Because of your recommendation, I just picked up East of Eden, and I have fallen for it already, and I am only on chapter two. His writing is gorgeous. My first Steinbeck. Thank you!
The Grapes of Wrath is one of my favorite books too, and I reread it every few years. My favorite book the year was The Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz. I loved the originality of the premise.
Glad you enjoyed Didion's /Year of Magical Thinking/. I just finished her /Blue Nights/ myself, whose subject is the loss of her daughter, and it draws you right into the grief and the sense of absence coming from losing a child who was also a beloved friend
The Grapes of Wrath is devastatingly beautiful, isn't it? It's everything I love about a book. I am going to re-read it soon. I've read almost all of your favorites. Blonde was a surprise for me. I was actually shocked that I loved it as much as I did. It was a 10/10 for me. I've since read many of Oates' other works. In Blonde, I didn't know what was fact and what was fiction(as you said), but that was ok. I went to the computer and went down a lot of rabbit holes...but I like rabbit holes!
122 books! Wow, that's an incredible amount! 'The Unseen World' is also one of my favourites of the year. It was one of the books I read close to the beginning with the year but it's stayed with me constantly, I just adored it. I'm glad you loved it, too! :)
Great choices! I love that your favorite of the year is an American classic. I want to read Blonde, I’m afraid to read Year of Magical Thinking, but know I should. Here’s a recommendation from me: The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan, a fictional story about the muse for Degas’ sculpture, Little Dancer Aged Fourteen. Also, Robin Williams was pretty impressive in the movie version of Garp. Happy New Year, Helene!!!🥂🍾🎊
Thanks for the recommendation! "The Painted Girls" actually sounds quite fascinating; especially because I just saw and art show of some of Degas' paintings of dancing girls. Happy New Year! :)
I adore The Glass Castle. I still need to see the movie! I was so excited about it coming out but never got around to watching it. also so glad to see The Unseen World on your list :) it's brilliant
It was thanks to you, Max, that I picked up "The Unseen World" :) I hope you'll get to the movie of "The Glass Castle" one day because it is really brilliant - great acting and impressive scenes!
What a GREAT list, Helene!! So many different kinds of books. I’m excited to read many of them off of your recommendation - particularly Blonde, as you know. :)
Those books all sound so good! The only book I've read in your list is The Glass Castle. Sadly, I thought the movie was better than the book. It's been years since I've read it, but I remember I thought the writing was not good, even though I liked the story. I remember something about a car, and how they had a car but it broke down or something and they didn't have a car for awhile. Then, in another paragraph, she talks about a car again, without any mention of when they got it and where it came from. I remember there were several instances like that, she talked about something as if she had already mentioned it and didn't introduce it first. I think her homemade braces was another example. But, the movie is so good and the book was decent, but those hats in the setting were just too bad for me to forgive. I'm glad you liked it though. :)
My favorite book of 2017 has to be "The bridge over a Drina" by Ivo Andrić(Andrich). He is a author from my country(only author who won Nobel prize from Bosnia and Herzegovina)😁 Also I loved "Kafka on a shore" by Haruki Murakami!
I don't understand how you can have read a book less than a year ago, and not remember even the basic plot elements of what it is about, or particularly why you liked it? At 122 books for the year, that implies you skim over read; it's not a competition or sport, slow down and actually ENJOY the books you read more - you'd probably remember them better, especially being your "favorites", if you did so!
Thankyou Helene , I have joan did ions book but haven't read it yet. I really would love to read blond I really loved Marilyn Monroe . I am a slow reader but I keep going I'm reading half of a yellow sun by chimamanda adichie !
"Half of a Yellow Sun" is a really great book - I hope you enjoy it! Also, it's all about quality when you read, so don't worry about being a slow reader :)
Hi! thanks for your wrap up. Is it any way you can list the books for me? I watched while doing other chores and I'm bad at pausing -write down - continue :) Thanks!
Absolutely! Here it is... Honourable mentions: "This Must Be the Place" by Maggie O'Farrell "Stay with Me" by Ayobami Adebayo Actual favourites: "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls "The Year of Magical Thinking" by Joan Didion "My Absolute Darling" by Gabriel Tallene "The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck "The Unseen World" by Liz Moore "The Cranes Dance" by Meg Howdy "The World According to Garp" by John Irving "Blonde" by Joyce Carol Oates "The Colourless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage" by Haruki Murakami
Because of your recommendation, I just picked up East of Eden, and I have fallen for it already, and I am only on chapter two. His writing is gorgeous. My first Steinbeck. Thank you!
That sounds wonderful! Good luck with it :)
Thank you again , Helene I loved your review all over again!❤️
oh wow. 122? WOW.
Definitely will check out 'stay with me'.
I know - it's crazy... But cool - I hope you'll like "Stay with Me" if you end up picking it up :)
So ready to add all of these to my TBR thanks for the recommendations! Happy Reading!
Wow that sounds really good :D Happy reading to you, too!
So many great sounding books here! I'm dying to read Blonde and The Glass Castle, guess they'll have to wait til next year when I can buy books again!
The Grapes of Wrath is one of my favorite books too, and I reread it every few years. My favorite book the year was The Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz. I loved the originality of the premise.
You made me want to read all of them. Thank you for the great video. :)
Glad you enjoyed Didion's /Year of Magical Thinking/. I just finished her /Blue Nights/ myself, whose subject is the loss of her daughter, and it draws you right into the grief and the sense of absence coming from losing a child who was also a beloved friend
The Grapes of Wrath is devastatingly beautiful, isn't it? It's everything I love about a book. I am going to re-read it soon. I've read almost all of your favorites. Blonde was a surprise for me. I was actually shocked that I loved it as much as I did. It was a 10/10 for me. I've since read many of Oates' other works. In Blonde, I didn't know what was fact and what was fiction(as you said), but that was ok. I went to the computer and went down a lot of rabbit holes...but I like rabbit holes!
