Every single red book I own · Rainbow Bookshelf Tour

[@Ponyhoof48]

Not a native english speaker but as far as I know g*psy is a really horrible racist slur you shouldnt reproduce even If you want to critique racism against that group, similar to other racial slurs that are abbreviated/censored when talking about it to not perpetuate that kind of violence... At least thats the case for the equivalent word in German. I think that I've read similar discourses in the english speaking community

[@leenanorms]

I don’t know if you saw the overlaid text I put in the video on this book but from my understanding it’s a pretty 50/50 debate in the UK traveller community: as this author is a member of the community and it’s his chosen word, when it comes to referring to his experience and his book I use the words he’d prefer, but of course I’d adjust that depending on the book and wishes of the author/marginalized person in question - I don’t think it’s my place to correct their own identities and words they use, so I’m always lead by that. Hope that makes sense! X

[@Harrison_J_T]

I think in America it's considered a slur but less so in the UK (which is not to say it shouldn't be). There's a television show called My Big Fat Gypsy wedding and I've seen it used in information regarding discrimination and protection under the equality act. I think it's generally used to distinguish between Irish travellers and Romani people. Again I'm not saying it shouldn't be considered a slur just that I don't think it is by most.

[@Ponyhoof48]

@@leenanorms whoopsie nope, I guess that happens when you listen to YT videos more as a podcast instead of actually watching them hahaha. In Germany the word is similarly handled like say the N-word, so even if Black people use it in a book I still would never say it you know? But then again national contexts differ so much... thanks for the answer!

[@leenanorms]

No problem! I forget that people put them on in the background, i should probably insert it as audio too. Yeah also thinking about it, in the part of England I grew up in, it wasn’t that word that was used as a slur at all, it was worse ones I won’t repeat here - but that word was more of a descriptor, the horrible people invented other ones to specifically insult. Anyway interesting to learn about the cultural differences, I’m sure there something on it somewhere I should read up on. I guess the answer is what it always is: more books! :)

[@rachelorr4426]

@@leenanorms In my own experience the debate over this word has become really narrowed recently because its in a trending TikTok audio and a lot of americans ( which does not really have the same travelling community) have weighed in without the cultural sensitivities of Europeans. As an Irish person, where the travelling community has be very marginalised and only recognised as an ethnic minority in the last 5 years, the word "gypo" or "tinker" would be more akin to a slur, while gypsy is often claimed by communities... this is obviously my own experience but might shed some light on the confusion.

[@aliciabailey8882]

the auction book sounds amazing and reminds me of the 'museum of broken relationships' exhibit I saw recently. it's a collection of objects people donate that remind them of a relationship and then there's a story about the object alongside it - it's a permanent museum in LA and Zagreb but by the looks of it they take the exhibit all over and was so interesting!

[@Harrison_J_T]

I want to know the drama around We Go to the Gallery!

[@erica8645]

Had to pause the video to come and comment how unbelievable the housekeeper and the professor is. It's pure magic. My grandma got it for every family member's birthday so when Christmas came around we could all talk about it. Sly (but effective) dog.

[@lucillerenard9019]

If anyone is interested in the graphic introducing: blank books, I just found out that they're all available on kindle unlimited! I renewed my subscription this month since amazon (very yucky, but I only use it for my ebooks) is running a $0.99/month subscription this summer (at least in Canada!) so if you want to read one or a few it would cost less than a dollar. This has been a PSA for peeps who want to educate themselves but whose budget doesn't agree

[@shaunaisaJellyBean]

I think the term you were looking for when you said “normal life” in relation to the travelling community was “settled”

[@leenanorms]

Yup that was definitely what I should have said!

[@littlemusic4x]

Love it when I manage to be here early :) Red is my favorite color and now I want to organize all my books by a color theme. I think that's sounds like a wild weekend plan!

[@annahernandez3690]

Hi Leena! I discovered your channel a few weeks back and I've been slowly watching a lot of your videos. I just wanted to say that I admire the way that you carry yourself and how you're so outspoken and unafraid of saying what you think and your views of the world. I hope I can be brave enough to be more like you in my future. Also!!!! I wish I had a big sister/cool auntie/friend like you in my life so watching your videos kinda feels a little bit like that 😊

[@janedough8997]

I want to hear about We Go To The Gallery!

[@breezybeatles]

In regards to the Leanne Shapton book, you may really enjoy the work of Sophie Calle. She is a conceptual artist and has published several books with a similar feeling - I would particularly recommend "Take Care of Yourself", "Double Game", and "Souvenirs".

