Saying you grew up in Alaska reminded me of a fun fact that most fantasy readers don't know: Robin Hobb's map of Realm of the Elderlings is Alaska turned upside-down.
As a Corrections officer its so cool to see this channel. To see a former CO writing books and reviewing books is amazing to me. Love your sense of humor as well. Hope you see this. Stay safe.
@@Jaeno311 Your welcome, as someone who has grown up in a military/law enforcement/emergency service family you come to respect certain jobs more than some people. Hope you, your family, co workers and yes even the inmates are staying safe.
I like how your top 10 starts at number 17 :) finally some love for James Michener, one of my favourite writers that seem to attract not so much attention anymore! LOTR is not really a trilogy, it was a novel that was split into three parts by Tolkien's editor, because they believed it was too long to publish in entirety
According to Tolkien's private letters released to the public in the 1980s, the writer did not envision or create The Lord of the Rings as a three-part saga. Instead, the entire story from Bag End to Mordor and back again was penned as a single, giant tome, which Tolkien hoped would then be followed by a second work, The Silmarillion. Upon completion, The Lord of the Rings was divided into six books by the author, and although he wanted it published in one hit, Tolkien confirmed in his letters that he thought of this new Middle-earth adventure as six separate books.
I guessed a lot of your top 10... umm 17, from watching your other videos but was still surprised by many and excited for new additions to my reading future. I’ve read several books by McCammon thanks to you and yes, loved “boys life.” Loved “swan song” too and I may not have read them without your CZcams videos. Thank you! Finished “the forgetting Moon” two weeks ago and well done! It was great! So excited to continue and will pick up your next book after Christmas. The Stand is one of my favorite King books but I didn’t know it was your top novel. The Stand was the first King book I read and you just made me decide that I need to read it again.
That's a solid Top Ten! Some of those I need to get around to reading. I read Pillars of the Earth based on your earlier rec, and you were 100% right about it. Am about halfway through Lonesome Dove atm (I read several books at a time),
Hi Brian, I recently found your channel and love your style. Thanks for the video; I laughed throughout it. I've read and loved four of your top novels, so you've tempted me to read a few more of your selections.
Seven of the books you covered would be in my Top 10. Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn is my favorite fantasy series. I love James Micheners books. I read Alaska in Saudi Arabia during the Persian Gulf War while it was 100+ degrees every day. Lonesome Dove is definitely in my Top 3. Great stuff!! BTW I was born in Alaska, too (a week after the ‘64 quake) and now I live in Utah. Small world.
Your production team lol I had shoulder surgery yesterday and this is the first smile today. Binge watching your videos right now because I’ve no concentration. Thank you for the good videos.
I’ve just found you and your channel Brian. I love so much of what you’ve enjoyed. If there’s a book I’d recommend, I’d suggest ‘The Power of Now’ by Bryce Courtenay. An amazing story of a young English boy growing up in South Africa in the middle of Apartheid. An unbelievably great story and story telling. Thanks again for your list. So many books here and in your top 30 trilogies, which I hadn’t heard of. Love it. So inspirational.
Just found your channel through Mike’s Book Reviews. I love the range of your picks. The only title on the list that I have read is Storm of Swords, but many of these are more likely to be read soon because of your recs, especially Lonesome Dove, Pillars of the Earth, and Shogun. Have you read any of Lawrence Block’s John Keller series? As fast as you seem to read, you could probably complete the series in a single day.
I knew it was more than 10!! LoL! btw Brian, I'm reading War & Peace thanks to your video! loving it so far! and I've got the edition you recommended too. Best translation!
Thank you for this list Brian. Many of my favorites are included, and I am checking out the remainder right now. I read all the time so I now anticipate a feast. My old friends- Lonesome Dove, all the McMurtry books in the series and the mini series was fantastic! The Stand, Shogun...years of pleasure are mentioned in your video.
Great list of books right there! I am for sure going to read Memory, Sorrow and Thorn at some point as Tad Williams has influenced so much of fantasy and everybody seems to speak very highly of his works.
I was watching another channel that gave your book a glowing review, I believe it was Matt’s Fantasy Reviews or something like that, and so I got the audiobook and listened to it at work last week. Wow!!! I’m blown away man, really. And Tim Gerald Reynolds did a fantastic job, and was a great choice as narrator.
