Blandings Castle by PG Wodehouse. I'm binging his books right now, but I particularly liked this one. It's comedy, so it's by definition light and frothy, but has the elegance of classic literature, especially his unique way with similes. Somehow they manage to still be very funny despite their age (humor usually doesn't age well at all). I especially like the stories near the end about the golden age Hollywood studio era.
I had an amazing reading November as well, I read 17 books. It's not about the number for me but just the knowledge that I managed to prioritise reading during the busy season... My December TBR has The Nutcracker and Little Women on it, but I'll wait a bit further into December until I start those. I'm listening to Beartown atm and it is beyond words.
Hey, Carolyn :) I'm actually thrilled you enjoyed 84 Charing Cross Road, I read it about two winters back and it became one of my favourites for that year, you might be aware of this but it was adapted into a pretty famous film in 1987, I definitely recommend you watch it if you ever feel like paying a quick revisit to the book sometime in the future, I think the humour translates beautifully and the acting is brilliant! (Since you asked) I'm currently drafting a TBR list for December and so far I'm planning on reading a collection of short stories by Alistair Macleod (a Canadian writer based in Atlantic Canada), and A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor to keep fueling my proclivity towards modern British literature. Reckon you might enjoy reading anything from that period now that you're in England. Keep up the good work, it's a lovely channel you're running. Hope you have a great rest of the week xx
Hi Carolyn! I just read A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews. I don’t know if you ever read historical romance but this one is a novella and it feels like it was written in the 19th century. This is the epitome of slow burn. The author’s notes said that she was inspired by North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. I have yet to read that classic but I can understand the influence it had on Mimi Matthews.
I have just read ‘By any other name’ by Jodi Piccoult and absolutely devoured it. It’s about Emilia Bassano in Elizabethan England (a real person who we know for sure did write and publish poetry), Piccoult writes about the theory that Emilia actually wrote some of Shakespeare’s’ plays. There’s lots of ‘Easter egg’ references to the plays dotted throughout the book too. It’s such an interesting read, one of the best I’ve read all year.
I Want My Hat Back is adorable! I just finished another book my children loved from many years ago - Emmett Otter's Jug Band Christmas. A warm, cozy book with the cutest artwork!
I have been loving Japanese books lately. Could you make a Japanese recommendation video? 🩵 Also I’m so excited for the Christmas bookmarks. Waiting for that announcement
Well done, far more realistic achievement. I get a little tired of book reviewers reading 20 books a week, and not mentioning the fact most are below 150 pages or Japanese picture books. I usually read books over a couple of hundred pages, with Tolstoy, Gogol my favourites. Thanks for your recommendations, always value your reviews, insights and introducing to me to new authors and genres.
I loved 84, Charing Cross Road! The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street is also delightful! Kate DiCamillo is a favorite of mine too. I have read and own most of her books. The only ones I don't own are some of the Mercy Watson ones. I do have the first 5.
I have just started a re-read of ‘84 Charing Cross Road’. What a glorious book. I ready ‘Orbital’ and while the writing was beautiful and it was interesting to hear about the life of an astronaut, I thought it an odd little book and the continuous ‘lists’ became monotonous and relentless. I’m confused as to how it won the Booker prize tbh. I’ve just started reading a YA book called ‘The Gifted, the talented and me.’ By William Sutcliffe, who I think is married to Maggie O’Farrell. I set myself a goal of 40 books this year. I’m at 38. I’m quite impressed with myself, as I work full time and have to work hard to find reading time.
84 Charing Cross Road is a delight indeed! I want to read The Complete Brambly Hedge and The Hotel Bazaar so much! Thanks a lot for the recommendations, Carolyn! ❤
84 Charing Cross Rd is one of my all time favorites, have you seen the movie? It's super, Anne Bancroft, Anthony Hopkins and Judi Dench. I love O'Henry, I have several of his books, they are all touching stories.
I'm currently reading The Gift by Vladimir Nabokov, and it's probably one of his best works. Possibly THE best. It's better than Lolita (and I love Lolita). As I read it I often stop to ponder the fact that such great writing actually exists🤤As we say in Russian "it's something with something" (meaning it's truly special).😎
The other day I decided to read the first books in a series by authors I haven't read that I already owned and were on my shelves. If I like them I will continue the series, if I don't I will take them to a used bookstore for credit or donate them. I found 7 on my shelf that fit that criteria, the first one that I'm reading now is Inkheart by Cornelia Funke (I want to call her Cornelius Fudge for some reason). I watched the Inkheart movie with Brendan Fraser when it came out and thought it was fun.
Carolyn, you look so beautiful and radiant! Are you ever gonna make more selfcare/make-up video's? :) I also wanted to tell that I've júst finished reading Jane Eyre for my first time, I loved it very very much and I directly watched your video about it to hear your thoughts :D You have helped me a lot with getting into literature and appreciating books very deeply.
