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paperbackstacks
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Добавлен 19 ноя 2013
Hi there, my name is Lillian! I'm a writer, book lover, and history enthusiast.
I love dissecting stories, exploring fictional worlds, and reveling in all things storytelling.
I love dissecting stories, exploring fictional worlds, and reveling in all things storytelling.
confession time, I really love buying books // book-a-holic's anonymous tag
hey folks, welcome or welcome back! today's video is going to be a laid back, chatty tag about - drumroll please - book buying!
hope you enjoy! In the comments, let me know about your book buying habits / are there any books you've purchased recently that you're excited about :)
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** shameless plug for the most recent essay - "my dreams would swallow me if I let them" - out on my substack: paperbackstacks.substack.com/p/my-dreams-would-swallow-me-if-i-let)
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Original (?) Creator: zezeewithbooks.wordpress.com/2017/08/23/bookaholics-anonymous-tag/
The Enspiretor - @dakotawarren
Dakota's Video: ruclips.net/video/U7E8DlSybfI/видео.html
I Tag!
- @Shellyish
- @manuscriptsinthemargin
- @awebofstori...
hope you enjoy! In the comments, let me know about your book buying habits / are there any books you've purchased recently that you're excited about :)
--
** shameless plug for the most recent essay - "my dreams would swallow me if I let them" - out on my substack: paperbackstacks.substack.com/p/my-dreams-would-swallow-me-if-i-let)
--
Original (?) Creator: zezeewithbooks.wordpress.com/2017/08/23/bookaholics-anonymous-tag/
The Enspiretor - @dakotawarren
Dakota's Video: ruclips.net/video/U7E8DlSybfI/видео.html
I Tag!
- @Shellyish
- @manuscriptsinthemargin
- @awebofstori...
Просмотров: 295
Видео
a summer reading & garden vlog // jamaica kincaid, brandon sanderson, and ursela k. le guin
Просмотров 167Месяц назад
hey folks, it took a little longer to put this vlog together than anticipated - but she's finally here! reading activities did not go to plan the Jamaica Kincaid's "My Garden Book," and I ended up trying Brandon Sanderson (Tress and the Emerald Sea) for the first time, as well as polishing off another great Ursela K. Le Guin. Let me know what your summer reads have been so far this year and how...
my summer reading list // summer 2024 tbr pile
Просмотров 291Месяц назад
hey folks, today's video is me going through the large stack of books I've got lined up on my shelf to read this summer! buckle up and settle in, we've got a pile of summer reads to discuss! let me know what you're planning to read this summer / coming season in the comments :) - Books Mentioned / Video Chapters (note: the majority of the links below are bookshop.org affiliate links) - Intro (0...
budapest travel vlog // caves, bathhouses, and history adventures
Просмотров 1,9 тыс.2 месяца назад
hello friends, welcome or welcome back! I finally finished editing the vlog of our time in Budapest this past April :) While this was a *beast* of a video to put together, it's one that I'm really proud to have made and share with the world. If you're interested in hearing more about the trip and my thoughts on it, I'll be posting some reflections to my Substack (paperbackstacks.substack.com/) ...
the fiction books I recently stress bought // book haul #09
Просмотров 2592 месяца назад
aaand we're back with the second half of my stress-induced book buying fuge haul! a smaller stack this time, but definitely some books that I'm chomping at the bit to get to this summer! let me know if you've read any of these and if so what your thoughts were on them :) or, if any of the books in this video happened to catch your eye! first half of this book haul (non-fiction books): ruclips.n...
sooo I stress bought a bunch of non-fiction books // book haul #08
Просмотров 7802 месяца назад
helloooo! welp, I seem to have racked up quite a stack of books in the past few weeks. I'll plead stress-induced book buying fuge as my reason... let me know if you've read any of these books and what you thought of them, or if any of them have caught your eye! - Previous Book Haul: ruclips.net/video/7-DbMWFghfU/видео.htmlsi=Mrw7C1iHs1RQwBKD Katie's Substack Article on Pop Song: katievasquez.su...
how's my reading been going so far this year? let's chat! // mid-year freakout tag 2024
Просмотров 2962 месяца назад
hello all and welcome or welcome back!! today's video is going to be one where I'm talking about how my reading year has been going so far and answering some questions on the ones that stood out to me (for good/bad reasons). If you're interested in following me on Storygraph, the link will be further down in the description :) tell me about a book/books that have stood out to you so far this ye...
books, books, and more books! // book haul #07
Просмотров 3713 месяца назад
15 books acquired in 7 weeks...not too bad, right? *nervous laugh* Let me know if you've read any of these, or if you'd be interested in seeing some individual reviews in the future! What have you been reading / buying to read recently? Would love to hear from you in the comments :) Channels Mentioned: - M from @manuscriptsinthemargin totally convinced me to pick up Lote! Videos Mentioned: Revi...
