Episode 26 - The Tag about Tags GuiltyFeat 2021-03-10 | A meta-tag in which I talk about tags, being tagged, tagging others, tag etiquette, tag anxiety, tag confidence and even get a little taggadocious.Thanks to Ros at Scallydandling About the Books for originating thing tag - youtu.be/BTvHAzysKU0Thanks also to Courtney and Hannah for tagging me:Courtney Ferriter - youtu.be/TtL5eHCqg2oHannah's Books - youtu.be/xdIZYUl0WYUIf this video were an 80s TV show it would be TAGney and Lacey... or TAGnum P. I. or a very special episode of Hart to Hart featuring Stefanie Powers and Robert TAGner. It's OK, I'm reasonably sure no one reads the descriptions to any video so I can throw up any old #dadjokes here and get away with them.Question prompts:1. Tag Firsts: did you do the Booktube Newbie Tag? If not what was your first tag? Do you choose to watch Newbie Tags?2. Tag Emotions: what feelings do tags provoke in you? Tag joy and delight? Tag boredom and resentment? Tag guilt or anxiety? Even tag envy?3. Tag Favourites: what kind of tags do you like most and least, to do and to watch?4. Tag Style: how do you tag? Do you have a system for keeping track of when you are tagged or tags you plan to do? Do you prepare to do tags or just wing it?5. Tag Memories: of the tags you have watched, done or created which have stuck in your memory? Are there any you would like to revisit or revive? I tag:Kari at Very Literary Kari - bit.ly/3ckwRKXHannah at Letz talk about books baby - bit.ly/2PLRND7CJ at CJ Reads - bit.ly/3copzpUNelle & Scott at Gunpowder, Fiction & Plot - youtu.be/k9sid04voEE#Tags #TagsaboutTags #TagTuesday #ItsnotevenTuesday #Ireallyneedtostoptaggingnow
September catch up - Mukherjee, Patchett, Christie, Waugh, Rory Stewart and so much more GuiltyFeat 2024-09-28 | All the books I’ve read since I last spoke about all the books I’ve read. Busy month all round - work , weddings, funerals. Real circle of life shizz.Hope you're all doing well and looking forward to Victober. I may get a head start tomorrow.Scheduling this post to launch on shabbat in case anyone looks at the timing and wonders. Figure I would try to pull attention away from my last post as quickly as possible. Cheers to all.
Outing Myself and Making Myself Available to the Curious GuiltyFeat 2024-09-27 | Hi, I'm Daniel. You can email me at any time - guiltyfeat@gmail.comThis is the original tweet which alerted me to this story - https://x.com/JoniKletter/status/1837099214666354732This is the first bit of news reporting I found - wamc.org/news/2024-09-20/albany-book-festival-panel-scrapped-amid-apparent-disagreement-over-israelThis is the response from PEN America - pen.org/press-release/pen-america-tragic-and-outrageous-that-albany-book-festival-cancels-panel-over-jewish-moderatorFurther coverage - timesunion.com/news/article/albany-book-festival-panel-authors-drop-citing-19784087.phpLater statement from New York State Writers Institute - timesunion.com/news/article/writers-institute-issues-apology-handling-19795434.phpElisa Albert's latest column in Tablet - tabletmag.com/sections/community/articles/invitation-anti-zionists-elisa-albert"... come join me at my Shabbes table, so we can break bread together, and talk. It’s the only way."If you are uncomfortable with people who oppose feminism defining what it means to be a feminist for women, if you cringe at homophobic illiberals 'splaining LGBTQ+ rights to queer people, please feel free to ask an actual Zionist what Zionism is, instead of taking your definition from anti-Zionists.I have zero desire to persuade anyone to think any particular way. I have no interest in convincing anyone of anything. I am simply making myself available as a self-identifying Zionist to answer questions that represent no one but myself. This way you can say, "I spoke to an actual Zionist and they said...," for whatever that is worth. Shabbat shalom.guiltyfeat@gmail.com
What do I mean by Books in Conversation with Each Other? GuiltyFeat 2024-08-30 | I really try hard not to be prescriptive. There are books I love and books I do not and I'm happy to talk about them all, but I do so knowing that there will be others who feel the exact opposite about any opinions I can express.This is a video about books I have found to be in conversation with each other, either because the author / publisher has explicitly made the connection or because I, the reader, has.I think my reading life is filled with such treasures and I want the same for everyone else. Read what you love and love what you read, but always leave yourself open to the universe sharing its rhymes whether they come in books, people or experiences.
