i paid a book expert to recommend me books -- this is what happened

[@kristinastavri3273]

you should read all the books banned in American schools!! they banned a bunch of books recently like the kite runner!

[@editam.32]

omg YES!

[@stillthinkingkay]

that would be so good!!!! stuff like maus, to kill a mockingbird and the grapes of wrath

[@breadboi420]

THIS!

[@jfarmerswatermelon6061]

Or books that were banned once like The grapes of wrath and All Quiet on the Western Front were banned in few countries

[@jfarmerswatermelon6061]

@@stillthinkingkay They manned maus? why?

[@PokhrajRoy.]

This is the Jack Edwards version of hiring a professional organiser for cupboards.

[@veronicatheawesome8480]

I would totally watch that video too tho🤣

[@devgupta5147]

why are you every where tiss rohan joshi try guys here

[@isobellemoxon1091]

**Jack Edwards version of Marie Kondo hiring a professional organiser for cupboards

[@PokhrajRoy.]

@@veronicatheawesome8480 🙌🏽

[@PokhrajRoy.]

@@devgupta5147 I’m everywhere because I want to be.

[@minagrujic177]

"I paid a book expert" Jack babes that's just putting money in your own bank account

[@averyjaney4054]

my exact thoughts😭😂

[@MagdaU_]

Yeah, it's all a trick. The site is run by Jack 🤣

[@itsvodka.straightnogay8460]

exactly 💀💀

[@heavenshaffer]

Truth.

[@badlove6896]

huh wdym

[@YoutubeChannel-og3fs]

I'm a librarian and I do this for readers all day. SHOULD I BE CHARGING?!

[@lauraconde1596]

As a person who exploits that ability of Librarians I am divided between Yes Girl! Get the money and please don't where would I get my recs otherwise 😂

[@aszcz8025]

Well, if you are a librarian you get paid 😅

[@AnitaSleap1080z]

New side hustle?

[@M3LF4C3]

Samesies

[@sfowler1017]

Right? All my friends definitely just have me do this for free 😂

[@silkederksen5330]

This video would also be so much fun the other way around. We fill out a google docs with our tast in literature, you be the book expert with recommendations :)

[@rubyistalking]

YES OMG

[@nickd2557]

genius

[@nicolechirilov7603]

YES OMG I WOULD LOVE THAT

[@annal6771]

please do this jack!!!!

[@andreab.9342]

I NEED THIS OMGGG

[@booktales1687]

I’m really happy to see Afterparties on here. The author passed away right before it was published last year, and knowing their work is being shared on such a big channel makes me smile.

[@Froggermini]

That’s so sad especially because they probably had a strong future in writing :( hope they Rest In Peace

[@booktales1687]

@@Froggermini I haven’t gotten the chance to read it yet, but the premise of the book alone tells me they had so much to offer. It really breaks my heart.

[@0YesUkeCan0]

Fun fact: To "be a pigeon" in French means to be gullible, and often refers to buying stuff you don't need or things that don't work... 😅🐦

[@hermioneheurdier9759]

Jack was so hooked at the halfway point he had to tell us twice :,)

[@666nkk]

such a funny editing blooper! :D

[@adrianalichi1370]

I just said: Deja Vue.

[@vasvisinghal7543]

literally went to the comment section to find this comment

[@paularunslondon]

@@vasvisinghal7543Same, haha!

[@SantReads]

As an Indian, I can say it's totally fine to DNF Manu Joseph - he's a bit of a twat tbh. If you want all the things you just spoke about "familial dysfunction, mental health", etc I would suggest Shanta Gokhale's Rita Welinkar. It's written in Marathi and translated by the author and is absolutely stunning. Simply written, 180-odd pages and yet says so much. It's available only as a e-book, but read it.

