What Even makes a Book Good?

In my quest to find out what the best book is, I first have to determine what makes a good book, making a few stops along the way.

[@elpis.]

don't know why this video showed up on my FYP, but here we are. The "best" book I've ever read is probably If On A Winter's Night A Traveller by Italo Calvino. I think it is a masterclass in writing. But is it my favorite, or the one I enjoyed the most? Far from it. Because when it comes to a book being your favorite, there are other elements that make a book one's favorite besides being well-written. And those elements make Dune (well, you can count all the first three books) by Frank Herbert my favorite. Besides the fact that it is so well-written and the world-building is unbelievably good, I have an emotional connection to it. Because I read it during my difficult times, during the pandemic, and my entire world was Dune. I fell in love with the world Frank Herbert created, and the world was strangely familiar but unknown at the same time. Because I grew up in Turkey, a country that's like a bridge to the west from the east, I found tons of familiar and unfamiliar things in there. I read it every year since then, and I'm reading it at the moment too because there's the second part of the movie coming out.

[@TheMeanderingGentleman]

Thank you for the comment, I really enjoyed reading it. Although I haven't read the first book ( hey, making this video gave me book recommendations, who would have guessed:) ) I did read Dune, and can see where you are coming from. It was really nice reading your comment, and I felt touched by it's length and depth. Thank you for sharing these words, seeing someone talk about things so passionately really made my day. Hope you find what you are looking for each time you read the book.

[@lucmar6867]

Great video essay! I always like to hear discussions about books. I feel like this was a very big topic to cover, and where there are so many intricacies, for example is a book that plays with your emotions better than a book that immerses you with impressive worldbuilding (for example, Sanderson's books), or even a thriller that keeps you on your toes? That being said, I felt like the video was mostly philosophical and danced around what makes the content of a book "good", and only near the end when you gave the criteria for what you will judge the books by did you get into it. You mentioned that you aren't a professional [book analyzer], but I think it would be interesting to hear more about what makes the content of a book enjoyable! Maybe even if you delve into one of the books you deemed "good", and just talk about it, it could be nice. And here are my 2 cents: Something that makes a book good is that it sets out to deliver you an experience, and succeeds grandly. It can do this through the exploration of ideas (ex: sci-fi), situations (ex: thriller), ethics, and plenty of other ways (I am also not a professional). My best book choice, since I have to pick, would be Flowers For Algernon. And since I can, a recommendation I wholeheartedly give is The Devotion of Suspect X.

[@TheMeanderingGentleman]

Wow, thank you for the lengthy comment! I really feel at a loss for words in trying to respond to it. I honestly think that what is "good" really depends on how you view the question - and the answer I gave in the video might be only one of many. Different ways of viewing books might give us different "best" books. So, honestly, I don't think we, as humans, can see things objectively enough to truly crown one "best" from all points of view, even if there might be one.

[@auliaa1360]

one of your videos came on my home page and now I'm binge watching your videos.

[@N4VV4F]

the best book i ever read is " problem solving for new engineers" but a book i always recommend is " managing oneself' by Peter F D rucker

[@OIVAriini1]

Amazing video and thanks for the book recomendation! Have you read the Dance Dance Dance by Murakami? I am thinking of getting it because I really enjoyed the Wild Sheep Chase.

[@TheMeanderingGentleman]

Not yet, now I'm reading The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and plan to read a few more by him in the future.

[@flickingbollocks5542]

Encyclopedia Britanicum

[@TheMeanderingGentleman]

:)

[@ottonylen2834]

Love your channel. A little late to the video but my two favorite books are Dark Age from the red rising series and the stranger by Albert Camus, the fall by Camus was also very good but i dont know a lot about books because im only 14

[@kevinbihari]

The i've best ever thumbnail seen

[@jameswood3647]

The I best ever book read

[@TheMeanderingGentleman]

:)

[@diegommleonardo4776]

Great Video Essay man, I'd say One Hundred Years of Solitude.

[@TheMeanderingGentleman]

Yes, it's really good.

[@phanpito]

My teacher assigned me to read Cien años de soledad. i have jus finished reading two chapters and stumbled across this video and your comment. What do you like some much about this book?