My Reading Habits + My Thoughts on Booktube
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ค. 2024
- Let me know what reading habits you guys have! Also, what do you think of the current state of Booktube in 2021?
My movie podcast Film Frauds:
/ @filmfrauds7018
My Friends:
Mark: / @drunzo363
Matt: / @mattsbookshelf4084
#booktube #book #literature #reading - บันเทิง
![[ไฮไลต์] ฟุตบอลหญิง เยอรมนี vs ออสเตรเลีย รอบแบ่งกลุ่ม | โอลิมปิก 2024](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/i_8UO61YqO8/mqdefault.jpg)
![โกหกเธอทั้งนั้น (Pinocchio) - SERIOUS BACON [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/P1HhTYwrR5A/mqdefault.jpg)
My biggest issue with Booktube is how repetitive it all is. People will talk about the the same book 3 times in a haul, then a TBR, then a wrap-up. It just seems like we're getting the same 5 books constantly recommend in a loop
I completely agree! That's why I want to have 0 of those types of videos on my channel! I want people to be introduced to new books/movies that they may have never heard of before. So expect no YA or Brandon Sanderson from me haha
"I'd rather master The catcher in the rye than reading other 50 books". You earned my respect. You have a healthy view at reading style and habits, I must say.
My biggest issue is that within booktube, reading isn’t about understanding the book anymore it‘s about reading as much as possible and being able to say „oh yea i‘ve read that classic novel“ to appear a certain way. They want to feel special and be seen as someone who reads a lot. There is this one booktube youtuber who read the metamorphosis by franz kafka (which is absolutely perfect btw i love that book) and he totally misinterpreted it. Like.. how could u get it THAT wrong it‘s not hard to understand and you could tell he just read it quickly to be able to say that he read it. It‘s just so frustrating because they don‘t appreciate the art or try to understand it. It‘s all about the aesthetic and being „different“
Exactly! I would rather fully understand 1 book than quickly read 10. It should always be quality over quantity, especially when it comes to literature
But is that actually the case or are you interpreting it this way? Who says that’s what they ACTUALLY think. It seems a bit odd you just fill that in for an entire community. Who says it’s wrong to read 10 books? Maybe they have the time and maybe they enjoyed it and DID get the book. To each their own.
Concerning Kafka, isn’t that the point? That there are different ways to interpret a story? Everyone takes away something else from a story. There is no correct way to interpret a book. Your comment seems incredibly biased, borderline snobby and almost deflecting.
This is so true Zero
@@douloureux. I mean, there is such a thing as authorial intent. It's true that everyone who reads something will have a personal experience with it and extrapolate their own personal meaning but an individual interpretation doesn't erase what an author's intended message is.
it reminds me of when a singer (i wanna say it was annie lennox) wanted to sing billie holiday's 'strange fruit' with all references to race removed. yeah you can think strange fruit is a beautiful sounding song but to just disregard the racial context of it is missing the point of what the song is about.
@@fortunamajor7239 authorial intent's importance is completely subjective, though. there's entire schools of thought based around the original intent of a work having no bearing on its value or quality. it's all subjective
You totally hit the nail on the head with BookTube. I think the part the most frustrating issue for me is the competitiveness. I see content creators being overly rigid and trying to do 30+ books a month. And while some people can do that, not many can. And honestly, I seriously question how much of that book/work they are actually absorbing by trying to cram it into such a tight schedule. I'm a mom of two and a student in English (future English teacher here, woot woot). Realistically I don't have the time to be reading more than 4-5 books a month. And that allows me to really pace myself, try and understand everything in it, etc. I can remember many of the books I've read the last few years. But many BookTubers forget so much after just a few months.
There's also the consumerism aspect where so many of them try to collect "beautiful" covers without really wondering if they'd be interested in the actual content.
And then there's genre pressure in BookTube. It seems like 90% of BookTube is YA and romance heavy and that just... Isn't my scene. I love classics, fantasy, and scifi primarily. BookTube is filled with channels all reading and hyping up the same YA fantasy romance series, and it gets so incredibly tiring. And then people push themselves to read classics, but try to blast through them without really examining them and the context of the time they were written in, etc. It becomes a weird thing where people read books here just to say they've read them, like they're ticking it off a list but haven't had many thoughts about the work itself.
I don't know- part of me loves BookTube; it's given me many beloved bookshelf tours where I've discovered books I've loved. But it's also just full of problems and unspoken pressures and competitions. It's really strange. I've considered making a channel myself but I'm not sure the time commitment would do well for me. If I did though, it would be more similar to your vision, wherein you can deep dive more and have less surface level content (book hauls, aesthetic vlogs with random shots of someone's house plants and sped up camera shot of them reading to soft vibes, etc.). It just feels like for BookTube, there's a surprisingly small amount of actual book discussions.
well said. All those booktube videos that you mentioned give me anxiety. This channel is so refreshing.
I completely agree! I read maybe 1-5 books a month, I cannot fathom engaging in more. I am also not the biggest fan of YA and YA romance, especially when a lot of these BookTubers are adults. I understand they are catering towards the age of their audience, I just feel as though it is increasingly detrimental towards their progression as readers. I can understand your hesitancy with starting a channel but I always recommend that you try! Someone with your perspective is always beneficial and needed in these smaller niche communities of Booktubers who are actually focused on discussions! Thank you for the comment!
