Great video. I love when you just sit and talk informally, but intelligently, about books. I read the first 2 Wolf Hall novels for the first time this year, and I agree wholeheartedly about Mantel being a master at what she does - and along with the great character work, I also thought she did tradegy incredibly well.
Like Jared, I’ve accumulated a small library of unread books over the years-purchased on whims or sent by publishers (I coordinate author events). I’ve realized that my book-buying habits often outpace my reading habits. With about forty books waiting for my attention, 2025 is going to be the year of catching up. I hope that by the end of next year, I'll make a significant dent in my reading backlog, rediscovering the joy and insights these books promised when I first brought them into my life!
Le Carre is astonishing. I came to him late. His novels will never leave me. He takes genre spy fiction and transforms it into great literature, many say Le Carre really is one of the great British novelists of the post war years. Not just writing about individuals inside 'the game', but a great writer about post war Britain and the decline of its institutions too
Some of my favorite reads from this year: - Anathem by Neal Stephenson (personal favorite of the year) - Minima Moralia by Theodor Adorno - An Introduction to Dialectics by Theodor Adorno (the best explanation of Dialectical thinking I've ever read) - Ulysses by James Joyce (the one book I mandated that I had to read this year) - Jerusalem by Alan Moore (the most flawed, but still enjoyable, work I read this year) - Binti by Nnedi Okorafor (felt like Butler/Le Guinn) My goal(s) for next year: - Read War and Peace - Read through Cormac McCarthy's catalog (I had this as a goal before reading about his grooming). - Read more of Adorno's lectures (I have his Aesthetics, Philosophy and Sociology, and Ontology and Dialectics)
Just came from your "Why we can't focus" video. It's funny (and eerie) that I was immediately recommended this video after watching that one. Either way, glad I found your channels. I've been reading books like mad lately, building my reading stamina and consciously working to improve my mental fortitude and focus. Thanks for sharing your insightful thoughts and encouraging reading and discussion around reading.
That is an intimidating 2025! I’ve been hitting an average of about 32 books a year since I started getting back into reading. Favorites from this year so far have been: A Wizard of Earthsea-LeGuin Small Things Like These-Claire Keegan Jurassic Park-Crichton Pure Immanence: Essays on A Life-Deleuze V.-Pynchon Kitchen Confidential-Anthony Bourdain Glorious Exploits-Ferdia Lennon Against the Day-Pynchon Ethics-Spinoza (hoping to finish before the years end) Loose goals for next year are to read The Metamorphoses-Ovid The Hume and Spinoza monographs by Deleuze Hurricane Season-Fernanda Melchor The Passenger and Stella Maris-McCarthy And for big books, I’m torn between finally doing Infinite Jest, or do Imajica by Clive Barker
Great video! Here are some of the best books I've read this year: -The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro -The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates -A Naked Singularity by Sergio de la Pava -Abortion by Jessica Valenti -A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller -Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar -Rebel Girl by Kathleen Hannah -Every Man Dies Alone by Hans Fallada -Consent by Jill Ciment -Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe By the way, Max Boot's new biography of Reagan is a great example of a very critical but fair life of Reagan.
Just wanted to say that I really enjoy this style of video from you. Relaxed, insightful, informative. Freed from the algorithm, so to speak. I hope you'll make more of these on this second channel in the coming year. Also, I really want to read the Sperber biography of Marx, but have held off waiting for a more reasonable price on a paperback or hardcover edition. I prefer physical copies of non-fiction books in which I'm likely to take notes or jump to the index to look something up.
The plan is to make videos like this here, since I don’t care at all about video performance on this channel (and have to care about performance, by economic necessity, on the other).
Some of my favourite reads from this year, in no particular order: - The confusions of young Torless by Robert Musil - The class by Hermann Ungar - The divine child by Pascal Bruckner - Human acts by Han Kang - Ice by Anna Kavan
I'm glad you enjoyed John Le Carre. Spy fiction doesn't get the respect compared to other genres, much of it deserved, but John Le Carre is at another level. HIs novels are cynical yet elegant. He has a way with words that creates an atmosphere thick with intrigue. I suggest you read his other novels too. If you had to read one of Le Carre's novels, it would Tinker, Tailer, Soldier, Spy.
Mantel's "A Place of Greater Safety" is fantastic too; one of my favorite reads this year. It follows Robespierre, Danton, and Desmoulins as POV characters headed to Paris as young lawyers at the onset of the French Revolution. She was an exceptional writer, as someone who loves historical fiction.
i used to read a lot of historical fiction but somehow have been living under a rock and missed wolf hall, and now i've seen several people talking about it recently. definitely gonna be my first read of the year!
Several fascinating picks, Jared! 😊 Also I didn't know you are an Eastern Orthodox Christian! That's interesting to me. Perhaps it is also interesting to other subscribers. I'd be super interested in hearing more about your journey about how you got there if you ever feel like telling it? I seem to remember you growing up in either a fundamentalist or evangelical Christian background then exploring Anglicanism? I forget. I'm not any of these religions but I'm always interested in someone's spiritual journey if they're happy to share. 😊
Favorite books from this year: - The Dispossessed: it’s great, I want to live on anarres, the thoughts on purpose and duty to self and society were insightful - To be Taught if Fortunate: a story about astronauts on an mission to explore exoplanets, the worldbuilding for the planets is extremely cool and pretty scientifically sound, it’s the book that solidified my desire to try planetary science and astrobiology research - I and Thou: a small philosophy book by a german jewish philosopher on interpersonal relationships and how they shape how we treat ourselves and act in society. A little too mystical for me at parts but it’s a very interesting and useful lens through which to view the world For next year I’m also trying not to buy anything new and go through books I’ve bought recently. On the fiction side, I’ll finish up some scifi series and read some James Baldwin and russian novels as well as some Rilke poetry. For nonfiction I’ll read some ethics, mostly stoicism and existentialism, and a few other various philosophy books (some byung-chul han and a couple ecological/climate-related)
Fun fact: Brian Attebery, editor of the Library of America Le Guin series, chaired my MA thesis and was on my dissertation committee. I freaking love Le Guin (probably said that during our chat with Philip last year…). I’ll look forward to any videos on her, and hopefully I’ll join you in reading at least a few of those. Since you’re gonna be reading Le Carre, you might take a look at Declare by Tim Powers. It won him his second World Fantasy Award and was specifically written in the vein of Tinker, Tailor and even deals with Kim Philby (whose betrayal of MI6 was the inspiration for Tinker, Tailor). It also does some fascinating Lovecraftian stuffs, and also has some thoughtful ruminations on faith. It’s one of my top reads so far this year :)
@@___dh__dh__ Poems of the Masters: China's Classic Anthology of T'ang and Sung Dynasty Verse, translated by Red Pine, Alan Watts, Georg Feuerstein, Huston Smith, Joseph Campbell, Thich Nhat Hanh. There is a lot out there. Confucius and other Chinese classics. Check out Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu,The Tibetan Book of the Dead,
I finally finished The Recognitions by William Gaddis. It's easily become one of my favorite novels ever, despite its difficulty. Next year I have some Evelyn Waugh and Thomas Pynchon lined up for fiction. I read a ton of M. David Litwa's books this year on early Christianities and have more histories of the ancient world on deck. I hope to read some primary sources as well. Thanks for all your videos Jared. I really liked your collaboration with Esoterica earlier this year. I hope you two have a chance to connect again soon.
