Thanks so much for the annotated list and the opportunity for your listeners/readers/watchers to be treated to the opinions of other readers. I am about half way through Butter and I can’t get enough of it (both the novel and the condiment..😂). Happy 2025. I agree with others who think that 23 falls short of 1 for 2024.
I've read 6 of these books and would like to read 8 or 9 more, but like you say impossible to find time for them all! I also vote for you to read Glorious Exploits, such a wonderful and very clever novel. I've just finished reading In Memorium which I have been saving for early November - what an amazing debut!
Glad James made the cut. I'll sleep better knowing that. :) Over all, an OK list. Not a lot of new books are catching my eye, but that's OK. I still haven't read all the old ones on my TBR.
Thanks, Eric. Great overview. I loved Headshot. Read it twice and liked it even better the second time. Very engrossing. Definitely recommend that you dive into Glorious Exploits. Fabulous story. So inventive.
James was just placed on the Longlist for the Aspen Awards, which announces their winner in the spring of 2025. Some great books on that list. Other Booker books to make the cut was The Safekeep. I think Louise Erdrich is one of the judges, which is good, in my opinion, as well as Tayari Jones. I vote you read “Glorious Exploits” . I loved it, read it for a book club and didn’t think I would like it, but yes!
I’ve read slightly more than half of these and several (but definitely not all) would be on my own list of best books of the year. I have a proof copy of Private Rites (it is out in the US in early December) and am eager to read it but I am very excited to start Shy Creatures first.
Finally, justice for Private Rites!! It’s my personal favourite book of 2024 and I’ve seen it on far too few lists. Definitely overlooked by some of the major lists IMO. Same goes for House of Broken Bricks; I wish more people would be introduced to it.
I’ve read three James Intermezzo Evenings and Weekends Four are on my TBR Shy Creatures The House of Broken Bricks Glorious Exploits You Are Here I DNFd Creation Lake I read The Ministry of Time . I liked the plot but not the ending.
I’ve read quite a few of these and particularly enjoyed The House of Broken Bricks and Shy Creatures. I keep seeing Butter mentioned at the moment so have added that to my ever groaning list.
James was just placed on the Longlist for the Aspen Awards, which announces their winner in the spring of 2025. Some great books on that list. Other Booker books to make the cut was The Safekeep. I think Louise Erdrich is one of the judges, which is good, in my opinion, as well as Tayari Jones.
I’ve read James, Blue Sisters, The Ministry of Time, Headshot, Intermezzo, All Fours, and Creation Lake. I want to read Butter, The Coin, Real Americans, and Glorious Exploits.
@@anaori2173 The best two would be James and Intermezzo. Headshot and All Fours were fine. I didn't love them, but I didn't hate them either. I did not like The Ministry of Time or Creation Lake.
I read Held and James. There was little intrigue in Held and James is the fifth book on a journey to the free states north of the Ohio River so the plot is familiar.
Catherine Prasifka is Sally Rooney's sister-in-law. I thought This Is How You Remember It started out really strong but fell flat in the second half, as if the author didn't know where to go with it or how to develop her characters. Loved Glorious Exploits.
Ah!!! Why 23 of 2024? Would it have hurt them to make it 24? 😅I'm glad to see James. I preprdered Butter yet still haven't picked it up, lovely edition of Shy Creatures 🤩 oh, I haven't read Marian Keyes in ages, a great reminder to revisit her. Thanks for spotlighting these.
Caledonian Road is the perfect book if you like to read about unlikeable people.Just like Creation Lake...Wait a minute! Eric you are the nicest guy ever and this is the 2nd book your bookclub has read about unlikeable people. HA!
Backstory of Huck's relationship with his father is useful, as is the nature of his business relationship with Judge Thatcher, which more fully explored in Tom Sawyer. Comparing the ending of both also leads to some interesting insights.
@@jamesduggan7200 Are you saying that it's also useful to read Tom Sawyer in addition to Huckleberry Finn? Sorry, I haven't read Mark Twain although I gifted Tom Sawyer to my nephew.