Let’s start out top 10, so with number 17, I feel that, the more books I read the more I feel like it’s harder to chose what the best book is, with so many great books it’s hard to leave some out
Great vid! I'm not a big sci-fi/fantasy fan so my list would be a lot different from yours, but I don't care -- I just enjoy watching someone get enthusiastic about books, even if they aren't my kind of thing. I liked Shogun a lot, and I fully agree on Boy's Life, Lonesome Dove, and The Stand all being truly great books. Lonesome Dove's the only one that might fit into my own top ten, but I still love those others mightily. Anyway, good job, it's nice watching people really into books.
I loved the video! You're hilarious! Amazingly, we had two of the same top three! My top fave is LOTR, and my second is Lonesome Dove! I've read many books on your list, but I obviously have some more reading to do. Thanks for the ideas!
Excellent list! So many of these books are favorites of mine. The others are on my to-read list (except two of them). I actually got excited seeing some of your selections, like Michener and McMurtry.
Just finished the Stand 60 minutes ago. Probably got this video recommended since I've been doing some googling since then. The Stand is good but not sure where it ranks in terms of all time favourites. I agree with you on Shogun, which is my number one (Tai-Pan by Clavell is also fantastic). Also I agree with a Storm of Swords but would also give Clash of Kings a shout. Hyperion, the Terror and Call of the Wild would also be up near the top for me. I have to get into Memory, Sorrow and Thorn and Ender's Game in 2022. Anyways, I great video. You've got yourself a new subscriber.
So far my favorite top "ten" novels video. Ender's Game was originally a short story, so your comment about its paucity and efficiency of words is apropos. Shogun is an insane book. I couldn't get all the way through it (it's so long) but I thoroughly enjoyed the first half. Never read TKaMb but it's my wife's all time favorite book. Elfstones of Shannara was my all time favorite book as a youth. I find it and Wishsong to be orders of magnitude better than Sword. Sword is too clunky and too similar to LotR, imho. Loved MST. When I bought To Green Angel Tower I guess it was too long for mass market and I had to buy two separate books (part 1 and part 2). I don't much care for Stephen King novels, Cujo and IT rank as some of the most vile books I've ever read, but The Gunslinger and The Stand are some of my favorite books ever. That cover of the Stand is awesome. Cheers.
Hello Sevier County! Graduated from South Sevier High School years ago. (Not originally from the area either.) Fellow reader/writer here. Thanks for sharing...
Hey, this is honestly a good list of great pop fiction that will be forgotten in a hundred years. I've read 5 of those books myself, and I respect the list. Now, here's a few short, easy classics that I can guarantee any adult will love: Animal Farm, The Pearl, Of Mice and Men, Fahrenheit 451, Lord of the Flies, and The Old Man and the Sea. All quick and easy, all some of the best novellas ever written, all super-satisfying. I brought this list up because I had two fellow-reading buddies in high school and college who I voraciously read nothing but sci-fi and fantasy with. I began reading the classics and forced it down their throats, and it brought their reading life to new heights. I challenge everyone here who hasn't explored classic Lit to pick ANY book from my list, read it, then come back here and tell me with a straight face you didn't love it.
@@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS Nice. I'm pretty big on Bradbury. Farenheit 451 was his only great novel, as he was primarily a short story writer. "Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed" is my favorite science fiction short story (though it's really a fable).
Just finished old man and the sea, came recommended, not a fan at all. Too much unnecessary details, repetitive, predictable, and basically uninspiring, .....
I remember in an interview they tried to pull the rasicm card on Martin. His response was funny and great and left them with nothing to say. First he said they hired locally for the specific scene which was in Morocco. So that meant the people playing the slaves ended up being mostly black. Martin said "When you film in Morrocco you get Moroccans". Then he was like "I don't know what you want, you want us to not stop hiring black people and only hire hire white people". The interviewers shut up so quick lol it was fun. Plus he pointed out that he is mostly just a consultant and that the studio is charge of most things.
Excellent list you have there! Great shout for Mitchener. Haven't read Alaska, but all his novels are superb. My favourite is The Covenant - but that's 'cos I spent a lot of time in South Africa. Clavell and Mitchener are similar that they write epics - not books, IMHO. Agree with you on G.R.R. Martin - love the books, hate what they did with the later tv series (once they moved away from the books). Still waiting for The Winds of Winter.....
