50 Years, 50 Books - My Favorite Books Every Year of My Life

[@EuropaPhoenix]

Happy Birthday!! Here's something you should know : Last year, my wife struggled with breast cancer. For months, she had to stay home, and since she's an avid reader like you, she spent most of her time reading tons of novels. Of course, at some point, she ran out of ideas. But thanks to you, I discovered a lot of new writers that I recommended to her. She especially enjoyed Dennis Lehane and Justin Cronin (The Passage trilogy is now her favorite series). So, thank you very much, and I hope you'll keep your boyish face for many more years!

[@RedFuryBooks]

This comment truly has made my morning - thank you! I'm thrilled that your wife enjoyed my recommendations and I hope that she remains healthy to read many, many more books in the future!

[@PhilipChaseTheBestofFantasy]

Happiest of birthdays, young fella! So many fantastic books across the course of your fifty years, and I can't tell you how thrilled and honored I am that you chose Return to Edan for 2023. I hope you'll come across a wonderful book for your favorite of 2024!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thanks, Philip! Return to Edan edged out entries by both King and Connelly, two favorites! But you already know how much I enjoyed that final entry in your series!

[@reading_by_myshelf]

Happy Birthday Josh! This was a fun video! I'm super impressed that you had each of these books and pulled them all out!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thanks, Brenda! Yeah, the intro and outro took about 5 minutes to film and the actual books about half an hour!

[@DutchGreyBeard]

Great idea, Josh! 50??? Indeed, unbelievable.

[@RedFuryBooks]

Indeed! :)

[@MarionHill-vq2xu]

Happy Birthday Josh and welcome to 50’s club! I turned 50 back in 2021 and my life has changed quite a bit since that milestone. Embrace being 50 and the wisdom you have obtained will come to great use now! Great idea for a video and I’ve read several of your choices. I will write that my reading tastes has changed since I turned 50. I’m reading more short stories and novellas. Also, I’m realizing my preferred genre is the borderline between contemporary fantasy and magical realism. And I want to read more authors from around the world too! Happy to celebrate with you and keep on reading! 😊👍🏿

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thanks, Marion! My choices tend to evolve as well, so I think it may be fun to revisit this in 5 years and see what has been supplanted, or has faded from my "favorites" list from that year.

[@AndrewSorenson1]

Happy birthday! It’s always a great day when a new Red Fury Books video comes out.

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thanks so much!

[@mildrumpus]

@BrianBell7 brought me here. I LOVE your shelves. Happy Reading! 😎📚👍

[@RedFuryBooks]

Good on Brian and welcome to Red Fury Books! :)

[@mpalm01]

Happy Birthday, buddy! Welcome to the 50 Club!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you, my friend! We are both now officially classics!

[@KindlesandKicks]

Happy Birthday Josh! What a milestone. Really love all the Hobb love on this list!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Queen Hobb!

[@leahandchad9882]

Happy Birthday! So much fun going through your selections for every year!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you! :)

[@BookishChas]

Happy birthday Josh! What a cool idea for a video. I hope you feel as young as you look. Take care my friend!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you, Chas! :)

[@barbaralin3053]

It's fun to watch this video. You can't be fifty! Well, I can only share with you my favorite from last year's reading: Firefly Summer by Maeve Binchy. I wonder how you go through the books published in a particular year.

[@RedFuryBooks]

For the list, I just went through my shelf, pulling out my favorites and writing down the year! And then checked Goodreads as well to compile the list.

[@JamesI88]

Excellent list. Many would overlap with my own. Maybe i should try to do this and see if i have any gaps.

[@MichaelRSchultheiss]

Happy, happy birthday to you--and I would have put you significantly closer to my age (turning 39 this Wednesday)! This is an impressive tour de force through your books. It's good to see some love for The Terror (couldn't put it down--one of Simmons's best), and also The Hero of Ages (Mistborn era 1 was my introduction to Brandon Sanderson).

[@RedFuryBooks]

Happy Birthday to you as well! Mistborn was my entry point for Sanderson too.

