Have a new hankering for a worthwhile history of my hometowns(s), a hankering that's proving hard to satisfy. Looks like I might have to adopt Croydon. :) Did find what amounts to a reprint of a school yearbook from my birth town in Michigan (c. 1923) with a modern photo of a very non-local castle on the cover. Ah well, I have a couple glossy and syrupy photo retrospectives to glance through for now.

I’ve relatives in the Croydon so it’s of interest to me. I have an Irish friend who used to live and work in Chile. Two books I’m interested in. Look up why Irish people in Chile are nicknamed “O’Higgins”. I’m reading light hearted, fun stuff since before Christmas. Romance, fantasy, …… all the feel good stuff to counteract the negativity of the world news.

Happy New Year Bob 🎉❤ 'Aliss at the fire is a gorgeous read, I loved it!

As I suspected part of the reason you bought those books was because of the nice covers. I plead guilty to the same. About the only thing I know about Chile is it’s a very beautiful country with a fairly well-educated people and that the CIA overthrew the Allende government back in the seventies just as it did with some other Latin American countries. As for Croydon if you believe some of the stuff on KZbin the entire UK has become like Croydon or worse and people are fleeing the country in droves haha. I know it’s mostly nonsense just like some of the bad things they say about the US. You’re right Fosse is the kind of writer who would drive me batty at my age if I tried to reading him but if they can award my hero Bob Dylan the Nobel then giving it to Fosse is fine with me. Next week I’m reading something called Dear Dickhead by Virginie Despentes. Yes, that’s the actual title. Sorry this is too long but be well.⚛ ❤

Thanks Bob, I'm now really looking forward to reading about Croydon! 😆I grew up in South east London, and as a teenager in the early/mid 90's Beano's the amazing record shop was my favourite place on earth!, I used to get the bus there a couple Saturdays a month, it was a real cavern of treasures, and musical history and knowledge, do you remember it? you're a bit younger, so it might have closed down by your teenage years.. so sad. My friends always joked that Beano's was the one saving grace of Croydon!

I’m really superstitious about my first read of the year. If I make the wrong choice it might totally colour and upset the whole reading year. So let’s hope the book I’m currently reading and which is excellent sets me up for a fantastic year. Elif Shafak’s There are Rivers in the Sky. Those Taiwanese books have lovely covers.

Fallen in love with your channel, possibly also with you. Such a warm energy. Recently read wintering and really enjoyed it. I will check out your other suggestion. Happy New year x

I just finished Spent Light and your review here and on the Goldsmith video are spot on. What is it? What does it all mean? But, here is my impression, not to give spoilers, so vaguely put: the narrator is taking a trip down memory lane, which is taking her to some good places and some not good places. One object in her home leads to another one and another memory and in and on. At the ending, something happens (no spoiler) that I think brings perspective to the whole of the book, what life may be like in a home with no objects 🤷🏻‍♀️ But…. This also reminded me of a game my kids used to play on their phones. They would pick a topic of discussion and Google it going to the Wikipedia page of that thing. Then they would randomly click on a blue part of Wikipedia that would take them to another topic, then continue to do this over and over to see if Wikipedia would eventually bring them back to the original topic they started with 😂😂😂 I liked the book, mostly, but I am going to sit with this one for a bit.

It’s hard not to put pressure on yourself ~ so many great books out there. I’m trying to slow down my reading for 2025 because I’ve been reading several books at a time. I never used to do that and would fully absorb into one book at a time. Currently I’m reading 4 different books so I’m not successful in this goal as of yet 😮😂🤷‍♀️ I’m looking forward to Ghost Mountain and Praiseworthy, thanks for the recs!

Happy New Year, Bob! Feels like many of us are going into 2025 a bit burnout and needing the reminder that reading is (or should be) ultimately for enjoyment and personal growth, rather than another thing to feel pressure about. I'm also here to say, I was not aware of the Climate Fiction Prize! I work in the climate change field and I'm astonished I did not know about this and so happy to have found this prize! every single longlisted book seems like my kind of book, so thank you so much for bringing it up! :)

Hope you savor your first experience reading Beloved! Utterly shocking that you haven't read it yet. It's THE ONE.

