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It’s been almost 12 years since the last marathon reading of “Moby-Dick” at Canio’s Books in Sag Harbor. This weekend, co-owners Maryanne Calendrille and Kathryn Szoka will reignite the tradition by joining more than 160 readers in reading the whaling epic over the course of three days at six different locations in the village.
The decision to resurrect the marathon reading falls in line with the 375th anniversary of Southampton Town and the 35th anniversary of Canio’s, reviving a literary tradition that began in 1983. The store’s first owner, Canio Pavone, wanted to create a unique tradition in the whaling town, which is mentioned in Herman Melville’s novel.
The inaugural marathon reading was truly that: individuals took turns continuously reading from the 206,000-word novel, beginning to end. Ms. Calendrille and Ms. Szoka are a bit more pragmatic in their approach, spreading the reading across three days, with scheduled 10-minute intervals.
“We will not be reading this book at three o’clock in the morning,” Ms. Calendrille said.
The readings will begin on Friday, June 12, at noon at Canio’s and move to different locations throughout the weekend, ending sometime between noon and 5 p.m. where they began. Reading and listening is free, but individuals can sponsor a chapter from the novel for $100 to $1,000, which comes with various prizes. Some reading slots are still available.
Friday, June 12
Noon to 3 p.m.—Canio’s Books
3 to 6 p.m.—Whaling Museum (full)
6 to 9 p.m.—Canio’s Books
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.—Bay Street Theater (full)
1 to 4 p.m.—John Jermain Memorial Library (full)
4 to 7 p.m.—Old Whalers’ Church
7 to 10 p.m.—Canio’s Books
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.—Eastville Community Historical Society
2 to 5 p.m.—Canio’s Books, followed by an after party. A copy of “Moby-Dick,” signed by this year’s participating readers, will be auctioned off.
For more information about the “Moby-Dick” marathon reading, or to sign up for a time slot, call (631) 735-4926.
Jack Sullivan on Jun 9, 2015