Відео

He’s my all time favorite writer. I love Baumgartner. ❤

everymans classics are the superior hardbacks for classics, way better than this penguin clothbound bs

Not only do the covers rub off, the paper quality is very poor and the glued binding is the cheapest and lowest quality method of binding a book. They are simply fake posh books. Even if I did not want to handle or read a book and only display it, I would not choose these books as they are super low quality with fancy covers; something about that combination puts me right off. I would rather just have a cheap book that looks like a cheap book. For real high quality and beautiful books much better to buy from the Folio Society. Ebay and direct from the Folio Society website are where I Iook to build my collection.

Everymans Library and Library of America laughing in the corner

I studied Hawksmoor in my second year at Uni, under the umbrella of postmodernist texts, found it difficult back then but have just bought again as it left an impression on me. Will be rereading over xmas.

Do NOT get your anti-racism from this creep. He's a genocide denier "Unlike Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah, the IDF does NOT target civilians."

This dude is a fascist apologist From his Bluesky: "Unlike Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah, the IDF does NOT target civilians."

My words, i really loved the first part and now, after the big plot twist i dont even want to continue to reading it. Right now I am in my bed, looking at the book and thinking if i should be reading it or to stop. Because after the first part i think it is very boring and it just discribes to much of the war and not about ellwoods emotions. So my attitude on this book is mainly negative. I dont know guys, should I read the second part??

I loved Martyr!, thanks for your review!

Finished this one a couple of weeks ago. Took a while to get going but ultimately I loved all the intersecting stories. Reminded me a lot of Ulverton by Adam Thorpe, which I read about 20 years back. The history of a place.

Hilarious take on this book. Very fun!

Always good to see you. I think I’ll give Rooney a miss, too many books not enough time.

I'm so sorry that you and your loves ones as well as your country is having to deal with what you are. I cannot even begin to imagine it. Prayers for all involved.

I'm older than you and liked Normal People, less so Conversation..' and really didn't like Beutiful World. I'd put Intermezzo 2nd behind NP. On her anti-Zionism I think you're misrepresenting her position. Her objection was about the publisher and she was quite prepared to have her work published in Hebrew if an acceptable publisher could be found. Thanks for another honest review.

I'll also have to revisit the swampy world of humid Rooneydom when this novel eventually ends up, oranged by time, on second hand book shelves! It sounds suitably banal and a little overegged by critics who, contrary to their guiding principles, love being in on the industry-wide 'Rooney' clique! I was astonished to hear you'd ENJOYED 'Normal People'. How you weren't apoplectic with fury over her treatment of so-called 'zionism' I just don't know🤣

Your review confirms that she's not for me 😅 even though I'm an older gen z, almost millenial, I never felt I was the right target for her books, which gives me FOMO from time to time. I've always thought that this whole "boycott Israel" by authors and artists was all a marketing strategy. They get people talking about them, they get the reputation of "politically invested intellectuals" without doing any actual intellectual work and, at the end of the day, they still get people in Israel to read their books. I think they truly believe in what they say to some extent, but I'm 100% sure they wouldn't do the same with any other country: their editors would never allow them to lose the russian or the chinese market. Anyways, that's just my opinion. Thank you for your review and greetings from Italy 😊

I often think of you, and am always glad when you post, to know that you’re ok. You’ve tempted me with the Sally Rooney - I quite enjoyed Normal People and then was bewildered in a ‘What’s the point of all this?’, kind of way when I read Conversations with Friends. I wasn’t going to bother with Intermezzo, but you’ve made it sound intriguing…

Curses! I had written Rooney off and now, thanks to your open mindedness, generosity of spirit, and intelligent insights, I find myself once again tempted.

I have one Penguin Clothbound novel. It's shelf candy. I think if i ever buy more, I think I will buy a used, well-worn, copy ... Because they are still beautiful and the anxiety of "ruining" them is past.

The Moonstone was a really good time. I didn’t always know what was going on but really enjoyed the characters, especially Betteredge.

I've got a second edition of the Moonstone, three vols in the original publisher's cloth. Gorgeous! 😘

I’ve read The Moonstone and The Woman in White, but that’s it so can’t give any other suggestion for your next Collins. I hope you are well!