Oh man thank you so much! I am glad you enjoy the content!
i totally agree i can never find a anyone to watch who doesn’t talk about just ya fantasy, one of my favorites is emmie, she reads and posts about all different genres
You took the words right out of my mouth. I think booktube is just for show nowadays. Too much consumerism, reading books without actually analyzing them and understanding the concept, buying books just because of the cover... It has become quantity over quality. I ain't digging it
This is a breath of fresh air from most booktubers! It just feels different. Just a love of books and reading, not about attention or mass consumerism or talking about the same book everyone else is.
Because of your reading style, I immediately subscribe you. I find it so hard to complete an entire book in just a week when you are so busy with work, workout and chores at home. Your video makes me feel that I belong. It also kind of depressing sometimes to see other booktubers wrapped up an entire series in a month when you are still in the middle of the book.
Thank you so much for the kind words! I hope you like my other videos! I also completely agree with your thoughts. The stigma of quantity over quality in Booktube is damaging to all readers. There is nothing worse than comparing yourself to others! Read at your own pace and don't get discouraged, any progress is progress!
I suspect that a decent percentage of the issues that people have with "booktube" are related to not having found the right niche yet. Because booktube is really a set of overlapping communities more than a single entity, but that can be hard to notice right away.
Especially in the first six months, the TH-cam algorithm makes it much easier to find either the big YA channels (which disproportionally tend to be young people in the US or UK with relatively few outside obligations which gives them the time and money for giant hauls and huge reading lists) and the big literary channels (which disproportionally tend to be people with ties to publishing, which gives them greater access to new releases, and who have a professional interest in reading). But the larger community extends far beyond those two groups.
But as you dig around amidst the smaller booktube channels (of which there are literally thousands), you will find the sub-communities. And among them, you'll definitely find the people who read ten books a year, who are heavy library users, or whose collections are primarily second-hand, who are outside the US/UK, and so on.
Hey! Thank you for your comment! I would completely agree with everything you said here. I really think that there are a ton of niche channels that are accessible to new readers; I even think that a lot of these bigger Booktube channels have great content. My issue often lies with how hard these channels are to find. TH-cam pushes these bigger channels forward more and more making it harder for new readers to feel welcomed into this community!
this was very well put
I found booktube from reading the Witcher series and looking up reviews/analysis videos for each book. Ive never had the algorithm recommend me any YA booktubers. I probably wouldn’t still be reading if it wasn’t for those channels. They got me to check out Other authors like Sanderson which led me to Erikson and many many more on my TBR. Maybe I’ll find some hidden gems from this guy. Subscribed.
booktube has started creating trends in books. books literally go out of style like clothes these days
That's really fascinating to think about actually
I’ve never seen a book go out of style even though i’ve followed booktube for years
Wonderful discussion. I’m myself a teacher and a voracious reader but many book tubers make reading seem like a competition rather than for fun.
I agree reading should never be a competition! Everyone reads and enjoys at their own pace!
I’m a slow ready because I try to understand everything I’m reading, but having a collection looks so cool as well
I see a lot of these bigger booktubers go through reading slumps and get overly stressed about fulfilling their tbrs and I think it is so sad! They are taking the fun out of reading for themselves.
I completely agree! Reading is supposed to be fun and not work!
Isn't that because it's a revenue stream for them? If they're not reading and discussing it, they're not getting paid.
@@jeffg492 Yes, a lot of readers have turned their hobby into a job. It seems like a dream come true but I think there can be a downside to it as well. The potential to burn out on something you previously did for fun. That's why I think it's sad. These are people who truly love reading but over time it becomes something stressful that they no longer enjoy.
I think Booktube concentrates on the haul videos because they have to keep generating content and that is the easiest content to generate. From what I can see most content creators aren't equipped to do a deep dive into one book nor is the incentive there. You will always generate more views with haul videos so I can understand why creators would continue to want to make them.
You are correct when you say that "you don't have to read 150 books in a year to be a good reader". That's what book shelf is for, a place where you can grab a book to read anytime. No rush, no pressure. Wether you finish a book in a week or not, you still have your books with you so anytime you can go back and read it whenever you are free..
So glad I found your video on this subject because as a Booktube Newbie, I'm so with you on this point. So many channels come across as high-powered book promotions rather than high-powered book appreciation, understanding, and love of sharing. I'm so exhausted by the sheer number of books bought, hauled, unhauled, stacked, etc., and rapid speech that I don't feel as though I come away with anything that helps me as a reader. Thank you for your perspective.
I’ve noticed that when I went on these large hauls for books (~10 each time), I ended up not reading them! The constant resupply of fresh books made me read maybe 2-3 of those, then leave behind the others to build up dust on my shelf. I’ve grown out of this thankfully and have been spending time just catching up on the dozens of books I never cracked open
I definitely have that issues. I buy way faster than I read
Thanks for addressing how consumerism has gotten into the psyche of book readers!
Cool discussion! A few years ago, a big percentage of the booktube content I watched included hauls and the "I read a million books this year" kind, which didn't align with the reasons/way I read. I'm glad I found other people whose videos I enjoy watching. I also value the discussion videos way more than anything else.
I am glad you enjoyed! I plan on incorporating more discussion based videos in the future so I can't wait to hear your opinions!
