I couldn’t possibly imagine a more attentive and intelligent reader than you. Thank you so much. What gives me an even greater joy is that I get to call you a friend! And I think I speak for at least a few of us when I say you are just what booktube needed!
I am getting a ton of value from listening to your videos.Thank you for the effort! I'm glad you love your students, but can't help thinking your talents would be better served at the college level. Have you considered it?
Lucy, you're amazing, and I don't know how to thank you enough! I will strive to continue offering value to you in my videos as much as I can. I do think about that (teaching at a college level) and have for a while. I've known some professors closely, and some of their experiences-especially in regards to administrative constraints and other limits-have left me unsure if it would be a fit for me. At least for now. I've discovered for myself a nice life balance, somehow, amidst all the current work I have. I don't want to jostle that too much just yet. This channel is an experiment in reaching more people than I otherwise would. Over time, if I'm someday able to devote more time to the channel, it would be nice to expand the care I am able to place into my videos. Unfortunately, I get about two hours to prep and film each vid, which as you can imagine limits a lot of what can be done. The number of people I could potentially connect with through a channel like this feels to me a dream: a way of teaching and learning reciprocally, a way of sharing, too. This is also me kind of dreaming too much: for now, I will continue sharing my thoughts and advice, and as the channel grows maybe I can move toward bigger projects. I am so grateful you appreciate what I am doing. That humbles and inspires me. Thank you so much!
Thank you for these videos! Working full time it can be easy to slip into a "I'll get to it tomorrow" mentality but you and Steve Donahue inject inspiration with every video you do, thank you!
I'm glad to help inspire you! Be forgiving of yourself; don't require perfection. If you read just a bit more than before, that's enough. Then read a bit, just a bit, more than that, and that's enough. Over time the habit builds and the distractions diminish (losing their potency). Good luck, my friend!
I have had the same "erratic" reading habits for decades. Thank you for letting me know I am not alone. And my best to all fellow book lovers---we must stick together. Cheers!
Please review 'The Waves'. It is one of my favourite books, but most people I know just don not appreciate it and won't discuss it. I also wish to say that I , an 80-year-old literary nerd, enjoyed your discussion of the Norton Anthologies. They are brilliant and I have relied on them for decades.
I noticed most avid reader read multiple genres at a time. It's a great little tip, it helps with setting a time to read everyday and it keeps you used to different types of writing styles. I always keep a reread too--I consider them my treats so if I am not enjoying any of the new books (which is rare but it does happen) I always have my beloved books to fall back to.
100%. Having a range of genres to pick from makes every moment of reading precisely what you want: an escape, a lesson, a dream, a reflection, whatever beckons in those quiet pages. I'm glad you discovered that for yourself, too. We're not assigned these books; they are our pleasure.
i found a working compromise for me as another victim of tiktokisation of our psyche and mind in particular, though i dont even have it installed on phone.. anyway, i read several books as well. so when i feel my attention span is going to end i pick up another book from the shelf. i tend to read 2 books in english, fiction and non fiction, and the same pair in my native language. i hope it will ease someone's pain as well, as i used to struggle a lot as i read very little
Ruben, I watched every second. Phenomenal as usual; I think I feel a special kinship with you and your project because we’re both teachers. But the coincidences are striking all the same. I am teaching a summer course that contains a reading from The Anxious Generation. I have taught Zuboff before. The guy who taught me logic when I was a young man was Ernie Lepore, who is one of the co-editors of the Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Language. I am reading Arno Schmidt’s Collected Novellas right now. I love The Waves and would love to hear you discuss it. My parents have a photograph of me at about 17 (I’m 50), with an embarrassing haircut, reading The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. I also count how many books on the shelf behind you I recognize and/or also own. The overlap borders on staggering. So perhaps my saying that you are doing some of the best “BookTube” work this platform has ever seen reflects my own bias-your interest in what interests me, and the fact that you speak about the educated imagination (that’s an Easter egg!) in much the same way I do to my students, may evoke some weird confirmation bias in me. That disclaimer made, I really think your channel is one of the best things on TH-cam. Sometime I would love to pick your brain about how an old codger learns to create and edit videos. If I do the channel I’m thinking of, I will start with lyric poetry and take viewers through class-length close readings of complex texts. I will need to figure out how to put the text on the screen, make it scroll as I read, highlight key passages, etc. If you know any good resources for this kind of thing, let me know. Above all, just keep doing what you’re doing. It is a miztvah, a good thing under the sun, and it is a source of hope and inspiration to me. What comes across in your videos is not only a real facility for talking about complex subjects but-as you said when talking about teaching-love and enthusiasm for learning for its own sake. Sometimes the internet world can make me feel like Aristotle’s opening assertions have lost their force: that all people by nature want to know; that the noblest forms of knowledge (knowledge of highest things, the very first causes) are those with the least practical utility. That way of thinking is so foreign in of socioeconomic and cultural reality that one could think them dead-but for the republic of letters, walking obscure like Augustine’s City of God, that reveals itself when those of us who love to learn see that love reflected in others. For me, it is especially important and moving to see it so clearly in people like you, or Cliff from Better Than Food, or Chris from Leaf by Leaf-you will carry this forward when my generation is gone, and inspire others to carry the flame after you. I am so grateful for that.
