Is THIS the best book of the 21st Century?

[@TheFilmAutopsy]

I can see My Brilliant Friend along with Wolf Hall, 2666, The Road and Lincoln in the Bardo being modern classics that will stand the test of time.

[@eyesonindie]

I can totally see that, too!

[@BookishTexan]

I’ve never read any of the Neapolitan Quartet, but Frangello’s book about them sounds really interesting. Thank you for giving much needed clarifying thoughts about the NYT list.

[@eyesonindie]

I find the series very engaging! I would be very interested to hear your thoughts if you ever pick them up, but they are certainly a commitment!!

[@justaname999]

My immediate reaction was "no" and I really wonder why it was so immediate. I liked it when I read it and I sent my mom all four books right away because it sounded so much like her childhood (though she's not from Napoli) and I knew she'd love it. Buy I still immediately thought "nope, definitely NOT the best" even though if you'd ever ask me, I would say what you say, that there is no such thing as "the" best because there is no measure. On a different note: I am really glad I found your channel! This is a great video! I've been a bit disappointed with book related videos on youtube.

[@eyesonindie]

Ha! I love immediate reactions. They are usually pretty trustworthy. :)

[@marianamasbooks]

Fabulous video as always!! For some reason I'd always thought that My Brilliant Friend didn't sound like a book for me, but you've changed my mind. I had no idea it had a framing narrative!! I've seen some videos commenting on the NYT list, but yours is definitely the best one I've seen. I love how you approached it from the indie angle ❤ I actually did know Elena Ferrante is most likely a man haha...

[@eyesonindie]

Haha, I bet you did know - you know so much!! Thanks so much for the kind words and stopping by. Let me know if you pick up My Brilliant Friend!!

[@josmith5992]

Great to see you Sarah! You’ve been missed! You’re right, it’s great that a small press, translated book about female friendship was number one and I love My Brilliant Friend but no, it isn’t the best book of the 21st century- whatever that means- Wolf Hall at number three is superior for starters. 😉 Yes, this is a list of the most popular “literary” and prize winning books of the 21st century, all of which I’d heard of many times before. Like you, I was kind of disappointed I’d read so many- although admittedly mainly in the early years of this century. We need more focus on books we haven’t all heard of and not have people think, these are the only books worth reading in their limited reading time.

[@eyesonindie]

All so true!!! =)

[@Elizabeth-Reads]

Well now I want to read all of the Bookmarked series (even though I don’t especially want to read/reread most of the books they’re addressing.) Thanks for the discussion, so interesting! I had fun marking up the NYT list, but totally agree with you. It (and especially the reader’s choice version) are almost as eye-rolly as the Goodreads Choice nominations. A list of underappreciated books of the 21st century would be much more interesting and useful. (Although I should be grateful that's not the approach they took, because I certainly don’t need more on my TBR!)

[@eyesonindie]

Ha! I felt the same way - the only other one I for sure want to pick up is Steven Almond's book about Stoner by John Williams. Mostly because I think Steven Almond is really funny! Thanks so much for stopping by!!!

[@lindysmagpiereads]

Thanks for your take on these two Top 100 lists. I found it fun to count how many I had read - 100 out of the combined 161 titles, taking into account the overlap - and to think about what would be on my own top 10 list. The NYT lists are understandably focused on American authors, which makes it even more interesting that My Brilliant Friend came out on top in the original list. There are only 3 Canadian authors on the combined lists, so a booktube project to come up with a similar all-Canadian list is underway. You might hear about some new-to-you books that way.

[@eyesonindie]

Amazing - I'm not surprised you have read 100!! Only THREE Canadian authors?!?! That is abhorrent and definitely needs addressing! Can't wait for your list!