Top four of the year: 1. Apology of Socrates by Plato. 2. Enemy of the People by Ibsen. 3. The Dune trilogy by Frank Herbert. 4. Toll the Hounds and the Crippled God by Steven Erikson.
OMG the Bernard Cornwell mention! I haven't read that trilogy yet (I do own it), but I have nearly finished his Saxon Stories (the Last Kingdom series) and it got me back into reading. My FIL kept telling me "you'll love this series, its so good" but I kept putting it off. But YOU ARE EXACTLY right. Historical fiction the way he does it is better than fantasy, and he even has "magic" in his Saxon series, but you can see that it isn't magic as a modern reader. So you feel the character's faith or superstition... their belief in magic, the Christian God, the Old Gods, and it is so gripping the way he does it. You know it isn't real, characters think it is real, and you're coming to grips with the choices people made, based on the knowledge they had. Fantastic way of doing it! I love his books.
Thank you for another great reading recommendations video, these are some of my favorite videos that you create. I’m typically a classic literature person but when I found your channel a little over a year ago I felt compelled to try other areas such as philosophy and science fiction. Because of your previous videos I have read A Canticle for Leibowitz, Parable of the Sower, Blood Music, The Passenger and Stella Maris, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, and I’m currently reading The Left Hand of darkness. Unrelated, but I am also trying to not buy books in this new year. I have a process of checking them out from the library and then reading enough to decide if I want to buy it or not. The Books call to us all, good luck!
Herald of a Restless World is astonishing. Henri Bergson is one of the most influential figures in European philosophy at the time, especially during the fall of positivism. Dr Emily Herring spectacularly unraveled the way he enraptured contemporary thought movements and who he is to take such a stance. Magnificent work.
I see you’ve got the Midori A5 goat leather cover-such a great choice! I absolutely love Midori; their paper is hands down the best. I have the goat leather cover in B6 myself, and it’s been developing a nice patina. By the way, I’ve been really enjoying your content lately! I’ve listened to that episode of The Classical Mind on The Intellectual Life three times already. I am also focusing on reading what I own in 2025. Mostly fiction I've acquired over the last couple years but maybe some Plato or Aristotle aswell.
I wasn't expecting to see Wolf Hall! That's my all-time favorite book series. The second book in the trilogy, "Bring Up the Bodies," is the best part of the whole set.
Great video! I'm a big TH White fan, too, and I've been meaning to reread The Once and Future King for a while now. I added the Cornwell trilogy to my TBR.
Hi Jared, Great video, thanks. Some of the books I have read this year: The complete Sherlock Holmes stories. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy The Flag Captain- Alexander Kent Non Fiction Chip War - Chris Miller Doom - Sir Niall Ferguson Colonialism - sir Nigel Biggar Stalingrad- Anthony Beevor Six Days of War - Michael B Owen The Second World Wars - Victor Davis Hanson
This was enjoyable, keep up the good work. If you are serious about understanding Proust (and I imagine you are) you must get 'Paintings in Proust' by Eric Karpeles. Proust uses the history art and contemporary art criticism to create a written landscape within his work and without a strong knowledge of these fields many of the finer points of the novel will go over your head, especially in the early volumes. Also, I'd recommend Sartor Resartus (The Tailor Retailored) by Thomas Carlyle, assuming you havn't encountered that book yet. It may take you to some new and strange places.
I want to read more philsoophy next year, so this list is mostly fiction, but I did end up reading some of my new all time favorites: 1. Moby Dick by Herman Melville 2. Der Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse 3. Snow by Orhan Pamuk 4. Last Exit to Brooklyn by Hubert Selby Jr. 5. Beloved by Toni Morrison In the nonfiction category my favorite was problem Orwell's Homage to Catalonia, I also read Beyond Good and Evil, but despite being fluent in German, most of it went over my head and almost all the Nietzsche I've learned this year was by reading about his philosophies or watching videos explaining it. Also read some Anarchist theory by Kropotkin, Malatesta, and Graeber.
@GengarChomper If you're interested in learning more about anarchist theory, I'd suggest reading Anarchy and the Anarchist program by Malatesta. For other thinkers I'd recommend Kropotkin and Emaa Goldmann
18:20 Science fiction being philosophical is definitely a mixed bag. By bringing up Gene Wolfe as your example of worthwhile reading, however, doesn’t match my experience. I’ve never read The Book of the New Sun, simply because listening to reviewers, I get the sense that most people who read it have no idea what’s going on. In my view, just because a book is obscure doesn’t mean that it’s worthwhile. More “fun” reads, like Project Hail Mary, which I just finished, offer interesting perspectives on philosophical ideas without couching them in dense prose. That holds not just for science fiction, but for any book that I read. For instance, in science, the profoundest thinkers often write the most accessible books. From Darwin and Dawkins to Einstein and Hawking, their writing clarifies their thought rather than making it a word puzzle that you have to solve, as often happens when another tries to “interpret” them. Thanks for your perspective. As an atheist, I find it liberating to not have to reconcile what I’m reading against a set of beliefs I hold (you mention you’re Eastern Orthodox). By not holding preconceived ideas of how reality works, it frees you to look at each book with a perspective of your lived experience and education, without the blinders that any dogma instills in you. Cheers!
Welcome to 'adulthood.' You got your first John le Carré, so welcome to The Circus. So now starting the Karla trilogy, which has more circus and some of the earlier characters. Best... 'A Perfect Spy', perhaps. From his post-Cold War titles "The Night Manager" takes a lot of beating, for intelligence work, that isn't really 'spy stuff' then "The Constant Gardener" takes some beating too. Enjoy Burns is already on the list, and adding the Karl Marx bio... as you say, an honest portrait is definitely needed.
