It is always dangerous to listen to your recommendations, in the best possible way, because my TBR lists grows! Really looking forward esp to Romantic Outlaws. Last year I read Frankenstein for the first time and then was in London for a month. I walked most mornings to St Pancras Old Church Garden. There is a tombstone for Mary Wollstonecraft there and I have read that it also marks a meeting place for her daughter Mary (age 15) and Shelley (21),
Thank you for the video - more books to add on my tbr again :) I love your shirt! I wish I could find something similar with dandelion seeds - I have been lookin for that print.
Brilliant, Britta! You made me laugh when you said, "I don't have this book anymore because I was so irked by it that I unhauled it." I have started to do that too--as fast as I can these days--when a book really irks me. I hope you're doing well, Britta. Always lovely to see one your videos pop up!
Romantic Outlaws sounds fantastic. I just found Jennifer Brooks TH-cam channel about 6 months before she passed, and it still breaks my heart. She had such interesting content and was so knowledgeable. Memories of the Future sounds good, too. It peaked my interest b/c of the MN connection. She was born 20 minutes from where I live, so I will definitely give her a try. Happy New Year!
Jennifer's death was such a shock and so very sad. Her channel was fantastic, yes. And that's funny about your Minnesota-connection with SH, I hope you will give it a try!
Good video as always. I have Praiseworthy on the desk with a book mark ready to go. No excuses now. It’s definitely going to be the year of Big Books. Thanks again for alerting me to Siri Hustvedt. Although I had read The Blazing World I have now realised she is so much more and I loved those I read last year. 🤗
Thank you so much, Penny! I'm very curious what you think of Praiseworthy, let me know once you've finished it. And yay to reading more Siri Hustvedt. ☺️
Always appreciate hearing your recommendations. I loved Eve because she was prepared to be speculative. I hope it provokes more research. I need to make time for Praiseworthy. I read How to Say Babylon and had reservations. I was interested in learning more about the Rastafari religion but I think you hit it on the head saying it lacked self-reflection. I keep seeing it on best of the year lists but not on mine!
Yes, indeed I like the speculations as well. I think (= I hope) you will appreciate Praiseworthy. And Babylon was such a disappointment. I picked it up for the exact same reason, and was really excited about learning more about the Rastafari. (Actually, those info-dumpy parts about the origin of the religion were the best parts...) Have a wonderful year, Ros!
I have ordered Romantic outlaws and memories of the future. Thank you. I have also just started The Incarnations by Susan Barker. Have you read this? Wow
I hope you will enjoy both books! I havent read any Susan Barker, yet - yes, yes, I know - but I've seen Old Soul pop up at various channels (Simon Savidge, for example), so I guess it's time for me to remedy that miss, and I put Incarnations on my list. ☺️
Hi Britta. Thank you so much for warning me off of how to say Babylon. I’ve been watching a lot of of 2024 best of reads and I almost fell for this one. Writing a memoir is very tricky. I know because I wrote one also out of print😀 because I put it out of print. I still think my memoir holds up, but let’s just say my writing and punctuation is much better now. I don’t think there is such a thing as auto fiction. Either it’s true or it’s fiction. Auto fiction is fiction based on truth maybe. Have a happy new year. Aloha friend.
Happy 2025 to you as well, Marilyn! Hopefully a better year for you better than 2024... Auto-fiction is kind of a made-up-thing, right? And memoirs are always tricks, you have to keep it personal but still be able to look at yourself from a distance.
Romantic Outlaws was on my own top ten Britta, brilliant book! Eve is also definitely one I’ll get to at some point. Didn’t seem like a long video at all!
I loved 'Romantic Outlaws' when I read it a few years ago, it might be due for a re-read. Also, I share your feelings about 'Eve', ' 'Memories of the Future', and 'Study for 'Obedience' - I usually agree with you about most things. I had a good reading year, a couple of my Tops were 'The Mighty Red' Louise Erdrich, 'Based on a True Story' Delphine de Vigan (your recommendation), and 'The Empusium' by Olga Takerczuk.
Happy to hear you had such a good reading year, Melanie. And also that you've enjoyed de Vigan, fabulous! I still have to get to Erdrich's and Tokarczuk's latest books (hopefully soon).
I read Abulhawa's Against the Loveless World last week and enjoyed it almost as much as Mornings in Jenin. She's becoming one of my favourites. I added Romantic Outlaws to my want-to-read list. Funny, I don't remember you mentioning it before. As for Booker winners - I really don't get along with them. I DNF'd Orbital just last week. It really didn't work for me.
I really liked Loveless World as well, so poignant. Sorry to hear about Orbital, but I can understand it. It's certainly a book that doesn't work for everyone...
