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I'm still just an amateur trying to break out, but I definitely prefer your style of wearing inspiration on your shoulders. There's so much high quality art that exists today, and I hope to be an artist that celebrates other artists and never stops being a fan of art foremost. Creation is cool but it has nothing on discovery.

Such an amazing list!! I have copies and been thinking about The Long Form, Portraits, and The Night Alphabet for a long time, so my interest in them is renewed now. I'm so glad to have your poetry recs as well! I've been thinking about reading Poor for a while, so now I'll definitely get to it. I haven't finished the new Danez Smith but adoring it so far.

Amazing. Always in search of wiser views in book reviews.

From what I understand, "how it all went down" , so to speak. The surrounding Czars joined forces and confronted the Khazarian King and court. Which were practitioners of the Babylonian Talmud black magic . Delivering a ultimatum that they would be required to take one of the 3 Abrahamic religions of the day. They chose Judaism due to it's resemblance to their practices. They on the surface were seen to have complied . However all the while they continued their Babylonian practices. Upon discovery of the Kings deception. The Czars returned to right their wrong. But the Khasarian King and court , having a vast network of spy's, were tipped to the pending invasion and fled. Carrying their wealth with them. From there the trail goes cold. But my thoughts is that most probably the king took the name of Bauer. Later changing to Red Shield. And finally today Rothschild. Purely speculation on the last portion.

Would be excellent if we had time stamps

Denis Johnson is totally up my street (really liked Train Dreams). Need to read those 2 though. Just started another Christmas gift - Wraiths of the Broken Land by S Craig Zahier (the book which became Bone Tomahawk). Btw, which are your favourite books by William H Gass?

wonderful reviews....first, i will let Christine know...she'll be happy (she is from Vancouver)...and i LOVE that you loved the 2 Johnson--I wondered why you had asked me...i definitely prefer The Laughing Monsters....and like all Johnson's short work, it is brilliant...and i share the same order as you, other than I might put Tree of Smoke slightly higher on your list--prefer it to name of the world and hanged man....but definitely agree about train dreams, angels, largess, stars....an example, for me, that the short novel is the novel of poets (my hope for my own hahahah)....and of course, my hope is to focus on Maso on 2025....as for Carson, I really recommend Autobiography in Red...which after Nox, & Plainwater & wrong normal and her brilliant 'novel'....great job....i just sent you a book to read next hahahahahah.....see you in 2 weeks....bb

Like you I am working on reading all of Denis Johnson after being so amazed by Train Dreams. I have only read five so far and I agree with where you put them on the list (Angels, Hanged Man, Fiskadoro, Jesus’ Son). Stars at Noon will be my next so I am looking forward to that! Slightly disappointing to find we started with the best 😮

Thank you! Came here for the Spent Light Review because I just finished reading it and needed others opinions. What a book it was! Subscribed, because I enjoyed all of your reviews. Thanks again!

So happy at all your favourite reads, especially the poetry. I want to read more modern poetry, so thanks for your suggestions. I watch your videos but to have your favourite fictions all together was very nice. Will try to read all of them this year hopefully.

Always a treat. I'm settling to watch this with a cup of tea in bed. Happy new year and I hope 2025 is full of splendid books and reading for you.

Wickedest just arrived from my library and will be one of first books of 2025. I may get to Tomas Nevinson this year too. I picked it up cheap then was put off by the length. Lazy! Universality is on my anticipated list though.

Honestly, I dont know what has happened to academic circles but nobody gives a fook if you read a book from a woman, lgbt or a black. Was the book any good and why? It really dosent make anyone more righteous to read books from every defunked section of society. Such a strange concept - why would you recommend a book from someone because they are black or gay or whatever if its crap?

Haha. Each example seems so nitpicky but I read normal people by Rooney and felt exactly the same way the whole time, and I couldn’t explain why I disliked it without sounding like a pedantic monster.

I can’t believe the de la Pava fit so much in to a relatively short book! I must say I had a smile when you said your new book was short stories Marc, knowing your aversion to reading the form 😉 Happy New Year!

Incredible list! Thank you so much for sharing. The Long Form is on my top books of the year for sure...right up at #1 for me. But so is Herscht 07769, which if I remember correctly was a big miss for you! Happy New Year and sending best wishes for 2025.

Been a subscriber for less than a week, finally got to click on a video that has recently been uploaded! Exploring new finds through your videos. All the best for 2025

Certainly tempted by The Tyranny of Flies. Cheers Marc.

