SHADOW OF THE WIND!!! I absolutely love this book so much, I rarely see people talk about it (I only read it because my aunt gave me her copy and said "YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK"). I also remember reading the sequel and it rented an entire apartment in my head for weeks.
So glad you loved The Shadow of the Wind!! I’ve read the second and third one in the series. I enjoyed those, but there was something extra special about the first one!!
I’m probably in the wrong place, since I only read nonfiction, but this video inspired me to come up with my own top 10 list: 1. Letters to a Young Contrarian by Christopher Hitchens 2. Brilliant Green by Stefano Mancuso 3. Age of Reason by Thomas Paine 4. Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker 5. Einstein by Walter Isaacson 6. The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk 7. Atomic Habits by James Clear 8. Children Who Remember Previous Lives by Ian Stevenson 9. Origin of Species by Charles Darwin 10. Mortality by Christopher Hitchens
Congrats on 3 years, East of Eden is on my tbr and can't wait to read it. Have you seen the movie? Some of my favorite books are To Kill a Mockingbird, 11/22/63 & Boy's Life.
You have great taste! I gave all three of those 5⭐️ and all three of them were considered for this list! I haven’t seen the East of Eden movie, but I’ve heard good things! Although, if I remember correctly, the film focuses primarily on the second half of the story. It makes sense, but I hope there is a miniseries or something one day that adapts the whole thing!
Don't know why this video popped in my recommendation but I'm glad it did. I do like these kind of lists because if somebody liked so much I dunno maybe I'm missing something. I'm not American but Brazilian (and 54 so fairly old haha) but those books are pretty much universal. My all time favorite is George Orwell's 1984. I begrudgingly read it in 1985 just because it was required in my highschool but to my surprise I loved it! It's bleak as it can be but my country was re-democratizing after 2 decades of military regime and the Eurhythmics' movie soundtrack that came out around the same time made it so much more compelling. Wow Lonesome Dove that good? I always thought it must be a feel good book with a catchy title (like Thorn Birds haha. I know I know totally different genre but you know what I mean.) Anyway I'm gonna give it a try. Cheers!
Thank you so much for watching!! It must have been an interesting experience to read 1984 in 1985. I wonder if the content was more reminiscent of society then or today. Thank you so much for watching!! Please come back and let me know what you think of Lonesome Dove if you read it. It is perhaps the most shocking for me on this list as well- by all accounts it shouldn’t be as good as it is, but the novel is stunning.
That Lord of the Rings test story is awesome. I read it in my first year of college over Christmas break and I read the gigantic bind up mass market paperback. I do not recommend that. 😅
East of Eden transcends fiction. I have a compulsion that I must buy a copy of East of Eden if I see it. I just buy them and immediately leave them at bus stops, park benches, train stations, pretty much anywhere. The next time I walk by that place the book is always gone. If you are in Australia and have picked up a random discarded copy of East of Eden, I hope it has left a mark on you. Timshel, my friend, the only word that truly matters. Use it wisely.
Oh my gosh. You get it. I do the exact same thing- if I see a copy of East of Eden at a thrift store or used book store, I can’t not buy it. I just get it and shove it into the hands of anyone who will take it. Thanks for making me feel seen! Thou mayest, my friend.
@@ianthereaderthe only thing I’ve read of Steinbeck was The Log of the Sea of Cortez. Basically non-fiction. I loved it very much. Humorous, compassionate. Been hearing a lot about East of Eden. Will have to have a look.
I love your list! Several of your choices would probably on my list too. Grapes of Wrath is one of my all time favorite books. I haven’t read East of Eden yet.
Thank you!! Do you have an absolute favorite book?? If we have similar tastes like it seems, I would love to know so I can read it!! The Grapes of Wrath is the one book I have sworn to ABSOLUTELY read before the year is up!! I’m sure it will be excellent, and I hope you enjoy East of Eden if you ever read it!
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! Part of me feels bad for that test, but another part does not!!! Also - great picks!! The books I have read from your list are amazing!
I really enjoyed The Gargoyle! I actually read that one as part of a reading vlog way back when I first started my channel. More people need to read that one! The Night Film has been one I’ve been wanting to get to for ages, but I honestly forgot about it! I will definitely move it back onto the TBR!!