Your words are so immensely kind and grant me a wealth of motivation. Perhaps that's my bias, too, in especially valuing the encouragement of a likeminded teacher-reader-thinker. Your plans for the channel sound fantastic (and like precisely the sort of material I would watch). Again, let me know when you start so I can share it! Everything you just described sounds easiest if done by dual-recording both yourself and the screen of a tablet. Then in a video editor you can lock them side-by-side when necessary. I haven't tried something like that yet, but there's a TH-camr who I used to watch that I think did this, and he made it look simple [EDIT: his channel is @ThomasLewandowski; it seems he sometimes shows his screen directly but often just films an actual paper on his desk]. He seems like an exceedingly nice guy, so he'll probably help you do exactly what he does if you reach out to him. FYI, I record myself with my smartphone (Samsung S23 Ultra) sitting on a $20 used tripod (the mic is just from the smartphone as well). You don't need to have a fancy setup. What you describe might work best with a decent 1080p webcam on a newish laptop. Actually, instead of a tablet to write on, you could probably just get a laptop with a touch screen and scroll as you record video with the webcam on. Maybe there's a way to have the webcam footage of yourself appear in the corner of the screen as you scroll using the touch screen. The technical side of things has been a constant learning journey for me. If you look at the first video I put up, I didn't even edit anything. Over time I've steadily been accumulating "tricks," one trick per video. I'm only thirty-five, but I find the process of learning how to edit tedious. I've been using Adobe Premiere Pro, which is way too expensive and way too advanced for what I need. I'm only sticking with it since I paid for a year already. Each time I think of something I want to do in a video, I've been searching up that specific thing on TH-cam and watching whatever tutorial pops up. A slow process. That's why I only try one new thing per video. That moment in this vid when I had text fade in, that was using the Film Dissolve effect in Adobe Premiere Pro pasted onto the text. I haven't figured out how to make a longer block of text scroll properly yet (maybe in the next couple videos). I hear that there is a free video editing program that can do most everything Adobe Premiere Pro does. It's called DaVinci Resolve. If you have a Mac, though, (which I don't) I think it comes with video editing software. I do have one actual solid piece of advice, though: here is how I edit my audio to make it sound clearer and without too much background noise (essential!). These are the settings when recording with the free program Audacity (though there should be equivalent settings for almost any recording software, and I found similar settings when editing the audio in Adobe Premiere Pro): 1. Noise Removal -- Stay silent for about 10 seconds at the beginning or end of your recording session so that silence is included in the recording. -- After recording, highlight the 10 seconds of silence. -- Select at top of Audacity window: Effect -> Noise Reduction -> Get Noise Profile. -- Now double-click on the main audio track to highlight the entire recording. -- Select Effect -> Noise Reduction -> OK [this causes the noise reduction to apply to the whole recording based on the noise profile you created, reducing background noise] [All the following steps are with the whole recording highlighted.] 2. Compressor -- Select Effect -> Compressor [make sure Threshold is set to -15 or -18] -> OK 3. Equalizer -- Select Filter Curve EQ -> Manage -> Factory Presets -> Bass Boost -> OK -- Select Filter Curve EQ -> Manage -> Factory Presets -> Treble Boost -> OK 4. Hard Limiter -- Select Effect -> Limiter -> Type: Hard Limit -> Limit to (dB): -2 or -3 -> OK 5. Normalize -- Effect -> Normalize -> Normalize Peak Amplitude to -2 or -3 [could try -1 if you want a louder sound overall, but only if it doesn't muffle the speakers]-> OK I think these audio settings are the one 'big secret' I've discovered to help my channel.
Thanks for another thought provoking video. I concur with your recommendation of the very short introduction series of books, a very useful resource. I started reading Nietzsche this year and found him to be a little impenetrable but I circled back read some overview material and had much better insight after that. Worth the effort. I have been really enjoying a good pairing of books, I recently read Ron Chernow's excellent biography of John D Rockefeller and following it up with Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand they bookended each other beautifully. Would love to see a review of The Waves, I read it recently based on your recommendation and loved it, always curious to here your thoughts. I hadn't realized you where a teacher but that makes perfect sense, I have learnt so much from you through the channel, very grateful. Thanks again.
I would love to see you review Solenoid. It seems to be a difficult book that reviewers have trouble describing/analyzing. Also Atomised or anything by Houellebecq really.
Love running into your videos every time they pop into my feed periodically🙏 I can’t help but wonder what your words per minute is to cover so many books while maintaining such a high level of understanding and comprehension. I’m personally not a very good reader due to my falling into the swirls or social media and doomscrolling in high school and now college haha But aspiring and working my way back to getting my lost skill🫡
I mean yea I am still listening, this is a facinating topic. Despite my irrational initial reservations, likely rooted in a sort of ontological dopelgangerage due to the startling similarity of taste in literature, and my horror of writing or marking in books, you have become my comfort watch for when my brain and eyes are too tired to read, and my list of books I must aquire continues to grow. At least I have some of them already, for example Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, which is shall now move up the queue to follow Matter With Things, and Origin of Species can go next. Somehow gotta work in Proust soon, as well, and get into my Kraznahorkai and Volmann projects. I will watch probably any video you make at this point, so if it suit you, review away! Now, to continue watching so I can sleep in some simblance of reasonable time.
Excellent video as always. I appreciate the recommendation of the short introduction to philosophy books. I think ill try reading Scrutons introduction to Kant. Also I would highly recommend you do a review on either of the 2 Stalin books. I find Stalin to be one of the most fascinating characters who ever lived. More so than Hitler even. I read both of Stephen Kotkins massive volumes on Stalin quite recently and would like to read court of the red tsar next. Kotkin seems to believe that Stalin became a monster as a result of his powerfull position and the necessities of maintaining such power in the social and geopolitical context he found himself in from the 1920s onward. Young Stalin would be an interesting read because I would assume that it tries to make him seem evil from an early age. An idea Stephen Kotkin would refute. Would be very interested on hearing a summary and review on Young Stalin as well. Thanks for these informative videos!
You pinpoint the contention about Stalin perfectly: Kotkin sees the rough aspects of Stalin's childhood unremarkable for the time and thus not particularly revealing; Montefiore lays out the cascade of wants in Stalin's psyche as motivation for much of the gangsterism that follows in his burgeoning youth. I'll try to consider and discuss that question when I make a review. Frankly, Court of the Red Tsar ends up a better book partially due to Young Stalin's over-fixation on the rough-and-tumble aspects of Stalin's young life.
Yes to morning and evening books! My current morning book is The Letters of a Stoic by Seneca. Very much enjoying it. I'm reading 100 Years of Solitude during the day. Great video! Looking forward to your next one. Haha, The Waves! Look at that. ;)
You can see how fresh-to-mind The Waves was for me when I left that comment. I read 100 Years of Solitude in high school-I probably should reread it. High school me found much of the prose (and especially the names) confusing. But I could also sense brilliance woven throughout the text. I'm guessing this is the first of his works for you? Can't wait to hear your thoughts! I hope you discuss Stoicism on your channel at some point! Maybe how it affects your life or outlook in particular. You're so disciplined in your work ethic, I can see how a stoic perspective can be helpful to you.
