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It really wasn't a great book. In fact, I am having a hard time with a lot of the old Booker Award shortlist books. I wonder if the selection is better today? I will keep trying with Murdoch, but it won't be for a good long while after this one.

I will always pick up anything I see by Shusaku Endo, Silence was great and The Samurai was even better. I'll put that on the list. I'm not sure when I will get to Nagasaki, but hopefully, one day...

Absolutely felt the same. I think I could have read about those four sisters infinitely, just constantly reading about the struggle to find daughter #3 a husband. It was incredible.

Hello James, that Powys looks good, I'll put it on the list! If you want to give Iris Murdoch a try I strongly recommend Flight From the Enchanter. I really enjoyed that one. The Nice and the Good, it really started to get properly good in the middle, but I couldn't stand that light and fluffy ending. Thanks for the recommendation!

Powys has this way of infusing the mundane with nature/pagan influences. He uses place (geography), culture (rural belief systems) and Nature (genus loci) to motivate the actions of his protagonists. The powers of Nature drive the action. Each character must come to terms with the successes and failures of their individual outcomes wether intended or not. The titular character of Wolf Solent is like a force of nature himself as the world around him tries to evolve.

I'll check that book out. Right now the book price is somewhat steep on Amazon. I have this thing also about used book purchases. I really dislike faded or yellowish pages so's I usually buy them 'like new' only. Still ya never know what you might get. Flight of the Enchanter, looks interesting.

@ Hello James, it might be hard to find a good copy of Flight From the Enchanter at a reasonable price. It's so old. You might like to pick this one up from a library, they probably have an unloved copy in the basement that hasn't been read since 1972. It might be that you don't like her style or the way she tells her stories, and I don't want you to spend money on a book that doesn't make you really happy. I know this one is not too easy to find. See what your library can do for you first before buying a new edition of this one. Good luck!

I haven't seen one single ninja in the entire three weeks I was in Japan! What a disappointment! I thought, with so little call for ninjas these days they might be directing traffic, or checking tickets on the bullet train. What a disappointment. I go all that way and I didn't get to see one ninja! They do have a lot of second hand stores though, with lots of great stuff, although no English books.

Thanks Pete! It was just temporary though, while I was visiting my in-laws. But I do feel good there.

Absolutely, that's always my first priority!

@ Very well done. There is a contemporary author from Germany, her name is Juli Zeh. Maybe once You'll get access. Nearly every book i'm knowing of her's is great joy to read, always cool plots, deep dives into persons, deep language use, sometimes hilararious and always fresh. Don't know her crime stuff, though, except from Adler und Engel, which was very strong. Many books are astonishingly close to today's actuality, still, even if they're maybe 5-6 yrs old. Take care 🌳

@@INTERpEST Thanks a lot for the tip! I will give her a look. I am always keen to hear about international writers. Particularly Germany, as I am woefully lacking in German literature.

I wish I could have done a better job to give an idea of the scale. It really is such a beautiful house.

I was really quite surprised when I pulled back one of the panels, and realized there was A Lot of extra space. Matthew likes it because he has a lot of play area.

Thanks Deb! I'm happy you are still enjoying them!

Hello James, That must be a part of Bolano's style. I have to admit, I don't love it, although I suppose it is effective. It's funny, I found the last 'piece' of 2666 in a charity shop, but only that one section. I asked if they didn't have the others somewhere, but they just looked at me funny. Every time I see that one section of the series it makes me annoyed, and I wonder if I will ever read it, even when I get the other pieces. Hope you are doing well!

The inclusion in.2666 that you refer to does add gravitas to the whole book and was essential for me in my understanding. Though.2666 was.a tough go for me I felt it an important revealing look on the killing of women in 21st century Mexican border culture. All the Bolano I will ever need to read it seems.

@@JamesA-b8p Fair enough. Bolano feels like a really odd duck, hard to warm up to. A lot of people seem to love him. I an interested in giving him another try, but I've just got so much on my plate right now it is hard to know when I will get back to him. I've got some amazing stuff on my shelves right now, and I have to admit, reading more Bolano right now leaves me cold.

Hello Scarba, we have some pretty good alcohol free beer here. I found it really helps. I've never heard of that book, but it looks good. Let me know what you think. Maybe not the best thing for me to read right now, but I can put it on the never-ending list that I plan to read one day!

Hello Jack, If you like Fallada you should certainly give this one a try. In fact, it's the only one I've read of his, but it made me an instant fan. I hope you'll be able to find a copy!

