Slowness Milan Kundera [Book Discussion] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2023-10-08 | An intriguing later-life novella by a celebrated Czech and French author, who died earlier this year (2023).0:00 Intro1:47 A need for speed3:55 Attention deficit6:47 The dancer and the elect7:49 Critical reception and public discussion of the work11:23 Alternate readingsI read this book at the end of 2022 with Davood Gozli and his reading group. See Davood's discussion of the book here:youtu.be/d6v9v0ScyUs?si=R-vq6nU5KBNF7IVlI also recommend his discussion of Kundera's "The Art of the Novel":youtu.be/czft97k6tBs?si=-cACqrdKvra7fT2VOTHER REFERENCES:Tim Jones's exploration of the novel, referenced in this video: pdfs.semanticscholar.org/02ae/838ea643e7b19402d4b582c8fe1c3594ca51.pdfAngeline Goreau's review of the novel for the NY Times:archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/98/05/17/specials/kundera-speed.htmlAnother short book synopsis quoted in the video:spiritualityandpractice.com/book-reviews/view/7328/slowness
Play It As It Lays Joan Didion Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2024-10-02 | "I mean maybe I was holding all the aces, but what was the game?"0:00 Intro0:40 Joan Didion3:42 What is this book?5:20 A tabloid novel7:54 Thwarted motherhood10:13 Riffing off Roxane Gay’s reading12:26 Victim of her own decisions?13:19 Silver mine with a rattlesnake15:52 One other thingFor book giveaway, email mikegseclecticreads@gmail.com. I'll allow a few weeks (or until the first response if longer) and then put a note here once it's been claimed.
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich – William Shirer [Book Discussion and Deep Dive] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2024-09-16 | William Shirer's account of Nazi Germany told just 15 years after the end of the war, though in some moments dated and/or highly biased, still certainly deserves its reputation as a classic.0:00 Intro0:48 About the author3:10 Yes this book is huge but7:06 The Rise of Adolf Hitler10:19 Triumph and Consolidation16:40 The Road to War22:12 (A digression on Realpolitik)28:57 Early Victories and the Turning Point31:24 The Beginning of the End41:01 The Fall of the Third Reich42:44 Final thoughtsAlso mentioned in this video:* The Tragedy of Great Power Politics – John Mearsheimer* The Diary of a Young Girl – Anne Frank* Night – Elie Wiesel* Germany: A Nation in Its Time: Before, During, and After Nationalism, 1500-2000 – Helmut Walser-Smith
Friday Reads 3 Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2024-08-17 | This time, actually on Friday.0:00 Intro1:23 Curtain -- Agatha Christie2:25 Poirot and Me -- David Suchet5:54 The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes -- Arthur Conan Doyle10:04 War and Peace -- Leo Tolstoy15:10 The Sun Also Rises -- Ernest Hemingway22:14 Jane Eyre -- Charlotte Brontë26:31 Beautiful World, Where Are You -- Sally Rooney35:02 Prophet Song -- Paul Lynch49:13 Play It As It Lays -- Joan Didion50:08 German history books50:55 The End
In Cold Blood Truman Capote [Book Discussion] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2024-07-20 | This forerunner of the true crime genre surprised me in the end with the effort the author puts into getting to know his protagonists -- two cold-blooded killers.
A Thousand Acres Jane Smiley [Book Discussion] [Spoilers Second Half] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2024-06-28 | Jane Smiley's American retelling of Shakespeare's "King Lear" brings fresh new perspective to an old classic.0:00 Intro1:37 The art of retellingSPOILERS BEGIN7:23 Three ways of dealing with conflict16:45 The prodigal son20:40 Some character nitpicks?25:07 A few forced parallels30:00 Alternate ending
A Man Lay Dead Ngaio Marsh [Book Discussion] [Spoilers Second Half] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2024-05-26 | In Marsh's first of 32 detective novels, a murder game at a party provides cover for an actual murderer.0:00 Intro0:19 Queen of crime (fiction)1:49 A murder “game”2:49 Not quite there yetSPOILERS BEGIN7:59 The perfect crime10:46 Missed opportunity
Friday Reads 2 Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2024-05-19 | Another loosely structured, barely edited reflection on what I've been reading lately.================Mentioned in the video, Davood's reading group:youtube.com/@DavoodGozli
The Big Four Agatha Christie [Book Review] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2024-04-15 | At long last, I return to the one Poirot novel I couldn't finish my first time through, for a second chance.0:00 The Big Four6:03 What’s next after Curtain?