[@ozreads]

Adding onto this to recommend Ghachar Ghochar by Vivek Shanchag - same themes, same length, translated from Kannada by the author, but available in physical copy

[@SantReads]

@@ozreads yup agreed. I love Ghachar Ghochar too! What a twisted read. 😂

[@maitreyee6603]

A bit of a twat is right! I was both surprised and not when I realised he wrote Decoupled as well. Makes sense

[@neothepenguin1257]

Thanks for the suggestion

[@anjalishah2925]

I'm glad there are more Indians who watch him

[@atotallyhumanbeing]

"shall I use this as therapy? How much trauma do you want?" honestly me, whenever I talk about books- this video was amazing, as always! Thanks for all the content :)

[@brandondouglas2436]

If you're running out of book ideas, you could do a series on books from specific countries. Each video could feature 3 books from a particular country. This would feed your desire to branch out a bit and read some more translated titles. My favourite literature comes from Nigeria, Senegal, Colombia, and Haiti.

[@666nkk]

Ditto! It may seem like a long, boring project, but I really want to rad at least 3 books from every country in the world and would love recommendations from Jack!

[@sgeorge6695]

I was just thinking exactly that!!

[@LuluST-nc6us]

That would be super cool as I think alot of people have some sort of a "world-literature-challenge" going and it would also encourage to read more diveresly.

[@franknstein5376]

Also he could explore something like the Read Harder Challenge

[@berenicethegirl]

Do you have recommandations from the countries you listed?

[@rhianx]

"It's not even medium rare, it's well done!" Never change, Jack. Never change.

[@BooksandLala]

This was such fun! 🤗 Always love seeing others check out this service because the recommendations and experiences are always *so* different!! I would love to see you do another round, because I really do think they do a great job of getting to know your taste over time and getting even better recs in subsequent rounds. 💕

[@jack_edwards]

Thank you so so much for the inspiration, maybe imma see what they recommend for the next round of recs 👀

[@sophia-lk3sp]

LOVE U KAYLA!

[@kaiashuttleworth9275]

@@jack_edwards maybe it would be interesting to do this again, but the other way round, things you typically don’t like in books or don’t go for but you want to branch out in :)

[@krishnadebi5931]

Dude you wouldn't believe how fast and wide I cracked a smile. I was so stressed and tired, but I guess not anymore. Love ya

[@summi225]

SAME like im cramming for exams and then jack uploads. there is no such thing as coincidence.

[@krishnadebi5931]

@@summi225 oh my god, go girl! Wish you all the best for it, I'm sure you gonna ace it!

[@summi225]

@@krishnadebi5931 Thanks sista :3

[@jfarmerswatermelon6061]

Same i'm kinda overwhelmed with Ukraine stuff but this got me smiling

[@krishnadebi5931]

@@jfarmerswatermelon6061 totally understandable, pandemic plus these things, truly stressful, but don't worry man. We can hope for the best to happen and hope you're okay.

[@justincaseyoudcall]

I’m a librarian and my favorite part of the job is hand-selecting books for a similar program (ours is called Book Oracle)!! I thought you’d enjoy knowing that it’s JUST as fun from the other side 🥰

[@Progress234]

being a librarian would've been my dream job wish i could pursue it

[@M3LF4C3]

Same! Ours is called Matchbook

[@gee1011]

@@Progress234 What stopped you?

[@cinivs3896]

Jack! Just cut off the sleeves and make the sweater into a vest if that’s the only part of the sweater that got burned.

[@thebugbear]

To be fair, $15 in the minimum wage in my area. Seems reasonable that the person you're hiring will spend at least an hour on this and they're definitely not getting all of the money you're paying for the service. So it really doesn't feel that expensive, if you buy the premise that it's a valuable service.

[@MNeathway]

Oh I though he said $50. That seemed a bit much

[@grace132435R]

Small note about the first recommendation: Afterparties was actually published posthumously. The author sadly passed away in 2020 from a drug overdose before the book was even released.