I think the beauty of booktube is that there are several different styles and ideas of reading. Though i agree that doing 90+ book book hauls when they could have gotten them from the library is concerning.
However, a lot of the comments are biased and drawing conclusions based on their own judgements and perceptions. The biggest audience of those booktubers are younger people getting into reading, while it’s sensationalism for some of the booktubers (reading 150 books per year) it also helps to diversify the group and make reading accessible to younger people (we all know the stereotype that reading has). Younger people are often more scared of classics and not ‘getting’ them and this shows there are also fun young adult books focussing on their age related issues that you can just READ.
Yes, it can put pressure on them but look at the sales going up and the amount of young people reading out and about and actually ENJOYING it. and some of these comments are so focused on ‘oh no, putting pressure on the youth’ or ‘they just want to feel special for reading a lot’ that they are actually deflecting their own insecurities. A lot of people are like ‘oh i hated this classic when i had to read it for school but 10 years later i love it’, exactly, reading for school often isn’t fun and that’s why a lot of people stop reading for a while. It’s great that there’s a community for everyone to feel at home in in the booktube community. Let’s not look down on people or fill in why they may do what they do, it doesn’t help anyone and the same can be said about the smaller channels that read less books.
Everyone reads differently, there are no right or wrong ways to read a book as long as you enjoyed it. Let people enjoy things
I have adhd so my reading is pretty on and off and completely mood based, but im totally okay with that! I can go 3 months without reading a whole book (luckily im not as busy as I used to be, so im able to read more) and some months, I binge read books like I cannot get enough. Ive stopped judging my reading habits and recognize that my reading comes in waves!
Nice to see someone having the same approach to reading as I do. :)
Just enjoying the bookish friendship of Mark, Matt and you and the videos you three put out here. :)
Haha thank you! Glad you enjoy all of our content! I look forward to hearing more from you!
This is often something that worries me as well, and you put it into words! I too have a decent collection of books, but as you said, mine have been building up since I was a CHILD. I typically enjoy pastime reading i.e. on the internet or articles, but when it comes to physical books it's a little different. When I read I become incredibly invested and because of that my buying habits lean more towards, "I'll buy it If I know I'll like or if it genuinely interests me." Because of that, I find myself always enjoying my books and the after effect is I buy books very erratically. I don't understand buying first then figuring what it is all about later. I am by no means saying surprises are a bad thing, but I've noticed with some people they'll buy the book then realize they don't like it. It seems like such a waste to me. Also as you mentioned, I live below the poverty line so sadly that does impact my ability to read and buy at times and why I strongly emphasize knowledge of the book beforehand, even if it is just one book. Another thing I noticed is that typically with book tube everything looks so aesthetically pleasing. I also fear that might contribute to the idea of consumerism, you might have the books but they have to LOOK good. I don't like that because of my living in poverty. I don't even have a dedicated booksheld, so all my books are stacked on top of each other from biggest to smallest. Honestly I'm fine with that as long as they are organized and I don't buy explicitly for looks, though that is a plus, but to read. I don't think they're aware of it, so I can't claim this as actual issue, but I do feel like the notion is there. These are just my thoughts, and I apologize for any grammar mistakes! This was an amazing video though!
Edit: By knowledge beforehand, I mean read the synopsis, maybe some excerpts, tv tropes, as much information as possible. While I can see that this could spoil the book, it does ensure that the book will be enjoyable to me. One shouldn't have to do this, but for someone with little to no money like me, this is my personal method and I've always been happy with the results. If I'm still unsure I just go to a library :). Even I don't always adhere by this though after all it's nice to have some surprises!
Great content. Keep up with the good work. It's always good to hear new perspectives on reading.
Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed!
i totally agree with you about booktube, i’ve been reading my whole life and can still rarely manage a book in a week. i love those peoples content but i feel really intimidated about how they constantly promote how many books they read and make videos about how to read more or faster. it’s taken some joy out of reading because i feel like i should just be reading more or quicker the whole time, i don’t get to really sit there and take in the book like i like to. reading should ultimately be about enjoying the experience and not trying to speed through to show off. anyway i would love videos about how to start and read certain classics because i have some i would love to read but am also kinda scared to
My thoughts emulate yours exactly! Also my most recent video about Of Human Bondage is about how to get into certain classics so you make like that one!
Thanks Tyler. I am trying to make reading a habit. Your video helped me to realize, stick to what I like and absorb it. I need not rush. Keep up your good work.
I am happy I could help! Just read when you can and remember that progress, regardless of how small it is, is still progress
looking forward to your upcoming content! i’m a fairly new reader and can’t wait to take part in your discoveries with book on a deeper level
Thank you! I look forward to seeing more comments from you!
I LOVED this video, what a breath of fresh air!!! I am a new reader, wanted to get into it to relax and unplug from everyday life / stress. I turned to booktube to get some recommendations on where to start and before I knew it I have developed this guilt and panic that I'm not getting through books fast enough, that I'm not reading consistently etc. What was intended to be purely for happiness / pleasure turned into the exact hustle culture I was trying to get away from.
So thank you, thank you for grounding me back to why I wanted to read in the first place.
P.S Love your humour, really looking forward to checking out your other videos.
I really relate to what you say in here. I am also a high school teacher and a uni student, and it has taken me a few years to learn how to be patient with myself and the amount of book I can read now with all the work, in comparision to how much I used to read years ago. Everything I do is progress, and it is the best I can do while keeping me sane hahaha.
