my 10 favorite books of all time

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  • čas přidán 14. 06. 2024
  • The first 1,000 people to use this link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare: skl.sh/mancarryingthing03221
    Thanks for watching! Also, this is not a comprehensive list, but one that changes day to day, so i'll probably do another next year that will look different.
    books by leynes' Moby Dick review: • Video
    0:00 Intro
    0:40 Absalom, Absalom!
    2:06 East of Eden
    2:46 Moby-Dick
    4:00 Butcher's Crossing
    5:12 Words of Radiance
    6:00 2001 A Space Odyssey
    8:26 Something Wicked This Way Comes
    9:34 The Waterworks
    10:13 Blood Meridian
    11:35 The Complete Calvin and Hobbes
    12:03 Outro
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Komentáře • 608

  • @ManCarryingThing
    @ManCarryingThing  Před 2 lety +107

    The first 1,000 people to use this link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare: skl.sh/mancarryingthing03221

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      @anima099 Před 2 lety +4

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      So, this is going to be the first time that I actually can use Skillshare's one-month trial. Thank you!
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    • @Nova-if1dq
      @Nova-if1dq Před 2 lety +3

      @@anima099 Wow you’re so lucky to get a code! There’s only 1000 of them so you were one of the first of Man Carrying Thing’s 10 billion dedicated viewers! I’m Jealous

    • @rodrigonoffs1369
      @rodrigonoffs1369 Před 2 lety

      i'm still waiting for thing carrying man

    • @werekill
      @werekill Před 2 lety +1

      Congrats on getting the sponsorship! It has been awesome seeing your channel grow.

    • @tylerfortniteninjablevins1457
      @tylerfortniteninjablevins1457 Před 2 lety +1

      i like your mustache
      it suits you very well

  • @anonymousanonymous1338
    @anonymousanonymous1338 Před 2 lety +5043

    Didn’t expect every single answer to be “Twilight: New Moon” but I respect the bravery

    • @lilspicy8653
      @lilspicy8653 Před 2 lety +225

      I can't believe the only comment he left on goodreads about the book was _"I want Edward to ravage me"._

    • @YourEverydayNerd
      @YourEverydayNerd Před 2 lety +95

      Stephanie Meyers including four empty pages to show the progression of time is a literary achievement

    • @Catago
      @Catago Před 2 lety +11

      I genuinely read this with my book club without reading the original. It made it worse (I assume)

    • @fv2977
      @fv2977 Před 2 lety +9

      Why would he say something so controversial yet so brave.

    • @connorbrown7455
      @connorbrown7455 Před 2 lety +9

      @@YourEverydayNerd Totally agreed though. There were some really great literary techniques hidden behind the sparkles and moping.

  • @Manuel-gk3rv
    @Manuel-gk3rv Před 2 lety +2295

    I may not always agree with you, but the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is indeed a cultural classic deserving to be everyone's top 16 books.

    • @vol94
      @vol94 Před 2 lety +12

      I hope this is a joke

    • @Manuel-gk3rv
      @Manuel-gk3rv Před 2 lety +77

      @@vol94 No. Dead Serious.

    • @elijahfordsidioticvarietys8770
      @elijahfordsidioticvarietys8770 Před 2 lety +93

      @@vol94 why? Do you deny the brilliance of Diary of A Wimpy Kid’s compelling themes about human nature and life in America?

    • @Manuel-gk3rv
      @Manuel-gk3rv Před 2 lety +46

      @@elijahfordsidioticvarietys8770 Finally, someone who speaks English

    • @vol94
      @vol94 Před 2 lety +2

      @@elijahfordsidioticvarietys8770 yea cuz it's for kids and it's written in such bland and simple writing it can't possibly transport me into the story.

  • @TheMoFauxs
    @TheMoFauxs Před 2 lety +1691

    I was surprised to see “Owner’s Manual - Rotary Mower HR215SXA” in the Honda Power Equipment series, but I gotta say, your case for it was convincing. I’m sold!!

    • @tshoemake5945
      @tshoemake5945 Před rokem +12

      Ya gotta have that if you're serious about book collecting

    • @alb0zfinest
      @alb0zfinest Před rokem +1

      Considering that he included Sanderson 🤮 in the same list as Steinbeck, that may as well have been one of the recommendations. How do include someone (Sanderson) who has prose like a high school student writing his first draft, to the other literary American works? (Would do well to read some French and Russian classics btw).