Elephants Can Remember Agatha Christie [Book Review] [Spoilers Second Half] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2024-04-14 | This mystery is so uninteresting that not even Hercule Poirot himself can be bothered to care about it.0:00 Intro1:31 Elephants can remember4:25 Super convoluted5:05 They remember6:19 Because they are elephants7:25 Ariadne OliverSPOILERS begin8:03 Maybe solvable, with heroic patience10:16 Psycho killer?10:57 Poirot is bored12:28 Elephants can remember12:59 Elephants13:27 can13:45 remember
Halloween Party Agatha Christie [Book Review] [Spoilers Second Half] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2024-04-13 | One of the darker installments in the Poirot series ... is it a trick or a treat?0:00 Hallowe’en!1:28 A surprisingly dark novel2:39 Nonlinear storytelling4:45 Irksome aspects6:53 Better upon reflection?SPOILERS BEGIN8:23 Some decent clues and some great ones13:08 Detective Psychologist Poirot14:45 Outro
Third Girl Agatha Christie [Book Review] [Spoilers Second Half] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2024-04-12 | A psychedelic romp around London (and the countryside) with Poirot, Ms. Oliver, and a mysterious girl who confesses to Poirot that she "may have committed a murder."0:00 IntroSPOILERS BEGIN5:08 A fair puzzle mystery
The Employees Olga Ravn [Book Discussion] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2024-03-09 | A series of short exit interviews with a spaceship's crew touch upon psychological and philosophical questions about what it is to be human.====================Review from Willow Talks Books (this is how I first learned about the book):youtu.be/O3WcsAlIWuk?si=Hn3UwN97vpStEu_c
The Clocks Agatha Christie [Book Discussion] [Spoilers Second Half] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2024-03-03 | What seems like a promising start to the novel turns out to be what Poirot calls one of the most unimaginative crimes he's ever seen.0:00 Intro2:45 A well-paced novel, maybe5:34 Subpar mystery plotSPOILERS BEGIN7:13 Who are the suspects?9:01 On coincidence11:47 Red herrings not that fishy14:42 The clock
Sense and Sensibility Jane Austen [Book Discussion] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2024-02-19 | Austen's first novel explores how our cherished values and beliefs often limit us when we esteem them too greatly.0:00 Intro 2:16 Character development and probing6:46 A more melancholic Austen novel10:30 A classic romance?17:37 Sense or sensibility?19:57 Outro
Cat Among the Pigeons Agatha Christie [Book Discussion] [Spoilers Second Half] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2024-01-11 | An international mystery comes to a girls' boarding school in this odd one out among the Poirot series.0:00 Intro0:47 Not your typical Poirot mysterySPOILERS, ALREADY4:15 Tennis rackets galore6:05 Dubious tropes, done well7:24 Possibly solvable9:17 Wrapping up
Mikes Best Reads of 2023 Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2024-01-04 | The title says it all.0:00 Intro2:08 The Old Man and the Sea3:08 The Twist of a Knife4:59 My Year of Rest and Relaxation6:01 Sense and Sensibility6:58 The Thirteen Problems8:00 Slouching Towards Bethlehem9:11 The Fall10:09 Americanah11:01 God Human Animal Machine11:51 Born a CrimeLinks to channels I mentioned:Davood Gozli (reflections on literature, psychology, and philosophy): youtube.com/@DavoodGozliJohn David (BookTube veteran and recently a host of Historathon):youtube.com/@NicholasOfAutrecourtHistorathon 2024:youtube.com/watch?v=bjRS9Btfg2Yyoutu.be/iYizzfmrZcI?si=_B9zjBjoOhTkkQDS
The Old Man and the Sea Ernest Hemingway [Book Discussion] [Some Spoilers] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2024-01-02 | Hemingway's final novella published during his lifetime was a simple tale, but one beautifully told.0:00 Intro1:16 More than just a parable2:46 A reflection on aging4:32 Human vs nature6:45 A modern touch8:17 Final thoughts