reviewing recent reads // cozy fantasy, queer romance, & modern classics
Просмотров 2813 месяца назад
howdy, y'all! I figured that it was probably a good time to catch you up on the books that I've finished reading recently :) It's been a mix of light-hearted books with some heavier ones. Let me know if you've read any of these and or what you're currently reading in the comments below! Books Mentioned: - A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers (0:56) - Silver in the Wood & Drowned Country...
the non-fiction journey tag & book recommendations
Просмотров 5673 месяца назад
hey folks, welcome to today's video! thanks for bearing with me as I figure out some new lighting and tripod bits on my end. this is me tackling @HannahsBooks Non-Fiction Journey Tag Original: ruclips.net/video/XxeVcTYwOzM/видео.html&pp=ygUeaGFubmFoJ3MgYm9va3Mgbm9uIGZpY3Rpb24gdGFn (thanks to Hannah for making this tag!) Questions: - What was your first experience reading non-fiction? - Has read...
essay collection recommendations & tbr list
Просмотров 2504 месяца назад
hey folks, welcome or welcome back! essay collections and creative non-fiction in general have been a new genre that I've loved exploring recently :) Thanks to the folks who requested to see this video, I love hearing what you all would like to see on the channel. If you have any recommendations for me or anyone else, feel free to drop them in the comments below! also - my apologies, I didn't r...
when to call it quits on a book // the DNF tag
Просмотров 6854 месяца назад
hey folks, welcome back for a video where we're chatting about DNFing books! Feel free to let me know your answers to these questions in the comments! - how do you feel about DNFing books? I'd love to see M from @manuscriptsinthemargin do this tag, but obviously no pressure!! M's video I mentioned: ruclips.net/video/WghCx3gB1qc/видео.htmlsi=aK6N6DIdZS6hNzVd Original Tag: ruclips.net/video/n-qnv...
a hungarian book haul & female author tbr // book haul #07
Просмотров 1964 месяца назад
hello, surprise!! by the time you'll be seeing this video I'll be on vacation in the beautiful city of Budapest 🇭🇺 so excited and grateful for the opportunity to go back and experience this amazing city with my partner :) in the lead up to the trip I wanted to immerse myself in some Hungarian writers - fiction and non fiction - as a way to get even more out of the experience. again, my apologie...
reading vlog 08 // spring reads, the solar eclipse, and a bts snapshot
Просмотров 2114 месяца назад
hey folks, welcome or welcome back for this spring reading vlog! I'm taking you along with me for a hectic week in my life leading up to a big trip - and trying to fit some reading in along the way. Tell me about what you're reading in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you :) Timestamps for Book Discussion: - 1st Check In 3:12 - 2nd Check In 8:01 - 3rd Check In 17:35 - Where to Find Me:...
🌷 10 books for spring! 🌷 // spring 2024 tbr pile
Просмотров 2565 месяцев назад
🌷 10 books for spring! 🌷 // spring 2024 tbr pile
📚 reviewing some recent reads 🌟// january, february, & march reading wrap up
Просмотров 2325 месяцев назад
📚 reviewing some recent reads 🌟// january, february, & march reading wrap up
aaand there's even more books pt. 2 // book haul #06
Просмотров 1966 месяцев назад
aaand there's even more books pt. 2 // book haul #06
sooo I bought a bunch of books pt. 1 // book haul #05
Просмотров 4946 месяцев назад
sooo I bought a bunch of books pt. 1 // book haul #05
reading vlog 07 // a writer's journal, cozy winter reading, tea, & snow
Просмотров 2796 месяцев назад
reading vlog 07 // a writer's journal, cozy winter reading, tea, & snow
build a winter tbr pile with me // winter 2024 tbr
Просмотров 1346 месяцев назад
build a winter tbr pile with me // winter 2024 tbr
venice writing vlog pt. 2 // an islands day trip, getting lost, and final thoughts on this adventure
Просмотров 1237 месяцев назад
venice writing vlog pt. 2 // an islands day trip, getting lost, and final thoughts on this adventure
setting *KIND* reading goals for 2024
Просмотров 1667 месяцев назад
setting *KIND* reading goals for 2024
books I'm buying IMMEDIATELY in 2024 // book haul #04
Просмотров 5348 месяцев назад
books I'm buying IMMEDIATELY in 2024 // book haul #04
recent five star reads & my currently reading pile
Просмотров 2298 месяцев назад
recent five star reads & my currently reading pile
venice writing vlog pt. 1 // I took a solo writing trip to Venice...and it was MAGIC
Просмотров 2139 месяцев назад
venice writing vlog pt. 1 // I took a solo writing trip to Venice...and it was MAGIC
what's been cheering me up recently?? // creative fulfillment , summer gardening, & reading burn out
Просмотров 196Год назад
what's been cheering me up recently?? // creative fulfillment , summer gardening, & reading burn out
So excited to have discovered your channel. I live with the love of my life, an ex-racer, rescue greyhound named Billy-Blue. I love history & non-fiction as well. Thanks for these great book recommendations, many of them new to me, so much wonder for me to track down. I really look forward to following your bookish adventures.