The Wolf Hall mini series is amazing, season 2 starts in March, the first season aired 10 years ago. You should pick up the Boudica series by Manda Scott if you want masterful historical fiction.
I have the Hacket complete works of Plato and can confirm it is fantastic! It is also on my list to read through this year as well as Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling. Im thinking of getting and then reading a hard cover copy of After Virtue by Alasdair MacIntyre. I read segments of it for my Philosophy major, but a friend recently suggested I should read the complete work.
Your channel popped up on my agorrythm, and I'm curious to see what others enjoy to read. I've had The Winter King on my shelf for over a decade, and I'm finally currently reading it after seeing praises online. Anywho, I got excited when you mentioned the series because I am really enjoying the book so far. I more than likely will purchase the other two books. ✌😎
I've read a spy who came in from the cold three times and I just started the Karla trilogy for the first time since I read it back in highschool. I absolutely love the way he tells a story. I hope you enjoy
Woaaaa thanks for sharing. As usual, your picks are impressive and I'm amazed by your plans for 2025. I thought I was being ambitious but damn!! Next year, I'd love to reread the Bible, starting with a deep dive into Mark's Gospel. I also plan on reading several books about the stoics (already started Pierre Hadot's Inner Citadel, which is amazing!) and I want to discover Nietzche and Schopenhauer. Lastly, I want to deepen my knowledge of Albert Camus' essays, starting with The Myth of Sisyphe. 😁
Next year: Reading fewer books, reading longer books, reading more fiction, and start to whittle down the number of books in the pile. As a formal goal, read at least ten books over 500 pages (so-called "doorstopper books"). I read over 70 books and have acquired something close to 200 this year (mostly used or free), and I'd rather use more of my off-work screen time to read. I'll probably end up buying and reading every book by Byung-Chul Han though!
You have such rich reading ahead of you with John le Carre. My own favorite is THE LITTLE DRUMMER GIRL. As for Arthurian stuff, do you know Rosemary Sutcliff's SWORD AT SUNSET, from 1963? She normally wrote for children, but this one's for adults -- the Arthurian legend as historical fiction, no magic, etc. I think you'd appreciate it.
7:30 while i don't think soviet history is super interesting, the biographies of soviet leaders (especially stalin) can be the worst perversions of history. even written by regarded academics, although certainly more from the pop historians. take the same scene from different academics, especially prior to the 90s when sovietology was still in vogue, and they will unironically just add little flairs or unnecessary details to make them seem villainous. they bring up so many unsupported details (like for example this one author that magically knew the way a certain prisoner died by the craziest negligence even though no other source corroborated it) or come up with their unfounded theories for events to make whatever villain of the era seem like some masterminding psychopath.
I would not skip Le Guin's Western Shore novels. They're some of her best stuff. Much quieter than Earthsea, but very thoughtful. She'd been thinking about authority and resistance for a long time, and it all comes into play there. I'd also put in a word for Searoad, and especially the novella Hernes. Lovely stuff.
Are you reading the same translation of Nicomachean Ethics repeatedly? - If you've read more, did that give any notable insight? Do you have a preference? How did you chose what translation(s) to go with?
Great vid. Love this second channel. Would you be open to making a video about how you found your way to Eastern Orthodoxy? It's my understanding you converted? I personally find myself getting interested in Catholicism and Orthodoxy like many. It's interesting that so many intellectual types and well known people are converting to these two, not to any protestant denomination. Would love to hear your thoughts on that too. Seems to be a bit of a trend. I don't think it's just an online thing. But I understand it this is a subject that is a bit too personal.
Waving to you from Draconia! If I may humbly suggest a book for your consideration, The Dragon Codex is my latest YA fantasy. It’s an adventurous mix of dragons, magic, and a touch of graphic design, with some educational elements woven in. I hope it might earn a spot on your list!
Wow the Anderson one sounds super interesting, thank you. I've been listening to The World Beyond Your Head by Matthew B. Crawford and Anderson's book would pair really well, it sounds like.
When you jump into Arthuriana I'd definitely recommend checking out the obscure _Life of Aglovale de Galis_ by Clemence Housman. For my money it may be the best re-telling of Arthuriana in the 20th century and I think it deserves to be better known.
I've read all of John LeCarre fiction and all of the Smiley's People books twice. I am about to reread Russia House which I really like as well. I read a lot in 2024 probably my favorite books were Red Mars/Green Mars/Blue Mars trilogy science fiction, but so much more than just science, politics psychology, relationships and politics all wound up together. I read the first two twice, Blue Mars was not as good as the first two books. I have a long list of books to read in 2025, too long to write here. Have a great 2025.
20:07 Ironically, after my last comment about not liking authors that obscure their thoughts to seem “intellectual”, I do like Nietzsche. In line with what you’re saying, he does not write systematically at all. In fact, one of the aphorisms (I believe it’s in Beyond Good and Evil) is, “I distrust all systematizers and avoid them, a will to a system is a lack of integrity.” To more fully understand what he’s saying requires multiple readings of many of his works. But rather than doing this for understanding of a nebulous canon, I find most books about Nietzsche and his philosophy try to distill it in a way that, by this aphorism, he would avoid. When they explain the will to power or what he meant by superman, I find them to be both superficial and artificial. While I don’t agree with many of his ideas, I do find the way he presents them to stimulate me to re-examine my own philosophy, which is the ultimate compliment.
The Slightly foxed podcast has a recent episode interviewing Le Carré's biographer, which points to his better works and sheds light on his life, which was quite colourful
Hey Jared, I found le Carre several years ago and he is a gem in the spy genre. If you continue reading the Smiley series, le Carre's son recently released another novel with George Smiley. Have you read any of Whyte's Camulod Chronicals? I enjoyed his retelling of the Athurian legend from a historical perspective.
I've been meaning to read Plotinus for years, but never found the time to really get into him. It's connected to another excellent piece of scholarship, Rowan Williams's book on Arianism. Thanks for the recs.
@@perchenonsali No. I'm documenting it on Substack, but the only group reads I'm doing there in 2025 have already been announced. Those books are Arendt's The Human Condition, The Dispossessed, The Republic, The Remains of the Day, Chuang Tzu, and Aristotle's Politics. (I should've mentioned these in the video, but I simply forgot.)
I would be interested to hear what you think about Gareth Stedman Jones’ biography of Marx, I felt like your description of the Sperber biography sounded similar to my thoughts of the Jones biography, which is to say it felt honest and even handed in conveying his accomplishments without partaking in hagiography.
