Shawn Breathes Books | Shawn the Book Maniac’s Besties & Worsties of 2023 @shawnbreathesbooks | Uploaded January 2024 | Updated October 2024, 2 hours ago.
Shawn the Book Maniac’s Besties & Worsties of 2023
Should you wish, support me on my new Patreon account: patreon.com/user?u=75826765
If you don’t want to do a regular monthly thing, but would like to make a one-time contribution, here is my PayPal-registered email address: shawnmooneyinjapan@gmail.com
My Patreon announcement video: youtu.be/iMNWAKxp7Ak
My sample narration - a short story by Nellie McClung: youtu.be/rHP_lbCPTwQ
The awards - in chronological order:
Best opening line or paragraph
Sexiest writing or scene
Best cover
Book I wish I’d bailed on
Favorite character
Best conclusion
Favorite short story
Book that’s stayed with me / is aging well
Most vivid setting
The most surprising bail
Most moving passage or scene
Most surprising scene
Goofiest, bestest quote of the year
The book I am most likely to reread the soonest
Top 5 Nonfiction
The bail I am most likely to try again
The most surprising five star read
The most disappointing read
My worst read
The book I liked or loved that’s faded away the most
Best title
Bookish New Years resolutions
Top 5 Fiction
The Books (in alphabetical order by author)
I’ve had to delete a lot of the Goodreads links because I exceeded the YouTube character limit
The Stromness Dinner by Peter Benson
goodreads.com/book/show/55545404-the-stromness-dinner?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=vfoxUh5qRK&rank=1
My full review: youtu.be/kKqKL6ku6Qs
Leaving Wisdom by Sharon Butala
goodreads.com/book/show/68021998-leaving-wisdom?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_10
My interview with Sharon about this novel: youtu.be/fjqQwzjdRcE?si=ssOrVRXjCkCAuqGu
The Perfection of the Morning: An Apprenticeship in Nature by Sharon Butala
My interview with Sharon about this memoir: youtu.be/qxLEb2oiWm0?si=sfEe3-Tb4y7LdeSq
Writing Home: Selected Essays by David Carpenter
goodreads.com/book/show/122584842
A Month In The Country by J.L Carr
goodreads.com/book/show/60707.A_Month_in_the_Country?ac=1&from_search=true
We Are Coming Home: Repatriation and the Restoration of Blackfoot Cultural Confidence by Gerald T. Conaty (Editor)
‘Draupadi’ in Breast Stories by Mahasweta Devi
Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak (Translator)
goodreads.com/book/show/31453654-breast-stories
A Decent World by Ellen Hawley
goodreads.com/book/show/175356415-a-decent-world
The World and All That It Holds by Aleksandar Hemon
All Down Darkness Wide by Seán Hewitt
Thank You, Mr. Nixon by Gish Jen
Bad Cree by Jessica Johns
'Swim Team' in No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July
goodreads.com/book/show/2066751.No_One_Belongs_Here_More_Than_You
Available online here: eng102qk.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/the-swim-team-july.pdf
I discussed this story and 2 others with Sarah and Jenny in this episode of the Bookcast Club podcast: youtu.be/Zx1TMQvTMNY?si=L9O6i7o_ItluA9ll
Trespasses by Louise Kennedy
Indians on Vacation: A Novel by Thomas King
Grey Bees by Andrey Kurkov
Boris Dralyuk (Goodreads Author) (Translator)
They Came Like Swallows by William Maxwell
goodreads.com/book/show/791973.They_Came_Like_Swallows
The Sleeping Car Porter by Suzette Mayr
My full review: youtu.be/9vkyaFzmSUw?si=ye7yRp-9d0qgifSO
Small Joys by Elvin James Mensah
goodreads.com/book/show/61612872-small-joys
Kibogo by Scholastique Mukasonga
Mark Polizzotti (Translator)
Voting Day by Clare O'Dea
Mayflies by Andrew O'Hagan
Marzahn, mon amour by Katja Oskamp
Jo Heinrich (Translator)
goodreads.com/book/show/59737256-marzahn-mon-amour
My ‘mystery guest’ chat with Jo starts at 1:13 here: youtu.be/f1fw4hzeHOU?si=ENI-2D_5Zgc6FnCK
Loop Tracks by Sue Orr
goodreads.com/book/show/57958363-loop-tracks?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=pAWLCdgkcV&rank=1
Little Blue Encyclopedia (for Vivian) by Hazel Jane Plante
goodreads.com/book/show/46161306-little-blue-encyclopedia
Crampton Hodnet by Barbara Pym
(My full review: youtube.com/watch?v=jW0nzHUCPAc&t=462s)
The Last Englishman: The Life of J. L. Carr by Byron Rogers
Do Let's Have Another Drink!: The Dry Wit and Fizzy Life of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother by Gareth Russell
Collected Works by Lydia Sandgren
Agnes Broomé (Translator)
goodreads.com/book/show/60334013-collected-works
My full review: youtu.be/h49vGte0dIY?si=1GWYjRNvvpC7zLJE
After Sappho by Selby Wynn Schwartz
And Then He Sang a Lullaby by Ani Kayode Somtochukwu
My chat with Emeka about this novel: youtu.be/3wxxW_1vOAA?si=a0gebUJhbn7g7bZH
*Where else to follow me:*
@shawnmooney on Litsy and on Twitter
@shawnthebookmaniac on Instagram and Threads
@shawnthebookmaniac.bsky.social on Bluesky