    • @SoManySkinks
      @SoManySkinks Před rokem +12

      @@alb0zfinest Sir this is a Wendy's

    • @ryanstewart531
      @ryanstewart531 Před 3 měsíci +6

      ​@@alb0zfinestliterature puritans when they realize that someone is allowed to like a book that isn't about some dude catching a fish, or a family going somewhere

    • @sunkintree
      @sunkintree Před měsícem +1

      @@ryanstewart531 Sanderson is a laughing stock, lmao. Write all the comments you want in light of this fact.

  • @sebastianfors4491
    @sebastianfors4491 Před 2 lety +1381

    Surprised to see Fifty Shades of Grey on the list, but everyone has their own preferences!

  • @Free-4554
    @Free-4554 Před 2 lety +634

    What a bold move for him to include Calvin and Hobbes given their history as war criminals.

    • @amritasengupta5251
      @amritasengupta5251 Před rokem +1

      What😢????

    • @BackflipBrickfilms
      @BackflipBrickfilms Před 7 měsíci +10

      @@amritasengupta5251 It was a recurring theme in the comics where C & H would pretend to be presidents locked into war, typically featuring water balloons as nuclear warheads.

  • @Cam_Wolfe
    @Cam_Wolfe Před 2 lety +983

    I was unable to tell for most of the video if this was very subtle satire, but when you didn't mention 'Blues Clues: World of Colors' I decided conclusively that this is indeed satire.
    Jokes aside, I just finished Words of Radiance myself not too long ago and it was probably the most successfully cinematic Fantasy I have read in a very long time (maybe ever)

    • @ManCarryingThing
      @ManCarryingThing  Před 2 lety +195

      very glad you picked up on that subtle satire! i mean no blues clues is a major red flag on ANY list

  • @KevinJennissen
    @KevinJennissen Před 2 lety +420

    I'm not even certain how to express the admiration that arose at the inclusion of Calvin and Hobbes. What a perfect way to cap off any list.

  • @thebasedgodmax1163
    @thebasedgodmax1163 Před 2 lety +512

    super surprised that every single entry was "Everyone at this school is a phony", but that book IS a classic coming of age story.

  • @statsegr
    @statsegr Před 2 lety +154

    When i clicked on it I didn't even know if Jake would actually talk about his favourite books or it would be a shitpost.

  • @seanwald2249
    @seanwald2249 Před 2 lety +185

    Yknow the stuff you said about 50 shades of grey really changed my mind, I was really surprised it was your number 1 but now I see that it truly is a misunderstood masterpiece

  • @dentdedragon
    @dentdedragon Před 2 lety +306

    Ah, yes. "Something Wicked This Way Comes", the famous novel by Ray Bradbury adapted from the song with the toads at the start of the third Harry Potter movie.

    • @PrinceofArfon
      @PrinceofArfon Před rokem +21

      Big Potterhead, that Bradbury.

    • @michelleblanchard9434
      @michelleblanchard9434 Před rokem +1

      I read that book as a kid. While I liked most of Bradbury's stuff, "Wicked' scared the shit out of me. I haven't read it since.

  • @jeffeliassen
    @jeffeliassen Před 2 lety +143

    One of the reasons I greatly appreciate your work is you hold both humor/levity and serious/meaningfulness well; like the best literature/art.

    • @Juanouo
      @Juanouo Před 2 lety +8

      One of the reasons I greatly appreciate your writing is you hold the slash character pretty well

    • @jeffeliassen
      @jeffeliassen Před 2 lety +3

      @@Juanouo slashing my way through life

  • @paulm186
    @paulm186 Před 2 lety +157

    I've watched several booktubers over the years.. but your genuineness and passion about books keeps me watching yours the most. Keep up the good work.

  • @user-eg4nj5mw1d
    @user-eg4nj5mw1d Před 2 lety +207

    Ray Bradbury’s “One Hundred Years of Solitude” is my favorite children’s picture book.

    • @billshears6062
      @billshears6062 Před 2 lety +47

      It is my favorite as well. Another good one is Brian Herbert’s “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure.” Best literary fiction ever written.

    • @shiningyoonie
      @shiningyoonie Před 2 lety +2

      Lol stop!

    • @dionysianapollomarx
      @dionysianapollomarx Před 2 lety +4

      That's a deep cut

    • @hannibalburgers477
      @hannibalburgers477 Před rokem +2

      @@billshears6062 My ma used to read manga Lupa to me when I was a wee lad

    • @meesalikeu
      @meesalikeu Před rokem +1

      shtaap kek

  • @jamesd.c.4810
    @jamesd.c.4810 Před 2 lety +52

    No Minecraft Guidebook? Okay.