Oof the fact that I have only read two of these pains me deeply, I need to know what made you fall in love with these stories!! Toni Morrison and IT are highest up on my list to try, but you also really sold me on your top 3!
I am 71 and you have made me want to read Lonesome Dove and East of Eden. I am just trying to get back to reading more and have watched a few Booktubes and this is the first time I hit subscribe. Good job!
You are my favorite booktuber with such positive energy who reads such wide variety of books and that is amazing! So many books on this list I'm dying to read! Your shirt is cool btw! 🥰
I will be reading It for the first time this month. We have a tiny used book store in my small town, that is owned by a man in his 80s, he opened it just because he loves books so much, and It is on his favorites lists too, and he will argue with anyone to defend it. He told me in his opinion It, The Stand and Hearts In Atlantis are the greatest Stephen King books of all time. Though he wished there was less horror bits in the last. So I am hoping I love It as much as everyone else seems to. :)
@@ianthereader Oh interesting. This gentleman also has Swan Song and I believe East of Eden on his books he is ready to defend shelf as well. I have never read either at this point though.
Amped for you to read the 4th Cemetery of forgotten books. I don’t know if you will beat out shadow of the wind for you but it should at least make you as the question
What a list! 🥰 I love how passionate you are about all these books. Love your videos! Love your book recommendations! To many more years of your videos!!! 🥳🥳🥳📚
Well, I couldn't agree more about Lonesome Dove -- what an amazing book. I hate westerns, but it is also on my list of favorite books ever. (Greg from Supposedly Fun read it this year and was blown away by it.) I loved Shadow of the Wind as well -- such an unusual, beautiful book. I was surprised by so many things in that book! I put Boy Swallows Universe on my wishlist -- that really does sound great! I'm moving East of Eden from my classics bookshelf to the stack of books that I'm hoping to read before I die -- so chances are I'll probably read it. 😂 I did read Goldfinch, and am a big fan of it, but I would bet money that The Devil All the Time is far, far better than The Goldfinch. I don't know how to prove that, but that's my position! 🤪
So glad you enjoyed the ones you have read!! And if you get to East of Eden and Boy Swallows Universe, PLEASE let me know what you think!!! I actually considered having a small portion at the start of the video where I listed some books that I have either read very recently or need to reread that I think could move on to the list, and The Devil All the Time would have made that list!! Just need a little more distance from it to gage its lasting impact. 😂
@ianthereader ok, that makes sense. Sometimes it takes a while to figure it out. Will definitely let you know if I manage to get to those two -- will be a while, but I really want to! This is a great video!
@ianthereader also, I did really like The Lord of the Ring, even though it's not really my thing, and I'm grabbing The Bluest Eye from my bookshelf as well.
Well, then I must prepare you for something where people usually DNF. I'm going to spoil one thing if you have not heard about it BUT, I am not going to explain what is going on and why the author does this. I want to see if you have questions. If you do at the time you eventually read it all you have to do is ask and I will explain. Although I did do a video on it if you prefer to just watch that. Honestly, it's not for everybody. SPOILER > > > > > > > > Thomas Covenant rapes a young girl. He is the "protagonist". There are reasons beyond "he is a rapist." Some folks stop and proclaim they cannot support a rapist hero. Well, who would? But there is all sorts of theme and symbology at work.
A great list, Ian! East of Eden is really high on my list as well. Our top 2 King books are the same, albeit flipped in order. I loved hearing you talk about Donna Tartt - she's a great writer and the Goldfinch and The Secret History are both great. Thanks for the video!
I honestly go back and forth on It and 11/22/63 so much. I think ultimately I will have the more concrete opinion once I do a reread of both! Glad to hear you love East of Eden and Donna Tarrt also! Thanks for watching, my friend!
@@ianthereader shadow of the wind is my favorite book. Hands down. The rest that you posted are Goldfinch, LotR, It, I know This Much Is True. My other five would be Kavalier and Clay, The Lies of Locke Lamora, The Zebra Striped Hearse, The Man Who Liked Slow Tomatoes, Devil In a Blue Dress.
@@dillinisgoodyou have excellent taste!! I have also read and loved Locke Lamora. I own Kavalier and Clay and have been meaning to get to it for YEARS. I will check out the others ASAP. Thank you so much for your recommendations!!
@@dillinisgood it’s actually a genre I have been exploring more lately! I recently picked up some Robert B Parker and James Ellroy. I’ll try to find these recs soon!