[@lilaeireads]

Q: Anything else you want your bibliologist to know [...]? Jack: Shall I use this as therapy? How much trauma do you want? the most English student reaction ever

[@_Mara_123_]

Recommendation books: 1.Afterparties: Stories, by Anthony Veasna So 2.Disoriental, by Négar Djavadi 3.The Illicit Happiness of Other People, by Manu Joseph

[@lizzie-kl4us]

For anybody who thinks paying someone knowledgeable for book recommendations is a cool idea, I'd highly recommend checking out Mr B's Emporium in Bath. They offer a bunch of cool reading gifts, including a 'reading spa'. Basically you go to the shop and have a long chat with a bookseller, who then brings out a bunch of books they think you'd like and talks you through them. I've done a couple and they're honestly amazing, the booksellers are incredible at bringing out really good, interesting recommendations - even if you're already very widely read they always have something new and unexpected to offer. I'm obviously not affiliated with them, just a big fan lol

[@alexandrabutler5147]

I 100% agree, I got a voucher and went last Summer, and it was so much fun. They were highly knowledgeable and friendly and I really enjoyed it! One book I loved which I don't think I'd have read otherwise is Humankind which is a non-fiction book. I mentioned wanting to read some books slightly outside of the box and this one was perfect. Overall, a great experienve and would definitely recommend too!

[@kayleighpoulter1023]

That's maybe my favourite bookshop ever!

[@jazzybooks933]

"I. Can smell. Burning. That's kind of weird, maybe I'm having a stroke. If so, quite inconvenient, I've got quite a lot to do today" This had me in fits. Really summarises how I prioritise work/school over my health 🤣

[@peri7755]

hiring a bibliologist might well stop me from spiralling whenever I’m deciding my next read…

[@ally4052]

“i have never had an original thought, ever” mood 😭😭

[@tobi_adediran]

I love how Kayla from BooksandLala is almost always the influence for the wacky and out there Booktube ideas 🙌🏾😂

[@mickigp]

My local library has a form that you can submit for recommendations including your favorite books, movies, and tv shows. They get back to you within the month with a list of five books. It’s such an amazing feature and way to connect with my local library.

[@fatimaamellouk1686]

Can we take a moment to talk about Edward's aesthetically pleasing thumbnails? They always look good in my feed and after taking a good look I realized how much work actually goes into them. Go off Edwardcore💗

[@ProfessorMusice]

Her Father's Daughter by Alice Pung is a great memoir about the daughter of a Cambodian Chinese family whose father survived Year Zero. It explores how her life in Australia and relationship with her father is shaped by this trauma and it is such a beautifully written, generous account. I'm Australian, so it would be amazing to see you read some acclaimed contemporary Australian literature.

[@_SomyaY]

Whats year zero?

[@annierenouf2447]

@@_SomyaY It was the regime that Pol Pot instated in Cambodia. His goal was to use the Khmer Rouge to bring back Cambodia to agrarian society that cultivated the rice fields and was not influenced by Bhuddism, intellectuals or the arts. My mother lived during that time, a great way to learn about it is watching 'First They Killed My Father' on Netflix. You should watch it in Khmer with English subtitles for the full experience.

[@riyasolanki9070]

When he said bloody hell the wind is crazy, that was totally Ron Weasley and Jack Edwards being Ron Weasley, I would die to live in a world where that happens😭💙

[@veenitareadswrites]

The way this comment section is 90% Indian readers gushing about you. Jack you have huge fanbase in this country

[@sohampandirkar]

Jack hiring someone to recommend him books is basically me, an engineering student watching 5 min videos to relearn how to solve quadratic equations 🏃🏻‍♀️🏃🏻‍♀️

[@kailawkamo1568]

Samedt but I'm a biology student looking up how the mitochondria works

[@carafox6636]

stop this is far too accurate except it’s me doing tan45 cause i never remember then

[@ainejuzikenaite2745]

or me a physics student googling what the derivative of ln looks like every single time i need it

[@sohampandirkar]

@@carafox6636 youre not alone maam, i too get confused and google the trigo table

[@sohampandirkar]

@@ainejuzikenaite2745 ISTFG remembering all the basic derivatives and integral is a major choree😭😭😭😭

[@jessb7531]

There's a book shop in Bath called B's Emporium and they will do the same sort of thing from free and give you a discount code to use on the books if you buy from them! You can order the books online!

[@user-yv1gh1lh8c]

You should do this for someone else either a Collab or subscriber, and then sit with them as they review the recommendations and books once they've read them!!

[@chai976]

i’m cambodian and i was really surprised to hear about afterparties! i’m definitely going to try and get this book!! we don’t hear much about our culture and history in the media so i’m glad more people, including myself, can learn more about it

[@vivliv1388]

You could cut the sleeves off your burnt sweater and turn it into a chic sweater vest!