  • @Fell-Purpose
    @Fell-Purpose Před 2 lety +325

    Interesting to see Brandon Sanderson alongside Faulkner and Melville. Always though people made too much of a distinction between literary and genre fiction. Would have both James Joyce and William Gibson in my own top ten.

    • @Rik-B
      @Rik-B Před 2 lety +31

      Agreed! My favorites include Words of Radiance, Crime and Punishment, and Kafka's Metamorphosis. There's so many things literature can do, so it's a shame to be close-minded about it.

    • @richardanderson8107
      @richardanderson8107 Před rokem +17

      ​@@DanLyndon I'll agree on the unfortunate misperception of literature, but you're not helping that by turning around and looking down your nose at an author whose work you don't fancy. Even feeling the need to point out the obvious and expound about how different Melville and Sanderson are reeks of pretension motivated by insecurity-as if you need to make doubly sure everyone knows you know the two are so different that risking any comparison by placing them on the same list of favorites is itself an affront. Literature in the traditional sense isn't dull pretension wrapped in overwrought language (for that see your comment), neither is genre fiction devoid of notability or merit.

  • @bray7934
    @bray7934 Před 2 lety +71

    I have watched this video a ridiculous amount of times, to the point where I know what you are going to say before you even say it. There's a great conversational quality to this, like I'm talking to a very smart and humble friend; your humor is very natural and your insight into the books is obviously very deep. I even read Blood Meridian because of this video, and it is now one of my favorites. Great vid, and keep carrying thing!

  • @randomknowledgeperson2872
    @randomknowledgeperson2872 Před 3 měsíci +8

    kinda shocked to see “If i did it” by OJ Simpson with the review being “This book makes me want to make a difference in the world” but you do you man(carrying thing).

  • @DiabloBG
    @DiabloBG Před 2 lety +84

    I didn't know what to expect, but I didn't know it would be all Wheel of time books... such an odd choice, wait is that Daniel Greene holding a gun in the corner of the room?

  • @Dens1002
    @Dens1002 Před 2 lety +58

    I started reading book one of Complete Calvin and Hobbes today, and when I take a quick break to watch a youtube video, there it is. Now more than ever I have reasons to believe that Big Press is spying on me. (In all seriousness though, loving this book, and also love your channel Jake! Keep up the excelent work :)

  • @DarrienDane
    @DarrienDane Před 2 lety +64

    this video was alright but could you make a video on your top 10 favorite books of all time?

  • @guycramermusic
    @guycramermusic Před 6 měsíci +8

    I got the version of Moby Dick based on your recommendation- and loved it! The illustrations added to the enjoyment. Thank you!

  • @joshuaizly5502
    @joshuaizly5502 Před rokem +10

    Love to see Calvin & Hobbies make the list, show that he's not pretentious about reading, he loves what he love and I like what he love.

  • @dericplummer9272
    @dericplummer9272 Před 2 lety +53

    Really love your mix of old classics and modern stuff like Words of Radiance. Alot of people I think would put them on different lists. This really feels like an honest top 10. I read Fahrenheit 451 recently and while I didn't love the book I really enjoyed Ray Bradbury's writing. I think I will give Something Wicked This Way Comes a shot.

    • @nl3064
      @nl3064 Před 4 měsíci +1

      Something Wicked is great. Have you read it by now?

  • @connorbeith3232
    @connorbeith3232 Před 2 lety +11

    Very bold choice to include the entire Dragon Ball manga on the list, didn't know you were into that stuff.

  • @Boykahmed
    @Boykahmed Před 2 lety +32

    And I was just thinking to myself today “I wish Jake uploads more book related videos”.
    Ask and you shall receive

  • @venepskeuten9206
    @venepskeuten9206 Před rokem +7

    my uncle once wrote a book about safety and security for working in the airline industry. An indie title, but safe to say it changed my life forever.

  • @neelzen9975
    @neelzen9975 Před 2 lety +12

    My list:
    1. Jeffrey Archer - Kane and Abel
    2. Frank Herbert - Dune
    3. Carl Sagan - Contact
    4. Arthur Conan Doyle - A Study in Scarlet

  • @supremezerker
    @supremezerker Před 2 lety +34

    Shoutout to the English course dedicated completely to Moby-Dick that I took in college. Taught me that you do not actually have to read/watch an entire piece of media to have immense respect for it. Good stuff, Melville.