I would love to hear your thoughts on more Gene Wolfe, Jared. I recently read his time travel historical fiction novel Pirate Freedom and it’s…..very much in conversation with Book of the New Sun. Also Free Live Free is fascinating since it’s Wolfe writing noir in the style of Raymond Chandler. Hope you check out more of his stuff!
For fiction, probably Song for Arbonne. Unfortunately atelier GGK always throws in a cringe scene or two for some reason Non fiction - Guns of August, easily. I did read a biography of T Cromwell up to his early relationship with Henry. There are a lot of missing pieces and a variety of opinions about him. Historical figures like that or Henry II/Beckett you just can't make up with everything they did which might be why historical fiction is so appealing Warlord has been on my radar for some time. Maybe 2025. Did read Wizard Knight by Wolfe and was disappointed.
I would definitely encourage you to read more John Le Carre. I have read a lot of his books and have a couple setting on my coffee table right now: The Night Manager and The Secret Pilgrim. Like Stephen King, a lot of Le Carre books have been made into movies so you may be more familiar with his work then you realize. I would not watch the Tinker, Tailor, Sailor, Spy miniseries done in England back in the 1970s. Read the book before you watch any of the movies and miniseries. The two genres do not work well as cross over, you can never captor a book in movie form. But Hollywood thinks they can. Idiots.
My assessment of work is that I do it 12 hours at a time on the night shift. I've been doing it for thirty years now. Guys who work aren't interested in the musings of those who don't.
I have had similar experiences regarding hagiography with historical books. Trying to find information regarding the American revolution, for instance, brings about eother legendary tales or subversions. It often takes reading lots of academic works to break through these opposing visions
Which translation of The Divine Comedy do you own and plan to enjoy next year? I am in my first reading now and starting with Mandelbaum. I also have the Hollanders, Esolen, Musa, Kirkpatrick, and Ciardi to look forward to 😊
If this is too personal, then don't worry about it! Was just curious what denomination you were, if any. I actually found out about your channel through looking for resources on learning St. Augustine and your first book that has a focus primarily on the German academy made me wonder if you were Lutheran. Cheers!
@jaredplus Man, that's pretty cool! I would never have expected that, since most of your videos discuss the standard popular Western Church Fathers and the Roman Scholastics. That's so awesome! Eastern Orthodoxy interested me in St. John Damascene, St. Maximus and Palamas, as well as gave me an excuse to really dive into figures like Clement of Alexandria and Psuedo-Dionysus. I'd love to see you cover any Eastern works that you find compelling! Thanks so much for answering Jared, your videos are some of my favorite things to watch to pull me out of hyper-cringe try hard studying and chill, and your recommendations to really dive through Nicomachean Ethics has had massive influence on my life. Wishing (praying 😏) the best for you, and appreciate you taking the time to answer. Speaking publicly about the faith can be pretty daunting.
Well, well, well, it was a bad reading year for me and I did end up accumulating a lot of books. Having said that, my goal for 2025 is to only read women authors, focusing on feminism in general. The only exception will be essays and annual festival magazines. I hope you have a great reading year ahead!
Great video. I am taking a similar, more systematic approach to my reading for next year for similar reasons. Do you read 3-4 hrs a day on average? I think I would have to read at least that much to knock out the list you just gave me
Funny, Jaroslav Pelikan happens to be my great uncle. I know his history of christianity books have been pretty well-received, but never seen someone mention them in the wild!
Top Books this year: The War at the end of the World… M.V Llosa Brothers Karamazov - Dostoevsky Convenience Store Girl - Sayaka Murata The Idiot - Dostoyevski 2666 - Bolaño Savage Detectives - Bolaño -- Favorite short story The Shape of the Sword - Borges
It is not very polite to ask, but how did you get in the Eastern Orthodoxy? Were you "born" into this religion or is there family heritage or have you chosen it at some point?
Here's what I wrote earlier when someone else asked me: I carve out quite a lot of time for reading. I don’t watch TV or movies, except on rare occasions when I want to go to a movie theater. I take notes only on the books that need them, so I’m not slowed down by constant annotation. On top of all that, I carry a book with me everywhere I go.
as you were talking about fantasy i was wondering if you'd read the book of the new sun and what you'd have thought of it. moments later you dropped "it's not all gene wolfe." guessing you're a fan then lol
I carve out quite a lot of time for reading. I don’t watch TV or movies, except on rare occasions when I want to go to a movie theater. I take notes only on the books that need them, so I’m not slowed down by constant annotation. On top of all that, I carry a book with me everywhere I go.
Good stuff. Keep posting about books jared. Btw have you completed Malazan series? If yes, i would love hear you talk about maybe in one of such videos, maybe somewhere in a video where you update your top 10 fantasy series/book, just like you did with " my top 10 science fiction books..."
Great video. I love when you just sit and talk informally, but intelligently, about books. I read the first 2 Wolf Hall novels for the first time this year, and I agree wholeheartedly about Mantel being a master at what she does - and along with the great character work, I also thought she did tradegy incredibly well.
I probably need to make time to read all of Mantel one day. I’ve heard her memoir is excellent.
Like Jared, I’ve accumulated a small library of unread books over the years-purchased on whims or sent by publishers (I coordinate author events). I’ve realized that my book-buying habits often outpace my reading habits. With about forty books waiting for my attention, 2025 is going to be the year of catching up. I hope that by the end of next year, I'll make a significant dent in my reading backlog, rediscovering the joy and insights these books promised when I first brought them into my life!
Le Carre is astonishing. I came to him late. His novels will never leave me. He takes genre spy fiction and transforms it into great literature, many say Le Carre really is one of the great British novelists of the post war years. Not just writing about individuals inside 'the game', but a great writer about post war Britain and the decline of its institutions too
Some of my favorite reads from this year:
- Anathem by Neal Stephenson (personal favorite of the year)
- Minima Moralia by Theodor Adorno
- An Introduction to Dialectics by Theodor Adorno (the best explanation of Dialectical thinking I've ever read)
- Ulysses by James Joyce (the one book I mandated that I had to read this year)
- Jerusalem by Alan Moore (the most flawed, but still enjoyable, work I read this year)
- Binti by Nnedi Okorafor (felt like Butler/Le Guinn)
My goal(s) for next year:
- Read War and Peace
- Read through Cormac McCarthy's catalog (I had this as a goal before reading about his grooming).
- Read more of Adorno's lectures (I have his Aesthetics, Philosophy and Sociology, and Ontology and Dialectics)
Wow so anathem fans do actually exist 😂
Just came from your "Why we can't focus" video. It's funny (and eerie) that I was immediately recommended this video after watching that one. Either way, glad I found your channels.