We love the same books! Lonesome Dove is on my TBR list. Make sure to have a look at Wally Lamb’s book - She’s Come Undone. Also have a look at Cutting for Stone, Abraham Verghese or Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry - both very intriguing reads.
@@maureenb7399 thank you for the recommendations!! She’s Come Undone and Cutting for Stone are ones I own and are high on my TBR! A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry was my favorite read of last year, so I will definitely check that one out!! Thank you again!!
Why, after 3 years, do you only have 1400 followers? The you tube algorithm helped me find your channel, just now, and I’m so glad it did!
Hahaha my ugly mug is bad for the algorithm, it seems. 😂 Happy to have you here!! 😊
SHADOW OF THE WIND!!! I absolutely love this book so much, I rarely see people talk about it (I only read it because my aunt gave me her copy and said "YOU HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK"). I also remember reading the sequel and it rented an entire apartment in my head for weeks.
So glad you loved The Shadow of the Wind!! I’ve read the second and third one in the series. I enjoyed those, but there was something extra special about the first one!!
I’m probably in the wrong place, since I only read nonfiction, but this video inspired me to come up with my own top 10 list:
1. Letters to a Young Contrarian by Christopher Hitchens
2. Brilliant Green by Stefano Mancuso
3. Age of Reason by Thomas Paine
4. Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker
5. Einstein by Walter Isaacson
6. The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
7. Atomic Habits by James Clear
8. Children Who Remember Previous Lives by Ian Stevenson
9. Origin of Species by Charles Darwin
10. Mortality by Christopher Hitchens
THANK YOU for this!! I have been wanting to read more non-fiction, so your list is greatly appreciated!!
Congrats on 3 years, East of Eden is on my tbr and can't wait to read it. Have you seen the movie? Some of my favorite books are To Kill a Mockingbird, 11/22/63 & Boy's Life.
You have great taste! I gave all three of those 5⭐️ and all three of them were considered for this list! I haven’t seen the East of Eden movie, but I’ve heard good things! Although, if I remember correctly, the film focuses primarily on the second half of the story. It makes sense, but I hope there is a miniseries or something one day that adapts the whole thing!
what a list, have books from all over!! very nice
Don't know why this video popped in my recommendation but I'm glad it did. I do like these kind of lists because if somebody liked so much I dunno maybe I'm missing something. I'm not American but Brazilian (and 54 so fairly old haha) but those books are pretty much universal. My all time favorite is George Orwell's 1984. I begrudgingly read it in 1985 just because it was required in my highschool but to my surprise I loved it! It's bleak as it can be but my country was re-democratizing after 2 decades of military regime and the Eurhythmics' movie soundtrack that came out around the same time made it so much more compelling. Wow Lonesome Dove that good? I always thought it must be a feel good book with a catchy title (like Thorn Birds haha. I know I know totally different genre but you know what I mean.) Anyway I'm gonna give it a try. Cheers!
Thank you so much for watching!! It must have been an interesting experience to read 1984 in 1985. I wonder if the content was more reminiscent of society then or today.
Thank you so much for watching!! Please come back and let me know what you think of Lonesome Dove if you read it. It is perhaps the most shocking for me on this list as well- by all accounts it shouldn’t be as good as it is, but the novel is stunning.
Dang, Ian! This video is awesome! Maybe a second video with your # 11-20 books? I'm moving so many of these higher on my TBR.
Don’t tempt me! 😂 Making my top 10 was hard, but in some ways I feel like narrowing down my 11-20 would be harder!!
That Lord of the Rings test story is awesome. I read it in my first year of college over Christmas break and I read the gigantic bind up mass market paperback. I do not recommend that. 😅
Wow, that must have been HUGE!!
How blessed to have a dad and an aunt who gave you something that will live on in your memory! :)
Yeah, I give them a hard time about it, but it actually is a very special memory for me.
Great list bro! Congrats on 3 years!!! I'm glad I found your channel and that we are booktube buds💪 You rock, man!
YOU rock man!! Thanks for watching and for being so rad!!
East of Eden transcends fiction. I have a compulsion that I must buy a copy of East of Eden if I see it. I just buy them and immediately leave them at bus stops, park benches, train stations, pretty much anywhere. The next time I walk by that place the book is always gone. If you are in Australia and have picked up a random discarded copy of East of Eden, I hope it has left a mark on you. Timshel, my friend, the only word that truly matters. Use it wisely.