  • @Just_The_Krust
    @Just_The_Krust Před 2 lety +21

    Hey so I know you’re a funny guy and all, and trust me, your funny stuff is really funny I love it, but I also love the fact that you’re also posting content like this once in a while. I happen to be a literature nerd, so this is great for me. Just wanted to say you’re pretty cool :)

  • @joyshokeir1593
    @joyshokeir1593 Před 2 lety +14

    I'm such a huge Ray Bradbury fan and it makes me smile to see him on the list. His short stories were always my favorite, but I really enjoyed the Martian Chronicles. I get chills thinking about that book.

  • @josev9059
    @josev9059 Před rokem +7

    Just finished reading East of Eden, man what a great story. I got to know about it because of you, so thanks for that!

  • @Momin_Azam
    @Momin_Azam Před 2 lety

    I’m really happy to see these book videos again; love what you’re doing!

  • @jordanholmes9943
    @jordanholmes9943 Před 2 lety +5

    Thanks for including Calvin and Hobbes. It’s something I loved growing up and have been introducing to my kids. Bill Watterson was a genius.

  • @yabuki2923
    @yabuki2923 Před 2 lety +1

    Just found your channel and it's filled to the brim with funny bits, but what I like most of all are these book videos! You're clearly very passionate. I'll be sure to pick up a few of these on my next trip to the library.

  • @goulash31
    @goulash31 Před 2 lety +7

    I knew I made the right choice in subbing to you as soon as you pulled out East Of Eden. That book is incredible and John Steinbeck is a god.

  • @ianthereader
    @ianthereader Před 2 lety +6

    Excellent list. So many that I want to read. East of Eden is my all time favorite book, and Calvin and Hobbes was an essential component of my childhood. Based on those selections alone, I am very eager to read more of your recommendations!

  • @lightstrider6881
    @lightstrider6881 Před 2 lety +10

    12 min, so really should be your top 12 favourite Animorphs books

  • @alextitcombe9494
    @alextitcombe9494 Před 2 lety +44

    I actually just started Absalom, Absalom! today, think the first chapter has gone over my head but I'll keep trying because the style appeals to me, just got to really focus.

  • @anjoevies
    @anjoevies Před 3 měsíci +2

    Didn't think the Ikea shelf instruction manual would count. A personal favorite of mine too!

  • @GeorgMMidas
    @GeorgMMidas Před 2 lety

    Really enjoy your genuine book videos, great insight and never fails to suggest books I should read. Just finished reading black wings has my angel after you recommended it and I loved it, thank you!

  • @itcouldbelupus2842
    @itcouldbelupus2842 Před 2 lety +2

    I HAVE THAT CALVIN AND HOBBES SET!
    I love those books, very formative in my childhood!
    I love that you included them.

  • @cadenlarson3189
    @cadenlarson3189 Před 2 lety +8

    Oh my gosh. Calvin and Hobbes was my absolute childhood. Easily the greatest comic strip ever written.

  • @jedisilvr
    @jedisilvr Před 2 lety +1

    I just read Butcher's Crossing because you mentioned it in a previous video and I loved it. Thank you for such a great suggestion!

  • @PrinceofArfon
    @PrinceofArfon Před rokem +4

    You definitely interested me in some of these, and you have my hearty assent for Calvin & Hobbes, which has remained an incredible source of wisdom, humor, and comfort to me from childhood through adulthood.
    I strongly recommend the historical fiction of Rosemary Sutcliff, who writes beautifully personal stories. “The Lantern Bearers” is the first book to make me cry and feel actual pain that it had ended, and is one of my most reread books. Its sequel “Sword at Sunset” is a thoughtful and moving tale of the historical King Arthur. Both books skillfully use the passage of time to let their protagonists age realistically over a good two or three decades, which makes their characters arcs all the more realistic and nuanced because they aren’t rushed or simplified.

  • @simenb
    @simenb Před 2 lety +6

    I am really happy to see Butcher’s Crossing making the list! It’s truly an amazing book!

  • @sarnicholas4053
    @sarnicholas4053 Před rokem +2

    This month I literally read Moby Dick followed immediately by Blood Meridian and I am so stoked to hear someone talk about them together like that. I think you've convinced me to check out Butcher's Crossing next!

  • @sitka0516
    @sitka0516 Před rokem +2

    i was so excited when something wicked popped up, it’s one of my favorites too! bradbury is one of my favorite authors and something wicked basically captures all the reasons i love his writing.