Hello Jay, that very big difference between US and UK literature is really a funny thing to think about. I suppose it is really only fair to put two authors together who see to have similar ideas or themes. However, just off the top of my head, if I had to choose an American author who felt most similar to Maugham, I think I would go with Steinbeck. Not in terms of focus or themes, but just on style alone. Then again, Maugham was an exceptionally talented artist, and it is probably a mistake to compare artists in this way. I should stop using the word boring in my reviews. But with the direction society is headed, and the attention spans of the people around me, I really have a hard time imagining people going to to bookstore and picking up an 800 page novel from the pre-television years. Thanks for writing.

Hello Daniella, thanks for writing. I am so happy you enjoyed The Gate, especially as it seems to be quite a different thing for you to read. It is nice to read about 'regular life' without the action and fantasy, because it is so much like our own lives. And if the author is talented and makes us feel the emotions of the situation, I think that is the magic.

Hello Timothy, Thanks for writing. I'm trying, that's all I can say. That is really my problem, is the things that drinking beer is connected to. The hardest thing for me is cooking. I can really cook, and I don't mind spending 2-3 hours making salad, cooking spaghetti sauce, preparing a roast, but only as long as I can drink beer the whole time I'm doing it. Without the beer, I have no desire to do any of the cooking work. You'll get more of a look at the Japanese house in the next video. (I hope my in-laws won't mind.) Congrats on giving up the booze. I wish I was one of those take it or leave it kind of guys. I'm a bit of a maniac. I can't just go jogging, I have to be getting ready for a half-marathon, or I just don't have the motivation.

@@grantlovesbooks that's only because beer tastes great, pairs well with food and gives a nice buzz. at least you're aware of your drinking. You're not taking your intake for granted. Perhaps that the first step towards regulating it. What I miss are cigarettes and I came to realize that drinking was never as enjoyable without cigs. It's interesting how subjective our vices are and the way our patterns of behavior incorporate them. Bukowski couldn't give up beer but there's also no record of him cooking a roast or making salad.

@@timhrklittimothyherrickvid169 Cigarettes, it was funny for me, when I quit, it was almost exactly when smoking got banned in almost all public places in Canada. When I eventually felt I could go back to the pubs they just weren't the same. And more than half the pub spent almost the entire night smoking on the front sidewalk, so they felt quite empty, and I spent the evening waiting for my friends to come back inside so we could continue our conversation. By the time I got to Budapest I was really done with cigarettes, although I had the nicotine gum with me for two years. Also I started jogging, which really killed any smoking cravings. In Canada people love their weed, any time I leave my apartment I can smell it. And that's what I hate most about it, the stink! I really can't understand how something that stinks so badly can be so popular.

Hello Lemur, I'm actually trying to live the straight and narrow these days, no booze whatsoever. Those hard liquor days, I don't think they'll be coming back. I will watch the Mitchell and Webb video, I'm a big fan, especially of Peep Show. Who's Sammy Hagar? Was he that guy in the other wheelchair in that Tom Cruise movie Born on the Forth of July?

Hello Jelena, I'm happy you are getting something from the videos. The Modern Library 100... has been a huge influence on my reading for the last 25 years!

Hello James. I was hoping to take a day trip to Lowry's 'cabin' that he supposedly build and wrote this novel in, which is really not very far away from where I live. It makes the comments in the book about "leaving Mexico and going somewhere, maybe British Columbia, by the water..." very enjoyable. I'm not sure about the philosophical tangents, the majority of the novel feels like all smoke and no fire. I have to admit, I think it's worth the read, but maybe it takes someone more clever than me to appreciate it.

True enough Sal. That one short passage I read, I don't think I really got the pathos of it, but the realization that some of the best years have been squandered, that one hit me pretty hard. I think I'm still on the fence about this one, probably because it might be written for people who have gone through some heavy drinking years. I'm not sure. Maybe the reason why people rate this book so highly is because it's so hard to get a definite grasp on what we want it to mean. Hope you are doing well!

The Forest Path to the Spring? (S)hell? ...or his unfortunate last night in England?

Thanks Contraband! Sometimes it stays in, but often it depends on how long the video is. Anything over 20 minutes I have to cut out all the excess. (Keep your eyes on your mailbox.)

Indeed, I was hoping for some Japanese B-roll at the end!

@@lemurcat That's coming in the next video!

Hello Cristina, I think you will find that it is worth reading, but very hard to love. (That bit with the dying Indian and the horse and the coins on the side of the road!!) This is why I had to read it again, to see if my memory of it was accurate. That's a shame about your small print edition, that must make it extra unlovable. What I always do after a difficult book is read a short one that I know I will enjoy. I just finished The Book of Eve, and it was nice and light. Good luck. I won't say a word about those last 100 pages!

