July Book Reviews (aka
Vložit
- čas přidán 3. 07. 2024
- Don't worry, the letterboxing is intentional. I had to export this monster at 480p to get it to actually upload.
The books that I review in this video are:
The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
Everybody Sees the Ants by AS King
Keep the Aspidistra Flying by George Orwell
Moby-Dick by Herman Melville
Maus by Art Spiegelman
Villette by Charlotte Bronte
Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy
Where Angels Fear to Tread by EM Forster
To Rise Again at a Decent Hour by Joshua Ferris
The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan
-----------------------------Links-----------------------------
BOOK DEPOSITORY AFFILIATE: www.bookdepository.com/?a_aid=Bazpierce
TWITTER: BarryPierce
INSTAGRAM: BarryPierce
TUMBLR: www.barrypierce.tumblr.com
GOODREADS: www.goodreads.com/BarryPierce
FACEBOOK: dontbefirish
Does anybody else miss bazpierce so much? 😭 I literally come back to this video every six months just to remind myself that humanity is alright sometimes. 😂 Anytime you wanna upload again Baz I’ll be right there with ya.
Right there with you sis
I don't understand why there isn't a reality show where you and Ariel live in a house together and argue about books. I would watch the shit out of that.
+mothereffingbooks Can someone even PLEASE make that a thing?! Haha, it'd probably make me very happy.
Are there any other people willing to pay Barry good money to read and review something like 'Confessions of a Shopaholic'?
Me! Me! I'd kill to see Barry review the whole Shopaholic series with the most foulest language ever known to man!
Oh my god. That would be an amazing video. I'd pay a fortune for that.
I regret nothing.
I'm so sick of constantly hearing praise for Anna and the French Kiss. It was refreshing hearing you tear it apart.
Wish there were more booktubers like you Barry. Erudite, honest, potentially caustic but fair. You give credit where credit, in your opinion, is due. I think your rant of Anna and the French Kiss could well be applied to many booktubers that seem to be forever reacting orgasmically to every YA novel they glimpse out of the corner of their eyes and who then proceed to give zero interesting comments about the book(s).
this is like American idol for books lool
My favourite line 'Everybody is wrong. Listen to me.'
It's 2022 and still waiting for Barry's new video.
I've just found your written review of Anna & the French Kiss on Goodreads, and it gave me new life with all the sass
This was the most iconic take down in booktube history. #imissyoubarry
21 minutes and 44 seconds of my life VERY well spent. From start to finish I could not stop laughing. Baz, you are a rare necessity and I'm so happy I found your channel.
"I was so happy to see that it was only 700 pages"... HAHAHA.
Oh god please read Eleanor and Park so we can share the hatred. I have literally never heard a single bad review of it ANYWHERE but i despise it!
I love you Barry, youre one of the only booktubers that actually read the books i do and arent afraid to completely bash a book with an unpopular opinion.
THANK YOU! I had only heard great things about Eleanor and Park from EVERYONE! All the reviews were 4 or 5 stars. I wanted to vomit throughout the whole novel. It's hardly even a novel. I felt like it was written by 13 year old fanfic writers. Awful plot, awful writing, awful.
I couldn't even finish Eleanor and Park.
YES!! seriously i dont understand how that could be enjoyable at all. It made me so uncomfortable, it was completely historically inaccurate and it was so incredibly predictable..
Nelli Grigs I just found it cringy and boring. I hated the characters, didn't care about their problems and despised the writing style. Nothing felt real in it for me. I hate that for some reason the only books targeted at the 16-22 age bracket seems to be soppy teen romances, supernatural romances and trilogies set in some sort of dystopian world. Come on like, be original.
i enjoyed reading it but the storyline was so odd, it was fairly pointless. i mean, the whole romance that made the book up just vanished.
"It would be a Coen Brother's film but a bad Coen Brother's film." That is the best description of a book.
Anna and the French Kiss is (in my opinion) not supposed to be read as a literary masterpiece, so I completely understand why you would be disappointed if you expected to read something equivalent to Romeo and Juliette. Anna and the French Kiss is like watching a guilty pleasure TV show, that in no way benefits you intellectually, but is entertaining, but I assume, you did not find it entertaining either, from your review.