[@TKTalksBooks]

Great to see you here today. Love you and love this interesting and informative and intelligent channel content. I loved the novel but it didn’t even crack my top ten

[@eyesonindie]

You are too kind!! It's been a while - truthfully, I haven't had a spot to film so finally just decided to film from bed. LOL! =) I don't think I would have listed My Brilliant Friend in my top 10 either, but then again, I don't know what I would possibly put in my top 10!

[@LauraFreyReadinginBed]

This was brilliant! Kind of interesting how this best book of the 21st century is about the 20th century. I went and looked at the top 10 and I don't think a single one of those books is set in or has anything to say about the 21st century.

[@eyesonindie]

WOW! I hadn't thought of that!! That is absolutely fascinating - thank you for pointing that out!

[@jayb5514]

i think this whole channel is the list of books that are worthy of more attention! loved the thoughts on this list and the book. and I've bookmarked bookmarked because that series looks really interesting.

[@eyesonindie]

Aw, that's so kind!! Thanks so much for stopping by!!

[@larajean1]

I didn't enjoy "My Brilliant Friend"... I didn't enjoy the characters like just didn't care about them so found it hard to keep reading the book and I found the story flat. I didn't find the writing to be SO AMAZING. I don't know. I read it a long time ago but did not like it at all. I know it is obviously much loved! I have no idea what book is the best so far this century. I've read 39 of the books on the NY Times list by the literati... I've read 69 of the top 100 from the readers. "All the Light We Cannot See", "The Plot Against America", "The Warmth of Other Suns", "The Overstory" and "The Goldfinch" are all much better IMO...but obviously just my humble opinion.. and it is interesting how different books just hit different readers differently. I felt no emotional connection to "My Brilliant Friend".

[@tabitha_h2000]

This is exactly how I felt as well! I just did not get it!? No connection to the characters, plot or writing. Glad that so many people love it but I shall be watching the party from outside😅😂

[@eyesonindie]

I love hearing your perspective! There are a bunch of books on that list that I'm surprised were "beat out" by My Brilliant Friend. But I guess its in NYT's best interest to make the list controversial!

[@justaname999]

Also, to your last point: I agree 100%!! I am fortunate to have some people in my life who are truly eclectic in their choices of reading material and have amazing taste, which has introduced me to many authors I hadn't considered before. Because I often found myself looking at similar lists for inspiration and finding that I've read or seen 90-99% of the books on there.

[@eyesonindie]

Love having those kind of people in life! Thanks so much for stopping by and for the kind messages!!

[@justaname999]

@@eyesonindie These sort of people are so important! I've met people who say they go almost exclusively by Goodreads star ratings and it made me sad. It goes exactly along the same lines of what you are talking about in this video! Also, I'll reiterate that my initial "no" reaction was not to denigrate the tetralogy. I'll recommend it to so many people to this day. But I think the fact that it's so easy to identify with made me immediately feel like it's too "easy", which is a shameful thought to have ;) But thank you so much for the recommendation in this video! Looking forward to reading it and very happy it's an indie selection!

[@barbaralin3053]

My Brilliant Friend is absolutely the most influential book to me in the past ten years. It made me love long books.

[@eyesonindie]

That's so amazing to hear!! Thanks for stopping by!!

[@maslina4567]

What a fabulous coincidence! Love that story. My Brilliant Friend is a marvellous book but agree with your list assessment. Books set in Italy always grab my heart (I live in Croatia next door). But I have yet to read the others you discuss. I need to remedy that! Those "bold statements" about friendship are absolutely irresistible. So is the mysterious authorship. Thank you for your intelligent and passionate assessment. I'm sold! Have a happy break.

[@eyesonindie]

I am the same way about books set in Italy!! Though admittedly I'm not next door!! Thanks so much for stopping by!

[@alysereads]

Great video! This is encouraging me to finally pick up this series!

[@eyesonindie]

Awesome! Based on the comments here...definitely not everyone loves it!!! But let me know what you think if you give them a shot!

