My Top Books of 2019.
Вставка
- Опубліковано 12 вер 2024
- Here they are, dare I narrow them down? I do dare. Let's do this. The brutal truth. What were your favourite books this year? Tell me in the comments!
JOIN THE GUMPTION CLUB: / justkissmyfrog
Websites I used for demographic stats:
www.ons.gov.uk...
www.ethnicity-...
assets.publish...
// COME AND HANG WITH ME IN BETWEEN UPLOADS //
INSTAGRAM: / leenanorms
TWITTER: / leenanorms
A Guide to Being Born: Stories by Ramona Ausubel
/ a-guide-to-being-born
Lowborn: Growing Up, Getting Away and Returning to Britain’s Poorest Towns by Kerry Hudson
/ lowborn
The Overstory
by Richard Powers
/ the-overstory
Gone: A Girl, a Violin, a Life Unstrung
by Min Kym
/ gone
Normal People
by Sally Rooney
/ normal-people
This Is Not A Drill: An Extinction Rebellion Handbook
by Extinction Rebellion
/ this-is-not-a-drill
Animals
by Emma Jane Unsworth
/ animals
Don't You Forget About Me
by Mhairi McFarlane
/ don-t-you-forget-about-me
// CONTRIBUTE //
Want to help this channel run and run more smoothly?
Patreon is a place where you can tip me for the videos I make, helping me upgrade the quality of my channel and giving me more time to create: / justkissmyfrog
If you don't have money but you do have some time, [CC] is a fab way to get involved. Help make these videos accessible to more people: bit.ly/2p61I7j
Learn how to do contribute translated content: bit.ly/2oThZMc
FAQ: Where did I get my glasses from?
• My hipster glasses are...
Need advice about University?
bit.ly/2oTp7rZ
MY EQUIPMENT*
My main camera: po.st/LeenasMai...
My vlogging/handheld camera: po.st/LeenasVlo...
I edit on: po.st/LeenasMac...
My favourite 50mm lens: po.st/Leenas50m...
Favourite podcasting and video microphone: po.st/ZoomH2nMic
The Softbox Lighting I use: po.st/SoftboxLi...
My favourite external hard drive (actually survived me holding over a candle once, and multiple spills): po.st/ExternalH...
My tripod: po.st/LeenasTripod
*these are all affiliate links, if you buy through them I get a small cut of the dollah - if you use them thank you for the tip, kind human!
Leena's peony earrings are life.
Hard agree, but where do we get some 😂
@@speasblossom you could diy some pretty easily and inexpensively. Silk flowers are available at many home decor or craft stores but can sometimes also be found in charity shops (there are also all sorts of tutorials on UA-cam to make your own). For the earring bit, either jazz up an old set of dangly earrings or you can find plain earring hooks in craft kits. The hooks will usually have a loop to dangle things from: secure the flower to the loop with either thread or wire.
Okay, okay, I'll read the damn tree book! (It feels like it shouldn't work, but I fully trust you.)
I've read 55 books in 2019, and only 9 were by men, which was unintentional, so I'm quite impressed!
*Leena announces title of book*
Me: nah doesent sound like for me
*leena passionalty finishes explaining book*
Me: I NEED TO BUY NOW NOWWW
same!
I LOVE the way you approach book reviews on your channel Leena- if you’re talking about a book I know it’s amazing! I probably buy and read more books recommended by you than anyone else in my life, thanks!!
12345 pages is so satisfying
hhaha IKR?!
The question that I ask myself, instead of 'How many BAME authors have I read?' has become: 'How many books have I read written by non English speaking authors?' and more recently 'How many non European/American books have I read?'
I started by choosing more books not written in English and Spanish (I'm Spanish, so that was a big part of my reading too). And I then decided to chose more books from Asian (but not Japanese) and African countries instead, because I realised most of the books I was reading were still western-central European (specially books written in french) and Japanese. I've found very very interesting books in the process, so I recommend you do this too if you are trying to expand from the White/European/Imperialistic cultures and perspectives.
I really respect your recs because some of my favorite books in 2019 came from your videos. I found Normal People for $1 at a flea market and will be reading at some point this year. On a side note, you thinking American accents on audio sound formal is so funny to me since of course to us British accents are all high tea, real pearls, curtseying and all that 🤣
Yes! British accents sound super formal to us. I've never thought of our accent as formal haha
My new years resolution is to read more. In 2019 I only read ten books. Granted, I also listened to some audiobooks, but still. I used to be the person who was always reading, but now my attention span has become really short and I find that during stressful and exhausting times I reach for my phone instead of reaching for a book. I find that honestly social media just drains me even more but it’s so difficult to break the habit of browsing. I hope I’ll find my reading groove back again in january and rekindle my love for reading.