[@Mollfie]

I listened to the audiobook of The Stopping Places and LOVED it. I've never really seen any books or media that's really been created by travellers about travellers, which leads to them being a massively misunderstood group.

[@maiathornton6444]

I was here in 2014! I remember this book so well, such a cool format.

[@Sarah210498]

I'd love to hear more of your thoughts on Angela Carter - she's such an interesting figure!

[@ac7413]

Yas 20 mins of Lena, I’ve put the kettle on 😍

[@leenanorms]

100 % correct reaction 🤗

[@mediumsam7134]

Watching this months on, but the auction catalog - style book reminds me of a book I read as a kid, called Trial By Journal, in which (I believe, it's been a while since I read it) the story is told via journal entries and scraps and pictures and things from a juror's (who is, as it is a kids' book, a young girl) journal.

[@funfuz]

If you end up doing that research on traveller culture, I'd love see a video on it/the books you read about it.

[@tamsinmayers3194]

The Leanne Shapton book reminds me of Kiss and Tell by Alain de Botton (fictional biography of an "ordinary" woman) and It Chooses You by Miranda July, her journey to overcome writer's block by interviewing random people selling stuff in the pennysaver

[@chiara64100]

Have you ever done a video on your all-time fave books?? Would love to see that 😌

[@floorbussink4273]

So I just got a book from my sister that the catalogue book you talk about reminded me of somehow. It is a Dutch book, so I don't think you'll be able to read it sadly, though. It was first written as a graduation project and now a published book, and in it the author alphabetically 'catalogues' all the people she remembers having met. Some only have some words on where they met and how she knows them, but then some have longer descriptions that are really just sentences about the author's association with the person. I still have to read it, but I'm really excited to, because from what I've heard it really turns into a (love) story as places, moments and connections between people keep returning.

[@Lola7562]

IMPORTANT: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. I read it over lockdown and cannot recommend it enough. Think you will love it, about nature, indigenous american philosophies and practices, climate, science, history and a bit of hating capitalism thrown in! It's a beautiful, gentle nonfiction read, about some big topics without being academic at all and gave me a whole new perspective on my own environmental/ecological activism. White book with an orange spine so will wait to see how you deal with that shelving decision! loving the bookshelf tour so far

[@DrinkingByMyShelf]

The Housekeeper and the Professor! One of my fave books I've read this year

[@Rainingstars19]

I read the Housekeeper and the Professor earlier this year and loved it. It had been on my tbr list forever. Definitely recommend.

[@Kimberly-hm5xj]

i started binge watching your channel recently and i just love your energy and how you are so well spoken, always wanting to learn and sharing your learning with us! you are truely an inspiration and i loved loved loved this series of your books!! ANYWAY, lots of love to you and take care ❤️

[@Brenda-jo7cn]

I just love this bookshelf tour series, you have the most weirdly beautiful collection. Everytime I get a bunch of recomendations for titles I've never heard of. Also, the books design is always on point.

[@BryonyAnneBelle]

I am also very much interested in doing a significant amount of research into the the Romany and traveler communities - The Stopping Places has been on my tbr for a while now. It's definitely a culture that I have been interested in for a long time, in part because of the way racism against the community seems so accepted throughout the world, even today.

[@kaitlinberanek4539]

Leena! If you haven't heard of Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World by Penelope Bagieu I HIGHLY recommend! It's translated from French and it's comic style. The cover is gorgeous and it's really funny and inspiring. It really highlighted how much women are left out of the narrative of history and ugh I just loved it

[@nomorebedtime]

So after you made a comment about there not being as many red books, I glanced at my own shelves and surprisingly I got quite a few red and orange books lol

[@simoncaine9515]

I honestly think I have purchased more books from your channel than anything else. I almost have to stop before watching videos from this series as I'm broke at the moment. But amazing video. 👌

[@leenanorms]

Haha damn it I should get my affiliate links going again, really cash in on this Simon 😂 but also RIP your wallet I’m sorry, get thee to a library x

[@simoncaine9515]

@@leenanorms I am about to move house and we're getting a TON of shelf space... So I fear the library isn't an option. :) Don't help Amazon! Keep up the amazing work x

[@books_and_ki]

So freaking cool! I just organised my books by genre and now I want to change them to colour coded.

[@kathleencrozier2584]

Lots of good looking black books on that shelf! 🖤

[@kristavaillancourt6313]

Horrorstor is like that auction catalogue.

