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Sounds like an amazing opportunity to live in a lovely new place! I only spent a few days in Riga but it was in the fall and one night my friend and i were crossing the big bridge in the middle and see beautiful and intricate wooden statues and designs and people gathered around. It was a pagan festival and they lit them all on fire and had music and dancing. It was a fantastic night.

I confess to listening to the Confederacy of Dunces on audiobook and it was very funny, the narrator was great. Gatsby, I can't see what's there. Is there something there.

I finished reading "The Midwich Cuckoos" by John Wyndham (1957). I read The Modern Library paperback edition (2022). It has a good introduction by Kelly Link which vastly reduces the likelihood that a reader will misunderstand the novel. It was a very interesting science fiction-horror novel and posed a lot of philosophical questions. The main one: how does humankind deal a slow-moving invasion by an alien species (a different race) that looks very similar to us ? An alien spaceship ship lands in Midwich England, and aliens render everyone unconscious and impregnate ("rape" would be a more appropriate word) all the females of child-bearing age, xenogenesis. The children have unusual mental powers. The aliens can force any human to do whatever they want. They will inevitably completely eliminate humans from the Earth or completely dominate and enslave them. Or the aliens will have to be killed before they can mature and achieve even more power. The alien children grow twice as fast as humans and see the world and life as a Darwinian struggle to survive, the "law of the jungle." They have no qualms about killing and manipulating humans to get what they need. The children are telepathically linked together like "the Borg" (which this novel may have inspired) from Star Trek. But in the novel the linkage is divided by gender: all the boys are linked together, and all the girls are linked together. Unlike in the movie, the alien children cannot read the minds of humans. A major theme: can Christianity deal with a threat of this type ? It cannot. A "Christian" response would mean total extinction or permanent slavery of the human race by the aliens. Miss Lamb (presumably representing Jesus, Christianity) is raped-impregnated by the aliens. She wants the people of Midwich to "teach" the aliens "gentleness" and "love" (187). Christianity as a worldview-practice is raped by the aliens' presence and behavior. Ironically a "Christian" solution is found, but not the one she had in mind. Did God rape the Virgin Mary? A major character (Gordon Zellaby, the "sage" of Midwich) considers himself to be a "rationalist," but he spouts a considerable amount of mumbo-jumbo. He doesn't believe in human evolution and thinks that species appeared on Earth "fully formed" and that a "team" of evil "inventors" created life on Earth. He poses a question: is humanitarianism a type of decadence (202) ? Next I'm reading "Psycho" by Robert Bloch.

I loooove your videos!! I already looked up your books and am planning to buy them as soon as i get paid hehe

Thank you a lot for your recommendations, i just stumbled across your account and i really appreciate your opinion!

The film version of No One Gets Out Alive is basically nothing like the book, if that helps.

"We NEED people to buy books." I accept the challenge! Also, Edifice Complex is on my August TBR. I can't wait to read it.

Controversial pic for your top spot!👍 Normally you see that title ranked lower in other people's lists, so very interesting.

Outstanding overview of the the great man's work! Well done. It's always interesting to see how Nevill fans sort his books. As they're all fantastic in their own way, it's impossible to get your ranking wrong. For my part, I thought The Reddening was his weakest effort. It doesn't fail in the ingenuity of the plotting, but I thought so much of the action was telegraphed and his prose didn't hit his usual lofty heights. Still glad to have read it though. The Ritual (my first) and Last Days stand at the top of his corpus for me, with No One Gets Out Alive with the bronze. I just got his latest, which I'm settling in to this weekend with great expectations. Forgive the long comment...was just so delighted with your reviews. Keep up the great work.

I loved The Deep the end really scared me,I also loved The Troop

Loving the flowers!!!! I'm excited about a few but will wait for my library to get them. Loved "Baby Teeth" so excited about "Dear Hanna". Definitely Paul Tremblay and I'll give Christopher Golden another shot. I preferred his "Road of Bones" but I was still shouting "oh, come on!" at the book. Have added Cutter and Priest to my tbr. :) Btw - bought "Edifice Complex" and the Misgivings book. Should be arriving this week. ;)

Happy one year on TH-cam!