@@ToReadersItMayConcern That's a challenging book to read in highschool! I'm afraid I am not enjoying it at all. I must be missing something - I feel pretty sad about it. I am halfway, so hope I will have changed my mind by the time I reach the end.
@@ProseAndPetticoats I remember being unable to emotionally connect with the characters because I found the overall structure too convoluted, which was disappointing. I love complex works, but that complexity has to serve a purpose, and I didn't find that purpose in my first readthrough. I hope something clicks for you. So many love that book. It seems there has to be something worthwhile to grasp.
Thanks for all the recommendations!! Love your channel! Don't know if you've done this already, but could you maybe do a video on how best to approach philosophy for a beginner. What kind of beginners books to read, etc. Thanks, keep up the good work.
@@camillekehoe6012 I started by reading Bertrand Russell's History of Western Philosophy, and though it's opinionated and limited in scope, it is a nicely written introduction that, for a beginner, should be enough to start with. For me at least it worked at helping me understand the early to mid arc of philosophy. Then I would suggest the Oxford Very Short Introduction series to grasp more contemporary issues. The biggest challenge with learning contemporary philosophy is it is far more packed with directions to head and expects a lot of base knowledge. So start with the history of philosophy, and work your way toward contemporary philosophers once you find a passion. I'm currently working, but I'll continue thinking on this. Maybe I will release a full video on the subject to be specific and to help you and others.
I see you ask “Surprise me with a book” and I thought I would mention SPIRAL DYNAMICS by Cowan & Beck and anything and/or everything by American philosopher Ken Wilber - though slightly outside the Oxford Tradition to which you seem to be loyal to, he will certainly engage you intellectually His latest book was released a few weeks ago and is on my buying list. Then, also look at the 2024 long and shortlists of the Women’s prize for Non-fiction - an outstanding selection from which I anticipate much joy in the forthcoming months. Their 2024 selection for the Womens’ Prize for Fictoin also comprises excellent works.
Great vid! I also love the very short intro books, gives fantastic overview & reading lists to dig deeper… I’m really curious, what is the 4 book set with the classical paintings stretched across the spines to the left of your head on camera? Looks very intriguing…
That's called A Dance to the Music of Time by Anthony Powell. I discuss it briefly in my BookTube Greats: Ten Books I Only Know about from Steve Donoghue video.
Thankyou for all the insights . Please review some books on Process Philosophy . Reality as a process is an interesting idea -- also widely applicable to consciousness and quantum phenomena.
Process Philosophy by Alfred North Whitehead. It is an old book that I happen to know through a philosophy channel on TH-cam. Stanford Encyclopedia also gave me some idea of the concept. I'm also in the process of searching for some essays on the topic and also am trying to understand how this concept of " Fundamental reality as a Process rather than as a substance " may explain and connect different branches of knowledge
If you're interested in a book that functions on multiple levels, from prose to poetry, philosophy and mathematics to fiction and satire, and historical reference to futuristic exploration... Give "Vitruvia 144" a chance.
If you’re choosing shirer for a history book that is more literary and personal rather than rigorous, Thomas Carlyle’s history of the French Revolution would be good choice as well. Huizinga’s Autumn of the Middle Ages would fit in that mold too.
This is what making edible food from📚 looks like, and you're going to get used to words washing over you, streams of consciousness flooding your bubble🧐
Greetings from London! I just spent a long weekend in Oxford, stopping in especially Blackwells to drop a few pounds. The OUP brick & mortar shop closed down a few years ago, so unless you order direct from the Press it's difficult to find those tomes on bookstore shelves. A video on the Short series would be good; I've read a couple volumes. I'm curious about your students, who seem well above the average for high schoolers (and college freshmen, for that matter). Are these AP students? Just curious.... My brain is on vacation at the moment, so not reading anything heavy - couple of Andrey Kurkov's, deWitt's THE LIBRARIANIST, Renata Adler's SPEEDBOAT. Didn't see DUCKS or some of the other big books from your last video, even at Hatchards - and they have four floors of quality books!
That sounds like a fantastic trip! Good to hear you're taking your time and soaking it all in-perfection! I do creative writing and essay writing classes and one-on-one sessions over summer. Many of these students have been taking AP courses, but not exclusively. Most have been excited by my offer to 'debate' with them on whatever topic they choose in order to hone their arguments. I did a kind of crash-course in philosophy beforehand, and then presented the contest as an optional opportunity to practice philosophizing themselves (and I allow them to take any stance so long as they can defend it rigorously). Not all of my students took up the offer; the ones who have seem most excited by my attempts to 'not go easy on them' with their argumentation. I told them I would treat them like serious philosophers.
I would love to hear the montefiore stalin review since im about to have a course about it and the more visions on the book the better. oh and what are these 4 books with ladies in the second bookcase second shelter on the second bookcase, they are gorgeous
Yes, I'll try to organize my thoughts on those books and release something, probably in a couple weeks (have other videos to get out first). Those four books are part of the A Dance to the Music of Time series by Anthony Powell. I discuss that series briefly in my BookTube Greats: Ten Books I Only Know about from Steve Donoghue video.
Awesome! Check out her book Orlando, too. I found that one so smooth in its flow the whole way through. I'm thinking I'll try to review The Waves in a couple weeks (have a few other vids to finish first). It's kind of intimidating to review that one: I love it so much.
@@ToReadersItMayConcernI struggle with Virginia Wolf. I suppose it has to do with me not being a sophisticated enough reader. I was wondering if maybe you can mention in your video how one can learn to enjoy her style? Thank you.
@@sophiemayth45 I'll make a note of that. Gonna require some careful thought (I used to also find her writing style tough to get through, so I'll have to think about what changed for me). Thank you for the suggestion!
I have those two Stalin biographies by Montefiore (havent read) , would be interested to hear your thoughts. Havent seen much talk about them as the Stephen Kotkin biographies seem to be more popular. Dont know if i should start with young stalin or red tsar.