You 100% sold me This Green and Pleasant Land - I'm going to urge my book club to make this our next read!
Leena I think you need to add a section in your FAQs for "where did you get those gorgeous earrings?" because the people need to know!!
Yes we need to know!
Re: Irish writers. I would recommend, if you haven't read it already, Emilie Pine's "Notes to Self". I think it's right up your alley in so many ways. Pine is an English lecturer at University College Dublin and the collection is a stunner. Blurb:`The person who loves the addict exhausts and renews their love on a daily basis'
In this vivid and powerful collection of essays, the first non- fiction book published by Tramp Press, Emilie Pine boldly confronts the past to better understand herself, her relationships and her role in society.
Tackling subjects like addiction, fertility, feminism and sexual violence, and where these subjects intersect with legislation, these beautifully written essays are at once fascinating and funny, intimate and searingly honest.
Honest, raw, brave and new, Notes to Self breaks new ground in the field of personal essays.
Ooo thank you so much I’m definitely adding this to my list!
I always watch these videos with my goodreads app open so I can add the books to the to-read shelf.
You have the best big sister energy. I just found your channel and its exactly what I needed today as I'm having a pretty terrible one. Thanks for being you. 💜
Leena can I just say that I love you! You're clever, and interesting, you always question things and try to improve yourself ethically speaking, you're full of life, funny ... I can only wish to be more like you !! This being said I can't wait to hear about your top ten books 🍿
Thank you for telling us about Green Pleasant Land! You're the shiniest cherry! Thank you x
Just downloaded the audiobook for 'this green and pleasant land'
Thanks Leena for introducing me to ayisha Malik back when
I had never read a fictional book by a Muslim author and I loved it
Representation is so important!
I had no idea who ayisha was until your interview with her so
Again
Thankyou !! 💞
Aw yey I'm so glad, Ayisha is so so great x
The book about the mosque in an english village made me think of one of my favourite Canadian sitcoms "Little Mosque on the Prairie". It's brilliant and diverse and funny. Similar premise but in a small Canadian town in Saskatchewan.
Leena, you could convince me to read ANYTHING. Your enthusiasm is contagious but your reviews are also really in-depth and sincere! Added a few of these to my to-get-hold-of list, as if it wasn't long enough already hahaha
I somehow lost my passion for reading over the past ~5 years but this year I am relighting my passion (1 book already down!) So looking forward to watching your videos for recommendations- you seem exactly like my kind of person!
I love every single video of you talking about books! Always taking notes
I really didn’t ever think I’d find myself inspired to read but videos like this and also your publishing videos really do that for me! I read Dont you forget about me because of your recommendation and I loved it so much.
* adds literally all of these books to my to-read list *
I'm dying to read The Overstory especially!
I can confirm, it's amazing!! Well worth the lengthy read.
also cats aren't subtle and neither are vaginas needs to be on a t shirt
On it
@@leenanorms I want this tshirt :)
@@leenanorms yes please, would buy ;) love you lots
Because of your interview with Richard Powers I've picked up 'The Overstory', so excited to read it! Loved this video, been loving your channel, can't wait to see the 2020 content!
I actually just started (and finished) reading dont you forget about me (and I loved it)!! I would love a video on your favourite memoirs - I've read lowborn, educated and gone because of your recommendations and I want more please!!
I don't know if you've already made a video about it, but I'd love to hear how you can keep up with soooo many books at the time and not get lost in the plots or mix character or even lose interest! I can only manage to read two at a time, and they have to be either fiction and nonfiction, or short story compilations and something else
Leena why do you have to be so damn persuasive? I literally have to read every single one of these books now they all sound so good!!
Love getting your recommendations as some of them I never would have heard about (eg. I can go to my library app and they’re *actually available* instead of in a queue of hundreds). And even if you don’t like talking about books you dislike, THANK YOU for your brief, succinct ~commentary~ on Conversations with Friends. Read it this Christmas and did not understand it at all. Made me angry? I will check out the Min Kym book asap! Happy new year 🥂
I thought she was randomly wearing a neck pillow
Fab list! I'm a Dubliner and work in an independent bookshop in Dublin, and can confirm that Irish people very much love Irish authors - I get your point about that not being diverse, but I always considered it to be because literature is a very much main form of entertainment for Irish people, and we already get American films and British tv shows, so literature is where we see a bit more of ourselves and help us understand ourselves more, if that makes sense? For reading more Irish writers I would def recommend reading a short story anthology as imo some of the best Irish writers are short story writers - Anne Enright's Granta collection is great for 20th c writers and Lucy Caldwell's is cool for more contemporary writers!