​@@grantlovesbooksjust finished and these last pages were even more oppressively descending. The scene with the Indian repeats, indeed! Phew. But one thing must be unanimous, the choice of the book's title is masterful! (and yes, thank you for the suggestion, I do the same, after a heavy one, I switch to an easier book!)

@@CristinaInNeverland That last bit where he's totally drunk in the bar and getting arrested was awful. It's funny you mention the title. I have a theory that if you have the perfect title, it really doesn't matter if the book is poor, people will read it. Naked Lunch, Breakfast at Tiffany's, A Farewell to Arms, great titles. But the books themselves, well.... I'm glad you made it though! Congrats!

@@grantlovesbooksI believe in that theory, it definitely sparks curiosity, until the next book Grant 🙂

Hello Duane, thanks for writing, I'll check out that other channel. This one was really a hard one to make. I never like to discourage anyone from reading anything. But, I also want people to read good stuff and be happy and surprised with my recommendations. Considering it's lauded reputation, I suppose this annoying book has had more than enough promotion in the past.

A shock in what kind of a way? This was also my second reading, but I found it a lot less enjoyable this time through.

Thanks Deb! That was my Christmas holidays with my in-laws in Japan. They have such a beautiful traditional Japanese home.

People tell me the movie is as good, or better, than the novel. I have a strong feeling they are right about that!

Hello, thank you for writing. I am not annoyed by religion or religious beliefs. Except when they are taken to extremes. I feel that there is a great deal of good in religion; an altruistic nature, a sense of community, decent moral guidelines, temperance, these are but a few. My complaints, I suppose everyone is familiar with what I feel is the negative side of religion; mainly the urge towards fanaticism which seems rather common in all religions. Personally I think people should try to have a philosophical relationship with their belief systems, instead of a schoolyard 'us versus them' attitude. I think calling it 'My philosophy...' rather than 'My religion...' would be a big positive step. Keep trying with 'Screwtape,' it's a little strange, but once you see what's going on, it is a wonderful book.

It is really quite an amazing collection of stories!

Hello Joe, I haven't done any research at all. I saw it in the used bookstore and picked it up. A lot of people have made comments about the strange edition I have. I will check the video you mentioned, thanks for that! I am a bit torn now, about reading this one. It seems I have a very selected, shortened version. ?Maybe I will look for a better copy. Thanks for writing!

Thanks Deirdre, that one will be on the list sooner rather than later. Thanks for writing. It's always nice to hear from another Balzac fan!

@@grantlovesbooks My only regret is that my French isn’t good enough to completely enjoy him in his native language!

@@deirdre108 No Kidding! I really got missed the boat by not learning French as a young Canadian public school student!

Hello Journey, thanks for writing to let me know your subscribed! I'm happy you found something you liked in my video. I try to keep it funny and light-hearted, even though I am not a particularly funny person. Ironic and absurd, but I guess that helps a lot. A fan of Fallada? Nice to hear! I only just discovered him recently, but what a find he was! Hope you will find some other videos you like on my channel!

Really? God damn, that makes me look like a dummy. I've got to stop taking what I read in fiction as history lessons!

Thanks Jelena, I appreciate the sub. Sometimes I get a bit light-hearted and the videos turn out well. I hope you'll find others on the channel that make you smile!

Hello Scarba, that is pretty messy timekeeping. It almost sounds like a character from an office who intentionally likes to play with people, "The time, it's five minutes before ten past two." That's just some dummy asking for trouble!

Thanks Cakewalk! I hope to get to Zola some time soon. I'm going to be more clever this year and read all of the TBR books right away. For the last two years I've got stuck at the end and really needed to rush the last books on the list to get them finished.

Hello Cristina, that is quite a list! I hope you will enjoy Journey by Moonlight, I sometimes wonder if I enjoyed it so much because of my strong affiliation with Hungary. Please let me know what you think. Currently I am making my Under the Volcano video, I think it will be ready by the weekend, so you will get my opinion on it soon. It's kind of amazing, I assumed From Here to Eternity was his only novel! I had no idea that he had written others. What an oversight on my part! I will certainly be keeping my eyes open for that the next time I go looking for more books! I'm going to try to be very minimal buying any more books this year since I'm planning the move to Japan. I will check all those other books I've never heard of and add them to my list! Thanks Cristina! Hope life is wonderful in Portugal in 2025!

Thank you, Grant 🙂. (and video simultaneous to reading, what a luxury!)

@@CristinaInNeverland You might not be too happy when you hear my opinion of Under The Volcano, I had a rough time with it. But I don't want to dissuade you from reading it. It's worth a read, but I was left feeling quite flat by the end of it. I really don't like to influence people away from reading anything, but I will admit I struggled with that one. It was my second time though, so you shouldn't give up!