My Goodreads is goodreads.com/user/show/50408211-shawn-mooney
My Patreon is patreon.com/user?u=75826765
Shawn the Book Maniac’s Besties & Worsties of 2023
Should you wish, support me on my new Patreon account: patreon.com/user?u=75826765
If you don’t want to do a regular monthly thing, but would like to make a one-time contribution, here is my PayPal-registered email address: shawnmooneyinjapan@gmail.com
My Patreon announcement video: youtu.be/iMNWAKxp7Ak
My sample narration - a short story by Nellie McClung: youtu.be/rHP_lbCPTwQ
The awards - in chronological order:
Best opening line or paragraph
Sexiest writing or scene
Best cover
Book I wish I’d bailed on
Favorite character
Best conclusion
Favorite short story
Book that’s stayed with me / is aging well
Most vivid setting
The most surprising bail
Most moving passage or scene
Most surprising scene
Goofiest, bestest quote of the year
The book I am most likely to reread the soonest
Top 5 Nonfiction
The bail I am most likely to try again
The most surprising five star read
The most disappointing read
My worst read
The book I liked or loved that’s faded away the most
Best title
Bookish New Years resolutions
Top 5 Fiction
The Books (in alphabetical order by author)
I’ve had to delete a lot of the Goodreads links because I exceeded the YouTube character limit
The Stromness Dinner by Peter Benson
goodreads.com/book/show/55545404-the-stromness-dinner?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=vfoxUh5qRK&rank=1
My full review: youtu.be/kKqKL6ku6Qs
Leaving Wisdom by Sharon Butala
goodreads.com/book/show/68021998-leaving-wisdom?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_10
My interview with Sharon about this novel: youtu.be/fjqQwzjdRcE?si=ssOrVRXjCkCAuqGu
The Perfection of the Morning: An Apprenticeship in Nature by Sharon Butala
My interview with Sharon about this memoir: youtu.be/qxLEb2oiWm0?si=sfEe3-Tb4y7LdeSq
Writing Home: Selected Essays by David Carpenter
goodreads.com/book/show/122584842
A Month In The Country by J.L Carr
goodreads.com/book/show/60707.A_Month_in_the_Country?ac=1&from_search=true
We Are Coming Home: Repatriation and the Restoration of Blackfoot Cultural Confidence by Gerald T. Conaty (Editor)
‘Draupadi’ in Breast Stories by Mahasweta Devi
Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak (Translator)
goodreads.com/book/show/31453654-breast-stories
A Decent World by Ellen Hawley
goodreads.com/book/show/175356415-a-decent-world
The World and All That It Holds by Aleksandar Hemon
All Down Darkness Wide by Seán Hewitt
Thank You, Mr. Nixon by Gish Jen
Bad Cree by Jessica Johns
'Swim Team' in No One Belongs Here More Than You by Miranda July
goodreads.com/book/show/2066751.No_One_Belongs_Here_More_Than_You
Available online here: eng102qk.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/the-swim-team-july.pdf
I discussed this story and 2 others with Sarah and Jenny in this episode of the Bookcast Club podcast: youtu.be/Zx1TMQvTMNY?si=L9O6i7o_ItluA9ll
Trespasses by Louise Kennedy
Indians on Vacation: A Novel by Thomas King
Grey Bees by Andrey Kurkov
Boris Dralyuk (Goodreads Author) (Translator)
They Came Like Swallows by William Maxwell
goodreads.com/book/show/791973.They_Came_Like_Swallows
The Sleeping Car Porter by Suzette Mayr
My full review: youtu.be/9vkyaFzmSUw?si=ye7yRp-9d0qgifSO
Small Joys by Elvin James Mensah
goodreads.com/book/show/61612872-small-joys
Kibogo by Scholastique Mukasonga
Mark Polizzotti (Translator)
Voting Day by Clare O'Dea
Mayflies by Andrew O'Hagan
Marzahn, mon amour by Katja Oskamp
Jo Heinrich (Translator)
goodreads.com/book/show/59737256-marzahn-mon-amour
My ‘mystery guest’ chat with Jo starts at 1:13 here: youtu.be/f1fw4hzeHOU?si=ENI-2D_5Zgc6FnCK
Loop Tracks by Sue Orr
goodreads.com/book/show/57958363-loop-tracks?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=pAWLCdgkcV&rank=1
Little Blue Encyclopedia (for Vivian) by Hazel Jane Plante
goodreads.com/book/show/46161306-little-blue-encyclopedia
Crampton Hodnet by Barbara Pym
(My full review: youtube.com/watch?v=jW0nzHUCPAc&t=462s)
The Last Englishman: The Life of J. L. Carr by Byron Rogers
Do Let's Have Another Drink!: The Dry Wit and Fizzy Life of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother by Gareth Russell
Collected Works by Lydia Sandgren
Agnes Broomé (Translator)
goodreads.com/book/show/60334013-collected-works
My full review: youtu.be/h49vGte0dIY?si=1GWYjRNvvpC7zLJE
After Sappho by Selby Wynn Schwartz
And Then He Sang a Lullaby by Ani Kayode Somtochukwu
My chat with Emeka about this novel: youtu.be/3wxxW_1vOAA?si=a0gebUJhbn7g7bZH
*Where else to follow me:*
@shawnmooney on Litsy and on Twitter
@shawnthebookmaniac on Instagram and Threads
@shawnthebookmaniac.bsky.social on Bluesky
My Goodreads is goodreads.com/user/show/50408211-shawn-mooney
My Patreon is patreon.com/user?u=75826765
