diff --git a/book.json b/book.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c05bf15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/book.json
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+  "total_pages": 500,
+  "current_page": 0
+}
diff --git a/classes.json b/classes.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d23890e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/classes.json
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+{
+  "Bastard Lunatic":{
+    "stats":["constitution"],
+    "tasks":[
+      [6, "Reading the DSM"]
+    ]
+  },
+  "Battle-Felon":{
+    "stats":["strength"]
+  },
+  "Birdrider":{
+    "stats":["wisdom"],
+    "tasks":[
+      [10, "Birdwatching"]
+    ]
+  },
+  "Fighter/Organist":{
+    "stats":["charisma","strength"]
+  },
+  "Hunter Strangler":{
+    "stats":["dexterity","intelligence"],
+    "tasks":[
+      [10, "Hunting"]
+    ]
+  },
+  "Inner Mason":{
+    "stats":["constitution"],
+    "tasks":[
+      [16, "Meditating"]
+    ]
+  },
+  "Lowling":{
+    "stats":["wisdom"],
+    "tasks":[
+      "Hiding"
+    ]
+  },
+  "Mage Illusioner":{
+    "stats":["intelligence","magic"]
+  },
+  "Mu-Fu Monk":{
+    "stats":["dexterity"]
+  },
+  "Puma Burgular":{
+    "stats":["dexterity"],
+    "tasks":[
+      [7, "Stalking"]
+    ]
+  },
+  "Robot Monk":{
+    "stats":["strength"],
+    "tasks":[
+      [12, "Recharging"]
+    ]
+  },
+  "Runeloremaster":{
+    "stats":["wisdom"],
+    "tasks":[
+      "Enthusiastically explaining the applications of runes on trains"
+    ]
+  },
+  "Shiv-Knight":{
+    "stats":["dexterity"],
+    "tasks":[
+      "Restocking on shivs"
+    ]
+  },
+  "Slow Poisoner":{
+    "stats":["constitution"]
+  },
+  "Tickle-Mimic":{
+    "stats":["intelligence","wisdom"]
+  },
+  "Ur-Paladin":{
+    "stats":["constitution","wisdom"]
+  },
+  "Vermineer":{
+    "stats":["intelligence"],
+    "tasks":[
+      "Reading capitalist propaganda"
+    ]
+  },
+  "Voodoo Princess":{
+    "stats":["charisma","intelligence"]
+  }
+}
diff --git a/races.json b/races.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1b7f2c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/races.json
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+{
+  "Battle-Finch":{
+    "stats":["dexterity","intelligence"],
+    "tasks":[
+      "Running from Birdrider"
+    ]
+  },
+  "Crested Dwarf":{
+    "stats":["charisma"]
+  },
+  "Demicanadian":{
+    "stats":["constitution"],
+    "tasks":[
+      [2, "Drinking maple syrup"]
+    ]
+  },
+  "Double Hobbit":{
+    "stats":["strength"]
+  },
+  "Double Wookiee":{
+    "stats":["strength"]
+  },
+  "Dung Elf":{
+    "stats":["wisdom"]
+  },
+  "Eel Man":{
+    "stats":["dexterity"]
+  },
+  "Enchanted Motorcycle":{
+    "stats":["magic"],
+    "tasks":[
+      [8, "Changing oil"]
+    ]
+  },
+  "Gyrognome":{
+    "stats":["dexterity"],
+    "tasks":[
+      "Spinning"
+    ]
+  },
+  "Half Halfling":{
+    "stats":["dexterity"],
+    "tasks":[
+      "Protesting how someone renamed their race and then copyrighted it"
+    ]
+  },
+  "Half Man":{
+    "stats":["charisma"],
+    "tasks":[
+      "Searching for their other half"
+    ]
+  },
+  "Half Orc":{
+    "stats":["health"]
+  },
+  "Hob-Nobbit":{
+    "stats":["charisma","dexterity"],
+    "tasks":[
+      "Protesting how asburd it is for a dead human to own the concept of a race"
+    ]
+  },
+  "Land Squid":{
+    "stats":["health","strength"],
+    "tasks":[
+      "Drinking plenty of water"
+    ]
+  },
+  "Lesser Dwarf":{
+    "stats":["constitution"]
+  },
+  "Low Elf":{
+    "stats":["constitution"]
+  },
+  "Panda Man":{
+    "stats":["constitution","strength"]
+  },
+  "Skraeling":{
+    "stats":["wisdom"],
+    "tasks":[
+      [10, "Fighting for native peoples' rights"]
+    ]
+  },
+  "Talking Pony":{
+    "stats":["intelligence","magic"],
+    "tasks":[
+      [4, "Singing their theme song"]
+    ]
+  },
+  "Trans-Kobold":{
+    "stats":["wisdom"],
+    "tasks":[
+      [10, "#TransRights"]
+    ]
+  },
+  "Will o' the Wisp":{
+    "stats":["wisdom"],
+    "tasks":[
+      "Looking for lamp oil"
+    ]
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/data/classes.lua b/src/data/classes.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..80b7644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/data/classes.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+local constants = require "data.constants"
+local utility = require "lib.utility"
+
+local classes = utility.load_data("classes.json")
+
+-- TODO abstract out since this is shared between classes and races
+for name, data in pairs(classes) do
+  if type(data.tasks) == "string" then
+    data.tasks = { data.tasks }
+  elseif not data.tasks then
+    data.tasks = {}
+  end
+
+  local tasks = data.tasks
+  for index, task in ipairs(tasks) do
+    if type(task) == "string" then
+      local time = #task * constants.reading_time_multiplier
+      -- TODO decide on a random amount of extra time to add
+      tasks[index] = {time, time, task}
+    if #task == 1 then
+      local time = #task[1] * constants.reading_time_multiplier
+      -- TODO decide on a random amount of extra time to add
+      tasks[index] = {time, time, task[1]}
+    elseif #task == 2 then
+      local time = tasks[1]
+      -- TODO decide on a random amount of extra time to add
+      tasks[index] = {time, time, task[2]}
+    end
+  end
+end
+
+return classes
diff --git a/src/data/constants.lua b/src/data/constants.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a7b14c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/data/constants.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+return {
+  progress_bar_height = 30,
+  reading_time_multiplier = 1 / 12,
+}
diff --git a/src/data/races.lua b/src/data/races.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..04051f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/data/races.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+local constants = require "data.constants"
+local utility = require "lib.utility"
+
+local races = utility.load_data("races.json")
+
+-- TODO abstract out since this is shared between classes and races
+for name, data in pairs(races) do
+  if type(data.tasks) == "string" then
+    data.tasks = { data.tasks }
+  elseif not data.tasks then
+    data.tasks = {}
+  end
+
+  local tasks = data.tasks
+  for index, task in ipairs(tasks) do
+    if type(task) == "string" then
+      local time = #task * constants.reading_time_multiplier
+      -- TODO decide on a random amount of extra time to add
+      tasks[index] = {time, time, task}
+    if #task == 1 then
+      local time = #task[1] * constants.reading_time_multiplier
+      -- TODO decide on a random amount of extra time to add
+      tasks[index] = {time, time, task[1]}
+    elseif #task == 2 then
+      local time = tasks[1]
+      -- TODO decide on a random amount of extra time to add
+      tasks[index] = {time, time, task[2]}
+    end
+  end
+end
+
+return races
diff --git a/src/main.lua b/src/main.lua
index 96335a6..8f7db60 100644
--- a/src/main.lua
+++ b/src/main.lua
@@ -10,20 +10,20 @@ log{
   testing = true,
 }
 