Pleased to see that I have nine of your top ten on the shelf but unfortunately have only read two so far - but one was Solenoid which was astonishing. So that should mean a good start to the year if I read the rest!

Happy new year, thanks for all the recommendations and insights, keen to see your new work published!

I’ll be referring back to this when it’s time for me to buy books again. Thanks.

First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR YOUNG MAN.........and i am THRILLED you've read 20 poetry collections, makes me so happy d agree with all of your 5 selections completely agreee with as Smith, Change, Le and Gander all in my top 10..., Obit and Toxicon & Arachne were two of my favorite books of 2023, ....and thanks to you, have just ordered Caleb Femi's Poor....damn, i forgot to include Night Alphabet in my twitter post hahahah, so much for trying to remember without keeping a record.....but a brilliant book...At the Palace of Creativity & Wrecking, Vengeance Is Mine, A Book, No Title and The Long Form, are all on my TBR 2025....and ABSOLUTELY will order the Tyranny of Flies, how did i miss your review of this, hahahah, i watch all your vids...ok, will order now...THANK YOU MARC....very well done as always.....HAPPY NEW YEAR!....BB

Skopje is in fact in Macedonia

I remember "La Jalousie" being disorienting to my classmates when we read it. I chose Robbe-Grillet for my finals essay and had the benefit of researching his work pertaining to the nouveau roman. He invites the reader to project their own feelings and moods into the narrative, instead of having them imposed on them by the narrator, and to appreciate objects as objects without using them as a vehicle for other literary devices. Great author, and great video.

Cheers for this Marc. Wishing you well over the festives. Just been given William Saroyan's The Daring Young Man On The Flying Trapeze for Xmas, so started that. He's probably not your cuppa, but I love his simple heartfelt style. Got some more adventurous readings lined up though. Will be looking to you to top that list up.

Me again...(just listened to the rest of your video) Did you know that Nick Harkaway is the son of John Le Carre and inherited his literary estate? N has just published Karla's Choice which fits in the middle of Dad's George Smiley series. Have started it but somehow has too many characters and not enough characterization which actually seemed a problem with JLC too.

What a coincidence! A few days ago I was going through my older library and ran across Marias' trilogy YOUR FACE TOMORROW. (2002-7) Remember loving it so didn't weed it out and was considering rereading it, but will excitingly read these new ones instead! Will be on the lookout for your new publication🥳. Please feel free to cheer for Penn State 🏈in the fb playoffs. PA needs all the love it can get after the horrible showing in the election 😝 Happy reading and writing in the new year!📚📚📚

fabulous review as always....so happy to read Marias' together and yes, i thiink the fact that since i'd read Berta Isla 2 years ago, it gave me that extra bit of Mariasian click of connectivity--basically calling into question much of what that book does--what works so wonderfully two books together. i'd read after he'd died, that Marias had considered the work as a trilogy, the 3rd book being either Nevinson's boss or from the point of view Marzán, Bayo or Viana...and then Covid...and we lost Marias...i HIGHLY recommend your subscribers read Marias and start with his three A Heart So White, Tomorrow in the Battle Think on Me & Dark Back of Time....one of my fave contemp novelists.... de la Pava again sounds brilliant...why not quit being a writer? hahahahah...cause being. a writer of his sort, sure dont pay hahahah...after all he SELF-PUBLISHED A Naked Singularity first hahahh...and im super excited for Moore...i'll dm ya later in the day after writing when we start...tonight i begin the new Lance Olsen....anyway, excited about your end of 2024 wrap of vid and your top books....happy bday to the mrs......bb

Thanks for these. Will be curious to see whether you include The Passion According to G. H. as one of your Books of the Year (or did I get it from an earlier review?). Some of her language seemed recherche, almost defiantly odd, but on the whole the novel was stupendous, unique, beautifully paced and a literary tour de force. So thanks for that recommendation!