I've been reading books like mad lately, building my reading stamina and consciously working to improve my mental fortitude and focus. Thanks for sharing your insightful thoughts and encouraging reading and discussion around reading.
That is an intimidating 2025!
I’ve been hitting an average of about 32 books a year since I started getting back into reading. Favorites from this year so far have been:
A Wizard of Earthsea-LeGuin
Small Things Like These-Claire Keegan
Jurassic Park-Crichton
Pure Immanence: Essays on A Life-Deleuze
V.-Pynchon
Kitchen Confidential-Anthony Bourdain
Glorious Exploits-Ferdia Lennon
Against the Day-Pynchon
Ethics-Spinoza (hoping to finish before the years end)
Loose goals for next year are to read
The Metamorphoses-Ovid
The Hume and Spinoza monographs by Deleuze
Hurricane Season-Fernanda Melchor
The Passenger and Stella Maris-McCarthy
And for big books, I’m torn between finally doing Infinite Jest, or do Imajica by Clive Barker
Jurassic Park. Great book. Turns out the grandpa was the a-hole lol didn't give a shit about the kids. The Metamorphoses is also on my list.
I love the format of the new channel. Simple and very conversational.
Great video! Here are some of the best books I've read this year:
-The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
-The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates
-A Naked Singularity by Sergio de la Pava
-Abortion by Jessica Valenti
-A View from the Bridge by Arthur Miller
-Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar
-Rebel Girl by Kathleen Hannah
-Every Man Dies Alone by Hans Fallada
-Consent by Jill Ciment
-Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
By the way, Max Boot's new biography of Reagan is a great example of a very critical but fair life of Reagan.
I actually read all of Fallada this year (in english). What a fascinating person in a terrible time.
Just wanted to say that I really enjoy this style of video from you. Relaxed, insightful, informative. Freed from the algorithm, so to speak. I hope you'll make more of these on this second channel in the coming year. Also, I really want to read the Sperber biography of Marx, but have held off waiting for a more reasonable price on a paperback or hardcover edition. I prefer physical copies of non-fiction books in which I'm likely to take notes or jump to the index to look something up.
The plan is to make videos like this here, since I don’t care at all about video performance on this channel (and have to care about performance, by economic necessity, on the other).
Some of my favourite reads from this year, in no particular order:
- The confusions of young Torless by Robert Musil
- The class by Hermann Ungar
- The divine child by Pascal Bruckner
- Human acts by Han Kang
- Ice by Anna Kavan
I'm glad you enjoyed John Le Carre. Spy fiction doesn't get the respect compared to other genres, much of it deserved, but John Le Carre is at another level. HIs novels are cynical yet elegant. He has a way with words that creates an atmosphere thick with intrigue. I suggest you read his other novels too. If you had to read one of Le Carre's novels, it would Tinker, Tailer, Soldier, Spy.
Mantel's "A Place of Greater Safety" is fantastic too; one of my favorite reads this year. It follows Robespierre, Danton, and Desmoulins as POV characters headed to Paris as young lawyers at the onset of the French Revolution. She was an exceptional writer, as someone who loves historical fiction.
i used to read a lot of historical fiction but somehow have been living under a rock and missed wolf hall, and now i've seen several people talking about it recently. definitely gonna be my first read of the year!
Several fascinating picks, Jared! 😊 Also I didn't know you are an Eastern Orthodox Christian! That's interesting to me. Perhaps it is also interesting to other subscribers. I'd be super interested in hearing more about your journey about how you got there if you ever feel like telling it? I seem to remember you growing up in either a fundamentalist or evangelical Christian background then exploring Anglicanism? I forget. I'm not any of these religions but I'm always interested in someone's spiritual journey if they're happy to share. 😊
Thoroughly enjoyed this video. Thanks for sharing your best books of 2024 with us, I added several of them to my ‘to read’ list!
Favorite books from this year:
- The Dispossessed: it’s great, I want to live on anarres, the thoughts on purpose and duty to self and society were insightful
- To be Taught if Fortunate: a story about astronauts on an mission to explore exoplanets, the worldbuilding for the planets is extremely cool and pretty scientifically sound, it’s the book that solidified my desire to try planetary science and astrobiology research
- I and Thou: a small philosophy book by a german jewish philosopher on interpersonal relationships and how they shape how we treat ourselves and act in society. A little too mystical for me at parts but it’s a very interesting and useful lens through which to view the world
For next year I’m also trying not to buy anything new and go through books I’ve bought recently. On the fiction side, I’ll finish up some scifi series and read some James Baldwin and russian novels as well as some Rilke poetry. For nonfiction I’ll read some ethics, mostly stoicism and existentialism, and a few other various philosophy books (some byung-chul han and a couple ecological/climate-related)
Fun fact: Brian Attebery, editor of the Library of America Le Guin series, chaired my MA thesis and was on my dissertation committee. I freaking love Le Guin (probably said that during our chat with Philip last year…). I’ll look forward to any videos on her, and hopefully I’ll join you in reading at least a few of those.
Since you’re gonna be reading Le Carre, you might take a look at Declare by Tim Powers. It won him his second World Fantasy Award and was specifically written in the vein of Tinker, Tailor and even deals with Kim Philby (whose betrayal of MI6 was the inspiration for Tinker, Tailor). It also does some fascinating Lovecraftian stuffs, and also has some thoughtful ruminations on faith. It’s one of my top reads so far this year :)
I've read some Buddhist philosophy, and it has opened my thinking up in a way I never knew possible.
What would you recommend?
Which one
@@___dh__dh__ Poems of the Masters: China's Classic Anthology of T'ang and Sung Dynasty Verse, translated by Red Pine, Alan Watts, Georg Feuerstein, Huston Smith, Joseph Campbell, Thich Nhat Hanh. There is a lot out there. Confucius and other Chinese classics. Check out Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu,The Tibetan Book of the Dead,
I finally finished The Recognitions by William Gaddis. It's easily become one of my favorite novels ever, despite its difficulty. Next year I have some Evelyn Waugh and Thomas Pynchon lined up for fiction. I read a ton of M. David Litwa's books this year on early Christianities and have more histories of the ancient world on deck. I hope to read some primary sources as well. Thanks for all your videos Jared. I really liked your collaboration with Esoterica earlier this year. I hope you two have a chance to connect again soon.
