Friday Reads: National Book Award Predictions and a Rant

[@marciajohansson769]

I feel your concerns deeply. I was moved to tears listening to you. I can understand your hurt. It is stunning how many people just do not care. It will be hard to show any empathy or concern when the impact of this election impacts people that voted for him and they start to complain. Anyway, I am just coming out of the post election haze/anger/sadness/disappointment/fears. I am gearing up to DO something. My friend who is black and korean had an experience already after a guy backed into her car in Nashua NH and started yelling at her saying people are sick of her kind and to go back to her country as he got back in his truck and left the scene. Not that it should matter but she was born here. Luckily there were two white women that witnessed it, got a picture of his license plate and offered to be witnesses (good ex of being an ally). People need to take all the time they need to move past this but we cannot remain idle. I have been reading On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder and the first lesson is #1 Do not obey in advance. I feel fortunate to live in Massachusetts with Governor Maura Healey at the helm.

[@LastMinuteGuess]

I wanted to mention that when I first started watching your channel, I was very conservative - due to a complicated host of reasons. But over time, I grew to become very disassociated/disconnected between the art I read/watched and what I believed. How could I love these stories written by people whose rights I was essentially advocating to be stripped away? And why was it that literally every single one of the authors I held up as one of my favorites was somehow always a socialist/marxist or just generally very progressive? It could not be an accident. But watching your content helped me find a voice outside of my echo chambers, outside of my family where I would feel like an insane person just asking how we could call ourselves Christians and then say that any LGBTQ+ person is going to hell? I don't know. This is my long-winded way of saying to not be discouraged by any people who unsubscribe because of your honesty. At least for me, it made a difference.

[@KurtAnderson812]

I haven’t been able to read since the election. Yesterday I started an old favorite hoping to spur on a reading breakthrough. Fingers crossed. I still have the audio of The Snow Child available to me so if I can I’ll start it in the next day or two.

[@philipeveringham151]

Preach! Amen. Wake up, people.

[@marciajohansson769]

Amen

[@larajean1]

I have two young daughters (16 and 19) and I think we need to stockpile birth control in case it is no longer available. My married gay friends are calling their lawyers and seeing what they can do legally to solidify their rights in the event that their marriage is nullified. I'm with you that some very awful things could happen here in our country.

[@johnbarry7874]

Oh to be so privileged as to not need to care about politics!! Look after yourself Greg, and send my best to Joel and Teddy 🙂🌈💪

[@Elizabeth-Reads]

I’m only on Facebook so I can connect with distant friends and relatives, and I’m part of a group for parents of Special Needs children, and one for parents of enby kids. We’ve seen a huge uptick since the election of hateful comments, including unflattering photos of Rachel Levine and Shawn Skelly as replies to a post about Hegseth. These people joined the group just to troll and make fun of our children, or call them and us sinful, they now feel they have the license to do so. And I’m terrified for kids in red states who will be hurt if Title IX is removed, because you just know many of the parents won’t be teaching their kids, and how will those kids understand themselves and learn that there’s nothing at all wrong with them? I don’t understand what’s happened to humanity. Has it always been so hateful? I feel like I’m always on the verge of tears, and I haven’t been able to focus on reading. (Although I’m reading Rachel Carson and The Hate U Give to my child, and will continue through banned books because it feels like an act of defiance.) How are we going to survive this?

[@MJ-in-Canada]

I’m glad that “Meet Cute Club” scratched your itch.😀I’ve got my eye on the November 29th Polari Prize. For anyone who doesn’t follow that prize, it’s the UK and Ireland’s only dedicated LGBTQ+ book prize.

[@AvidMari23]

I’m so sorry Greg. I am equally as frustrated and angry. It feels like a bad dream that we cannot wake up from. Sending you, Joel and Teddy lots of hugs and love. ❤

[@jacquelinemcmenamin8204]

I listened to The Snow Child and Clear ( Carys Davies) and loved them both. I did listen to Orbital again….. and fell asleep again. Great for my insomnia. I’ve started on audio Our Evenings ( Alan Hollinghurst) I’m still listening to Playground Wandering Stars There Are Rivers In The Sky ( Elif Shafak)

[@larajean1]

I'm reading "Playground" by Richard Powers and really loving it!

[@dtmonstage]

Martyr! is so unlike anything else I’ve read this year. If it doesn’t win something I will be terribly disappointed. I still need to read James, though.

[@katrianamacmillan]

The fact that you have to explain why you’re upset about the election results is almost as frustrating as the results themselves. I can’t imagine how exhausted you are. Sending love to you, Joel and Teddy!

[@baddnerves3321]

I understand your frustration. I had friends directly tell me "why are you upset about lgbt rights? Trump will improve the economy"! As if 1. That was actually true and 2. Your wallet cancels out infringed rights. We eventually talked it out but I basically had to softball her because people like this are stubborn in their wild opinions and you have to approach them gently.

[@marciaalbaum2597]

no you pay more and lose everything

[@andygilly14]

Hi Greg, I do feel the same way when I try to talk about this with my family who don't want to understand the deep consequences of this. I live in Venezuela now, but I have friends that have migrate to America running away from this crisis, and now I fear that they might be deported (some tell me that Trump won't do that but considering how mercurial they are, I really don't trust what they say). And even when my family tells me it doesn't affect us, it does, in some level it does.

[@marciajohansson769]

Thanks!

[@marciajohansson769]

please get a hot cup of coffee or whatever you please for you and Joel as a hug from me post election. If you have anything left get a treat for Teddy.

[@MJ-in-Canada]

@@marciajohansson769 That’s very sweet of you Marcia. However, I think Greg should put the money toward a “moving to Canada” fund because we want Greg and Joel even if Trump doesn’t.😁

[@marciajohansson769]

@@MJ-in-Canada I live in Massachusetts and had the same thoughts that they would also be welcomed here.

[@MJ-in-Canada]

@@marciajohansson769 😊

[@baddnerves3321]

Is there WLW romance you reccomend? ☺️I want to dip my toes into romance genre but I have the biased impression they read like hallmark movies. 😣 I'd like to insight myself.

[@marciaalbaum2597]

speak out

[@carolnash5617]

I can understand why you are frustrated and scared about everything happening... as a retired person, i worry that medicare will be messed with, and that an "existing conditions" clause will affect me and my husband. And we dont have money like kennedy and trump families. OK.. off my rant... you have mentioned "James" so many times and it has showed up on book lists, i will have to order one from the library... looking forward to it.

[@pjreads]

It is so frustrating and very scary.

[@jeanninethompson6243]

I feel your concern. I have been avoiding the news. I live in California and my governor, Newsom has stated that he will stand up to Trump. I wish more leaders would stand with Newsom.

[@lawrencehelm2219]

I'm not gay or a Democrat, but I enjoy your channel anyway. 🙂

[@amywolfe5673]

❤

[@instituteoflifeanddesign2431]

❤❤

[@PaulaBlazer-n7l]

❤ aww Greg. I feel your hurt and concern however I feel you did insult others not having the same depth of concern you have. I truly believe LOVE will out!❤

[@t0dd000]

People dropping off because of political commentary probably isn't a reflection on whether they agree with you or not. It's probably more from political exhaustion. My wife was in tears over this election and begged me and her friend to please not discuss it for some time.

[@ara_orion]

have you seen @ f k a jackson talley? he's a booktuber from nyc who discusses pulitzer prize books. he also thinks the nba might go to martyr!