[@MissSkyNet]

I wonder how this video would have been if Jack would get recommendations of everything he already read 🙃 Also, having heater between curtains and sofa.. May be move sofa out a bit 😟

[@juliechhorng4339]

As a Cambodian, I am soooo proud of this book. Thank you for the recommendation about this awesome writer. Can’t wait to read this.

[@isadorabittencourt1337]

Having a jumper burnt and still finding it aesthetically pleasing is one of the most jack edwards things I've seen.

[@giuliakeller8160]

Heyy I love your videos. Some content ideas: continue your series on books around the world (for example right now I think books from authors from Ukraine would be amazing) and generally checking out top award-winning books that don't get so much love on social media...so books from those more traditional book recommandation lists like idk pulitzer price and so on:)

[@666nkk]

Ditto on Ukrainian books! Really wanna read some now!

[@shoegal]

Yes! Indie publishers

[@lostinwonderart]

When I did the, I had same results. I absolutely loved two of the picks. The third, I had no interest in reading. But, one of the ones that I really loved had a sequel, so I still got three books out of it.

[@mollymaguire5283]

I was in Cambodia a few months ago and was also shocked about how little I knew about what the country had gone through. I’m really interested to read Afterparties, as the snippets of stories I read in S21 and the killing fields hit me hard.

[@m-rz]

My local public library offers this same kind of recommendation service for free -- through their website too, very professional and hands off. Maybe yours does too, take a look!

[@NevenaH]

I felt like you re the illicit happiness, I hated half the book until it got me and the ending is so worth it. I agree with you to dnf books that don't bring you joy but I honestly think it's worth it.

[@eklantz]

Afterparties reminded me of a book I read while living in Vietnam - The Frangipani Hotel by Violet Kupersmith. It's a collection of short stories about Vietnam, but not all are about the war (which I appreciated). If you're ever looking for more short story collections to read, I recommend that one!

[@etistorm1276]

For people in Québec : the ALQ website (Association des libraires du Québec) has this service (called “Prescription littéraire”) for free ! You fill out a survey and a librarian of your choice recommends you five books (within 72h). I recommend going for Le port de tête bookshop in Montreal, they make great recommendations !

[@meowmeow-ep8wm]

Because the translators are always having a special place in your heart. You might enjoy „a heart so white“ from Javier Marias, there is a beautiful chapter about how one of the protagonist meets his wife, while they are both translators in an important political meeting.

[@hanbanane7892]

Everyone needs to read Disoriental!!! I've been raving about it for years and I'm so glad it's finally getting more recognition :) I'd especially recommend it to any queer women or people wondering what cultural disintegration feels like... also the glimpses into Iranian history and culture are so rich and illuminating!!

[@friendshipfox9754]

hi Jack, I know you probably wont see this but i think you should read the phone box at the edge of the world! it is based off the tsunami that happened in Japan (i cant remember where specifically) and it follow a beautiful take on grief and acceptance. The phone box at the edge of the world is also an actual landmark where people go to speak to their lost loved ones through the wind. Let me know if you enjoy it!

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Jack Edwards will one day be the Bibliologist to the Stars. He’s going to give the Jenner Sisters a makeover! TLC, are you listening?

[@navideology]

Such a great idea

[@VaishnaviJaiswal]

the 'we have done Taylor's recommendation but this time this is Tailored recommendation ' GOT ME lmao

[@laurentracy6282]

I loved this video. I didn't know a service like this existed. I figured the book recs wouldn't be very customized but it does seem like they really tailored then to your interests.

[@michellerever3564]

I use it and am in awe of how personalized my results are. All my quirks are taken into consideration, and it's clear they really pay attention.

[@rachel.schmidt]

I feel like Jack is the most qualified to do this job for other people…

[@jessm.porthos]

Hey put on a positive note I love that they got two out of three right for you! This is such a fun video and an interesting type of service to offer

[@life_of_wine_and_books]

So note Cambodian specifically, but "The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down" by Anne Fadiman is about a Hmong family (an ethnic group in China and SE Asia). I read it for my immigration history class in college and thought it was AMAZING. Almost ten years later, and it still sticks with me. I HIGHLY recommend it.

