I’ve just finished James by Percival Everett what a wonderful book , I loved every page and would highly recommend it. Love your channel by the way. Viv
I love listening to your reviews. You're always well spoken, but your review of Pity was really great. I'm so looking forward to getting my hands on James eventually! My best book of April was Hangman. I didn't really have that great of a reading month this past month. Happy reading!
Congratulations on your 25th Anniversary Eric! I had excatly the same difficulty with the font of "In Defence Of The Act". Please take note Epoque Press!
I still don’t understand how Restless Dolly Maunder got onto the shortlist. I am going to read Brotherless Night next. That will be the shortlist done. I still think Soldier Sailor will win.
I am binge-watching all your videos. I had never been a voracious reader until six months ago, when I realized what I had missed. As a newbie, I am learning about books, what to read, what to look for, and also exploring what I enjoy the most. Your videos are a masterclass in how succinctly you review and also how masterfully you produce them, giving such beautiful details about your travels and your thoughts and opinions. It is a treat to watch.
April 1. Robin Hood by Henry Gilbert 2. The Winter’s Tale by Shakespeare 3. A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by: T. King Fisher 4. A History of the Philippines by Luis H. Francia 5. Rebecca’s Tale by Sally Beauman 6. Anne of Avonlea by LM Montgomery 7. Pocahontas and Captain John Smith: The Story of the Virginia Colony By: Marie Lawson 8. When Elephants Dance by Tess Uriza Holthe
Brotherless Night. Read more like a history book. Again the story has been done far better in other books. So again not very original. Deadley dull in places
in the 70s and 80s I'd go book browsing all the time. Back then there were so so many used book shops in NYC it could easily be a day-long thing to be planned in advance. I'd always hope to meet someone in one of them, and even more so hopeful in the bigger stores like B&N. I never did though. I wonder if maybe book shoppers like me don't have too much time to flirt or even chat. Poetry readings at the local college were like that too - always very cliquey and never really warm. OTOH maybe it's just me? I'm not exactly a bucket of warmth. Thx - enjoyed.
I am reading the Parisian by Isabella Hammad, which is a beautifully written book which takes its time to be read 549 pages...I wanted to read it before I read Enter Ghost.
I read Enter Ghost and Brotherless Night in April and liked them both but I think Brotherless Night was much more vivid for me - I connected with the characters much better - I found Enter Ghost was a bit more clinical - very interesting- but less involving.
In Defence of the Act - start with James: He postulates (writing c. 1900) an adult sees a child walking on the circumference of a deep well reacts immediately to the potential danger. Now move to 21st century - a medical health professional learns of a life in danger and react immediately to prevent harm. Finally, consider free will - a leading neurobiologist at Stanford argues (stubbornly) that there is no free will. There is only biological determinism. The result here is that one must remain skeptical of any defense of suicide. The seems to be a current trend questioning anything traditional or long-standing as potentially arbitrary. As you may guess, I think tradition makes sense as the passage of acquired wisdom.
I am really hoping one of my booktubers will review Ndima Ndima by Tsitsi Mapepa. I liked it a lot, but also was a bit confused by certain aspects and would love to hear what others thought of it.
Thanks, Eric!🌷This year I’ve found it rather difficult to decide which WPF books would become my personal selection, but I’ve finally made up my mind. Enter Ghost (which I read last year and found quite impressive) will be followed by Restless Dolly Maunder, Ordinary Human Failings and River East River West. I like the geographical diversity of this selection and, even though opinions on booktube differ, I have now the impression that I may enjoy all three.😊📚
I started And Then She Fell & The Maiden in April. They’re carried over to May. When the shortlist was announced , the only book I hadn’t read was River East River West I began reading it , but I’m not very impressed so far. How’s your May TBR looking? Best books read in April Brotherless Night Service by Sarah Gilmartin 🇮🇪 For Thy Great Pain, Have Mercy on My Little Pain Night Bloom 🍀👋☘️💐📖📚📕☕️
I read In Defence of the Act (really bothers me every time that defense is spelled wrong 😉) on ebook and so had no problem with the text. Plus due to its small size it is perfect to consume on an e-reader. I don't really like to read longer books that way.