I totally agree with the 6 from your list that I've read, especially The Stand Shogun and Lord of the Rings. I’m starting Lonesome Dove now. Thanks for the list!
In no order: 1 - Dracula by Bram Stoker 2 - Bleak House by Charles Dickens 3 - LOTR by Tolkien 4 - Frankenstein by Mary W. Shelley 5 - Treasure Island by Robert L. Stevenson 6 - Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo 7 - Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, pure 8 - The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins 9 - Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon 10 - The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway Bonus - 11 - Jonathan Strange & Mr. Morrell by Susanna Clarke 12 - Ubik by Philip K. Dick 13 - Chldhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke 14 - The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett 15 - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Michener’s Hawaii and The Source, fabulous and well researched. Likewise with Follet’s Pillars of The Earth. Read Tart’s first book The Secret History…. Lots to catch up with here. Thanks for the enthusiasm.
I haven't read all of the books on your -Top 17- Top 10 list but those that I _have_ read all were great. I really liked _The Stand_ but would have picked another as his best if I had to choose. Luckily, I don't have to choose just one book! The only minor criticism I'd have is your pronunciation of Shōgun. 😁
Hey, your youtube channel is awesome. I'm from Russia (so sorry for my English, just in case) It's always interesting to hear about other people's favorite books. I've read a lot from your list. Respect to you for Tolstoy, he's our best prose writer. I agree that it is difficult to single out just 10 favorite books. These are some of my favorite - 1. The Lord of the Rings - Tolkien. 2. Island of the Doomed - Stig Dagerman. 3. The portrait of the Artist as a Young Man - James Joyce. 4. Infinite Jest - D.F. Wallace. 5. Pale Fire - Vladimir Nabokov. 6. In Our Time - Hemingway. 7. A Song of Ice and Fire - Martin. 8. Roadside Picnic - A. and B. Strugatsky. 9. The King Arthur books - Bernard Cornwell. 10. The Second Apocalypse - Scott Bakker.
You're aware that several of those authors comitted suicide? Suppose being a writer aint no dance upon roses or "walk in the park"! Nice list anyway, have to look closer upon the unknown ones.
I'm old enough to remember when millions of people were treating Covid like Cpt. Tripps....heck, it's still going on. We've lost our damn minds. Yeah, it's not been fun but my goodness...things could get SO MUCH worse and much of human history shows us just how true that is.
The Book Thief, Power of One, Centennial, Hawaii, The Goldfinch, Lonesome Dove, Pillars of the Earth….my top 7! I have War & Peace but haven’t tackled it yet. Love historical fiction. Now I’m going to watch your Top 25 Historical fiction books.
I've read 5 out of your 17 books. I didn't like Dune too much. I really enjoyed Boy's Life and Lonesome Dove (I've finished reading this Western story yesterday). I absolutely adored The Stand and The Pillars of the Earth. Those two are perfect books, they are both in my top 5 right now. I can propose one book that you probably haven't read yet and I really think it's something you might love: Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer. Please, read it. I know I'm just random guy from Internet but nevertheless I can assure you won't be disappointed by this one.
I read Lonesome Dove in 1988 traveling around Europe. I swapped it for some other book with an 18 year old US teenager. Her father indicated he didn't think much of the book, but I loved it. Great rollicking story.
This list is awesome!!! Interesting no Brandon Sanderson way of kings or Steven Erickson Garden of the New moons. Have you ever read Lies Locke Lamora ???you rock keep videos coming!
great video, have to add some to my tbr. In no particular order with no prep Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield, The Legend of Deathwalker by David Gemmell, Valour by John Gwynne, Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie and Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch are my top 5. (haven't read your work yet)
I gotta say, I’m those simple words grew in me the desire to read both war and peace as well as lonesome dove even though I usually read sci fi, fantasy and philosophy. Shogun sounds great as well. Thank you for the suggestion!
Liked your top 17, have read 5 or 6, will definitely check most of the others. Best part is reading comments to find more suggestions. My own would include any Alan Furst (especially Dark Star), Daniel Mason (The Winter Soldier and The Piano Tuner), the great Walker Percy (Love in the Ruins); some Robert Heinlein (I Will Fear no Evil, Time Enough for Love), John le Carré, Graham Greene, and many others... Oh, Nikos Kazantzakis' Freedom or Death!
