Uploaded November 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Brandon @ Brandon's Bookshelf created the tag, his video:
youtu.be/bBdn7jWT85k

I saw it first done by the exemplary Michael K. Vaughan:
youtu.be/qX7iovZSRSI

And I have now watched Steve Donoghue's version! (We both talk about J.K.! For the record I don't think it is my business to tell you whether or not to read or talk about her and her books.)
youtu.be/PUcTVIBzJPQ

And many more wonderful booktubers have and are probably doing the tag as I type this!

The Questions:

1. What's most important...a good character, plot, or message?
2. Should one read books about ideas or opinions they disagree with?
3. As tech advances, what do you think will be the role of books?
4. How important are summaries, review, and art in your book choosing?
5. Should one ever skim or scan a book?
6. Should reading always be enjoyable?
7. Is it important to be well-read?
8. What is your book buying process?
9. What is your reading process?
10. How do you use what you read?
11. If you could download a book to your brain, would you still read?
12. What are your views on rereading a book?
13. What makes a book good?
14. What makes a book bad?
15. How do you feel about not finishing a book?
16. Should the author's personal life matter at all?
17. If you could only read one genre for the rest of time, what would it be?
18. Do you ever read a book without knowing anything about it?
19. What author, genre, series, or culture can you just not get into? Why?
20. Do you think everyone should read? Why?

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I missed #17. Probably literature cause everyone knows that good science fiction and good horror and good romance and good spy novels and anything else that is really good is ACTUALLY literature in disguise and not that disgusting genre stuff. Oh and poetry too.

Books mentioned:

Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset (translated by Tiina Nunnally)
The Little Strangers by Sarah Waters
All Our Relations: Finding the Path Forward by Tanya Talaga
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Book I hated mentioning:

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
Traitor's Blade by Sebastien de Castell (The fantasy novel I really, really hate read. It has a 4.05 rating on goodreads, 75% of reviews are 4 stars and above. All signs point to you loving this.. printed matter.)

And yes, J.K. and Orson.

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Sometimes I worry about coming off as a complete asshole. But then I realize that I should just be myself - which means being an ass, sometimes.

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Now if I was to tag someone. I would certain probably tag Shawn the Book Maniac, he is awesome and a great buddy reader as well:
@shawnbreathesbooks

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I've turned off my comments (for a little while). The comments I've gotten in the past are great. I'm just neurotic guy and have been stressed over keeping up my end. Want to hear more? Check out this video:
youtu.be/9lg2c0f-doo
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(Video 449)