[@taylortaylortaylor805]

I can proudly say Jack , you are my tbr. I have you I don't need them

[@ren-f9]

i read disoriental a few years ago and loved it! highly underrated imo i havent seen many people who’ve read it but ive recommended it to sm people

[@sydisue22]

A Teenager's Survival - The Siv Ashley story - is a really good book about the author’s experience as a child in the Cambodian work camps - it’s really compelling and a short read that I highly recommend if you are interested in learning more about it

[@sydisue22]

Also side note - Hurricane Summer is a great book too!

[@martinaalvarez47]

Also if you’re into translated works, there is one book called, “The President and the Frog” by Carolina De Robertis, written very recently (2021) about the former president of an unnamed Latin American country who was imprisoned for many years (presumably inspired by Uruguayan former President “Pepe” Mujica Cordano). Sorry for the long winded comment but I’m halfway and loving it :)

[@aliciaguzman]

I read Cantoras by Carolina De Robertis and it was fantastic ! Ill neeed to pick up The President and the Frog

[@andiaamini]

As an Iranian I'm so happy our literature is finally getting some recognition!btw your videos always make my day :>

[@bita8639]

same here!i was looking for this comment:)

[@shelbycrobinson]

I’m obsessed with listening to you talk about books

[@m.delvallegil9056]

PLEASE read "Persona Normal" by BENITO TAIBO. It's literally a book about books and it's so amazingly written. It has so many literary references but the story follows a 12 year old who moves in with his crazy uncle, he teaches him everything there's to know about life in an unconventional education. My favorite book of all times.

[@RoxiriOrSokai]

I loved 'Afterparties' so much, and I'm still so devastated to find out he died. So young and he had so much talent

[@khalilahd.]

Wait this sounds so cool. I feel like it’s a fyp but for books. I kind of what to do this 😅

[@hierophantpurple5163]

Out of the books here I think Disoriental has especially caught my eye due to recently watching Flee which is an animated documentary that explores similar themes that I thought was great, so Disoriental is definitely going at the top of my next read list

[@jadevrooman]

“Maybe I’m having a stroke if so, quite inconvenient, I have quite a lot to do today.” - Jack Edwards, 2022 and I felt that

[@michellerever3564]

I haven't watched even 2 minutes yet, but I totally swear by this service. They've helped me find great books, and really take the survey to heart. It's how I find, among other things, horror options without animal cruelty. I'm planning on spending a month soon reading the options I haven't gotten to get. Now, let me find out what you think. 🧐 (Edited to add that it was Kayla's video that made me sign up.)

[@dettymakesart]

Can't tell you how much I enjoy the book content, I'm so glad I found your channel 😊

[@elliesbrains]

Okay but the thought of what would have happened if that jumper actually caught fire scared me 😨

[@musiclover86931]

Jack, maybe try Alamut by Vladimir Bartol. It's a historical fiction discussing the importance of religion and manipulation that comes with it. It's probably the most famous slovenian novel:)

[@kristelveske1637]

idea: read popular writers’ least popular books!

[@nazrinbayramova9865]

i think you should make a video ''Reading what my followers reccomended''

[@emmairwin581]

Was watching this video as I made a cup of tea and the handle of my kettle literally fell off. This is the level of chaos Jack’s videos manifest for me💀

[@brusantiagob]

I'm a translator, and it's so nice to see people talking about it and appreciating it :)

[@maljees]

now you should recommend your viewers some books based on what we like 👀 using google forms or something similar, and randomly choosing the person you’re recommending stuff to? just a random thought☺️

[@amirkasi910]

I think you would love iranian literature. the poems especially are next level

[@emilybrown8051]

I just bought Before The Coffee Gets Cold because of you. Can't wait to read it!

[@LeeCurrid]

I absolutely loved Afterparties, was my first pre-order this year, read it all the day it came out and have dipped back into my favourite stories a few times since. Hope it gets a bit more notice. So sad that such a talented writer's life came to an end literally right before his first publication!

[@aimeekessell5022]

Isn’t a book expert that recommends you books essentially a librarian? I think it would’ve been cheaper to just go to a library and ask your local librarian.

