the 17-book series about a depressed guy

The first 1,000 people to use the link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare: skl.sh/mancarr...
Twitter: / mancarrying
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[@ManCarryingThing]

The first 1,000 people to use the link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare: skl.sh/mancarryingthing03231

[@allaccessentertainment4755]

First reply 🥇!

[@allaccessentertainment4755]

Second reply 🥈!

[@allaccessentertainment4755]

Third reply 🥉!

[@nachosniewolnosci3147]

Thank you for my birthday present

[@use2l]

Fifth reply 🉑️ !

[@gandalfthegrey9116]

I’ve been waiting for someone to write a book series about me for a while now.

[@ManCarryingThing]

oh gandalf are u ok?

[@lovethrougheternity]

Hi gendalf the grey from critically-acclaimed popular fantasy book series and movie franchise Harry Potter

[@wobblywack5531]

@@lovethrougheternity no you idiot he is from star wars

[@villageronps5317]

Go smoke some pipe weed, you’ll feel better

[@CoreyCh]

@@lovethrougheternityyou mean The Lord of the Rings?

[@unOrigiNik]

15:20 "I didn't even mention the excellent stuff going on; there are these women getting killed - these prostitutes" Great moment for my wife to walk in

[@iggbowmon3171]

Honey, I can explain...

[@journeytotheotherside]

Fine you win I’ll read a book, now get back to the funny guy stuff

[@ManCarryingThing]

the plan is working...

[@journeytotheotherside]

@@ManCarryingThing I’ll let you know what I think about A Confederacy Of Dunces when I’m done

[@zoinksscoob6523]

@@journeytotheotherside ur still reading it?

[@5pet5ar]

Finally, a video about the true "he just like me" protagonist

[@sourcastic]

As much as I love MCT's skits and all, I really enjoy his book reviews! That's what I subscribed for initially, lol. (Back when he was rating Dune covers)

[@obscure.reference]

i hope the one with worm paul was no 1

[@DarthRelkew]

I love his Book reviews! I like listening to his thought process when reading books!

[@wobblywack5531]

dear man, who carries things. Your plan has worked, I am reading through the first book of wheel of time.

[@vellichor_ventures]

You are your own niche in and of itself on the tube and I'm very grateful for your presence. It's the perfect blend of shitposting and thoughtful book discussion. Thank you.

[@Littlebigdude5]

love the more frequent book uploads!

[@GomesGabriel84]

I didnt watch the video yet just wanna say that I've read pronto by elmore leonard that you recommended. Very nice book.

[@ManCarryingThing]

cool! glad you enjoyed

[@dom_mld]

Read Rum Punch if you can find it / haven't read it already. It was the basis for the Tarantino film Jackie Brown.

[@DarthRelkew]

I love this channel for the memes and for the book recommendations! Thanks MCT

[@lovethrougheternity]

I've been watching your channel for about a year now (mostly because of your comedy videos) and recently found a new job in a book store. So your videos and my job kinda combined and I felt this urge to read books (which I do rarely). That's cool! Thank you for all of your videos, Man Carrying My Life

[@alexbadeau5027]

I love Lawrence Block’s style. Conversational and flows seamlessly

[@The116thDoctor]

This is my favorite genre of your content tbh. I’ve never heard of this author, I don’t really read crime novels, but now I’m tryna read all these books lol

[@jamiemoseley8327]

Thank you for making these videos. Your channel played a big part in getting me back into reading.

[@jakemurphy4492]

you are the only youtuber where you could upload literally anything and i will watch it no matter what. good video 👍

[@greatcoldemptiness]

A minute for every book, Man Carrying Thing truly going meta here. The next Pynchon, I'll say

[@h.p.734]

Please do more books. Your skits never fail to make me laugh, but these book videos are golden!!

[@evanmarschand9930]

I want to thank you for introducing this series to me. I've been devouring them in audiobook format. Some are even narrated by Block himself. Audible has quite a few of them available for cheap and several are free! Im officially hooked.

[@ChristopherMervJones]

Thank you Man Carrying Thing! You always get me excited to read new stuff!! Going to try and recommend this to my dad and get him to not just read the same three crime authors he's been reading for the past two decades.

[@ranovee2682]

I love Block, especially the scudder novels, so glad you made this video to give them a little love. He really is a master his command of pacing but especially his dialogue, honestly his dialogue is incredible, the characters leap off the page and feel like real and interesting human beings.