Top four of the year:
1. Apology of Socrates by Plato.
2. Enemy of the People by Ibsen.
3. The Dune trilogy by Frank Herbert.
4. Toll the Hounds and the Crippled God by Steven Erikson.
OMG the Bernard Cornwell mention! I haven't read that trilogy yet (I do own it), but I have nearly finished his Saxon Stories (the Last Kingdom series) and it got me back into reading. My FIL kept telling me "you'll love this series, its so good" but I kept putting it off. But YOU ARE EXACTLY right. Historical fiction the way he does it is better than fantasy, and he even has "magic" in his Saxon series, but you can see that it isn't magic as a modern reader. So you feel the character's faith or superstition... their belief in magic, the Christian God, the Old Gods, and it is so gripping the way he does it. You know it isn't real, characters think it is real, and you're coming to grips with the choices people made, based on the knowledge they had. Fantastic way of doing it! I love his books.
Thank you for another great reading recommendations video, these are some of my favorite videos that you create. I’m typically a classic literature person but when I found your channel a little over a year ago I felt compelled to try other areas such as philosophy and science fiction. Because of your previous videos I have read A Canticle for Leibowitz, Parable of the Sower, Blood Music, The Passenger and Stella Maris, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, and I’m currently reading The Left Hand of darkness. Unrelated, but I am also trying to not buy books in this new year. I have a process of checking them out from the library and then reading enough to decide if I want to buy it or not. The Books call to us all, good luck!
Great to see Mantel recognised here. The entire Cromwell trilogy is just fantastic. Beautiful writing.
Herald of a Restless World is astonishing. Henri Bergson is one of the most influential figures in European philosophy at the time, especially during the fall of positivism. Dr Emily Herring spectacularly unraveled the way he enraptured contemporary thought movements and who he is to take such a stance. Magnificent work.
I see you’ve got the Midori A5 goat leather cover-such a great choice! I absolutely love Midori; their paper is hands down the best. I have the goat leather cover in B6 myself, and it’s been developing a nice patina. By the way, I’ve been really enjoying your content lately! I’ve listened to that episode of The Classical Mind on The Intellectual Life three times already. I am also focusing on reading what I own in 2025. Mostly fiction I've acquired over the last couple years but maybe some Plato or Aristotle aswell.
I wasn't expecting to see Wolf Hall! That's my all-time favorite book series. The second book in the trilogy, "Bring Up the Bodies," is the best part of the whole set.
As an Eastern Orthodox. What are/were your thoughts on Nietzsche? How much of his work have you read?
Great video! I'm a big TH White fan, too, and I've been meaning to reread The Once and Future King for a while now. I added the Cornwell trilogy to my TBR.
Hi Jared,
Great video, thanks.
Some of the books I have read this year:
The complete Sherlock Holmes stories.
Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
The Flag Captain- Alexander Kent
Non Fiction
Chip War - Chris Miller
Doom - Sir Niall Ferguson
Colonialism - sir Nigel Biggar
Stalingrad- Anthony Beevor
Six Days of War - Michael B Owen
The Second World Wars - Victor Davis Hanson
This was enjoyable, keep up the good work. If you are serious about understanding Proust (and I imagine you are) you must get 'Paintings in Proust' by Eric Karpeles. Proust uses the history art and contemporary art criticism to create a written landscape within his work and without a strong knowledge of these fields many of the finer points of the novel will go over your head, especially in the early volumes.
Also, I'd recommend Sartor Resartus (The Tailor Retailored) by Thomas Carlyle, assuming you havn't encountered that book yet. It may take you to some new and strange places.
I want to read more philsoophy next year, so this list is mostly fiction, but I did end up reading some of my new all time favorites:
1. Moby Dick by Herman Melville
2. Der Steppenwolf by Herman Hesse
3. Snow by Orhan Pamuk
4. Last Exit to Brooklyn by Hubert Selby Jr.
5. Beloved by Toni Morrison
In the nonfiction category my favorite was problem Orwell's Homage to Catalonia, I also read Beyond Good and Evil, but despite being fluent in German, most of it went over my head and almost all the Nietzsche I've learned this year was by reading about his philosophies or watching videos explaining it. Also read some Anarchist theory by Kropotkin, Malatesta, and Graeber.
What is anarchist theory
@GengarChomper If you're interested in learning more about anarchist theory, I'd suggest reading Anarchy and the Anarchist program by Malatesta. For other thinkers I'd recommend Kropotkin and Emaa Goldmann
Chretien de Troyes rules, I recently read the Yvain story and loved it. Some of the oldest existing Arthurian stuff and it's great
18:20 Science fiction being philosophical is definitely a mixed bag. By bringing up Gene Wolfe as your example of worthwhile reading, however, doesn’t match my experience. I’ve never read The Book of the New Sun, simply because listening to reviewers, I get the sense that most people who read it have no idea what’s going on.
In my view, just because a book is obscure doesn’t mean that it’s worthwhile. More “fun” reads, like Project Hail Mary, which I just finished, offer interesting perspectives on philosophical ideas without couching them in dense prose. That holds not just for science fiction, but for any book that I read. For instance, in science, the profoundest thinkers often write the most accessible books. From Darwin and Dawkins to Einstein and Hawking, their writing clarifies their thought rather than making it a word puzzle that you have to solve, as often happens when another tries to “interpret” them.
Thanks for your perspective. As an atheist, I find it liberating to not have to reconcile what I’m reading against a set of beliefs I hold (you mention you’re Eastern Orthodox). By not holding preconceived ideas of how reality works, it frees you to look at each book with a perspective of your lived experience and education, without the blinders that any dogma instills in you.
Cheers!
Love this format! Earned a sub! 🙏🏼📚
I am looking forward to your review of The Expanse. I think there's A LOT to talk about
Welcome to 'adulthood.' You got your first John le Carré, so welcome to The Circus. So now starting the Karla trilogy, which has more circus and some of the earlier characters. Best... 'A Perfect Spy', perhaps. From his post-Cold War titles "The Night Manager" takes a lot of beating, for intelligence work, that isn't really 'spy stuff' then "The Constant Gardener" takes some beating too. Enjoy
Burns is already on the list, and adding the Karl Marx bio... as you say, an honest portrait is definitely needed.
The Wolf Hall mini series is amazing, season 2 starts in March, the first season aired 10 years ago. You should pick up the Boudica series by Manda Scott if you want masterful historical fiction.
I have the Hacket complete works of Plato and can confirm it is fantastic! It is also on my list to read through this year as well as Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling. Im thinking of getting and then reading a hard cover copy of After Virtue by Alasdair MacIntyre. I read segments of it for my Philosophy major, but a friend recently suggested I should read the complete work.
Your channel popped up on my agorrythm, and I'm curious to see what others enjoy to read. I've had The Winter King on my shelf for over a decade, and I'm finally currently reading it after seeing praises online. Anywho, I got excited when you mentioned the series because I am really enjoying the book so far. I more than likely will purchase the other two books. ✌😎
I will definitely check out Hijacked. Thanks for the recommendation! Great video as always.