Congrats on one year and welcome to your new home. I've only been in Latvia for a few hours. Lapvona is still on my tbr. Hoping to read Demon Copperhead soon. I loved the Poisonwood Bible. Craig Davidson is also on my TBR shelf so I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it. Your cat is a superhero! 😊💙

My take away is: read while you procrastinate. Sage advice!

I've added several of these books to my TBR now. Great list!

New subscriber. I love everything you had to say about booktube and how it and the whole reading community needs to support authors. Even if some of that money filters down to cats. I'm a dog person.

Hey Michael, don't comment much but still watching. You're one of the highlights of booktube for sure. Congrats on your success so far

I don't think that calling "Booktube" a community is properly true though, because a lot of the bigger Booktubers never would talk to just anyone that made a channel. Certain Booktubers have been exposed for various types of dubious behavior. Skipping every other paragraph to finish books faster, focusing on only controversial subject matter to create drama against buying authors books, etc. Some of them make alright money from Booktube, and are definitely more singularly focused. To say that some of these people wouldn't want to sort of "run the Booktube scene" for their own benefit is probably wishful thinking. I think what he's talking about in a sense is that everyone that reads can't just load up on ceiling high shelves, and 1,000 new $20-30 special edition books across the wall of your computer room, and that there is this sort of feeling of pressure when you see that to want to appear this way in videos. Why do you only have 1.5k subs, and only a few hundred views per video? Maybe people like you or myself don't care as much necessarily (although I have impractically big shelves loaded with stuff because I'm crazy), but I think there is a certain paranoia for people just starting out of having to appear a certain way. Yeah, if you are worried about being successful on Booktube, and not doing it out of passion then maybe there is something to be said there about self delusion. It could become a destructive type of addiction if you buy all this stuff to try to fit an image though, especially for a younger, impressionable person. In this case it'd be better to tell them to be satisfied with what they have/can have within reason, and to not let it destroy them.

This was great! So glad the youtube decided to suggest your video to me. Funny response but I can relate to your feelings. I'm not sure why we can support so many other artist without batting an eye, but struggle to support writers (maybe because we feel more removed from them). Yes, let's buy more books! (Oh wait, I just did!).

I’m impressed by your meager book collection. I try to live a minimalist lifestyle myself. I have the luxury of a medium sized book shelf. I support my local used bookstores by shopping used and selling my books back to them ($.50 store credit) when I’m finished. I wish I had more money to support book stores and authors, but I too am struggling to keep food in my cat’s bowl. I work so my cat can have a better life. I work in a library, so it would be easier for me to use their free books, but I think it’s important to support the used book economy

When I hear somebody railing against materialism, consumption, and privilege, my first instinct is to find out if they're angry over an actual injustice or if they're trying to cover their envy with socially acceptable terminology. It's okay to feel envy, but let's not pretend that isn't what it is. I've heard of the negative side of Booktube, but I personally haven't seen it, maybe because I don't watch any Booktubers who are clearly only here to turn it into a hustle. If there are people making videos where they say, basically, "look at what I have and you don't, you poor loser", you don't have to watch their videos, nor should you. Click dislike and then Don't Recommend Channel, it's that easy.

A would normally side more to your end of the arguments, but none of these points are black and white. Do you realise how much more righteously obnoxious you come off though?

I’m not even a booktuber (yet, possibly), and I have book hauls for myself all the time lol😅. Just an fyi. I’ll be getting a couple of your books soonish. Recommendations?

This is the best video I have seen in a long time. Also, because I love cats I will continue to buy books. 😎✌️📚

MrBeast gets all that praise for removing trash from the ocean but what about the Booktubers? How many ratty paperbacks destined for the dump have been saved in a haul?

Book hauls have introduced me to books I otherwise would never have heard of.

I cannot imagine how sad my life would become if I didn’t have the joy of buying books.

The ''Drak'' side? 😛😜

Agreed, sir. Long may the flagrant consumption of books continue to vex silly people! My best to you & Madame Z.

Complaining about book hauls and all of his thumbnails are click bait.

