How to curate the perfect reading list
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- čas přidán 7. 08. 2024
- Life is too short to finish books we dislike. How do you decide what to read next? Today I will discuss how I curate my reading list.
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0:00 Life is short
0:40 Lists and goals
2:30 Re-reading
3:30 Questions to ask yourself
4:30 Mood readers
5:05 How I curate mine
8:19 Giving up on books
9:00 Big books & book club - Zábava
One note: I love that you go slow in your videos. There's something calming about how you present your ideas. It doesn't feel too composed. It's genuine, not something to be consumed. I enjoyed it. Thank you for the advice!
Thank you! I'm happy that you enjoy my videos. Glad to have you here. :)
@@ProseAndPetticoats Thank you!
I love re-reading books as well! It's like meeting a friend once again and it helps to discover more about the plot. I've never felt the same about the book I read before, there is always something new that I missed the last time.
About giving up on books, I also feel guilty about it. I try to tell myself that at least I tried 😉 (It doesn't always work 😊)
My mother used to never understand why anyone would re-read a book. (Or re-watch a show/movie either.) "But you already know everything that's going to happen." I never had a response for that when I was a kid. Technically, she was right. At that time, I didn't know how to put into words that yes, you know everything that's going to happen. But it's like visiting with old friends. And, as you said, there's often things we miss.
@@iloveenglanguage The feeling of guilt, yes... Especially when the book is well loved. And you are spot on - it's amazing to befriend those fictional characters, and so rewarding to return to them. There's always some new detail you hadn't spotted before.
I have no problem with rereading too, I am currently reading The Brothers Karamazov for a third time! And surely I will do the same for The Count of Monte Cristo, Don Quixote etc.
I like how you structure your lists, mine is very similar! Not only from reading everything from one’s favorite writers, but also reading what those writers themselves loved!
Good video!
I love that we have a similar way of approaching this! Monte Cristo and Quixote are among my favourites, but I still have to read Karamazov. Is it very different from Crime & Punishment?
Tsundoku is a Japanese term of slang that describes the phenomenon of acquiring too many books that a person can't reasonably read in one lifetime.
Thank you for your perspective Emmelie.
Tolstoy's novel War and Peace doesn't seem such a big hurdle for me now after watching this video and you giving some encouragement to read.
Oh, so you will be reading W&P? It's a great one, I hope you will fall in love with it.
I must say that I don't have that many unread books on the shelf. I think that would only cause me stress!
I am one of those mood readers so I tend to read whatever shiny thing appeals to me at the moment. I, too, read a certain amount of time each day rather than try to work toward a number of books. It is easier to make a habit of reading for me that way. Lastly, I am a completionist so I tend not to DNF books that I should. I need to work on that and adopt more of your approach to reading.
Whatever shiny thing, haha. Well, I too struggle hard with giving up on books. I just gave up on one and it had been a long time since I had to do that. It feels wrong, but it's for the best.
I hope you enjoy Middlemarch. I read it a few years ago and loved it, but I have not come across anyone who read it and loved it as much as I did. I want to read it again soon. To me, reading a book and loving it but never reading it again is like watching a movie or listening to a song and telling everyone how great it is, but never watching/listening to it ever again.
@@SevenUnwokenDreams Ah, another re-reader 🥰 Have you read anything else by Eliot, since you loved Middlemarch so much? I have read Silas Marner, and I liked it, but didn't love it. I hope I will enjoy Middlemarch as much as you did. If you have any advice, do let me know 🥰
@@ProseAndPetticoats I read Silas Marner too and liked it. I also read The Mill on the floss this year and it moved me in the best way ! I love this book ! The more I discover George Eliot 's novels the more I love her as a novelist 😊
@@ProseAndPetticoats Last year I read The Mill on the Floss, which I loved more than Middlemarch. I loved the main character, and thought her life was unfair, and it broke my heart.
@@SevenUnwokenDreams I love heartbreaking novels 🤭
I read on someone's stories a while ago that rereading was a waste of time and I totally disagree. So I discussed this a few days ago also in my stories and a follower told me that that mindset it's like saying that you like a song but that's it, you'll only listen to it once.