I'll probably discuss this when I do a review, but I found Young Stalin disappointing in comparison to Court of the Red Tsar. Young Stalin focuses on the gangsterism and adventure of Stalin's early life, which becomes a repeat of offenses and arrests that becomes predictable, written with copious dialogue, almost too much like a story. Court of the Red Tsar has a narrative focused on politics and interpersonal pressures, as well as contradictions in Stalin's character and in those around him-a less flat view than Young Stalin. I struggled to enjoy Young Stalin; I enjoyed Court of the Red Tsar very much. It might be a good idea to start with Court of the Red Tsar, and if you end up particularly interested in expansions of youthful Stalin's adventures, Young Stalin can serve that purpose, but expect it to feel like a repetitive 'adventure.'
@@ToReadersItMayConcern thanks for your reply, thats what I was thinking. Definitely more interested in the more influental historical/political aspects of Stalin to expand my knowledge of USSR and WW2.
The only other overview worth reading aside from Russell's-that I've read-is A.C. Grayling's broad overview (delivers a better and more specific view of contemporary issues) and Roger Scruton's Modern Philosophy book. After that point I think it's necessary to seek the specific authors and concepts you find most interesting and begin reading summations of those views (The Oxford A Very Short Introduction series is great for this) and then the original sources (alongside lectures online). Frankly, there are going to be tedious elements of this process. But, if you're like me, there will be rewards along the way that make it worthwhile. Another book that helped me greatly is Kwame Anthony Appiah's Thinking It Through (more of a textbook, and requires more attention than the others)-that one made contemporary issues feel significant (and helped clear up why philosophers would choose to struggle with such issues for so long). Expect a long process: you will have to grow substantially as a reader, especially by the time you read the original sources. If you stick with it, reading philosophy does become easier. Eventually you'll be able to read almost any philosopher's work and follow it (except some extreme cases of wobbly writing). It is an expertise. Think of it like learning mathematics from the bottom. You can't expect to become an expert in just a few years, and you should learn from video and lectures online to help you avoid pitfalls and to make the concepts feel natural to you.
I'll have to make a video on this topic someday. There is not a straightforward answer for everyone. Here is a comment I left to someone else that gives related advice (but, again, there's a lot more to say, and I'll have to work on that for a video): I started with Bertrand Russell's history of philosophy and then jumped to A.C. Grayling's broad overview (delivers a better and more specific view of contemporary issues) and Roger Scruton's Modern Philosophy book. After that point I think it's necessary to seek the specific authors and concepts you find most interesting and begin reading summations of those views (The Oxford A Very Short Introduction series is great for this) and then the original sources (alongside lectures online). Frankly, there are going to be tedious elements of this process. But, if you're like me, there will be rewards along the way that make it worthwhile. Another book that helped me greatly is Kwame Anthony Appiah's Thinking It Through (more of a textbook, and requires more attention than the others)-that one made contemporary issues feel significant (and helped clear up why philosophers would choose to struggle with such issues for so long). Expect a long process: you will have to grow substantially as a reader, especially by the time you read the original sources. If you stick with it, reading philosophy does become easier. Eventually you'll be able to read almost any philosopher's work and follow it (except some extreme cases of wobbly writing). It is an expertise. Think of it like learning mathematics from the bottom. You can't expect to become an expert in just a few years, and you should learn from video and lectures online to help you avoid pitfalls and to make the concepts feel natural to you.
I would be happy to hear more about Zuboff but really you said enough and I wouldn’t ask for a review of anything - you’ve already got a lot going on. Part 1 of this video I might title, How to talk about Trump without saying the word Trump. 😂
Yes, I mention Richard Evans' volumes later on in the video as being more accurate. The appeal of Shirer is, in many ways, his personal bias. Literary value in that sense.
I know what you mean when you say this. I have felt precisely the same way for years. But sometimes it is nice not to settle on an answer, rather to do the work of the question. In working through a problem, even if you do not or cannot solve it, you change with the work. We only have our internal lives as a guarantee for us to bear. Philosophy is just one means of expanding that internal life. You may not feel the value in that. I understand. But that does not mean there isn't a great deal of value for others. Fiction can be dismissed as "about nothing," too. So can much else. That is dismissal, not engagement.
I think a lot of people do not realise that reading books can be a replacement of scrolling on social media or watching TV. People always wonder how it's possible to read so much, but it's pretty simple 🤭 For me: 3 hours a day on public transport), half an hour at lunch break, and 1 to 2 hours at night. 😊 They always say: I wish I had the time, but it's all about priorities. (By the way, it's fine to have different priorities.)
@@ProseAndPetticoatsmy priorities are feed my daughters not everybody can read. I read like 2 thick books a year and that's it. When you arrive from work you're so tired you just wanna sleep or you have family duties 🫠
I couldn’t possibly imagine a more attentive and intelligent reader than you. Thank you so much. What gives me an even greater joy is that I get to call you a friend! And I think I speak for at least a few of us when I say you are just what booktube needed!
I am getting a ton of value from listening to your videos.Thank you for the effort! I'm glad you love your students, but can't help thinking your talents would be better served at the college level. Have you considered it?
Lucy, you're amazing, and I don't know how to thank you enough! I will strive to continue offering value to you in my videos as much as I can.
I do think about that (teaching at a college level) and have for a while. I've known some professors closely, and some of their experiences-especially in regards to administrative constraints and other limits-have left me unsure if it would be a fit for me. At least for now. I've discovered for myself a nice life balance, somehow, amidst all the current work I have. I don't want to jostle that too much just yet.
This channel is an experiment in reaching more people than I otherwise would. Over time, if I'm someday able to devote more time to the channel, it would be nice to expand the care I am able to place into my videos. Unfortunately, I get about two hours to prep and film each vid, which as you can imagine limits a lot of what can be done. The number of people I could potentially connect with through a channel like this feels to me a dream: a way of teaching and learning reciprocally, a way of sharing, too. This is also me kind of dreaming too much: for now, I will continue sharing my thoughts and advice, and as the channel grows maybe I can move toward bigger projects.
I am so grateful you appreciate what I am doing. That humbles and inspires me. Thank you so much!
Yeah, covering your oxford handbook collection would be really cool.