Reading catchup: Orbital, Salman Rushdie, Tarantino & Chanel Miller GuiltyFeat 2024-08-23 | A whole bunch of books that I’ve read in the past couple of weeks. I’ve left out all the graphic novels this time as I’m not sure how many of you care about the marriage breakdown of Reed Richards and Sue Storm during the Civil War. I hope you’re all keeping well.
James by Percival Everett - Review - 2024 Booker longlist nominee GuiltyFeat 2024-08-09 | If you're watching this, you've probably already made up your mind about reading this book. James has been widely reviewed, widely read and almost universally praised and justly so.This is my fifth book by Everett and I think I have discovered one of his flaws, but it's not big enough for me to stop reading him. Highly recommended.
Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar - Review - Missed the Booker longlist GuiltyFeat 2024-08-08 | A super debut novel from a published poet bucking the trend of poets who should never be allowed to publish novels.
The Rich People Have Gone Away by Regina Porter - Review GuiltyFeat 2024-08-07 | I was sent an ARC of this new release by the kind folk at Jonathan Cape in London. They have had a terrific year landing four titles on the Booker longlist. This was not destined to be one of them.I hope more people will review this novel after it is published as I'm interested to hear what others make of it. I think it was written to a formula that someone told the author would work. I'm not sure they were right.Not a terrible read, by any estimation, just formulaic and self-consciously bonkers.
The only Booker longlist 2024 recap you will ever need GuiltyFeat 2024-07-30 | I've veered away from the Booker Prize for that last few years, but I kinda like the look of this longlist. I won't be reading the entire thing and I probably won't read the shortlist, but I've read one of the list and I already own two more which has me more involved than recent times.I'll be reading everyone else's recaps, but now that you've found mine, you don't have to.My review of Enlightenment by Sarah Perry - youtu.be/t8fyJqhyNXQHappy Booker season everyone!
Everyones Top 10 Books of the 21st Century GuiltyFeat 2024-07-30 | In the last few moments before everyone goes Booker-bananas, I am milking the New York Times's list of top books of the 21st century one last time.This is me going through the 53 individual top 10s that were sent in by authors, academics and other bookish people to call out books that did NOT make it to either the original top 100 list OR the Readers' list that was compile subsequently.If you want to skip this interminable video and go straight to the article, you can find it here - nytimes.com/interactive/2024/books/authors-top-books-21st-century.html?unlocked_article_code=1._E0.WldF.majYzImOII0k&smid=url-shareThis was a fantastic excuse for me to get a bunch of books down from my shelves and show them to you. Hope you like it.
Roman Stories by Jhumpa Lahiri - Book review GuiltyFeat 2024-07-29 | I'm a long-term reader of Lahiri. I find hers to be one of the most fascinating author arcs of any of the authors I have been reading regularly over the past 30 years. Beginning as a clear-eyed recorder of the immigrant experience, she has added a layer of alienation by moving away from the country her parents immigrated into and writing in a foreign language which is then translated into English.It is a tremendous pairing of art and execution as her literary themes are reflected in the choices she has made about how they will be presented to the reader.
A Day in the Life of Abed Salama - Review GuiltyFeat 2024-07-26 | It was not quite the book I was expecting, but that is never a legitimate criticism. First published on October 3rd last year, this book about a very human tragedy in the Occupied Territories was launched into a tough market. This year it won the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction.I think the book includes 100 pages of padding which is a lot when the whole thing is only 200 pages long. It's a classic example of a publisher wanting an author to expand a long-form magazine article so that it has a chance of generating revenue through readership. Nevertheless there is much to admire here and it's a sad story that is worth telling.I'd love to hear what you make of it.
