James by Percival Everett | Spoiler-free book review 📖
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- čas přidán 11. 04. 2024
- They're maybe few and far between on this channel, but James by Percival Everett is so good it deserved a standalone review.
I one hundred percent recommend reading this book. In fact, I can't recommend it enough. What a novel.
Thanks to Picador Mantle for the advance copy.
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Thank you so much for watching.
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Apologies if the video and audio quality are a bit different in this video. I've upgraded (in theory!) my equipment so that I'm finally no longer using my phone, but I am a total newbie to proper cameras and post production. May take a little while to get everything looking and sounding as good as possible with the new setup. Thanks for bearing with me! ✌
I think it’s fine … don’t know if that’s due to editing but there’s certainly nothing wrong with the quality of this.
I’m eagerly waiting for my copy to cross the pond to me (I like the UK cover better). I did read Tom Sawyer and then Huckleberry Finn, mainly as an excuse to revisit them since I hadn’t read them since middle school. I forgot how much I enjoy Twain’s writing. In Huckleberry Finn, Jim gives a speech after Huck “gaslights” him as a joke, and it’s so profound and moving as an example of a person claiming their power. I can’t wait to see how Everett builds on Twain’s character and fleshes Jim out to having a full voice, his own story.
Great review! Thank you for getting me even more excited. Happy Reading. 📚
Glad it's on it's way, and you've prepared yourself by reading the Twains! Hope James is full of little tidbits and references that I will have missed 😊
Great review, Ben! I've just finished Huckleberry Finn and started reading James. Through this immersive experience I also read Toni Morrison's essay on Huckleberry Finn that affirms its brilliancy, repugnancy and legitimacy in classic literature. Glad I read Huck first.
Ooh that's really interesting, I didn't know about a Morrison essay. I'll have to look it up! Thanks for watching 🙏
If I read a better book than James this year my brain might explode. But that wouldn't be the worst way to go! I love Everett's abrupt endings, although he dialed that back in this one.
Haha imagine 😂 A book so good you do a literal 🤯
I will be reading it this weekend! I’ve already gotten through the language-y bits you alluded to, but I’m not far in yet at all. Very excited by your review and for new Percival Everett!
Almost forgot. No intention to read Huckabee Finn. I figure if I escaped grade school without having to read it, it’s a sign that I really don’t need to read it now. 😉😂
It's such a brilliant book - you've got an emotional and powerful experience ahead of you!
I agree 100%! Excellent review of one of my favorites this year.
It's an absolute gem. I can't see it not being part of my favourites of the year list!
Loved this book❤ This is only my 2nd Everett novel, but I might spend this summer diving into his backlist. His insights are just so smart.
Yeah I love his approach to things. I think I might tackle Telephone next! It’s great that a bunch of his books have just been reissued in the UK.
I have James on hold at the library behind 32 others requests. 🥴 After your review, I may have to relent and buy my own copy. Thank you!😊
If you do hold out for your hold, it will be worth the wait!
Amazing review Ben. It sounds like everything I was hoping it would be. I can't wait.
It does not disappoint. Believe the hype!!!
What👏 a👏 review👏!!!! this was incredible. thank you!
Thanks so much Tabitha - glad you enjoyed it! It was such a fantastic novel I thought it deserved its own video 😅
Running to see if my library has this book, it sounds amazing
Future classic! It’s honestly so good.
I received my copy yesterday. So excited.
You're in for such a treat - it's so good.
Brilliant review, Ben. This is such an important novel. Well done!
It’s a fantastic book! Thanks so much for watching 🙏
Well that was the first time I got actually curious about this author and this book. Good job Ben!
Glad you found it interesting 😊 Thanks for watching!
Oh I could not agree more!
It’s such a stunning achievement! I don’t know how he does it, but I am excited to get deeper into his backlist.
Really want to read this one. Great review as always Ben.
I'd definitely recommend it. I think you'd love it, Charlie!
Put it on my TBR. Another book you might consider reading is Finn by Jon Clinch. Jon Clinch's speculative extrapolation on the peripheral character of Pap Finn, from Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckelberry Finn, is not only genius in its level of imagination, but beautifully written. I have to say though, that I have not encountered such a thoroughly amoral character in literature since Fagin from Oliver Twist. In fact, in some ways, Finn makes Fagin look downright honorable.
Thank you for the recommendation! I’ll check out Finn.
Thanks for the recommendation! It takes such skill to do a retelling well, but it seems like everyone has Twains number 😅
So so good!!!
He’s a genius!
Nice review, BEN! My copy was delayed for weeks, but it's finally arriving today. Glad that you mentioned James's future awards potential. It already feels like next year's Pulitzer frontrunner in my mind.
Thanks so much! Hope it turns up as expected. You're in for a treat!