You're the first person I've heard say something negative about Anna and the French Kiss. I have been wondering if I should read it for a while but hadn't yet because I had a feeling it was not my kind of book. Everyone has been talking about how good it is though. I am definitely not reading it now; thank you for keeping me from doing it!
please don't read it
Why the hell not? It's not that you always have to read only brainy classic novels. It's good enough for a cute girly romance when you can switch off your brain
I respect your opinion but not everyone likes ´good enough cute girly romance´ novels. I´d rather not read a book that is not good.
And it sounds like it is very bad like Barry describes and I think he and I have very similar tastes in books so I choose not to read it because I don´t want to read a bad book.
Also, classics are not ´brainy´ they´re just books that are still considered very good after a long period of time and part of the canon. They can still be simple reads.
I will never unsubscribe
"The twists aren't even twisty" in Villette? The crazy ghost nun? The phenomenally unreliable narrator? That amazing scene in which Lucy is looking at Cleopatra? The ambiguous ending? The way in which Lucy hides herself from the reader as much as she hides herself in her simply grey dresses? The conversation about mental health where the doctor just tells her to "cultivate happiness" and she replies with "happiness is not a potato!" I love me some Jane Eyre, but Villette was so much more nuanced and carefully told.
Clara K. Biesel I love Villette too, Lucy is more real than Jane, and the ending was a totally surprise for me I really enjoy the whole book. I don't know how he did not like such a master piece.
I too was disappointed he didn't like Villette. It is a difficult read though. I adore Jane Eyre. It is my comfort book, but Villette has some great passages and is more realistic and like a puzzle simultaneously. Also it is quite long at some parts and I don't always get Charlotte's metaphors, but it is a very clever book and quite unique.
I now want to read the Mayor of Casterbridge.
me too!!!
1. Your summaries of Old Curiosity Shop and Casterbridge are priorities.
2. MOBY-DICK: ALL HAIL, BOW DOWN, YES *high five* THE BEST EVER. FOR REAL THE GREATEST.
3. I almost peed my pants about Anna and the Double Suicide.
That's all, you're perf, never change.
I wonder how Dickens would feel about being a bae?!
Stfu with that bae word
Finally a booktuber who doesn't constantly post YA books!
I'm actually a teenager but I simply can't stand YA I want to read books that will expand my horizons and make me think! I am so happy that I found your channel I think your reviews are very insightful and thought provoking and you're not afraid to voice you're opinions ! I can't wait to watch all of your other videos(;
Ps: I'm sorry if my grammar sucks English isn't my first language
PPS: do you like sci-if ?
Hey Nora! If you're looking for BookTube channels that focus on classics and modern classics (as well as some obscure authors), make sure to check out Zoey and Matt at Weliveforbooks, Adam at mementormori and Jason Purcell at TheHeavyBlanks. They are amazing! Weliveforbooks and mementomori are the best on BookTube in my opinion. (:
+Wout Vl thank you so much for the recommendations! I'm definitely going to check them out(:
Nora Ozer
My pleasure! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! (:
what's your first language? i know some badass italian booktubers, they're Matteo Fumagalli and Ilenia Zodiaco.
Wout Vl Armenian tank you for the recommendation. My father knows Italian though so I'm sure he would be interested to watch these booktubers (:
Seeing your profile pic on Goodreads left me unprepared for the amount of energy, life, and personality you display in this video.
"It made me want to vomit my fucking intestines through my eyes"
This video is fantastic! Moby Dick was the first full novel I ever read and I'm glad you enjoyed it as much as I did. Your views on Anna and the French Kiss had me rolling, perfection.
You talked briefly about the Goodreads rating for Anna and the French Kiss. I never truly believe Goodreads ratings for YA (and other genres), because I know the usual readers have a tendency to exaggerate all their feelings.
I really liked to see your reaction to Anna. So different from booktube in general. Personally, I didn't like Anna, but I actually liked Lola and the Boy Next Door.
Before watching the video :
I need some Barry in my life! Oh yeah!
After the video:
My life is complete, for now!
...You're making me want to read Anna and the French Kiss just to start ranting about how bad it is.
You, sir, are genuinely amazing! You have no idea how much I enjoy watching your videos. No idea!
oh my god thank god i found your channel this is amazing!
Barry, I don't know how I survive between your video uploads. And you've now convinced me to read two novels I have avoided like the plague: The Mayor of Casterbridge and Moby Dick.