Americanah Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie [Book Discussion] [Spoilers at the End] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2023-12-10 | A young Nigerian woman attends a university in the U.S. and over time finds she is neither fully American nor fully Nigerian anymore.I've had this video just lying in the vault for almost a year at this point ... after I started working on it, I just wasn't that happy with the overall quality. But I finally decided it had a lot of good stuff in it and finished it up, and I'm glad I did. (Sorry about the audio distortions!)0:00 Intro1:20 A Nigerian novel3:13 A dense, rich novel (sometimes)6:31 When things get overly academic9:07 A “message” book?13:10 Personal depth but with plenty of humor16:40 An immigrant's experience in America(mild) SPOILERS BEGIN18:40 The ending===============================Other reviews I enjoyed and/or referenced in the video:Chareads's review:youtu.be/2MZPMVvJUjU?si=dAGRPNrOr6hJczpVmynameismarines's review:youtube.com/watch?v=hMm9I2VocWYJoel Swagman's review: youtube.com/watch?v=i2HRlsimKRMNew York Times review (referenced in the video):nytimes.com/2013/05/20/books/americanha-by-chimamanda-ngozi-adichie.htmlWashington Post review (referenced in the video):washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/book-review-americanah-by-chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/2013/06/10/a9e5a522-d1de-11e2-9f1a-1a7cdee20287_story.htmlDebbie's Goodreads review (referenced in the video):(Although I offered a rebuttal to part of this review in the video, I think it's a fair review that's just more critical of the book than I was.)goodreads.com/review/show/948063693
A Month in the Country J. L. Carr [Book Discussion] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2023-11-05 | A recently returned WWI veteran tries to get his life back in order by spending the summer working in a rural English village.0:00 Intro1:40 A quiet novel2:34 Nostalgia5:16 A story of healing?6:51 Outro=========================MENTIONED IN THE REVIEW:John David's review of the book:youtu.be/dGPKlkfevlw?si=h9dEa5q8VnjyZHOzJesse Browner's review for NPR's "All Things Considered":npr.org/2011/09/29/140119187/this-miniature-masterpiece-is-quietly-transcendent
Dead Mans Folly Agatha Christie [Book Review] [Spoilers Second Half] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2023-09-24 | It was folly for me to record this review at this time of the evening. But it's not folly to read this book.0:00 Intro0:20 A good old country estate mystery1:10 Decent characters2:25 Who's up for a murder hunt?!3:08 A fun albeit wacky mystery plotSPOILERS BEGIN6:24 Just barely solvable?8:35 Questions galore10:16 The ending11:14 Wrapping up
A New World Begins Jeremy Popkin [Book Review] #Historathon2023 Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2023-07-26 | Jeremy Popkin's overview of the French Revolution is a coherent, albeit somewhat dry, introduction for those new to the topic.0:00 Historathon 2023 plug0:50 Intro2:40 The time frame3:44 Sober and chronological, perhaps to a fault7:39 A successful introduction to the French Revolution9:10 Napoleon Bonaparte and Toussaint Louverture10:19 Best and worst of the overall presentationRecurring themes in history:11:35 Reformists and revolutionaries14:06 Can liberties be violated to introduce liberalism?15:58 The driving force of the common people17:30 Final reflections===============================HISTORATHON INFO:I learned about #historathon2023 from @NicholasOfAutrecourt; watch his announcement video here: youtu.be/eU1F2EQ5txM. And for more details, check out the original announcement by the creator @revenantreads: youtu.be/MkzJ1BKpmG4Search for #historathon2023 for lots more history videos by other creators and! Q3 covers 1500-1820, but read whatever history you like ;)===============================WORKS REFERENCED:Reviews---------------Matt's Goodreads review (quoted in the video): goodreads.com/review/show/3487973920Z. F.'s Goodreads review (also quoted): goodreads.com/review/show/3679233741Videos---------------A documentary on the French Revolution (I'd recommend it): youtu.be/R9RJz8LLhZQCrash Course European History episode on the French Revolution: youtu.be/5fJl_ZX91l0===============================My Goodreads account:goodreads.com/user/show/5996769-mike
Hickory Dickory Dock Agatha Christie [Book Review] [Spoilers Second Half] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2023-06-17 | The Agatha Christie novel, not the nursery rhyme ... sorry kids.0:00 Intro1:10 Hostel setting2:34 Characters6:58 Deductions even too good for PoirotSPOILERS BEGIN8:18 Lots of mystery, lazy clues11:43 Boring back stories13:05 Outro===========================LINKSbookslikewhoa (Mara)'s review: youtu.be/MRUfBAM8IP8Considers the novel and its characters within their historical context.G. K. Chesterton's short story, "The Honour of Israel Gow": gutenberg.org/cache/epub/204/pg204-images.html#chap06Free (!) public domain text of G. K. Chesterton's mystery from his first collection "The Innocence of Father Brown", in which the crux of the mystery is a similar question of what several seemingly disconnected items have in common.
