The Truth About BookTube

[@greyowlaudio]

Some booktubers give me the biggest trust issues when they post something new every couple days. Like, you are NOT crunching a book in two days while video-editing and holding a steady day job, and even if KZbin is your day job, there's no way you're doing that consistently month after month without breaking your schedule or burning out.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Yes, it can be suspicious, especially when what is said about each book merely skims the top layer of it.

[@frankmerlino336]

To be fair, that is a lot of work but if you've ever had a job like being medic in a high crime area, laying concrete, being in the dishpit at a busy restaurent or working in an Amazon shipping center during holiday season for long enough being able to read and talk about books all day as a job can really keep your head above water motivation wise for a good long while.

[@Thetrilingualreader]

Another point they keep missing is that they shut down any criticism of booktok and the disturbing things they promote by the "algorithm makes it appear to you" while i tried to curate the algorithm to my taste for DAAAYS but still got the same content and it was always "oh u lack media literacy" but never : some hashtags are literally paid to be pushed out by the algorithm within the people who frequent booktok. And it is disturbing to do that on an app whose audience is primarily teenagers.

[@jrpgnation6375]

While I agree with what you say. The whole disturbing part is just you being prude. The think of the children part is tiresome. That is the parents' and platform responsibility. My replies are off. Sorry, but I learned people like you are never going to be polite or reasonable.

[@materiagrix]

This video perfectly encapsulates my experiences with writing, video making and acting. My desire for such expansion tends to appear as a burst of creativity with an initial rawness that is the shape if my honesty, but then I quickly refrain from exposing myself because invariably I begin to detect a layer of dishonesty on my sense of spectacle or perhaps "my neediness to be special" which in my mind manifests itself as a certainty that feeds the gap between me and those I longed to reach in the first place. If there's one thing I know about how I want to present myself, it's with bare skin, with all my dirt and hidden corners. I rather not be for others at all than be half a lie or an incomplete truth. Great video as always.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

You describe the desire and hesitation perfectly. The more we face ourselves truthfully the more we can loop in self-conscious dismay. I try to remember honesty is precious-like anything rare, it is precious-and with so many models of falsity readily on display, it is all the more valuable to be a model of truth as best as one can. Otherwise, who else will? I'm glad you're still here every once in a while. I thought about your channel just the other day. Just randomly popped in my head. Hope you're doing well!

[@materiagrix]

@@ToReadersItMayConcern Once again, I couldn’t have expressed it in any better way, I can only assent. Thank you for the kind words. I will be back as soon as I am done with my little summer odyssey :)

[@brenboothjones]

Good to have you back! Always appreciate your deep thinking.

[@curtjarrell9710]

Hi Ruben. I retired from a 40 yr. long bookselling career in early 2020. I miss the regular contact with readers I enjoyed when I was working. Now that I don't have to keep track of what's new & popular, I'm more discerning in what I pick up to read. I appreciate your presentation of worthy books that are unlikely to bore or frustrate me. Thanks for all you do.

[@BookChatWithPat8668]

Ruben, I loved this video! I really enjoyed your thoughtfulness in your approach to each one of these questions. I was deeply moved by your discussion early on in the video about your brother and your nephew and your initial difficulty in admitting that you hadn't read a particular book. Your candor is both moving and refreshing. Thank you, too, for the kind things that you said about me in your video. It does my heart good to know that you experience my channel as a warm and inviting place. Thank you. I share your admiration for many of the other booktubers that you have mentioned here, and I've discovered some others that I will visit. I have already done this tag, or I would consider myself tagged. (I think I have tagged you on a recent one that I have done also, perhaps while you were taking a break.) Please know how much I appreciate your intelligence, your honesty, and, most importantly, your kindness. I'm so glad we've "met" here.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Thank you, Pat, for being here and for your kind words. I have in mind to follow through on the Reader's Profile Tag once I complete one or two other topics. There's a slight backlog of ideas brewing since I've been on break. You've helped me discover many great tags, which I am super grateful for. Though your video wasn't the first one I saw for this particular tag, it was one of the earliest. And as always your videos serve as a model for how to present oneself openly on BookTube.

[@BookChatWithPat8668]

@@ToReadersItMayConcern thank you, Ruben, for this lovely response. I’m so glad to be getting to know you here!🥰

[@burke9497]

I just subbed after watching this video. I loved your comments regarding lying about books you’ve read. It reminded me of a quote I like. “Every lie we tell incurs a debt to the truth.”

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Thank you for subbing! I'm glad my words resonated with you.

[@markfortuin7111]

Ruben, this was honest, brutal, naked, refreshing. You are pretty smart. Stick to what works for you and the successful positioning of your channel.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Thank you. I want to maintain this level of self in my videos, and I greatly appreciate viewers like you who value that. 🙏

[@michaelmasiello6752]

I think “pretty smart” might understate the matter.

[@RachelJ2016]

Excellent thoughts and I love this honesty !!!! I had 2 YT channels for a few years (a book one and homesteading one) & ended up deciding creating wasn’t making me happy like I thought it would… because it took away from the enjoyment of those two activities that I’ve loved for years!!

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

That's a huge risk with taking a hobby or passion and turning it into 'work': it becomes in service of others instead of yourself. I'm trying my best to find a form of this whole process I find comfortable. This is my first committed attempt at something like this. It is a learning experience. I'm glad you settled on a choice that fulfills you; walking away is frowned upon, but it is absolutely necessary in some cases. You only have your one life to live.

[@WillSaabye-ey5vy]

Thanks so much for this. I tried reading fantasy and science fiction to be "cool" or fit in but I really love historical fiction and literary fiction. I feel like booktube can force you to read whats popular to read but not what you actually enjoy reading. And I think all the "what I read in a week" videos can lead to stressing you out and you try to read as much as them. I think its more important to really engage with a book and the author instead of just binging the book and ripping through it. I liked the points you brought up you got a new subscriber.

[@faizorbit9622]

Never seen this channel until this video. Not even interested in booktube but man this reminds me of the good old days of KZbin Just a guy talking openly honestly. Captivating

[@dante.nathanael]

Man, when I open my YT channel to complement my bookstagram, hope I'll can be as unique as what you've built here. Glad to have you back.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Be sure to let me know whenever that happens! I'll be among your first viewers!

[@richarddelanet]

"How much of what we say about books is real?", is a good line, at about 6:00 mins.

[@Sarah_Jean86]

Appreciate your analysis. I have always been a subscriber to the fact that books are an extension of one's self and that one shouldn't be forced (challenged they should be, but never forced) to read something because they think they have to. I also feel that many books bring out hidden depths just beyond the printed words on the pages and change us as individuals. Books and literature should be enjoyed as both pleasure and academic rigor, but BookTubers like yourself and many others are a breath of fresh air to gain more insight on how particular books are enjoyed and analyzed. Thank you.

[@TheLinguistsLibrary]

Books in my Inbox is an honest way to keep everyone satisfied, I say try it out and see how you feel. Nice to have you back, your calming, thoughtful words are always revitalizing. Thanks for the tag, I'm a little overwhelmed at the moment (almost lost my voice trying to record a reading video) but I'll get to it eventually.