"I wanted to vomit my intestines through my eyeballs" I lost it
This was a bloody fantastic video, I would pay money to hear you rant about Anna and the French Kiss.
I just want to say that I predominantly read YA, but after discovering your channel a few weeks ago, I am inspired to throw a few classics onto my TBR pile. Your reviews are brilliant!
He kinda looks like Remus Lupin. XD
Yes, a young Remus Lupin as a savage and sophisticated book reviewer on youtube. I approve.
If I could put your rant on Anna and the French Kiss on repeat I so would. Brilliant!
I didn't hate Anna & the French Kiss, but I couldn't stop laughing at your review of it. I thank you for that.
At 10:51 your review of Anna And The French Kiss and the Book Publishing Industry, that was brilliant! This is your best video! I loved everything you said and agree with you.
You're back I'm gonna cry I've watched all your videos at least twice and I was going into withdrawal uggghhh I'm so happy right now
I just cannot get over the fact that, IMO, your taste in book is just so... well, perfect! Period. Paragraph.
Plus, cherry on top of the cake, your accent.
"I'm not urban enough". Love your videos.
THE ENDING THOUGH! Oh my god I can't breath ^______^
You are my favourite ever booktuber, you read amazing books and you tell it how it is. You're fab
I've missed you, it's lovely to see you're back. I'd love to see you roast more books in the future because your review of Anna and the French Kiss was just inspired! ;)
Hearing you talk about Moby Dick was practically orgasmic for me. Yesssss, all the yes.
i actually laughed hard at your comments on Anna and the french kiss, you tube seems to be overrun by YA lovers which is embarrassingly sad. people need to discuss classic and decent books more on you tube instead the evil scripts that are YA novels :P
Acting superior over books does not make you superior. I haven't even read Anna and I felt bad for the poor book. You didn't need that much time insulting it. Just say you didn't like it and bye. YA is not the devil. It's a different genre. You know how you have to really READ classics? You need to really read YA as well.
Agreed! I've never read Anna & the French Kiss because it doesn't really interest me but, I thought his 'review' of it was just really over the top & unnecessarily disrespectful to the author
I read a lot of different genre including a fair amount of YA, and I can safely say that Anna and the French Kiss is a fucking disgrace to YA. I read it, and it was indeed the worst book I've ever read from the YA section. You see, I live in Paris, and obviously the book is set there. I just couldn't believe how full of inaccurate places/history/words/spelling/fucking everything the book was.
Stephanie Perkins describes the french people as pretentious assholes who spend their spare time watching mimes, she talks about 'the chimney smoke in the air' even though there's a law against chimney fire inside of apartments in Paris, the places were all wrong, I don't even want to talk about the names because fuck, the only indian girl in the school is named Rashmi?????? And Étienne St. Clair?? Please, don't get me started with the love interest, cheating on his girlfriend but oh that's okay because his girlfriend is a bitch and Anna feels really really bad.
Oh Anna really is an idiot, self-centered Mother of Cliché of all the teenagers in the world, yeah she totally sounds like a real life teenager because she says stuff like "oh my GOD. My life is RUINED, like RUINED." and I'm basically quoting there. She doesn't even know how to spell yes in french O-U-I not w-e-e, the word is just so common jesus christ.
So basically, yes Barry was right, the book was shit. So unresearched, so full of offensive clichés, an insult not only to french people but also americans described as morons and uncultured through Anna, his review was well deserved. I still can't believe this book is rated 4.15 on goodreads. It was literally the complete YA cliché, a pure disgrace.
TheBookishLadybird
hes allowed to have an opinion about a book and the author don't like it don't watch it.
Taylor Mckines
I never said he wasn't allowed to have an opinion :)
not going to lie, haven't read the majority of the books you talk about but it's so fucking interesting to hear you talk about them at all, and I do get some reccommendations dont worry
Initially in reading Vilette, I didn't like it at all, but in time I found that it grew on me, and now holds a nice steady place in my heart. It's definitely not a masterpiece, but it did touch me.
I seriously enjoy watching your reviews, the words you use to describe things are pretty neat.
I LOVE how you and Ariel have such different views. I love seeing things from both of your perspectives. Keep on.
God I miss you on CZcams. I'd love to see where you are now with your reading tastes and how you discuss the books you read and utterly demolish disappointingly horrible books in reviews. You never had an equal here on CZcams and I suspect, still wouldn't if you picked up where you left off. I bet your genius has been fully realised in recent years/months, I'm just sad I can't view the glorious evidence. Hope you're happy and healthy Baz. :)
Every few months I remember the rant in this video and have to watch it again.
long videos are a blessing for my heart.
