Not too long! Truly! I’ve read several of these. Toni Morrison’s Recitatif is truly brilliant and yog should definitely read The Bluest Eye and several other books by her. I do want to read The Party but I take your point about how short it is. Try Hadley’s The Past or Clever Girl.
Same, The Vegetarian was on my list of possibilities for some time, and the Nobel win prompted me to give it a go. Have you read Melville's famous short story Bartleby the Scrivener? Bartleby also refuses to live up to others' expectations or to explain himself, to their frustration. I couldn't help seeing Bartleby as this story's jumping off point. I listened to the audiobook, and Stephen Park (a comedic Korean American actor I like) narrated the husband's section, probably added humor to the experience vs. reading it. Also, I was able to adjust the speed to get through the "boring" parts, although I wondered if the book was really asking the reader to slow down and think more about the social and cultural demands on identity. When you said nothing about the ending exploded, I thought, maybe it imploded? One thing was clear: the main character was mentally ill, not just someone who decides to go vegan, and no review I've seen mentioned that. The sister's p.o.v. read a lot like a "this is what it's like to be related to an anorexic" story, a major shift from the other two sections, which invite us to consider the brutalities and consequences of sexism. All that said, I wouldn't say I "liked" it. Btw Ben, no worries about the video length. Love to hear everything you have to say, and we can always pause it if we need a break 😄 It was interesting that two of your reads from October matched two in Jess' (Stalking Kafka's) recent video -- I think it was also uploaded today? God of the Woods and Goon Squad (which I'm already in line for on Libby. This year I'm trying to "read" more audiobooks). Speaking of other BookTubers, do you watch Greg at Supposedly Fun? He loves the Heartstoppers series. Now I want to either read it or watch on Netflix (saw one 9f the actors in something else and was impressed). I want to read Material now too! Based on your description I think I'll like it better than Good Material. Recitatif -- Morrison is a great writer, can't wait. Love the gorgeous cover. Haha the colors coordinate perfectly with you on that couch! (I looked up the painting -- it's by a Liverpool artist).
No, your video is not SO. DAMN. LONG. It is so interesting! The God of the Woods is SO. DAMN. LONG! It needed to get in the hands of a firm editor who would trim out 100 or 150 pages. Just too much filler. It’s not a bad book and I enjoyed the core story, but I also felt like ripping out big chunks. I also listened to the audiobook. I very rarely remember a lot of details about books. They have to be super special to be stuck into my brain cells. Hamnet would be a good example for me. For other books, I remember the emotion the book left me with, not so much the details, sometimes not even the plot, whether or not I liked or loathed the book.
Suggestions to boost your immune system. Vitamin D & magnesium. They need each other to be absorbed and to improve your ability to fight of viruses. I’m currently listening to Our Evenings by Alan Hollinghurst Loving it and hoping it will be adapted for film/tv. Also listening to There Are Rivers In the Sky There are about 10/12 books I’d like to finish before 2025 or before new releases and book prizes begin next year. Are there books you want to read or finish?
Apologies this is SO DAMN LONG. Might need to start limiting review videos to like 5 books max or something.
No apologies necessary - love a long video
Thank you!
Not too long! Truly! I’ve read several of these. Toni Morrison’s Recitatif is truly brilliant and yog should definitely read The Bluest Eye and several other books by her. I do want to read The Party but I take your point about how short it is. Try Hadley’s The Past or Clever Girl.
Same, The Vegetarian was on my list of possibilities for some time, and the Nobel win prompted me to give it a go. Have you read Melville's famous short story Bartleby the Scrivener? Bartleby also refuses to live up to others' expectations or to explain himself, to their frustration. I couldn't help seeing Bartleby as this story's jumping off point.
I listened to the audiobook, and Stephen Park (a comedic Korean American actor I like) narrated the husband's section, probably added humor to the experience vs. reading it. Also, I was able to adjust the speed to get through the "boring" parts, although I wondered if the book was really asking the reader to slow down and think more about the social and cultural demands on identity. When you said nothing about the ending exploded, I thought, maybe it imploded? One thing was clear: the main character was mentally ill, not just someone who decides to go vegan, and no review I've seen mentioned that. The sister's p.o.v. read a lot like a "this is what it's like to be related to an anorexic" story, a major shift from the other two sections, which invite us to consider the brutalities and consequences of sexism. All that said, I wouldn't say I "liked" it.
Btw Ben, no worries about the video length. Love to hear everything you have to say, and we can always pause it if we need a break 😄
It was interesting that two of your reads from October matched two in Jess' (Stalking Kafka's) recent video -- I think it was also uploaded today? God of the Woods and Goon Squad (which I'm already in line for on Libby. This year I'm trying to "read" more audiobooks).
Speaking of other BookTubers, do you watch Greg at Supposedly Fun? He loves the Heartstoppers series. Now I want to either read it or watch on Netflix (saw one 9f the actors in something else and was impressed). I want to read Material now too! Based on your description I think I'll like it better than Good Material.
Recitatif -- Morrison is a great writer, can't wait. Love the gorgeous cover. Haha the colors coordinate perfectly with you on that couch! (I looked up the painting -- it's by a Liverpool artist).
No, your video is not SO. DAMN. LONG. It is so interesting! The God of the Woods is SO. DAMN. LONG! It needed to get in the hands of a firm editor who would trim out 100 or 150 pages. Just too much filler. It’s not a bad book and I enjoyed the core story, but I also felt like ripping out big chunks. I also listened to the audiobook.
I very rarely remember a lot of details about books. They have to be super special to be stuck into my brain cells. Hamnet would be a good example for me. For other books, I remember the emotion the book left me with, not so much the details, sometimes not even the plot, whether or not I liked or loathed the book.
Suggestions to boost your immune system. Vitamin D & magnesium. They need each other to be absorbed and to improve your ability to fight of viruses.
I’m currently listening to
Our Evenings by Alan Hollinghurst
Loving it and hoping it will be adapted for film/tv.
Also listening to
There Are Rivers In the Sky
There are about 10/12 books I’d like to finish before 2025 or before new releases and book prizes begin next year.
Are there books you want to read or finish?
Am with you all the way. Couldn't stand The Vegetarian.