--- local json_load_test = utility.load_data("test.json")
--- utility.print_table(json_load_test)
+local constants = requrie "data.constants"
+local classes = require "data.classes"
+local races = require "data.races"
 
 -- test progress_bar
 local window_width, window_height = love.graphics.getDimensions()
-local progress_bar_height = 30 -- TODO should not be hardcoded
-local test_bar = progress_bar(0, window_height - progress_bar_height * 2, window_width, progress_bar_height)
+local test_bar = progress_bar(0, window_height - constants.progress_bar_height * 2, window_width, constants.progress_bar_height)
 
 local test_message = "This is a test text string of significant length. It exists to test printing over a progress bar."
 log("testing", #test_message)
 test_bar:set_text(test_message)
 -- test:set_progress(math.random())
 
-local test_timer = timer.every(#test_message / 12, function() log("testing", "The timer completed.") end) -- TODO consider making timer not need a function; cause I don't here!
+local test_timer = timer.every(#test_message * constants.reading_time_multiplier, function() log("testing", "The timer completed.") end) -- TODO consider making timer not need a function; cause I don't here!
 
 local task_queue
 task_queue = {
@@ -32,34 +32,38 @@ task_queue = {
   end,
 }
 
-local total_pages = 500
-local current_page = 0
-local pages_progress_bar = progress_bar(0, window_height - progress_bar_height, window_width, progress_bar_height, total_pages / current_page)
-local update_pages_progress_bar = function(increment)
-  current_page = current_page + (increment or 0)
-  pages_progress_bar:set_progress(current_page / total_pages)
-  pages_progress_bar:set_text("Reading: Page " .. current_page .. "/" .. total_pages .. " (" .. math.floor(current_page / total_pages * 100 * 10) / 10 .. "%)")
+
+
+local book = utility.load_data("book.json")
+local book_progress = progress_bar(0, window_height - constants.progress_bar_height, window_width, constants.progress_bar_height)
+local update_book_progress = function(increment)
+  book.current_page = book.current_page + (increment or 0)
+  book_progress:set_progress(book.current_page / book.total_pages)
+  book_progress:set_text("Reading: Page " .. book.current_page .. "/" .. book.total_pages .. " (" .. math.floor(book.current_page / book.total_pages * 100 * 10) / 10 .. "%)")
 end
-update_pages_progress_bar()
+update_book_progress()
 
 love.update = function(dt)
   lovebird.update()
   timer.update(dt)
+
   test_bar:set_progress(test_timer.run_time / test_timer:get_interval())
 end
 
 love.draw = function()
   test_bar:draw()
-  pages_progress_bar:draw()
+
+  book_progress:draw()
 end
 
 love.keypressed = function(key)
   if key == "escape" then
     -- TODO save any remaining log
+    utility.save_data(book)
     love.event.quit()
   elseif key == "left" then
-    update_pages_progress_bar(-1)
+    update_book_progress(-1)
   elseif key == "right" then
-    update_pages_progress_bar(1)
+    update_book_progress(1)
   end
 end