Top 100 books of the 21st century - 50-1 GuiltyFeat 2024-07-20 | This is video #2 of 2The NY Times recently published a list of the best 100 books of the 21st century so far without any further qualifying criteria. They asked hundreds of professionally bookish peeps to weigh in with their top 10s and collated the results for your consumption here - nytimes.com/interactive/2024/books/best-books-21st-century.htmlThen they opened it up to the public who chimed in with their own lists creating a different top 100 here - nytimes.com/interactive/2024/books/reader-best-books-21st-century.html
Top 100 books of the 21st century - 100-51 GuiltyFeat 2024-07-19 | This is video #1 of 2The NY Times recently published a list of the best 100 books of the 21st century so far without any further qualifying criteria. They asked hundreds of professionally bookish peeps to weigh in with their top 10s and collated the results for your consumption here - nytimes.com/interactive/2024/books/best-books-21st-century.htmlThen they opened it up to the public who chimed in with their own lists creating a different top 100 here - nytimes.com/interactive/2024/books/reader-best-books-21st-century.htmlIn this video I compare the two lists and give my thoughts on the first half of each. I will upload the second of these videos tomorrow.
Visiting England and a book haul, obvs GuiltyFeat 2024-07-16 | This is a bit of a long one as I catch you up on our recent visit to London for a family wedding and a subsequent trip to Stoke-on-Trent, Shropshire, and Stratford upon Avon.Here is a list of places we visited and places we stayed:nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/shropshire-staffordshire/shugborough-estatetheupperhouse.comworldofwedgwood.com/content/wedgwood-factory-tourironbridgebookshop.wordpress.comhawkstonehall.co.ukhawkstoneparkfollies.co.ukbishopscastle.co.ukmellingtonhall.co.ukswansnesthotel.co.uk
Massive Book Haul - June 2024 GuiltyFeat 2024-06-30 | I have books coming at me from all corners of the globe brought to me by private couriers who I reward with bed and board occasionally. Flying to London at the end of this week where I plan to purchase more books. The madness never ends.
Reading catchup, June, 2024 GuiltyFeat 2024-06-28 | A whole bunch of books to get through, in what is turning out to be my slowest reading year in a decade. The plan is to keep moving forwards and try to maintain focus. I hope you are all managing to stay focused and not letting the worries of the world get you down.
A Shocking Announcement GuiltyFeat 2024-06-21 | Scatterlings and orphanages. Amen and hallelujah. I did a bad thing. I'm here to tell you about it.
Friday Reads: May 3, 2024 - Carson, Melchor & Clark GuiltyFeat 2024-05-03 | A walk through my recent reads. For some reason I seem to refer to Fernanda Melchor throughout as "MELCHIOR" adding a vowel and a whole syllable where none was warranted. Is this a sign of aging? Everything seems to be these days. I went to the cinema last night and I could barely make out the dialogue amid all the explosions and punching. I don't think the dialog was ever meant to be the movie's strong point (they cut most of the best banter in the trailer from the released version), but it would still be nice to hear it without feeling like I'm at the bottom of a well. Ho hum.Hope you're keeping well.
Enlightenment by Sarah Perry - a book review GuiltyFeat 2024-05-01 | Published in the UK this week and in the US in early June. I was thrilled to receive an ARC and even more thrilled when I read it. Deeply rooted in Essex and existing in the same 'verse as "The Essex Serpent" this is a gorgeous novel about kindness, faith and time and the way history rhymes. Highly recommended.
Books from my Barmitzvah GuiltyFeat 2024-04-16 | A video showcasing some of the books I was gifted as presents for my barmitzvah which was in June 1982. Questions arising from this video:1. Do people still give 13 year old boys books as gifts? I hope so.2. Do any of you still have a physical atlas in your home that you refer to when someone goes traveling?3. Can you believe how much hair I used to have?