Thank you for these videos! Working full time it can be easy to slip into a "I'll get to it tomorrow" mentality but you and Steve Donahue inject inspiration with every video you do, thank you!
I'm glad to help inspire you! Be forgiving of yourself; don't require perfection. If you read just a bit more than before, that's enough. Then read a bit, just a bit, more than that, and that's enough. Over time the habit builds and the distractions diminish (losing their potency). Good luck, my friend!
26:28 there is no skipping happen here 😁
Many thanks for introducing the Oxford books!
You're a very-much-appreciated, dedicated viewer. Thank you. 🙏
I have had the same "erratic" reading habits for decades. Thank you for letting me know I am not alone. And my best to all fellow book lovers---we must stick together. Cheers!
Please review 'The Waves'. It is one of my favourite books, but most people I know just don not appreciate it and won't discuss it.
I also wish to say that I , an 80-year-old literary nerd, enjoyed your discussion of the Norton Anthologies. They are brilliant and I have relied on them for decades.
I noticed most avid reader read multiple genres at a time. It's a great little tip, it helps with setting a time to read everyday and it keeps you used to different types of writing styles. I always keep a reread too--I consider them my treats so if I am not enjoying any of the new books (which is rare but it does happen) I always have my beloved books to fall back to.
100%. Having a range of genres to pick from makes every moment of reading precisely what you want: an escape, a lesson, a dream, a reflection, whatever beckons in those quiet pages. I'm glad you discovered that for yourself, too. We're not assigned these books; they are our pleasure.
This was such a blessing and educational video, thank you for your content.
i found a working compromise for me as another victim of tiktokisation of our psyche and mind in particular, though i dont even have it installed on phone.. anyway, i read several books as well. so when i feel my attention span is going to end i pick up another book from the shelf. i tend to read 2 books in english, fiction and non fiction, and the same pair in my native language. i hope it will ease someone's pain as well, as i used to struggle a lot as i read very little
I've read almost all of these, but I'm thankful you shared because it helps me refresh.
Keep up the good work! You are doing great!
Thanks!
I'd worked in bookstores for forty years often near colleges. The Very Short... series was a popular line of educational aids for serious students.
Ruben, I watched every second. Phenomenal as usual; I think I feel a special kinship with you and your project because we’re both teachers. But the coincidences are striking all the same. I am teaching a summer course that contains a reading from The Anxious Generation. I have taught Zuboff before. The guy who taught me logic when I was a young man was Ernie Lepore, who is one of the co-editors of the Oxford Handbook of Philosophy of Language.
I am reading Arno Schmidt’s Collected Novellas right now.
I love The Waves and would love to hear you discuss it.
My parents have a photograph of me at about 17 (I’m 50), with an embarrassing haircut, reading The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich.
I also count how many books on the shelf behind you I recognize and/or also own. The overlap borders on staggering. So perhaps my saying that you are doing some of the best “BookTube” work this platform has ever seen reflects my own bias-your interest in what interests me, and the fact that you speak about the educated imagination (that’s an Easter egg!) in much the same way I do to my students, may evoke some weird confirmation bias in me. That disclaimer made, I really think your channel is one of the best things on TH-cam.
Sometime I would love to pick your brain about how an old codger learns to create and edit videos. If I do the channel I’m thinking of, I will start with lyric poetry and take viewers through class-length close readings of complex texts. I will need to figure out how to put the text on the screen, make it scroll as I read, highlight key passages, etc. If you know any good resources for this kind of thing, let me know.
Above all, just keep doing what you’re doing. It is a miztvah, a good thing under the sun, and it is a source of hope and inspiration to me. What comes across in your videos is not only a real facility for talking about complex subjects but-as you said when talking about teaching-love and enthusiasm for learning for its own sake. Sometimes the internet world can make me feel like Aristotle’s opening assertions have lost their force: that all people by nature want to know; that the noblest forms of knowledge (knowledge of highest things, the very first causes) are those with the least practical utility. That way of thinking is so foreign in of socioeconomic and cultural reality that one could think them dead-but for the republic of letters, walking obscure like Augustine’s City of God, that reveals itself when those of us who love to learn see that love reflected in others. For me, it is especially important and moving to see it so clearly in people like you, or Cliff from Better Than Food, or Chris from Leaf by Leaf-you will carry this forward when my generation is gone, and inspire others to carry the flame after you. I am so grateful for that.
Your words are so immensely kind and grant me a wealth of motivation. Perhaps that's my bias, too, in especially valuing the encouragement of a likeminded teacher-reader-thinker.
Your plans for the channel sound fantastic (and like precisely the sort of material I would watch). Again, let me know when you start so I can share it!
Everything you just described sounds easiest if done by dual-recording both yourself and the screen of a tablet. Then in a video editor you can lock them side-by-side when necessary. I haven't tried something like that yet, but there's a TH-camr who I used to watch that I think did this, and he made it look simple [EDIT: his channel is @ThomasLewandowski; it seems he sometimes shows his screen directly but often just films an actual paper on his desk]. He seems like an exceedingly nice guy, so he'll probably help you do exactly what he does if you reach out to him.
FYI, I record myself with my smartphone (Samsung S23 Ultra) sitting on a $20 used tripod (the mic is just from the smartphone as well). You don't need to have a fancy setup. What you describe might work best with a decent 1080p webcam on a newish laptop. Actually, instead of a tablet to write on, you could probably just get a laptop with a touch screen and scroll as you record video with the webcam on. Maybe there's a way to have the webcam footage of yourself appear in the corner of the screen as you scroll using the touch screen.
The technical side of things has been a constant learning journey for me. If you look at the first video I put up, I didn't even edit anything. Over time I've steadily been accumulating "tricks," one trick per video. I'm only thirty-five, but I find the process of learning how to edit tedious. I've been using Adobe Premiere Pro, which is way too expensive and way too advanced for what I need. I'm only sticking with it since I paid for a year already. Each time I think of something I want to do in a video, I've been searching up that specific thing on TH-cam and watching whatever tutorial pops up. A slow process. That's why I only try one new thing per video. That moment in this vid when I had text fade in, that was using the Film Dissolve effect in Adobe Premiere Pro pasted onto the text. I haven't figured out how to make a longer block of text scroll properly yet (maybe in the next couple videos).
