Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
The literary retrospective playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtC_w7mkdBBx0azNIvy9GJz9TSPk0U9CG
Step into a literary time machine! This playlist spans decades of iconic books, from the 1960s to present day, exploring the stories that shaped and reflected the times. Whether you're drawn to the counterculture of the '60s, the bold narratives of the 2000s, or the modern classics of the 2020s, these videos are packed with insights and nostalgia for every book lover.
Each video dives into the notable books of a specific year, literary award winners, cultural and historical context, and personal reflections on how these stories resonate today. From To Kill a Mockingbird to The Lovely Bones, Life of Pi to Atonement, discover or rediscover the books that defined generations.
Some books mentioned:
Robert E. Lee by Roy Blount amzn.to/483fDPb
Any Human Heart by William Boyd amzn.to/4pkRs5R
The Point of Return by Siddharta Deb amzn.to/3X8uF17
Great Neck by Jay Cantor amzn.to/48o4LNc
I Should Be Extremely Happy in Your Company by Brian Hall amzn.to/3XbNAIq
The Big House by George Howe Colt amzn.to/4obJFGL
Gilligan’s Wake by Tom Carson amzn.to/4oPnp6l
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides amzn.to/49wUmjw
W B Yeats the Arch Poet by R F Foster amzn.to/4o60xyo
The Double Life of Doctor Lopez by Dominic Green amzn.to/4p1I1bN
The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard amzn.to/49rtxgv
All the Beautiful Sinners by Stephen Graham Jones amzn.to/3JPqPqO
All the Shah’s Men by Stephen Kinzer amzn.to/43DDEer
The Peloponnesian War by Donald Kagan amzn.to/4idigmm
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri amzn.to/49xs9ck
They Marched into Sunlight by David Maraniss amzn.to/4ibFycj
Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre amzn.to/4poJ2KR
The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds amzn.to/3X8nGVW
Regarding the Pain of Others by Susan Sontag amzn.to/3X50esL
Jarhead by Anthony Swofford amzn.to/4a4oOl4
Some Hope by Edward St. Aubyn amzn.to/3X8nWEo
The Songs of the Kings by Barry Unsworth amzn.to/48obg2y
For Bea by Kristin Von Kreisler amzn.to/3K5YHjc
Still Holding by Bruce Wagner amzn.to/4icjtdp
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems amzn.to/3XHbqfg
Hawthorne by Brenda Wineapple amzn.to/3LPuG7M
Vlogs:
Life's highs and lows | slow living nestled within a busy schedule - youtu.be/3ByTYHpoFc4
Slow Days, Small Joys | Weekend Vlog + What I've Been Reading - youtu.be/qb9oRM50xS8
Videos you might enjoy:
50 videos in 50 days playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtC_w7mkdBBylbDYg1NLcGXSXlZ8dhKKv
The Best Books of 2025 (so far) | youtu.be/utOF42bQRvs
5 historical fiction books you've probably never heard of | youtu.be/nX32K3ZKIpc
Why so many Booktubers disappear (original video): youtu.be/OuLzxm4tISs
Why so many Booktubers disappear (playlist): youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtC_w7mkdBBxizo0D9evc_FplP8hfUx-2
Makeup used:
Hannah Louise Poston X Salt New York saltnewyork.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoph11sTSWTtHEC29jmbZOj9FJRr_zNY9j-lwPrR4n_qhlAS5BR3
Amuse me in my inbox - rachelle.e.swearingen (at) gmail.com
Befriend me on Goodreads -goodreads.com/user/show/139310469-shelly-swearingen
Drop by on Instagram - Shellyish
FTC disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission for purchases made through some of the links.
The literary retrospective playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtC_w7mkdBBx0azNIvy9GJz9TSPk0U9CG
Step into a literary time machine! This playlist spans decades of iconic books, from the 1960s to present day, exploring the stories that shaped and reflected the times. Whether you're drawn to the counterculture of the '60s, the bold narratives of the 2000s, or the modern classics of the 2020s, these videos are packed with insights and nostalgia for every book lover.
Each video dives into the notable books of a specific year, literary award winners, cultural and historical context, and personal reflections on how these stories resonate today. From To Kill a Mockingbird to The Lovely Bones, Life of Pi to Atonement, discover or rediscover the books that defined generations.
Some books mentioned:
Robert E. Lee by Roy Blount amzn.to/483fDPb
Any Human Heart by William Boyd amzn.to/4pkRs5R
The Point of Return by Siddharta Deb amzn.to/3X8uF17
Great Neck by Jay Cantor amzn.to/48o4LNc
I Should Be Extremely Happy in Your Company by Brian Hall amzn.to/3XbNAIq
The Big House by George Howe Colt amzn.to/4obJFGL
Gilligan’s Wake by Tom Carson amzn.to/4oPnp6l
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides amzn.to/49wUmjw
W B Yeats the Arch Poet by R F Foster amzn.to/4o60xyo
The Double Life of Doctor Lopez by Dominic Green amzn.to/4p1I1bN
The Great Fire by Shirley Hazzard amzn.to/49rtxgv
All the Beautiful Sinners by Stephen Graham Jones amzn.to/3JPqPqO
All the Shah’s Men by Stephen Kinzer amzn.to/43DDEer
The Peloponnesian War by Donald Kagan amzn.to/4idigmm
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri amzn.to/49xs9ck
They Marched into Sunlight by David Maraniss amzn.to/4ibFycj
Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre amzn.to/4poJ2KR
The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds amzn.to/3X8nGVW
Regarding the Pain of Others by Susan Sontag amzn.to/3X50esL
Jarhead by Anthony Swofford amzn.to/4a4oOl4
Some Hope by Edward St. Aubyn amzn.to/3X8nWEo
The Songs of the Kings by Barry Unsworth amzn.to/48obg2y
For Bea by Kristin Von Kreisler amzn.to/3K5YHjc
Still Holding by Bruce Wagner amzn.to/4icjtdp
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems amzn.to/3XHbqfg
Hawthorne by Brenda Wineapple amzn.to/3LPuG7M
Vlogs:
Life's highs and lows | slow living nestled within a busy schedule - youtu.be/3ByTYHpoFc4
Slow Days, Small Joys | Weekend Vlog + What I've Been Reading - youtu.be/qb9oRM50xS8
Videos you might enjoy:
50 videos in 50 days playlist: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtC_w7mkdBBylbDYg1NLcGXSXlZ8dhKKv
The Best Books of 2025 (so far) | youtu.be/utOF42bQRvs
5 historical fiction books you've probably never heard of | youtu.be/nX32K3ZKIpc
Why so many Booktubers disappear (original video): youtu.be/OuLzxm4tISs
Why so many Booktubers disappear (playlist): youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtC_w7mkdBBxizo0D9evc_FplP8hfUx-2
Makeup used:
Hannah Louise Poston X Salt New York saltnewyork.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoph11sTSWTtHEC29jmbZOj9FJRr_zNY9j-lwPrR4n_qhlAS5BR3
Amuse me in my inbox - rachelle.e.swearingen (at) gmail.com
Befriend me on Goodreads -goodreads.com/user/show/139310469-shelly-swearingen
Drop by on Instagram - Shellyish
FTC disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission for purchases made through some of the links.