"The Grapes of Wrath" is EVERYTHING! I loved it so much and will definitely reread it at some point soon
122 books! Wow, that's an incredible amount! 'The Unseen World' is also one of my favourites of the year. It was one of the books I read close to the beginning with the year but it's stayed with me constantly, I just adored it. I'm glad you loved it, too! :)
I know, 122 books is a bit crazy but reading make me happy and relaxed :)
Great choices! I love that your favorite of the year is an American classic. I want to read Blonde, I’m afraid to read Year of Magical Thinking, but know I should. Here’s a recommendation from me: The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan, a fictional story about the muse for Degas’ sculpture, Little Dancer Aged Fourteen. Also, Robin Williams was pretty impressive in the movie version of Garp. Happy New Year, Helene!!!🥂🍾🎊
Thanks for the recommendation! "The Painted Girls" actually sounds quite fascinating; especially because I just saw and art show of some of Degas' paintings of dancing girls. Happy New Year! :)
The way you describe the books make me want to read every single one of them
You're so sweet :) Thanks!
Hooray for Blonde! Such an amazing book. I loved many of these books too but I really need to get to reading The Unseen World. Happy New Year, Helene!
Happy New Year to you too, Eric - and thanks for providing us all with such amazing book reviews and recommendations :)
I adore The Glass Castle. I still need to see the movie! I was so excited about it coming out but never got around to watching it. also so glad to see The Unseen World on your list :) it's brilliant
It was thanks to you, Max, that I picked up "The Unseen World" :) I hope you'll get to the movie of "The Glass Castle" one day because it is really brilliant - great acting and impressive scenes!
What a GREAT list, Helene!! So many different kinds of books. I’m excited to read many of them off of your recommendation - particularly Blonde, as you know. :)
GOOD LUCK with "Blonde"!! :)
Those books all sound so good! The only book I've read in your list is The Glass Castle. Sadly, I thought the movie was better than the book. It's been years since I've read it, but I remember I thought the writing was not good, even though I liked the story. I remember something about a car, and how they had a car but it broke down or something and they didn't have a car for awhile. Then, in another paragraph, she talks about a car again, without any mention of when they got it and where it came from. I remember there were several instances like that, she talked about something as if she had already mentioned it and didn't introduce it first. I think her homemade braces was another example. But, the movie is so good and the book was decent, but those hats in the setting were just too bad for me to forgive. I'm glad you liked it though. :)
Great video. Definitely added a few of them to my tbr.
Sounds good ;D
The Grapes of Wrath: My favourite book EVER.
Thank you for this wonderful video! Have a wonderful New Years Eve and I hope your 2018 is full of wonderful books x
You too! :)
My favorite book of 2017 has to be "The bridge over a Drina" by Ivo Andrić(Andrich). He is a author from my country(only author who won Nobel prize from Bosnia and Herzegovina)😁 Also I loved "Kafka on a shore" by Haruki Murakami!
I never include rereads either or books that are well into a series.
I don't understand how you can have read a book less than a year ago, and not remember even the basic plot elements of what it is about, or particularly why you liked it? At 122 books for the year, that implies you skim over read; it's not a competition or sport, slow down and actually ENJOY the books you read more - you'd probably remember them better, especially being your "favorites", if you did so!
Thanks, great recommendations!
You're welcome! And thanks :)
Thankyou Helene , I have joan did ions book but haven't read it yet. I really would love to read blond I really loved Marilyn Monroe . I am a slow reader but I keep going I'm reading half of a yellow sun by chimamanda adichie !
"Half of a Yellow Sun" is a really great book - I hope you enjoy it! Also, it's all about quality when you read, so don't worry about being a slow reader :)
Perhaps this is a bit off topic but I love your glasses!
Haha thanks :D
Give some non fiction books.
Hi! thanks for your wrap up. Is it any way you can list the books for me? I watched while doing other chores and I'm bad at pausing -write down - continue :) Thanks!
Absolutely! Here it is...
Honourable mentions:
"This Must Be the Place" by Maggie O'Farrell
"Stay with Me" by Ayobami Adebayo
Actual favourites:
"The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls
"The Year of Magical Thinking" by Joan Didion
"My Absolute Darling" by Gabriel Tallene
"The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck
"The Unseen World" by Liz Moore
"The Cranes Dance" by Meg Howdy
"The World According to Garp" by John Irving
"Blonde" by Joyce Carol Oates
"The Colourless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage" by Haruki Murakami
Look at my answer for Adriana ;)
I really want to read the unseen world
I understand - and you should :)
If i remember correctly the Maggie O'farrell book is set in Ireland and the US. Not great Britain. Great video!
I think you're right.. I got that setting wrong :P Thanks!
Did you change your camera? The quality is amazing. I just bought Stay with me, because of your and jean's reviews
I didn't, actually, I just changed my position of it. Maybe I should keep it this way :) Good luck with "Stay with Me"!
Have you read any of the Paulo Coelho's books? 😊
Yup! I've read "The Alchemist" twice and quite loved it :)
How many hours do you read in a day??
It differs... Some days I don't read at all - others I read for several hours (if I'm in the mood for it).
The Glass Castle reads like fiction, it's amazing how much people can endure.
You're absolutely right - it reads like fiction :)
First, yeah :D
;D