Reading Wrap Up / October 2019

Chatting about Booker drama and what I read in October including more book prize reading, poetry, Victober and some newly published great novels. Click ‘Show More’ for info.
--------------------
Judging the Booker Prize: ‘I’m proud of our decision’ by Afua Hirsch: www.theguardian.com/books/201...
Sam Jordison on the best and worst of the Booker Prize experience: www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/pu...
Matthew Sciarappa on Kyung-Sook Shin: • I met my favorite author
Books discussed:
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
lonesomereader.com/blog/2019/1...
Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky
lonesomereader.com/blog/2019/1...
Autobiography of Red by Anne Carson
lonesomereader.com/blog/2019/1...
We Are Made of Diamond Stuff by Isabel Waidner
lonesomereader.com/blog/2019/1...
Good Day? by Vesna Main
lonesomereader.com/blog/2019/1...
The Girl Who Wrote Loneliness by Kyung-Sook Shin
Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
lonesomereader.com/blog/2019/1...
The Offing by Benjamin Myers
lonesomereader.com/blog/2019/1...
Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout
lonesomereader.com/blog/2019/1...
--------------------
Get in touch
Book Blog: lonesomereader.com/
Twitter: / lonesomereader
Instagram: / lonesomereader
Facebook: tinyurl.com/hfkkhus
Goodreads: tinyurl.com/h8uus5t
LetterBoxd: letterboxd.com/lonesomereader/
Email: [e-mail]

[@shawnbreathesbooks]

Sam, read your heart out! And why not be like Eric, and start your own reading blog and/or BookTube channel?

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Yes yes yes!

[@MatthewSciarappa]

It’s 2am and I am watching you talk about books 💁🏼‍♂️✨📚 time best spent!

[@myratraney]

Right Matthew! It's 1:27 am. Sunday AM

[@EricKarlAnderson]

🤗📚

[@hartereads]

Sam, you are the cool one!

[@EricKarlAnderson]

👍

[@xdfckt2564]

Hi Sam. You'll be fine.

[@EricKarlAnderson]

👍

[@haroldniver813]

Glad I’m not the only one who “can’t resist a book prize.” 📚📚

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Yep! Even if I'm disappointed by the choices after I read them it still makes for an interesting conversation.

[@RachelRae]

Can’t wait to dive into The Dutch House!! Sam, stay true to yourself and what you love!

[@EricKarlAnderson]

👍

[@mahle5]

I judge people who don't read...very strange people

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Haha!

[@yasspanda2559]

Basically everyone in my family. I have five brothers. That's a lot of judgment.

[@michaeldornan7737]

Ilya Kaminsky and Ann Patchett are definitely on my list. I am reading a biography of Steven Runciman "Outlandish Knight: The Byzantine Life of Steven Runciman by Minoo Dinshaw. The book covers practically the whole of the 20th century. It is fully of travels, spies, dons, gays and nobility. Dinshaw writes so well and makes you want to travel to all those places and read more about all the people in the book. Thanks again for the ideas and little clips of writers which I enjoy watching.

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Oh interesting! I've had Dinshaw's bio of Runciman on my shelves since it came out. Beautiful cover and I heard the author speaking about it - sounds interesting!

[@pegthebookprizeaddict579]

So glad to hear you say you “can’t resist a book prize”....that’s the spirit! And glad you are doing some of the innovative ones like Goldsmith and poetry!🙋‍♀️❤️⚾️

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Yep, it's the most fun thing about a list for a prize being announced to look over them to decide whether I'm interested in reading them or not.

[@bianquita1]

Thanks for the Booker behind the scenes. I so wanted Ducks to win. The fact that it's published by a small publisher makes it even more endearing to me - of course, it's about quality first and foremost. I enjoyed The Dutch House, even though the ending was disappointing and I the mother's justification for leaving unbelievable. I'm yet to read Ng, I've got Everything on my bookshelf. I can't wait to read Olive, Again - I love Strout's writing. As for people judging you for reading, ha! Don't worry about it.

[@rickgrimesisboss1068]

I was picked on and bullied at school for always reading and carrying around books that were not a required reading. I ended up working at the school library since it was a safe spot. My love for books and writing did not diminish though I hope those teens who gave me a hard time became kinder people as they got older.

[@EricKarlAnderson]

I'm sorry this happened to you and it's very magnanimous of you to wish them well! Glad you stayed true to doing what you love.

[@mradcaqbdb]

I’ve got The Offing and The Dutch House waiting to shuffle to the top of my reading stack. I also picked up Ben Myers’ Beastings on my trip to London in October and I think I’m going to read that one before The Offing. I had a recommendation for Olive Kitteridge from an enthusiastic London bookseller a couple of years ago, so I bought it knowing nothing about it. Haven’t gotten to it yet, but I’m sure I will someday. 😊 Your comments about the woman who said Celeste Ng’s first book was the best she’d ever read were interesting. I immediately thought what’s the best book I’ve ever read and didn’t know the answer. I could give you favorites, but best is a different animal. I remember thinking that Colson Whitehead’s The Nickel Boys might be the best book I’ve read, but I honestly don’t know. Interesting question.

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Great, hope you enjoy them! I definitely recommend both of those novels by Myers. And Strout's books are such a joy. Yeah, picking a best book is probably impossible and will change frequently. Fun to think about though.