I too read Wilkie Collins The Moonstone recently and really loved it. My first Collins.....wont be my last. So enjoyable and I thought wonderfully and somewhat surprisingly contemporary in its language . I have been telling everyone I know to read it. By the way your channel is really great. P.S. I do have rhythm. Cheers. Paul

I think The Woman in White is the other novel most people think of when they think of Collins?

Did you know that he wrote a history of Cicero ? Pretty good actually.

I absolutely loved Trollope's Autobiography! One of the few books in which an author's kitchen table presence is conveyed! He strikes me as an ostensibly bungling fool with a few snide remarks in his armory also!

Great to see you! Looking forward to your thoughts on the new Rooney. I still feel compelled to try her, though I haven’t loved or even liked the two books of hers that I have read.

No you're spot on. The book was written and nothing was felt at all. Book is very very overrated.

Yes. You’re so right. Peter Carey is a brilliant writer yet few know of him. I picked up Illywhacker by accident at my weekly visited local used bookstore. For some reason Carey reminds me of Myles na gopaleen (Flann O’Brien). Anyway. You’ve inspired me to read more Carey. Thanks for the review Cheers!

You're entitled to your opinion but you appear not to have read the book carefully [e.g. you don't know what kind of politician Prieto is] or looked at the author's biography. You probably know little about Puerto Rican history and politics. Unpleasant? Sometimes novels deal with unpleasant things that are actually based on true events. I am sorry that people are being discouraged from reading this book by your cavalier opinions.

My theory is that I have the Brontë ones and this adds a kind of faded elegance I don’t mind, plus I paid a good price for them. Because of this issue however I will only buy ones I really like just occasionally, because after all, the penguin classics are nearly as pricey and not much cheaper. Still a solid choice for me are the Everyman, these have everything going for them, no downsides and a good price

Turn up the volume of your video, for the love of Yahweh.

This is a bit bonkers. You can certainly object to actions of the Israeli government and the Israeli military. However, that has nothing to do with sitting down with a Jewish person to discuss books.

They decided not to appear, which they had every right to do, where's the problem?

Thank you for posting this. It's a complex topic and the willingness of people to jump into poorly veiled, if veiled at all, antisemitism has been very upsetting (some vile stuff posted by Jewish supporters of the Israeli government has been as well). "Zionists" is just becoming a short-hand for "evil Jews" like "freemasons" used to be in the pre-WWII period.

Reading about this cancelled book event saddened me but, given the current environment, did not surprise me. Jews are being « cancelled » in all artistic fields, but book events and book prize incidents really hurt for us book-loving people who also believe Jewish people have a right to a homeland in their ancestral land.

I'm reading my first Trollope in October, The Warden. We'll see if this starts a years-long quest. Good to see your video.

You should read The Case of the Poisoned Butter Chicken by Tarquin Hall. Wish You Well by David Baldacci

Please keep dojng thaes spotlights.... I've always been interested in Peter Carey...and weirdly, some of his stranger ones have been made into films.

I really enjoyed the audiobook version of “Tom Lake” which was beautifully narrated by Meryl Streep. It was as if Patchett created the mother character specifically with Streep in mind. I don’t think I would have enjoyed it as much if I had read the printed novel.

I don't think there are any good arguments for Zionism. The fact that reasonable, sensitive people like yourself vouch for it illuminates many striking social phenomena.

Thank you for the poem. You read it very well. 👍

The Finney version of Orient Express is far superior, I've watched both recently. It's the one Christie book I'm not that bothered about reading because the solution is so memorable that I will never forget it.

Great Intro 😄

I read 'The Places In Between' by Rory Stewart. He is quite a character and his experiences before being an MP made him a well suited parliamentarian regardless of one's politics. If he had been elected leader, the Tories, and the UK, would have had a serious figure at the helm rather than the succession of clowns they had. He does write well as you say.

Mukherjee's book The Gene is also outstanding. Even better that Maladies

I hope you enjoy The Moonstone. It’s a good read! Happy New Year!

Your thoughts on Tom Lake were much the same as mine.

You’re a brave soul Daniel. I’m in full agreement with you. Anti-semitism is so prevalent now it’s become acceptable to the mainstream. I’ve always hated any kind of cancellation as it’s usually based on ignorance and is fascistic in nature. Take care x

We come in the ages most uncertain hour and sing an American tune (hope I got that right - digging deep in the old memory banks!)