[@salustianoberrios405]

Hi! My novel, Growing Children, was featured in this video. Would you like to check it out, too? It's sci-fi.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

No rush or requirement at all. Keep doing what you're doing, and enjoy yourself!

[@VideogamesWorld93]

I tried to find the words to describe how much I love your channel but it’s hard, so I’ll just say thank you for your content.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Your words mean all the more through their absence. Thank you for feeling the kindness to express yourself in spite of any limitation. I'm glad to have said something of worth for you. 🙏

[@noeditbookreviews]

20 minutes in and wow. I don't think I've ever related to so many things I've heard a book tuber say in one video! I'm looking forward to watching the rest of this video. Thank you so much for being so open Ruben.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Thank you! It is my hope to relate openly as much as I can. I'm glad you're here and among those who value precisely that.

[@salustianoberrios405]

Love this video! I'm glad you enjoyed my book! I'm sure it can spark a lot of interesting conversations amongst people.

[@barbaraboethling596]

You are refreshing in your straightforward and honest approach. It's nice not to have to sift through he mind numbing BS that I tend to encounter elsewhere. Many thanks!!

[@MargheritaReads]

For some reason my homepage kept suggesting me this video for days… initially I thought it was just another clickbait drama video but after the 4th or 5th time I decided to open it: I was proven wrong. This might be an unpopular opinion: I have been watching booktube for years but I do it mostly for the entertainment. Most of the channels I watch don’t even read books that I like. I have gotten some good reading recommendations and I was able to discover some new authors that I love, but 99% of the time youtube is only entertainment for me and I’m okay with that. After all, the main point of having a channel is to get views and, as you said, you had to compromise and give the audience what they want to see. Having said that, what worries me with booktube and with social media in general is the fact that a lot of viewers are very young or new to social media and don’t realise that what they see online is not totally real.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

That is a worthwhile concern: what is the influence that we have? Do we aim for methods of pretending, or do we garner truth despite its pains? I also watch KZbin for entertainment, like you. It is satisfying. But there's a part of myself less fed by this, and every once in a while I notice and feel empty. The structure of KZbin for creators-that of being rewarded for whatever achieves most attention-pushes us all to opt for simplicity and spectacle. We have a chance as viewers, though, to notice that tinge of emptiness and to seek something less satisfying, more gratifying, the tougher, less comfortable material, the sort that hones our own resilience rather than complacence. Maybe that would shift the structures of what gets attention. Reading can be boring. Honing in onto details, discussing and analyzing can be boring. Devoting attention as opposed to having your attention defined for you can be tough and boring. There seems to be great merit in growing one's comfort with boredom, at least a bit. One fear I share with you about very young viewers, alongside the fakeness they see, is that they steer so far from boredom that they have less chance to discover what can be found in those quiet, private spaces of self-definition. I see it in myself: a day of entertainment, then purposeful concentration becomes difficult. Years of perpetual stimulus seems even worse. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. And I appreciate you clicking on my video despite its thumbnail-click-iness.

[@little1wing]

Great topic, something artistic creators understand perfectly! It's either 1. Follow what commerciality desires Or... 2. Follow your own passion. Depends what we mean by being inauthentic. As I try to figure out what I am, I also incorporate theatre and drama in my oratory that may be misconstrued as inauthenticity. Just food for thought. Hopefully, my honesty is transparent enough for my viewers.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

You bring up a great point: our default may obscure what we intend, and so we have to make some self-aware creative choices. Sometimes a hint of artifice-such as your decisions in oratory-are in service of expressing something true, of expressing something particular (and to do otherwise would mislead and fail to capture what you deeply feel). This is, of course, clear in writing: every choice of diction and syntax is a choice for clarity or emphasis. These determinations are in service of meaning. Things like this make me wonder if much of our 'authentic' is merely artifice made habitual; part of the creative act is to construct one's own 'authenticity' anew.

[@apoetreadstowrite]

Really enjoyed this, & thank you for the shoutout, I love the calm, centred gravity that you give so generously to the books & ideas that engage you.

[@Thomas.R.Howell]

I started a booktube channel to avoid all of the trends I see online. No top 10 lists or TBRs or book hauls. Just honest and genuine conversations about books and storytelling.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Oh, I will be checking out your videos as soon as I'm able to! Thank you for sharing.

[@literarylayer]

I loved this video response. It felt so real and relatable. You’ve also mentioned a lot of Booktubers that more people should watch and are some of my favorites.

[@hermanphunter_theloreforge]

As an indie author - I'm very sure my book would never be highlighted on this channel - highlighting indie works would really beneficial. Alternating between a well known work and an indie offering would work on my opinion. Trad Publishing is dying. In many genres, self-pub and indie are dominating. Granted, there is a lot of garbage floating around in the indie sphere,but the newer, more unique authors are coming out of that arena. Too many BookTubers ignore the indie space because the larger, well-known authors dominate the clicks. However, this results in redundant content on the platform. After a while, it just becomes noise. Not that you go all indie. Sprinkle it around. If the book sucks. DNF it. And, for exposure, many indie creators will offer their works for free. Just a something to ponder.

[@CallosumBooks]

hey man, i just finished watching this and it blew my mind when i saw my face up there! for some reason YT didn’t give me a notification for the tag. thank you so much for the kind words and the mention, it means a lot coming from you. you add a lot to the booktube space, and i think i speak for a lot of us when i say we admire you and your thoughtfulness a lot i also want to add that i’ve seen that same copy of ulysses and it is truly massive haha. there’s another copy at my local bookstore of an illustrated ulysses that’s like bottom’s dream sized, as it’s the full story with every page illustrated. i played around with the idea of grabbing that but i don’t even think it would fit on my bookshelf hahaha

[@mikegseclecticreads]

I always enjoy your candid conversations about books, the experience of reading, and the experience of talking about reading. Thanks for this!

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Thanks, Mike. It's wonderful seeing you around!

[@TheActiveMind1]

He's back! and I feel the same about DFW. I've decided to shamelessly profess my enjoyment anyway despite the dude bro label lol

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Yes, I'm glad you haven't let those labels hold you back! Your channel is all-the-better for it.

[@williamgass9242]

Being a man is ok

[@dustinneely]

I don't trust the bigger BookTubers (not going to name channels) because they have let me down over and over again with book recommendations.

[@darkwitnesslxx]

Personally I stop following any booktuber who becomes big enough to attract the attention of authors. I'm not interested in an incestuous relationship between creators and reviewers.

[@ProseAndPetticoats]

Aww, thank you so much for mentioning my channel 🤎 appreciate it! I wish I had the gift of expressing myself like you can, and making longer videos. I admire how you explain things so well.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Of course! Your channel is absolutely worthy of admiration. Thank you so much for the kind words in return. You've mentioned in a video before that speaking English at length and without edits is partly a challenge; I find that the attention this forces you to bring to each statement lends a distinctive air to every video, one of polish and delicacy. Whether purposeful or not, there is a comfort in what you create. I guess we each stumble onto what distinguishes us, becoming our own selves along the way.

[@bibliosophie]

really appreciated yr thoughtful answers to these questions (which definitely made me think about what i would answer myself) and i loved the shout out! apart from the inherent joy of being mentioned and described, i really recognized myself in your summary of my channel. thank you!

