Speaking of WWII. I recently reread a book set i WWII: C.S. Forester, The Ship. I first read it in the early ‘60s, when I was in junior high school, because when you’re boy in your early teens back in the day, that’s what you do. You watch The Sands of Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal Diary, and Pork Chop Hill. So when you see a book about the navy in WWII, you think that’s something a little different, and go for it. I don’t remember if it was a book I picked up from around the house or if I bought it. I read it then and didn’t think much about it. It had naval warfare, smoke screens, and a lot of tension. When I picked it up recently though, I was blown away. I couldn’t put it down. I was surprised I was reading such great books then. Probably a bit before I could really appreciate it. It also probably explains why I never missed a beat when I picked up Virginia Woolf in high school. (Forester also wrote the Hornblower series, which I never got into, probably put off by all Jack Benny’s jokes about The Horn Blows at Midnight.) Anyway, let me enthusiastically commend The Ship to your attention. It’s short. I think it may surprise you and you may enjoy it. ❤ Or not. 😢
Hi Olive! I love your videos, but I just wanted to say that your final Goodreads review of Batuman’s The Idiot was fabulous. The video version was more diplomatic, but sometimes a single word speaks volumes! Fantastic.
I read The Winter People in January and I can understand why it would be very creepy to read it in an isolated house like you did. I am very interested in The Capital of Dreams. I have never read a Heather O'Neill book but her books have always sounded intriguing to me.
The Vaster Wilds, for me, although both a survivalist and 'feminist' story, really hit me on an existential and spiritual level. She's wandering in a world where, at the time, it was dominated by pure nature and humans were very few and far between. Might as well have been on the moon. She's processing the intentional cruelty and suffering she's experienced from people/society and how she learned to survive in that world to now learning how to survive in a completely different very impersonal environment. She thinks she wants to find people, but the longer she is out there, she evolves into something more/different than human and finally finds peace. Not a perfect book (sometimes not the most realistic wilderness survival scenes), but a book that moved me, made me think, feel and one I want to read again! Thank-you for the enjoyable videos:)
First off I'm a Tana French fan, and I enjoyed The Hunter and The Searcher. I did the audio version and was absorbed by the dialogue. I also thought the speed of the plot complemented the setting in a rural Irish village.
I will definitely put a few of these on my TBR. I have never read any Tana French and wonder if there is one you could recommend. I value your input! I also must read the fourth Electra book!
My January started not too bad, and I read seven books. I completed a trilogy, Heartstone by Elle Katherine White, and the last book being called Flamebringer. Heartstone started as a fantasy retelling of Pride and Prejudice and it was enjoyable. I'm glad I finished it. I also read Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne. I thought Verne's subterranean world was cool and I thought the relationship between the uncle and nephew was fascinating. I wish more had happened to the characters to make it more thrilling. I listened to Dissolution, which is a first book in a historical mystery series, and I was kind of intrigued, but it wasn't memorable for me. I did appreciate the full cast audio, and I might continue. I read the American Senator by Trollop, which had an entertaining and compelling plot. I read Lolas' House by M. Evelina Galang, which was intense and heartbreaking. It was a non-fiction about the Filipino women, who were forcibly taken by the Japanese during WWII. Next I read A Grace of Kings by Ken Liu, an Asian inspired fantasy, about a rebellion that drives two friends apart. That is a favorite. Finally, I took all month to read Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann, and this was a favorite too. This was about three women who want careers in Hollywood and Broadway in the late 40s and 50s, but they learn the price you pay for the life pretty quickly,
I finished 8 books, a mix of paper and audio. My favorites were "We Will be Jaguars" by Nemonte Nenquimo, translated by Mitch Anderson, "Full Tilt: Ireland to India with a Bicycle" by Dervla Murphy, and "Small Mercies" by Dennis Lehane. I was thankfully ignorant of the plot of "Small Mercies"; it totally took me by surprise. I always enjoy your videos. Thank you
Your experience with “The Idiot” pretty much matched mine. I thought it may have been due to the age gap between me and the characters. I was definitely bored after reading about a quarter of the novel so I DNF’d it (life is too short). On my daily walks during this past week, I really enjoyed listening to “Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk” by Kathleen Rooney. On New Years Eve, 1984 the 85yo retired, “highest paid woman in advertising”, takes a long walk around NYC reminiscing about her life. The last quarter of “The Hunter” saved it from being a washout for me. I didn’t enjoy the plot framing device. It just seemed preposterous that the home folks would believe what the con man was feeding them. I miss the well developed characters and plots of the Dublin murder squad detectives. Happy reading, Olive.