  • @Nobody123
    @Nobody123 Před 2 lety +5

    1. 7 months younger than me and you’ve read more books than I ever will.
    2. My junior English teacher refused to have us do Moby Dick, as she claimed it was too boring.
    3. I began reading Calvin & Hobbes at age 12, so I’m elated to find out you’re a kindred soul for my love of it🖤

  • @mistertwister2000
    @mistertwister2000 Před rokem +1

    Any time I feel like I’m a good reader I just watch your videos to humble myself, your choice in material is amazing

  • @jamisonclayton1781
    @jamisonclayton1781 Před 2 lety +15

    I'd love to see you review the Space Odyessy series ! Im curious to get into them after seeing the movie 2010

  • @TheMrShnickers
    @TheMrShnickers Před 2 lety +1

    I'm so glad you mentioned Butcher's Crossing, I got in the store bought it on a whim, so far I've been enjoying it a lot

  • @edwardwhite8253
    @edwardwhite8253 Před 2 lety +2

    This chill as content of you just talking about books is honestly very poggers.

  • @michaelkirakossian2282
    @michaelkirakossian2282 Před rokem +6

    East of Eden is one of my favorite “things” ever. What a beautiful read. Everything develops and feels so beautifully normal. It’s just life.
    Also…I just realized it is JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure -
    A family epic about conquering fate by defeating the stand-in abomination blonde person that’s plagued generations

  • @agentyellow88
    @agentyellow88 Před 2 lety +6

    I have that very same Calvin and Hobbes collection and can confirm that it weighs more than my entire Wheel of Time set.

  • @HasteWriting
    @HasteWriting Před 2 lety +8

    Something Wicked this Way Comes IS super lyrical and the audiobook was an amazing experience for me. Highly recommended in the audio format. It's like listening to exquisite poetry!

  • @jons127
    @jons127 Před 2 měsíci +3

    I treally like these longer videos about books thanks for doing them

  • @joshuabailey9578
    @joshuabailey9578 Před rokem +3

    I rarely leave sincere comments but you’re the only person I follow on here that is so open about book loving without it being their only thing. My favorite book of all time, and one that whisked me away to somewhere else at a time I needed it, is Shogun by James Clavell. Richly detailed and accurate historical fiction rooted in real history, a book of schemes, empires, death and love. Total classic epic.

  • @DanAbsalonson
    @DanAbsalonson Před 2 lety

    Thanks for sharing. Added to my to-read list. Came for the goody Sanderson videos, stayed for your opinions on books.

  • @justinlynes6549
    @justinlynes6549 Před 2 lety +20

    Pretty cool see an English major with no Vonnegut on their top 10. I love Vonnegut, it's just refreshing to see a unique list.

  • @nataliesteiner
    @nataliesteiner Před rokem +3

    Happy to see the The Very Hungry Caterpillar in your list, that book slaps.

  • @ultraparanoia
    @ultraparanoia Před 2 lety

    Great taste! I've enjoyed your other videos but this is the one that gets you a new sub!

  • @jourub_bish576
    @jourub_bish576 Před 2 lety

    Great video, man. Can't wait for more top 10 lists :0

  • @negil
    @negil Před 2 lety +4

    Probably my favourite book is The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, it's a really beautiful telling of a relatively small personal story from the perspective of a dog. It probably helps that I love racing, and the book is incredibly accurate in its depiction of that too (though racing is not the primary focus of the book, and I think it's enjoyable by everyone).
    I also love both of Celeste Ng's books and would highly recommend those to everyone. Celeste does a fantastic job creating these complex personal stories that present very real societal dilemmas in incredibly engaging ways. Between the two, I think I prefer her second book, Little Fires Everywhere, but Everything I Never Told You is also amazing and definitely worth reading at least once

  • @TheAnthraxBiology
    @TheAnthraxBiology Před rokem +4

    The longest sentence in any book ever is in a book called Solar Bones by an Irish writer named Mike McCormack. The entire book is one sentence. It's fucking excellent and I would highly recommend it. It's one of my favourite books ever and it's unapologetically Irish which is rare in this day and age. A lot of artists in Ireland since the 90s have been trying to appeal to the outside world by latching onto trends from the US and UK and toning down the Irish mannerisms and Hiberno English in it but this is the polar opposite (although there is a steadily growing group of young artists since 2015 who are embracing their Irish heritage but modernising it thankfully). Go for it if you want something different from the normal diluted Irish stuff like Sally Rooney.

  • @SoftKernel
    @SoftKernel Před rokem +1

    I’ve yet to read the Odyssey series, but I have seen the two movies, and they are some of my favorite films of all time, and it’s such a surprise to see someone else enjoy this story.

