I recently noticed the same thing with Everand. From what I can tell, they have changed their subscription plans so that now you are paying for credits like on Audible, except they call them unlocks. You get one or three per month depending on how much you want to pay. There are allegedly books you can listen to that are part of the unlimited catalog, but I haven't been able to find any. It's frustrating.

Spotify for audiobooks. 15 free hours a month if a regular subscriber

The list of books starts at 6:22. Thanks.

The ending of James is a bit wild, but the ending of Huckleberry Finn is so awful that I was just thrilled to see Everett change it completely 😂 I am one of those who thing that My Friends should have been shortlisted for the Booker, so I definitely recommend it and would love to hear your thoughts on it. Playground, on the other hand, I am lukewarm about. The way the Black character was written made me cringe. And I think that Washington Post reviewer must be a bit limited in his reading if he can't think of any other novel that has... what was it, a more "expansive and disorienting vision" of the earth's plight? I could recommend him a book or two, especially if he's willing to step out of a narrow lit-fic reading list. The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson to start with.

Started reading the snow child only 54 pages in but loving it so far

Wow so many to choose from, thank you, I did my online grocery shopping whilst you informed and entertained me. Going to look at the list and download an audiobook.

Thank you for sharing about your relationship with your father, I’m sorry it has caused you pain. At the end of the day we all need to do what’s right for us despite what others think, am glad you are exercising self care. Just about to start The Snow Child!

Stupid society only demands you to fix the relationship and put in the work. Your father is not expected to change. Do what's best for you. It's hard for people who don't have serious troubles with family to understand that life can be better without family. I also keep going back and forth on reading Held.

Keep your boundaries firm! Your well-being is the most important criteria. I tell people “sorry, my family is not Hallmark movie.”

I appreciate your authenticity. You are genuine, and it shows through. I enjoy your channel so much!!!! I appreciate watching you, Joel, and adorable Teddy. Thank you for your channel! By the way, I have also been anxious about the election. You are not alone. I appreciate your content and will continue to watch your channel.

Do read A Boy’s Own Story. A great novel and hugely important milestone of mid-twentieth century gay literature. The other two books in the trilogy The Beautiful Room is Empty and The Farewell Symphony are also excellent. Beautiful Room is my favorite of the three. Also check out the graphic novel adaptation of A Boy’s Own Story by Brian Alessandro, Michael Carroll and Igor Karash; it’s beautiful.

I think you might like a book I read this month, My Death by Lisa Tuttle. Sharing the controversy on Cormac McCarthy made me think of that book. I just wish it had been longer.

I haven't read Furever After, but I have read the first 3 or 4 in the series and they were all terrific. I hope you like this one. I think Curvy Girl Summer and That Time I Got Drunk and Saved a Human sound fun.

I'm in the middle of When the Clock Broke. It does dip back even farther than the 90s- Huey Long in Louisiana, Reagan, Duke, and much more. Just so sad how long this has been going on and how entrenched it is.

I’m loving The Snow Child and I’m 80% into it…I’ll leave it at that for now. My thoughts on family issues…people need to “mind their own damn business”…my daughter is with me in Pacific Grove. We went on the 17 mile drive today and when looking at the ocean in such a beautiful place my worries about our world go away for a while. I wish I could gift you that…

What Munro did was way more cringe than what McCarthy did. I'll still read them both.

I love The Snow Child. I’ve read it twice & will have to read it again.

Other book news: Richard Flanagan won the Baillie Gifford Prize for Question 7 but declined the prize money until Baille Gifford puts forward a plan to reduce its investment in fossil fuels and instead invest in renewable energy projects. Hope you have a great week ahead, Greg - and Joel and Teddy.

Thank you for addressing Scribd and Everand. I boosted my subscription to Premium in November only to receive notice that I could not unlock titles until December 3rd. Like you I had a solid reading plan that was interrupted. I read over 300 books a year so the Scribd/Everand subscription was very important to me. I have not received a reply from Scribd/Everand after using the “report issues” function three weeks ago. I am currently pursuing a New York Public Library card which uses SimplyE as its reading app. I find that bestsellers are available more quickly and the offering is much more extensive than most libraries with the Libby App. I live in Shanghai, China and do not have very limited access to English books. I am a hardcover person so it is a hardship gif me. Watching your Friday Reads updates on Saturday mornings gives me the boost that I need to continue pursuing my literary life. Thank you for everything you do for us avid readers. I highly appreciate your efforts to keep us connected to the book world.