In Memoriam by Alice Winn - Book review GuiltyFeat 2024-04-14 | Warning, I really did NOT like this book. I don't like to shit on things, but there are enough positive reviews of this trite WWI novel and utterly inauthentic love story to make my terrible review disappear quickly enough.It's possible I was having a less than good day.
Have you read Peter Carey? GuiltyFeat 2024-04-10 | Has anyone? Has there ever been a more lauded and less read author in the past 40 years? I started reading Carey in the mid 80s with "Illywhacker" and carried on until the 2010s with "Theft: a Love Story". Should I go back and read his more recent work? Have any of you ready any of his novels? Has anyone read any of the novels that didn't win the Booker Prize? How did I manage to read eight of his books without ever really trying?#accidentalauthors
Massive reading catch up GuiltyFeat 2024-04-05 | I have meant to talk about some or all of these books in more detail but they just began piling up and remained unshelved. This is a clumsy attempt to put them all on camera and clear out the backlog.It's a little all over the place. On the plus side, you get to see a bunch of books.Hope you're all keeping well.
Which Trollope should I read next? GuiltyFeat 2024-04-03 | After completing the Barsetshire Chronicles and the Palliser novels, two loosely connect sextets from Trollope, I am look for advice about where to go next.The three main candidates are:An AutobiographyThe Way we Live NowHe Knew He Was Rightbut I am also willing to listen to any further suggestions about how to continue reading Trollope over the next few years.Thanks for your help!
Why do people buy these Penguin Clothbound Classics? GuiltyFeat 2024-03-31 | This is a nifty combo video where I talk briefly about the third of my literary white whales - Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray.For the entire LWW backlog see here:Four Literary White Whales - youtu.be/JCTKbFKo4zAReviewing 1984 by George Orwell - youtu.be/coDcv2Ds49sReviewing Bleak House by Charles Dickens - youtu.be/5AHSxHaAcwwI completely forgot to talk about the main thing about Vanity Fair which I meant to bring up and that is the connection between this wonderful novel and Tolstoy's War & Peace. I couldn't help but think that some of the action scenes played out in fairly similar ways. Turns out Tolstoy was a big fan of Vanity Fair. I love that about these two chunkers.Anyway, about the whole Penguin Clothbound Classic thing. Having read one which I got for free, I can't imagine ever paying full price to read one of these editions again. They don't stand up to the normal wear and tear of a single reading and they're way overpriced for something you can pick up anywhere for a quarter of the cost or even less.What do you think?
A Tale of #MarchMysteryMadness GuiltyFeat 2024-03-10 | This was supposed to be a brief interlude, but I just can't shut up sometimes. Anyway... it's all connected. Some Zen thoughts for March Mystery Madness.
Ellen Gilchrist, 1935-2024 GuiltyFeat 2024-02-22 | I was very sad to hear about the death of Ellen Gilchrist, an author that I have read exhaustively over the past 30+ years. My 11th grade English teacher first read her short stories to me. He would try on all the accents of the various genteel Southern ladies that populate Gilchrist's work, chugging their juleps and complaining about the air conditioning. I was smitten. As I slowly morphed into becoming an independent reader, buying books for pleasure, I stuck with Gilchrist until I could no longer buy her books in the UK.Fortunately that coincided with me starting to travel to the US for business and I gladly picked up where I had left off, reading each new book as I found it, often remaindered.Her recurring characters have brought me much joy and glimpses of hard-earned wisdom. I am sad that I will have no new books of hers to track down and savour.NY Times obit - nytimes.com/2024/02/11/books/ellen-gilchrist-dead.htmlWashPo obit - washingtonpost.com/obituaries/2024/02/02/ellen-gilchrist-dead
Whats in a name? My Top 6 Author Names GuiltyFeat 2024-02-13 | This is a very silly video about author names, and how they sound to this reader's ears. Speakers of other languages may experience different mileage.I have two goals:1. To force you to sing compatible author names to the tune of "Eleanor Rigby"2. To share your opinions on authors you have read whose real, actual names are perfectly lovely.