Thanks for the recommendations! I'm planning to read Orbital and The gift... John Klassen also illustrated Pax and I loved that book, you need to check it out! 😊
Not related to books: yours and Leon's Facebook pages have appeared today on my FB feed as people I might know!! Don't worry. Not gonna send you invitations to be friends. But, if you ever decide to have a FB page related to books, I will love and follow it for sure. ❤ (Btw, didn't hear the drilling at all in your video)
Have you seen Nicholas Cage in Family Man? It's perfect for Christmas. He plays a man who has for the most part lost his humanity but retains enough of it to receive a special gift at the hands of Don Cheadle. Perhaps we're naturally sympathetic to characters who have cause to regret the choices they made as young people.
I felt the same way about johnathan strange. I liked it - the writing is gorgeous and the magical vibes at the beginning really hits but especially in the third part of the book I started losing interest. Some of the things that were happening didn’t make sense in the context of what parts 1-2 had set up and it got incredibly slow. Also mr norrell was infuriating. And the ending just left me confused. I wanted more. It just felt incredibly anticlimactic. With all that being said though I did like it. So I gave it a 3.5 stars
I really struggled w Orbital. It was beautiful writing, but it just did not pull me in. It felt horribly tedious for such a small volume. It may have been wrong book at the wrong time. I usually don't read Goodreads reviews. Wow! Scalding reviews regatding what some thought of author being so enamoured by Russia.
Just finished Ethan Frome during the first snow of the year! Though it was definitely not a new favorite and actually incredibly bleak, the wintery vibes were THERE. So if you need a sad little book to kick of the seasonal depression here ya go 🫡
![สาวเมืองเพชร - ธีเดช ทองอภิชาติ [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kEt7F9PvO3I/mqdefault.jpg)
I have a copy of 84 Charring Cross Road stamped from the actual shop before it closed. A treasured possession.
Wow!!! That’s so special!
You are very lucky, no wonder it is a treasured possession. Enjoy your reading.
Blandings Castle by PG Wodehouse. I'm binging his books right now, but I particularly liked this one. It's comedy, so it's by definition light and frothy, but has the elegance of classic literature, especially his unique way with similes. Somehow they manage to still be very funny despite their age (humor usually doesn't age well at all). I especially like the stories near the end about the golden age Hollywood studio era.
I wanted to read 50 books this year and I've read 80. So proud of us for reaching our goals🎉
Carolyn love listening to you talk about your books. I’m new to book tube and you and Emma are my faves ❤
your videos are so beautiful. i feel like i can see your kind soul in everything you say and its so lovely
I had an amazing reading November as well, I read 17 books. It's not about the number for me but just the knowledge that I managed to prioritise reading during the busy season...
My December TBR has The Nutcracker and Little Women on it, but I'll wait a bit further into December until I start those. I'm listening to Beartown atm and it is beyond words.
Hey, Carolyn :) I'm actually thrilled you enjoyed 84 Charing Cross Road, I read it about two winters back and it became one of my favourites for that year, you might be aware of this but it was adapted into a pretty famous film in 1987, I definitely recommend you watch it if you ever feel like paying a quick revisit to the book sometime in the future, I think the humour translates beautifully and the acting is brilliant!
(Since you asked) I'm currently drafting a TBR list for December and so far I'm planning on reading a collection of short stories by Alistair Macleod (a Canadian writer based in Atlantic Canada), and A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor to keep fueling my proclivity towards modern British literature. Reckon you might enjoy reading anything from that period now that you're in England.
Keep up the good work, it's a lovely channel you're running. Hope you have a great rest of the week xx
Hi Carolyn! I just read A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews. I don’t know if you ever read historical romance but this one is a novella and it feels like it was written in the 19th century. This is the epitome of slow burn. The author’s notes said that she was inspired by North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. I have yet to read that classic but I can understand the influence it had on Mimi Matthews.
The joy of reading definitely shows in the howling castle of your countenance. It has your eyes shining like 💡
Season's Greeting Carolyn☃
I have just read ‘By any other name’ by Jodi Piccoult and absolutely devoured it. It’s about Emilia Bassano in Elizabethan England (a real person who we know for sure did write and publish poetry), Piccoult writes about the theory that Emilia actually wrote some of Shakespeare’s’ plays. There’s lots of ‘Easter egg’ references to the plays dotted throughout the book too. It’s such an interesting read, one of the best I’ve read all year.
I Want My Hat Back is adorable! I just finished another book my children loved from many years ago - Emmett Otter's Jug Band Christmas. A warm, cozy book with the cutest artwork!
I have been loving Japanese books lately. Could you make a Japanese recommendation video? 🩵 Also I’m so excited for the Christmas bookmarks. Waiting for that announcement
Well done, far more realistic achievement. I get a little tired of book reviewers reading 20 books a week, and not mentioning the fact most are below 150 pages or Japanese picture books. I usually read books over a couple of hundred pages, with Tolstoy, Gogol my favourites. Thanks for your recommendations, always value your reviews, insights and introducing to me to new authors and genres.