LOL, Bian I've just discovered you, and what I find so delightful is that that I would NEVER take you for being an intelligent bookworm. Which just goes to show, never judge a book by its cover...pun intended. PS...THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING STEVEN KING!!! PSS: if you haven't read "Ancient Evening's", please do so.
I finished boys life yesterday thanks to you. Had a dream last night of a young man flying with wings on his back and landing on my roof. It was a great book and a great dream, all thanks to you!! I really enjoy your reviews.
I loved Stephen Kings It because of the coming of age story in small town America in the 60s …I never heard of Boys Life until now! That will be a must read for me and can’t wait to tell my teens about it later today 😀
brian ... good of you to post your ideas. esp' as the viewers chime in too with theirs. it gives me ideas of what to look for at the next library visit. yes , like you , having a good book or two to read is an essential part of life. my ' day job' while here at home is gardening, then taking a break for some tea, meditate or flop on the couch and stick my nose in a book. last week's gripper was the latest by m. greaney : 'armored' a recent read too was ken follets 'never' . it was soon re-read to re-live the drama gotta now check on the stove then get back to finder's 'hidden secrets ' along with a clancy/bentley one 'zero hour'
watch me read my negative AMAZON reviews czcams.com/video/Uo4L9EybMlM/video.html
OK! I just grabbed 'the Goldfinch' & 'Boys Life' via my wonderful public library ❤️ I have 21 days to accomplish my new goal🤗
Saying you grew up in Alaska reminded me of a fun fact that most fantasy readers don't know: Robin Hobb's map of Realm of the Elderlings is Alaska turned upside-down.
Yeah I mentioned that in my Assassins Apprentice reniew
Good way to be kinda orignal lol
Shut the front door!!!! No way!
1. The Brothers Karamazov
2. Everything else.
As a Corrections officer its so cool to see this channel. To see a former CO writing books and reviewing books is amazing to me. Love your sense of humor as well. Hope you see this. Stay safe.
I second this sentiment. I spent 6 years as a CO and my wife retired from the DoC after over 30 years. And yes - I met my wife in prison ;)
Thanks!!!
Corrections officers don't enough credit and support. It's a hard job and a job I respect.
@@bunnygirlerika9489 Thank you :)
@@Jaeno311 Your welcome, as someone who has grown up in a military/law enforcement/emergency service family you come to respect certain jobs more than some people. Hope you, your family, co workers and yes even the inmates are staying safe.
Durfee, this is perhaps the broadest, most balanced list of favorite novels I've seen on CZcams. Very nice work, as always.
I've been teaching the prolonged to the Pillars of the Earth for 15 years. It stands alone as a truly great piece of contrast writing. Extrordinary.
I like how your top 10 starts at number 17 :) finally some love for James Michener, one of my favourite writers that seem to attract not so much attention anymore! LOTR is not really a trilogy, it was a novel that was split into three parts by Tolkien's editor, because they believed it was too long to publish in entirety
According to Tolkien's private letters released to the public in the 1980s, the writer did not envision or create The Lord of the Rings as a three-part saga. Instead, the entire story from Bag End to Mordor and back again was penned as a single, giant tome, which Tolkien hoped would then be followed by a second work, The Silmarillion. Upon completion, The Lord of the Rings was divided into six books by the author, and although he wanted it published in one hit, Tolkien confirmed in his letters that he thought of this new Middle-earth adventure as six separate books.
You've done it again! Once again I am "jazzed about reading" - Seriously every day you make me jazzed about reading. Thanks Brian!
Hi Brian. I happily just discovered your videos and LOVE THEM!!
Thank you for posting them. Please keep them coming.
Great to see all this Shogun love recently. An amazing adventure.
I vaguely remember watching the tv show as a kid....(and enjoying it)🍃
All of Clavell's Asia series books are outstanding.
The best part. Nnnniiiiinnnnnjjjjaaa!!
the deadpan delivery of the dry humor had me in stitches
I try
Lol little caffeine and lack of sleep and you could be just like this dude personally I'm buying his book
I guessed a lot of your top 10... umm 17, from watching your other videos but was still surprised by many and excited for new additions to my reading future. I’ve read several books by McCammon thanks to you and yes, loved “boys life.” Loved “swan song” too and I may not have read them without your CZcams videos. Thank you! Finished “the forgetting Moon” two weeks ago and well done! It was great! So excited to continue and will pick up your next book after Christmas. The Stand is one of my favorite King books but I didn’t know it was your top novel. The Stand was the first King book I read and you just made me decide that I need to read it again.