[@TomOrange]

Happy Birthday! Very fun video idea. I'm not sure if I have read a book published in every year I've been alive. Now I need to go do some research

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thanks, Tom! Doing the research for this video really was fun, because I honestly had no idea when so many of these were actually published.

[@Johanna_reads]

Happy Birthday, Josh! 🎉🥳🎉 This was such a clever video idea, and I loved seeing all your choices. Looking forward to hearing your favorite for 2024!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thanks, Johanna! I decided to embrace my age rather than lament how old I've become!

[@michaelsimmons5505]

Shirley, you can't be 50! Happy Birthday dude!

[@RedFuryBooks]

I am 50. And don't call me Shirley! :)

[@verosnotebook]

Happy Birthday! Great idea and lots of favourite titles in there. Hope you have a wonderful day with family and friends (and lots of books).

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you! :)

[@ExLibrisbyMikeBooklover]

Happy Birthday! With lots of great books of course!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you!

[@gastondeveaux3783]

Happy birthday !! What a great idea for a video. I saw lots of my favourites here: Stephen King, Guy Gavriel Kay, Joe Abercrombie, Larry McMurtry. Thanks ! Instant subscriber here !

[@RedFuryBooks]

Awesome! Thanks for hanging out!

[@cipriansirbu3699]

I don't know when your birthday was but Happy Birthday 🎂 . Pillars of the Earth was released in the year I was born,I will read it in a few months.😊

[@RedFuryBooks]

I hope you love it as I do!

[@davorstojmirov3195]

Happy 50!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thanks!

[@BooksWithBenghisKahn]

Happy big five-o! This was such a fantastic idea for a video and was a lot of fun to see. I just read 11/22/63 and added it to my own favorites list!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thanks, Ben, and I was thrilled to read your glowing review of 11/22/63!

[@bhubb198]

Happy 50th 👍🏼

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thanks!

[@Realkese]

I found your page a couple of days ago while looking for reviews of Brian Lee Durfee books. First i thought that Bill Burr has started a book review channel, anyway i've enjoyed your monthly recaps. And happy birthday, i passed that milestone a couple of months ago.

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thanks for stopping by and checking out the fake Bill Burr book reviews! :)

[@DanExploresBooks]

Great video idea. Haven't made it through yet but looking forward to it.

[@andrewheim9481]

Happy, Happy Birthday!!!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you!

[@PersonallyOptimistic]

Don't look a day under 70! 😏 Happy birthday, you bring a lot of joy into a lot of people's lives. Thanks, and here is to another 50! 👍 (Also another lover of God Emperor!)

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thanks so much! :)

[@esmayrosalyne]

Happy Birthday you legend!! And SURELY you aren't 50 years old?! Haha, no but honestly wouldn't have guessed, hope I age as gracefully as you! Loved this showcase of all your favourites. And I am surprised by the publishing year of some of these iconic books, totally didn't realise that!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Haha, I'll take "legend!" LMAO but glad you would've guessed younger!

[@veronicagarcia2025]

Happy Birthday!!!!🎂.What a great way to celebrate with a video🌟. A big virtual hug from Mexico. Muchas Felicidades!!!!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you, Veronica! :)

[@NoahVends]

This is a great list. Love seeing so much King and Hobb

[@RedFuryBooks]

My two favorites!

[@Wouter_K]

Congrats Josh! and great list, with lots to explore for me. Thanks!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you, and glad you liked the list!

[@grahamguy4656]

Happy Birthday 🎂 🎉

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you!

[@veenovo4777]

Happy Birthday 🎉

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you!

[@wrystryder2156]

Happy B Day and cool video idea👍

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thanks!

[@Jake_D_Dogg]

Happy birthday!! thanks for so many great book recommendations and enthusiastic reviews! Your passion for reading is infectious

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you so much!

[@TheJellicle1]

Happy Birthday!!! It could be worse, you could be turning 55 like me next month haha. What a great video concept. I doubt I have read a book published in each year due to spending my teens, twenties and 30's re-reading a handful of favorite authors. It wasn't until my 40s that my reading taste became much more adventurous (also coincides with when I started watching booktube in 2015)

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thanks and I'm glad you liked the video!