@@benreadsgood It's arrived! 😁 Demand for this book is ridiculous here.
I can’t wait to read this one
It’s worth getting to - such a brilliant novel!
Great review of a great book!
Thanks so much! 🙌
I’ve been loving his work for several years and this one was riveting.
I am so grateful to the Booker for nominating him and bringing his work to my attention. He's so talented and I'm really excited to dive into his backlist more deeply!
I'm going to order it asap.
Well worth it - just a brilliant, brilliant novel.
Good to know I don't need to go back and reread Huck Finn (It has been probably 15 years - yikes!) to get a lot out of this one. I was on the fence about reading it but your review pushed me to put it on hold at my library!
I'm so pleased you've decided to take the plunge. It's so fantastic! Having a rough idea of the Huck Finn plot is definitely enough to give you a few extra insights, I think.
Excellent book! Love Huck Finn. And now I love James!
James is such a banger! I'll have to go back and revisit Huckleberry Finn at some point - I really enjoyed Tom Sawyer when I read that.
This indeed was a fabulous novel.
It is such a special book. So glad to have read it!
Loved James. Re read Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Enjoyed James more. Just finished Erasure and enjoyed that book also.
Yeah Erasure is so funny, really enjoyed it too. I think I’ll probably go for Telephone next!
Have ordered Telephone and The Trees.
I've never heard of this book, but you have a kind face and now I'm really glad I clicked on the video. Thank you so much for sharing this. Great content! I watched till the end. Could you please share what the author was like? What an awesome opportunity! Sending good vibes from Alabama, USA.
Ahh thanks for the kind message - that’s really nice of you to say ♥️
Everett was a really, really interesting guy. He had such a great perspective on reading and writing and the publishing industry. I’d definitely recommend checking out an interview with him online - I’m sure there must be some on CZcams!
I’m halfway through this now and completely agree. I love the language discussion, I don’t think I’ve seen it done around slavery before.
James is such an awesome character, I have high hopes that it will make the Booker 🤞🏻
It’s so good isn’t it! Glad to hear you’re loving it too 👏
I hated Dr No and was ho hum about The Trees. However I'm planning to read James as it sounds somewhat different and I suspect it will get prize attention.
It's definitely not a radical departure from his style, but I think it's got some magic ingredient that just brings it all together fantastically. Hope this is the one that tips you over into Percival fandom 😅
That book cover is amazing. I bought it on release day. We have the Black and Yellow cover. It’s nice too though.
The UK did win this round 😉
I only learned about Everett when TREES became nominated. That was my favourite read for 2023 and I have been a passionate Everett fan since then. Cannot wait for James to arrive.
There was an interesting article on Everett in The Guardian Books blog this week - Everett is an amazingly talented man: a skilled woodworker, jazz musician, mule and horses trainer, and much more - well worth reading the article by David Shariamadari.
I’m the same! So glad the Booker introduced me to him. What a talented author.
Read and loved that article too!
I really loved this gem of a book.
It’s a real stunner. So pleased to see how well it’s been received by readers.
The code language is very interesting
It’s so interesting! The perfect balance of humour and cleverness that Everett is an expert at.
Just started listening to huckleberry finn on audible as the free version is read by elijah Wood. I'm already thinking I should have read tom sawyer first! However I don't mind reading classics and I know from what you've said you don't need to read huckleberry finn to enjoy James, but going to read it anyway. Thanks for the review
I definitely think you will get a lot out of reading both Huckleberry Finn and James, I just done think it's essential. And I didn't know there was an Elijah-narrated version! I have read Tom Sawyer about 10 years ago and remember enjoying it, despite me not usually being a reader of classics.
Thanks for watching.
James is tied with Wellness by Nathan Hill as my favourite reads of the year so far. It's phenomenal - funny, compelling, clever and brilliantly written. 10s across the board 🙌🏾
Absolutely! It's so hard to get those ingredients mixed together in the right proportions, but he's baked a perfect cake with this book. What a stunner!
I haven't read Wellness, but maybe I'll see when it comes out in paperback 😅
@@benreadsgood James is truly a perfect cake of a book. I rarely reread books but will absolutely reread James.
Wellness is quite different. Meandering, a bit pretentious, a bit obscure, sometimes even a little farcical but it resonated with me a lot and I still think about it months later. Worth a try in paperback but not for everyone so I apologise in advance if you don't like it 😅
That’s excellent info, thanks! It’s been interesting to see people feel so passionately about Wellness on both the ‘love’ and ‘hate’ ends of the spectrum, so I do wonder where I’ll end up with it!
@@benreadsgood I look forward to your review when you pick it up 🤞
goodness, my special number is 24. I suppose I am being told to read it 😊
It's meant to be!!!