it means tomorrow I can have a power nap and get back to studying.

So here is the first book on the cards, A Patchwork Planet by Anne Tyler. I read one of hers years ago and loved it. Always meant to read more but never quite go round to it. I mentioned this to a friend and she loaned me a couple, including this one. Looking forward to it.

Hour4: I know it's going on to hour 2 for everyone else. I am about halfway through A Patchwork Planet. Very much enjoying it. I am actually going to take some time out to go snack shopping. That should bring me up to almost the same time as everyone else. Should have done that instead of starting earlier but I forgot all about snacks. When I come back I'll do the introductory questionnaire.

Introductory Questionnaire

1. I am reading in Glasgow, Scotland. It's cold and wet today so quite glad I will be spending it reading.

2. The book I am most looking forward to is the one I am reading just now. Although I am also looking forward to the Skulduggery book I have lined up.

3. Snack I am most looking forward to - a cheeky wee glass of wine! Does that count as a snack? If not then humus and pitta bread.

4. Hmm, I don't think there is anything about me that I haven't mentioned here before. I'm a student nurse taking a weekend out of studying to read (should really be studying for my exams).

5. I think this year if I need to have a nap I will. Last year I felt to guilty to do it because I was fundraising. I still am but I don't think I can go through those last few painful hours again (and follow it up with some studying). I'm basically just looking forward to some non-pahtophysiology related reading.

This is my readathon mascot. Wee Sis made this for me ages ago and suggested that I sit him by me for luck, so that's what I've done!

Hour 6: I am now at the same time as everyone else thanks to my snack buying spree. I also finished my first book and I'm sitting at 288 pages. Very much enjoyed it. Reminded of how good Anne Tyler is. On to an easier read now with Monday Mourning by Kathy Reichs.

Hour 8: Just about to enter hour 8 and I have only read a further 86 pages which means I am sitting at 374. I did have hour 7 interrupted with dinner which was my mums home made chili. So tasty! I now have my Garden Sweet Pea yankee candle lit (a gift from my sister). I am now dressed in my jammies and I think I will have that cheeky glass of wine.

Hour 10: Picked up the pace a bit and I'm almost halfway through book two. Sitting at page 210 which means I've read 498 pages so far. Time for some tea I think.

Hour 12: At page 390 and not far from finishing. Had umpteen cups of tea but still feeling tired. So have moved onto the diet coke. I am thinking that as soon as I start book 3 I will start a new update post.

Dewey's 24hr Read-A-Thon

I am normally more organised than this but I am finally posting about tomorrow's readathon and I have finally decided on what books to read. It's still not too late to sign up if you want to take part. Just click on the image above and it will take you to the readathon web page. I don't see any times there so I am assuming it's the same as April which means 1pm UK time (since the clocks haven't changed).

This time I am picking all light reads. Got a couple of crime books in there, a kids book and one general fiction. I've read Anne Tyler before so I know what to expect. The two crime books have been on my tbr pile but the Skulduggery book is relatively new and the Anne Tyler is a loan from a friend. Won't make a huge inroad to my pile but it's still getting there.

Once again I am raising money. So far I have £98 raised for the Scottish Association For Mental Health. They do fantastic work and I have heard of them through all my placements. Nurses speak very highly of them and I got a great reception when I contacted them. There are a few people very dear to me who have suffered from mental health problems such as depression and anxiety so this one means a lot to me. If you want to know more about the charity then click on the image above. It might interest you that Chris Hoy is an ambassador. If you would like to kindly donate you can do so at my Just Giving page. All donations are greatly appreciated.

The last few times I have taken part I have reviewed the books I have read as I went. I don't think I will be doing that this time. I will just be giving small updates and I might take part in some of the challenges. I've also opened up my twitter account again should anyone wish to follow me there - Karencrafts.

Anyone else taking part? Have you chosen your books yet?

The Sound and The Fury - William Faulkner

The Compson family were once  an aristocratic southern family. Times are tough for them and it's hard for them to come to terms with the fact that their place in society has changed. The mother tries to cling on to the past which makes her ill and effects each of her four children in different ways. In their own right each of the Compson children have their own daemons to fight. Benjy fights to be recognised, Quentin fights his depression and his fathers expectations, Caddy fights for her independence and for Benjy, Jason fights to improve their standing and his economic status.

I found this quite difficult to get into at first. The book is split into four sections and each section is from the point of view of different members of the family. The first section is from the point of view of Benjy. Benjy has learning difficulties and his only way of communicating with his family is through crying. He also gets his information from them through his sense of smell. This whole section is disjointed and a little all over the place. Chronology is mixed up as we see the world as Benjy see's it. It makes for one very difficult read or at least it did for me.

The second section is only slightly better but that's when I finally got into the story. This time it's from Quentin's point of view. Again the chronology is slightly disjointed but not to the extreme of the first. Once I got into the flow of it it became easier to follow. The disjointed flow and the lack of punctuation is meant to convey Quentin's deteriorating mind. The third section is very easy to follow. This is from the point of view of Jason and it's a little hard to take in that Jason isn't exactly a nice character. He's angry all the time and feels that the world owes him something. Everything he does is for his own gain. He's a bully and seems to enjoy exerting power over his family since he has none in his professional career.

The last section was my favourite. This one was mainly from the point of view of the house maid. It's written slightly different from all the others. The others were written as a stream of consciousness. I have to say that it is not a style I took to easily. For me personally it made it more difficult to just enjoy the story. It was harder to follow and a little limiting too. You only get a vague notion of what's going on and it isn't until others add their voices to that stream that you get the bigger picture. For that reason I can also admire it. All these fragments coming together to show a history of one family.