@@Vyborne I'd say James can be read as a stand alone novel but being familiar with Huck Finn adds to the reading experience. Huck is introduced to us in Tom Sawyer but in that context only the events near the end of the story are relevant to the action in James. Of course, if you're most interested in what the two writers provide in terms of the English dialects of that time and place then both of Twain's novels are helpful. The language component is maybe the first thing readers of James notice. However, modern readers can be shocked or even triggered by that language, particularly Twain's use of the n-word.
i read james and enjoyed it thoroughly.....havent the foggiest idea who huckleberry is and no interest in finding out. again, james is a great read as is!
@ thank you for this perspective. This was my take from the beginning but I let others talk me down. I really want to read James but have little interest in Twain’s books at the moment.
A great list! Thanks Eric! I actually just dipped into Evenings and Weekends this afternoon (even though I promisedyself not to start any more books this year!) Lots of books I'd like to read here, Private Rites, Butter, The House Of Broken Bricks, The Ministry of Time, Real Americans. I loved Glorious Exploits, I listened to it and the narration was superb. Great to see others on here we read in our club, I loved both CR and CL 🩷
I appreciate the extra effort you make on your videos with timestamps & links. Thanks
Thank you! 😊📚
Thanks so much for the annotated list and the opportunity for your listeners/readers/watchers to be treated to the opinions of other readers. I am about half way through Butter and I can’t get enough of it (both the novel and the condiment..😂). Happy 2025. I agree with others who think that 23 falls short of 1 for 2024.
'Glorious Exploits' is my favourite book from this year, absolutely brilliant.
These best of lists give me anxiety but they also validate my pre Christmas book haul.
I've read 6 of these books and would like to read 8 or 9 more, but like you say impossible to find time for them all! I also vote for you to read Glorious Exploits, such a wonderful and very clever novel. I've just finished reading In Memorium which I have been saving for early November - what an amazing debut!
Glad James made the cut. I'll sleep better knowing that. :) Over all, an OK list. Not a lot of new books are catching my eye, but that's OK. I still haven't read all the old ones on my TBR.
Thanks, Eric. Great overview. I loved Headshot. Read it twice and liked it even better the second time. Very engrossing. Definitely recommend that you dive into Glorious Exploits. Fabulous story. So inventive.
James was just placed on the Longlist for the Aspen Awards, which announces their winner in the spring of 2025. Some great books on that list. Other Booker books to make the cut was The Safekeep. I think Louise Erdrich is one of the judges, which is good, in my opinion, as well as Tayari Jones. I vote you read “Glorious Exploits” . I loved it, read it for a book club and didn’t think I would like it, but yes!
I’ve read slightly more than half of these and several (but definitely not all) would be on my own list of best books of the year. I have a proof copy of Private Rites (it is out in the US in early December) and am eager to read it but I am very excited to start Shy Creatures first.
Good to know Private Rites is out there soon. And hope you enjoy Shy Creatures while on your trip!
Can confirm Glorious Exploits is fantastic and I highly recommend it!
Thanks!
Finally, justice for Private Rites!! It’s my personal favourite book of 2024 and I’ve seen it on far too few lists. Definitely overlooked by some of the major lists IMO.
Same goes for House of Broken Bricks; I wish more people would be introduced to it.
I’ve read three
James
Intermezzo
Evenings and Weekends
Four are on my TBR
Shy Creatures
The House of Broken Bricks
Glorious Exploits
You Are Here
I DNFd
Creation Lake
I read
The Ministry of Time . I liked the plot but not the ending.
Butter has had some good marketing. Readers seem to have given it mixed reviews.
I thought the writing was quite clunky in places and the plot didn't really deliver
Yeah, I’ve been discouraged from buying a copy after hearing some readers’ views
Glorious Exploits is one of my top books so far for 2024. ❤
Good to know! Thanks
I’ve read quite a few of these and particularly enjoyed The House of Broken Bricks and Shy Creatures. I keep seeing Butter mentioned at the moment so have added that to my ever groaning list.