Don't be late for work, Lillian! Oooo, I'm definitely staying tuned to find out how the Paris Shakespeare and Company is going to come into play in your videos ...😉 As book-a-holics, our TBR's will never end, but what a wonderful problem to have...🙂 For a small town, downtown Staunton, VA has no less than four or five new and used independent bookstores, most within walking distance of each other. I spent a delightful afternoon this summer exploring all of them. I had a gift card to spend at one of the stores, the Book Dragon, and, unsurprisingly, I went way beyond the limit of my gift card when I was there. The newest bookstore in Staunton is Books & Tea, which, hence the name, offers new books as well as various kinds of teas. It had the most curated collection I've ever seen in a bookstore - a relatively small amount of books - but most of which I've heard discussed on BookTube. Needless to say, my wallet took a big hit there as well... Looking forward to yet another haul from you, Lillian, and your thoughts on everything!
I managed to snag the final bus to the metro station that morning! I grew up in between two larger towns (the suburbs in between), and am sad to say that the one I went to school in no longer has -any- brick and mortar bookstores in it. There used to be a large Barnes and Nobel that I'd (occasionally) skip school to go hang out in, it was multifloored and had a cafe you could read in. While I'd much rather have independent bookstores, it was still a really sad day when that Barnes and Nobel closed! The other town I'm near has a few independent bookstores but they're on the other side of the city from where I'm situated :( Having multiple great bookstores within walking distance from each other sounds heavenly and also very dangerous!
Lillian, you skipped school to hang out in a Barnes & Noble?!? My goodness, girl... Well, if I had received a moldy, yucky copy of Frankenstein from my school when I was in high school, I probably would have skipped in protest as well. And, let it be known, no one receives moldy books from me in my school....😄 Staunton, VA is, indeed, a heavenly, yet dangerous (to the wallet) place! In addition to the independent bookstores within walking distance to each other, there are really cool restaurants, a small movie theater, antique and thrift shops, museums (Woodrow Wilson Birthplace and Library among other museums), Blackfriar's Shakespeare theater, a ghost tour, beautiful Victorian architecture, a church that was very briefly the site of the Virginia legislature during the Revolutionary War, the site of an annual Harry Potter festival that takes place every September (Downtown Staunton transforms into Diagon Alley - there are plenty of places to pick up a mug of butter beer), etc. The number one ranked independent toy store in the nation a few years ago (Pufferbellies - founded by a librarian, of course) is in downtown Staunton. And all of this is within walking distance...public transportation isn't necessary to explore downtown Staunton. (No, I don't work for the Staunton, VA tourism office, although I sound like I should.) 😄
1. What do you like about buying new/new to you books? The dopamine hit is very real. Like you Lillian, I love the physical book as object. I love getting to hold it for the first time - the book I've seen photos of. Like meeting a friend for the first time when you've only ever seen photos of them. I love the thought of adding it to my library, putting it among friends for the right time to read, and adding to/completing a collection if it's an author I already have several books by. 2. How often do you buy new books? Probably more often than I should considering my disability pension. Like you, it often comes in spurts. However I don't really spend money on much else besides living essentials and medical costs. 3. Bookstores or online shopping, which do you prefer? These days I definitely do more online book shopping due to illness/disability. But I love going into physical bookstores when I have the chance. There are also local free book-swaps and street-libraries around my area, which are fun to visit. For online book-shopping, I recommend using Bookfinder.com to compare prices across used online booksellers, as it sorts them by total cost (including shipping) so it saves the fiddly parts. Jess from her youtube channel Squirrelly Nerdy Jess (channel name used to be Squirrel's Bookshelf) does a video with awesome tips on the best ways to use the different search functions/fields with Bookfinder. 4. Do you have a favorite bookshop? I live in Brisbane, Australia. My favourite used bookshops here are Archives Fine Books in the CBD on Charlotte street, and Bent Books in West End. My favourite indie shops of new books are Avid Reader in West End, and Riverbend Books in Bulimba. I really miss the Annerley Community bookstore. I lived in London UK for 18 mths and strangely I don't remember my favourite bookshops. Maybe because I didn't have the money/space for book-buying as I was living out of a suitcase and working/saving for travel to other countries. I was a member of the Richmond library and frequented the Saison Poetry Library a lot. 5. Do you preorder books? Not often. If I see that Sarah Winman or Zeyn Joukhadar write another book, I'll definitely pre-order. I'm thinking of pre-ordering Ali Smith's book, Gliff, coming out in October. 6. Do you have a book buying limit? Send help! No further comments. 7. Book buying bans, are they something for you? They should be. It's a matter of not enough bookshelves though, right? I've definitely bought more books in the past couple of years than ever before, and I need to settle down now, because my home library is around 1250 books and there are so many unread on my shelves that I'm so excited for. 8. How big is your book wishlist? My TBR on book-tracking websites is around 250 books, but there are so many more than that I want to read, and wish to buy. 9. Which three books from your wishlist, do you wish you could own right now? Weathering (Ruth Allen), Mountains of the Mind (Robert Macfarlane), Giovanni's Room (James Baldwin) 10. Who do you tag? as I'm not a booktuber... any viewers in the comments who want to participate.