[@theserialreader7975]

Loved hearing your thoughts on these! I read Deaf Republic last week and loved it. It was my first narrative poem (I think), so now I'm on the prowl for more. I loved hearing that clip from Anne Carson. I will have have to check out Autobiography of Red, especially because I've been hearing so many great things about the author. The Offing also sounds quite interesting. I'll have to check it out!

[@EricKarlAnderson]

I think you'll really love Autobiography of Red. The whole talk was quite interesting but didn't want to stretch out my video even more by including too much! 😊

[@nicolesquires141]

I also attended the Celeste Ng book event and felt the same about everything I never told you. Give little fires everywhere a try though - I found it more gripping and plot driven!

[@Robert.Sheard]

I also enjoyed _The Dutch House._ I really love her nonfiction, too. I have a copy of _Olive, Again,_ but haven't started it yet.

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Ah I should look up some of Patchett's nonfiction

[@samsdadalways888]

Thank you for the shout out Eric 🙂

[@EricKarlAnderson]

You're welcome!

[@CharlieBrookReads]

My sister read and loved Mary Barton this month too so it's definitely one I want to get to . I read Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng and was disappointed but I think that's because she's an author that receives a LOT of hype on here . I loved hearing you talk about the poetry ... They both seem like interesting reads ❤️ Great wrap up as always Xxx ❤️

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Thank you!

[@MarcNash]

I picked up Deaf Republic without realising it was poetry and loved it.

[@EricKarlAnderson]

I love being surprised by what I'm reading like that.

[@marinamaccagni5253]

I only read the autobiography of red and Marylin Barton. Awesome books! I want to read "olive again". Absolutely! Kaminsky also seems very good! Thanks!

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Hope you enjoy them! 📚

[@jamesholder13]

I remember quite liking Autobiography of Red.

[@EricKarlAnderson]

It's so inventive and darkly meditative!

[@kirsten0929]

I loved Olive Kitteridge so I'm so happy to hear that Olive, Again doesn't disappoint. And Good Day? sounds really interesting.

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Hope you love meeting Olive again as much as I did!

[@joniheisenberg6691]

Can’t wait to see what Olive Kitteridge is up to !

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Hope you love it as much as I did!

[@chrisbookishcauldron6381]

So happy that you liked the Dutch House! Was this your first Patchett? She’s my favorite, just adore her. I gotta read more Elizabeth Strout. I’ve only read My Name is Lucy Barton, but I loved that book. Great viddo! Happy reading 😊😊😊

[@EricKarlAnderson]

That's great she's your fav writer! I've also read State of Wonder which I really enjoyed but not as much as The Dutch House. I've got Commonwealth on my shelves. Go back and read Olive Kitteridge when you get a chance - I think you'll love it, Chris!

[@jacquelinemcmenamin8204]

I felt like The Dutch House dealt with grief. Grief of losing a mother, then a father , then a home. In the eldest of 5 kids, so I really loved that it dealt with siblings and family attachment/love. A book I want to read is Love by Hanne Orstavik It won the PEN prize. It was discussed on Saturday Review last night on bbc radio4. Are you taking part in Non Fiction November? Currently reading Silver by Chris Hammer. Best book last week was The Blowout by Rachel Maddow.

[@EricKarlAnderson]

I really agree with your thoughts about The Dutch House. I actually have Love in my bag at the moment and hoping to read it soon. I'm too busy with other reading to take part in non-fiction November but I am reading Diarmaid Macculloch's bio of Thomas Cromwell so sort of participating.

[@judybrown1624]

I read Everything I Never Told You for a book club and was underwhelmed. I was recently gifted Little Fires Everywhere and am hopeful I'll like it better. I too loved Olive, Again. It's very much a continuation of Olive Kitteridge and that's a good thing IMO.

[@EricKarlAnderson]

I'm glad you felt the same way!

[@artjournalstories7313]

Oh I loved The Dutch House! It's probably one of my faves of this year. I also agree with you on Good Day? I read it earlier this year, and it's good to see it on that list. I think you really should read Little Fires Everywhere, because I read both Ng novels and I was astonished with the leap she made with her second novel. Everything I Never Told You is OK, but it's not WOW. Little Fires Everywhere, I promise is much better, more interesting & complex :) I need to read Olive Again, very soon!

[@EricKarlAnderson]

That's very encouraging to hear and makes me want to get to Little Fires Everywhere more. Thanks so much, Umut!

To be honest, I thought Hirsch's argument in the article wasn't that strong, 'all 6 books deserved to win, so we chose two'. Why not all 6, then? And also: isn't that how a shortlist is supposed to be? Anyway, enough of the Booker for this year :-). You had at a great reading-month/event-month and thats much more important, right? And to Sam: reading is uber-cool!

[@EricKarlAnderson]

Yes! I totally agree.

[@jorgemedina8083]

I want The Dutch House to win the Pulitzer. I loved it.

[@EricKarlAnderson]

That'd be a great result!

[@slate2103]

State of wonder by ann patchett, have you read that? It's one of stephen kings recommendations on writing.

[@EricKarlAnderson]

I have (it's the only other novel by Patchett I've read) - I'm looking forward to reading more!

[@rhuang9683]

its fine that you didn't particularly like 'everything i never told you', but i don't really think that that's grounds to ridicule it being someone else's favourite book. if someone reads a book and gets that much joy from it, so as to be able to call it a favourite, i'm nothing but happy about it (unless it's, i don't know, mein kampf or something). EINTY is the only novel i've ever read that features me, as a mixed race asian, and the household dynamics which come with that.

[@EricKarlAnderson]

You're right - I shouldn't be so judgemental.