Thank for sharing your experience, have a great day!
Thank you for the comment! I am glad you enjoyed! Progress is all that matters, even if it is tiny and incremental; progress is progress!
I agree 100%, a lot of book tubers become almost like a home shopping channel, almost everyone one of them except for a few not only make these endless haul videos of books but also book boxes, but also they become reps so they push book boxes and stores they get kick backs from. It's discouraging....I come to booktube for vids about books that are loved and discussions about them. I'm so glad I found your channel...Please don't change into the " QVC" booktuber.
Thank you so much for your comment! I have to be honest I don't even know what a "QVC" booktuber is but I promise I will always want to talk about books and topics around that! I will never want to do bookhaul videos since I don't really see a great discussion coming out of that
I fully agree with everything you said and I just subscribed. This is what I have been looking for.
I just found this channel randomly, and I really like your videos (I also love reading).
I'm still watching this video, but I had to comment! Finally, someone gets it! I'm also a teacher/graduate student, and my reading habits are non-existent. But I thought I was alone because everybody seems to have time to read every day and I don't. Feels good to know there are more of us out there!
Im glad another non-existent reading habits person exists too! It is way more common than we think haha! Thank you for the comment!
Thank you for this video. I needed to hear this!!
hey! just commenting here to thank u for these videos. i'm a highschool student and my favorite hobby is reading, but my classes are taking all my time and I'm taking like a month to finish a book that in the past i read in a week, so seeing people that are slow readers too is comforting.
greetings from Brazil!!
I can't agree with you more, and it's not just with books, it's the consumerism across TH-cam as a whole. In the study community, it's the same way with buy this or that and it perpetuates that this will get you high grades, but that's not the case. I was even hesitant to start a channel because I felt I couldn't keep up with all the hauls, but I finally decided who cares, just read what you can and just talk about books and education. I love the idea that you are going to delve deep into the books, I'm so excited for this as I love the classics but so many other genres as well and I can't wait to see what you'll teach us! Thanks for sharing! :)
Love that you have the Expanse series on your bookshelf!
This is one of the best BOOKTUBE video that I ever watch. Breaking the incorrect mind set in reading habits.
New sub here :) PROGRESS IS PROGRESS :) Thank you for this. I hope you can inspire more book lovers.
Re: A Little Life-- I can't say that I agree that "that's what reading should be" because there's no right way to read. Whether you read a literary work and then delve into the comments and participate in deep analysis and discussion, or you engage in graphic novels or serials... Read what you read, like what you like. Read a favourite 20 times or read 20 new books, non-fiction or manga; reading is a hobby and you should engage with the material without being demeaned because someone thinks their way of reading is more meaningful.
It feels a lot like the arguments from people who praise Citizen Kane and bash on superhero movies... And I honestly find that more exclusionary than any other booktube content I've seen.
Along with the pressure to _always be reading more,_ I think there's this subtle discouragement towards re-reading. There's several library books I've read recently where I really want to go back to buy my own copy and highlight and dogear all I want because I _know_ I missed stuff the first time through, and it's...strange? Not to see this sentiment much on Booktube. It exists, certainly, but the impulse towards new seems so much stronger here.
I suppose it's because Booktube is often used more as a curator of recommendations than anything, but...idk. What I've seen as I have started watching more stuff in this space is definitely not reflective of how I read, so there's a bit of a funhouse mirror feeling in not seeing yourself there. 😅
"Progress is progress. You don't have to read 150 books a year to be a good reader. A good reader is someone who continually tries to improve and continually practices reading." This is gold.
“Bookreading should be a community of people who want to engage on a material” this resonated so much with what I initially thought booktube was (when it began to become popular around 2015), but it never was that, it has always been a platform to perpetuate the elitist culture that has always been associated with the act of reading and that implies inevitably the ability to purchase huge book hauls, having enough time and lack of worries to do 24 hour reading marathons. Anyways, you’re truly making great content
I’m pretty new to booktube. I changed the direction of my channel recently and decided to become a booktuber myself. I’ve been thinking about exactly what you’re talking about in this video over the past few weeks. I’m glad I found you! Great video.
Well thank you so much for the kind words! I hope making videos goes well and I will be on the lookout for them!
you raise some interesting points! i definitely agree that booktube pressures people to just "get through" a book and then immediately start on the next. i'm a pretty slow reader myself so it's hard to wrap my head around the fact that people can read 20+ books a month. and it can be pretty discouraging. i'm not against book hauls, though. a lot of the time i'm exposed to new releases that i probably wouldn't have heard of otherwise. when i was getting back into reading after college, hauls really helped me figure out where i wanted to start. my only problem with the consumerism side is if the person never makes the effort of reading the book. i'll see unhauls where someone says "i bought this ___ years ago and i have no interest in reading it now." (this is, of course, excluding when publishers send people books without contacting them first. i see that mentioned often.)
i do wish there were more in depth discussions on books. sometimes i want to do that myself, but i get imposter syndrome. i never studied literature at a higher level, so i feel unqualified to have in depth discussions. it's possible others feel the same way. who knows. either way, i'm glad to see a bit of change! sorry for this long comment lol. best of luck with your reading/channel/teaching :-)
Hey Sarah! I read your comment and decided to check out your channel and I watched your most recent video (the April reading vlog one). I really enjoyed your thoughts on Dickens and I just want to say that you should absolutely try to do in-depth discussions on books! I get imposter syndrome too and I majored in English in college! I would say just give it a shot, your videos are great so I subscribed! Keep up the great content!