God Human Animal Machine Meghan OGieblyn [Book Review] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2023-05-14 | Journalist Meghan O' Gieblyn takes on religion, philosophy of mind, and AI in a memoir-ish journey that resonates as strongly as ever in 2023.0:00 Intro2:32 The inevitability of antrophocentrism4:30 Disenchantment and reenchantment6:12 Seeking a basis for human knowledge and meaning8:02 A philosophical memoir for a popular audience11:10 Philosophical theories of mind and metaphysics13:56 Who should read this?16:50 Outro
The Black Tulip Alexandre Dumas [Short Book Review] [Spoilers] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2023-05-08 | A novel as melodramatic as Dumas's best, but with much duller characters.I filmed this one before fixing my audio gain issues (it's pretty bad), but wanted to release it anyway. Sorry about that!
Beautiful Country Qian Julie Wang [Book Review] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2023-03-19 | Qian Julie Wang recalls her experience as a young girl relocating to a "beautiful country" and adjusting to this new life.(Note: I tried to improve my audio quality but I seem to have achieved the opposite. Thanks for bearing with me for the next few videos as I work to get things right.)0:00 Intro1:00 A child’s story5:27 Growing up Chinese in the U.S.7:47 Growing up poor in the U.S.9:10 Growing up undocumented in the U.S.10:16 Still a joyful story10:41 A strong ending=========================The Bookish Land (Meonicorn): youtu.be/ktaKO2KvsKgThe review that first alerted me to this book's existence.
The Devotion Of Suspect X Keigo Higashino [Book Review] [Spoilers Second Half] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2023-03-13 | You know the hokey math analogies will be coming on strong in this mystery when there's already a variable in the title.0:00 Intro1:37 Unconventional framing4:53 SPOILER ALERT5:35 An inconsistent character10:30 A math “genius”13:59 Other characters14:44 The solution16:10 Outro=====================================LINKS:Rincey Reads review: youtu.be/_8bLtNauZyAReddit comment on the portrayal of mathematicians (contains spoilers):reddit.com/r/books/comments/pl5zv0/i_like_math_but_i_did_not_like_how_ishigami_is
Knives Out [Film Review] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2023-03-02 | In a special FILM review, I review a mystery that really blew me away through its clever breaking of conventional detective fiction rules in a way that still felt true to the spirit of the genre that inspired it.
Klara and the Sun Kazuo Ishiguro [Book Review] [Spoilers After First Few Mins] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2023-02-10 | Klara would have had some rough evenings after Daylight Savings ended. Just like I did when filming this video.Note: I changed the way I was pronouncing “Ishiguro” when recording this video because I thought I was doing it wrong before, only to then learn that I was probably closer in the first place … oops!0:00 Intro0:43 Recurring Ishiguro themes2:56 Emotional weightSPOILERS BEGIN4:37 The Sun and religion8:45 Continuation of a human life13:52 The transformation16:50 Wrapping up===============================LINKS:Other recommended YouTube reviews:Eddiecational: youtu.be/Lo7e7T-bm3QA solid review, placing this story within the context of Ishiguro's other novels. Some spoilers.Kaela’s Archive: youtu.be/56BW9PD07qQAn extended and insightful reflection on the themes of the book, and an excellent possible interpretation of the ending. Spoilers (obviously).Books and Bao: youtu.be/rvOJIGJvGOwAn engaging and passionately positive review, as I always expect from this channel. Spoiler-free.Freshly Read Books: youtu.be/05aNeOgVEX4A more lukewarm, but ultimately still positive, review of the book. Spoilers.Short interview with Kazuo Ishiguro on the narrative perspective, themes, and framing: youtu.be/6GJ7mrqo9nQ Spoiler-free.