[@ramitamallick1435]

Pls do Hozier 's book recommendation. He is a lyrical genius and a well read person .I believe his literary taste would be nothing less than immaculate

[@ameliaretter8120]

You should do a video on books by New Zealand authors!

[@luaharmsen23]

Oh and a good book on schizofrenia is The Edge of Everyday! Its super sad but a really in depth memoir of a woman who is daughter and sister to schizofrenic family members. Super interesting for me.

[@manal797]

Imagine if the 'bibliologist' who recommended these books to Jack watches this video ;)) a wonderful coincidence that would be

[@QueenBethJoy]

I've had a TBR subscription for about 2 years now and I love it. It's so much fun to get recommendations every few months, and I've found some of my favorite books through them. Also, I change up the "what I'm looking for" each time so I get new genres and specialties

[@nafishachowdhury999]

Hi Jack!!!! First of all, I love your videos!!! They are so good and I absolutely love them. Also, I want to Thank you. Because of you I have started reading more book. I have been really busy with my studies and exams and I have been feeling very much like a robot. But whenever I see your videos it just made me want to read and I read. So....yes, thank you. For everything 💜

[@NatAsh14]

My library started doing this! You fill out a form and they give u a package of 6 books they think you'll like! I did it out of curiosity and got a couple of books that were on my tbr and some others that seemed up my alley, but sadly did not get around to reading any of them LOL

[@blazewskimeghan5424]

Since you like historical fiction and translated works you really should pick up the Eight life by Nino Haratischvili. It's translated from Georgian to English. I know you have affair of big books but this one is worth it

[@the_midnight_hour]

Actually, Haratischwili writes in German, but yes this book is absolutely brilliant and unique!

[@cally393]

Next time you are back in the UK, you should go to Mr B's Reading Emporium in Bath. The staff are amazing and are so good at recommending books. I'd never heard of any of the ones they recommended me, but they are exactly what I like to read! The shop is amazing too.

[@DEEZNUTS-yo1dx]

This is the kind of things i'd spend my money on if i had any

[@pawuyah]

1. Read books in the language you can speak. 2. Read books that are listed as underrated by others or AI. 3. Join a book club and read their suggestions. 4. Read books by artists. 5. Pick book games and read/play them 6. Read underrated factual books. 7. Read manga/manhwa by tik tok suggestions.

[@suzy8109]

Jack, you need to read "The Stationary Shop of Tehran" (poignant and beautiful) ... and the award-winning "Brick Lane" (colourful and engaging).

[@javineind]

I Absolutely loved the illicit happiness of other people ... wish you would get through with it

[@JJsims5504]

If you want to read more about the Khmer Rouge, First They Killed my Father is a stunning memoir written by a woman who survived the genocide when she was a child. I listened to it as an audiobook last summer and I cannot recommend it enough!

[@janievalgunn]

Such a good book! She came to my high school for a talk quite a few years ago (I graduated 10 years ago ~ where has the time gone? ) she is so captivating and so kind

[@monikap.phuengmak3164]

My local library has this service. My eyes literally bulged when I realized they had it. Where had I been all these time 😂 I’ve been loving most of the books the librarians recommended me so far.

[@sarahnoll9018]

Off topic but I’m extremely emotionally attached to the owl drawing in the back

[@malcido]

I've used TBR for a bit now and I love it! It started as a Christmas gift to myself and I liked it enough to renew for another year.

[@ilaydagarg2684]

"It's a short life with a lot of books in it" I guess this is my sign to stop trying to read the book that I've been reading for a month and start a new one

[@fellowstranger3333]

OML YOU ALSO LOVED _UNI-VERSE_ bY JACK EDWARDS???? ME TOOO!!!

[@ceri1626]

✨how much trauma do i want them to know✨ jack is out asking the real questions frfr

[@chelseabeckham5631]

The way you felt about The Illicit Happiness is e x a c t l y the way I felt about Sorrow and Bliss. So interested to see how you feel about that one!

[@prochey69]

Also a recommendation I have to throw out there: When We Lost Our Heads by Heather O'Neill! It's her newest and really good, her writing makes me want to uproot my life