@@colorlesswonderland glad to know imposter syndrome affects us all lol but thank you so much!! will definitely try to incorporate more in depth discussions 😄
bro, as a former teacher myself (I taught English as a foreign language back in Brazil for 2 years and then another year in Colombia), I can relate to a lot of what you say. please keep up the good content, your channel is very genuine.
Haha thank you!! That means a lot, especially from another teacher! Hope all is well!
I often wondered how booktubers read 3, 4 or 5 books per week. Or giving yourself a goal of 20+ books per month, it just means that you're going to avoid bigger books or giving yourself the time to take in what you're reading. The best book I read last year was "My name is red", wasnt it Ray Bradbury who said you should read 1 short story, 1 essay & 1 essay a day?
I don’t really understand buying books especially as many as some of these “booktubers” buy. A library card is free and the options are pretty endless. Yes, there is a due date but, for me, that is motivation to read. The only time I even consider buying a book is when I can’t find it on my library online or my city’s public library. Cuts down on my consumerism and makes more room in my house.
I enjoy your videos. I'm relatively new to Booktube (I basically watch bookshelf tours). My reading habits are a bit mixed. I'm in public affairs for a federal agency, and I read a good deal of business/economics/finance books. Some of these books are about companies, crises, issues I want to know more about. Some of it relates to the work I do. Many of the books I read reference other books, and I use that, at times, to develop further reading ideas. I mix in some more exciting spy or suspense novels. Sometimes I throw in some horror. I've hit on histories or biographies. Now, my business/economics/finance habit can sound dry or boring, but there are MANY stories that read like suspense.
Love this!
I want to start my own youtube channel talking about books and films just like your content. I am mostly discouraged starting the yt channel because of the booktubers mainstream content. I'm not that interested in book hauls and wrap ups, or reading a chunk of books in a short time. And watching your videos, I know what type of content I want to upload. I want to talk about a book in depth and how it impacted me or made me feel. You're such an inspiration to people still trying to immerse in books and literature (like me, considering that I didn't read when I was a child, nor in high school; I started reading just last year which makes me insecure about myself as a reader). Anyway, thank you!!!
Glad you did this video! I get annoyed with booktubers talking about the same popular books all the time, it becomes repetitive 🙄 there are so many incredible authors out there that don’t get the hype? so I started my own 😂 Just subscribed awesome channel 🥰👌
I agree with you, most booktube contents are really toxic nowadays.
I love book hauls and bookshelf tours, however I really question people reading multiple books in shorter periods of time.
So glad to have your videos recommended on my home page :)
Thank you for this video. I have Diabetic Retinopathy, and the location of one of my blindspots is just to the right of my central focus. So I'm unable to see the entirety of long words, or scan ahead and start on the next word.
This makes my reading speed a lot slower than it used to be, and it gets a bit depressing at times. Your encouragement in this video about not having to be as fast, or a binge reader, was very uplifting. Thanks again.
Honestly I never watch haul videos from booktubers/any youtubers because they make me feel poor that I can't afford all those books LOL. I prefer wrap up/individual review videos where I can hear their thoughts about books that they read to see if I might be interested in reading those too and get good books recommendation.
I love this. I’m a single mum so I don’t get chance to speed read a 10 book month haul , I ain’t got room for a big fancy library and (god forbid) I read a lot on my kindle, the horror 😱 and if I read a physical book, I buy it from a charity shop or use the library. Some booktubers really do put you off
Thank you for creating this kind of content, I really enjoy it. Greetings from Mexico :)
Thank you for the comment! I am glad you enjoy!
I would love to see a video, focusing on what aspects future book tubers can focus their channels on to grow the community
I love this. As an adult with a full time job where I actually have to pay attention to what I do, it’s hard to fit in a lot of reading even when I have audiobooks available. Reading should be about the books and the ideas and the enjoyment of it.
I’m glad I came across this video! I’ve been wanting to start a book tube channel but I’ve been very reluctant to do so. I am one of those people who can’t afford a monthly book haul and prefers to use the local library or splurge a few times a year on used books. I finally decided that my channel would focus on the books and not on THE books, if that makes sense. Then the issue of what’s the point of making videos that no ones going to watch because people apparently want to watch the hauls and the “I read 350 books this year”videos. Give the people what they want I guess!
The consumerism in book tube (all of social media) is a bit of a blight but thankfully not all channels are like that.
I also think there is a massive lack of tubers reviewing children’s books. Popular overhyped middle grade books have become a thing but it’s the same ones over and over and over. I have 3 children and I want to raise children who love to read, question their world, and learn to “walk in another’s shoes”. Where are those videos? It’s incredibly difficult to find just the right book for a child who is a new or reluctant reader! I’m hoping that can be something I can offer. My biggest reading pet peeve is parents or educators who discourage “silly” books that could be the first stepping stone to a lifetime of reading. I think children are very unrepresented on book tube when they should be the people receiving the most encouragement!
