Friday Reads: Don't Trust Nobel Odds, Giller Shortlist, and More

[@seasheleyes]

Hi Greg. My reading has stalled. I’m anxious and very involved in my politics, which may or may not be a good thing. I had my last rock painting parties where my guests and I painted rocks with our destination in mind. We painted Madam President, President Harris, etc. I also joined a group to go and watch the new film “The Apprentice “. What a crazy country we have become. Well, here we go!

[@onourpath]

I'm one of the few who loved Held! The prose was so lush and layered. To me, the book had the feeling of pulling back a curtain on someone's life for just a bit, then closing the curtain, and pulling it back on someone else's life, repeat, etc. Just quick, deeply felt slivers of life. 🤷🏻‍♀️ If this doesn't stir anything, my actual blurb compared the book to Andrew Wyeth's lifelong search for the correct color of brown to depict dirt. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Yeah, this book..... 💚💚💚

[@TKTalksBooks]

I loved it, too!

[@debrahills8148]

Me too!

[@booksandbags]

I guess I am one of the few who loved Held. It’s in my top 3 on the shortlist. The writing is beautiful, and the story has stuck with me.

[@SupposedlyFun]

It feels like a book that really works for people who get its charms. I’m glad you are one of them!

[@TKTalksBooks]

I loved it!

[@jaimee-kate]

I felt the same way about Catalina! I really enjoyed it and it pushed me as a reader because, to be frank, Catalina's choices were bizarre to me. But I understand that part of the experience is to be with this character who is a place where she is not going to make the most logical choices and she is self destructive. I didn't love it, but I appreciated it and I was glad I read it, I still recommend it to people because it was fascinating.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I definitely thought it was a fascinating book. I feel like I see why it was longlisted for the National Book Award, and I also see why it's not a finalist.

[@MJ-in-Canada]

In the lead-up to the election, I might just concentrate on reading cinnamon bun books.😄

[@SupposedlyFun]

It may be essential!

[@TKTalksBooks]

Terrifying times

[@alldbooks9165]

I think this is an excellent idea.

[@debrahills8148]

Hand me the buns.

[@debrahills8148]

Also I relate to everything you said about books like Fleishman is in Trouble!!! I think I’m going to adopt your phrase “Beamer is a Nope “ to reject future similar titles ( though I hope Long Island Compromise is ultimately good for you! )

[@1001VideoGames]

If you're at all interested, the Governor General's Award for Literature was also released this week and the nominees were FAR more interesting than the Giller

[@jaysfarrell]

Next time you see something in the sky use your mobile phone camera and you’ll see the colours clearly. You usually can’t see them with the naked eye

[@SupposedlyFun]

Good to know--thanks.

[@mradcaqbdb]

Yes! VOTE! God, I’m so nervous. And I’m really nervous about the Senate too. I would be so ironic in the year we get rid of McConnell that we lose control of the Senate. Argh! Just waiting for my mail-in ballot to be delivered. Should be any day now. I’m listening to The Haunting of Hill House now. I’ve read it on Kindle and watched the Netflix movie of it a couple of years ago, but I’ve been dying for a really spooky book this fall, so I went back to Jackson. And it’s excellent, of course. But I need more spookiness! Not sure what is next for physical books. Nothing is really calling my name…

[@marjoriedybec3450]

I'll say it again, I love your Friday reads! I am reading more than I ever have read before. Funny how we go through highs and lows with our reading fever. Its totally okay to take it slow. When I have a lull, I tend to look for shorter books (

[@geonapbin]

Another Greg from Long Island here! Northern Lights were nice and red on LI. Found your channel recently and enjoying it. And yes, please vote!

[@SupposedlyFun]

Long Island Gregs unite. 💯

[@marciajohansson769]

Nice to see you. I like the artwork on the book Held so there's that. I've been enjoying the books I've I'm reading, although I think I've taken on too much! Lonesome Dove is so much funnier than I thought it was going to be at least in the beginning. I am juggling about four books right now which is insane. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

[@1book1review]

After seeing a few reviews of Held I got actually curious about it. Not sure when or if I will get to it. Podcasts are my go to when I can't focus and I honestly don't mind missing parts of podcasts when my mind wanders or gets distracted.

[@debrahills8148]

Actually the Giller seems like a pretty good shortlist to me! I’ll be actively looking for Prairie Edge and maybe a couple of the others…

[@alt9977]

Another Canadian here : Conor Kerr's novel sounds the most interesting to me. I've got a hold on it at my library. The controversy with the Giller has been going on several years now, not just politically but in some of their choices. I don't love the Giller prize; I don't hate it either. It's just kind of meh for me.