Awesome thanks so much.
That's a solid Top Ten! Some of those I need to get around to reading. I read Pillars of the Earth based on your earlier rec, and you were 100% right about it. Am about halfway through Lonesome Dove atm (I read several books at a time),
Hi Brian, I recently found your channel and love your style. Thanks for the video; I laughed throughout it. I've read and loved four of your top novels, so you've tempted me to read a few more of your selections.
Another fantastic video!!! Thank you!!!
Loved your description of law enforcement command failure. Hit close to home, haven't missed it for a minute! Great video, very enjoyable
Seven of the books you covered would be in my Top 10. Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn is my favorite fantasy series. I love James Micheners books. I read Alaska in Saudi Arabia during the Persian Gulf War while it was 100+ degrees every day. Lonesome Dove is definitely in my Top 3. Great stuff!!
BTW I was born in Alaska, too (a week after the ‘64 quake) and now I live in Utah. Small world.
Your production team lol
I had shoulder surgery yesterday and this is the first smile today.
Binge watching your videos right now because I’ve no concentration. Thank you for the good videos.
Loved the video, had me chuckling throughout :)
I’ve just found you and your channel Brian. I love so much of what you’ve enjoyed. If there’s a book I’d recommend, I’d suggest ‘The Power of Now’ by Bryce Courtenay. An amazing story of a young English boy growing up in South Africa in the middle of Apartheid. An unbelievably great story and story telling. Thanks again for your list. So many books here and in your top 30 trilogies, which I hadn’t heard of. Love it. So inspirational.
Hey it’s actually called “The power of one”! Great book!
This is the first video of yours I've seen. Loved your top 10 list! Can't wait to check out the rest of your content
Thanks
Just found your channel through Mike’s Book Reviews. I love the range of your picks. The only title on the list that I have read is Storm of Swords, but many of these are more likely to be read soon because of your recs, especially Lonesome Dove, Pillars of the Earth, and Shogun.
Have you read any of Lawrence Block’s John Keller series? As fast as you seem to read, you could probably complete the series in a single day.
I knew it was more than 10!! LoL! btw Brian, I'm reading War & Peace thanks to your video! loving it so far! and I've got the edition you recommended too. Best translation!
Cool
As usual, great list. You may have convinced me to start War and Peace up again!
Thank you for this list Brian. Many of my favorites are included, and I am checking out the remainder right now. I read all the time so I now anticipate a feast. My old friends- Lonesome Dove, all the McMurtry books in the series and the mini series was fantastic! The Stand, Shogun...years of pleasure are mentioned in your video.
Would not be a BLeeD top 10 without 17 entries. Love it!
Great list of books right there! I am for sure going to read Memory, Sorrow and Thorn at some point as Tad Williams has influenced so much of fantasy and everybody seems to speak very highly of his works.
The first book can be a struggle. HANG WITH IT! It picks up & is AMAZING.😅
Brilliant!! So MANY great pages!
I was watching another channel that gave your book a glowing review, I believe it was Matt’s Fantasy Reviews or something like that, and so I got the audiobook and listened to it at work last week. Wow!!! I’m blown away man, really. And Tim Gerald Reynolds did a fantastic job, and was a great choice as narrator.
He's one of my very favorite narrators!
“Let’s get down to our top 10!
/ 15
And coming in at number 17!”
*Speechless*
🤣🤣
Let’s start out top 10, so with number 17, I feel that, the more books I read the more I feel like it’s harder to chose what the best book is, with so many great books it’s hard to leave some out
Great selections for your best 17 top ten.
Great vid! I'm not a big sci-fi/fantasy fan so my list would be a lot different from yours, but I don't care -- I just enjoy watching someone get enthusiastic about books, even if they aren't my kind of thing. I liked Shogun a lot, and I fully agree on Boy's Life, Lonesome Dove, and The Stand all being truly great books. Lonesome Dove's the only one that might fit into my own top ten, but I still love those others mightily. Anyway, good job, it's nice watching people really into books.