I’m a reader who can read only a few books a month (nonfiction and classics take time) and then read twenty the next month. But, I’ll be the first to admit that it’s because I’m reading fun entertaining books rather than ones that requires the full use of my mind and attention. I don’t necessarily think that book tube as a whole presents itself as a closed group where you aren’t welcome if you can’t “keep up”. Many channels have videos offering advice on where to start being a reader and encourage people to read in whatever way suits them best. I’m more concerned that so many viewers watch the videos that appear to be bragging and self congratulatory but ignore the videos about beginners classics or other advice to help discouraged readers. So is the issue the book tubers or the viewers? Both?
i wasn't a reader until i stumbled upon booktube. i think in its current form, booktubes biggest way of getting people into reading is through the audience getting to see a lot of different and reviewed books to pick from, and through recognising books that appear frequently in many different peoples video. basically, it gives you a place to start to find stories you might like.
I just started reading and I can definitely relate to some of the stuff you mention, so I ended up setting a rule for myself that I won't buy a new book unless I've finished the one I'm currently reading (unless it's on a really cool sale xD) because I don't like to read 2 books at the same time, so buying a new one is useless for me so yah, it's been working so far.
I just read whenever i want to, sometimes i can read 2/3 books a week, or i can read one book in four months! I don’t want reading to become like a thing that i MUST do, it’s more that I’m enjoying reading that’s why I’m reading, as simple as that.
I was really good last year with my books for me i read mostly books ive had for a long time and really loved it i had a great reading year. Takeing my time and absorbing it all in. For me as a reader i take a day or a few days between books to sink it the lovely stories i hope everyone has had a great year last year
I'm a really slow reader because I like to spend a lot of time with the author and their words and also because my attention span is a joke, and it's really refreshing to see a fellow Booktuber who doesn't focus on numbers! I do like to collect books so I buy at a faster rate than I read, but I just tell myself that one day I'll be retired in a gray moor with nothing to do and then I'll be thankful for the stacks of unread 🥲
That is exactly how I am! For every book I read I always buy 3 more it is a really bad habit but I enjoy having a bunch. I am also the same with spending a ton of time on the author. I am also researching stuff while reading the book so I get the full scope of everything that is happening! Thank you for the comment!
Yes I have noticed that most of those book reviews are not about the book themselves but more about the covers and aesthetics of books. This is not what reading books is all about, not that I don't enjoy having a good looking book but if the book is not engaging then its a total waste of money for me. So yeah. Finally, a sense of some normality between these booktubers. Lookin forward to more of your content.
I am so glad you enjoyed the video! I definitely see that trend with Booktubers today too! There is a definite hyper focus on aesthetics than content. I am pretty sure that is what Dark Academia is too! It is definitely taking reading in a weird direction that I want to avoid on my channel! I hope to hear more from you in future videos!
I think that it’s every viewe’s responsibility to think that “Being a TH-camr could be a job”. If they read 150 books per year, it’s their job, as TH-camr, as content creator. Many booktubers are also studying literature, so it’s not a secret that they gotta read more than average. By reading more books, booktubers can create more contents, to get more earnings. They prioritise reading time, it’s part of their responsibility. We could read maybe 3 hours a day. But booktubers maybe read 9 hours a day, like an office work.
Just took booktubers as inspiration or entertainment, not comparison to oneself.
I completely understand your perspective here! Many Booktubers do read as a job which gives them a vastly different life than the majority of other readers. My arguments here were centered around the kind of stigma it establishes about reading. I'm really just viewing this in conjunction with how much my own students find it difficult to get into literature.!
I completely agree. I think many can be a bit unfair towards booktubers sometimes. Many viewers don't seem to be aware of the fact they're contributing to the consumerism.
I’ve just found book tube as I’m a circle facilitator who plans to offer online zoom book club circles where we read a book and then attend circle to talk on the book but mainly on one particular theme in the book. Say I choose Anne of Green Gables, we may do activities in circle to do with coming of age/inner child and remembering the joy of that time.
I see the huge hauls too and I simply add to my want to read list on goodreads as I do want to keep up with what’s new as well as going back to the classics. I also find that kindle or audible copies are cheaper than physical copies so that’s what I gravitate to just for the sake of the mighty $ and my lack of them. 😂
The zoom book club sounds like an excellent idea and I love the potential of that! Keep up the great work!
I've also noticed a trend of them getting rid of books or banning authors and acting like they're holier than thou, so those that still enjoy those books or the authors' works are made to feel shame or like this is an exclusive club where you have to worry about what's in and what's out, instead of it being an escape into other worlds and concepts you might never experience in any other format. I've never felt pressured by that or the consumerism, can't afford to care but I know plenty of others have felt that way and it saddens me as an avid reader who'd like to see more people enjoying this wonderful medium.
I agree with you. I know what a hard job working in education is like. I read when I can and when I feel like it. I generally read for about an hour a day total and that's fine with me. It can sometimes take me months to read a book. I also only buy books im interested in.
looking at all the books in the background and we seem to have similar taste! great vid, new sub gained:)
Thank you so much for the compliment! Glad you enjoyed it!
I'm late to your channel and this video, but I totally agree with what you're saying as well. I'm also a teacher (5th grade) and it's so hard to find a kid who likes to read or is curious about books. I always try to have a book in my hand to try and inspire kids to read more, but I NEVER have a new book every day of the week.