What is a Reading Project? GuiltyFeat 2024-01-28 | I tried to build a taxonomy for my reading by separating into ad hoc reading and reading that forms part of something bigger. Both are entirely valid and they can each be either fiction or nonfiction.Within the category of reading as part of something bigger, I have created these things I call "reading projects" where the definition is loose and can probably only be applied to my habits... but I am sharing it here with you, regardless. I would love to hear about the kinds of reading frameworks you have built for yourself. Do you take on reading projects? What are the rules? Do you have multiple projects going at once? Should I have turned this into a tag?
Open Throat by Henry Hoke - book review GuiltyFeat 2024-01-23 | An anthropomorphized leonine narrator will not be everyone's cup of tea, but at 150 pages this delightful conceit gets in and out without doing any damage.21st century Los Angeles is ripe for satire and the novel wisely dips in and out without leaning too heavily on the obvious. The last third is less convincing than the earlier pages, but I'd rather read something interesting and brief than longer and more worthy.The Tournament of Books continues to surface new(-to-me) authors telling unusual stories and I will be following this one closely. I already have my favourite.Check out the 2024 shortlist here - tournamentofbooks.com/the-2024-shortlist
North Woods by Daniel Mason - Book Review GuiltyFeat 2024-01-22 | This review contains mild spoilers where I talk about the somewhat concealed nature of the book itself rather than any particular plot points. I have no idea whether it was intentional on the part of the publishers/marketers, but I DO suspect that I may not have been in such a rush to pick it up had it been marketed to me in a way that played up this undeniable aspect of the novel.This was NOT the book I was pitched, but I was all the happier for that, and I may not have read it if the pitch had been different. Highly recommended.
The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff GuiltyFeat 2024-01-12 | Catching up with reviews of some of the books I read in the last quarter of 2023. I'm going to continue reading everything Lauren Groff publishes moving forwards, because she is doing interesting and provoking work and every thing I see of her indicates that she is a jolly nice person also.I'd love to hear from you if you read this book and have some thoughts to share.
The Women In Me by Britney Spears GuiltyFeat 2024-01-08 | Editor's note: During this video I referenced a YouTube meme from around 15 years ago. I inadvertently misgendered the creator of that video and I would like to apologize. I am leaving the video up for now to acknowledge my carelessness.This was selling everywhere for half price and I thought it would be a quick read. It was. It's not terribly well constructed and the decision not to credit a ghostwriter may have been the decision of the actual ghostwriter. Nevertheless there is a sad story about a successful woman being denied agency of her own life just because she wanted to make the same silly choices as the rest of us are allowed to.I can't recommend it exactly, but having spent too much time reading about her life, I felt like I owed it to her to read her own words on the same subject.I think Britney and I are done with each other now.
Slightly changing how I read GuiltyFeat 2024-01-05 | Not a major change, but I have started a new project where I interrupt whatever I am currently reading each week to read some commentary on the weekly portion of the Torah. I started with Aviva Gottlieb Zornberg for the book of Genesis and I'm planning to move forwards with the series of books and essays by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. I'll let you know how it goes.@saintdonoghue's 100 nonfiction recommendations - youtube.com/watch?v=GwkoRBvx2tY
End of Year Book haul GuiltyFeat 2023-12-29 | Visiting London for the week to see my mum. Picked up a whole ton of books that I had ordered and sent ahead as well and went out and bought a whole bunch more.I know the sound is terrible. but if you put the volume up, it's all gold!I won't be talking about the war on this channel. I'll always try to answer anyone's questions if you message me elsewhere.Wishing you all health, happiness and peace.
So Late in the Day by Claire Keegan - Book Review GuiltyFeat 2023-09-28 | This is a tiny little thing that I purchased as a treat for myself. There is no financial justification for such a thing and it only exists because the people at Faber are trying to cash in on the investment they have made in Claire Keegan over a decade or two. It's cynical and greedy, but I put my money down regardless. Sometimes you just have to buy the things you like.