Yeah that’s a fair point! Amazing - which indie do you work in? I’m thinking about coming back to Dublin again this year, I’ll have to pop in!
UA-cam suggested this video and so glad it did! You have an infectious personality. I will add your books to my to read list. Already had the Overstory on my list and now I’m even more excited to read it. Like you, I also loooved Normal People, while I did enjoy Conversations with Friends, Normal People really got into my heart. New subscriber!!
I was really conflicted about The Overstory, because I found it very powerful and beautiful most of the time, but it was such a tedious read at times too. I think you have convinced me to go back to it! Thanks for a brilliant video as always :)
I ADORED Normal People, favourite book of the year. I didn't like Conversations with Friends when I read it physically, but it worked so much better on audiobook, I think.
Oh hi! I found your videos maybe 2 or 3 weeks ago and I don't remember when was the last time I was this excited to read like 30 books all at once! I love, love the way you go about things, and your book taste fits mine perfectly, and you made me spend more money on books than I should have, and I don't mind one bit. So thank you! Greetings from Bulgaria! (yes, I ordered the tree book)
Happy New Year! Loving the 'womens fiction' voice. I think I need to adopt it when saying 'womens fiction' and 'chick flick'.
It's great to see such a diverse top book list and to see such a passionate review for each book. I've not see anyone else talking about 'This green and pleasant land' and wouldn't have gravitated towards it if I saw it on a shelf but you really sold it and all the others books. Thanks!
This Green and Pleasant Land and Gone sound brilliant. I love trees so I gotta read The Overstory clearly. Love hearing your thoughts. Two of my favorites last year was Pachinko and The Goldfinch and while they were large books, I think spending with the characters and the story definitely makes an impact.
So happy that Animals made your list. I happen to be friends with Emma (Jane Unsworth) and I gave her my second copy of your zine bc I know you really enjoyed her work. I just finished her new book, Adults and it was brilliant - you’ll love it 😊
Omg amazing! TELL HER I SAY HI * fan girl eyes *
i’d love to see a video where u recommend books to urself at different stages in ur life!! i imagine it would be a perfect mix of talking about growth n all that deep personal stuff, plus some great books chucked in!
Oooo I love this! It’s going on the list!
Audiobooks for the win! They helped me up my number extremly. I have been into watching booktube since 2012 and have also since then been tracking my reading. I started listening to audiobooks 2018 and now 2019 was the strongest of all reading years with 77 books and I guess about 20 or 30 were audiobooks. Still need to do the overall statistics for the year.
As you are reading Factfullness: I really liked that one this year as well! First listened to it and then bought it to look at all the graphics and photos. 😀
Edit: also... I love seeing you wear those earrings. It's great to me, if I recognise fashion pieces worn again and again. #sustainablefashion 😁
I got to interview the director of Animals Sophie Hyde (who was so lovely!) and she worked really closely with the author of the book and said the decision to set the film in Dublin was initially financial because they could get funding from Screen Ireland but they ended up really loving the Dublin setting and how it suited the story so well.
I feel like I might be one of the few people to love both Conversations with Friends (except for the ending) and Normal People!
That’s so interesting (!!!!!) i feel like Ireland really invest in art so that’s lovely. Destiny to have it set there cus the film looks STUNNING 👌thanks for the fun fact, I love it
Amazing that I loved Conversations with Friends much much more than Normal People. It was uncomfy, hard to read, but I loved it! You're right that the two are so different. Definitely putting some of these on hold at the library :)
Yaaaaay! So happy to see you rave about The Overstory :) There definitely needs to be more discussion about it
lgbt stats usually aren't the most accurate because of being closeted and even people who are out who don't feel comfortable putting it on forms etc etc
Yeah that’s a v good point!
If you compare stats in different countries and around different age group, the more gernerally accepting the country and the younger the age group (though all adults, I have no idea how this would look with teenagers and children), the higher the percentag - the highest I saw was almost 10%, but who knows how much higher it actually is
Love everything about this, Irish author to read is Eimear McBride just btw. Breaks my heart that she's not more appreciated but she is phenomenal. Only has two books out, but phenomenal.
I've added a bunch of these to my library wishlist as they sound amazing! And yaaaaas bloody love Mhairi McFarlane! So so so so so damn good!