I love the idea of cowrie shells as a metaphor for empty capitalism. I'm definitely dialing this one up. Just how do I make sure ur getting ur commission? It's potlatch beeyotch

Ps you'll fkin luv beloved. Just wait 4 ur wrld to be rocked!

I love that your copy of the Beloved is one of the old 1980’s maybe early 1990’s copies. When The Bluest Eye first came out in those editions that was my first Morrison. Have a chilled and more spontaneous reading year Bob!

Y know bro. Chill. Slow and steady wins the race. U b u

New subscribers here👋 I’m enjoying your channel! I started Beloved today (1/1/25) as part of I’m With The Banned Book Club from Reading this life channel. And I’m also looking forward to Ben Reads Good challenge! I hope you have a wonderful reading year and enjoy reading the books you are drawn too!😊

thanks bob...hope to read a number of these this year..happy new year.

Happy New Year Bob, I'm glad you've decided to cut back on the pressure and lean into the pleasure of it more. Take care of yourself better ❤ 'Beloved' is an extremely well-crafted book with a lot to give the reader. Toni Morrisons best imo. 'Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell' is fabulous, just immerse yourself in it. Lengthy but so worth it!

Happy New Year! Hope your reading plan go smoothly this year. I'm looking forward to another year of your thoughtful reviews :)

Happy New Year or as we say here Feliz Ano Novo!

I'm looking forward to seeing if you stick to chilled 2025 😊 Beloved and Strange-Norell are beauties. I can't imagine why I haven't read Panenka or Ghost Mountain yet despite loving Leonard and Hungry Paul. Perhaps I'll make that a goal myself.

Happy New Year! Love your channel. I was wondering if you have ever read any of Chester Himes Harlem Detective novels featuring the detectives Coffin Ed Johnson and Grave Digger Jones? I never hear a single mention of these books on booktube. I have read three of the nine in the series - they are gristly, brutal, very dark, and laced with humour. Allegedly, James Baldwin was a fan! 😊

Thank you for all the work and insight you put into your channel. Wishing you happy reading in 2025. You may have convinced me to give "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell" a try. Wishing you all good things.

I'm finally reading Jonathan Strange! Halfway through and really enjoying it!

It is crazy that you were considering reading 30 books in about a month, I am glad you decided to take the time. Let me know if you end up going for the international booker this year, I would love to buddy read the list!

Comparison may be the thief of joy, but expectations will cut your brakes before you even leave the flat. All the best Bob.

Happy New Year! the best for 2025

They assigned Beloved to my 11th grade lit class (in the US- 16 year olds) and now that I’m in my 40s I’m baffled by that choice. What would a 16 year old take from this book!?

I think you’ll really love Beloved. What wonderful plans for the coming year. 🎉

Happy New Year. Good luck with Beloved and your other reads. It’s interesting that conservatives in the US have tried to get Beloved banned from some school libraries maybe because it doesn’t present a more balanced view of slavery. That’s the way things are here now. Anyway you don’t seem very political so I won’t bore you anymore with it except to say I’m looking forward to a year that may be even more exciting than the last though not always in a good way haha. Be well.⚛❤

Good for you Bob, breathing room. Happy New Year!! I'm excited for you to read Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. I've read it once and listened to the audiobook at least twice. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Cheers!

A relaxed approach (with breathing room) sounds good. Happy New Reading Year!

Argh! Somehow boggles my mind that all those brash plans I made for 2025 are slipping into gear already. Good thing I started some of them early. Already talked myself into Historathon2025, a similar philosophy-thon, a Proust read along, and another for Dante. Crazy. That should be enough. Hopefully I'll also finish off some books that fell along the wayside during previous reading events. Happy reading! 🎉📚🎊

Beloved did not live up to the hype for me.

Happy New Year Bob 🎉What book releases are you most looking forward to in the next 6 months? My approach to Booker and Women’s prize Pick out 6 books you most want to read / are most likely to be shortlisted. When the shortlist is announced just read books in the list you really want to read or you think might win. Reading all 12/13 is torture as you end up reading books you don’t enjoy or DNF in first 100 pages.