[@cynthiafialka]

Happy Birthday, hope it’s a wonderful one! Love so many of the books you showed.

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you!

[@akellerhouse83]

Happy birthday! I turned 40 several months ago and I felt kinda weird about it. But my 30's were great and I'm sure my 40's will be too. And I bet 50's will be even better! Pet Semetary and The Color of Magic were both published in my birth year, 1983.

[@RedFuryBooks]

I do miss my 30's, but I'll likely start saying I miss my 40's! 😂

[@greedygreg5089]

Happy Birthday!!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you!

[@scottferris2686]

Happy birthday!!!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thanks!

[@maryamasgari]

Happy birthday! 🎈🎉

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you!

[@pappywinky4749]

Happy Birthday to you! Love this video, really nice to see the variety in what you read

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you and glad you enjoyed the video!

[@Cherbookie]

Happy Birthday!! I hope it's a great one Josh!🎉🥳

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you!

[@kaidne]

Congrats and great video!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you!

[@ev3261]

Happy Birthday!!!!! You're 50??? You could have fooled me 🙂! In any case, excellent list! loved many many of the books you chose. I hope you had a great birthday and enjoyed it!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you! :)

[@Zivilin]

Happy birthday! And you don't look a day over 45. 😉I really need to read Umberto Eco one of these days.

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thanks, and I hope you enjoy Umberto Eco!

[@anothersarahreading9961]

Happy Birthday 🎉 It's only after 55 that everything goes downhill 😉🫣

[@RedFuryBooks]

I'm glad I have 5 good years ahead of me! LOL

[@BobFrankJoe]

Nice video and happy birthday!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you!

[@binglamb2176]

Happy 50th! Whatever you're doing, keep doing it because it's working. Superb list of books as well. Alas, my 50th birthday is 20+ yearrs in the rearview mirror!😂

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you so much!

[@bhubb198]

Great list

[@kyrosv1289]

Happy B-Day!! This was a great idea!! ;)

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thanks and I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@Thecatladybooknook_PennyD]

Happy Birthday!!!!🎉🎉🎉 50s are great... just saying!😉

[@Thecatladybooknook_PennyD]

P.S. I'm reading Killer Angels next month!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thanks, Penny! And I'm excited that you'll be reading The Killer Angels!

[@Tinoshke07]

Happy Birthday Josh ! You're just a baby ... I'm 4 years older than you 😉😁 I think it was an excellent idea to make this kind of video and choosing for each year a favourite book. More booktubers should make such a video.

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you and glad you enjoyed the video!

[@priyamishra4503]

🎉happy birthday

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you!

[@NevsBookChannel]

This was a great idea for a video!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thanks- glad you enjoyed it!

[@Altruismisreal27]

Happy birthday! 🎉🎈🎊

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you!

[@tylerblack301]

Happy Birthday Josh! You definitely look younger then you are. And I will definitely be using this list to read books published in my life time. (33)

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you! And I hope you enjoy several of these books as I have!

[@aeg9462]

Ayyyyyyy happy birthday!!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you!

[@zackattack366]

This is a interesting challenge. I'm not sure if I've even read a book from every year I've been alive

[@jobuckley2999]

Happy B Day. 50. A mere child. Enjoy your virgin knees. Dennis Lehane is a favorite and I just finished The Given Day. Wow that novel has everything. As good as Mystic River for Me.

[@RedFuryBooks]

The Given Day inspired me to produce a long form Lehane video later this year. So stay tuned!

[@jobuckley2999]

Lookin forward to it. 😊

[@therealbookaholic]

At first I thought I was going to get books you liked each year of your life- hardy boys, where the red fern grows, Judy Blume. :). I was thinking those first few years would be tough. :). Happy birthday. Blessings to you! Ps. fifty isn’t so bad.

[@RedFuryBooks]

That would've been fun to talk about "Green Egg and Ham!" Thanks for the birthday wishes! :)

[@samuelmartin2608]

50! I was thinking 40's!

[@DarranUaM]

But surely such a godlike Adonis of the modern age cannot be 50! Thanks for the great list.