I appreciate the way you allow yourself enough time to summarise your experience of each book. It makes your wrap up really useful to me now I have a sense of how our tastes overlap. I won't read Pity now as I love MacMillan's poetry and don't want to feel let down by his first novel. Hagstone sounds like one for me to get to if I can. I just read Of Cattle and Men which won the Republic of Consciousness Prize. It was short, brutal and affecting.
Great video wrap-up, Eric. I started And The She Fell but put it aside, I may return to it. I've been struggling with the Enter Ghost audiobook due to the narrator's extremely flat reading of it, I'll try to get the paperback to finish it. I wasn't as impressed with James as everyone else, I mean I didn't hate it but it didn't blow my socks off like the Trees or Mr No did. I've got Nightbloom and Ordinary Human Failings on hold, I hope I'll enjoy them. I've just finished Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa -- it was really good.
I'm also a frequent re-watcher of Drag Race, but more than RuPaul I am jealous that you met Aube Rey Lescure! I didn't notice that River East, River West was the only debut on the list but I'm glad you pointed that out, it makes me love it even more. It's definitely my favorite book I've read this year so far. Can't wait to see what she's working on next!
I’ve just finished James by Percival Everett what a wonderful book , I loved every page and would highly recommend it. Love your channel by the way. Viv
You sound like Moira Rose, I’m sure you’ve been told, icon ❤
Fold in the cheese!
I love listening to your reviews. You're always well spoken, but your review of Pity was really great. I'm so looking forward to getting my hands on James eventually!
My best book of April was Hangman. I didn't really have that great of a reading month this past month.
Happy reading!
Thanks so much! I’m glad you felt so positively about Hangman. It’s excellent.
Congratulations on your 25th Anniversary Eric! I had excatly the same difficulty with the font of "In Defence Of The Act". Please take note Epoque Press!
Thanks Marc!
I still don’t understand how Restless Dolly Maunder got onto the shortlist. I am going to read Brotherless Night next. That will be the shortlist done. I still think Soldier Sailor will win.
I am binge-watching all your videos. I had never been a voracious reader until six months ago, when I realized what I had missed. As a newbie, I am learning about books, what to read, what to look for, and also exploring what I enjoy the most. Your videos are a masterclass in how succinctly you review and also how masterfully you produce them, giving such beautiful details about your travels and your thoughts and opinions. It is a treat to watch.
I think the Hive is where Galley Beggar press began- it’s a great shop!
Oh, I didn't know that!
April
1. Robin Hood by Henry Gilbert
2. The Winter’s Tale by Shakespeare
3. A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by: T. King Fisher
4. A History of the Philippines by Luis H. Francia
5. Rebecca’s Tale by Sally Beauman
6. Anne of Avonlea by LM Montgomery
7. Pocahontas and Captain John Smith: The Story of the Virginia Colony By: Marie Lawson
8. When Elephants Dance by Tess Uriza Holthe
Nightbloom - okay read. But very deriviative of other books. Plodding predictable storylines. Not very original
River East River West - absolutely terrible tosh. Made Crazy Rich Asians look like Shakespeare. How did this book get shortlisted?
Restless Dolly Maunder. Another okay read. But 60 years packed into 240 pages made it pretty superficial.
Brotherless Night. Read more like a history book. Again the story has been done far better in other books. So again not very original. Deadley dull in places
Enter Ghost - ambitious clever challenging - but I didn't love it
in the 70s and 80s I'd go book browsing all the time. Back then there were so so many used book shops in NYC it could easily be a day-long thing to be planned in advance. I'd always hope to meet someone in one of them, and even more so hopeful in the bigger stores like B&N. I never did though. I wonder if maybe book shoppers like me don't have too much time to flirt or even chat. Poetry readings at the local college were like that too - always very cliquey and never really warm. OTOH maybe it's just me? I'm not exactly a bucket of warmth. Thx - enjoyed.
My best book of April - Thunderclap, by Laura Cummings. Shortlisted for Women's Prize for Non-Fiction.
Great, Thunderclap is so good!