Maybe try Barnes and Noble? They have ebooks and audiobooks. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Hi Greg! Emmanuel Carrère is an amazing French novelist. I don’t know if the translation does him justice and I haven’t read this one but I’d give this one a go for sure!

Where can I send you a book? Do you have a P.O. Box again?

The imbalance in the reactions to Cormac McCarthy and Alice Munro is interesting. Is he getting more of a pass because "boys will be boys" whereas Munro is being judged more harshly because she was a mother who sided with her child's abuser? I look forward to your final thoughts on The Snow Child. Mabel's story of trying to have a child, ending in stillbirth, is my own. And while my husband and I did not pull up stakes and head for Alaska, it changed us both utterly. Thirty-five years out, and it can still feel very fresh. I both want to read someone's experience (albeit fictional) which may speak to me, while simultaneously thinking I need to protect myself from it. Lots to think about today. Thanks again for another fine video, Greg. Wishing you and Joel and the Tedster a happy Thanksgiving. How many pies is Joel making?? xo

Spotify, Apple, and Google Play are all viable audiobook options, if you're willing to use them. DRM is a complete racket. I know that already from all kinds of Kindle drama over the years. That Vanity Fair article was difficult to read. Horribly written article, for starters, but yeah, Cormac McCarthy is one of my all-time favorite authors, so this is challenging as one of those cliched "separate the art from the artist" folks. Alice Munro ignored sexual abuse going on inside her own family, so I have no problems never reading a single word of hers again. But the relationship here is a completely different one that started out terribly and grossly, but by the end wasn't that. Britt had full agency as an adult woman to sever ties with groomer McCarthy and didn't. She adored this man until the day he died and still loves him. People are acutely complex creatures with all kinds of motivations and desires, as we've just witnessed recently. You can't "listen to women!" only when it's convenient. As a direct muse to his works, it's interesting that Britt's influence was more on McCarthy's male characters than writing multi-dimensional female characters, which was never his strong suit and a glaring blind spot.

In England, Maurice is pronounced Morris. Would you consider pronouncing it that way?

When I read the article on CM, my initial thought was "here's another man who has no impulse control." Putting aside that sweeping generalization of a reaction, I will say it's just exhausting to keep hearing these stories, but such is life. The fact that she is a muse and in his books makes me even less likely to pick up his books. I agree people are complicated and it's up to every reader to decide who they choose to read. Thank you SO much for addressing Everand! I have not heard anyone talk about this. I did get a response from Everand, but it was also an automated response. I cancelled my account because the new change is ridiculous.

People need to mind their own business. Yes, it is sad that you can't have a wonderful relationship with your Father but no one else knows him or has lived that relationship. Sometimes nothing is better than the something or someone available to you. Stay healthy.

The article about McCarthy was indeed eye-opening. It's sad, as she jokes about calling him a "groomer", but, unfortunately, he was. She was a young woman with a terrible home life, she saw him as her "safety", and, whether he had honest feelings for her, he did exploit that power dynamic. The letters he wrote to her when she was 16 are disturbing, and she had every reason to feel uncomfortable. Anyone suggesting it was a "different time" didn't read the article--- he took her to Mexico and felt like he was on the run from the law, and when she asked what he would do if they tried to take her away from him, he literally said, "I will kill them." She knew their relationship was unhealthy. And sadly, even in her 60s now, with his death, she feels "shiftless," and always felt like a "lost soul". That is how deeply coming in as a "savior" to her impacted her life. And the fact that he stole so much of her pain for his work, and how she "cried for days" when a character based on her would die is just... well, tragic. I've been a fan of McCarthy for a long time. But giving him a pass would make me a hypocrite. To say "separate the art from the artist" is akin to saying, "Well, Matt Gaetz's controversies should be separate from whether or not he is Attorney General!" And no, I'm not saying McCarthy should be "cancelled". But, like any great artist who did terrible things, it should be part of the conversation when discussing their work. Especially in this case, when he took so much of her life for his art. His reputation of being a real cowboy artist was even a joke, his writing about horses even stolen from her. Sorry. I'm rambling. It just bothers me because I have seen so many people defending him. People who would never defend anyone else in that situation. It's not cool.

Thank you for sharing your story about your father. The challenge with family is that it's hard to divorce yourself from them. And if it's sad that sometimes relationships are unreconcilable. But, yes, in the end, it's okay to say goodbye to a toxic situation. I wish you the best in navigating that.