[@goldmourn]

I was thinking about Lawrence Block just the other day and specifically, the Scudder books. I picked up a paperback in a grocery store when I was younger, not knowing anything about the books or the writer, and took a liking to it straight away. It's been years since I read those books but was looking for a collection of these books. I wonder if we're close to there being a hardcover collected stories of Scudder coming out?

[@EllisHCN]

Always love hearing your thoughts on any and all of the books, Jake! Thank you ^__^

[@vancecunningham5032]

I would love a video for an introduction to crime fiction, the Great authors, where to start, all that

[@1966Heath]

I really enjoyed this, Lawrence Block is the man. Something about the crime fiction writers who came up in the 50s and 60s really do it for me. They were almost uniformly tight, disciplined craftsmen who often went to places in their stories that are STILL shocking and uncomfortable to this day. There was a magazine back then called Manhunt that both Block and Westlake often contributed to, and in recent years some beautiful publisher (Stark House, I think?) has begun collecting those stories in anthologies called Best of Manhunt. I really think you’d enjoy the hell out of them. The absolute heyday of dark crime fiction.

[@ManCarryingThing]

i'm gonna check that out!

[@superastral1]

You should make a clip of that akward swalow after "extended meme" and put it in all your intros and even you channel trailer, cause that is all it sticks in your viewers subconcious. That is your brand. "akward swalow". I am telling you, its gold

[@darriendane]

the signature man carrying thing bass intro is what we bump in the clubs edit: i have not been to a club

[@ManCarryingThing]

me neither

[@toastacle]

I want to thank you for getting me into the genre with your recommendation of Five Decembers. I loved it so much, and to see you still talking about books in general just reinvigorates my love for reading. You are by far my favorite creator on any platform.

[@AcesPrune]

Every time I watch one of your serious videos, you give me gag anxiety. Like every other second, I'm just waiting for you to be like, "ha! Get fked, it was all a meme!"

[@Faramik2000]

I really like this video! I usually just skip your video essays on books but I'm glad I clicked on this one. I always enjoy hearing people talk about a thing they are obviously very passionate about and the I wish I would digest books the way that you do, appreciating the themes, style of writing and characters in the story. I would just complete a book and just say wow that was great and never think about it again haha

[@duffypratt]

Block rarely gets a mention on KZbin, and he’s fantastic. My favorite Scudder book is When The Sacred Ginmill Closes - grisly nostalgia.

[@jameshamill4709]

In your listing of American crime fiction, I think it'd be also worth mentioning Edgar Allan Poe. Not just for his horror stories, but he actually created what we'd recognize as the first detective character in "Western fiction" that was later imitated by Arthur Conan Doyle. Doyle himself even cited Poe's C. Auguste Dupin stories as an inspiration for Sherlock Holmes. Although he only wrote 3 stories with the character and he's more frequently thought of as a horror writer I still think of him as a necessary figure when trying to flesh out the history of American crime fiction.

[@anormalperson7161]

Why are there so many depressed detectives in fiction? Is there something fundamentally depressing about being a detective? Have they tried reading detective novels?

[@ManCarryingThing]

benoit blanc has something to say

[@just_that_girl3873]

There’s a good ‘trope talk’ by overly sarcastic productions on KZbin about this

[@samprastherabbit]

Poirot always seemed so upbeat! Lol But then again... maybe his quips were just masking his deepseated sorrow.

[@jorischkovich]

Well turns out seeing sick people committing crimes for your job isn't great for your mood.

[@alexjespersen1128]

They see the darkest side of humanity and they do it for a living. No wonder they are depressed.

[@be_an_rm]

As other people have said, love your skits but love your book videos (more?). In a totally unrelated context though, I love your bookcase, how it's got the mix of horizontal and vertical stacking. adds to the vibe (or, as this is a literary video, the ambiance)

[@temmere]

Man, if you're only up to Eight Million Ways to Die you've got a lot of greatness ahead of you. The early books are fine, but that's the one where it really kicks into gear. A Dance at the Slaughterhouse is my favorite mystery novel, and I also love Out on the Cutting Edge, A Walk Among the Tombstones, and A Long Line of Dead Men.

[@themeddlesomeunicorn]

Did the alcoholic detective trope come from these books? Reminds me of Disco Elysium.

[@colbyboucher6391]

No, that's been a thing at least as far back as old hardboiled detective stories in the 20s through to the 50s.

[@grkpektis]

You should read Naked Lunch, it makes Cormac's The Road feel like Disneyland in comparison

[@callum7081]

You might like orphan x it’s a similar series with psychologically complex characters and sophisticated villains were no one is pure good and evil.