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Thanks so much, Sophie. I'm glad my words spoke true to who you are. 😀🙏

[@cultureden]

I literally can't do that. I can't push away those aspects of myself and yet I still want to connect with others. It's incredibly frustrating. I couldn't for example read books that are right now very 'hip' or trendy - just in the vague hope a few more people might watch. I'm fully aware that individual book reviews wont get you subscribers. I know that. But I *like* chatting about a book. I know in order to 'get on' (as we're constantly told) is great sound, incredible pictures, know all the big words and be cynical - I couldn't do that either. It sucks. The internet sucks. People want to connect but with people.. Well I hope so at least. But it doesn't feel that way.

[@JamesRuchala]

Thanks for the mention and the kind words Ruben. I've admired your channel since you started and I look forward to discovering the other channels you've mentioned as well.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

🙏

[@Maeve_Ever_Books]

Loved this. Thank you so much for making this video.

[@bookpogo]

beyond flattered!!! and now excited to do this challenge too :))

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

I think you'll enjoy answering these questions. It's an easy topic to ramble on about (original recording was an hour-and-a-half).

[@nathansnook]

loved your notes on your approach to DFW. can't wait for your video about him! honestly i think one should read what they want! judgements, perceptions, stigmas are such a waste of time and energy, and too much time and energy that eats away at reading time!

[@sm3o]

Another great video. Appreciate your thoughts as always.

[@owendavis4154]

I enjoy book tube because it gives me a chance to see things from different perspectives. Im always looking for a new point of view especially ones I disagree with. I watched a recent interview with Rick Rubin and he had a lot of interesting things to say but what really resonated was to disregard the outcome and make the most beautiful thing you can...wise words I think. Creative endeavors really expose the soul of the creator to the world. I commute four hours everyday and have often been critiqued by fellow passengers for my choice of books. Mostly because I'm a blue collar worker and I'm reading something they didn't expect someone like me to be interested in or to understand. I read Ayn Rand Atlas Shrugged recently and feel no shame for doing so. My choice of reading material does not define my value as a human being. I think that's what's wrong with our world, the instinct to place my soul on the scales because I wanted to find out what Ayn Rand's point of view was. What if I wanted to read about Stalin or Hitler? The only way to truly know and understand is to explore the words and thoughts of others, ignorance is a cage for those without the curiosity to search for the keys to the locked door. Thankyou Ruben.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

I almost brought up Ayn Rand as an example of a controversial writer, so it's fitting you bring her up yourself. Another BookTuber I greatly enjoy, @cait_murphyhurrell, briefly states a defense of reading Ayn Rand in her 10 Difficult Books I Want to Read video, and you may appreciate her thoughts. What we treasure in a book is perhaps what we need and were searching for; others may not see it because they do not seek it. Thus they do not understand. More often, unfortunately, they have not even read the work they criticize. It is only a title, an identifier to shrug off themselves openly for others to smirk in approval. Let us both take comfort in adoring books only loved by those who've read them. It's good to be back, and good to see you here, too.

[@inamorata966]

Along with wondering if someone is lying to me is the question of whether I can trust the person who is talking. This is especially true on the internet. For the most part, there's no way to verify someone's authenticity. All I can do, IMO, is to be as well-schooled or informed as possible about the subject at hand. Because if I'm not then I feel vulnerable to the internet liars of the world. And they are legion.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

There are spaces online inundated by inauthenticity. One hope I have is that due to this influx we all become more adept at media literacy. I see it sometimes, such as in your comment, a budding skepticism. That can also go too far into pure cynicism, but hopefully we discern a balance and notice those who pass our critical tests. My hope is that being authentic becomes seen, valued, and promoted more readily due to a higher standard of reception. Of course, who is the one to teach this media literacy?-I guess we all must be models of critical thought as best we can.

[@nualafaolin7129]

This was fantastic! A very refreshing take. I also follow some of the other booktubers you mentioned and your style compliments theirs! As per the perceived value of some authors like Foster Wallace, I’ve not read any of his work, and don’t move in “bro-tube” circles, so I’d be more interested in why *you* were drawn to that work and your thoughts on it to see if it’s worth it for me to add to by TBR. That’s probably the main reason people watch you, and if people simply react poorly to your video because of their own preconceived or actual notions about an author, then I reckon they’re very close minded… I think *anything* is worth discussing to learn more about, and perhaps your take will change their mind!

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Thank you. Readers like you-those who are new to that author-are the exact sort I would hope to reach most. There are aspects of his writing that remain distinctively his, and it would be a shame to miss out.

[@happymaskedguy1943]

I rarely read anything published in the last 50 years. If it has stayed in print, it’s probably decent. I don’t have the money to waste on illiterate social media marketed dross.

[@arekkrolak6320]

I was lying to a teacher when she asked me if I read mandatory reading at school :)

[@Infinimata]

Ping for the mention! It's nice to know I am admired just for doing my own thing. I always wanted to make something *useful* to people as well as enjoyable, and have that utility stem from my own experiences and work. (And I haven't even started talking directly about my own writing yet ... that's a whole forthcoming chapter, so to speak, in the channel's evolution!)

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

I look forward to the wide array of evolutions your channel takes on in the future!

[@davidnovakreadspoetry]

I enjoyed this discussion. As someone who followed your father - not directly but merely by being somewhat in the same Chicago milieu - I feel like I’ve already known all about your brother, but was very surprised when you suddenly popped into the picture. Obviously you were younger, and if you had gotten mentioned in something I read it simply didn’t stick. 😂 Thanks for the kind words about my channel.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

He hasn't mentioned or discussed my younger brother and me much in his works. There's less reason to based on the smoother trajectories of our lives. I believe, though, that my name shows up somewhere in the beginning of Always Running, my little self clinging to my dad's leg as my older brother rushes out the door.

[@MyGrannyEra]

Wow, I love everything you said about lying. I'm just getting ready to start one of my daughters on a book about the philosophy of lying. She's very interested in philosophy and I found a good starter book for her. I'm going to show her this portion of your video --- fantastic. Thanks for introducing us to so many great booktubers. This is such a valuable video!

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

That's wonderful to hear! I'm grateful that you find my thoughts worth sharing. The fact that you're supporting your daughter's philosophical interests is deeply valuable. When I was young, my mom-as a result of my ceaseless questions-told me that some people live their lifetimes asking such questions, and they're called philosophers. That fascinated me. Just the notion that a pursuit of knowledge for its own sake has a field all its own made my efforts feel worthwhile. I felt my questions could have meaning, that they were part of a long line of fellow dreamer-wonderers. That's a curiosity worth fostering. Thank you for doing that for your daughter, in addition to your kind words. 🙏

[@ProseAndPetticoats]

You're back, yay! We're reading Germinal by Émile Zola with my bookclub this year, and I hope I will like it as much as Thérèse Raquin. I feel like no one ever talks about Zola (and many other French authors), so I was surprised (and happy) to hear you mention him. Talking about authors who spark negative comments: the videos I get the most negative and rude comments on, are the videos about JRR Tolkien. It makes me sad, and I'm starting to think to maybe avoid such videos. Next are the videos about a book I disliked. No matter how polite I am in stating my opion, people will get angry. 😅 Negative comments always get to me, unfortunately.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Yeah, perhaps like you I go through all the reasons not to care in my head, and yet negative comments still linger (like another person enters the room amidst my thinking, whispering). I find you're always thoughtful in your criticisms. For instance, even if Woolf's stream-of-consciousness style doesn't work for you, I trust your attempt to read carefully and with an open mind. Your honesty is something to value. The closed-mindedness of others says more about them than you.