Happy New Year! 🎉 “Do the double”… Panenka… suddenly feels like this is a football channel 😂 Thank you for sharing your plans - I’ve got a similar video going up in a bit and we have similar reflections. Self-imposed pressure just isn’t it. And thank you so much for mentioning the challenge ❤

Happy new year Bob!

Thanks Bob. Chilled sounds good. I have been searching in Vain for an article I read possibly beginning of last year or the year before (Yes already we have 2025 here) about various peoples’ rereads. One person talked about Sabres Of Paradise conquest and vengeance of the Caucasus by Lesley Blanch. Can’t find the article but found the copy of the book I bought at the time. That’s my stepping off point. Only 500 odd pages but the smallest print imaginable in my paperback edition. I love a challenge. Happy New Year 🤗

Yes! Read nice things and be kind to yourself. ❤

I had no idea that I was going to love a flat place as much as I did, but it did also end up in my favourites list. Great selection

I used to resist winter and hated the cold. I live in a cold winter climate too. A few years ago I decided to embrace it…My garden rests and so do I now. I embrace all things “winter”-cozy blankets, more sleep, hot chocolate, tea, flavored coffee, deeper conversations and more relaxed reading time. I also spend time dreaming of all the things I’ll do in the Spring and planning those things. It’s changed my whole attitude and I look forward to it each year. You are such a thoughtful person and I enjoy hearing your thoughts!🙏

Thanks for sharing your list! I have added several to my TBR. We all read a certain genre of nonfiction, mine is usually science/natural world or politics related. For a decade, I primarily only read nonfiction. My 2024 standouts were…The Art Thief, War, H is for Hawk, Doppelgänger, Why animals talk: the new science…, Say Nothing, The Wager, and Vanishing treasures. Happy New Year to you!🎉

My Good Bright Wolf was immense. I don’t remember details very much any more but I remember the feeling of that book so deeply. I’m also new here but wondered if you’d read Eve by Cat Bohannon?

My Good Bright Wolf was immense. I don’t remember details very much any more but I remember the feeling of that book so deeply.

Happy New Year Bob!!! Thanks for enriching my reading life and that of many others!

Very interesting and very you list I must say. I have only read one of them though :)

More books for my TBR! When you talked about Lasting Harm, I was reminded of my experience listening to Chanel Miller read her memoir Know My Name, an emotionally challenging but powerful and important book. A detail that I have retained: when Miller was asked as part of her victim statement what she would like to see happen to the man who raped her, she said he should go to jail. She didn’t realize that there is a distinction between jail and prison (length of detention). Her words were used against their intention.

12:16 Genuinely when I was telling my friend who has read The Remains of the Day I said Kazuo Ishiguro you've done it again

Doppelganger was my NF book of 2023 too, so not on this years list either, and we also share How to Say Babylon as an outstanding book of the year. Someone who I don’t think has made it to the UK in an impactful way that I think you would like and who I gave two 5 star books on my NF is the phenomenal Myriam Gurber, a SoCal Latino Lesbian writer. The earlier book is a slim novella length memoir called Mean, which I read second, but would recommend reading first as the second book, Creep, references it in quite is few of the essays. You will have the full context of that story first to better understand her comments about it. If she is known to you, it most likely from her review of the book American Dirt, which became a literary scandal that basically halted the acclaim of that book exposing that however well meaning the author set out to be, she was co-opting others stories and telling them badly. Two other highly recommended books are Liliana’s Invincible Summer, a NBA NF series where net from 2023 about revisiting a beloved sister’s murder in the 1990s at the hands of an exboyfriend and Still Lufe With Bones about forensic anthropology at sites of Genocide.

I loved A Flat Place so so much! I did a vlog on it and it's probably one that I'm most proud of. I've had a lot of mental health stuff going on and am having to switch therapists to have someone more specialized to my needs. I'm gifting this to my current therapist on my last session. I absolutely adored it!