I know you don't like biographies, but I'm going to suggest two you might love: "Vita" (about Vita Sackville West) by Victoria Glendinning and "Nora," a life of Nora Joyce by Brenda Maddox. Richard Ellman (biographer of James Joyce and father of Lucy Ellmann) Maddox that Nora wasn't worth writing about. I'm so glad she ignored him. Happy New Year!
A very happy 2025 to you as well, Stephanie! And thank you for the recommendations, I have actually read both those books and loved them both, so you're spot on! 😊 (I do read biographies if they succeed in telling a story and not just giving me dates and facts.)
OH heavens. I should have just taken your word. I watched this last night and Babylon had JUST been came off my holds into my library shelf... so i figured, what the heck I'll try anyway. I'm just over halfway through and I just... oh goodness. You know, so far there IS something here. And once in a while (listening so that may have an effect on how I'm experiencing language) I get a hint of lyricism but not enough to know if this is supposed to be in the style of novel in verse or not. Mostly? she needs an editor. This is far too long and repetitive and the "i didn't yet know' type foreshadowing leads lose the point of such things after the first few uses. I've already made it this far so I'll push through the rest on my next work shift since my brain isn't as engaged wiht what I'm listening to but...this is really disappointing.
I nodded all the way through our comment! It's such a pity that no editor helped this book to get into better shape because I agree, there is something there, or at least there could have been...
Eve was so brilliant. 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩
Absolutely! Loved it!
It is always dangerous to listen to your recommendations, in the best possible way, because my TBR lists grows! Really looking forward esp to Romantic Outlaws. Last year I read Frankenstein for the first time and then was in London for a month. I walked most mornings to St Pancras Old Church Garden. There is a tombstone for Mary Wollstonecraft there and I have read that it also marks a meeting place for her daughter Mary (age 15) and Shelley (21),
Happy to be of service! 😂 Incidentally, a friend of mine was visiting London in December and sent me a picture of MW's tombstone.
Great video, you’re a breath of fresh air Britta😊
Aww, thank you so much! ❤️
Thank you for the video - more books to add on my tbr again :) I love your shirt! I wish I could find something similar with dandelion seeds - I have been lookin for that print.
Thank you for the compliment, Susanna. I hope you'll find the shirt you're looking for!
Loved your review of Eve! Spot on!🎉
Aww, thank you!! ❤️
Brilliant, Britta! You made me laugh when you said, "I don't have this book anymore because I was so irked by it that I unhauled it." I have started to do that too--as fast as I can these days--when a book really irks me. I hope you're doing well, Britta. Always lovely to see one your videos pop up!
Aww, thank you so much, Pat! ❤️ And yes, LoL, I just couldn't stand the sight of the book.Have a wonderful 2025!
Romantic Outlaws sounds fantastic. I just found Jennifer Brooks TH-cam channel about 6 months before she passed, and it still breaks my heart. She had such interesting content and was so knowledgeable. Memories of the Future sounds good, too. It peaked my interest b/c of the MN connection. She was born 20 minutes from where I live, so I will definitely give her a try. Happy New Year!
Jennifer's death was such a shock and so very sad. Her channel was fantastic, yes. And that's funny about your Minnesota-connection with SH, I hope you will give it a try!
Good video as always. I have Praiseworthy on the desk with a book mark ready to go. No excuses now. It’s definitely going to be the year of Big Books. Thanks again for alerting me to Siri Hustvedt. Although I had read The Blazing World I have now realised she is so much more and I loved those I read last year. 🤗
Thank you so much, Penny! I'm very curious what you think of Praiseworthy, let me know once you've finished it. And yay to reading more Siri Hustvedt. ☺️
Deep respect. Nice picks.
Thank you very much!
I loved Romantic Outlaws as well! Well researched and well written.
Happy to hear you liked the book as well!
Romantic outlaws sounds intriguing. I will put it on my list to pick up next. Thank you!
I hope you will enjoy it, Katja!
Always appreciate hearing your recommendations. I loved Eve because she was prepared to be speculative. I hope it provokes more research. I need to make time for Praiseworthy.
I read How to Say Babylon and had reservations. I was interested in learning more about the Rastafari religion but I think you hit it on the head saying it lacked self-reflection. I keep seeing it on best of the year lists but not on mine!
Yes, indeed I like the speculations as well. I think (= I hope) you will appreciate Praiseworthy. And Babylon was such a disappointment. I picked it up for the exact same reason, and was really excited about learning more about the Rastafari. (Actually, those info-dumpy parts about the origin of the religion were the best parts...) Have a wonderful year, Ros!
@brittabohlerthesecondshelf and you Britta.
Great video And a new word for us book lovers/collectors: "unhauled." Lol. I love it.
Happy to hear you enjoyed the video, Gary! And yes, unhauling is the new thing 😂.