  • @benanning7217
    @benanning7217 Před 2 lety +9

    BUTCHER'S CROSSING!!
    Sorry, I only recently subscribed to the channel after the memes, but I absolutely love Butcher's Crossing - been proselytizing about it for almost 2 years now to everyone I can: one of the rare joys of being a bookseller (for the time being, desperately trying to get a graduate level job atm).
    Definitely a strong critique on capitalism and worthless commoditization, but I sell it as "bridging the gap between the romanticism of Emerson and Thoreau, and the indifferent brutality of nature." It's one of very few capital-E Existential books that embraces nature itself, and how humankind fits in this very awkward place of one step in and one step out.
    It's harsh and dark and all about innocence and the concept of virginity and romanticism, deconstructing them altogether, and yet it's _still_ romantic. Adore it.
    On the other end, I've also been rereading Blood Meridian this week and I just can't finish it. Really love the beginning but my eyes always end up glazing over the ceaseless description. And then there was this sentence which was just too much for me:
    _"For this will to deceive that is in thing luminous may manifest itself likewise in retrospect and so by sleight of some fixed part of a journey already accomplished may also post men to fraudulent destinies."_
    YMMV

  • @calowenby1654
    @calowenby1654 Před 11 měsíci

    Man, I had a huge blast watching this. Your content rules!

  • @danielmcdonald6227
    @danielmcdonald6227 Před 2 lety +1

    nice. Been hoping for something like this!

  • @themaincharactertm
    @themaincharactertm Před 2 lety +1

    Read butchers crossing because you recommended it in an earlier video and it was great, looking forward to reading some of these too

  • @Bookspine5
    @Bookspine5 Před 11 měsíci +1

    Some of my favorites - Annihilation, The Crying of Lot 49, Misery, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, and Snowcrash

  • @harrisonmccartney4878
    @harrisonmccartney4878 Před rokem +3

    Paddington 2 is always a bold but absolutely correct last choice for any list of favorites.

  • @NapKingCole84
    @NapKingCole84 Před rokem +2

    I read Something Wicked for the first time a few months ago and really enjoyed it. If you liked the themes of that book (friendship, coming of age, somewhat creepy), I think you'd like Summer of Night by Dan Simmons. I re-read it just the other day and it's still one of my favorites. The characters are so well written, and the town so well described it feels like you've been there. It revolves around five 12 year old boys and their last year in Old Central school before it gets closed for good, but weird things start happening. Def recommend!

  • @dylan_sinnott
    @dylan_sinnott Před 2 lety

    A lot of these I haven't read, I'm only just getting into reading again in the last year, but I thought Words of Radiance was an interesting choice. It was my personal least favourite Stormlight book (having said that I still really enjoyed it) so hearing your perspective on it was great. Thanks for the content! 👍

  • @Nemo37K
    @Nemo37K Před 2 lety +10

    An excellent list, my dude. I'm surprised Absalom, Absalom takes the cake for longest sentences because one of my own personal favorites "Ulysses" has the 18th chapter feature 8 grammarless sentences - 2 if you're using periods - over the course of 40 pages and is one of the most well wrought depictions of a mind I've ever read. Given you're content, I find your preference for Faulkner to be fitting in a way I can't articulate.
    I'm glad you included genre and literary fiction because most of my favorite works fall somewhere in the realm of modern to postmodern which eschew such distinctions. For me, Finnegans Wake and Gravity's Rainbow are of equal artistic validity as something like Vagabond or Mob Psycho 100 or The Wheel of Time. While I love the narrative and linguistic labyrinths and the sense of play that's married to the pretentiousness of Proust, Wallace, Faulkner et. al., I think having ham-fisted messages of hope and the power of love and all that cheesy shit has done infinitely more for me as a person.
    As for my own personal favorites (in no particular order):
    1. Ulysses
    2. The Collected Fictions of Jorge Luis Borges
    3. 1Q84
    4. Malazan Book of the Fallen
    5. Mob Psycho 100
    6. Gravity's Rainbow
    7. The Wheel of Time
    8. The Book of the New Sun
    9. In Search of Lost Time
    10. Finnegans Wake (probably the perfect work of art, IMO, if not a good novel)
    And a whole fuckload of manga bubbling under the surface.

    • @gracehopkins3113
      @gracehopkins3113 Před rokem

      Ever read Mason & Dixon? It's Pynchon but written like it's the 18th century. Almost as good as Gravity's Rainbow in my opinion.