I have to select this video every time I see the thumbnail! It's pretty epic!
I love your videos, you read so many classics and you explain your feelings so well...
I really disliked Anna and the French Kiss. It follows the same formula that so many other stories in that genre follow, so I'm not sure why people think that this one stands out. The characters are flat. I know little about Anna and St. Clair's group of friends, and I hated how St. Clair's girlfriend was treated as an obstacle to their relationship. I wish that there were more stories for young girls that gave the message that the girl who is dating the guy that you like isn't Satan. I don't think that Anna ever learned that message.
I missed your videos so much! You are by far the funniest booktuber!
I can't believe you're still just as funny, I can't believe I still miss you
I read Starter for Ten earlier this summer because I heard you raving about it in a previous video and I adored it. Very funny and realistic. I felt it really captured what it's like to be at university, the social awkwardness, the new experiences and the difficulties of leaving school friends behind. Very strong novel.
I read someone's undergrad dissertation that was entirely about the anthropomorphism in Maus... Something to do with the idea of a person being easier to empathise with than the person themselves. I mean, there was loads of other stuff beyond the superficial, but that was the main gist. I dunno, I found it fascinating at the time but I may reread Maus since it's been a while. Your whole section on Anna and the French Kiss made me shed actual tears of laughter. Amazing.
Oh Baz, I love your reviews! You tell it like it is! haha I had to watch Anna and the French Kiss review like four times, it cracked me up. I haven't read the book so I have nothing to say about it, but….you are amazing. I wish I had the same way with words as you do! lol
I love Jane Eyre and I feel guilty that I don't like Vilette. I couldn't even manage to finish it... So I am pleased you weren't a huge fan of it too. I have got Tenant of Wildfell Hall, so I shall read it soon due to your great review! PS I flipping loved your review of Anna and the French Kiss.
I loved Tess of the D'Urbervilles, and loved it, such an important and gritty novel. I will be sure to check out Mayor of Casterbridge!
Richard Flanagan has a lot of nerve lifting his entire title from a classic of Japanese literature. The real Narrow Road to the Deep North was written in the 16th century by Zen Buddhist monk-poet Bāsho. It is a beautiful and haunting tale of a pilgrimage in feudal Japan. Well worth a read. It was available from Penguin classics for many years.
I watch your rant about Anna and the french kiss when I'm having a bad day :')
I just love your reviews. Seriously, you are amazing. Most booktubers are sooo boring and dull, so I don't really follow them anymore. You are different and being different is awesome. Your sarcastic thoughts and rants are just priceless. Please make more videos. Serve humanity!!
That was fun! hahaha I haven't read most of the books you mentioned but I'll soon get into it!
Oh my god, Barry, I am borderline crying at the Anna and the French Kiss review. Effing fantastic. (But on a serious note, please don't get rid of the publishing industry because I would REALLY LIKE TO KEEP MY JOB!)
Hahhaa finnaly a booktuber who has the same reading tastes as me!! I really love your videos mate.
I've been in a foul mood all day and watching this made me laugh so much, Anna and the French kiss was on iTunes book of the month. I've downloaded it, and now I've deleted it as if it's a deadly disease to my iphone omg. Just brilliant, you're hilarious Barry :')
I love your videos Baz, i'll have to catch up as my first video of yours was the Lemon Meringue Pie? I know you made a pie, can barely remember which one.
As a 40yr old book lover,I have been searching and searching for a reviewer who isn't an 18yr old girl reviewing vampires or fantasy,and at last I have found you!
Loved this video. You have an amazing way with words,and funny to boot! Keep it up.
Subscribed.
Ps Casterbridge is one of my all time favourites too.
Your rant about Anna and the French Kiss will forever be my favourite thing on the internet.
I love what you are doing on your channel ! I am a French student and however incredible that can appear, I discovered you in class by my professor of literature English ! I am eager for reading myself and you make me discover full of things. Thank you very much, and my encouragements for the continuation ;-) !
You really make me want to hurry up and get to reading The Tenant of Wildfell Hall already (I have it waiting as a free ebook). So far I've read Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre from the Brontës - liked Eyre, didn't like Heights. So I'm still missing Anne.