Oh my gosh. You get it. I do the exact same thing- if I see a copy of East of Eden at a thrift store or used book store, I can’t not buy it. I just get it and shove it into the hands of anyone who will take it. Thanks for making me feel seen!
Thou mayest, my friend.
@@ianthereaderthe only thing I’ve read of Steinbeck was The Log of the Sea of Cortez. Basically non-fiction. I loved it very much. Humorous, compassionate. Been hearing a lot about East of Eden. Will have to have a look.
So many great books out there and so much to choose one. Best wishes.
Yes indeed! If only I could stop time and get to them all.
Ian! As a new booktuber, you're an inspiration! :) Maybe I'll also get to three years someday. LOL!
New subscriber. Thanks for the video! :)
Congratulations on your UA-cam channel!! I hope you have fun with it!
I love your list!
Several of your choices would probably on my list too.
Grapes of Wrath is one of my all time favorite books.
I haven’t read East of Eden yet.
Thank you!! Do you have an absolute favorite book?? If we have similar tastes like it seems, I would love to know so I can read it!!
The Grapes of Wrath is the one book I have sworn to ABSOLUTELY read before the year is up!! I’m sure it will be excellent, and I hope you enjoy East of Eden if you ever read it!
your top 2 are also my top 2! reading The Goldfinch currently too and loving it… looks like I need to pick up everything else on your list asap
You have great taste!! Hope you enjoy any of the other if you read them, and would love to hear your other favorites!!
Same here..!
HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! Part of me feels bad for that test, but another part does not!!!
Also - great picks!! The books I have read from your list are amazing!
Hahaha I wish I knew where the test was!!
Two of my favorite books that you might like are The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson and Night Film by Marisha Pessl.
I really enjoyed The Gargoyle! I actually read that one as part of a reading vlog way back when I first started my channel. More people need to read that one!
The Night Film has been one I’ve been wanting to get to for ages, but I honestly forgot about it! I will definitely move it back onto the TBR!!
Oof the fact that I have only read two of these pains me deeply, I need to know what made you fall in love with these stories!! Toni Morrison and IT are highest up on my list to try, but you also really sold me on your top 3!
I hope you love The Bluest Eye and It when you read them and the others if you ever get around to them!!
I am 71 and you have made me want to read Lonesome Dove and East of Eden. I am just trying to get back to reading more and have watched a few Booktubes and this is the first time I hit subscribe. Good job!
You are my favorite booktuber with such positive energy who reads such wide variety of books and that is amazing! So many books on this list I'm dying to read! Your shirt is cool btw! 🥰
Thank you so much for the support!
have you read the poppy war its my fav book series. I really want to read more so thanks for the recommendations!
I have read the first book, but it has been a long time. Definitely need to revisit that series!!
I will be reading It for the first time this month. We have a tiny used book store in my small town, that is owned by a man in his 80s, he opened it just because he loves books so much, and It is on his favorites lists too, and he will argue with anyone to defend it. He told me in his opinion It, The Stand and Hearts In Atlantis are the greatest Stephen King books of all time. Though he wished there was less horror bits in the last. So I am hoping I love It as much as everyone else seems to. :)
I am not crazy about The Stand, but Hearts in Atlantis is absolutely stunning and is in my top ten King, for sure. I hope you love It!!!
@@ianthereader Oh interesting. This gentleman also has Swan Song and I believe East of Eden on his books he is ready to defend shelf as well. I have never read either at this point though.
I didn't like The stand that much either! Overrated for sure!
I really want to read Swan Song- I’ve heard great things!!
Amped for you to read the 4th Cemetery of forgotten books. I don’t know if you will beat out shadow of the wind for you but it should at least make you as the question
3 years 😮 wow!!!! That’s amazing 🥳🥳🥳🥳
What a list! 🥰 I love how passionate you are about all these books. Love your videos! Love your book recommendations! To many more years of your videos!!! 🥳🥳🥳📚
Thank you, Fine!!
I absolutely love videos that list favorites! Thank you.