I really enjoy watching these book hauls these people make, it helps me find out about a lot of new books to add to my goodreads list, but I totally agree with the overwhelming number of books these guys read. So far I've read 28ish books, and I'll probably make it to around 50 because I have prioritized reading this year, but I know it wont be sustainable year after year. How is it possible that they make it to any more than 70 and with chunky books too!? I'm not the type of person to let that affect me and my self image, but I was a reader before booktube was a thing. Lol. I feel bad if someone gets inspired by these people and then- just as you say- gives up because they can't reach the same level.
Thanks for your thoughts and the video. :)
i do a mix of buying books (only in spanish so i can learn the language and engage with) and library books for english reads. it makes me wonder why booktubers dont praise libraries mroe from what ive seen, in fact it almost seems like they look down on people who use libraries to read bc theyre not engaging with that hyperconsumerism
My biggest issue with Booktube is how repetitive it is, and how I can never find actual good recommendations for books because everyone is recommending the same kinds of books that I don't like. I still watch booktube for the creators themselves, but I don't read the same books as these people.
I just assumed the huge stack of books was to help keep the monster behind the tiny door from getting into the room. I'm also a high school English teacher. Before the pandemic, taking students to the library every week was very much a counter to what you're saying in this video. Now I've introduced students to e-books and they seem very happy with checking them out or finding legal books for free with their apps on their devices. Peace!
Thank you for your perspective as a teacher! I would love to do this with my students except they would never read stuff independently. I would love to get my students where yours are in due time!
Glad I found this channel and completely agree with all of this. Like you said at around 2:00, progress is progress. It's okay to NOT be SuperReader and plow through 15 books a second. I like that you enjoy what you do and I think that's the critical issue. "Am I enjoying what I'm reading?" is the central question. If not, I put the book down - even if it has a ton of or lack of critical acclaim.
I am what I would call a periodic reader. Sometimes I read a lot and sometimes I won't touch a book for a few months. I am writing this in January 2022 and so far this month I have read 6 books and will probably read more before the end of the month. That said I didn't read any books between September to December. I just was not in the mood at the time and now I am. As for Booktube, I do agree that sometimes it does seem to promote raw consumerism measured in quantity rather than celebrate the enjoyment of literature in whatever genres you enjoy. There also seems to be a race to go over, however briefly new releases as soon as possible. I would love to see more videos by Booktubers that instead of listing off what they read with a brief synopsis of one book to take a deep dive into a book. Get into the plot and characters and plot and do an in-depth review. If they are inclined to stream it could be more of a book club setup. Just a thought.
thank you! very important video! but i also think theres people who just really read a lot and share that on youtube. not everyone is pretentious
I see people reading 50+ books a month and I'm like how can you manage that? I do need to stop buying so many books though. I'm doing an unhaul and I have hundreds of books I...don't even want.
I completely agree. I don't understand how people can reach so much in a month! Also, you may not want the books now but you may want them in the future! Consider it an investment haha
About the consumerism aspect, I'm not from US and I always wonder why most book tubers don't speak anything about libraries? Is it not common to loan books? It's always buying books, and if you don't like the book then it's just wasted money
I completely agree! I worked at a library for a few years and am baffled but the lack of attention given to how amazing of a resource they are!
There are a lot of booktubers I watch who talk about libraries (including at least one who exclusively uses libraries and gives away almost every book sent to them).
And at least once a month I hear most of the people I follow talking about how they could only read this many books because of their library. :) Maybe it's uncommon in certain corners of booktube, but I've honestly only come across 2 people who've never mentioned libraries in their content (at least not in the content that I've noticed).
Personally I exclusively read books/audiobooks the first time from my local libraries, but I'm lucky to live near a major US city that's very well-stocked.
I agree with so much of what you said. I take full advantage of library books and swaps between friends. Reading is the one place in life that doesn’t need to be a competition. My last comment: booktube…books first, booktubers last.
“Of Human Bondage” is Maugham’s most widely known work. I enjoyed reading it many years ago. As you will see it is strongly focused on relationships, self-worth, disability, social dynamics between classes, etc.
[Maugham = mawm]
It really was an excellent book! I want to check out his other works now!
Late to this, but I hear ya. I had a book-buying problem before Book Tube, but I’ve been sucked in repeatedly to buying something (many somethings) because some Book Tuber I watch and like raved about said volume. And it’s been a serious struggle to even try to stop it.
I’ve always been a voracious reader, but over time (ancient person here) I’ve slowed down. Because honestly, who cares? No one. Now I just read as, how, when, and as fast/slow as pleases me.
I wish more Book Tubers would do deep dives into specific books. I like to hear lots of ideas about the books I read, because it Spurs my on thinking.
Thanks for an interesting video.
I see Antkind and Marlon James on your shelf. Two of my favs along with Murakami and Baldwin etc.
There’s a difference between reading and buying books to make sure you have constant TH-cam content versus having content after you’ve read what you enjoy. I’ve wanted to make book videos but haven’t yet because I love reading too much. When I’m done with a book, I immediately can’t wait to start on the next one. I can’t see myself stoping reading to focus on making a video. I know, this just means I’m more of a reader than a book tuber and I’m not trying to sound above anyone. It’s just the difference I see between the ways people experience books and or book tube.