After The Funeral Agatha Christie [Book Review] [Spoilers Second Half] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2023-01-31 | A murder investigation starting from a funeral seems like a simple premise, but turns out more interesting than I originally expected.0:00 Intro 2:07 Dull characters4:09 SPOILERS BEGIN4:11 A deceptively simple premise6:45 The search for a motive8:07 The classic mid-novel poisoning attempt!10:10 Still dull characters11:19 Outro
Heaven Mieko Kawakami [Book Review] [Some Spoilers Throughout] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2023-01-19 | A story of two bullied teenagers that goes much deeper than I expected. [Translated by Sam Bett and David Boyd.](Sorry about some distortion on the audio – I’ve been experimenting with recording settings but haven’t gotten the gain exactly right.)0:00 Intro1:15 Getting started5:34 Two children8:02 Unrealistic characters13:34 Themes and philosophy21:03 As a whole23:14 Outro========================================REVIEWS:Books and Bao’s Youtube review: youtube.com/watch?v=S1BB2tp7cH8Where I first learned about this book.Lark Benobi’s Goodreads review: goodreads.com/review/show/3703276798 A brief and insightful review that I quoted in the video.The New Yorker:newyorker.com/magazine/2021/06/07/a-japanese-novelists-tale-of-bullying-and-nietzscheAn excellent review that explores the philosophical ideas inspiring and explored within “Heaven”.Harvard Review:harvardreview.org/book-review/heaven A shorter and less intricate, but also strong review.NPR:npr.org/2021/05/25/999907324/a-bullied-kid-finds-unconventional-freedom-in-heavenOne more short perspective on the novel’s themes and the relationship between the two main characters.
Top 15 Reads of 2022 Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2023-01-12 | It was another good year in the reading world. What more can I ask?0:00 Intro---1:19 Burning Down the House2:29 Wild Swans3:39 The Biggest Bluff4:53 The Lincoln Highway6:09 King Lear7:35 Stories of Your Life and Others8:09 Amusing Ourselves to Death9:01 Klara and the Sun10:09 Vanity Fair11:09 The Body in the Library11:35 Heaven13:38 Flowers for Algernon14:37 Slowness15:27 Beautiful Country17:12 Thank You, Mr. Nixon---18:33 Looking ahead
The Moving Finger Agatha Christie [Book Review] [Spoilers Second Half] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2022-12-19 | This isn't exactly the best review I've done, but that's OK because this isn't one of the best crimes Miss Marple has solved either.0:00 Intro1:07 Interesting characters (but just some of them)6:52 SPOILERS BEGIN7:06 Is the letter writer the murderer?11:16 Exceptionally incompetent detectives14:39 Other suspects18:09 Not my favorite mystery plot===============================My Goodreads profile: goodreads.com/user/show/5996769-mike
Either/Or Elif Batuman [Book Review] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2022-11-28 | Either read The Idiot first before reading Either/Or, Or just don't read this book at all.This review does contain spoilers in that I'll talk about what happens throughout the entire book, but it isn't a particularly "spoilable" book because the main interest lies in Selin's commentaries themselves, more than in any driving plot.====================0:00 Intro1:59 Was this book really necessary?7:10 Same great style, but not quite as fresh10:11 What’s new in sophomore year?14:29 Where does this all end up?