[@severianthefool7233]

Also, just want to say that your videos are a wonderful breath of fresh air. Your ability to articulate, your sense of self-awareness and your curiosity for all sorts of literature are always illuminating and never trite.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Thank you for such kind words. I feel appreciated by you. Thank you. 🙏

[@talking_to_trees]

I loved this video! It touches on all the things I have wondered about with other booktubers. We get a sense of these things sometimes, the things that are not authentic, more just performance for entertainment. And these accounts draw huge crowd because our society tends to be more enthusiastic about being entertained. But there's a space for everyone.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

I love your last point: "there's a space for everyone." I adore fun, entertainment, relaxation like anyone else. There's space for that. In this video I want to communicate the incentives-maybe in seeing those incentives we can resist them a bit-but I also understand (and I don't know someone else's life or why they do what they do). And some of these big KZbinrs are great in their own ways (just not currently for me).

[@talking_to_trees]

@@ToReadersItMayConcern wholeheartedly agree and I am in the same boat as you in that regard. But I suppose it's also a balancing act: some people want to blow up but never do, some people just have the right vibe or knowledge to blow up right from the start, and some are really just here for the community and will do what they do no matter what happens. But no matter where you fall, no one wants to create indefinitely and no one watches. How do you play the game without succumbing to the game is a conversation my husband and I have often. No answers yet though, but I suspect being clear about your desires and intentions, but also where you draw the line about what your willing to do and how, are good places to start.

[@thehoneyreads]

Amazing video Ruben! I love how thoughtful all your answers were. This felt incredibly refreshing to watch. 🙂

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm glad it resonated with you. 😀🙏

[@AlbertAlbertB.]

I'd only consider mentioning those send books if you really like them. Because otherwise, you will have to either lie or disappoint many authors.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Yes, I feel the same. Thank you.

[@plaguepandemic5651]

Disappointment is a crucial step for any young and aspiring author, to be fair. Stephen King once said that he used to have so many rejection slips nailed to his door that it bent the nail. I agree in this case though, it's the industry's job to do that, not booktube's.

[@aadamtx]

Welcome back - and we love what you're doing. During the hiatus, YT's algorithm posted a number of other booktubers to my feed, and almost all were disappointing (lots of sci-fi, fantasy, and romcom channels, of which I have no interest). Also quite a few "let's go to the bookstore" and "let's look at my bookshelves," the latter of which at least showed how some readers focus on particular subjects. But thanks for the suggestions of other channels - I'll check them out. Wallace is the one author I still haven't gotten around to, although for some odd reason my bookstore sold three copies of IJ in one afternoon! And I still need to buy more Woolf - even the local libraries don't seem to have much variety - plus more James Baldwin, who we simply cannot keep in the store. So I promise to read more Woolf soon and at least one Wallace if you'll finally read either of the Gaddis (or the Musil, take your pick). ;-) After your last video, I was at the bookstore preparing to shelve all of the new acquisitions, and side-by-side were DUCKS, KENNEBUNKPORT and the Marguerita Young novel you had discussed! Someone bought the Young already, but both copies of DUCKS (yes, we have two for some odd reason) sit forlorn and unloved. But we do have the Peter Nadas that's sitting behind your right shoulder, so I suppose I should give it a go (we also have a number of customers interested in Hegel - one of his more obscure volumes is required reading for incoming freshmen at Dallas Baptist College). Anyway, welcome back, and now I'm returning to an afternoon of Graham Greene's A BURNT-OUT CASE. Oh, and skip the unsolicited books in your email, unless you find a few particularly worth sharing with us.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Tony! Great to see you here (I worried my regular viewers might disappear)! Between Musil and Gaddis, which would you say is a better start? I will definitely read both someday. Everything I've heard sounds like they fit my tastes exactly. With DFW I highly recommend you let yourself start small with Brief Interviews with Hideous Men. That book feels like a primer for Infinite Jest both formally and thematically. And yeah, weirdly a lot of Woolf is missing for public perusing. I seem to rarely find her best books out in the wild. I think the work of Nadas has an elongated, strange flow to it that might appeal to you very much. It's almost like the plot is fully constructed but entirely draped over by the author whose interests lie more in the drapery itself than the foundations that hold it. Something about that author's style manages to be wholly unique without being obvious as to why. It's incredibly weird while presenting as normal, if that makes sense. I also have A Book of Memories by him, and that one is slightly more blatant in its structural strangeness.

[@aadamtx]

@@ToReadersItMayConcern I think some of us were worried you had disappeared for good! One of my favorite film critique channels, The Royal Ocean Film Society, has gone belly-up, or at least he hasn't posted in at least two years. Anyway. Start with JR, which is a bit more accessible for new readers than THE RECOGNITIONS (his smaller novels are ok at best). Musil is excellent, but you're looking at three volumes which are ideally read without a break in-between. YOUNG TORLESS is a good intro to Musil's style and also much shorter, but you might as well jump into TMWQ regardless. I'll grab the Wallace you suggested maybe Sunday at the B&N while I'm out and about; I'm pretty sure we don't have a copy at the store. And maybe grab THE WAVES also, which I know we don't have. BTW, if you search "Houston Book Crawl" on YT, you'll see a video that includes Kaboom Books on a quiet afternoon (I'm working every Tuesday and Thursday now - keeps me out of mischief).

[@HannahsBooks]

How wonderful! As all your videos are, this one is deeply thoughtful and insightful. And thank you very much for your kind support of my channel. I am also so grateful both to see you highlight some of my favorite channels and to mention alongside them a few channels to which I am completely unfamiliar. I am off to subscribe to them immediately!

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

You are very welcome, Hannah! Sorry about the rapid video cuts around the description of your channel: I spoke at length, which felt out-of-balance with my comments on other channels, and I wanted to be fair so I shortened my admiration a bit. I realize upon rewatching that the cuts don't come across particularly smooth. I am glad to have helped you find some wonderful new channels; many are small and I'm sure would appreciate your encouragement!

[@HannahsBooks]

@@ToReadersItMayConcern ♥️

[@stefashaler8340]

Wow! My first view of your channel and it was rich, inspiring, fascinating and heart warming. Thank you. I enthusiastically await your videos on Infinite Jest, one of my favourite books.

[@pretentioussystem]

Many thanks Ruben! Great insights 😀 Yes it would be great hearing your take on the mentioned self published authors. Discovering new books is also a main aim for me to browse book tube. 🙂 I am glad you remove some of those rarer distracting comments. I think those trolls are one of the worst things of yt.

[@ReadingIDEAS.-uz9xk]

Interesting thoughts. If we post publicly I guess we are, to a greater or lesser extent, entering the entertainment business, whether we want to or not. Best wishes.