[@tyghe_bright]

I've heard so many great things about My Brilliant Friend... but it's just never grabbed my interest. I'm not sure why. But that's just a reflection of how personal books and our reaction to them are. And totally agree that "best" isn't a thing. The list definitely reflects the people who were asked to contribute--so it has a distinct bias. It seems like people mostly picked "important" books over books they may read for pleasure. There was a thing going around social media not long ago where people were listing a book a day for 20 days that *influenced* them. Which I found an interesting shift in perspective. Not my favorite, not "best", but most personally influential. And YES, I'd love to see lists of most overlooked/under-discussed books.

[@eyesonindie]

Oh that "book a day that influenced you" is interesting! I missed that!!!

[@georginakey6298]

Absolutely not a favorite of mine. It was pretty good and I quite enjoyed it, but there are countless more books I preferred. Notice this is phrased as a personal opinion--favorites are obviously so subjective. I am an avid reader and at an age where I tend to read books I think I'll enjoy rather than what is popular. Having said that, most of the books on the list are certainly notable and worth reading. I've read many of them, and Jesmyn Ward's Sing, Unburied Sing is definitely in my top 10). Another favorite author not on the list is Max Porter.

[@eyesonindie]

Oh, Max Porter is a good point!! Didn't even notice he was missing - thanks for pointing that out!

[@PageTurnersWithKatja]

the bookmarked series sound brilliant!

[@eyesonindie]

The one I've read was awesome! =) Thank you for stopping by and hope you are well!

[@MsPixieD]

Oh, I kind of didn't want to hear that gender bender, because I was thinking I might finally read My Brilliant Friend for Women in Translation month 😅 Either way, I love that you have presented all this information, and your thoughts on the lists 💙

[@eyesonindie]

I think you totally should still read it!! I still have mixed feelings about the whole thing. Thanks so much for stopping by!!

[@anthonym.7653]

All 4 books are amazing. Would it be my #1? Probably not but it would be pretty high on the list.

[@eyesonindie]

Totally agree! Though I have no clue what I'd personally put at #1...I don't think I can rank books like that! Thanks so much for stopping by!!

[@awebofstories]

Oh wow...I had never heard that Elena Ferrante is (or may be) a man! I only read the first of the novels and thought it was good, but it wouldn't top my list.

[@eyesonindie]

Haha - yeah, I am not sure how I feel about the whole idea that Elena Ferrante might be a man...still processing, even though I think I came across an article about it years ago. And clearly ignored it. LOL!

[@user-yg6ft1iu1i]

Well said, I thought My Brilliant Friend and the quartet was very good, I mainly read translated fiction so it was in my wheelhouse any way. But I call literary fiction popular fiction and ordered Last Date In El Zapotal by Mateo Garcia Elizondo somehow it’s not on the list

[@eyesonindie]

I think My Brilliant Friend was actually my entryway to loving translated fiction! I think it was only after reading it that I actively started seeking out translated work by women, specifically. Thanks so much for your thoughts and for stopping by!

[@curioushmm9027]

this was terrific..on the subject of elena ferrante since all things are not equal in this world for men and women...i can not tolerate an ersatz woman name elena ferrante.

[@eyesonindie]

So true!! Thanks for stopping by!!

[@patsmith9192]

No! Didn’t rate it at all. Felt no need to read the other three. I’ve seen the list and there are numerous other books that I much preferred.

[@eyesonindie]

I have heard that from so many people! So interesting!! Thanks so much for sharing and stopping by!

[@russm2008]

Ummmmm no don’t think so

[@eyesonindie]

Haha! Love it - thanks for sharing!

[@derekgo611]

Austerlitz is a better book than that!!!

[@eyesonindie]

Austerlitz is a phenomenal book!

Well, what can I tell you... I thought My Brilliant Friend was rather, mmh, bad. Predictable story, cardboard characters and mediocre writing, There, I said it.

[@eyesonindie]

Haha, I love it! =) Thanks for stopping by!!