I am reading the Parisian by Isabella Hammad, which is a beautifully written book which takes its time to be read 549 pages...I wanted to read it before I read Enter Ghost.
Great, I’d like to read that as well. Hope you enjoy Enter Ghost when you get to it.
I read Enter Ghost and Brotherless Night in April and liked them both but I think Brotherless Night was much more vivid for me - I connected with the characters much better - I found Enter Ghost was a bit more clinical - very interesting- but less involving.
In Defence of the Act - start with James: He postulates (writing c. 1900) an adult sees a child walking on the circumference of a deep well reacts immediately to the potential danger. Now move to 21st century - a medical health professional learns of a life in danger and react immediately to prevent harm. Finally, consider free will - a leading neurobiologist at Stanford argues (stubbornly) that there is no free will. There is only biological determinism. The result here is that one must remain skeptical of any defense of suicide. The seems to be a current trend questioning anything traditional or long-standing as potentially arbitrary. As you may guess, I think tradition makes sense as the passage of acquired wisdom.
I am really hoping one of my booktubers will review Ndima Ndima by Tsitsi Mapepa. I liked it a lot, but also was a bit confused by certain aspects and would love to hear what others thought of it.
Thanks, Eric!🌷This year I’ve found it rather difficult to decide which WPF books would become my personal selection, but I’ve finally made up my mind. Enter Ghost (which I read last year and found quite impressive) will be followed by Restless Dolly Maunder, Ordinary Human Failings and River East River West. I like the geographical diversity of this selection and, even though opinions on booktube differ, I have now the impression that I may enjoy all three.😊📚
I started And Then She Fell & The Maiden in April. They’re carried over to May. When the shortlist was announced , the only book I hadn’t read was
River East River West
I began reading it , but I’m not very impressed so far.
How’s your May TBR looking?
Best books read in April
Brotherless Night
Service by Sarah Gilmartin 🇮🇪
For Thy Great Pain, Have Mercy on My Little Pain
Night Bloom
🍀👋☘️💐📖📚📕☕️
8 Lives of a Century Old Trickster. I ended up loving this book. But again clever challenging different
I read In Defence of the Act (really bothers me every time that defense is spelled wrong 😉) on ebook and so had no problem with the text. Plus due to its small size it is perfect to consume on an e-reader. I don't really like to read longer books that way.
I appreciate the way you allow yourself enough time to summarise your experience of each book. It makes your wrap up really useful to me now I have a sense of how our tastes overlap. I won't read Pity now as I love MacMillan's poetry and don't want to feel let down by his first novel. Hagstone sounds like one for me to get to if I can. I just read Of Cattle and Men which won the Republic of Consciousness Prize. It was short, brutal and affecting.
Thank you! I think you'll really enjoy Hagstone. I need to get a copy of Of Cattle and Men - sounds good!
Great video wrap-up, Eric. I started And The She Fell but put it aside, I may return to it. I've been struggling with the Enter Ghost audiobook due to the narrator's extremely flat reading of it, I'll try to get the paperback to finish it. I wasn't as impressed with James as everyone else, I mean I didn't hate it but it didn't blow my socks off like the Trees or Mr No did. I've got Nightbloom and Ordinary Human Failings on hold, I hope I'll enjoy them. I've just finished Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa -- it was really good.
Thank you! Ah interesting, sounds like it'd be best to read Enter Ghost in pb then. I'll keep an eye out for Abulhawa's book.
In Defence of the Act. Absolutely wonderful
I'm also a frequent re-watcher of Drag Race, but more than RuPaul I am jealous that you met Aube Rey Lescure! I didn't notice that River East, River West was the only debut on the list but I'm glad you pointed that out, it makes me love it even more. It's definitely my favorite book I've read this year so far. Can't wait to see what she's working on next!
That's great to hear. Yeah, I felt lucky to meet her and hope to speak to her again at the award ceremony. Such an exciting new author!
Happy anniversary! I just read a time travel novel for the first time this month. I'm about to start the sequel.
Thank you
And Then She Fell. The ending is completely incomprehensible. What did it mean? Science Fiction? It bore no connection to the rest of the book !