[@kelso365]

Once again with the recommendations! Have just bought The Stopping Places and have added the faux auctioneer catalogue book to my wishlist - thank you 😊

[@kelso365]

Also 'We Go To The Gallery' and the subsequent books in the series are the actual best. I've got them all so far and bought that one for my mum for her birthday one year as we are art gallery nerds. Love, love,love!

[@mc63404]

I love this series! It's so enjoyable to watch and I always come away with a lot of wonderful recommendations.

[@mb.7105]

That auctioneer catalog book looks so interesting! I've never seen anything like that before.

[@glrreid96]

A good interesting book about the Scottish traveller community is Bruar's Rest by Jess Smith. Pretty sure she is a part of the Traveller community, or her parents were and you cans ee she's put the work in to research the community. I know she's written other works too.

[@thegreenworld6440]

These are so fascinating- the nosy part of me loves to see what other people have on their shelves! Maybe you could do blue books next? I feel like some of my most beautiful books have blue covers

[@leenanorms]

I can verify that, my blue books are very fit!

[@byvitaobrien]

Why we broke up sounds somewhat similar that break up book! It’s paired with a letter so a bit more of a traditional novel in that way but I remember really enjoying it as a sad teen lol

[@whylal]

I read The Elegance of the Hedgehog for French class about two years ago, so I may need to check out The Housekeeper and the Professor at some point. Really curious to see your orange shelf when you reach it, I would guess that there is a fair few Penguin books since all of mine published from them have the orange spine.

[@leenanorms]

Ooo yeah the orange shelf is a good one!

[@jenniferchristian8115]

Would love to see ‘We go the gallery’ video!

[@leenanorms]

Yes! And maybe I’ll film it in a gallery! 😂

[@jenniferchristian8115]

leena norms oh what a treat! 😂

[@TheSoCaMa]

I joined during the breakup books! Great era.

[@Iris-hc1hs]

Lovely video! I want to know why Sheila Heti is in that book though! Or am I being silly and did you already explain it in the video?

[@billie_the_birdie]

I need to read The Stopping Places. My personal experiences with travellers haven't been good but I need to educate myself. Sadly it's always been the criminal aspect but that doesn't excuse my prejudice

[@dr-pq2du]

thank you @leenanorms for serving some strong Wuthering Heights vibes

[@meremeth]

Learning to Love You More by Harrell Fletcher and Miranda July sounds similar to the catalogue book!

[@meganstevenson311]

The ‘auctioneers’ book reminds me of the Museum of Broken Relationships! I think you’d find it really interesting if you haven’t seen it already :)

[@ar39666]

Can't believe there was a red book in the adjacent shelf and Leena didn't even mention it. The future historians will never receive the message now

[@lizziehodges4890]

This audio sounds like what leena's voice would sound like to herself

[@nimrodgrrrl]

These videos are the besttttt

[@katietatey]

Have you done green or blue books yet? I think when people post pictures of their color-organized bookshelves, usually GREEN is the color that is least-represented which is weird to me since green is so calming. Blue is my favorite color. I loved the thumbnail for the purple/ pink books video. That is how I found your channel. I literally thought you were going to be some rich person who had a huge room with purple and pink books like the thumbnail. That room would be epic if it exists somewhere (Kim Kardashian's house maybe). Anywho, love your sense of humor and I so related to the "I stopped reading this book to do more research on the topic" part, and then when you said "NERD!" I laughed so hard. You have some beautiful and interesting books and I love the shelf tours.

[@melodiesandmemories7739]

I worked at an indie bookstore for a time and it seemed like EVERY masculine-oriented history book was either black or red!

[@BreakingProtocol]

The stopping places added to the TBR! 2014 seems a scary long time ago (did we even know the word lockdown then?!)

[@leenanorms]

Haha good point, I imagine ‘lockdown’ just meant in a relationship to me in 2014 , like ‘ooo, have you got it locked down yet?’

[@hannahfagan9904]

Graham Swift’s Mothering Sunday is one of the shortest and most perfect books I’ve ever read (with the most gorgeous cover), please check it out!

[@megcant1077]

love this video!!

[@ninjaesther]

KZbin notification decided to work for me today woohoo

[@SherkieM]

Did you read Sophie calles address book book? Sounds similar to the auction book!

[@pamkellman1068]

not quite the same, but the auction catalog reminded me of the significant objects project

[@Hillary429]

Damian Le Bas podcast episode link?