I hear that there is a free video editing program that can do most everything Adobe Premiere Pro does. It's called DaVinci Resolve. If you have a Mac, though, (which I don't) I think it comes with video editing software.
I do have one actual solid piece of advice, though: here is how I edit my audio to make it sound clearer and without too much background noise (essential!).
These are the settings when recording with the free program Audacity (though there should be equivalent settings for almost any recording software, and I found similar settings when editing the audio in Adobe Premiere Pro):
1. Noise Removal
-- Stay silent for about 10 seconds at the beginning or end of your recording session so that silence is included in the recording.
-- After recording, highlight the 10 seconds of silence.
-- Select at top of Audacity window: Effect -> Noise Reduction -> Get Noise Profile.
-- Now double-click on the main audio track to highlight the entire recording.
-- Select Effect -> Noise Reduction -> OK [this causes the noise reduction to apply to the whole recording based on the noise profile you created, reducing background noise]
[All the following steps are with the whole recording highlighted.]
2. Compressor
-- Select Effect -> Compressor [make sure Threshold is set to -15 or -18] -> OK
3. Equalizer
-- Select Filter Curve EQ -> Manage -> Factory Presets -> Bass Boost -> OK
-- Select Filter Curve EQ -> Manage -> Factory Presets -> Treble Boost -> OK
4. Hard Limiter
-- Select Effect -> Limiter -> Type: Hard Limit -> Limit to (dB): -2 or -3 -> OK
5. Normalize
-- Effect -> Normalize -> Normalize Peak Amplitude to -2 or -3 [could try -1 if you want a louder sound overall, but only if it doesn't muffle the speakers]-> OK
I think these audio settings are the one 'big secret' I've discovered to help my channel.
Appreciated. Interesting commentary over so much.
Thanks for another thought provoking video. I concur with your recommendation of the very short introduction series of books, a very useful resource. I started reading Nietzsche this year and found him to be a little impenetrable but I circled back read some overview material and had much better insight after that. Worth the effort. I have been really enjoying a good pairing of books, I recently read Ron Chernow's excellent biography of John D Rockefeller and following it up with Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand they bookended each other beautifully. Would love to see a review of The Waves, I read it recently based on your recommendation and loved it, always curious to here your thoughts. I hadn't realized you where a teacher but that makes perfect sense, I have learnt so much from you through the channel, very grateful. Thanks again.
I would love to see you review Solenoid. It seems to be a difficult book that reviewers have trouble describing/analyzing. Also Atomised or anything by Houellebecq really.
Funny, I was just thinking about starting Solenoid sometime soon. Thank you for the suggestions.
Thank you for being the only person on the internet who understands "a lot" is TWO words.
Love running into your videos every time they pop into my feed periodically🙏 I can’t help but wonder what your words per minute is to cover so many books while maintaining such a high level of understanding and comprehension. I’m personally not a very good reader due to my falling into the swirls or social media and doomscrolling in high school and now college haha
But aspiring and working my way back to getting my lost skill🫡
I actually consider myself a slow reader. What benefits me is how consistent I am. Over time that day-to-day habit adds up.
I mean yea I am still listening, this is a facinating topic. Despite my irrational initial reservations, likely rooted in a sort of ontological dopelgangerage due to the startling similarity of taste in literature, and my horror of writing or marking in books, you have become my comfort watch for when my brain and eyes are too tired to read, and my list of books I must aquire continues to grow. At least I have some of them already, for example Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, which is shall now move up the queue to follow Matter With Things, and Origin of Species can go next. Somehow gotta work in Proust soon, as well, and get into my Kraznahorkai and Volmann projects. I will watch probably any video you make at this point, so if it suit you, review away! Now, to continue watching so I can sleep in some simblance of reasonable time.
Excellent video as always. I appreciate the recommendation of the short introduction to philosophy books. I think ill try reading Scrutons introduction to Kant. Also I would highly recommend you do a review on either of the 2 Stalin books. I find Stalin to be one of the most fascinating characters who ever lived. More so than Hitler even. I read both of Stephen Kotkins massive volumes on Stalin quite recently and would like to read court of the red tsar next. Kotkin seems to believe that Stalin became a monster as a result of his powerfull position and the necessities of maintaining such power in the social and geopolitical context he found himself in from the 1920s onward. Young Stalin would be an interesting read because I would assume that it tries to make him seem evil from an early age. An idea Stephen Kotkin would refute. Would be very interested on hearing a summary and review on Young Stalin as well. Thanks for these informative videos!
You pinpoint the contention about Stalin perfectly: Kotkin sees the rough aspects of Stalin's childhood unremarkable for the time and thus not particularly revealing; Montefiore lays out the cascade of wants in Stalin's psyche as motivation for much of the gangsterism that follows in his burgeoning youth.
I'll try to consider and discuss that question when I make a review. Frankly, Court of the Red Tsar ends up a better book partially due to Young Stalin's over-fixation on the rough-and-tumble aspects of Stalin's young life.
Yes to morning and evening books! My current morning book is The Letters of a Stoic by Seneca. Very much enjoying it. I'm reading 100 Years of Solitude during the day.
Great video! Looking forward to your next one. Haha, The Waves! Look at that. ;)
You can see how fresh-to-mind The Waves was for me when I left that comment.
I read 100 Years of Solitude in high school-I probably should reread it. High school me found much of the prose (and especially the names) confusing. But I could also sense brilliance woven throughout the text. I'm guessing this is the first of his works for you? Can't wait to hear your thoughts!
I hope you discuss Stoicism on your channel at some point! Maybe how it affects your life or outlook in particular. You're so disciplined in your work ethic, I can see how a stoic perspective can be helpful to you.
@@ToReadersItMayConcern That's a challenging book to read in highschool! I'm afraid I am not enjoying it at all. I must be missing something - I feel pretty sad about it. I am halfway, so hope I will have changed my mind by the time I reach the end.
@@ProseAndPetticoats I remember being unable to emotionally connect with the characters because I found the overall structure too convoluted, which was disappointing. I love complex works, but that complexity has to serve a purpose, and I didn't find that purpose in my first readthrough.