My favourite book of the nine I read in January was Susie Dent's Guilty by definition. I loved it so much that I want to read more in that vein but haven't found another similar. If someone has a recommendation it will be highly appreciated. I know it hasn't come out in the States, it is a mystery, we don't know at first if it is a murder mystery or a disappearance one, that a group of lexicographers from the CED (OED fictionalized version) has to resolve
What a great way to spend a snowy January. Sorry the Hunter wasn’t better paced I still might try it, but I’ve not really prioritized it yet. Good luck with the rest of 900 days. I know you’re probably a Steelers fan, but are you excited for the Eagles?
I'm not a football fan at all, really. I'm a women's basketball fan - the college game + Unrivaled + WNBA free agency are all keeping me very happy right now!
I'm the exact opposite regarding WW2, but then I'm a history major partly because I'm good with names dates and places. Political meetings bore me unless written very compellingly.
I am so tired of WW2 books that I simply dont read anything from the war unless it has a new and interesting angle. Otherwise I have moved to reading more about World War 1, the roaring 20s and the Great depression in preparation for the possible depression that we might be headed for if trumps Tariffs cause an economic collapse.
Speaking of WWII. I recently reread a book set i WWII: C.S. Forester, The Ship. I first read it in the early ‘60s, when I was in junior high school, because when you’re boy in your early teens back in the day, that’s what you do. You watch The Sands of Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal Diary, and Pork Chop Hill. So when you see a book about the navy in WWII, you think that’s something a little different, and go for it. I don’t remember if it was a book I picked up from around the house or if I bought it. I read it then and didn’t think much about it. It had naval warfare, smoke screens, and a lot of tension.
When I picked it up recently though, I was blown away. I couldn’t put it down. I was surprised I was reading such great books then. Probably a bit before I could really appreciate it. It also probably explains why I never missed a beat when I picked up Virginia Woolf in high school. (Forester also wrote the Hornblower series, which I never got into, probably put off by all Jack Benny’s jokes about The Horn Blows at Midnight.)
Anyway, let me enthusiastically commend The Ship to your attention. It’s short. I think it may surprise you and you may enjoy it. ❤ Or not. 😢
Hi Olive! I love your videos, but I just wanted to say that your final Goodreads review of Batuman’s The Idiot was fabulous. The video version was more diplomatic, but sometimes a single word speaks volumes! Fantastic.
Thank you for this video.
Thank you so happy there is another Ashley Weaver book ! Series was fun
I read "The Idiot" a few years ago and loved it. But I can see how it’s one of those "love it or hate it" books-definitely divisive.
Great video!
Thanks!
I read The Winter People in January and I can understand why it would be very creepy to read it in an isolated house like you did. I am very interested in The Capital of Dreams. I have never read a Heather O'Neill book but her books have always sounded intriguing to me.
The Vaster Wilds, for me, although both a survivalist and 'feminist' story, really hit me on an existential and spiritual level. She's wandering in a world where, at the time, it was dominated by pure nature and humans were very few and far between. Might as well have been on the moon. She's processing the intentional cruelty and suffering she's experienced from people/society and how she learned to survive in that world to now learning how to survive in a completely different very impersonal environment. She thinks she wants to find people, but the longer she is out there, she evolves into something more/different than human and finally finds peace. Not a perfect book (sometimes not the most realistic wilderness survival scenes), but a book that moved me, made me think, feel and one I want to read again! Thank-you for the enjoyable videos:)
First off I'm a Tana French fan, and I enjoyed The Hunter and The Searcher. I did the audio version and was absorbed by the dialogue. I also thought the speed of the plot complemented the setting in a rural Irish village.