I LOVE to reread my favourite books, get back once again to the stories, the characters, etc. Sometimes with a second or a third read you find stuff that you didn't pay attention before.
Oh my, a waste of time? Those poor readers who never revisit their favourite characters! I'm glad we agree ;)
I used to love Kafka once upon a time. And Kafka loved Hamsun. So I ended up reading about 10 novels by Knut Hamsun.
I'm nowhere near as organised as you are. 🙂
@@meryuk That's what I'm talking about! 😍 haha, you don't have to be ;)
Thank you for this type of video! I've been struggling to find the best way to list all the books I really want to read and stick to it, now I'm encouraged and inspired to get my reading list organized!
@@ArthurKain Wow, that's great! Have fun making those lists 😍
You sound so soothing and gentle, the microphone is doing wonders as well. Wonderful video! (Love the topic, haven't seen a video like it and never thought about it this way!)
@@mellifluouslyanonymous Getting a new microphone was a good choice, yes. It makes all the difference. I'm glad you find my voice soothing 🤭
Hi! Such a great video. I love these videos where you give us tips on how to read more/better. I have recently started following this advice you gave about not having to finish a book when you know it’s not good. You’re right: Life is short.
Do you struggle with giving up on a book? I find it incredibly hard, and I think I always will... 😅 I'm glad you love the topic!
Thank you for this Emmelie. You are so right when you point out that there are so many 'tools' available when beginning to read a certain book or author. Also let's never forget the good old fashioned library!
When it comes to reading fiction I tend to follow authors and try to read what I can find of that author. A bit like what you were saying about Tolstoy.
An author that I would recommend for you to begin another list with is Sharon Kay Penman. I think you would love her historical fiction! 🙂
@@user-se8nj6ow9y The library is a gem. Unfortunately, here in Belgium we barely find any English books, so I always end up buying my reads. :) Maybe that's why I forgot to mention it.
Those books by Penman look interesting. I will add them to my list. Thank you!
Impeccably filmed and nicely explained (even if I'm more of a mood reader myself). (I'm kind of caught up in how well-shot this is-such a fantastic angle you chose for this video.) Anyway, this is a fantastic presentation on how best to decide what counts and doesn't in our reading life. You're completely right: we don't have unlimited time. We should invest in the works that matter.
Thank you! This was a more casual recording. It felt different, and I was wondering if anyone would notice 🤭 Glad you like it.
@@ProseAndPetticoats You have my vote for continuing to experiment in this direction. It felt in moments like hanging out with a close friend, less distant or artificial than CZcams is generally known for (but you somehow still make it look high quality; it felt purposeful in its intimacy).
@ToReadersItMayConcern That was the goal! Thanks for the motivation - I will be continuing the experiment ;)
I love the idea of a daily time goal. That's more manageable/trackable than number of books by year/month/week. And, if you don't reach your goal that day, you can always start over the very next day. That feels more doable than trying to catch up on a month or year's worth of books.
"After all, tomorrow is another day!"
- Scarlett O'Hara, GONE WITH THE WIND
Yes, it is more doable and more rewarding 🥰 If you fail to reach a monthly or yearly goal, it can feel so disappointing.
I'm unable to make a list, I think I am a mood reader, but I do have ideas of the kinds of things that I would like to read. And that can get me through a few of the same "style" of book, meaning historical or mysteries or maybe something gothic for the Halloween season. And I give myself at least 50 to 100 pages before giving up on a book.
Excellent! Those 50 - 100 pages is a great rule. Do you find it difficult to give up on a book?
I will watch this when I am done with work stuff. But before I forget:
After 188 pages, I gave up on The Brothers Karamazov. I even... donated the book to a Little Free Library. For some reason, when I read the summary on the back of the book, I missed the part where it talked about "love triangle" or something to that effect. I don't know how I missed it because I know I read the summary more than once.