"people are complicated" Yup. That is a great way to summarize it. And McCarthy is still the greatest American author of at least two generations. Folks just need to give the story of the controversy consideration at some depth, IMHO, and find their own comfort level with it. Do I vilify him? Well. It's not something I condone of course, but it happened. I would not label him a pedophilic monster though. And she, after all of these years and now a 60+ year old woman, looks back at their relationship and sees it as extremely positive. I.e. his "victim" doesn't see herself as such. He wasn't a predator on the prowl. He was a guy helping a girl nearly entering adulthood who was in trouble and they fell in love with each other. Oops! (Note, the more intimate portion of their relationship began at 17 and not 16, in case that matters.) Ultimately, McCarthy is dead and his writing is amazing. So … I find it a colorful story now and I move on.

Happy thanksgiving to you and Joel 🎉❤🥰

I happened upon Maurice on KZbin. I had no idea what it is about but I quickly got drawn into the story. I still remember the story and the beautiful writing. This is one of the best short novels ever written.

The “argument” that it was a different time is completely unacceptable to me, and I also think that those who say this do not show this leniency to everyone, and that sort of differential treatment is even worse bc it’s obvious and simply unfair. And we’re always back to either women or other minorities being the ones who are victim-blamed in these “olden days”. Even now it’s still “discussed” with Trump and Gaetz fully getting away with it through public opinion. + Honestly, to me it’s a question of morals and values, so I can not personally separate art from an artist bc it’s, as you said, putting yourself into your work, and it’s also about support and who I want to “help” platform. Also have to say that ignoring the colonial past of the US to “happily celebrate” thanksgiving is very privileged. At least acknowledge the past (and continuation).

Spotify is roughly the same monthly fee and includes a ton of audio books including the snow child.

That edition of Maurice is fantastic! What a lovely gift. On the topic of complicated family issues - sometimes not talking IS the fix. I totally get it. Enjoy your Thanksgiving feast!

New Orleans has a non-resident library card that has a lot of audiobooks. It is 50 a year and I think it is a steal at that price.

Munro's Books handled the controversy beautifully. They put together a book display for child abuse survivors, donated the profits to charities, handed out information for services that help abused children and are consistantly awesome. They've been owned by the staff of the store for years, no ties to the family, beautiful store, well curated stock.

I haven’t read the Snow Child because books like this always lose me just as you described. I’m going to wait and see your final thoughts on it. I’ve been into historical fiction/nonfiction about strong women lately and really enjoying it.

Books have been not so great this year. Besides James, I haven’t been too excited for the drops this year.

Stone Yard Devotional is not out in the US yet.

I love The Snow Child, so beautifully written. And Greg, what about Cloud Library?

Great point about the new McCarthy information coloring the reading of his work. The idea that anyone has to allow someone into their lives because of any familial relationship is outrageous. No one can or should tell you who you have to have a relationship with.

Maybe the CM story isn't getting as much attention because the Geatz, Hegseth, Trump stories are out there, too. There is a plethora of men abusing women in the news and CM is sadly just one more. Yes - your comments about family/toxic relationships. ❤

As someone with a complicated family, I appreciate your words. It’s true no one can’t understand the complexity unless they’ve lived through it. I’m so sorry for what you’ve been through, especially if it was during a time you were trying to understand and love yourself. The pain may lessen, but it never goes away. Re: audiobooks, I gave up on Everand as soon as they started throttling, and now I only use Libro because they help support indie bookstores. For a short time I also used Chirp, and liked it. Kobo also has an audiobook service (truly unlimited, I think.)

I've had the opportunity to read the 'TheSnow Child' over one day, so got really immensed in it. The story was compelling, magical and so raw with the characters' emotions & experiences, and beautiful conveys the essence of Alaska. Eowyn Ivey is a great writer.

❤ Snow Child is remarkable in it's application straddling the real/fantastic read without expectation and be rewarded! ❤

Greg, always a pleasure finding you have uploaded a video for our viewing pleasure. As always you have thoughtful commentary to share with us

I just moved The Snow Child to the top of my TBR…sounds like a good distraction… as a mother I believe it’s up to the parents to open the door to reconciliation… just my opinion.

If you use Spotify Premium you can get 15 hours of audiobook listening per month on the app!

My husband has cut off the toxic relationship with his father as well. So I want to say to you; congratulations for taking care of you. It really takes a strong person to that! Happy Holidays ❤