[@sams5963]

Most of the authors you named in your answer to question one, I haven't read and probably never will, and a lot of them I hadn't even heard of until this video. As to the other book tube presenters you mentioned, I've only watched a couple of those. Steve Donahue I found interesting but annoying, because he sat too close to the camera which made it seem that he was too far into my personal space and I found that uncomfortable.

[@BookZealots]

fun topic. Personally, I have to be very careful about what I share on videos due to the censoring of youtube. They've also shadowbanned one of my responses to a comment on my own channel. Nothing nefarious, just books. Ah, that tag. My son and I have been tagged, but we haven't recorded it yet. I've heard a lot of the bigger channels weren't even reading the books they were receiving from publishers. But their reviews were of them reading the dust jackets? I just recently learned of Hegel and put him on my goodreads tbr. I've never read Proust either. Hooray for a bookcase tour. And I like that you've mentioned your reading has changed. My reading has even changed from a year ago. You're the only other reader I've heard mention this. Your comment on control regarding the drama question is very insightful. I've had a bad experience with this, but thankfully they didn't come to my channel, but I'll share more in the video my son and I record. Great to have you back. Again, yes please on the bookcase tours.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

I greatly appreciate a channel like yours. The more range in tastes within BookTube the better-more history, more curiosity, more deviation. As I mentioned in the video, I seek out disagreement, and I've seen enough of your channel to get a sense of how you might disagree with other BookTubers, and I think that is wonderful! I hope to see your response to the tag sometime soon. It's a great chance to articulate some of your frustrations with KZbin (hopefully in a way that doesn't ultimately harm you). Sorry to hear about your experience with drama; glad to hear you've seemingly moved beyond it. FYI about Hegel: though my nephew helped me understand his appeal a bit more, I still have issues with various aspects of Hegel's articulation and aims. Many adore him; I've made various attempts and still find him frustrating (and I am comfortable with dense philosophy).

[@BookZealots]

@@ToReadersItMayConcern the situation was, I wasn't trying to be disagreeable. I simply asked a question about banned books and was ganged up on for asking a question. I'll explain more in the video. Thank you for the information regarding Hegel. Maybe he'll be in my future when I'm wiser. 😂

[@kenneth1767]

Thanks to booktube channels I bought many books that I would otherwise not have known about. So many more I'd love to own and read, there's only so many hours in the day. I enjoy your sober presentation. And you do cover very interesting topics. The only other Reviewer I recognized was Steve. It's generous of you to share these other channels. I'll check them out.

[@themoodyreaderpodcast]

Love that this tag is being done more and more! Nice video.

[@johnstephen399]

I look forward to your take on DFW.

[@maryfilippou6667]

I would suggest Tristan and the Classics, Ben McEvoy, Ruby Granger, Miranda Mills and Small Things. All very articulate as you are and why I enjoy your work or ' content.' Yes, wondering where you'd been. You've kept us up and I'll follow your suggestions. Professor Peter Kreeft has some marvelous Book tubes also.

[@evelynstenberg]

I love how authentic you are.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Thank you. I would be very uncomfortable being otherwise.

[@MarilynMayaMendoza]

This is my first time watching your channel and you give very good answers to the honest booktuber tag, I have a small channel and if I have to disagree with anything you say it’s that there’s more to the community than books. For example, I use my channel to start a conversation around mental health. I agree that you should think about your thumbnail, etc. but not everyone is good at technology, especially when your 74 like me. Luckily, I have my partner who is tech savvy, or I wouldn’t even be able to have a channel. I joined the community to make friends and I’ve made some wonderful friends, even though my channel is very small even after four years. You make some very good points and I think there is a channel for everyone. That’s what I like about this community. Aloha.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Aloha. Thank you so much for your insights. You're right, this community is big, and there are many wonderful reasons to want a channel. 😀

[@burke9497]

A question I would like to see asked #TheHonestBookTuber is “Have you ever lied about liking a book out of pressure to be positive about its supposed greatness?” An example would be saying Proust is wonderful, even if you secretly hate his work, or saying Ulysses is a masterpiece, but you really believe it’s trash. I’m a little skeptical about booktubers that seem to love every single book they read.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Personally, I've not felt compelled to pretend to like a work. But I have just not brought up things I didn't enjoy that much. A recent example: I tried out the essay collection Art Objects by Jeanette Winterson and didn't find it compelling. In that case I stopped reading it pretty early on, too early to have much to say about it. It's not a bad work; it just didn't feel insightful in the ways I prefer. I wonder if that's the case with some other BookTubers you watch: they stop reading what they don't enjoy, so the books they actually finish are the ones they prefer. One thing to keep in mind, and I'm not sure if this is the case for most BookTubers or not, but I try to allow myself not to cover everything I read, otherwise reading starts to feel like work. What I do instead is I read what I want to read, and if a book lingers in my mind or I find I have something of interest to say about it, then I incorporate it into a video. You make an interesting point, though. I should keep in mind criticisms about some of the books that don't work for me, otherwise I can easily not mention them and those thoughts could be of worth to some viewers. That feels like an easy blind spot to slip into. Thanks for the reminder.

[@burke9497]

@@ToReadersItMayConcern thank you for this very thoughtful and insightful reply! It is a good point to make that a BookTuber would be more inclined to make a video reviewing a book they like and that they finish. I can think of one BookTuber though that seems to review a tremendous number of books from nearly all of the well known authors, and he always likes them, or at least he always gives a positive review. It makes me wonder if he really does like everything ever written. Thank you again for the response! Jeff.

[@readreadofficial]

Oh, you want drama??? You haven't read GADDIS?! My favourite booktuber hasn't read my favourite author?! Sic 'em, boys! Thanks again for the brilliant video, it's great to have you back. I don't often do tags, but this one also stood out to me, and I'll try work it into the upload schedule soon 🙌

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

🙏 No pressure or anything, but tags are perfect for someone like you. Just use the prompts as starting points. Go off!

[@salustianoberrios405]

You might have just inspired me to start my own channel…

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Please, please do so!! We need more readers, authors, thinkers, sharers, strangers-the most distinctively themselves-throughout all of BookTube. Experiment! Talk and figure out what you really want to say and talk some more! And, of course, let me know when you start. I'll be among the first viewers!

[@salustianoberrios405]

@@ToReadersItMayConcern thank you, my friend. 😎 I am definitely considering it!

[@gardenplots283]

You seemed to be perplexed about the idea of buying a book with no intention of reading it. I buy some books to read them but I also buy old used books specifically because they have inscriptions or bookplates. I wouldn't buy a brand new book with no intention of ever reading it but people have many different reasons for buying the books they buy and it's not always to read them.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

That's fair. At the time of filming I was genuinely perplexed, because it's not something I've done in the past. Thank you for explaining. I think I have a better understanding now.