Vanity Fair William Makepeace Thackeray [Book Review] [Spoilers] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2022-11-11 | This incisive 1848 caricature of society still offers modern readers plenty of food for thought.0:00 Intro2:06 The ever-present narrator6:37 A tale of two women9:45 Products of circumstance and society12:10 A rigged game13:09 Delightfully flawed characters22:09 Outro=======================Suggested Videos:Meonicorn (The Bookish Land) -- youtu.be/O32aSL-5yAQ Alana Estelle -- youtu.be/TP5CivNGj-g Isabel’s Digest -- youtu.be/DfyUNZ8X7EY Davood Gozli on “deathbed scenes” in Don Quixote and in general -- youtu.be/eoI6AwnYtTo?t=602
The Body in the Library Agatha Christie [Book Review] [Spoilers Second Half] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2022-11-04 | Miss Marple is back on the scene when a body turns up in an unexpected location. No spoilers, but you can probably guess where that is.0:00 Intro3:10 The unidentified body trope4:52 Excellent setting and pacing[SPOILERS BEGIN]7:35 Whose body?11:16 Why is the body in the library?13:06 The right questions?
Amusing Ourselves To Death Neil Postman [Book Review] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2022-10-29 | In a prescient essay from 1985, Postman warns future generations of the dangers of TV, computers, and Sesame Street.* I erroneously state in the video that Indiana was the 18th state admitted to the Union -- a fact check while editing revealed that it was actually the 19th state, which can also be verified by counting the stars on the state flag. This would be an example of a statement that is both misinformation AND disinformation :)=============================0:00 Intro2:42 The age of show business5:07 Information and disinformation9:07 The danger of education as entertainment12:19 Was Postman right?14:09 Would Postman have hated this video?
Ageism Unmasked Tracey Gendron [Book Review] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2022-09-14 | This book raises important discussions about age discrimination, but some of it could have used deeper critical reflection.0:00 Intro1:38 More ideological than analytical?3:44 Cultural fear of aging5:42 View of aging as weakness6:55 Downplaying the value of aging8:52 Reaction: Another -ism10:28 Reaction: Aging actually does make our bodies more vulnerable11:46 Reaction: The concept of generations13:22 My bottom line==================================Politics and Prose discussion with author Tracey Gendron:youtu.be/GyhUFWBVYUc
Harlem Shuffle Colson Whitehead [Book Review] [Minimal Spoilers] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2022-08-29 | This tale of a Harlem crook, I mean, furniture salesman, is classic Whitehead for better and for worse.0:00 Intro1:20 Harlem noir3:41 Excellence in detail5:08 Immersion in… racism6:26 Weakness in character depth13:15 Limited lasting impact=================================My Goodreads account: goodreads.com/user/show/5996769-mike
The Regatta Mystery and Other Stories Agatha Christie [Short Book Review] [Spoiler-Free] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2022-08-20 | Don't be fooled for a minute by the boat on the cover! I'd really only recommend this short story collection once you're through most of Christie's other works.=================================My Goodreads account: goodreads.com/user/show/5996769-mike
The Anomaly Hervé Le Tellier [Extended Book Review] [Spoilers Second Half] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2022-08-07 | The Anomaly is enjoyable enough in the stories of its major characters, but it's lousy as science fiction.0:00 Intro1:07 Framing the novel2:08 The exposition … and a digression on philosophy8:34 The “explanation” … and a digression on effective science fiction17:20 SPOILERS BEGIN18:38 The confrontation (no digression here)25:02 Final thoughts==================================An entertaining description of the simulation argument, shared by a viewer (Lucas Garcia): youtu.be/tlTKTTt47WE==================================Le Tellier's interview with the New York Times (bypass paywall access through 8/20!):nytimes.com/2021/11/23/books/anomaly-herve-le-tellier.html=================================My Goodreads account: goodreads.com/user/show/5996769-mike
Project Hail Mary Andy Weir [Book Review] [Basically Spoiler-Free] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2022-07-28 | A last-ditch effort to save humanity is really just par for the course in sci-fi, but Andy Weir makes it fun, even while teaching us some physics in the process.=================================Davood's video on Project Hail Mary: youtube.com/watch?v=d-Q18hRC5jIAnd his other more general video on "Why Andy Weir is Great":youtube.com/watch?v=IUc3QavGRKE=================================My Goodreads account: goodreads.com/user/show/5996769-mike
