Skip to main content
Home
Rockhurst Small Logo
light blue background Search Icon
mobile menu
  • ADMISSIONS
  • ACADEMICS
  • CAMPUS LIFE
  • ALUMNI
  • ATHLETICS
  • ABOUT
  • Apply
  • Visit
  • Give
  • Apply
  • Visit
  • Give

Love of Literature Takes the Long Way in English Club's Marathon Reading

  • Apply
  • Visit
  • Give

  • Admissions
  • Academics
  • Campus Life
  • Alumni
  • Athletics
  • About
Friday, February 27, 2015

For more than 20 years, the English Club at Rockhurst has had a unique annual tradition, one that combines the traditions of formal literary readings, endurance tests, theatrical table readings, and maybe a little bit of spectator sports.

Jason Arthur, Ph.D., Rockhurst associate professor of English, said the club’s annual marathon reading has been going on more than two decades — for most, if not all, of the history of the club itself.

“It’s one of the things that has kind of become a boiler place for the English Club here,” he said.

The idea is a simple one — each year, the members of the club decide together what book they will read together. In one sitting. From cover to cover.

“We just read until we’re done,” said English Club President Kayla Frey, summing up the idea.

In years past, the club has taken on everything from Shakespeare to Thomas Pynchon. For the 2015 reading on Thursday, they tackled Douglas Adams’ 220-page 1979 sci-fi novel Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.

On average, it takes about six hours to get through a reading, Arthur said. With the amount of time required, Frey said the readers are encouraged to spice up the proceedings. Frey said in the past, readers have taken on roles or adopted unique accents for the reading. Costumes are not unheard of.

“By the end of it, you’ll have read about 200 pages, so if you read it robotically, it’s going to feel a lot longer,” she said. “So everyone tries to have some fun with it.”

Recent Headlines

  • Past Headlines
Rockhurst Bell Tower
Rockhurst University Logo
1100 Rockhurst Road | Kansas City, MO 64110
816-501-4000 | info@rockhurst.edu
1100 Rockhurst Road
Kansas City, MO 64110
816-501-4000
info@rockhurst.edu
Instagram    Facebook    Twitter    Youtube

RESOURCES

University Catalog
Bookstore
Calendar
Campus Map
Consumer Information
Directory
Library
Photo Albums
Web Portal

I WANT TO:

Apply
Visit
Give
Find a Job
Hire a Hawk
Reserve Event Space
Contact Rockhurst

SCHOOLS

College of Arts and Sciences
College of Business, Influence, and Information Analysis
Saint Luke's™ College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Facebook Twitter Youtube Instagram
Kansas City's Jesuit University
© Rockhurst University | Privacy Notice | Web Accessibility
© Rockhurst University
Privacy Notice | Web Accessibility