    • @Nemo37K
      @Nemo37K Před rokem +1

      @@gracehopkins3113 Oh yeah. I have a very elaborate theory regarding reading all of Pynchon's novels in a very specific order to make a meta-story about paranoia across time. Mason/Dixon is excellent

    • @gracehopkins3113
      @gracehopkins3113 Před rokem +1

      @@Nemo37K Thus far I've only read V, Lot 49, GR and M&D but I'd be very interested in that if you've written it anywhere. For me, his work is about how humans have created very inhuman ways of making the world work and how we live with that.

    • @Nemo37K
      @Nemo37K Před rokem +1

      ​@@gracehopkins3113 I wrote it in a long comment on another youtube video doing a deep dive on Gravity's Rainbow. Maybe I'll make a blogpost one day.
      For me, Pynchon's work is all about the nature of meaning, time, and what is truth. So I made a meta-reading of his stories I call the V-Rabola. It's inspired by the narrative structures of V and Gravity's Rainbow.
      V is the first book in the cycle and establishes all of Pynchon's major themes. It's geographically placed in new york, and takes place in the 1950s. It deals directly with thee search for meaning after the war especially with Stencil.
      From there, read Lot 49, Inherent Vice, and Vineland. These form a loose trilogy of detective novels that take place in California and are more straightforward reads than some of his denser work. They also occur forward in time: 60s, 70s, and 80s. These are all about specific conspiracies that may or may not exist that unravel as the narrative moves forward. They also get thematically darker until vineland is outright condemnatory of reaganomics and government control, with IV being a transition point with the manson murders.
      This phase of the read concludes with Bleeding Edge, which takes place at the furthest edge of the timeline and takes us back to NY. Now the conspiracies are both political and fictional and we have a final detective story that's more or less approachable. This is the first Tine in the narrative V shape we're navigating.
      Then, in keeping with the V and parabolic narrative structures, we go all the way back in time to Mason & Dixon in which the division of North and South and Light and Dark first take shape. These novels don't follow a straightforward linear trajectory, and are more all encompassing.
      Moving along the timeline, we go to Against the Day, in which meaning starts to disintegrate around the events leading into and around WWI.
      Finally, meaning and any pseudo-conspiracies the reader has picked up while reading - every book is highly referential of the others if you look closely - is finally annihilated in Gravity's Rainbow, in which the end of WWII and Tyrone Slothop's descent into madness are the fundamental destruction of meaning, truth, and reality.
      In this way, one becomes a pynchonian character, looking for some vast overarching conspiracy throughout the novels; one seems to become apparent as you go down the tines of this narrative V, but the further you go, the less meaningful the conspiracy becomes, until there is nothing at all.
      It's just a bit of fun I like to have with Pynchon.

    • @gracehopkins3113
      @gracehopkins3113 Před rokem

      @@Nemo37K That's a lot to think about and I think I will as I continue to read his work. For now, I'd like to say that I think your description of his work as addressing the nature of meaning is very accurate.

  • @nl3064
    @nl3064 Před rokem +2

    With 2001, it's first based on Clarke's short story The Sentinel. When Kubrick decided to do a sci-fi, he approached Clarke, they went through Clarke's short stories and settled on that one. If I'm not mistaken, Kubrick also co-wrote the novelization with Clarke (obviously, everybody knows they wrote the script together), but only Clarke got credit for the book. I think, if I'm not mistaken.

  • @Clebguy
    @Clebguy Před 2 lety

    Came here from the skits but didn't expect to find stuff like this! Video is great and I'll be sticking around.

  • @alexvlk
    @alexvlk Před 11 měsíci +2

    I read “East of Eden” because of your review. It really is phenomenal.

  • @KomodoSanders
    @KomodoSanders Před 2 lety +1

    Your funniest sketch yet! Would be great to see an actual top 10 list though.

  • @meesalikeu
    @meesalikeu Před rokem

    ive read several of these suggestions and enjoyed them all. what a great mix and the last book, the capper, which i won’t give away here, was quite a wonderful surprize.

  • @MsHermyGranger
    @MsHermyGranger Před rokem

    Thank you for talking about books 📚📚📚 love them and love your opinions!

  • @dagothwave6623
    @dagothwave6623 Před 2 lety +2

    Just started reading butchers crossing because of your vid, I'm really enjoying it

  • @ezav01
    @ezav01 Před rokem

    Thank you for recommending Butcher’s Crossing. It was an amazing read. I think we share very similar taste so I’ll keep an eye on your future recommendations. I’m also pleased to say that I’ve read it in my native language (Croatian). I cannot believe that I managed to find it translated and even more that the translation is impeccable. Cheers!

  • @charli8815
    @charli8815 Před 2 lety

    You intrigued me with Butcher's Crossing. It's now next on my Audible list.

