How I choose what to read.

[@abenaa2976]

i have no idea why this never occurred to me like,,,, i can just .. read some of a book and see if i like it,,,, then move on?? a concept

[@leenanorms]

hahha you're welcome!

[@chiarathomas5044]

My method of decision making is very streamlined: I do not get rid of any books.

[@RoisinsReading]

I often buy books because I think the person I want to be (or the person I want to be seen to be) would have read them. I also sometimes buy books to win arguments. I have out myself on a no buy year for books and am working my way through the ones I already own, and have actually managed to read quite a lot of four and five star books. So maybe I'm closer to the person I want to be than my procrastinating self thought

[@KJTR90]

As a translator, I'm really happy you've decided to read more translated works! But could you please remember to note who translated the book? Capturing the essence, mood, and style of an author and capturing it in another language and therefore another way of thinking is a strenuous task, both technical and very creative. In reading the Invoice you are not only reading Jonas Karlsson, but actually also Neil Smith. Many people forget that.

[@callydecherd]

I would love a “classics” list of books you only find incredible. Love that standard setting

[@cherry97girl]

Same, I really struggle with the descriptive writing of a lot of classics

[@lavender_evie]

This would be great, finding what classics to read without compulsory ones for classes is hard.

[@mcriche]

Can you please make this a series? This brilliant!

[@lavender_evie]

Secind this!

[@isabellabrown7769]

I third !!

[@gurgleblurgle7345]

Fourth!

[@isabellabrown7769]

first, I love the book dress. second, the idea of reading the first chapter of the books to decide if you're going to read it or not is so smart. third, your voice is so calming and beautiful.

[@LailaK95]

Leena I loved your videos YEEEEARS ago and just came back today and yep still love you the same. One of my favourite youtubers of all time so thank you for consistent QUALITY over the years x

[@LailaK95]

P.s. drinking coffee with you cause you feel like a friend

[@leenanorms]

Aw thank you that means the world

[@claimica]

Hey, as a young European I’m very interested in knowing what is happening in other European countries, so I enjoyed your British content very much, although I’m not British! And as a fellow bookworm I love your book videos too...I’m definitely going to look at some of those recommendations!! I feel like I always get something out of your videos, be it new knowledge, a new perspective, inspiration or book recommendations! Also that book dress is incredible!!! ✨📚👗

[@annatucci7631]

I get most of my books from the library, and at least half of them I never even touch before they’re due. It would probably be a good idea to read the first chapter right when I get them!! I’ll work on it

[@TessaAvonlea]

13:31 My google heard you ask google a question and decided she was going to chip in with an answer too. So that was disconcerting.

[@BookBreak]

I always love Try a Chapter tags but reading out the first line is such a great idea - now I feel so intrigued by so many of these books!

[@leenanorms]

Aw I'm glad you liked it!

[@JasmineReads]

You're so right that we can just pick up a book and try and bit of it? Why do I never do this?? If I pick up a book it's like I'm committed to the whole thing😂😂

[@caitlinclark-mcclure1347]

Dear Leena, your videos got me through moving into my new very (by American standards) house, discovering many of it's old house problems, and then repainting the whole damn thing. You can waste my time anytime.

[@bethanyseabolt9387]

Love this video! I love everything you do, but when you talk about your own reading, it’s especially entertaining and inspiring.

[@siljeblomst1]

This was great, Leena! The excerpts from Martha Ross made me laugh so hard, I need to look for it. I love dry and absurd humour. Also, the first line of The Fire Starters was gorgrous. And your dress is perfect! Have a lovely day 💖

[@leenanorms]

absurd humour is a great way of putting it. Can't wait for the Fire Starters :) xxx

[@cherry97girl]

This video made me look at my list of books to buy and create mini bio's for each of them so that I can actually choose what I want to read easily as I don't have a lot of physical books (im a kindle girl)

[@ReinaElizondo]

If I'm not hooked by the first page, I've been trying something new where I skip to chapter 3. It feels more 'in medias res', and I can usually decide if I'm intrigued enough to read it. (This is inspired from editing advice: often writers include too much exposition and could improve their writing by cutting the first two chapters.)

[@eleanorward5086]

Please do more of these! Love your recommendations!

[@bookishshenanigans4769]

I love how this also turned into a semi-unhaul video.

[@katielarisa]

‘I love the cover and the foiling’ relatable content. Needed this video, like a visual cup of tea on one of the less nice days ☺️

[@daysleeper1989]

I do feel really deflated after the results, I'm glad books can still bring us joy. Being an expat in Britain isn't getting any easier so let's read!

[@jacquelinemcmenamin8204]

Loving the book dress 😎🌹I've had Meet Me At The Museum on my kindle for about ?12 months unread🤔

[@clairepaley6735]

Loved this! A great way to thin the shelves and let the quality books rise to the top of the tbr 📚

[@pastorytime2683]

Hurray! This was great - though I haven't read any of these, though do have Thoreau on my shelf where it has been sitting for many years unread....