I loved the video! You're hilarious! Amazingly, we had two of the same top three! My top fave is LOTR, and my second is Lonesome Dove! I've read many books on your list, but I obviously have some more reading to do. Thanks for the ideas!
Glad you watched the video!!
Always enjoy your videos! And agree 85.2% of the time!
WOW Thank you so much for this vid!!!
The stand is also my favorite all time novel !! Love your channel 👍
I love the genius way you have 17 books in your top 10 novels!!! Just subscribed! 😂
Thanks
Love your videos mate 😁👍
Awesome list. Thank you.
Awesome video, man. You gave me a few to look for. Be well, man. Dave.
Excellent list! So many of these books are favorites of mine. The others are on my to-read list (except two of them). I actually got excited seeing some of your selections, like Michener and McMurtry.
Hawaii is one of my favorites.
@@sealisa1398 Caribbean and Space are my favorites. Hawaii is still high on the list.
@@MichaelRomeoTalksBooks The Source is a good too. Haven’t read any others.
Just finished the Stand 60 minutes ago. Probably got this video recommended since I've been doing some googling since then. The Stand is good but not sure where it ranks in terms of all time favourites. I agree with you on Shogun, which is my number one (Tai-Pan by Clavell is also fantastic). Also I agree with a Storm of Swords but would also give Clash of Kings a shout. Hyperion, the Terror and Call of the Wild would also be up near the top for me. I have to get into Memory, Sorrow and Thorn and Ender's Game in 2022.
Anyways, I great video. You've got yourself a new subscriber.
Thanks!!!
Love the way you talk! :)
So far my favorite top "ten" novels video.
Ender's Game was originally a short story, so your comment about its paucity and efficiency of words is apropos.
Shogun is an insane book. I couldn't get all the way through it (it's so long) but I thoroughly enjoyed the first half.
Never read TKaMb but it's my wife's all time favorite book.
Elfstones of Shannara was my all time favorite book as a youth. I find it and Wishsong to be orders of magnitude better than Sword. Sword is too clunky and too similar to LotR, imho.
Loved MST. When I bought To Green Angel Tower I guess it was too long for mass market and I had to buy two separate books (part 1 and part 2).
I don't much care for Stephen King novels, Cujo and IT rank as some of the most vile books I've ever read, but The Gunslinger and The Stand are some of my favorite books ever. That cover of the Stand is awesome.
Cheers.
Best production banner I've seen in my life! Crumpled paper is the way to go.
Really surprised by some of these lmao you're a legend Brian
Hello Sevier County! Graduated from South Sevier High School years ago. (Not originally from the area either.) Fellow reader/writer here. Thanks for sharing...
Good man! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!
You are an incredibly wide-ranged reader, aren't you? I think that's fantastic! Loved your list!
Hey, this is honestly a good list of great pop fiction that will be forgotten in a hundred years. I've read 5 of those books myself, and I respect the list. Now, here's a few short, easy classics that I can guarantee any adult will love: Animal Farm, The Pearl, Of Mice and Men, Fahrenheit 451, Lord of the Flies, and The Old Man and the Sea. All quick and easy, all some of the best novellas ever written, all super-satisfying. I brought this list up because I had two fellow-reading buddies in high school and college who I voraciously read nothing but sci-fi and fantasy with. I began reading the classics and forced it down their throats, and it brought their reading life to new heights. I challenge everyone here who hasn't explored classic Lit to pick ANY book from my list, read it, then come back here and tell me with a straight face you didn't love it.
I love Fahrenheit 451
@@B.LEE.DbrianleedurfeeREVIEWS Nice. I'm pretty big on Bradbury. Farenheit 451 was his only great novel, as he was primarily a short story writer. "Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed" is my favorite science fiction short story (though it's really a fable).
Just finished old man and the sea, came recommended, not a fan at all. Too much unnecessary details, repetitive, predictable, and basically uninspiring, .....
You have inspired me to begin reading novels again.
I remember in an interview they tried to pull the rasicm card on Martin. His response was funny and great and left them with nothing to say. First he said they hired locally for the specific scene which was in Morocco. So that meant the people playing the slaves ended up being mostly black. Martin said "When you film in Morrocco you get Moroccans". Then he was like "I don't know what you want, you want us to not stop hiring black people and only hire hire white people". The interviewers shut up so quick lol it was fun. Plus he pointed out that he is mostly just a consultant and that the studio is charge of most things.
