In Memoriam by Alice Winn, still thinking about it 3 months later

I really loved Lavinia from Ursula LeGuin and ofcourse Fourth Wing (& Iron Flame) 😉

My favorite book so far this year has been Farewell Summer by Ray Bradbury I think it's funny that every male KZbinr who has done this tag refuses to answer the book crush question. I wonder why that is. I'm not criticizing. It's a genuine question

The Brothers Karamazov my all-time favorite book!!

I'm reading Thomas Hardy at the moment he's interesting.The Return of the Native

I read To the lighthouse which was a bit tricky but did really love it!!

I haven’t read Tress yet but I’ve heard nothing but great things about it. I think most people suggest starting with his Mistborn series, but again I haven’t read it. I went straight in with the Stormlight books but they are HUGE, and I’m slightly drowning in them at the moment trying to get through them before the 5th one is published this December 🙃 I can’t tell you how happy it makes my little Irish heart to see such love for Claire Keegan ☘️

This is an excellent list, and the number 1 choice is a justified one. I'm not sure if I agree with it, but I definitely see where you're coming from. I would be remiss if I didn't say that I never empathized with Humbert Humbert, not even a little bit, when I was reading Lolita. He is pretentious to a fault and his fantasies and delusions could never be thoughts that pass through my head. That being said, Lolita is still one of my favorite novels, because Humbert is absolutely despicable. So despicable that it was highly entertaining to me that Nabokov could even conceive of such a character, and that I had no idea where the story would go next. The scenes where Dolores Haze meets Humbert after becoming pregnant by her husband are some of the most painful in literary history. A good choice for the top of the list.

A few novels that I’ve enjoyed reading so far this year: “Long Island” by Colm Toibin, “The Guest” by Emma Cline and “A Keeper” by Graham Norton. A couple of non-fiction books “A Fever in The Heartland” by Timothy Egan and “Did ye hear, Mammy Died?” (Memoir) by Seamus O’Reilly

my 'classics' collection mostly consists of the Penquin Popular Classics series, the cream/yellow spine ones with full picture on the front, got about 30 before they seemed to just disappear off bookshop shelves.

Another lovely video, thank you! So far favorites 2024: Chemistry lessons by Bonnie Garmus, North and South, Pride and Prejudice, The clockwork girl by Anna Mazzola. Endless list, in fact.😊 What's your opinion about Fredrik Backman's books?

That's a great list , although I have not read any of Dostoevsky - shame on me? You already know that I love To Kill a Mockingbird and it holds special importance to me for the time I read it. Mike is delighted that The Great Gatsby made your number one, a truly classic read. Love that Frankenstein and Dracula made the cut. I read Lolita in my twenties and have said before, I need to revisit it. I have seen the film with Jeremy Irons, so it's interesting that he narrates the audio book. I would find it very hard to list my top ten, but I will have a think. So many good books out there. Thanks for such a passionate and comprehensive review of your favourites.

My best books this year have to be 'What you are looking for is in the library' by Michiko Aoyama or 'Before the coffee gets cold' by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. I recently read The Bee Sting, a really gripping read which I couldn't put down, however when I read 'What you are looking for in the library' I had to pace myself as I loved all the stories and didn't want it to end. It would be one of those books, I wish I could read again as a new reader.

My favourite book I have read si far is Malon Lescout.

I too loved The Travelling Cat Chronicles. I have three books that I would say are my favorites so far this year: Pride and Prejudice Good Night, Mr. Tom Beartown. I am currently over halfway through Don Quixote and that could very well be my favorite by the end of the year. I have read some other wonderful books this year as well!!

I started Prophet Song, but quit after a couple of chapters. I'd just been reading too much dystopian and/or depressing literature to handle one more. I may come back to it later.

The best book I read this year is A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon

Books I've read this year and loved: On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong (heartbreaking and so beautifully written) Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor (post-apocalyptic African fantasy) A surprise: Indigo by Beverly Jackson... I rarely enjoy romance novels. This was an outstanding book, in any genre. A historical romance whose main characters are part of the Underground Railroad network--the story engaged with the history but also kept the relationship at the center, and developed it in a believable way. But I also read Toni Morrison's Beloved this year--so that was definitely the best I've read.

Without a doubt the best book I've read this year is Loved and Missed by Susie Boyt. Have you read it? Yes, Claire Keegan's short stories are perfection, but you need to get onto her "long" works: Foster and Small Things Like These will blow you away.