  • @isawamoose
    @isawamoose Před 2 lety +4

    I haven't read Butchers Crossing yet but I think you should, if haven't already, check out Warlock by Oakley Hall. Like a damn Shakespearean Western.

  • @thebigsida6645
    @thebigsida6645 Před 2 lety +5

    Although I loved East of Eden, I still love of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath more. Great list my guy

  • @QuirkyGirl10
    @QuirkyGirl10 Před rokem

    As someone who loves learning about other people’s favorite books, I found this to be a fascinating list. TFS!

  • @hellodolly7989
    @hellodolly7989 Před rokem +2

    I’ve been wanting to get into reading books that aren’t just the stereotypical classic american literature (Steinbeck, Fitzgerald, Hemmingway, etc) but there is just such a vast array of books to read and it’s tough to find something I think I’ll like and commit the time to read it. But I will try! Thanks for giving your suggestions!

  • @jitterbug3545
    @jitterbug3545 Před 2 lety

    Reading Words of Radiance right now and lovin' it! I got a simple mind and probably wouldn't understand most of the books on your list, but might check out a few :D

  • @georgehouse5421
    @georgehouse5421 Před 2 lety +2

    Calvin and Hobbes was something I never expected, and yet I totally agree with it's placement.

  • @smartestprimate5213
    @smartestprimate5213 Před 2 lety

    I read Butcher's Crossing based on onevof your previous videos and it holds up. Thank you for the recommendation.

  • @ganjjabarsmedium2347
    @ganjjabarsmedium2347 Před rokem +4

    I love that you included Calvin and Hobbs.Graphic Novels and Comic books are Underrated in comparison to other "prestigious" artforms. Have you ever read Watchmen?

  • @jeyfromnowhere
    @jeyfromnowhere Před 2 lety +3

    Speaking of sharing birthdays, mine is the same as James Joyce. Yeah.

  • @maxnebula3210
    @maxnebula3210 Před 2 lety +8

    Just politely curious when you’ll be making some more wheel of time reviews? I enjoyed your first two and can’t wait to hear what you think! Just got to book 9 and loving it

  • @MilesWilliams88
    @MilesWilliams88 Před 2 lety +12

    Cool to see Blood Meridian on the list. It's such an uplifting book, ha!
    It's probably my favorite book. I'm so damn excited about the two McCarthy novels coming out later this year! He hasn't released a book since The Road and that came out in 2006. Also, give All The Pretty Horses a read if you like Blood Meridian. It's not as dark, but It's beautifully written.

    • @arch_dornan6066
      @arch_dornan6066 Před rokem +1

      What do you think of the new books?

    • @nl3064
      @nl3064 Před 4 měsíci

      Most people who read Blood Meridian tend to love it. Me included. 👍
      And the writing in ATPH was gorgeous, but my god, it took me years to get through that book, it was such a BORE.

    • @MilesWilliams88
      @MilesWilliams88 Před 4 měsíci

      @@arch_dornan6066 I didn't love The Passenger to be honest. I haven't finished Stella Maris yet.

    • @MilesWilliams88
      @MilesWilliams88 Před 4 měsíci

      @@nl3064 Ah, sorry to hear you didn't like ATPH. Since I wrote this comment, I've read The Crossing by McCarthy. It's easily my favorite book ever. I adore it.

  • @superdupermcgee
    @superdupermcgee Před 4 měsíci

    I've been doing a deep dive through all your book content. You have good taste and have made me interested in a lot of novels. I'm an avid reader myself. Do you read much pulp horror? I know it's a genre that is often dismissed by critics but it is as varied and diverse as any genre. There are titles of insane violence that operate as pure entertainment, but also deeper, more cerebral (and literary) works. I feel like you could appreciate the creepy short fiction of Ramsey Campbell or the understated brutality of the novel Red by Jack Ketchum. I'm currently reading A Glow of Candles by Charles L. Grant, a very subtle collection of "quiet horror."

  • @jayare6691
    @jayare6691 Před 2 lety

    2001 a space odyssey is my favorite book, i would love for you to do videos about the series! i read it in high school and i’m still so in love with it, i think people don’t understand how much beauty is actually in it because of how distant the film feels

  • @BlueLizardKing
    @BlueLizardKing Před 2 lety +3

    When I first picked up Moby Dick, I was shocked and charmed by how genuinely funny it is. But the "quote" parts... I'll admit that I got burnt out on that.

  • @Stonedead1991
    @Stonedead1991 Před 2 lety

    Beautiful artwork is the reason why I love Calvin and Hobbes