I've read a spy who came in from the cold three times and I just started the Karla trilogy for the first time since I read it back in highschool. I absolutely love the way he tells a story. I hope you enjoy
Woaaaa thanks for sharing. As usual, your picks are impressive and I'm amazed by your plans for 2025. I thought I was being ambitious but damn!!
Next year, I'd love to reread the Bible, starting with a deep dive into Mark's Gospel. I also plan on reading several books about the stoics (already started Pierre Hadot's Inner Citadel, which is amazing!) and I want to discover Nietzche and Schopenhauer. Lastly, I want to deepen my knowledge of Albert Camus' essays, starting with The Myth of Sisyphe. 😁
Next year: Reading fewer books, reading longer books, reading more fiction, and start to whittle down the number of books in the pile. As a formal goal, read at least ten books over 500 pages (so-called "doorstopper books"). I read over 70 books and have acquired something close to 200 this year (mostly used or free), and I'd rather use more of my off-work screen time to read.
I'll probably end up buying and reading every book by Byung-Chul Han though!
Great video ❤ Read a few books in 2024 ... And my favourite is Possessed by Memory by Harold Bloom
You have such rich reading ahead of you with John le Carre. My own favorite is THE LITTLE DRUMMER GIRL. As for Arthurian stuff, do you know Rosemary Sutcliff's SWORD AT SUNSET, from 1963? She normally wrote for children, but this one's for adults -- the Arthurian legend as historical fiction, no magic, etc. I think you'd appreciate it.
7:30 while i don't think soviet history is super interesting, the biographies of soviet leaders (especially stalin) can be the worst perversions of history. even written by regarded academics, although certainly more from the pop historians. take the same scene from different academics, especially prior to the 90s when sovietology was still in vogue, and they will unironically just add little flairs or unnecessary details to make them seem villainous. they bring up so many unsupported details (like for example this one author that magically knew the way a certain prisoner died by the craziest negligence even though no other source corroborated it) or come up with their unfounded theories for events to make whatever villain of the era seem like some masterminding psychopath.
I would not skip Le Guin's Western Shore novels. They're some of her best stuff. Much quieter than Earthsea, but very thoughtful. She'd been thinking about authority and resistance for a long time, and it all comes into play there. I'd also put in a word for Searoad, and especially the novella Hernes. Lovely stuff.
Are you reading the same translation of Nicomachean Ethics repeatedly?
- If you've read more, did that give any notable insight? Do you have a preference? How did you chose what translation(s) to go with?
Great vid. Love this second channel. Would you be open to making a video about how you found your way to Eastern Orthodoxy? It's my understanding you converted? I personally find myself getting interested in Catholicism and Orthodoxy like many. It's interesting that so many intellectual types and well known people are converting to these two, not to any protestant denomination. Would love to hear your thoughts on that too. Seems to be a bit of a trend. I don't think it's just an online thing. But I understand it this is a subject that is a bit too personal.
I bought the Aristotle book. So far it’s proving a super difficult read. I’ve learned the limits of my mind.
Mantel is fabulous!
My question is how in the heck did you get the name 'jared'? Is this like your og YT account?
Waving to you from Draconia!
If I may humbly suggest a book for your consideration, The Dragon Codex is my latest YA fantasy. It’s an adventurous mix of dragons, magic, and a touch of graphic design, with some educational elements woven in. I hope it might earn a spot on your list!
LeCarre and The Expanse series are also on my TBR list for next year.
Wow the Anderson one sounds super interesting, thank you. I've been listening to The World Beyond Your Head by Matthew B. Crawford and Anderson's book would pair really well, it sounds like.
When you jump into Arthuriana I'd definitely recommend checking out the obscure _Life of Aglovale de Galis_ by Clemence Housman. For my money it may be the best re-telling of Arthuriana in the 20th century and I think it deserves to be better known.
Hey brother! Fellow Orthodox here. Glory to God in All Things. Blessed Nativity Season to you. Do you mind if I ask who is your patron saint?
Benedict of Nursia
I've read all of John LeCarre fiction and all of the Smiley's People books twice. I am about to reread Russia House which I really like as well. I read a lot in 2024 probably my favorite books were Red Mars/Green Mars/Blue Mars trilogy science fiction, but so much more than just science, politics psychology, relationships and politics all wound up together. I read the first two twice, Blue Mars was not as good as the first two books. I have a long list of books to read in 2025, too long to write here. Have a great 2025.
Bring up the Bodies is truly magnificent too.
20:07 Ironically, after my last comment about not liking authors that obscure their thoughts to seem “intellectual”, I do like Nietzsche. In line with what you’re saying, he does not write systematically at all. In fact, one of the aphorisms (I believe it’s in Beyond Good and Evil) is, “I distrust all systematizers and avoid them, a will to a system is a lack of integrity.” To more fully understand what he’s saying requires multiple readings of many of his works. But rather than doing this for understanding of a nebulous canon, I find most books about Nietzsche and his philosophy try to distill it in a way that, by this aphorism, he would avoid. When they explain the will to power or what he meant by superman, I find them to be both superficial and artificial. While I don’t agree with many of his ideas, I do find the way he presents them to stimulate me to re-examine my own philosophy, which is the ultimate compliment.
The Slightly foxed podcast has a recent episode interviewing Le Carré's biographer, which points to his better works and sheds light on his life, which was quite colourful
I was blown away by “All The King’s Men.” Nothing has come close to it.
Bro this is main channel material 😂
Hey Jared, I found le Carre several years ago and he is a gem in the spy genre. If you continue reading the Smiley series, le Carre's son recently released another novel with George Smiley. Have you read any of Whyte's Camulod Chronicals? I enjoyed his retelling of the Athurian legend from a historical perspective.
I've been meaning to read Plotinus for years, but never found the time to really get into him. It's connected to another excellent piece of scholarship, Rowan Williams's book on Arianism. Thanks for the recs.
That Williams book is excellent.
@@jaredplus Are you planning some kind of group read of Plotinus?
@@perchenonsali No. I'm documenting it on Substack, but the only group reads I'm doing there in 2025 have already been announced. Those books are Arendt's The Human Condition, The Dispossessed, The Republic, The Remains of the Day, Chuang Tzu, and Aristotle's Politics. (I should've mentioned these in the video, but I simply forgot.)