[@Tabeasknitting]

White books next please! Love this series!

[@leenanorms]

The white books are so vast I have to keep them in the hallway! 😂

[@Tabeasknitting]

I had no idea, but I obviously wished for the right thing 🙌

[@laintrain]

Leena my reading list is getting too long with these videos!!! (but also thank u)

[@rachelalicee]

Loved this so much! Do you have your list of independent bookshops you shared on Twitter anywhere else? Your account is protected and I don't have Twitter myself anymore!

[@leenanorms]

It sound be in the description under choose bookshops :)

[@caitlinquinn79]

Your audio sounds really crisp today- maybe it's just my hearing aids but I wanted to say! Also, am a gumption clubber who tends to watch when it comes out on here just because I like all the KZbin comments from everyone

[@leenanorms]

Haha ooo that’s actually useful to know, I used an external fancy mic for this one and I don’t always, so that’s v useful 💪

[@elerigriffiths183]

Good stuff

[@mawkernewek]

18:45 dialectical materialism - that's why people who speak like people who went to Eton have more money than people who speak in a northern accent

[@caoimhe1212]

Was there for that skipfire

[@leenanorms]

What a time!

[@sarahogvall]

How interesting, the colour I have the most of is red.....

[@Emgreen19]

love the video, i got some gift ideas as well. When you talked about "I met Lucky People" a few years ago I bought it and read like a third? and rly need to get back to it as well but I just wanted to say that at least in German speaking countries calling traveling people, such as Sinti and Roma "g*psies or z*geuner" is seen as racist because of the history of the words and how it was used, look it up yourself please. Roma is the name most Romani folks give to themselves, as far as I recall, so its better to use that one. If you want to learn more you should really follow romaniuprising on instagram!

[@leenanorms]

Oh I’ll definitely look at that account, thank you! I’ve just addressed this question with another German commenter, I’ve just pinned it to the top of the comment section so it’s easier to find if you’d like a look x

[@Emgreen19]

@@leenanorms thank you for answering and looked at the other comments :)

[@Emgreen19]

@@leenanorms ooh also roma.culture

[@miaarndt9501]

I want to vote for black books, but maybe that’s mean because it looks like you have so many!

[@yvonne246]

Omg I've never been so early 😱

[@marthabjo]

Margaret Thatcher may have been all kinds of problematic (I'm not British so I'm not super well versed in Britain's history), but surely you can't write a book called "The history of Britain in [x number of] women" and NOT include her?

[@Harrison_J_T]

You might have a point but I do think how she and what she did is presented would matter a great deal. Since Leena said she disagrees with the author a lot would make me think perhaps she is portrayed quite positively.

[@marthabjo]

@@Harrison_J_T That is an excellent point - it does absolutely matter how she is presented, all I'm saying is that for better or worse you can't tell the story of Britain without including her. That absolutely means looking at all aspects of her particular history though.

[@SamWest96]

This is exactly what I thought when I heard Leena say that, of course portrayal is important but there's no world in which she's not one of the crucial women involved in Britain's story

[@jacquelinemcmenamin8204]

I hated Thatcher. I lived through her term as PM. What she did to the country and particularly N.Ireland was disastrous and has implications now. If she’d been a man she’d be seen as one of the worst PMs. She shouldn’t get praise just for being a woman.

[@marthabjo]

@@jacquelinemcmenamin8204 I'm not saying she should be praised, she absolutely should not. What I'm saying is that even the bad parts of history are history. You can't understand Britain now without looking at Britain under Thatcher. Having said that, if the book is meant as a "look at these amazing British women" kind of deal, then certainly including her is bad. But if it's what it says it is, which is looking at women who historically have been important to Britain (be that good or bad), then she needs to be in it.

[@Harrison_J_T]

Something I've noticed before is that when talking to yourself you call yourself Kathy. I know your full name is Kathleen but since you seem to go by Leena now I think it's interesting.

[@leenanorms]

Haha yeah it’s what my family call me and I guess I use it as a way to tell myself off so read in to that what you will I guess 😂

[@thecourrrr]

i always thought red (or prominent red) meant politics and history.

[@molsmcq]

me waiting for the communist manifesto to show up 👁👄👁

[@RoisinsReading]

on my bookself Red says COMMUNISM also RUSSIA

[@PaolaJaumot]

ME ENCANTÓ TU VIDEO! yo subí un bookshelf tour mi canal. Si alguien quiere ir a verlo, significaría mucho para mí 💕 SALUDOS DESDE RD!