I'm so glad you agree about those two books! 📚
James was just placed on the Longlist for the Aspen Awards, which announces their winner in the spring of 2025. Some great books on that list. Other Booker books to make the cut was The Safekeep. I think Louise Erdrich is one of the judges, which is good, in my opinion, as well as Tayari Jones.
I’ve read James, Blue Sisters, The Ministry of Time, Headshot, Intermezzo, All Fours, and Creation Lake. I want to read Butter, The Coin, Real Americans, and Glorious Exploits.
Your best 2?
@@anaori2173 The best two would be James and Intermezzo. Headshot and All Fours were fine. I didn't love them, but I didn't hate them either. I did not like The Ministry of Time or Creation Lake.
I read Held and James. There was little intrigue in Held and James is the fifth book on a journey to the free states north of the Ohio River so the plot is familiar.
Catherine Prasifka is Sally Rooney's sister-in-law. I thought This Is How You Remember It started out really strong but fell flat in the second half, as if the author didn't know where to go with it or how to develop her characters.
Loved Glorious Exploits.
Private Rites is so good that I am sure you would enjoy it. Glorious Exploits I enjoyed but imo I didn't think it was funny ❤
I would really recommend ‘Glorious Exploits’
Ah!!! Why 23 of 2024? Would it have hurt them to make it 24? 😅I'm glad to see James. I preprdered Butter yet still haven't picked it up, lovely edition of Shy Creatures 🤩 oh, I haven't read Marian Keyes in ages, a great reminder to revisit her. Thanks for spotlighting these.
Wow I am the first one watching this
From this list I've only read James (wonderful) and Real Americans (mediocre).
On my TBR: Private Rites, The Hypocrite,, Glorious Exploits
Why not 24 for '24, huh?
OCD's trough the roof 😂
😅😅😅
Drop everything and read Glorious Exploits! I insist! 😂
Caledonian Road is the perfect book if you like to read about unlikeable people.Just like Creation Lake...Wait a minute! Eric you are the nicest guy ever and this is the 2nd book your bookclub has read about unlikeable people. HA!
Evenings and Weekends was a dnf for me - too many characters and digressions 🥴
Do you need to read " The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" in order to read "James?"
Backstory of Huck's relationship with his father is useful, as is the nature of his business relationship with Judge Thatcher, which more fully explored in Tom Sawyer. Comparing the ending of both also leads to some interesting insights.
@@jamesduggan7200 Are you saying that it's also useful to read Tom Sawyer in addition to Huckleberry Finn? Sorry, I haven't read Mark Twain although I gifted Tom Sawyer to my nephew.
@@Vyborne I'd say James can be read as a stand alone novel but being familiar with Huck Finn adds to the reading experience. Huck is introduced to us in Tom Sawyer but in that context only the events near the end of the story are relevant to the action in James. Of course, if you're most interested in what the two writers provide in terms of the English dialects of that time and place then both of Twain's novels are helpful. The language component is maybe the first thing readers of James notice. However, modern readers can be shocked or even triggered by that language, particularly Twain's use of the n-word.
i read james and enjoyed it thoroughly.....havent the foggiest idea who huckleberry is and no interest in finding out. again, james is a great read as is!
@ thank you for this perspective. This was my take from the beginning but I let others talk me down. I really want to read James but have little interest in Twain’s books at the moment.
A great list! Thanks Eric! I actually just dipped into Evenings and Weekends this afternoon (even though I promisedyself not to start any more books this year!) Lots of books I'd like to read here, Private Rites, Butter, The House Of Broken Bricks, The Ministry of Time, Real Americans. I loved Glorious Exploits, I listened to it and the narration was superb. Great to see others on here we read in our club, I loved both CR and CL 🩷
That's good to hear about the audio of Glorious Exploits! Thanks!