[@michaelmasiello6752]

Ruben, I genuinely missed you, and this video-though further (post?)-Erwin Goffman contortions and involutions about the presentation of self are always possible-is a wonderful reminder of why. The way you come across to me is always the same: obviously a teacher (like recognizes like here, since that’s my job too); courageous about admitting limitations but full of the wonder and excitement about how much else there is to learn-what Nicholas of Cusa would have called “docta ignorantia”; and above all, you never seem to project a frame. You don’t even have theme music or taglines. You just stand there and talk, sometimes personally, often movingly, and always encouraging others (and yourself) to slow down, take time, enjoy the adventure of learning and thinking, and not to treat it like a contest or a race. Of course whole raw lives are incommunicable in this format. But I think your channel has always projected integrity. If it doesn’t become very large over time, that is a reflection on social media and our culture. But like John Milton, whose aim was to “fit audience find… though few,” the upside is that you will draw to yourself the people who care about similar things and be able to share ideas with them. But there will never be total agreement or overlap, and that’s wonderful-that way we get to give what is for us a very personal gift: fresh perspectives, recommendations that open up new paths to explore, etc. Milton was being (justifiably, perhaps) snobbish in that line in Paradise Lost, of course. Few people were or ever will be on his level. But we all have an audience “fit” in some way for us and whom we fit in turn. Your genuiness will help ensure you find and grow it. I still haven’t started my own channel. I think when I do I may use the newbie tag and this one at once as templates for introducing it. For now: 1. Dude: when you get to Aristotle, you will be surprised. The most capacious mind I have ever encountered. Check out the Nicomachean Ethics. I taught it to first-year undergrads last spring and they loved it (with some supplemental materials and lectures you won’t need). As for der Hegel, his writing is difficult in German and rebarbative in English. But if you want to get on with the Phenomenologie, try Michael Inwood’s translation for Oxford and, without shame, read the Routlesge Guide book to that work by Stephen Houlgate (a great living Hegelian) along with it. Houlgate’s lifetime of work with Hegel actually makes that book’s arguments limpid and clear. Friends don’t let friends face the German Idealists without help, you know? By the by, I, at fifty and a lifelong reader, have not yet read Zola or Musil (or countless others). I’ve read two by Lispector-lots more to go. I do not know what Steve Donoghue’s trick is, but I do know how readily he calls many great works of art things like “crapola” (he said that about Joyce and Hugo-mind you, I love the guy, but jeez). This is the snooty version of the BookTube cliché, “this book just wasn’t for me.” I prefer thoughtful engagement with things; I’m not even sure “liking a book” is a salient datum, since the object is to communicate what a book does so people can make their own decisions, not to tell people what’s good and potentially shame them for liking what you (generalized “you”) deem to be crapola. You (actual you) don’t do that. You’re honest about your responses to books and thoughtful about explaining them, but you don’t step on others’ flowers, and I think that is a much better policy. 2. I think most everyone has been diffident enough, especially in youth, to lie about what they’ve read. To express ignorance is to chance not belonging to a relationship or in-group one wants to be part of. I have found that honesty comes more and more readily with time. Admitting ignorance is good for all the reasons you name. Knowing this is a sign of real maturity; one stops feeling that one has something to prove, and all that’s left is the “sweetbitter” (Sappho’s “γλῠκῠ́πῑκρος”) desire to know more. I especially enjoy BookTube creators who don’t just read the copy on the back of the books they’ve (ick) “hauled.” I like channels where creators openly interact with a single text. It is impossible to make videos like those of Clifford Lee Sargent (Better Than Food) or Chris Via (Leaf by Leaf) without interacting with linguistic happenings on camera. Cliff, who is a supremely nice and smart guy, has an amazing video on Hart Crane where he has an experience that has not occurred before or since: he reads a piece of a poem he loves aloud and is shocked to find himself crying on camera (not his brand, to say the least) and spends the rest of the video stunned by what happened and recovering himself. Most BookTube isn’t like that. I discount channels where people cry because e.g., they can’t BELIEVE anyone would print something that’s “triggering” (see scads of videos about A Little Life). Anyway, I myself will not be overtly concerned with “spoilers”; I will try to capture the spirit of a work’s work by focusing on passages at the micro-level. This will force me to prove that I’ve read a given thing; I will do it live and unscripted, as we all do when we read. I will try to make sure I allow myself to struggle on camera with difficult subjects and admit uncertainties. We’ll see if anyone likes that-but serotonin aside, that won’t be why I do it. I’ll do it because close reading training shouldn’t be paywalled by universities (which have been ruining the humanities for decades anyway). I want to make basic close reading and context available for free to anyone who wants it. I have digressed. 3. Milton’s Areopagitica is always my cynosure: “I cannot praise a fugitive and cloistered virtue, unexercised and unbreathed, that never sallies out and sees her adversary, but slinks out of the race where that immortal garland is to be run for, not without dust and heat.” I don’t read to be contrarian. I read to confront things that enlarge myself. And this toxic language about “lit-bros” is so harmful-Wallace, however flawed a person, offers a combination of humor, mockery, empathy, and self-consciousness that’s absolutely worth experiencing (pace Harold Bloom and Cliff too). A video on him should try to make the case for this. The disapprobation showcases nothing so much as the narrowness of people’s minds or their sense that they can save the world somehow by offering ad hominem attacks on authors, living and perhaps especially dead, online. Are such people “fit audience” for you (or literature)? One BookTuber recently crowed that she had “unhauled” an Alice Munro collection because of the woman’s failings in life. Her loss-whatever Munro’s personal failings, and they seem to have been grievous, she was one of the greatest short story writers of her or any century. I also know people who won’t listen to Wagner on “principle.”Their loss again. Art becomes autonomous once it is in the world. Samuel Johnson said that before we read we should “clear [our] mind[s] of cant.” He was, I think, right. The best channels explore works carefully and bring others along, and encourage them to disagree-but to disagree on the art, not extratextual political or ideological concerns. Otherwise we get the absurd position that DFW is bad and must be stopped now, to which one can only respond, he stopped, he stopped himself, long ago. All that is left are these books. Can they offer something good to and in the world of the living, whatever the decedent’s failings in his personal life? If yes, I say proceed. I’d love to hear you on Wallace. I’ll probably get around to a video on my favorite book of his-that unfinished mess, The Pale King. Has anything better ever been written about boredom? It may be all the more effective for being unfinished. 4. Free books is an incentive in itself. I hope to treat books in a manner that renders this irrelevant; if one is talking about moments in the text itself, the text will speak in its own voice. Potential buyers will have a sense of whether it’s something that will interest them. You never, ever sound like you’re shilling for anyone. 5. No, but I’ve bought books during a fit of interest in X, had my attention diverted by shining object Y, and left something bought unread. I have some books that have been unread for thirty years. Sometimes this continues because the scholarship on a topic has improved since that book came out. Like you, though, I feel that my books are me-past and present. That centenary Ulysses is not only a resource but an objet d’art-beautiful! 6. “BookTube drama”: the term proves that high school really never ends. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to say something mean to you about yourself or your person. I would delete those comments too. I will delete any comments like that that I receive, I’m sure. Have people nothing better to do with their short lives? I need to find a good book about the pathology of trolling. 7. Agreed-though I dread the idea of creating thumbnails! But one must bait one’s hook with pleasure, I guess. 8. You didn’t get lucky. You’re just a natural at this. 9. Your generosity here is lovely. Read/Read is great, but even he struggles occasionally. Talking about Nabokov’s Ada is freaking hard. Some of these poetry readers are new to me. I’ll check them out. Another mitzvah you’ve done me without knowing it. So glad you’re back. You were missed. I think this is the longest YT comment I’ve ever written, but not having gotten my channel up yet, I decided to be “tagged” in prose. Fortunately, you have always been the sort of creator who seems to enjoy long comments!