Jewish owned Meta AI says: The attempt to erase Khazaria from history is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that involves various factors and motivations. Here are some possible reasons: 1. Zionist narrative: The Zionist movement, which aimed to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine, emphasized the connection between the Jewish people and the Land of Israel. The history of Khazaria, which suggests a possible non-Middle Eastern origin for some Ashkenazi Jews, may be seen as contradicting this narrative. 2. Fear of anti-Semitic exploitation: Some Jewish leaders and scholars may have been concerned that the history of Khazaria could be exploited by anti-Semites to deny the Jewish people's connection to the Land of Israel or to challenge the legitimacy of the State of Israel. 3. Ashkenazi-Sephardi divide: The history of Khazaria may have been seen as sensitive due to the historical tensions between Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jews. Some Sephardi Jews may have viewed the Ashkenazi emphasis on Khazaria as an attempt to downplay or deny their own Middle Eastern heritage. 4. Soviet and Russian politics: During the Soviet era, the history of Khazaria was largely suppressed in Russia and other Soviet republics. This was partly due to the Soviet Union's efforts to promote a unified Soviet identity and suppress nationalist or ethnic identities. 5. Lack of archaeological evidence: Until recently, there was a lack of archaeological evidence to support the history of Khazaria. This may have contributed to the skepticism and neglect of Khazaria's history in academic and popular circles. 6. Historical revisionism: The history of Khazaria may have been subject to historical revisionism, where certain events or facts are deliberately omitted, distorted, or manipulated to fit a particular narrative or agenda. 7. Jewish identity politics: The history of Khazaria may be seen as challenging traditional notions of Jewish identity and the idea of a single, unified Jewish people. This may have led some Jewish leaders and scholars to downplay or ignore Khazaria's history. 8. Academic and cultural bias: The academic and cultural establishment may have been biased against the study of Khazaria's history, viewing it as a marginal or obscure topic. This bias may have contributed to the neglect of Khazaria's history in academic and popular circles. According to the biblical account, Japheth was one of the three sons of Noah, along with Shem and Ham. The biblical genealogy in Genesis 10:1-32 lists the descendants of Noah's sons, including Japheth, Shem, and Ham. The Israelites, however, are descended from Shem, through his son Eber, and then through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Japheth's descendants are listed separately in Genesis 10:2-5, and they are associated with various nations and peoples, including the Greeks, Romans, and other European and Asian groups. So, to answer your question, Japheth was not an Israelite. Instead, he was the ancestor of a distinct group of peoples who were separate from the Israelites, who were descended from Shem. According to the biblical account, Japheth was one of the three sons of Noah, along with Shem and Ham. The biblical genealogy in Genesis 10:1-32 lists the descendants of Noah's sons, including Japheth, Shem, and Ham. The Israelites, however, are descended from Shem, through his son Eber, and then through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Japheth's descendants are listed separately in Genesis 10:2-5, and they are associated with various nations and peoples, including the Greeks, Romans, and other European and Asian groups. So, to answer your question, Japheth was not an Israelite. Instead, he was the ancestor of a distinct group of peoples who were separate from the Israelites, who were descended from Shem. According to the biblical account in Genesis 10:3, Ashkenaz is listed as a son of Gomer, who is a son of Japheth. So, the biblical genealogy is as follows: 1. Noah 2. Japheth 3. Gomer 4. Ashkenaz This makes Ashkenaz a great-grandson of Noah and a grandson of Japheth. Ashkenaz is not directly descended from Shem, who is the ancestor of the Israelites, but rather from Japheth, who is the ancestor of a distinct group of peoples. Israel is the only country in the world where it is illegal for people in that country to do a DNA test, unless it is court ordered. Hmmm, I wonder why. There are a number of YT videos of people of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage, living outside of Israel who have taken a DNA test. Shockingly, many have found that they have no or very minimal genetic connection to the Middle East. So, they are not of Hebrew (Semitic) descent. Can one say that the vast number of Ashkenazi Jews in Israel do not have ethnic historical claim to Israel lands?!? Is that why it is illegal to do a DNA test there?

Wow, love the fragments you read. I'm going to buy it now.

I know I really need to get hold of The Wickedest as Poor was a stunner. A Bookshop in Algiers appeals. Quiet and precise sounds positive.

Wonder if you had read Lost in the Garden by Adam S Leslie and what you thought of it? Currently reading Knut Hamsun's The Wanderer.

Wonderful round up! That's disappointing about Sound Museum - I read the premise when it was published and thought it sounded so intriguing. Thanks for sharing!!

terrific...and, omg, did i hear you mention a writer great with story? hahah lol..i actually read Boy Swallows Universe during covid and loved it....havent read his other two...i feel the same about Sound Museum, though maybe not quite as harshly...but yes, you articulate well all my thoughts and disappointments...i have additional insight Marc--i work with lots of teachers/colleagues from Iran who loathe the regime (for good measure) and tend to be politically conservative (often blame democrats and tend to support conservative leaders--and are often very black & white): kine of the predicament of many immigrants or those whove been misplace by war, immigration, revolution, etc...i found her tone (the writer) at time making thee narratory purposely idiotic, without subtlety, nearly satiric, and i felt that also lessened what was at stake--the use of torture, which btw, us govt also uses and supports and then in the end, the book just did not convince me either way...the form breaksdown--why not actually interrogate both the form as well as the speaker--say, instead of speech the eentire time, maybe do it as 1st part speech, later she herself is interrogated and interviewed...like the brilliant examples: kiss of the spider woman, puig; bolano by night in chile and Dorfman;'s Death and the Maiden....all brilliant examples of this, political violence....anywy...that is more of less what i would have emailed...anyway, will look for Femi as well...thanks marc...check your email, bb

I see a pattern here: I notice you have a thing for black poetry🔥Good to know!