I will definitely put a few of these on my TBR. I have never read any Tana French and wonder if there is one you could recommend. I value your input! I also must read the fourth Electra book!
My January started not too bad, and I read seven books. I completed a trilogy, Heartstone by Elle Katherine White, and the last book being called Flamebringer. Heartstone started as a fantasy retelling of Pride and Prejudice and it was enjoyable. I'm glad I finished it. I also read Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne. I thought Verne's subterranean world was cool and I thought the relationship between the uncle and nephew was fascinating. I wish more had happened to the characters to make it more thrilling. I listened to Dissolution, which is a first book in a historical mystery series, and I was kind of intrigued, but it wasn't memorable for me. I did appreciate the full cast audio, and I might continue. I read the American Senator by Trollop, which had an entertaining and compelling plot. I read Lolas' House by M. Evelina Galang, which was intense and heartbreaking. It was a non-fiction about the Filipino women, who were forcibly taken by the Japanese during WWII. Next I read A Grace of Kings by Ken Liu, an Asian inspired fantasy, about a rebellion that drives two friends apart. That is a favorite. Finally, I took all month to read Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann, and this was a favorite too. This was about three women who want careers in Hollywood and Broadway in the late 40s and 50s, but they learn the price you pay for the life pretty quickly,
I finished 8 books, a mix of paper and audio. My favorites were "We Will be Jaguars" by Nemonte Nenquimo, translated by Mitch Anderson, "Full Tilt: Ireland to India with a Bicycle" by Dervla Murphy, and "Small Mercies" by Dennis Lehane. I was thankfully ignorant of the plot of "Small Mercies"; it totally took me by surprise.
I always enjoy your videos. Thank you
Your experience with “The Idiot” pretty much matched mine. I thought it may have been due to the age gap between me and the characters. I was definitely bored after reading about a quarter of the novel so I DNF’d it (life is too short).
On my daily walks during this past week, I really enjoyed listening to “Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk” by Kathleen Rooney. On New Years Eve, 1984 the 85yo retired, “highest paid woman in advertising”, takes a long walk around NYC reminiscing about her life.
The last quarter of “The Hunter” saved it from being a washout for me. I didn’t enjoy the plot framing device. It just seemed preposterous that the home folks would believe what the con man was feeding them. I miss the well developed characters and plots of the Dublin murder squad detectives.
Happy reading, Olive.
My favourite book of the nine I read in January was Susie Dent's Guilty by definition. I loved it so much that I want to read more in that vein but haven't found another similar. If someone has a recommendation it will be highly appreciated. I know it hasn't come out in the States, it is a mystery, we don't know at first if it is a murder mystery or a disappearance one, that a group of lexicographers from the CED (OED fictionalized version) has to resolve
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl doesn't get enough love
Now I read The Killer Across the Table by John E. Douglas. Outstanding nonfiction about serial killers.
What a great way to spend a snowy January. Sorry the Hunter wasn’t better paced I still might try it, but I’ve not really prioritized it yet. Good luck with the rest of 900 days. I know you’re probably a Steelers fan, but are you excited for the Eagles?
I'm not a football fan at all, really. I'm a women's basketball fan - the college game + Unrivaled + WNBA free agency are all keeping me very happy right now!
I'm the exact opposite regarding WW2, but then I'm a history major partly because I'm good with names dates and places. Political meetings bore me unless written very compellingly.
Best books of January
Shy Creatures
The House of Broken Bricks
Are you going to watch the tv show of The Hunting Party that is on NBC on Monday Olive?
You'd love ~ n . galilea's ~ book #Historic ~ lead me where the light is ours
I am so tired of WW2 books that I simply dont read anything from the war unless it has a new and interesting angle. Otherwise I have moved to reading more about World War 1, the roaring 20s and the Great depression in preparation for the possible depression that we might be headed for if trumps Tariffs cause an economic collapse.
ty🫶