Great top 10 my friend.
Fun list! You have influenced my future reading and I thank you for it!
Awesome. Thanks.
The most surprising thing about this video was learning that Raiders fans can read.
Just kidding man, love the video :-) GO BIG BLUE!
Nice!!!!
Excellent list you have there!
Great shout for Mitchener. Haven't read Alaska, but all his novels are superb. My favourite is The Covenant - but that's 'cos I spent a lot of time in South Africa. Clavell and Mitchener are similar that they write epics - not books, IMHO.
Agree with you on G.R.R. Martin - love the books, hate what they did with the later tv series (once they moved away from the books). Still waiting for The Winds of Winter.....
Can Brian Lee Durfee count to ten? Yes, he can, but can he stop at ten? Apparently not, which is to our benefit. Great stuff, man.
god i love the way you talk hahaha got me interested and rolling on the floor hahah
I totally agree with the 6 from your list that I've read, especially The Stand Shogun and Lord of the Rings. I’m starting Lonesome Dove now. Thanks for the list!
Seriously relate to eclectic faves. Ty
The painted number cards are a slick touch.
You convinced me, I'm going to read Mystic River.
Mystic river is really good
I wish I had MR to read for the first time. Enjoy!
Loved it 😍
Great list!!!!!!!
In no order:
1 - Dracula by Bram Stoker
2 - Bleak House by Charles Dickens
3 - LOTR by Tolkien
4 - Frankenstein by Mary W. Shelley
5 - Treasure Island by Robert L. Stevenson
6 - Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo
7 - Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, pure
8 - The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
9 - Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon
10 - The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
Bonus -
11 - Jonathan Strange & Mr. Morrell by Susanna Clarke
12 - Ubik by Philip K. Dick
13 - Chldhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke
14 - The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett
15 - Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Lonesome Dove is in my TBR pile because I love westerns. I also want to check out Follett based solely on your recommendation in another video.
🙌 your top ten! If Lonesome Dove is a better Western than Blood Meridian than I am stoked …..
Blood Meridian is terrible.
I gave up half way through, no plot, stupid ott violence. Pointless & overrated.
Avoid.
Michener’s Hawaii and The Source, fabulous and well researched. Likewise with Follet’s Pillars of The Earth. Read Tart’s first book The Secret History…. Lots to catch up with here. Thanks for the enthusiasm.
I haven't read all of the books on your -Top 17- Top 10 list but those that I _have_ read all were great.
I really liked _The Stand_ but would have picked another as his best if I had to choose. Luckily, I don't have to choose just one book!
The only minor criticism I'd have is your pronunciation of Shōgun. 😁
It is so hard to rate good and great books-I could not begin to try! Thank you for your effort. Approx. half of your top ten would be in mine.
GRRM also wrote a vampire book called Fever Dream. It's a fantastic book.
Hey, your youtube channel is awesome. I'm from Russia (so sorry for my English, just in case) It's always interesting to hear about other people's favorite books. I've read a lot from your list. Respect to you for Tolstoy, he's our best prose writer. I agree that it is difficult to single out just 10 favorite books. These are some of my favorite -
1. The Lord of the Rings - Tolkien.
2. Island of the Doomed - Stig Dagerman.
3. The portrait of the Artist as a Young Man - James Joyce.
4. Infinite Jest - D.F. Wallace.
5. Pale Fire - Vladimir Nabokov.
6. In Our Time - Hemingway.
7. A Song of Ice and Fire - Martin.
8. Roadside Picnic - A. and B. Strugatsky.
9. The King Arthur books - Bernard Cornwell.
10. The Second Apocalypse - Scott Bakker.
Thanks for watching in Russia
You're aware that several of those authors comitted suicide? Suppose being a writer aint no dance upon roses or "walk in the park"! Nice list anyway, have to look closer upon the unknown ones.
Interesting list I've a few to check out
Love the diversity in choices.
I'm old enough to remember when millions of people were treating Covid like Cpt. Tripps....heck, it's still going on. We've lost our damn minds. Yeah, it's not been fun but my goodness...things could get SO MUCH worse and much of human history shows us just how true that is.