I loved 84, Charing Cross Road! The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street is also delightful! Kate DiCamillo is a favorite of mine too. I have read and own most of her books. The only ones I don't own are some of the Mercy Watson ones. I do have the first 5.
I have just started a re-read of ‘84 Charing Cross Road’. What a glorious book. I ready ‘Orbital’ and while the writing was beautiful and it was interesting to hear about the life of an astronaut, I thought it an odd little book and the continuous ‘lists’ became monotonous and relentless. I’m confused as to how it won the Booker prize tbh. I’ve just started reading a YA book called ‘The Gifted, the talented and me.’ By William Sutcliffe, who I think is married to Maggie O’Farrell. I set myself a goal of 40 books this year. I’m at 38. I’m quite impressed with myself, as I work full time and have to work hard to find reading time.
84 Charing Cross Road is a delight indeed! I want to read The Complete Brambly Hedge and The Hotel Bazaar so much! Thanks a lot for the recommendations, Carolyn! ❤
I got It Lasts Forever And Then It's Over recently because of you and i cant wait to read it. 🙂📚
84 Charing Cross Rd is one of my all time favorites, have you seen the movie? It's super, Anne Bancroft, Anthony Hopkins and Judi Dench. I love O'Henry, I have several of his books, they are all touching stories.
What a slam bang video!
😂 thank you!
I'm currently reading The Gift by Vladimir Nabokov, and it's probably one of his best works. Possibly THE best. It's better than Lolita (and I love Lolita). As I read it I often stop to ponder the fact that such great writing actually exists🤤As we say in Russian "it's something with something" (meaning it's truly special).😎
we had gift of the magi in high school and there were wonderful discussions around it! please read The Last Leaf from that collection if you haven’t
The same happened for me with JS&MN - but I actually DNF'D it ...3 x 😅
The other day I decided to read the first books in a series by authors I haven't read that I already owned and were on my shelves. If I like them I will continue the series, if I don't I will take them to a used bookstore for credit or donate them. I found 7 on my shelf that fit that criteria, the first one that I'm reading now is Inkheart by Cornelia Funke (I want to call her Cornelius Fudge for some reason). I watched the Inkheart movie with Brendan Fraser when it came out and thought it was fun.
If you like Susanna clarke I highly recommend Piranesi
I loved Orbital too and am really glad that it won the Booker.
I'd love to see you reading more non-fiction books. Love all your videos. Love from Egypt 🇪🇬❤❤
sorry not related to books but you have a beautiful smile! Your teeth are so white 😁do you use white strips?
thank you so much for another wonderful video, and congratulations on reaching your reading goal!
Carolyn, you look so beautiful and radiant! Are you ever gonna make more selfcare/make-up video's? :) I also wanted to tell that I've júst finished reading Jane Eyre for my first time, I loved it very very much and I directly watched your video about it to hear your thoughts :D You have helped me a lot with getting into literature and appreciating books very deeply.
Carolyn if you haven’t read it yet I would like to recommend Piranesi by Susanna Clarke!! I read it when it first came out and still think about it
Thanks for the recommendations! I'm planning to read Orbital and The gift... John Klassen also illustrated Pax and I loved that book, you need to check it out! 😊
Not related to books: yours and Leon's Facebook pages have appeared today on my FB feed as people I might know!! Don't worry. Not gonna send you invitations to be friends. But, if you ever decide to have a FB page related to books, I will love and follow it for sure. ❤
(Btw, didn't hear the drilling at all in your video)
There is a great film adaptation of 84 Charing Cross Road starring Anthony Hopkins
Have you seen Nicholas Cage in Family Man? It's perfect for Christmas. He plays a man who has for the most part lost his humanity but retains enough of it to receive a special gift at the hands of Don Cheadle. Perhaps we're naturally sympathetic to characters who have cause to regret the choices they made as young people.
I felt the same way about johnathan strange. I liked it - the writing is gorgeous and the magical vibes at the beginning really hits but especially in the third part of the book I started losing interest. Some of the things that were happening didn’t make sense in the context of what parts 1-2 had set up and it got incredibly slow. Also mr norrell was infuriating. And the ending just left me confused. I wanted more. It just felt incredibly anticlimactic. With all that being said though I did like it. So I gave it a 3.5 stars
I watched a few episodes of Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell on Amazon Prime. It was pretty good but I lost interest. I don't know why.
It Lasts Forever and Then Its Over, that was a grim read. The bird bound to her chest, ewwww! It was a bizzare read.
I really struggled w Orbital. It was beautiful writing, but it just did not pull me in. It felt horribly tedious for such a small volume. It may have been wrong book at the wrong time. I usually don't read Goodreads reviews. Wow! Scalding reviews regatding what some thought of author being so enamoured by Russia.
It seems to me that you are really chasing after quantity instead of quality. Read some really difficult books instead.
Just finished Ethan Frome during the first snow of the year! Though it was definitely not a new favorite and actually incredibly bleak, the wintery vibes were THERE. So if you need a sad little book to kick of the seasonal depression here ya go 🫡