My favorite book 2019 was Know my Name by Chanel Miller.
I'm so happy to hear your enthusiasm about The Overstory! One of my favourites of the year as well. I loved the pacing of the story, it felt so urgent but also very calming at the same time ❤
My colleague at the bookshop where we volunteer recommended it to me and discussing the book with them has been such a great experience. It inspired us to start building a climate change section in the bookshop and we have been recommending The Overstory (and This Is Not A Drill too!) to customers, and hearing their feedback has also been amazing. I have felt such a community around this book and the bookshop, which I have never really experienced before in this way 💕
My favourite book of 2019 was The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern - would love love love to hear your thoughts on it
1000% agree on The Overstory. So good and made me want to get some guide books on trees. I do feel like it dragged a little towards the end but other than that I absolutely loved it.
Yes!!!!
I've heard such amazing things about The Overstory. I really want to get to that one this year. 🌳
irish reccs' - being various a collection of short stories all by Irish writers. wendy erskine's short story collection, young skins also short stories, by colin barrett - all just fantastic. I'm with you the output is just phenomenal. i LOVED sofia khan, didn't know she'd written other stories!
I live for your book reviews! Favourites of 2019- Normal People, The Uninhabitable Earth, How to do Nothing, Milkman, Motherhood, Range.
At first, I thought that your earrings were cheesy buns. Flowers are cool too though
The Uninhabitable Earth is literally sitting on my tbr shelf in from of my face taunting me, and now I've another four books for my tbr- thanks a lot! 😂 Also those earrings are everything!
Loved this, Lena!!! Lowborn is one that I really need to read - it seems to be on a lot of people's favourites lists. Oooh Don't You Forget About Me sounds great. I'm actually wanting to get into more 'women's fiction' (I've never really read any), so thank you for bringing this to my attention. Yesss for Normal People! Also in my favourite books video✨
Just discovered your brilliant channel! Your honesty and humor are so refreshing! Literally lol’d throughout. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
You have convinced me to read The Overstory. I'm gonna read it nice and slow and download it onto my Kindle and have it as my work book that I read on the way to and from work and on my lunch breaks 🙂
As someone who read a lot in December but struggling to find something to keep my attention in January I feel better to know that you are halfway through 8 books.
A guide to being born was one of my favourite this year too. I picked it up after reading another one of her books (Awayland, which I did not feel smart enough to be reading) and it was so good. It hit me in a way I didn’t expect it to
the thumbnail reeled me right in and the earrings kept me
I read more diverse authors last year (on recommendation) and it was a delight. Reading different kinds of stories from different kinds of people is so much more interesting.
I really enjoyed the amount of times you mentioned Ireland in this video hehe. Anywho, my fav of the year was There There by Tommy Orange because of your recommendation! I also bought Gone for my mam for Christmas because of you and can't wait til it's my turn to read it xx
ALSO! I have been reading the Overstory for like 7 months and have about 100 pages left and was not sure whether I would finish it but you have convinced me to pick it back up
Aw I’m so glad! And yes, Ireland is on my mind, more Irish books on the list next year
I love just being In The Know about books upcoming,popular,written about - I subscribed to Bookseller,lol. It's the being aware of titles upcoming that makes me happy ☺
Also, are you going to read Topics of conversation by Miranda Popkey? The book was compared to Sally Rooney(my favourite last year) and I'm intrigued but also wary...
'you can wait can't you! you've got all day' leena. this aged extremely badly
Hi Leena! How about a video on your favourite quotes and what they mean to you? Maybe? Love all the work you put in here! Thank you
Oooo I like that idea, thank you! It’s going on the list!
For me if people want to read more Irish authors (I personally have loved Irish authors for years) my two favourites have always been Marian Keyes and Cecelia Ahern. But this last 18 months I found Donal Ryan (who wrote All We Shall Know which looks at extra marital affairs, how women are treated in Ireland, abortion rights and the Irish gypsy culture and it’s AMAZING) and one of my favourite books of 2019 was written by John Boyne and is called The Heart’s Invisible Furies and is a masterpiece (don’t be put off by the size it hooks you in and doesn’t let go for the whole book **WRITER GOALS**)
I love that the books
in your bookcase are colour coordinated
Just discovered your channel, I’m trying to get more into reading books and your way of talking about books is really inspiring me. Subscribing!
the mosque-building one - that is going to be so funny, it should be a tv show, it would kill us all, kind of This England x The Office x Goodness Gracious Me..... oh boy, i would love that so much. A touch of Derry Girls too?