[@Moemartins]

I love your skits. I love your book videos. That's all.

[@colegregory6332]

I thought the only 17 book series about a depressed guy was the Cosmere.

[@bastiew5152]

Getting Off was my first Lawrence Block Book that i've read and since then i can't get enough of his stuff. Love that guy!

[@obscuracrimepodcast]

Thank you for making this video. This is one of my favorite series. I’d say overall most books in the series don’t hit above a 4/5. But it’s still a 5/5 series. Better than the sum of its parts.

[@superdupermcgee]

I'm an avid reader--mostly horror paperbacks from the '70s and '80s, but I also dive into mystery and fantasy from time to time. I haven't read too many crime novels (most recently I did read Ira Levin's A Kiss Before Dying which was great). Anyway, you've sold me on this series. I'm going to add it to my list!

[@charlesclark3840]

I was reading the Keller books in order and I noticed the author photo changed when I checked one out from the library. The new photo was L.B. in a black shirt and wearing a black beret. In the book, Keller has to deal with "arty" people and makes disparaging commentary about how they all wear black all the time, often with a beret. I love the meta he sprinkles through his writing; this was the one I remember most. I have been reading Scudder in a random order (ie whichever books I find in the thrift stores first, mostly), and I don't think it suffers from that despite the long term character arc. Start with whatever book you have.

[@adict126]

I watched A Walk Among The Tombstones with my grandma who loves Liam Neeson and I gotta say that it was disappointing, there was something at its core, but it did not manage to captivate me movie-wise, however, I had no idea that it was based on the book until you brought it up, so I guess that I'll have to dive into the books, great video, mister Man, as usual

[@joewilliams1211]

I’m reading Hit Man by Block because of your recommendation. Really enjoying it, so thank you :)

[@mememaster5748]

Hey Man, just wanted to let you know that your review of The Way of Kings made me pick up a book for the first time in years and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks and hope you have a great day ❤

[@mebebrownie]

So you probably won't read this but when this video came out i thought "why not" and started the first one, and i just finished book 10 today. These books are so good, but my personal favourite was When the Sacred Ginmill Closes, surprisingly emotional

[@beddypk2778]

Thanks to you i discovered cormac mcharty and ordered "the road" really excited to see how the story develops

[@xxCROMIZOIDxx]

Been reading the series ever since the video upload. Currently at A Stab in the Dark. Such an easy read. Really enjoy it. Thanks for the recommendation!

[@xZeroGunnerx]

Thanks for the recomnendation! I just read The Sins of The Fathers and liked it a lot. Lawrence Block was a great discovery

[@christopherwarman1701]

Big Text No Image has to be one of my favorite fiction genres

[@parkerahoyt]

I just finished Five Decembers and loved it! Thanks for making me aware of the book. And now I'll probably have to start in on Lawrence Block soon.

[@cninh4574]

I always look forward to your literature content!! My to-read list, however, fears it...

[@Gredran]

17 minutes about a 17 book series. Amazing

[@Liboo52]

My favorite Lawrence Block book is Murder on the Orient Express

[@Tuaron]

I was wracking my brain throughout this video, trying to figure out where I knew the names Lawrence Block and Scudder until you mentioned A Walk Among the Tombstones. Rather solid film of that style, though no idea how it compares to the book(s)

[@thecinephiliac4034]

I saw this video not long after it's upload date and have already burned through most of the series. All I lack is a couple of the novels, one ahort and the recent Autobiography of Matt Scudded. Also ssaw the 80s film which I found pleasanly fun despite not being as faithful to the source as one would prefer. Perhaps its due to my going into it expecting it to suck. But yeah, thanks for turning me on to the series. I had read Grifters game and always intended to check out more Block books but hadnt gotten around to it until seeing this video. I've always enjoyed the hardboiled detective type stories and as a depression ridden, addict myself this one appealed to me. Though alcohol isn't my poison, I struggled with uppers. Never understood the appeal of being slowed down but it's all the same kind of recovery process/struggle I suppose. Got to check out the Liam Neison film soon. Apart from an Irish Matt Scudder, the trailer leads me to think its more accurate than 8 Million Ways to Die.

[@therealtony2009]

man carrying thing is now carrying books

[@BigPhilly15]

Lawrence Block is one of the all-time greats.