I’m afraid I am becoming increasingly lazy in my reading so Moietes isn’t going on my list. Lola may.

Thanks for the recommendations!

I like experimental books, those that challenge you and Moieties seems to be so. Will give it a try. I like chasing after words, looking things up while I keep the reading itself on hold. (Like David Markson). The first 2 books are interesting too.

Good review of a book that I read a few years ago and left an impression on me. Stewart Lee is all right; but my admiration for him knows bounds. Maybe you've read it but his book Do Every Thing Wrong!: XXXTentacion Against the World is good too.

I recently read Self Portrait in Green by Marie NDiaye and loved it, so I will absolutely check out Vengeance is Mine! Thanks for the great recommendations!

Ah I was waiting for this but then distracted from booktube for a few days. Pastoral is an interesting word to use for a tech-led dystopia but yes appropriate. I think we do need to wait for part two. I should get hold of the Nam Le I think.

Thank you, Mark, for the tip of Marie Ndiaye. I have to check it out. I'm as always looking forward to your next video.

happy to hear your thoughts on Gliff. I was actually not very taken by the seasonal quartet at all, in spite of being a big Ali Smith fan, and I think I'll skip this one for now. I have plenty for her backlist yet to read (including Companion Piece), so I'm good haha I am Death sounds GREAT though! I have been considering Astraea for a bit, I might pick it up on your recommendation.

Hey Marc, this is unrelated but I'm actually in London for a week soon and was curious if you could recommend some of your favourite used/new bookstores around the city? You're always showing really interesting titles so would love to know some of your favourite haunts 😊 thanks!

I couldn't remember whether you were pro- or anti-Ali Smith. I've had such good experiences reading her over the past several years, so I'm looking forward to this, but I might wait until the second part and catch up with them both in paperback.

oh...what a pleasant surprise.....i didnt realize a new one was coming....and you've covered some of my fave writings.....i adore Marie NDiaye, i've read three of her books: Trois Femmes puissantes (Three Strong Women), Autoportrait en vert (Autobiography in Green) & Mon Cœur à l’étroit (Heart Hemmed in)...and i gave Vengeance is Mine to a friend in May for her birthday (and is on my end of year TBR)...A FABULOUS writer..btw, i also read The Nanny (named Lullaby in UK) by Slimani when publish and thought ho-hum, lol...good beach read ;)...also, im thrilled to hear about Gary's book and will order this week, im about to start reading his newest Creative Witers tonight by Galleon Press (a small Canadian press you may want to consider for your book, publiisher is thompson, from A Pastoral....and THANK YOU so much for reading nam le...agree completely and thrilled you read...i think, along with Smith's book, is the best English poetry book of the year...brilliant and of course, furious, and of course he has gotten SNUBBED by every major english award, not a single nomination in usa, uk, etc...stupidity of publishing industry, just like that damn Giller, hoping maybe it will be nominated for a pulitzer or griffin...just magnificently intelligentrly, angry and fierce....so happy enjoyed...i too adore Smith, but no plans to read Gliff, but love the word...WELL done young man....send you an email trmw.....bb

Have you picked up Sound Museum by Poupeh Missagi yet?

Here’s my top ten books I absolutely adore; 1838 Charles Dickens- Oliver Twist 1847 Emily Bronte- Wuthering Heights 1847 Charlotte Bronte - Jane Eyre 1891 Thomas Hardy-Tess of the d'Urbervilles 1922 Marcel Proust- In search of Lost Time 1922 James Joyce- Ulysses 1927 Virginia Woolf- To the Lighthouse 1938 Evelyn Waugh- Scoop 1939 George Orwell- Coming up for air 1955 Vladimir Nabokov- Lolita

Your reviews are always a pleasure to watch. In depth, en point, balanced. I have read so many new and great authors because of your reviews. Will certainly read numbers 1 and 2.