[@TheSingingPeople]

only wanting to read incredible things is such a great goal and I agree. I also have a hard time with some of the "classics" from the 20th century written by self-involved white men.

[@leenanorms]

I mean sometimes I get it's still important and informative to know the context of the canon but also WE'RE ALL GUNNA DIE, how much time should we spend reading books we hate?! :)

[@ameliareads589]

Please read The Love of a Bad Man, it's really good! I stumbled upon it accidentally, never had heard of it before, but the stories are really something special, because they are all based on real characters. And what she has made out of this, is really quite something. As with every short story collection, not every single one can be extraordinary, but the quality in this book is really high. And she succeeded in giving nearly every woman in every story a different voice and that shows a lot of talent in writing. I'm pretty sure this is a book for you, Leena.

[@SavidgeReads]

Looooooved this. I really want to get Lex’s book when it comes out. I don’t know her but love her channel and think her in book form, if you know what I mean, will be a corker. I must must read The Love of a Bad Man. I gave away Meet Me at the Museum the other week. It’s not for me but can find a lovely new home. That’s how I always try and see it. I’ve never heard of The Invoice, sounds kinda cool.

[@MargaretRose723]

I loved this video! please do more :)

[@altairxiii7522]

I LOVED this video!!! God Leena you're making my tbr list too long!!!!!!!!!!!

[@julecaesara482]

Hey you, if you need an alternative to Walden, there is "Into The Wild" (defenitely even less speaking to you I gather) or, which I love, The Wall by Marlen Haushofer. The latter crushed me. It was so, so good yet so, so sad.

[@kgmcclintictock4399]

Point of Vanishing is a Really good story about a solitary man. He doesn´t wax poetic he is just grappling with a recent disability and observes nature around it, it is much shorter than Walden with a similar idea

[@nikkiwilliamson4665]

I do this with most books I read. I have to use an ereader because disability. And you can usually get a sample of the book. Not usually the whole first chapter unless the chapters are short. But I have a tonne of book samples on my ereader and only actually buy the book after reading the sample.

[@raccoonsnacks]

Enjoyed this Leena! Going to do the same process with some of my books

[@njdinostar]

Please do read Against Elections, and don't skip to the solutions part - that was the part that I was most skeptical about. I really liked to read about the function of democracy throughout history, and also explore different types of democracy. The cover you have is just off-putting and they just slapped that on to be popular, but actually the original Dutch version of the book was published in 2013 with a beautiful dark green cover.

[@isabbygabbyorcrabby]

That dress.....THAT DRESS! Couldn't be more fitting for a video about an abundance of books!

[@leenanorms]

hahah yup - if you can't PHYSICALLY fit them in your house, just wear them! Sorted.

[@isabbygabbyorcrabby]

@@leenanorms Solves the London lack of square footage issue!!

[@bettyreads222]

I do the same thing where I reread the description and read the first chapter to see if there's still interest there. I need to take stock of my books again and do some donating :]

[@beadsandivorykeys]

Why haven't I done this with my TBR?! 😭💕

[@leenanorms]

it's seriously a revelation

[@lulisima666]

the general in his labrynth is a great hystorical fiction and not detached at all!

[@luciasanfeliu671]

I dont know if you have ever done this but could you do a video talking about a couple of your favourite books from all time? Id love to know!!! Xx

[@FolkBoyify]

My stepmother is British and it’s cute how you say ‘Ello!’

[@GabriellaFitzGerald]

Haha oh god I really need to try this - I have an entire double row shelf of books I haven’t read, some have been there for about 13 years 😅 but I can’t bear the idea of getting rid of any books so I’m slowly just ploughing my way through them and it’s taking FOR EVER 😬

[@leenanorms]

I KNOW the feeling. If it makes you feel any better I recently read a book I'd kept for 5 years and it was AMAZING and came at JUST the right time in my life. So sometimes it will reveal itself to be worth it!

[@GabriellaFitzGerald]

@@leenanorms Yeah that's definitely the case with some of them! It's just when a lot aren't books I bought myself and I have no idea if they're actually something I'd even want to read, it's quite daunting because I don't feel much motivation to actually read them aside from the fact that I want to have read all the books I own and can't face chucking them!

[@pendragonianlaw]

If you're keen on pirates - as well you should be - can I also recommend the tv series Black Sails? It's a beautiful show with intricate storylines and amazing acting, not to mention it has plenty of queer representation. Plus it ends in a very satisfying, non-disappointing way, unlike some other shows I could mention... Great video as always Leena! I might start doing this with some of the books I own that I still haven't read.