[@michaelmasiello6752]

P.S. Are you on Instagram? I just joined. I have a whopping two posts, both about books. I figured I’d see what goes on there. Would love to follow you if you’re on there in a bookish capacity.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

I'm going to pin this wondrously kind and insightful comment. It captures what I hope to find on BookTube, and I hope it brings viewers to you for that eventual day when you release BookTube videos of your own.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

I haven't joined yet (been avoiding social media for a while), but I'm thinking about making an Instagram just for this channel. I'll let you know if I create something, and I'll follow you!

[@michaelmasiello6752]

@@ToReadersItMayConcern I’m honored! I think that when someone tries to distill some piece of their innermost self for others, that warrants real engagement. And readers of our stripe remain an endangered species. Important that we should not feel like monads, but members of a republic (to evoke the Renaissance humanists I studied in grad school). “That day” will come before 2025, I think. As soon as I have mastered a few basic skills, picked a fitting name (surprisingly hard), a few other things. That and a soupçon of courage are all that’s needed.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Not sure if you've made an attempt yet, but keep in mind that the silent sheen of the camera may be the most unnerving aspect of this process. It is not like speaking to students. Grant yourself a lot of time, and allow yourself to speak until it feels you're speaking beyond the camera (sometimes I re-record the introductions at the end, because that is when I have become most comfortable). One trick: have something additional to pay attention to, such as moving your hands along with your speech, or focusing on faint melodies in your elocution (slowing you down, thankfully, too), anything to squint away the camera's aperture eye. It gets easier, but you'd be surprised how often I stare at the camera feeling quite defeated by it; yet because I won't let myself stop, something of worth emerges (and it always feel better when you review it afterward than during; do not listen to your nagging inner corrections during). Also, go easy on yourself in terms of content: not every insight needs to fit in one video; treat each attempt as an experiment. Viewers are most inclined to see you comfortable-soon they'll be there just to see you.

[@tonywarcus5500]

Excellent video. I'll admit to only being aware of BookTube quite recently; I also subscribe to David Novak and Steve Donoghue's channels - the tag of other BookTubers is very helpful. Thank you. It can sometimes be quite useful learning about how a reader's response to a book may have changed over time and - without being contrarian in a sensationalist way - learning about titles which might currently be held in high esteem but where the reader might beg to differ. I don't know if you are in a position to occasionally flag that you might be reviewing a particular work in a couple of month's time. That could give followers the opportunity to read/re-visit the title in time for your review. Just a thought. If Germinal and The Man without Qualities are on your "To Do" list, you've got some treats to look forward to! Good luck.

[@Thetrilingualreader]

Does the 4th question work on me? In the sense that I bought the republic when i was 15 and i knew it will be *a while* that i get to it but i still wanted to own it? 😂

[@MrSwinefuzz]

Found you recently and this video about authenticity is the one that compelled me to subscribe. I urge you to remain honest and genuine. So to answer one of your Qs, if you wouldn't select a book/author due to your own actual interests, then plz don't discuss it. I don't want to watch another compensated influencer and I don't get the sense you want to be. If you were, you might be reviewing the likes of drama queen Colleen Hoover. My humble thanks.

[@spikedaniels1528]

Thanks!

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

This is so kind, thank you! 🙏

[@spikedaniels1528]

@@ToReadersItMayConcern 👍

[@Thetrilingualreader]

Oooooo this is going to be good *grabs popcorn*

[@Souljacker7]

As a Brazilian I haven't read Clarice at all since I left school. They really manage to put the trauma in my head

[@cloudycinnamoroll]

i really liked this video - i relate to the feeling of wanting to seem more impressive.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

It seems we want to be someone we're proud of, so we follow models of what makes us proud. At times those models seem greatly distant from who we are now, thus comes discouragement and temptation to lie. I hope we remind ourselves and others that it is okay to notice that temptation, if only to best allow it to pass us by. That model can crumble and fall in time as we discover something more personal and distinctive to follow (something true, all the more worthwhile in being true).

[@tbone2885]

I'm curious, with regards to purchasing books you never plan on reading, have you ever considered purchasing rare, limited edition, or signed copies of books to collect. The idea that books becoming mantle pieces may be strange but especially for books I'm incredibly sentimental about, I occasionally splurge on a rare edition that I never plan on reading, but solely to demonstrate my appreciation for the work, or for the artistry that goes into the bookbinding.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

I actually haven't thus far. I'm not sure why. I can see the beauty, certainly, that of treating a book as art object, but ever since I began regularly writing in my books, I think that part of myself has left me. I do cherish some of my books; however, that includes the history I have with them, annotations and all. Do you have some favorite collectible books you own?

[@tbone2885]

@@ToReadersItMayConcern for luxurious limited editions, I own the Folio Society's Limited Edition of Lord of the Rings, with illustrations commissioned from Alan Lee. This alone was reason to buy it. It was the art of Alan Lee that introduced me to LotR, not word of mouth or merits of the book itself. But the story would later become quite sentimental to my life. Another book I own that I never will read is a book tied closely with my family. An uncle of mine published his first novel entitled Stones and Switches, a story that mixes indigenous myth with contempory living. But he unfortunately passed weeks before the novel's publishing. I have an unopened copy that I wish to preserve for conservatory purposes. Perhaps to pass down one day since the novel is out of print. In a "oneod these days" scenario, what book would you like to serve as that mantle piece for your collection? Be crazy. Like a Shakespeare first folio or something?

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

That is such an interesting question. There is a rare book that comes to mind, one I've spoken about on this channel, that is not famous enough or sellable enough to be reprinted, at least as far as I can tell, and that is Bottom's Dream by Arno Schmidt (or, equally, his even rarer work Evening Edged in Gold). I would love a pristine copy of that, not necessarily to read-too bulky for that-but just to observe a while and wonder at its strange design. That's the first that comes to mind, but I'm sure there's a better choice I'm not thinking of. I'll keep pondering that.

[@hxyjdn]

So could you list some booktubers with super high level of substance but are not very popular? Thanks

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

A good starting point would be the channels I mentioned at 40:37. But I'll think carefully about a more extensive list and maybe create something in the future.

[@Barklord]

When I was 18 (1987), I went down the entire Ayn Rand rabbit hole. I was obsessed. It's embarrassing, but also a huge learning experience. I realised how naive I was and now try to remember that young readers need to find themselves, and it's ok to make ideological mistakes. Now, my politics are informed by my experience as a worker and a variety of political and economic thinkers.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

What a coincidence: I almost discussed Ayn Rand as an example in this video. We have to start somewhere. Even someone like Ayn Rand can introduce a general interest in politics that can bloom into a more detailed and constructive outlook down the line. Each reader is at a different stage of their reading; we start with simple compulsions that then, ideally, grow in complexity over time. Thank you for sharing your experience.