I hope something clicks for you. So many love that book. It seems there has to be something worthwhile to grasp.
Thanks for all the recommendations!! Love your channel! Don't know if you've done this already, but could you maybe do a video on how best to approach philosophy for a beginner. What kind of beginners books to read, etc. Thanks, keep up the good work.
I actually do a quick bit of advice on exactly that subject at 44:08 of this video. :)
@@ToReadersItMayConcern ok thanks, I'll check that out again.
@@camillekehoe6012 I started by reading Bertrand Russell's History of Western Philosophy, and though it's opinionated and limited in scope, it is a nicely written introduction that, for a beginner, should be enough to start with. For me at least it worked at helping me understand the early to mid arc of philosophy. Then I would suggest the Oxford Very Short Introduction series to grasp more contemporary issues. The biggest challenge with learning contemporary philosophy is it is far more packed with directions to head and expects a lot of base knowledge. So start with the history of philosophy, and work your way toward contemporary philosophers once you find a passion.
I'm currently working, but I'll continue thinking on this. Maybe I will release a full video on the subject to be specific and to help you and others.
I see you ask “Surprise me with a book” and I thought I would mention SPIRAL DYNAMICS by Cowan & Beck and anything and/or everything by American philosopher Ken Wilber - though slightly outside the Oxford Tradition to which you seem to be loyal to, he will certainly engage you intellectually His latest book was released a few weeks ago and is on my buying list.
Then, also look at the 2024 long and shortlists of the Women’s prize for Non-fiction - an outstanding selection from which I anticipate much joy in the forthcoming months. Their 2024 selection for the Womens’ Prize for Fictoin also comprises excellent works.
another great set of recommendations
Glad you think so! Thank you!
Great vid! I also love the very short intro books, gives fantastic overview & reading lists to dig deeper… I’m really curious, what is the 4 book set with the classical paintings stretched across the spines to the left of your head on camera? Looks very intriguing…
That's called A Dance to the Music of Time by Anthony Powell. I discuss it briefly in my BookTube Greats: Ten Books I Only Know about from Steve Donoghue video.
@@ToReadersItMayConcern thanks very much, will check that out!
Thankyou for all the insights .
Please review some books on Process Philosophy . Reality as a process is an interesting idea -- also widely applicable to consciousness and quantum phenomena.
Do you have any books that articulate Process Philosophy that I should read?
Process Philosophy by Alfred North Whitehead. It is an old book that I happen to know through a philosophy channel on TH-cam. Stanford Encyclopedia also gave me some idea of the concept. I'm also in the process of searching for some essays on the topic and also am trying to understand how this concept of " Fundamental reality as a Process rather than as a substance " may explain and connect different branches of knowledge
@@DrGBhas Excellent. Thank you so much!
If you're enjoying Rise & Fall... you may also like his book Berlin Diaries about witnessing the Nazi rallies firsthand in 1934-35.
If you're interested in a book that functions on multiple levels, from prose to poetry, philosophy and mathematics to fiction and satire, and historical reference to futuristic exploration... Give "Vitruvia 144" a chance.
If you’re choosing shirer for a history book that is more literary and personal rather than rigorous, Thomas Carlyle’s history of the French Revolution would be good choice as well. Huizinga’s Autumn of the Middle Ages would fit in that mold too.
Fantastic! This is very much appreciated.
This is what making edible food from📚 looks like, and you're going to get used to words washing over you, streams of consciousness flooding your bubble🧐
hmm, what a morning it must be for you! Tea ready, non-naturals done, you come refreshed to read the third Reich
While I'll read poetry any time of day, I do prefer to start my day with it.
Great content!
Greetings from London! I just spent a long weekend in Oxford, stopping in especially Blackwells to drop a few pounds. The OUP brick & mortar shop closed down a few years ago, so unless you order direct from the Press it's difficult to find those tomes on bookstore shelves. A video on the Short series would be good; I've read a couple volumes. I'm curious about your students, who seem well above the average for high schoolers (and college freshmen, for that matter). Are these AP students? Just curious....
My brain is on vacation at the moment, so not reading anything heavy - couple of Andrey Kurkov's, deWitt's THE LIBRARIANIST, Renata Adler's SPEEDBOAT. Didn't see DUCKS or some of the other big books from your last video, even at Hatchards - and they have four floors of quality books!
That sounds like a fantastic trip! Good to hear you're taking your time and soaking it all in-perfection! I do creative writing and essay writing classes and one-on-one sessions over summer. Many of these students have been taking AP courses, but not exclusively. Most have been excited by my offer to 'debate' with them on whatever topic they choose in order to hone their arguments. I did a kind of crash-course in philosophy beforehand, and then presented the contest as an optional opportunity to practice philosophizing themselves (and I allow them to take any stance so long as they can defend it rigorously). Not all of my students took up the offer; the ones who have seem most excited by my attempts to 'not go easy on them' with their argumentation. I told them I would treat them like serious philosophers.
Gosh, you inspire me. You really do. I’m a lot more “curious” than i used to be. I’m aching to get a copy of the history (third reich) book.
I would love to hear the montefiore stalin review since im about to have a course about it and the more visions on the book the better.
oh and what are these 4 books with ladies in the second bookcase second shelter on the second bookcase, they are gorgeous
Yes, I'll try to organize my thoughts on those books and release something, probably in a couple weeks (have other videos to get out first).
Those four books are part of the A Dance to the Music of Time series by Anthony Powell. I discuss that series briefly in my BookTube Greats: Ten Books I Only Know about from Steve Donoghue video.
47:23 i am reading mrs dalloway ☺️ please please review the waves if you have time and motivation
Awesome! Check out her book Orlando, too. I found that one so smooth in its flow the whole way through. I'm thinking I'll try to review The Waves in a couple weeks (have a few other vids to finish first). It's kind of intimidating to review that one: I love it so much.
@@ToReadersItMayConcernI struggle with Virginia Wolf. I suppose it has to do with me not being a sophisticated enough reader. I was wondering if maybe you can mention in your video how one can learn to enjoy her style? Thank you.