My favorite books this year so far have been quite surprising. I expected a classic or at least something "more" literary. ;) However, my favorite reads this year have been The Unmaking of June Farrow by Adrienne Young and Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy. June Farrow swept me away and I didn't want to come back. It was certainly a case of right book right time. Loved it! Sipsworth is a story of an elderly woman and a mouse. Absolutely lovely in every way. Thank you for these great videos! My son (17) and I are just delving into Brian *Brandon* ;) Sanderson!!! Not sure yet, but hopefully will be a great ride!

I haven't read much in greek mythology, can you suggest some books before I read hera it's sounding intriguing.

So far “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”. I listened to it as an audio book and was sooo surprised at how beautifully written it was, like literary poetry 🌒

What was the best book you've read this year so far? Let me know and we can freak out about books together!

This was hilarious, Bart. Torturous for you, however. Totally agree with you. I cried out loud at no.4 with despair. 😫 One of my all-time favourites at no.2. Love love love Pride & Prejudice, but agree, Emma is superb. It seems like the list was all over the place. Such nonsense. Was 50 shades in the top 100? Haha. By the way, did I ever tell you that it is the vest friend of a good friend of mine who wrote it, with a firmly planted tongue in her cheek, laughing all the way to the bank now.

Some of my favourite classics are: The Count Of Monte Cristo, The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, Dracula, The Pickwick Papers, Crime and Punishment, Frankenstein. T

My top ten are: 1) And Then There Were None 2) Murder In Mesopotamia 3) A Murder Is Announced 4) Murder On The Orient express 5) A Pocket Full Of Rye 6) Murder At The Vicarage 7) Crooked House 8) They Do It With Mirrors 9) Sparkling Cyanide 10) Elephants Can Remember

My favourite all time Agatha Christie book is And Then There Were None

I have read them all many times. Never get tired of them

My favourite Agatha Christie book is Murder In Mesopotamia

Dracula, Frankenstein, Lolita, and Ulysses. Neve read Virginia Wolf or the Russian authors. Ulysses is great at least for its humor, parts of which should be read out loud with as good an Irish accent oyour tongue allows. Thanks for the great suggestions!

Would you consider Mrs. Dalloway good for beginners?

Can I read count of monte Cristo as a classic beginner?

Curtain was written in the 1940s. It was not the last book she wrote. She originally wanted to keep it unpublished until after her death but was convinced by her editors to publish it while she was alive. So while it was the last novel published while she was alive, it was not the last novel she wrote. That would be the abysmal Elephants Can Remember.

What about every man’s library? They’re my favorite

Paul Theroux's travel memoirs

This summer I will travel with the poems of Walt Whitman, Leaves of grass. I want to dive into his universe (verse - universe)🙃 and to enjoy its unique lyricism. Thank you!

For those of us who won't have any holidays I recommend "How to travel with a salmon," great book for commutes

Wonderful list but you are becoming a little expensive. Have just bought the Travelling Cat book..... Thanks a lot!

Going to download that Traveling Cat book right now. Into the wild...such a wonderful perspective. You are a gem! Happy reading.

Grab my passport and shoes and my sedatives...?

Still Life by Sarah Winman is an unforgettable voyage

I would argue that the Bill Brysons "The Lost Continent: Travels in Small Town America" is his best travel book, I read it when it was first published and I have never laughed so much! His travelogue on Australia called "Down Under" I would put in second place. I've heard that " Death on the Nile" was inspired by an earlier story Christie wrote starring a character called Parker Pyne. I would recommend reading "Come Tell Me How You Live", which is an autobiographical account of her travels with her second husband Max Mallowan. Peter Mayle's books "A Year in Provence" and the follow up " Toujours Provence " are very good, in fact it they were The books to have on display in a prominent place in your home the early 1990s, along with your chintz decor!

Are you traveling this summer? Do you have a definitive travel book you always go back to? Let me know down below and we'll talk travel books some more!

@RoadReads You say the same thing about The Great Gatsby! I am inspired to go and read it a few more times to make sure I love it as much as both of you do!!

I am afraid that I stopped your video prematurely. Given your accent, I was hoping you would hit on some European Modernist classics: Hamsun, Celine, Gide, Broch, Musil, Huysmans, &c. Oh, well. My search continues.

Villette? What is that one about.. I have yet to discover it? Have you read Anna Karenina in the Penguin Classic, yet?

Ulysses written as a prank! I had not considered such a thought until you said it. Now, it makes perfect sense to me. 😉

I love your passion for each of these books! I love so many of these, and you may have given me some inspiration to try ones I've always shied away from (looking at you Lolita). My three that always MUST be my top 3 are: Rebecca, Anna Karenina, and my most beloved, must read every. single.year is Jane Eyre. Love to have discussion about all of these books and love that everyone has their ultimate favorites!