Thanks for the tips on the flops, I'll avoid those.
My pleasure! ☺️
I just DNFd Study for Obedience! Agree agree agree!
Ha, I'm not alone!
I have ordered Romantic outlaws and memories of the future. Thank you. I have also just started The Incarnations by Susan Barker. Have you read this? Wow
I hope you will enjoy both books! I havent read any Susan Barker, yet - yes, yes, I know - but I've seen Old Soul pop up at various channels (Simon Savidge, for example), so I guess it's time for me to remedy that miss, and I put Incarnations on my list. ☺️
Romantic outlaws sounds great but the size.. I don’t have the bandwidth at this time. My TBR is large!!
Maybe sometime in the future. The book will keep! ☺️
Hi Britta. Thank you so much for warning me off of how to say Babylon. I’ve been watching a lot of of 2024 best of reads and I almost fell for this one. Writing a memoir is very tricky. I know because I wrote one also out of print😀 because I put it out of print. I still think my memoir holds up, but let’s just say my writing and punctuation is much better now. I don’t think there is such a thing as auto fiction. Either it’s true or it’s fiction. Auto fiction is fiction based on truth maybe. Have a happy new year. Aloha friend.
Happy 2025 to you as well, Marilyn! Hopefully a better year for you better than 2024... Auto-fiction is kind of a made-up-thing, right? And memoirs are always tricks, you have to keep it personal but still be able to look at yourself from a distance.
Romantic Outlaws was on my own top ten Britta, brilliant book! Eve is also definitely one I’ll get to at some point. Didn’t seem like a long video at all!
I think you will really enjoy Eve! Her sense of humor will appeal to you as well, I'm sure. ☺️ And glad you didn't find the video too long...
Love your tops. Will try to read.I love everything by Naomi Klein. Always love your sense of humor.
Happy to hear you've enjoyed the video! ❤️
I loved 'Romantic Outlaws' when I read it a few years ago, it might be due for a re-read. Also, I share your feelings about 'Eve', ' 'Memories of the Future', and 'Study for 'Obedience' - I usually agree with you about most things. I had a good reading year, a couple of my Tops were 'The Mighty Red' Louise Erdrich, 'Based on a True Story' Delphine de Vigan (your recommendation), and 'The Empusium' by Olga Takerczuk.
Happy to hear you had such a good reading year, Melanie. And also that you've enjoyed de Vigan, fabulous! I still have to get to Erdrich's and Tokarczuk's latest books (hopefully soon).
I agree on Doppelganger, I disagree on Study for Obedience 😁
One out of two in agreement, not bad! ☺️
I loved Romantic Outlaws so much! I really must get to Eve and Praiseworthy...
Romantic Outlaws was such a good book! I hope you will find time for Eve and Praiseworthy, both pretty chunky...
I read Abulhawa's Against the Loveless World last week and enjoyed it almost as much as Mornings in Jenin. She's becoming one of my favourites.
I added Romantic Outlaws to my want-to-read list. Funny, I don't remember you mentioning it before.
As for Booker winners - I really don't get along with them. I DNF'd Orbital just last week. It really didn't work for me.
I really liked Loveless World as well, so poignant. Sorry to hear about Orbital, but I can understand it. It's certainly a book that doesn't work for everyone...
I know you don't like biographies, but I'm going to suggest two you might love: "Vita" (about Vita Sackville West) by Victoria Glendinning and "Nora," a life of Nora Joyce by Brenda Maddox.
Richard Ellman (biographer of James Joyce and father of Lucy Ellmann) Maddox that Nora wasn't worth writing about. I'm so glad she ignored him. Happy New Year!
A very happy 2025 to you as well, Stephanie! And thank you for the recommendations, I have actually read both those books and loved them both, so you're spot on! 😊 (I do read biographies if they succeed in telling a story and not just giving me dates and facts.)
I like the sound of Romantic Outlaws, have added it to my list 📚
That's great! I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
OH heavens. I should have just taken your word. I watched this last night and Babylon had JUST been came off my holds into my library shelf... so i figured, what the heck I'll try anyway. I'm just over halfway through and I just... oh goodness. You know, so far there IS something here. And once in a while (listening so that may have an effect on how I'm experiencing language) I get a hint of lyricism but not enough to know if this is supposed to be in the style of novel in verse or not. Mostly? she needs an editor. This is far too long and repetitive and the "i didn't yet know' type foreshadowing leads lose the point of such things after the first few uses. I've already made it this far so I'll push through the rest on my next work shift since my brain isn't as engaged wiht what I'm listening to but...this is really disappointing.
I nodded all the way through our comment! It's such a pity that no editor helped this book to get into better shape because I agree, there is something there, or at least there could have been...