The Fraud by Zadie Smith - Book Review GuiltyFeat 2023-09-20 | I've been reading Zadie Smith since her first novel and I've read all her subsequent novels. I think she's aces.The Fraud is funny, literary, political, clear-sighted, and a joy to read. I think this is an author at the height of her powers and we're lucky to be getting a significant new novel from her.
The Shakespeare Journey Tag GuiltyFeat 2023-09-19 | I don't know how long it's been since I actually published a tag on a Tuesday. Yay me.Thanks to the originators of this tag:Kelly @booksimnotreading - youtu.be/KA6oUTXQHrwJason @OldBluesChapterandVerse - youtu.be/RjARSqXUWCANicole @adayofsmallthings - youtu.be/QzOq_KU_DM8There are prompts, but I've essentially used this as a way of showing off my old theatre programs.1. What was your first experience reading Shakespeare and what was it like?2. Has the reading of a Shakespeare play ever brought you to tears? What scene was it and where were you when it happened?3. Are there any people that have played a significant role in your Shakespeare journey?4. Do you have a favorite book or film about Shakespeare?5. Which character in Shakespeare most resembles you and in what ways?6. Which play would you most like to see performed in a theatre and why?7. What actor, throughout history, would you most like to have seen play Hamlet while in his prime?8. Deliver your favorite speech or soliloquy from a Shakespeare play.9. Do any of Shakespeare's plays intimidate you? If yes, what play and why?10. What tips would you give to intimidated readers coming to Shakespeare for the first time?11. Which is your favorite Shakespeare play and why?12. Tag other Booktubers.
Mid September reading catchup GuiltyFeat 2023-09-18 | Tried to upload this before the weekend and the start of Rosh HaShanah, but my upload speeds at home are too embarrassing, so now I'm back at work and I have a couple of videos to upload this week including this collection of mostly meh recent reads.
Sneaky September Book Haul GuiltyFeat 2023-09-11 | Enormous thanks to my friend who not only allows me to use his home in the UK as my personal PO Box, but also acts as my personal courier in bringing everything to me here on the other side of the world. He also loves me enough NOT to open anything despite the packaging taking up more space in his luggage because he knows that unboxing is part of the fun for me.I am very blessed in many aspects of my life. Being friends with an international airline pilot is just one more.
Is Colson Whitehead the most significant author of my generation? GuiltyFeat 2023-08-23 | I can't think of another who tops him right now, but I'm dying to have you chime in and tell me why I'm wrong. I will be deliberately vague about the definition of "my generation" to give me plenty of wiggle room, but have at it with your alternative suggestions.In the midst of all this, Whitehead's latest book is both a continuation of his last novel and a deeper, more political glimpse into the expansion and corruption in Harlem in the 60s and 70s. Well worth your time.
When is a Barnes not a Barnes? When its a Duffy! #AccidentalAuthors GuiltyFeat 2023-08-20 | If you ask me, I'll tell you that I'm not the biggest fan of Julian Barnes... and yet I bet you can't find 5 other people who have read all four of his Duffy novels written under a pseudonym. That's just how I am, getting more excited about his obscure private detective sideline than his mainstream literary fiction releases.Let me know your experience with Julian Barnes. I think I've probably read all the Barnes I'm ever going to.Two suggested videos from Brian @BookishTexan:Brian's take on Julian Barnes as an accidental author - youtu.be/iucgt1CiZKMBrian's video about the friendship between Julian Barnes and Martin Amis - youtu.be/SSvLc1qddS4
Recent Reads Mid August - Demon Copperhead & more GuiltyFeat 2023-08-15 | We spent a few days at the spa soaking up the sun, eating & relaxing. I also took the opportunity to read Demon Copperhead among other books and with this video you get my instant response as well as a more considered one a few days later.Lots more reading still to be done this year. Enjoy.
Late Summer Book Haul GuiltyFeat 2023-08-13 | I went almost a full six months without making any significant new purchases, but that has gone right out of the window now and I am hoovering up all the books.Some of these are parts of series that I am working on and some are just books that I want to read. My TBR is not getting smaller. I have no one to blame by myself.