[@RedFuryBooks]

Haha thanks! :)

[@BooksWithBrad]

Happy birthday! Have you read any alastair reynolds? I just finished house of suns after seeing a couple youtubers i respect talk about it and it was so great. Hand-wavey science that somehow didn't bother me

[@RedFuryBooks]

House of Suns is on my TBR although I haven't gotten to it yet. I actually am more okay with hand-wavey science than hard science lol

[@andreabknight]

Happy Birthday-- I thought you were about 45 😀

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thanks!

[@rynethacker275]

Kate Atkinson has a new novel out this year as well in September

[@RedFuryBooks]

Oh excellent!

[@heidi6281]

Three new books being released this year! Not to late to jump aboard and read these 5 star series!! John Gwynne’s Bloodsworn Shauns Lawless’s Gael Song Christopher Buelhman’s The Blacktongue Thief’s sequel!! Hoping you are having a big party to celebrate this fantastic milestone! 50 more to finish your TBR!

[@RedFuryBooks]

I've been thinking of jumping into Bloodsworn even though I haven't read his other series.

[@heidi6281]

Bloodsworn is one of my favorites of all time, I listened to both books back to back almost nonstop. Will Gwynne is reading his father’s arc for the third and final book, Fury of the Gods right now.

[@RRW276]

Dang. I'm two years younger than you and for sure I look older than you! 😢 Happy birthday!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you!

[@mastersal4644]

Happy birthday ! And you sure you didn’t inflate the age for click bait 🎉🎉

[@RedFuryBooks]

Haha, that's one thing I'd never do!

[@davidaldinger3666]

80’s were particularly strong

[@lockdowntechie3122]

5:33 maybe winds of winter 😂?

[@Danny_Matson]

Might need to wait until the 60 books for age 60 video 😅.

[@RedFuryBooks]

Or 70 books for age 70! LMAO

[@someokiedude9549]

You've lived half a century. You must have gained so much wisdom during this time. Also...don't call me Shirley!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Haha, yes, don't call me Shirley!

[@bobbob-cd9yl]

Haha at first I thought you were going to be referencing books you read at the age of 1

[@Danny_Matson]

Me too! Lol. I was expecting a favorite book for each age of your life but in hindsight who the heck would remember all of that. This made more sense. Happy Birthday Josh!

[@RedFuryBooks]

It would have been fun to include "Green Eggs and Ham" in a video!

[@heatherauton655]

I love John Irving, Garp still a fav

[@heatherauton655]

Have you tried Jay Kristoff EOTD just released, might be one for early 2024

[@RedFuryBooks]

Not yet, but I'll get there at some point.

[@mgmartin51]

I'm still waiting for someone to say to me "Wait- you're 70? That can't be right!" But they don't.

[@marjoriedonnett5467]

Congratulations! You're 50 years old and your hair is still red. I'm retired now, so I'm no longer young. I was born a flaming redhead, but by 50 my hair had changed and was brown (ugh!). I didn't dye it red when I was 50 because older women look ridiculous as redheads. I just accepted my fate.

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you!

[@Talking_Story]

I agree with you on so many of these choices. This was awesome but I refuse to belief you are anywhere near the big 50.

[@RedFuryBooks]

Indeed! :)

[@jossenoynaert6071]

"SURELY YOU CAN'T BE 50"

[@RedFuryBooks]

I am 50... and don't call me Shirley! 🤣

[@HashtagNerd]

he is 44 change my mind

[@RedFuryBooks]

Haha if only!

[@antonbjerketorp2764]

I did legitimately not think you could be 50 lol

[@antonbjerketorp2764]

Great idea for a video tho

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thanks! :)

[@julien4327]

Shirley, you can't be 50 !

[@RedFuryBooks]

I am 50, and don't call me Shirley! :)

[@experimentb6449]

@RedFuryBooks you beat me to it!

[@OogatieBoogatieBoo]

surely you cant be 50

[@borasertgil5808]

Surely you can’t be fifty 😂😂

[@mandyp2438]

Happy birthday 🎉🎉🎉

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you!

[@tammaraliberty]

Happy birthday!

[@RedFuryBooks]

Thank you!