No, all the interest, and actually what keeps me reading it is that it's very well written, because it's hardgoing...

Thanks Deb! Hope you are well!

Yes, I have to remember to do that. I got in trouble a little while ago for not mentioning it in one of my reviews, so I will have to keep it in mind.

Hello Prettybookshelf, that's great that you've got some of the same books I do! Let me know what you think of them, I am always interested in others opinions!

That's not the American enthusiasm I've come to know and love! And don't worry about it, soon all of Canada and Greenland will be America, and then we'll be one big North American rodeo. Every man for himself, shoot first and ask questions later, one hand on the pistol and the other pulling myself up by my bootstraps. Seems like your new guy has his sights set all the way down to Panama! When I get my new American passport I'll come down and visit you!

Pity the fool not the rule. Pax Americana! 😁 Smile! Somebody loves you!

@@grantlovesbooks Ha Ha- this guy’s all hat and no cattle, as they used to say in Texas. Nothing but lies spew from his old face. It’s so obvious he’s bought his education because he has the critical thinking capacity of a chimpanzee. What’s worse is so too do the proletariat that voted him in. Not only is he the embarrassing laughing stock of the whole world, but US is too. Thank God for guns. And thank you for understanding my etreme enthusiasm.

@@grantlovesbooksActually this is what David Foster Wallace alluded to in Infinite Jest that he named ONAN (lovely acronym,eh?)-Organization of North American Nations. Beware those pesky Québécois Separatists though. Living in Seattle I feel more akin to my British Columbian neighbors than I do for much of what is south and east of me. Perhaps we are all ONANites now….(ducking).

I'm going to try to be more clever this year and read all the 2025 TBR before anything else. Last year I got bogged down towards the end of the year and have to read three big books in December. Reading all my unread books would probably take me a few years at least. Every year my resolution is; 'I will not buy any more books until I've finished at least 75% of the books on my shelves!' This tends not to last longer than January. Good luck with your TBR!

Hello James, you really go for the wild stuff! I just had a gander at Septology, and it looks like a tough one. Let me know how you feel about it once you've got it read. I've made my TBR lists a little easier for myself over the years. A couple of years ago I read Oblomov and that really was a nightmare to get through. Not that it was hard to read, just so dull. I also like to try to be quite international with my lists. I think it was last year I didn't have either an American, nor a Canadian on the list, which was an oversight, but I still read plenty of good stuff. Hope you're doing well, and keep reading all those odd books!

I just finished the first book 'The Other Name', found it fascinating and dare I say 'heady'. Other reviewers refer it to a "stream of consciousness" style where Fosse draws out the tricks of memory and time through several characters (which might be a doppelganger of the same narrator actually) both male and female, childhood or adult, living or dead. The pacing is Proust-like, action revolves around the ritual of day-to-day life affected not by external events per say but rather the internal coping mechanisms of how we process loss, being alone (by choice), and the eventual idea of Death and how we process the concept of God. Heady for sure. I will take a break before book #2, 'I Is Another'. There is a strong vibe of Christian mysticism which Fosse infuses through repetition of mundane experiences (seriously ordinary micro events) which can be seen as profound. The subject of Art and the understanding of the creative process of the artist by the artist is featured (painting here mostly). The protagonist(s) here are all painters or better yet, they portray humans whose very everyday existence becomes the Great Work of Self (ie being human in an in compelling World and the profundity of simple survival. Yeah, I like this crazy stuff. Yak at ya later. Cheerio!

Hello, The Tale of Genji is becoming a little problematic, as several people have told me that the real novel is over a 1000 pages long, and my edition is really much shorter than that. But Zola and Balzac, even though I've only 'discovered' them in the last few years have quickly become my big favourites. Both of them were amazingly prolific, so I will make some serious effort to read as much as I can in the coming years. Good luck with your 2025 books!

@@sharonluvisi6069 I was wondering much the same thing about Genji- what’s up with that Grant?

Hello Sharon, I think my copy is a very abridged version. I hadn't realized that when I bought it. My copy of The Posthumous... was translated by Flora Thomson-Deveaux. I hope I got a good one. It's a rare book to find in the used bookstores, so I would have picked up any copy I could find. I'll try to get to the bottom of what's going on with my Genji before I begin reading.

I feel a bit stupid now. I'll see if I can't figure out what is happening with this book. Maybe I got the Hollywood version.

@@grantlovesbooks haha!😀

I read the Waley translation and tried to read the Seidensticker one. I'm very glad the Waley ended up in my mitts first. But then, I liked Constance Garnett's translations of the Russians, too, so maybe I'm a reactionary.