I managed a Waldenbooks for 13 years, and the books (between what I bought, advanced readers, prizes…..) amassed to an overwhelming volume, it cured me of needing to own all of them. I only buy a book when it’s one of select favorite authors or something I feel is super special. Otherwise I have all of the reading apps, using Libby by far the most since everything on there is just a library loan. Tho, when I order from Amazon, if I have a choice for slower delivery to get credit towards kindle books, I ALWAYS take the slower deliver/kindle credit.
I also think what you said applies not only to new readers, but to people who want to start a Booktube channel and make bookish content. It's intimidating to see the sheer amount of books read and bought. It makes accessibility into the community difficult, both as a reader and as an aspiring content creator.
i love this. just recently discovered your channel and Mark's.
One of the aha moment for me when watching booktube is when one of the most prominent booktuber made a video about books referenced by Taylor Swift. And in that video one of the song referenced has the wrong lyrics taken from another song with the same title (it was Evermore, which is also a Beauty and The Beast song). And... how can you be wrong about this when you claim to be a Swiftie? (just for reference, I'm not even a Swiftie, but I like her songs enough that I know those are the wrong lyrics).
That made me rethink about the quality of videos and research that a lot of booktubers did. If they read a song lyrics wrong, what else could be wrong? And that I didn't really get a lot of insights about reading or books from those channel. I gain new appreciation to booktubers that's not as "fast paced" and do not pretend that they know what they're saying about a book. They talk about reading vlog style but when they found something profound they can talk about it in depth (TheBookLeo and *emmie* comes to mind). It's like hanging out with your bookish friend who recommends books to you.
I also gain new appreciation of the more serious types of young ppl who made content about reading and literary philosophy like R.C. Waldun and his friends. I used to think his videos were vague and the points weren't well made. But I recently got on his channel again and found he has matured a lot in his philosophical thoughts and writing. And that made me appreciate young people going against the grain, not being into celebrity culture and not into churning out contents that only drives views. And really talking about reading and learning with such passion. I would recommend highschoolers to check out his channel. Even though I'm a good decade older than he is, I'm still in awe with his passion for reading and knowledge, and his insights about how to live an authentic life.
Love your channel too btw and when you talk about teaching
Preach....
Progress=Progress, I love that!
Same Tyler. Bored, boring, but happy :)
You deserve more subscribers
my only time when I read is during breaks at work. I think all the time "when there will be weekends I will be able to read more because I will have more time" and during my weekends I almost don't read at all...
I just started a booktube channel, and one of the reasons why it took me so long to actually start filming and upload any video is that every video TH-cam shows is BOOK HAUL 50 BOOKS I JUST GOT
And that is scary, how can I measure to that level?
But this video gave me a different perspective on what could be better content that the usual "You should read this book or your readding taste sucks " kind of video
Thank you!
I don't like speeding through a book, even if I have time, even if I'm loving the book. To me, an important part of the reading experience is the time spent NOT reading, when I can digest the material and commit certain ideas to memory.
Oh damn aren't you another underrated booktuber to whom TH-cam algorithm didn't do justice! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!
On a side note, what microphone do you use?
Oh wow thank you for such the kind words! I don't really focus too much on the TH-cam algorithm so this means a lot thank you! I use a Blue Yeti microphone from Best Buy; it was around 100$ but you can find a still good version of that called the Blue Yeti Nano for around 50$! I hope this helps!
I agree with you🥺
Totally agree with what you are saying about reading habits and what is happening in Booktube. Please note some of their 'book hauls' are gifts from their subscribers, or books they have purchased from thrift / Op Shops. But also Amazon etc. Anyway agree with what you are saying. ......... As a teacher I would love to see a video from you, what you think the current reading habits of teenagers are. My son was a huge reader until he hit Year 10, 11, and 12 (Australia School System). The way they teach reading / analysing books here, just wrecked his interest in reading books ever since. Do you seem similar problems happening over in your country? ..... Last thing, stop saying your a boring person. Ahhhh.
Thank you for the comment! I actually had no idea many of those books were gifts or cheaply purchased. I still think it promotes a negative stigma about reading! From my experience as a teacher so far, I would say that their reading habits are almost nonexistent; my students don't read at all. It might be due to the type of school that I teach at but there are a jarring lack of teenagers who actively avoid reading at all costs. It is deeply concerning. As a teacher my goal is to try to make reading/books accessible for new students but a lot of their dislike for reading is so deeply cemented in the follies of the American education system that it seems impossible to fix
Ive just come across this video but thank you. I came across booktube about a year ago and i admit i enjoyed it but now its becoming so repetitive. The people all look the same, they all read the same book. And finally i find the book hauls they do fascinating. How do they read so much? With a full time job i can only read at the weekends. After work im really tired. I felt guilty at only reading on my free weekends.
I have found a ton of books by people recommending books on TH-cam. I do read a lot of books at home and at work and in public places. I do happen to be a reader of contemporary romance and mystery books. I have always enjoyed reading books.
Not only is that style of consumerist reading infeasible for some folks, the ideas actually harm folks who don't have access to books so easily in the first place (e.g. readers in non-Western countries)
Exactly! That's why I think we should be emphasizing the importance of libraries!
I know I am biased because I am a librarian, but the habit of buying books in book tube always stressed me out. Why would you buy books, especially New at full prices, when you have a library with free resources available 😭
I personally like to read from libraries first, if I really like the book enough and want to own it, then I will purchase it for my collection.