[@SupposedlyFun]

Thanks for the perspective. I’ve only ever loosely followed the Giller, so this is all new territory for me.

[@annegibson6072]

Shawn talked about the Governor General Awards. It's another Canadian book award. Lindy compared it to the National Book Awards. Brian posted a very good video about why not to vote for Trump. Reading Orbital by Samantha Harvey. I am in love with this book. I ordered another one of her books.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I’m glad you’re enjoying Orbital!

[@catdancerskaleidoscopeofbo8496]

Hi Greg, good to see you again for Friday Reads. You mentioned you would link the article about the Gillier controversy in the description box, but I don't see it. And I wanted to read the article you were referencing in particular. Thanks. 😊

[@SupposedlyFun]

Sorry, here is the link (the Giller has subsequently dropped the sponsor's name from the title of the prize, but they have not dropped them as a sponsor): lithub.com/20-canadian-authors-have-withdrawn-from-the-giller-prize/

[@Book_Hugger]

The next time you see the Northern Lights as white whisps, if your have a newer camera phone, look through the camera on your phone and it will allow you to see the greens and blues of the lights and probably get a photo. At least, that worked for my partner.

[@SupposedlyFun]

Thanks! I hope I do see them again.

[@julieg_quebec-julesselivre8641]

Hi Greg! I read What I know about you and I really think you’ll like this one. What makes me sad is that he was born in Montreal from Egyptians parents and with all the controversy he won’t be able to accept the prize if he wins… I suspect there is a dilemma going on here.

[@SupposedlyFun]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. My library doesn’t have the Chacour but I may still seek it out.

[@_aileenmaria]

I had to comment on “ Long Island Compromise” ….😂 I had the exact same reaction to this. I had the audio. Beamer’s section just gave me anxiety and made me fell ick. I DNFed at about 30%. I typically can push thru… and tend finish books most of the time…. It this was a hard hell no for me. Too many great books and amazing nature walks to have this playing in my ears.🤣

[@SupposedlyFun]

Oh no! That doesn’t bode well.

[@tarredion]

I think female authors like Atwood, but even more than that female poc authors, are the only ones I can really truly see them “catching up on” - purely for the sake of their statement, as you mentioned in the other video. Now, if they’ll go for female authors earlier in their career or actually “catch up” and do someone with a more prolific career … we’ll see. They’ve certainly done both in the past, do it early or do it almost too late.

[@allisonpiazza2317]

I dnf'd the Long Island Compromise audiobook when I got to Beamer's section. 😬

[@SupposedlyFun]

I feel like I deserve a medal for powering through, but I may have killed my ability to do the rest. 😅 😂

[@josephcali8288]

I am reading The Known World and have watched 5 episodes of Heartstopper Season 3

[@SupposedlyFun]

I’m so exited to read The Known World at some point!

[@jacquelinemcmenamin8204]

When you began explaining the plot of Long Island Compromise….I immediately began to see parallels with what’s happening in Israel/Gaza at the moment. I don’t know if that was in the authors mind, but it made my mind make that leap. Flieshman Is In Trouble really annoyed me. When you get to to the last chapter you see the story from the wife’s perspective and your hatred for the husband ( who has been the main character up until then) makes your blood boil.

[@SupposedlyFun]

That’s interesting perspective. I just wish I weren’t finding the book itself to be so infuriating.

[@myreadinglife8816]

I am also consuming podcasts. Lots of podcasts…..

[@SupposedlyFun]

It’s a good survival mechanism

[@JessicaWard-k7q]

I DNFed The Long Island Compromise at about 30%. I thought it was funny at first but I grew to despise Beamer. I couldn’t keep reading about these clueless terrible people.

[@SupposedlyFun]

That’s not going to bode well for me. 😅

[@purplecrayon7281]

If you take away Rushdie's Midnight Children (groundbreakingly great), I don't find his oeuvre of fictional works that impressive -- try to read one and see if his stories are not all over the place; some of his characters are just put up to make a point and are often non-sequiturs.

[@SupposedlyFun]

I think it’s clear that Midnight’s Children, The Satanic Verses, and now Knife are Rushdie’s clear career high points (although The Satanic Verses is mostly notable as a flashpoint), but he’s had a good deal of critical success with many of his other books. I think there’s definitely a case to be made for him to have a “Nobel career.”

[@cassietower9694]

You lost me at politics. I'm here for books

[@SupposedlyFun]

Yes, because books are famously never political. 👋