My Booker Meh-list Reaction GuiltyFeat 2023-08-02 | You don't have to read the Booker longlist. I think I've said something similar before - youtu.be/5WhleuXKv7c.This is not because I hate the Booker Prize. Quite the contrary, I have been following the nominated books and winners for over 40 years. I even made a video about the best nominated books that I've read - youtu.be/8VLihpOEsjE2023's Booker longlist has just been announced and loads of really smart people have made some great videos featuring their reactions to the nominated books. Here are some of the best.Kieran @KDbooks - youtu.be/T5Kn7dE-PZkEric @EricKarlAnderson - youtu.be/qbX7CzRcutkGreg @SupposedlyFun - youtu.be/-IfW6Bl6qygShelly @Shellyish - youtu.be/gR7DzXB2AYICharlotte @charlottemolloy - youtu.be/4ZsIxij_nSoBen @benreadsgood - youtu.be/Vg9UqRHgfB0Scott @GunpowderFictionPlot - youtu.be/xNE9wWmH9N8Simon @SavidgeReads - youtu.be/6gkySPMc6PoRead the list, don't read the list. You do you. Have fun!
Recent Reads: Rushdie, Kitamura, Antisemitism & Hermans Hermits GuiltyFeat 2023-07-31 | Getting back into the swing of reading more than one book a month. I have had some great reading experiences with my first ever Ernaux and my first experience with Katie Kitamura. I definitely want to read more of each. I absolutely loved the new Salman Rushdie novel. I know he's one of those authors that some people won't even consider reading, but his latest is very accessible and a joyous ode to storytelling AND the storyteller. I hope you're having as much fun with your reading as I am with mine.
Literary White Whales Update - Bleak House GuiltyFeat 2023-07-24 | My original video where I talk about four literary white whales is here - youtu.be/JCTKbFKo4zAMy first update after I read 1984 is here - youtu.be/coDcv2Ds49s20-some years after my first attempt I came back to Bleak House by Charles Dickens and read it from beginning to end. It was a hard slog for me with some undoubted highlights. The comedy is grand although it sometimes operates as nothing more than filler. Side characters that are not solely played for laughs can often be surprisingly rounded and affecting. Mr Snagsby, Mr George the former soldier, Jo the crossing sweeper, Charley the little girl who becomes Esther's maid, and even Sir Leicester Dedlock are all sketched with warmth and empathy and considerable skill. They are each allowed to have a story with a middle and an end with the only question being whether Dickens is too generous with the time he allots them.I will go on and read more Dickens, but I will continue to be wary of these enormous works in a way that I am not about Trollope's heavyweight reads.Hope you're all keeping well.
Ultimate Booker Dozen-ish GuiltyFeat 2023-07-17 | Thanks to @charlottemolloy for originating this idea. You can watch her version of The Ultimate Booker Dozen here - youtu.be/ta-YaeOwVNIThanks also to the inimitable Scott from @GunpowderFictionPlot for tagifying Charlotte's idea and challenging all of use wo have dipped in and out of following the Booker over the years to put together our own lists. Scott's version is here - youtu.be/dJ0__vWyCek
Does anyone read Paul Auster? #AccidentalAuthor GuiltyFeat 2023-07-07 | Seriously! The only Paul Auster book which ever felt like essential reading was a complete bust for me. Since then I've dipped into his output occasionally and been fairly satisfied. I think 4 3 2 1 was well reviewed and more widely read than some of his earlier novels, but I still struggle to place this author in the modern literary landscape.Can any of you help?Cheers.
Another shamelessly cheeky book haul GuiltyFeat 2023-07-03 | I have no excuse. I'm stuck in a book with another 100 on my TBR, but I still went out and bought books despite my self-imposed ban. I am the worst.Some terrific books here that I am excited to get to, but I have so many other that I am also excited to get to. It's getting close to intervention time.Sharing this haul publicly in an attempt to keep me honest. I've bought these books and I need to do less talking and more reading.Wherever you are, I hope you're well and enjoying your acquiring and your reading of books. Cheers!