@@sophiemayth45 I'll make a note of that. Gonna require some careful thought (I used to also find her writing style tough to get through, so I'll have to think about what changed for me). Thank you for the suggestion!
I have those two Stalin biographies by Montefiore (havent read) , would be interested to hear your thoughts. Havent seen much talk about them as the Stephen Kotkin biographies seem to be more popular. Dont know if i should start with young stalin or red tsar.
I'll probably discuss this when I do a review, but I found Young Stalin disappointing in comparison to Court of the Red Tsar. Young Stalin focuses on the gangsterism and adventure of Stalin's early life, which becomes a repeat of offenses and arrests that becomes predictable, written with copious dialogue, almost too much like a story. Court of the Red Tsar has a narrative focused on politics and interpersonal pressures, as well as contradictions in Stalin's character and in those around him-a less flat view than Young Stalin.
I struggled to enjoy Young Stalin; I enjoyed Court of the Red Tsar very much. It might be a good idea to start with Court of the Red Tsar, and if you end up particularly interested in expansions of youthful Stalin's adventures, Young Stalin can serve that purpose, but expect it to feel like a repetitive 'adventure.'
@@ToReadersItMayConcern thanks for your reply, thats what I was thinking. Definitely more interested in the more influental historical/political aspects of Stalin to expand my knowledge of USSR and WW2.
Could you recommend a history of Western philosophy in one volume (or, let’s say, a maximum of three)? I’ve already read Russell’s.
The only other overview worth reading aside from Russell's-that I've read-is A.C. Grayling's broad overview (delivers a better and more specific view of contemporary issues) and Roger Scruton's Modern Philosophy book. After that point I think it's necessary to seek the specific authors and concepts you find most interesting and begin reading summations of those views (The Oxford A Very Short Introduction series is great for this) and then the original sources (alongside lectures online).
Frankly, there are going to be tedious elements of this process. But, if you're like me, there will be rewards along the way that make it worthwhile. Another book that helped me greatly is Kwame Anthony Appiah's Thinking It Through (more of a textbook, and requires more attention than the others)-that one made contemporary issues feel significant (and helped clear up why philosophers would choose to struggle with such issues for so long).
Expect a long process: you will have to grow substantially as a reader, especially by the time you read the original sources. If you stick with it, reading philosophy does become easier. Eventually you'll be able to read almost any philosopher's work and follow it (except some extreme cases of wobbly writing).
It is an expertise. Think of it like learning mathematics from the bottom. You can't expect to become an expert in just a few years, and you should learn from video and lectures online to help you avoid pitfalls and to make the concepts feel natural to you.
@@ToReadersItMayConcern Great reply, thanks.
Best intro books to philosophy?
I'll have to make a video on this topic someday. There is not a straightforward answer for everyone. Here is a comment I left to someone else that gives related advice (but, again, there's a lot more to say, and I'll have to work on that for a video):
I started with Bertrand Russell's history of philosophy and then jumped to A.C. Grayling's broad overview (delivers a better and more specific view of contemporary issues) and Roger Scruton's Modern Philosophy book. After that point I think it's necessary to seek the specific authors and concepts you find most interesting and begin reading summations of those views (The Oxford A Very Short Introduction series is great for this) and then the original sources (alongside lectures online).
Frankly, there are going to be tedious elements of this process. But, if you're like me, there will be rewards along the way that make it worthwhile. Another book that helped me greatly is Kwame Anthony Appiah's Thinking It Through (more of a textbook, and requires more attention than the others)-that one made contemporary issues feel significant (and helped clear up why philosophers would choose to struggle with such issues for so long).
Expect a long process: you will have to grow substantially as a reader, especially by the time you read the original sources. If you stick with it, reading philosophy does become easier. Eventually you'll be able to read almost any philosopher's work and follow it (except some extreme cases of wobbly writing).
It is an expertise. Think of it like learning mathematics from the bottom. You can't expect to become an expert in just a few years, and you should learn from video and lectures online to help you avoid pitfalls and to make the concepts feel natural to you.
@@ToReadersItMayConcern thank you!! Keep it going great vids
I would be happy to hear more about Zuboff but really you said enough and I wouldn’t ask for a review of anything - you’ve already got a lot going on.
Part 1 of this video I might title, How to talk about Trump without saying the word Trump. 😂
The elephant in all our rooms.
Try freedom from the known
Shirer has quite a bad reputation among WW2 historians. I would recommend instead Richard Evans’ 3 volume “third reich” series instead.
Yes, I mention Richard Evans' volumes later on in the video as being more accurate. The appeal of Shirer is, in many ways, his personal bias. Literary value in that sense.
This channel makes me wish I'd taken the time to learn how to read.
Start now
@@noidea3326 If I could read, I'd know what you said.
I have always been fascinated, how philosophers are able to write 1000 pages about nothing.
I know what you mean when you say this. I have felt precisely the same way for years. But sometimes it is nice not to settle on an answer, rather to do the work of the question. In working through a problem, even if you do not or cannot solve it, you change with the work.
We only have our internal lives as a guarantee for us to bear. Philosophy is just one means of expanding that internal life. You may not feel the value in that. I understand. But that does not mean there isn't a great deal of value for others. Fiction can be dismissed as "about nothing," too. So can much else. That is dismissal, not engagement.
You mean actually writing about the concept of nothingness or "I am too dumb to understand it so it must be nothing" kind of nothing?
Man you gotta be jobless and single to be able to read so many books I wish I had that time too
how much time do you spend on the phone or watching TV ?
I think a lot of people do not realise that reading books can be a replacement of scrolling on social media or watching TV. People always wonder how it's possible to read so much, but it's pretty simple 🤭 For me: 3 hours a day on public transport), half an hour at lunch break, and 1 to 2 hours at night. 😊 They always say: I wish I had the time, but it's all about priorities. (By the way, it's fine to have different priorities.)
@@martinsFILMS13 i work 10 hours a day, I have a wife and two baby daughters. Not much time left for hobbies 😂
@@ProseAndPetticoatsmy priorities are feed my daughters not everybody can read. I read like 2 thick books a year and that's it. When you arrive from work you're so tired you just wanna sleep or you have family duties 🫠
@@MrAelin Of course! Completely understandable.