Romance plots in books are not my thing. Especially drama like that. I can't relate to it. It doesn't engage me. It does not interest me. Now, if I had at least been enjoying/understanding the other aspects of the story, that would've been different. I would have kept pushing through. Gone With the Wind has a bit of a "love triangle" if you want to call it that way, and I adore that book! It's a comfort re-read for me. But that's because there were so many other aspects of the story that I was enjoying. Here, I was barely understanding what was going on. To be honest, it was draining my love for reading in general. I was beginning to dread picking it up. I would even bring it with me to the laundromat because that's where I get a lot of my reading done. There's nothing else to do when you're waiting for the machines to finish.
I feel so bad about this. I know it's a classic. I wanted to push through. But I gave in and gave up. I do leave the option open to come back to it someday. Never say never!
I guess I just needed to get that off my chest. ;)
@@Yesica1993 It is so frustrating to dislike a book you had hoped to fall in love with.
I get what you're saying about wanting more than romance alone. I also prefer other things going on at the same time (though I love a little drama) ;)
Try not to feel bad about it! I gave up on a popular book yesterday, too. Moving on ♥️
❤
Something that kills my reading habit stone dead is my phone.
Due to work I can't switch it off in case I miss an important message. I incidentally also find myself waiting for something to happen, which leaves me just scrolling on my phone because I don't think I have enough time to start into a new chapter.
I've found I've been able to focus and read a lot more if I can find the time to read in the morning before I've even glanced at my phone.
When I don't want to miss calls, I just turn off the wifi on my phone. Maybe that helps? :) I can relate to this. Do you feel like you have to finish a chapter when you stop reading, or can you stop on any page? :)
@ProseAndPetticoats We work on group chats, unfortunately.
It's more that I'd rather not get started into a big chapter and have to stop at some random point without closure
@@Rascal-of-War Oh, I see. 🫢
👍
Miss please do not ignore
Do you need anyone to work for you to make awesome CZcams thumbnails?
Please reply affirmative or negative.
Either way will be good.
P.S video was very good and came at a perfect time when I needed.
@@rupatiwary3008 Thank you, but I am not looking for anyone :)
Ok I understand. I hope I didn't bother you much (which I obviously did)
Thanks for the response
@@rupatiwary3008 Of course you did not! Thanks for watching 🥰 and good luck with your business.
I ordered a copy of Middlemarch to maybe join your book club. Then, I read the first book on Gutenberg and I realize I don't enjoy the narration style (3rd person, omniscient). I found some very beautifully written passages and enjoyed most dialogues. However, the first book is supposed to be about Miss Brooke and it doesn't feel like I have met miss Brooke personally, if that makes any sense. I guess it really is a "study" and I'm still deciding on how to proceed. As you said, time is short. The book club is in Discord, right? May I ask if it's going to be free-form or if the progression will be staggered in terms of what we may and may not discuss, let's say, each week?
Hello! It's great that you have already read part of the book on Gutenberg. Too bad the writing style isn't working for you. Yes, it is on Discord. There is an everyday schedule of about 1-2 chapters a day during July and August. The chat is also divided into those chapters, to avoid spoilers. Some readers comment on the chapter(s) they've read every day, others read in bigger chunks and comment later, and some don't talk at all. It is completely up to you! :) I hope this answers your question?
The other works on his year's schedule are The Misanthrope by Molière, Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy, Germinal by Émile Zola, and Old Man Goriot by Honoré de Balzac.
@@ProseAndPetticoats Yes, this is great. Thanks for explaining.
Do you have a English translation recommendation for The Hunchback of Notre Dame? I started reading a old Wordsworth edition of it and it was very challenging to understand what I was reading at a enjoyable level. I would really like to read it so if you have a translation suggestion I would love to have it 😊
First of all, I am excited to hear that you want to tackle Notre-Dame. Personally, I like the translation by Isabel F. Hapgood most. Do keep in mind that, whatever translation you pick, it still remains a challenging read. The first chapters up until Pierre Gringoire's perspective will be the most difficult, but I promise that it will get easier once you have worked your way through the setup. That reminds me: I still have to make a video about this. Feel free to message me if you have any questions. Good luck!
@@ProseAndPetticoats thank you so much for this!