YUP YUP YUP with the Martin ... Haven't read many them ... Need too !
Enjoyd this❤ and i love the stand
The Book Thief, Power of One, Centennial, Hawaii, The Goldfinch, Lonesome Dove, Pillars of the Earth….my top 7! I have War & Peace but haven’t tackled it yet. Love historical fiction. Now I’m going to watch your Top 25 Historical fiction books.
I've read 5 out of your 17 books. I didn't like Dune too much. I really enjoyed Boy's Life and Lonesome Dove (I've finished reading this Western story yesterday). I absolutely adored The Stand and The Pillars of the Earth. Those two are perfect books, they are both in my top 5 right now. I can propose one book that you probably haven't read yet and I really think it's something you might love: Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer. Please, read it. I know I'm just random guy from Internet but nevertheless I can assure you won't be disappointed by this one.
I read Lonesome Dove in 1988 traveling around Europe. I swapped it for some other book with an 18 year old US teenager. Her father indicated he didn't think much of the book, but I loved it. Great rollicking story.
This list is awesome!!! Interesting no Brandon Sanderson way of kings or Steven Erickson Garden of the New moons. Have you ever read Lies Locke Lamora ???you rock keep videos coming!
just recently finished the stand. really enjoyed it. the 90s mini series was good too.
Thanks!
great video, have to add some to my tbr. In no particular order with no prep Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield, The Legend of Deathwalker by David Gemmell, Valour by John Gwynne, Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie and Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch are my top 5. (haven't read your work yet)
Saludos from Mexico!
Best top ten ever!
Top 10/15 and let’s start with my number 17 lol. Good vid
I gotta say, I’m those simple words grew in me the desire to read both war and peace as well as lonesome dove even though I usually read sci fi, fantasy and philosophy.
Shogun sounds great as well. Thank you for the suggestion!
Liked your top 17, have read 5 or 6, will definitely check most of the others. Best part is reading comments to find more suggestions. My own would include any Alan Furst (especially Dark Star), Daniel Mason (The Winter Soldier and The Piano Tuner), the great Walker Percy (Love in the Ruins); some Robert Heinlein (I Will Fear no Evil, Time Enough for Love), John le Carré, Graham Greene, and many others... Oh, Nikos Kazantzakis' Freedom or Death!
Sorry, a couple more: Eliot Pattison (The Skull Mantra and Bone Mountain) and Michelle Lovric (The Floating Book).
That edition you have of LOTR is epic!
You missed my all time favorite. Winds of War. I have lost track of how many times I have read it. Never fails to deliver.
here is my review of Winds of War czcams.com/video/2cvehTjNacQ/video.html
LOL, Bian I've just discovered you, and what I find so delightful is that that I would NEVER take you for being an intelligent bookworm. Which just goes to show, never judge a book by its cover...pun intended. PS...THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING STEVEN KING!!! PSS: if you haven't read "Ancient Evening's", please do so.
I finished boys life yesterday thanks to you. Had a dream last night of a young man flying with wings on his back and landing on my roof. It was a great book and a great dream, all thanks to you!! I really enjoy your reviews.
Cool. Thanks.
good list, big guy.
Great list hombre. Never have heard of you but definitely gonna check ur fantasy stuff out love ur energy. Keep it up
Thanks
Highly recommend his books. First two out are phenomenal
I loved Stephen Kings It because of the coming of age story in small town America in the 60s …I never heard of Boys Life until now! That will be a must read for me and can’t wait to tell my teens about it later today 😀
You’re funny. I subscribed.
Thanks
Some of your book picks I have already read before the stand pillars of the earth a clash of swords I so love them
brian ... good of you to post your ideas. esp' as the viewers chime in too with theirs.
it gives me ideas of what to look for at the next library visit.
yes , like you , having a good book or two to read is an essential part of life.
my ' day job' while here at home is gardening, then taking a break for some tea,
meditate or flop on the couch and stick my nose in a book. last week's gripper
was the latest by m. greaney : 'armored'
a recent read too was ken follets 'never' . it was soon re-read to re-live the drama
gotta now check on the stove then get back to finder's 'hidden secrets ' along with
a clancy/bentley one 'zero hour'
Lord of the Rings is not a trilogy, it’s a single novel. I was curious if it would be your number one. Thanks for the book recommendations!