And it's oh so entertaining when you hate a book. Warms my heart, it does. I also want to read that Orwell book, now, with Orwell hatin' on classic literature.
I can't wait til you read Dickens' Bleak House. I studied that book and expected to be kind of bored and just adored, admired and wanted to run off with Dickens. So then I went and read other Dickens, oh my god, man is a genius. I know that's kind of given but when you hear it it's one thing, but when actually start reading the books and see it, it's another thing completely.
Oh, I've missed you. Is that your TBR pile in the corner by the door?
lilypad Hah no that's a pile of books that I'm getting rid of because my shelf is full.
I missed you and your videos. :) Please keep the updates coming.
Good review and a sharp tongue! I will disagree with the anthropomorphism in Maus. I feel that it distinguishes the different groups that are just so crucial to telling the story. While this is only evident in their appearance from the neck up, his point in selection and using this as the crucial point in saying who is who is what makes this a unique graphic novel. I am glad you enjoyed it, though.
You sounded enthusiastic about Moby Dick as well. Perhaps it is time that I add that to my collection.
-Josh
So glad you are back!
Have you read any Haruki Murakami's or Kobo Abe's novel?
"Cinemas in Paris?!"
New Kanye/Jay Z collaboration.
I can proudly say that I subscribed after your first "f*ck" and my choice was reaffirmed when you said Moby-Dick was your favourite read of 2014!
I have to admire your ability to read to the finish what you dont like, I read so slowly, I give up if the story doesn't thrill or engross me.How you get through 10 a month is amazing(I might read 10 a year , maybe.)
Barry, I've missed your wit, and sarcasm, not to mention your excellent reviews. I love Thomas Hardy,read "Jude the Obscure" while on 8th grade vacation,and fell in love with his writing. Hope you had a good "Holiday",always look forward to your Vlogs !
This video popped up in my "recommends" feed. I was enjoying the video when I had this deja vu moment. I was like, "I've encountered this guy on Goodreads somewhere...." and then I remembered it was the comment section in your review of "Only Ever You" or something like that. Anyway, the whole Rachael melodrama was hilarious and memorable. I've encountered the same psychopath in other discussion threads; what a frightbat she is. Anyway, liked and subscribed.
This never gets old
Thank you, Barry, for giving the best reviews of books I have ever read and listened to. Both of your reviews of Anna and the French Kiss (this one and the one on Goodreads) had me laughing out loud. Honestly, you're my favorite.
Sorry just realised you done this a year ago! I watched one of your videos the other day and couldn't get enough so decided to watch a few others! There is a comment below stating " this is like American Idol for books" which sums this up! You have cheered up my really shitty day! so thank you and cant wait to watch much more and pick up Moby Dick tomorrow!
Haha I'm subscribing! your love and passion over Moby Dick nearly moves me to pick it up!! plus I like the types of books your covering in your video. I am pushing myself to read more of the classics.
I felt the way you did about Anna and the French Kiss with Sarah Waters' 'The Little Stranger'...! I nearly gave up on reading for good... And don't even get me started on Kate friggin' Mosse... I mostly only read classics now, for the sake of my samity. Thanks for the recommendation of The Mayor of Casterbridge. Have you tried Balzac's 'The Wild Ass' Skin'? It's a beautifully written book.
Where's your kindle cover from?
Accurate description of Anna and the French kiss!
I refuse to believe it's as bad as If I Stay.
WHAT YOU HADN'T READ JOYCE. BUT YOU'RE YOU.
it better not be another few fucking months barry
I love how blunt you are, it's hysterical!
Have you read "the perks of being a wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky? I read it years ago as a teen and it left a huge impression on me, which was kind of a surprise as I too was not fond of YA books. I've not seen the film but I highly recommend the novel.
I'm not sure what genre it would be, but I think you should try 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' by Khaled Hosseini. I'm a slow reader but I managed that in 2 days. He also wrote 'The Kite Runner' which i've not gotten to yet but is supposed to be incredible.
This is amongst the funniest videos from Barry😄
I really recommend "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" it's about two guys who like to make films together (and other stuff happens) and it has references to 2001: A Space Odyssey, Apocalypse Now and many more great films! I think "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" would be a great YA novel for you (because Catcher in the Rye).
"vomit my own fucking intestines through my eyeballs" thank you, thank you.