[@williamgass9242]

Ayn Rand is not embarrassing

[@Barklord]

@williamgass9242 Ayn Rand tried to use Aristotle to legitimise her capitalist virtue ethics by association with Aristotle, but Aristotle was clear about the *incompatibility* of Virtue Ethics and Justice in Exchange (catalactic justice) precisely because, 1) money is incommensurate with the goods that are exchanged, and 2) virtues are not exchangeable with those goods, i.e. I can't buy or sell abilities in the same way I can buy a pair of shoes, and I if I buy a car, it doesn't come with the ability (virtue) to drive it. 3) inequality in circumstances of exchange means that price leveraging occurs, which is unrelated to the virtues of those doing the exchanging, and 4) increased marketshare leads to artificial scarcity and price manipulation - Virtue cannot be exploitative because exploitation produces disharmony and is antithetical to friendship. So Aristotle was critical of the effects of market exchange on social relations, but Ayn Rand features it as the primary political organizing principle.

[@Barklord]

@williamgass9242 Ayn Rand tried to associate her virtue ethics with Aristotle, but Aristotle's critique of Justice in Exchange shows that his Virtue Ethics is incompatible with it. It doesn't seem like she read very much Aristotle since, in many respects (the use value/exchange value distinction and incommensurability of goods), he agrees more with Karl Marx than Rand. Aristotle's politics and ethics have different teleologies than Rand's capitalism.

[@williamgass9242]

@@Barklord so what?

[@Késin_10.136]

The book that really got me interested in english and then Russian literature was Mark Twain's The adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. It was quite recently that i read on the internet that Mark Twain was a racist and White Supremacist, I don't know if that's really the case or not but either way i still have vivid memories of enjoying tom Sawyer and huckleberry finn so much that..i went on a wonderful literary journey and have learned and enjoyed so much since then.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

The power of those works sounds like a positive force in your life. Whatever is the case for the human, who is now gone, the work itself lives in its own way, and for you it has blossomed out toward a thoughtful and literary life. That seems to me a wonderful thing.

[@ekurisona663]

whenever I've brought this up people were very quick to shout me down - and very quick to remind me that people don't have to review the books they read - they can just say they read them and there's no reason to not believe them😂 - how many channels basically give no meaningful indication that they've read the books they're showing on screen

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Yes, they've shown up less on my feed since I don't click on them anymore, but there have been a few videos where it is obvious what they're doing, and that is a huge shame.

[@prilljazzatlanta5070]

You mean like those 30 books in 30 days people?

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

@@prilljazzatlanta5070 Every once in a while I hear someone discuss a book I've read as if they've read it, and I can tell they haven't read it, and that is hugely disappointing.

[@camildumitrescu3703]

There with you, with Gaddis. . May I suggest an doozy? Andre Gide - "Corydon". I will not spoil the subtitle. I think of Gide a lot, given that he seems to me the least mentioned modern french writer, there is a weird avoidance around him. Ironically enough. One of my alltime favs -I am reading his Diary now.. (maybe his USSR trip was a bit Too Honest and people don't know what to make out of him.) I admire your channel.

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Oh, this is a fantastic recommendation. Thank you!

[@camildumitrescu3703]

@@ToReadersItMayConcern oh, you’re welcome. Warm Regards from Bucharest - Romania.

[@JackMacPW]

Great video Ruben 😊 Nice to see you assert your values about this sphere Unrelated, if you haven't come across Marc Nash on here you'd really enjoy his videos

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Oh, I hadn't heard of Marc Nash. Thank you for this excellent recommendation! Subscribing now! 😀

[@Edog1337]

The main problem I have with Booktube is the inability for most to tell what they really think about a book. So many reviewers will not post negative reviews. They will just leave a book out if they dont like it. Wot is the point. I dont want to hear everything is just 5 stars. I do suspect many dont read the books, or just skim or read summaries. Especially when their comments are a clone of the mainstream.

[@kakastormblessed1140]

Great video thanks for this

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@camildumitrescu3703]

There is BookTube, and there is Dan Schneider of Cosmoetica fame. imho.

[@severianthefool7233]

What are the three NYRB books that are grouped together on the top shelf (above and to our right of Anatomy of Melancholy)? Great video, as always!

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Those are Kolyma Stories by Varlam Shalamov, Stalingrad by Vasily Grossman, and Life and Fate by Vasily Grossman (I've been reading about Russian history and the Soviet Union for a while, so these serve as phenomenal literary complements).

[@severianthefool7233]

@@ToReadersItMayConcern Thank you!

[@pretentioussystem]

I really liked a biography about V. Grossman and his books are back on my tbr. I am very picky about fiction but they are definitely back on my list. At the moment I am listening to Gravities Rainbow and I am 50/50 about continuing. On the one hand so much absurdity about such an unfortunate topic on the other hand I am somewhat curious about how all the plot twists will conclude. 😁

[@hxyjdn]

Interesting topic

[@drendelous]

42:05 cant find this one. ty so much for so many new channels to subscribe. i wish there were a site or sth for such recommendations. i tend to adore channels with a few thousands of subscribers. they are almost always so charming and beautiful

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

I listed out the KZbin handles of each of the channels in the description (right underneath the tag questions), and you should be able to click on them to immediately jump to their page. Hope that helps!

[@JDesEsseintes-x]

There is a certain shame in reading so many books. I feel that shame vividly. Do you understand the difference between reader and man reading?

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Why shame?

[@JDesEsseintes-x]

@@ToReadersItMayConcern Because reading became entertainment and I spend too much time on it. It's just a form of escapism. Any philosophy from East to West will tell you that you can only learn from practice, and reading is literally putting practice off.

[@tony664]

I am only interested in independent authors if you are actually into reading the material

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

That's good to know. Thank you!

[@ryanbartlett672]

Your honesty is top notch, and I love your no BS delivery. Beyond book tube, it seems you only get points (and avoud attack/mockery) if it is the right race, gender, and sexual orientation. Sadly, I use general words there because you know who is watching. LOVE "(absolute) Agreement is scary"

[@christopherjames4486]

Great job man!

[@GeekGawk]

❤

[@Thetrilingualreader]

Do you want us to buddy read in search of lost time 😂 because I am down

[@pandittroublejr]

👍🏾

[@michelians1148]

Let's be real, booktube is loaded with a certain type of offender, convicted yet or not. Dishonesty and corruption is natural to those types.

[@markfortuin7111]

Thanks

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

Oh, you are so kind. Thank you very much!

[@deadpoet9392]

Do you know any Booktuber who lies about reading?😅

[@ToReadersItMayConcern]

There are some who I suspect of doing so. None I would mention.

[@deadpoet9392]

@@ToReadersItMayConcern damn people can do anything for views!! That's sad

[@drendelous]

18:04 💯💯

[@Thetrilingualreader]

I don't think the second question meant banned books, or mockery, i think they meant authors who are bigoted/offensive and promote these harmful stereotypes in their books. Examples: jk rowling, or male fantasy writers that need to unnecessarily put r*pe scenes in every book that literally add nothing to the story, or pushing down right wing politics full of scientific inaccuracies. Yeah i wouldn't read that. Why anger myself? There is a difference between engaging analytically with a controversial text and feeling anger without any real discussion to be had