I would be interested to hear what you think about Gareth Stedman Jones’ biography of Marx, I felt like your description of the Sperber biography sounded similar to my thoughts of the Jones biography, which is to say it felt honest and even handed in conveying his accomplishments without partaking in hagiography.
I would love to hear your thoughts on more Gene Wolfe, Jared. I recently read his time travel historical fiction novel Pirate Freedom and it’s…..very much in conversation with Book of the New Sun. Also Free Live Free is fascinating since it’s Wolfe writing noir in the style of Raymond Chandler. Hope you check out more of his stuff!
Time stamps please
I really wanted to buy the Plato complete works, but I've been spending too much. I'll stick with my Penguin copy of the Republic for now.
For fiction, probably Song for Arbonne. Unfortunately atelier GGK always throws in a cringe scene or two for some reason
Non fiction - Guns of August, easily.
I did read a biography of T Cromwell up to his early relationship with Henry. There are a lot of missing pieces and a variety of opinions about him.
Historical figures like that or Henry II/Beckett you just can't make up with everything they did which might be why historical fiction is so appealing
Warlord has been on my radar for some time. Maybe 2025.
Did read Wizard Knight by Wolfe and was disappointed.
I would definitely encourage you to read more John Le Carre. I have read a lot of his books and have a couple setting on my coffee table right now: The Night Manager and The Secret Pilgrim. Like Stephen King, a lot of Le Carre books have been made into movies so you may be more familiar with his work then you realize. I would not watch the Tinker, Tailor, Sailor, Spy miniseries done in England back in the 1970s. Read the book before you watch any of the movies and miniseries. The two genres do not work well as cross over, you can never captor a book in movie form. But Hollywood thinks they can. Idiots.
My assessment of work is that I do it 12 hours at a time on the night shift. I've been doing it for thirty years now.
Guys who work aren't interested in the musings of those who don't.
I have had similar experiences regarding hagiography with historical books. Trying to find information regarding the American revolution, for instance, brings about eother legendary tales or subversions. It often takes reading lots of academic works to break through these opposing visions
The culmination surely made waves as pippin used to be a hegelian
Which translation of The Divine Comedy do you own and plan to enjoy next year? I am in my first reading now and starting with Mandelbaum. I also have the Hollanders, Esolen, Musa, Kirkpatrick, and Ciardi to look forward to 😊
If this is too personal, then don't worry about it! Was just curious what denomination you were, if any. I actually found out about your channel through looking for resources on learning St. Augustine and your first book that has a focus primarily on the German academy made me wonder if you were Lutheran.
Cheers!
No, it’s fine. I am Eastern Orthodox. I was an Episcopalian for a long time as a an adult, but then I converted to Eastern Orthodoxy.
@jaredplus Man, that's pretty cool! I would never have expected that, since most of your videos discuss the standard popular Western Church Fathers and the Roman Scholastics.
That's so awesome! Eastern Orthodoxy interested me in St. John Damascene, St. Maximus and Palamas, as well as gave me an excuse to really dive into figures like Clement of Alexandria and Psuedo-Dionysus. I'd love to see you cover any Eastern works that you find compelling!
Thanks so much for answering Jared, your videos are some of my favorite things to watch to pull me out of hyper-cringe try hard studying and chill, and your recommendations to really dive through Nicomachean Ethics has had massive influence on my life.
Wishing (praying 😏) the best for you, and appreciate you taking the time to answer. Speaking publicly about the faith can be pretty daunting.
Well, well, well, it was a bad reading year for me and I did end up accumulating a lot of books. Having said that, my goal for 2025 is to only read women authors, focusing on feminism in general. The only exception will be essays and annual festival magazines.
I hope you have a great reading year ahead!
Can someone list all the books. 31min I cant watch all this.
Thanks!
Very good. What was the first book you mentioned?
When do you plan to read Proust? Happy to join the substack and read along! Great video as always btw!
Great video. I am taking a similar, more systematic approach to my reading for next year for similar reasons. Do you read 3-4 hrs a day on average? I think I would have to read at least that much to knock out the list you just gave me
Funny, Jaroslav Pelikan happens to be my great uncle. I know his history of christianity books have been pretty well-received, but never seen someone mention them in the wild!
Finally finished Oblomov by Ivan Aleksandrovich Goncharov, glad I did .
I read the Kierkegaard biography.
Wish this had time stamps
December 25, 2024. Two weeks past. Hope to see your list of books which are discussed here. Please @jared.
2ND CHANNEL!?!?
Is there a translation of Aristotle's ethics that you recommend?
Top Books this year:
The War at the end of the World… M.V Llosa
Brothers Karamazov - Dostoevsky
Convenience Store Girl - Sayaka Murata
The Idiot - Dostoyevski
2666 - Bolaño
Savage Detectives - Bolaño
--
Favorite short story
The Shape of the Sword - Borges
Book links please.
curious asking are you theist or agnostic by reading hardcore philosophy ?
It is not very polite to ask, but how did you get in the Eastern Orthodoxy? Were you "born" into this religion or is there family heritage or have you chosen it at some point?
If you like Le Carrere, check out Jack Higgins.
Wow your 2025 reading list is quite heavy! How do you manage to read 100 difficult works of philosophy or literature in one year??
Here's what I wrote earlier when someone else asked me:
I carve out quite a lot of time for reading. I don’t watch TV or movies, except on rare occasions when I want to go to a movie theater. I take notes only on the books that need them, so I’m not slowed down by constant annotation. On top of all that, I carry a book with me everywhere I go.
as you were talking about fantasy i was wondering if you'd read the book of the new sun and what you'd have thought of it. moments later you dropped "it's not all gene wolfe." guessing you're a fan then lol
Oh yes, I’m a huge fan!
Wish you had included the picture of the Marx biography cover
How do you get/make the time to read 100+ books a year, and to read them in a way that involves thought and reflection?
I carve out quite a lot of time for reading. I don’t watch TV or movies, except on rare occasions when I want to go to a movie theater. I take notes only on the books that need them, so I’m not slowed down by constant annotation. On top of all that, I carry a book with me everywhere I go.
Jared do you have any thoughts on audiobooks? Do you listen to any at all?
I used to listen to them a lot. This year I listen to maybe three.
Hey Jared what kind edition of Moby Dick do you own and is it the edition you recommend (and if not, what edition do you recommend)?
Good stuff. Keep posting about books jared.
Btw have you completed Malazan series? If yes, i would love hear you talk about maybe in one of such videos, maybe somewhere in a video where you update your top 10 fantasy series/book, just like you did with " my top 10 science fiction books..."
No, and I don't know if I will finish it. If I do, it won't be for quite some time. There are many other things I'd like to read first.