[@morgboat744]

ayy, i just started watching these book reviews again last night and now there’s a new one 😎😎

[@caimaoriosaure6471]

"incredible stuff going on here, thoses woman getting killed"

[@WhaleManMan]

Dr Phil, my favorite author

[@Moemartins]

I'm reading Swag from Elmond Leonard because of you. AND I'M HAVING A BLAST.

[@jamesbotha5360]

I love these man. Would you be doing a Ruth Rendell one in the future at all??

[@kettlemagic]

I am watching this video and I am indeed, in fact, books.

[@goofy23._.....]

I thought he was gonna say diary of a wimpy kid

[@Farfaramir]

A walk amongst the tombstone is a good movie! Not fantastic; but in the infinite pile of movies of liam neeson beign a taken clone badass; this one is the best because it actually doesnt fit that category. Really nice.

[@mini8713]

The 17 minute video about a 17 book series about a depressed guy

[@Zezadas15]

Bought a couple books for the first time since covid to be a part of booktube and reading the comments doesn't seem like I'm the only one, I'm sorry but you are now an influencer 😔

[@I-Ren-Zero]

there is a great graphic novel adaptation of 8 Million Ways to Die out there by John K. Snyder III that is worth a look (as are the Parker Graphic Novels)

[@jdsantibanez]

I recommend the "Kenzie and Genaro series" by Dennis Lehane.

[@sleepyandroid6904]

Matthew Scudder is my comfort character

[@sentinelshoshin4632]

Can't wait for your next Dark Tower review in the read-along. ... Any day now, I'm sure.

[@curtis25920]

I thought this was going to be about the Stormlight Archive

[@kevinjudge8406]

Great video, would you recommend that they are read in order? I read Sins of the Father last year and I have never seen any of the other books out in the wild of charity shops. I have been working my way through many of the Hard Case Crime books, so I have read A Walk Among the Tombstones (but I was really conflicted as I think it is about book 8 in the series); I think you will really enjoy it - quite brutal in parts, tone is much darker than SotF.

[@sandrarivera1262]

My TBR: *a mile long Me: Okay, I'll start a new series :)

[@Graysett]

NGL I thought this was gonna be about Dresden Files before I looked at the thumbnail.

[@callum7081]

This video inspired me to learn how to read

[@jacksonreinhardt2848]

It was only a matter of time before you got to Scudder. I wonder how you will take Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer or Max Allan Collins' Quarry?

[@runningongas]

Gotta signed copy of 8 million ways to die on my shelf that was gifted to me Still need to read it

[@barbiemary67]

The first thing I noticed is that the video is 17 minutes long lololol I loved the (maybe not even intentional) little detail~

[@blakesheridan3137]

Idk if you have but read lonesome dove. It’s likely you have already, but if not give it a go its really great

[@megalawr]

Talking about books again. Always sexy time

[@myweirdsecondchannelwithap9070]

finally I'm the main character.

[@jdsantibanez]

I really liked the Keller series.

[@ushapandey6351]

Very good Blog ❤

[@yeetoburrito9972]

Yay! Book stuff!

[@jdsantibanez]

I really liked "A walk among the Tombstones." The movie was okay. Liam Neeson was not a good choice, to me. I think Jeff Bridges was a better Scudder in "8 million ways to die." When I saw the movie I haven't read any of the books so it didn't bother me it took place in Los Ángeles. I think it was one of the first movies where Andy García played a big role. He played a very vicious villain.

[@TheRocksbarney]

Can you do a video on people who want to see meme videos and not book videos because LIFE IS SAD AND I CANT READ

[@nachosniewolnosci3147]

Tkank you for my birthday present

[@camelopardalis84]

Birthday Happy!

[@FrshChees91]

No! I'm not gonna read it! Stop trying! I know what you're doing! ....I'm too busy reading The Wheel of Time....

[@jdsantibanez]

¿Have you read "Ghostman" by Roger Hobbs? Excellent noir book by a young writer who died too young.

[@epicnamakuji]

i can't tell if the ominous music at 4:38 is an in-joke i don't get or just an editing mistake. either way it is mysterious and on-theme for detective books

[@MichelNJoia]

What's your opinion on David foster Wallace??? I've been reading some books from him and liking It a Lot.

[@mylesperry7880]

I read 40 lashes less one because of you

[@Masterhistory1492]

Please read the Shardlake Series by CJ Sansom or at least the first Absolution.

[@kronosbach5263]

I am books

[@ManCarryingThing]

that's the spirit

[@seatbackbeats683]

Yeah, sure...good video and all...but what is your opinion on Trombones? Afraid to talk about things that matter?

[@dvepps6780]

Great series. Read the first 8