Thank you for watching!! 💕
Well, I couldn't agree more about Lonesome Dove -- what an amazing book. I hate westerns, but it is also on my list of favorite books ever. (Greg from Supposedly Fun read it this year and was blown away by it.) I loved Shadow of the Wind as well -- such an unusual, beautiful book. I was surprised by so many things in that book! I put Boy Swallows Universe on my wishlist -- that really does sound great! I'm moving East of Eden from my classics bookshelf to the stack of books that I'm hoping to read before I die -- so chances are I'll probably read it. 😂 I did read Goldfinch, and am a big fan of it, but I would bet money that The Devil All the Time is far, far better than The Goldfinch. I don't know how to prove that, but that's my position! 🤪
So glad you enjoyed the ones you have read!! And if you get to East of Eden and Boy Swallows Universe, PLEASE let me know what you think!!!
I actually considered having a small portion at the start of the video where I listed some books that I have either read very recently or need to reread that I think could move on to the list, and The Devil All the Time would have made that list!! Just need a little more distance from it to gage its lasting impact. 😂
@ianthereader ok, that makes sense. Sometimes it takes a while to figure it out. Will definitely let you know if I manage to get to those two -- will be a while, but I really want to! This is a great video!
@ianthereader also, I did really like The Lord of the Ring, even though it's not really my thing, and I'm grabbing The Bluest Eye from my bookshelf as well.
Books from The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever
Dune
I LOVE DUNE. Will definitely check out the other series- I’ve heard good things!
Well, then I must prepare you for something where people usually DNF. I'm going to spoil one thing if you have not heard about it BUT, I am not going to explain what is going on and why the author does this. I want to see if you have questions. If you do at the time you eventually read it all you have to do is ask and I will explain. Although I did do a video on it if you prefer to just watch that. Honestly, it's not for everybody.
SPOILER
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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Thomas Covenant rapes a young girl. He is the "protagonist". There are reasons beyond "he is a rapist." Some folks stop and proclaim they cannot support a rapist hero. Well, who would? But there is all sorts of theme and symbology at work.
😊❤😊
James patterson teen novels , alex scarrow time riders.
Excellent list!!❤❤
Thanks 💕
Congrats on 3 years, Ian! The Shadow of the Wind has been one that's been intriguing me for a while. I hope to read it soon!
Thank you!! I hope you love The Shadow of the Wind when you get to it!!
A great list, Ian! East of Eden is really high on my list as well. Our top 2 King books are the same, albeit flipped in order. I loved hearing you talk about Donna Tartt - she's a great writer and the Goldfinch and The Secret History are both great. Thanks for the video!
I honestly go back and forth on It and 11/22/63 so much. I think ultimately I will have the more concrete opinion once I do a reread of both! Glad to hear you love East of Eden and Donna Tarrt also! Thanks for watching, my friend!
@@ianthereader I think it's okay for these things to be fluid!
5 of my own top 10 on here. Did we just become best friends???
Yup. 🤜🤛
Now I’ve got to know which 5, and also what your other 5 favorites are!!! Please!!
@@ianthereader shadow of the wind is my favorite book. Hands down. The rest that you posted are Goldfinch, LotR, It, I know This Much Is True.
My other five would be Kavalier and Clay, The Lies of Locke Lamora, The Zebra Striped Hearse, The Man Who Liked Slow Tomatoes, Devil In a Blue Dress.
@@dillinisgoodyou have excellent taste!! I have also read and loved Locke Lamora. I own Kavalier and Clay and have been meaning to get to it for YEARS. I will check out the others ASAP. Thank you so much for your recommendations!!
@ianthereader I grew up on mystery/noir. That's what the last 3 titles are. Not sure if that's a thing you enjoy or not but those are top notch.
@@dillinisgood it’s actually a genre I have been exploring more lately! I recently picked up some Robert B Parker and James Ellroy. I’ll try to find these recs soon!
Weakest list I've seen in a while
💀
@@WIGEEMAN99 That's rude
What!?! These books are almost universally regarded as the best books ever and from almost every genre! I'm so thankful for Ian's amazing recs!
We love the same books! Lonesome Dove is on my TBR list. Make sure to have a look at Wally Lamb’s book - She’s Come Undone. Also have a look at Cutting for Stone, Abraham Verghese or Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry - both very intriguing reads.
@@maureenb7399 thank you for the recommendations!! She’s Come Undone and Cutting for Stone are ones I own and are high on my TBR! A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry was my favorite read of last year, so I will definitely check that one out!! Thank you again!!