[@leenanorms]

OOo I've had a few people recommend that to me now, I should get on it! Thank you :) . x

[@lavender_evie]

@@leenanorms can you do a video on pirate books? Would love to see that

[@rosieissitt4282]

Silence in the age of noise - Erling Kagge. A contemplation, a self help book, a meditation, a piece of sky, a philosophy. Translated from Norwegian by Becky L. Crook.

[@leviwhealey3516]

Yesss I loved this! I am not an avid reader anymore and that’s mostly down to me saying I don’t have time to waste on bad books, but the premise that I can read a book and.... stop, if I don’t like it is actually.. life changing? Dramatic? Me? Yes, probably! 😂

[@leenanorms]

hahah I know - it all FEELS obvious but when you've got it in to your head that there's a certain way to read books and let them move through your life, its hard to see another way!

[@bookishcreature8907]

OMG YOUR DRESS!

[@BreakingProtocol]

Thanks for being my companion in the gym with this - I needed it!!

[@natassa9297]

Loved this!

[@xtastetherainbow14]

Such a good idea! 😄

[@thefrancophilereader8943]

We, the Drowned is super good. I love the idea of this video and the dress :)

[@HomeWithMyBookshelf]

I get rid of books by checking out reviews, most often the one star ones 🙈 I think that if the thing a person dislikes makes me want to read the book, then the chance of me liking the book is bigger. I also use the "does this make me happy" vs "do I only have this for other reasons, does this give me guilt". If I have not read it when I have had it for over a year and never been in the mood for it in that time, I try to scrutinise it more closely to figure out if I should let go of it.

[@HomeWithMyBookshelf]

I am a bit torn up about how I should buy books. I feel like I should only buy a book when I am going to read it right away, but I live far away from bookshops that carry books I want to read. So it's internet shopping, or buying books only on holidays. I think I have learned to not put such stock in staff recommendations, because they don't really know my tastes (or I haven't communicated them well enough).

[@memoriesandmud]

I live in Australia and I'm still in recovery mode after the Liberals (actually very right leaning) won our recent Federal election. Anyway, I love this method of choosing which books to read/keep and will have a go at tackling my pile of unread books in a similar manner.

[@lavender_evie]

I'm an Australian too. Very saddened about the shift of the Liberals over time (from actually liberal to the super right party they are now). Compulsory voting doesn't fix everything sadly. Watching videos like this are a good way to cheer up though!

[@slowbigadventures9962]

The slave driver thing in Walden is about the stupidity of being your own slave driver, for material things. Not about the stress of being an actual slave driver. It's a cool book, but not as preachy as it is talked up to be

[@kyliec38]

love the dres hahaha xx

[@BreakingProtocol]

Ok now I need to read the Reinvention of Martha Ross IMMEDIATELY!!

[@candyisreading8813]

It's so so good!

[@Tutankhamun18Reads]

loved this video!

[@PrettyFascinated]

Jan Carson is definitely no ya author, but the cover of that book really underplays her!

[@leenanorms]

yeah, maybe they'll go different for the paperback?

[@Redhellmet]

Would you be interested in reading Tom Baker's 'Scratchman'?

[@inessamaria2428]

I love your dress

[@danceinheavan]

This is the first time a KZbin video has set off my google home 😂

[@MissTwilightHater]

"pooing out truth nuggets" better feature in your novel

[@harithaolaganathan8895]

needless to say leena, i have grown to love he little portions of your personality you have put on the internet, which is why i was so surprised that you take a remain position on Brexit - how come you disregard a socialist leave? also, do you have any insights on internet reading culture and it's impact on reading overall (and you specifically, which would be a really interesting perspective given your job in publishing)? xxx

[@marisevw7935]

I usually have to save up for books because they’re freakin expensive where I live, and to get a good English book I have to travel quite a long way, or order them which is not only expensive but also bad for the environment... anyway so I always feel it’s a waste of money to buy a book and not read it, so I feel obliged to read it... plus I always feel like I’m insulting the author somehow by getting rid of their books, which they’ve put so much time and effort and soul into, without even having read them...

[@EllenJones]

I am watching this in the gym and baffling the men next to me haha

[@priscillaguinante491]

Did you not know about Bonnie and Clyde? Is that just something Americans talk about but no one else knows? ????????

[@roxannejoncas]

Against Elections is good and so are the recommendations. The author argues that the voting system is aristocratic, creates a big media circus, and doesn't represent the population's voice properly. He proposes doing lots instead.

[@fieldvole]

insane to me that people can.. read? books? goodness.

[@booksandbordercollies]

You're hilarious. Sorry about the trash politics.

[@lillyan27]

sending love from me ꒰ ♡´∀`♡ ꒱

[@leenanorms]

xxx

[@frankiebaxter2590]

omg i need to read that martha ross one 😂