God you’re right that would be so good
Your miranda's "...-ex" voice made me guffaw, I instantly recognized it
Please please please could you make a guide to accessing audiobooks. I don't use amazon for ethical reasons so audible is out. I've tried my library apps which suck (murder mysteries galore, yawn) and I couldn't get my head around kobo. I really want to be able to access new/current/varied audiobooks like you have spoken about in this video, preferably with some kind of cheap unlimited subscription (or as close to that as possible)
This GREEN PLEASANT LAND sounds so funny. I must read it soon !!! Thank you for sharing your thoughts on these books ♡
Would recommend anything by Irish author Donal Ryan. His writing is incredibly personal and descriptive, and depicts Irish culture in a really accurate way.
ALL WE SHALL KNOW is totally amazing.
We read Conversations with a Friend in my book club, no one liked it, and when Normal People was offered as a choice everyone declined it immediately. Maybe I should give it a chance...
It’s VERY different in tone and theme, I’d say read a sample and give it a chance 🧡
Everytime I'm in a reading slump I watch one of Leena's videos and then magically I want to read again.
My favourite books this year were Educated by Tara Westover, Exit West by Mohsin Hamid, Umami by Laia Jufresa, Lacuna by Fiona Snyckers, Lanny by Max Porter, and Their eyes were watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
The overstory is also my favourite of the year by far, and one of my favourites ever. When I finished I felt like I needed to immediately start it again.
That was great fun and enormously entertaining.
I'll be back!
Books on my (Irish) nightstand...for you to rearrange your stats perhaps!
5 English
3 American
2 Canadian
1 Russian
1 Irish
Such a bright video! It just made me want to read more for some reason!! Thank you!
Best books read in 2019 include
The Dutch House
The Blowout
The Overstory
The Man Who Saw Everything
Mr Loverman
A Ladder To The Sky
Fruit of the Drunken Tree
Underground Time
Drive Your Plow Over The Bones of the Dead
You Need To Talk To Someone
Some Irish books/ authors Id recommend
Say Nothing
The Ruins by Dervla McTeirnan
Burial Rites by Hannah Kent
Yes, I loved this video; such a lot of wonderful recommendatons!!
Honestly, I love all the videos you do on reading but I in particular like content where you link books to certain topics, like climate change/education/writing/clearing out etc. It is like you give me a list of references to life ;)
My favourite books of the year were 'Wild Swans' by Jung Chang (thanks for the recommendation!) and 'Humankind: a hopeful history' by Rutger Bregman!
We have been how come I just coming across you a fresh and positive vibe keep it going girl I love you vlogging
Aw thank you!
Thanks so much for this video! Love forward to checking out these recommendations.
I would love it if you could recommend any books written from the perspective of a chronically ill/disabled person.
I read min Kim's book this year as well and absolutely loved it! I'm a music student currently, and it resonated so much and was so wonderfully written
I'm new here. If we were in the same room it would explode from chaotic energy 😂 finally someone that talks in my speed.
i've been waiting for this review to come out to update my tbr!! love it as always
Always love your insight and perspective and humor!! Thanks for sharing
Aw thank you!
Omg I did not know that's what This Green & Pleasant Land is about but now I have to read it
The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne is a wonderful (Irish) book😊
I finished Normal People yesterday and read it because of your recommendation. That was uncalled for, Leena; what am I supposed to do with myself now???? :___________(
Wow this review of overstory is just the push I needed to read this book :)
😍😍😍
My favorite type of leena videos!
Thank you thank you I’ve been waiting for this since New Years! ☺️☺️
Thanks for your recommendations. 🙏 Another friend of mine recommended This green and pleasant land and it seems so good!
Thank you leena!! This was such a great video
This year I read 1/57 (!) books by men (and it was an audible special, so not even a proper book).
My favorite books were Where the forest meets the stars by Glendy Vanderah, and all 3 books in The queen of the tearling triology.
Looks like I'm going to get a copy of The Overstory after work!
I'm thinking of starting with Normal People by Rooney, though Conversation with Friends got translated in my mother tongue first.
As for Irish authors: have you read Graham Norton's fiction novels? I got both (though still haven't read them, I swear I spent more on books than even food last year 😅).
I would love videos in podcasting btw, more on the making-of them.
I actually haven’t but I am curious about them! Maybe I should try one!
@@leenanorms I actually encouraged myself to start Holding, let's see how that goes, so I guess... Thanks Leena for making my brain remind me of my owned tbr?! What the heck?...
Those earrings are MAGNIFICENT