Yeah, this kind of thing is annoying. We're all here because we love books -- let people have their joy, sheesh! I know how you can have a book haul, without endangering Zvyezda's dinner bowl: do a *library* book haul! You could borrow a few library books, show them all to us, then read them, and let us know how they were on the next video. No impact on your wallet or suitcase, plus you get some new reads and get to support libraries, which is super important to authors. Eh?

I’m pro book hauls and protecting my own well being. Well said sir! 🙌🏻 Also, I enjoyed Edifice Complex. It was weird and great.

The "check your privilege" thing triggered me, too. Also, the hair in his eyes triggers me. Buy the books, people!

I need to take you book shopping with me so you can yell "yes! yes!" while I fill my basket with more new books 😂 Videos like book bros have made me feel guilty about book hauls in the past. I never want to make those that can't haul books like I do to feel bad or less than. hahaa "why do you hate cats?" In the name of consumerism, I just purchased Edifice Complex and Stories to tell your children. I can't say I feel guilty about it.

I love watching book hauls so I can sit there and drool at all the pretty new books I can't afford😂 unless it's Adam Nevill.😬 Kisses for Z she's so cute!!🥰

I'm usually pretty strategic when it comes to book purchases. I always keep an eye out for discounts on books I've been wanting to read for a while. Books do need to be purchased; also the buyer must have a sense of self control. That's just my opinion.

Yay for book hauls! 📚 I think it’s a matter of moderation. By all means buy books and support authors and the culture of reading in our world. However, one person’s book haul may be 2 books at a time while another person’s book haul may be 10 at a time. It’s a personal thing and should not stop 🤗

I hate to be mean to this young man with questionable hair combing habits.......but when is Gen Z going to get serious and stop existing on the lowest common denominator? (This has been a discussion within literature for something like 2500 years. We need you to stop being idiotic and get deep. Also have some self-respect as a human and don't call yourself a "content creator"......yeesh.)

This is an awesome, honest video Michael. I love doing book hauls and so many people love those videos, What's wrong with that? I can see how damaging this video is to aspiring, self-published and Indie authors, wrong on so many levels. Would love to read Demon Copperhead, Nicole raved about it on her channel. Sounds like weird fiction to me , I will read it and find out.

I kind of want to open up a page from The Cellar and read it just out of morbid curiosity, but I don’t hate myself that much

I just finished reading "Armageddon" (2023) by Bart Ehrman, New Testament scholar. It discusses (among other things) the different and contradictory pictures of Jesus presented by the Gospels and by the Book of Revelation. The BofR presents a bloodthirsty, vengeful Jesus who causes much needless suffering. The author also complains that people "cite" and "believe in" the Bible, but rarely actually read what it says. "The Beast" (666) refers to Nero and not to some future person. John wrote that the Revelation would happen "soon," but he was wrong. Soon I plan to read "The Midwich Cuckoos" by John Wyndham, sort of a science fiction-horror novel.

Congratulations Michael! Glad I decided to pick up reading again, and that it lead me to your channel!

I've been an early adapter (adopter?) of your descent (dissent?) into madness and I'm thankful we are separated by 4192 miles (6746.37 kilometers for my European fans). Are you sitting down? I'm currently reading Star Splitter (Matthew J. Kirby). It's YA......wait! There's more. It's very good. Great channel. Fascinating host. Here's to 2k by January 2025. This took 412hrs to edit......yes?

Great retrospective!

i have thoroughly enjoyed the last year in your company and look forward to many more Michael. Thanks very much.

Congratulations on one year Michael! 🎉Was so much fun going through all your "moments." Love your rants.🤣 "Show us the dog Cliff" 🤣🤣🤣 I have a copy of Edifice Complex on my kindle and will definitely be reading it this year. Hope Latvia is treating you well my friend.

Congratulations!! This was excellent. Got me laughing at my desk at work. 🎉

Aww, this was such a treat today! Huge congrats on one year, Michael and Zvyezda! I've been a fan from the beginning (and before). 😉

My favorite line of yours is "It's like Pet Sematary but with more fishing"

"because...when else are you supposed to read these books?" 😂😂 RIP to trash baby. Gonna miss that lil guy. This was great. Loved seeing a lot of clips from before I found your channel. It must have taken a lot of time and work!