Twilight Of Democracy Anne Applebaum [Political Book Review] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2022-07-19 | Historian Anne Applebaum lays out several factors she sees as contributing to a rise in popularity of authoritarian movements in the West, but this short book feels more like a collection of opinion pieces than a fully coherent thesis.0:00 Intro1:46 Authoritarians in bloom3:45 Restorative nostalgia6:08 Authoritarian personalities10:06 Treason of the intellectuals12:02 Final thoughts==========================================PODCASTS:The 2020 conversation I was referring to between Ezra Klein and Anne Applebaum: vox.com/21562116/anne-applebaum-twilight-of-democracy-gop-trump-election-fraud-2020-biden-the-ezra-klein-showA more recent, 2022 conversation between Klein and Applebaum (which I found possibly more interesting):nytimes.com/2022/05/17/podcasts/anne-applebaum-ezra-klein-interviews.htmlARTICLES:An article in The Atlantic by Anne Applebaum, which I alluded to in the review:theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/06/milley-critical-race-theory-marxism-racism-fox-news/619308Applebaum's full portfolio in The Atlantic:theatlantic.com/author/anne-applebaum=================================My Goodreads account: goodreads.com/user/show/5996769-mike
The Hunting Party Lucy Foley [Full Book Review] [Spoilers Second Half] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2022-07-12 | Someone turns up dead during a winter weekend getaway of former friends poorly pretending not to hate each other.=======================================0:00 Intro0:26 “Evocative of Agatha Christie?”3:52 The charactersSPOILERS BEGIN7:06 My meta-deductions10:22 My real deductions11:42 My take on the mystery plot=================================My Goodreads account: goodreads.com/user/show/5996769-mike
King Lear William Shakespeare [Book Reflection] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2022-06-24 | Trying out a new author who's big in the British literary scene.==============================================Paul Cantor's lecture series on King Lear (the King Lear part of this video starts at the hour mark and continues through an additional 3 videos):youtu.be/Ynd10_g2IDAJavier Rivera's video talking about whether conditional love means anything: youtu.be/7xAek1pHYZA=================================My Goodreads account: goodreads.com/user/show/5996769-mike
Mrs. McGintys Dead Agatha Christie [Book Review] [Spoilers Second Half] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2022-06-13 | Hercule Poirot and Ariadne Oliver tag-team a mystery where you'll find it hard to keep straight who did what and which character is which.========================================0:00 Intro0:54 The good (the characters)2:42 The bad (the mystery)7:17 The ugly (SPOILERS)=================================My Goodreads account: goodreads.com/user/show/5996769-mike
The Lincoln Highway Amor Towles [Book Review] [Spoilers at the End] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2022-06-01 | Amor Towles takes us along for the ride on a mid-20th century adventure to California. Minus the California part, but you won't mind.0:00 Intro1:40 The literary inspirations3:18 The themes8:04 The characters14:45 The four musketeers22:59 The exit (spoilers!)=====================================Other YouTube discussions I found interesting:Marvellous Monday Book Club: youtube.com/watch?v=e24ZlvWNCME(they mentioned the Steinbeck parallels and Towles's way of not always giving the readers what we want if it's not necessary)A Book Olive:youtube.com/watch?v=j3pb8JrsRQgNozithus:youtube.com/watch?v=F3qfn5_R63sand...Amor Towles himself!youtube.com/watch?v=O6VmKxuHwwE=================================My Goodreads account: goodreads.com/user/show/5996769-mike
Thank You, Mr. Nixon Gish Jen [Book Review] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2022-05-05 | Experience the intersection of China and America through the past 50 years in this wonderfully witty fictional short story collection.=============================Author Gish Jen talks with Politics and Prose about her work: youtube.com/watch?v=qp4WpoZRbJA=================================My Goodreads account: goodreads.com/user/show/5996769-mike
Taken At The Flood Agatha Christie [Spoilers Second Half] [Book Review] Mike Gs Eclectic Reads 2022-04-22 | Poirot tests our patience in one of his worst performances to date.0:00 Intro0:16 A post-WWII British mystery2:39 A scattered mystery 3:56 SPOILERS BEGIN 4:00 Concealed identities5:18 Assessing characters’ guilt7:03 Is Poirot’s verdict indisputable?9:02 The fall of a would-be-hero10:52 Conclusion=================================My Goodreads account: goodreads.com/user/show/5996769-mike
![Slowness Milan Kundera [Book Discussion]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/mfCSvHpN0_M/maxresdefault.jpg)