Lovely to see your responses, Jensha! I'll definitely have to check out bookfinder :)
HI Lillian! Athough I haven't read Kincaid's Garden Book, I agree completely with your assessment of her writing as "scattered" and "angsty," which I've found to be the case in the fiction I've read by her (although I certainly haven't read everything by her.) Kincaid's fiction, I've found, is an uncomfortable reading experience, likely intentionally, due to the angst and even rage she exhibits in her books. Specifically, she had a very contentious and difficult (to say the least) relationship with her mother, which is a theme she returns to in her fiction, and more broadly, rage from growing up under the oppression of colonialism in Antigua. I was curious about her garden book when you first mentioned it because, unless she's mellowed as she's grown older, coziness and Jamaica Kincaid absolutely do not go together. Of course, art does not have to be cozy or uplifting (as I know you know, Lillian). In short, a Kincaid book is not something to pick up if you want an cozy, uplifting read. I'm sorry her garden book was disappointing to you, though. I'm actually curious to pick it up myself now so I can compare it to her fiction. I'm curious what you think of her fiction, should you choose to read any. Speaking of gardens, I enjoy your garden footage - I hope you've had more rain than we've had in western Virginia this summer. I've never seen things so dry. Everyone I know is waiting for tomatoes. My sweet neighbors gave me four tomatoes recently out of the very few that have managed to grow in their garden. And if the heat and the drought aren't enough to deal with, it's the critters. My neighbors have trapped at least three groundhogs this summer and released them elsewhere. Corn stalks that should be at full height weeks ago are still not quite grown. I've posted before about how much I enjoyed Willa Cather's "O Pioneers" last summer. I'm currently enjoying Cather's "The Song of The Lark" which I think may be of interest to you, Lillian, as it's Cather's exploration about how to become an artist/creative. It's about a Swedish immigrant girl, Thea Kronberg, who lives in a small desert town in Colorado, and her evolution into becoming a successful singer, rather than marrying and living a small town life. It's much longer than "O Pioneers" with perhaps some unnecessary detail, but, because I know I love Cather's prose, I've hung on with it and found it a rewarding reading experience, although Cather does use some language that we would consider inappropriate today. The last time I checked, the sky wasn't falling. 😀 Well done, as always, Lillian.
Kincaid was certainly *different* than what I was expecting, but I wonder if I'll find it more palatable in a fictional format (or at least around a subject that isn't one of my personal joys). Probably won't pick her up again any time soon, but maybe in a few years I'll check something of her's out from the library! We were in a pretty severe drought most of June through mid-July when I was filming, and it definitely had an impact on tomato timing :'( We've finally started to get some in in the past few weeks, but now it's already starting to cool down in the evenings and summer's almost gone -sigh- going to enjoy the tomatos while they last I suppose!
Certainly a disappointing gardening season, for sure. Enjoy the tomatoes you have, Lillian!
Hey Lillian. So nice to see your reading thoughts gracing my screen. I haven't read any of the authors/books you mentioned in this video. I really loved the way you described The Beginning Place (the first section of it) and I thought, oh, that sounds exactly like the kind of book I need right now. After how you described the subtle nuanced first part of the book (the kind of tone I love in books), I was surprised to hear the direction that it went in, sort of manifesting in a more plot-driven narrative and shifting away from that internal life that was being explored. All the same I'm very interested in picking it up. Having never read a Le Guin book, The Beginning Place might just be quite literally the beginning place for my journey with Le Guin. Is there another Le Guin book you think would be a good place to start, one where I don't have to commit to a long fantasy series? I've never read Sanderson either, and the one you mentioned sounded interesting. Regarding the ocean of spores... I love seeing world-building that takes inspiration from the environment, biology, science, rather than necessarily a hard magic system. Becky Chambers talks about how her biggest inspiration for world-building is always biology - non-fiction, text books, documentaries. For example when she talks about one of her character species having taken inspiration from I think a particular actual reptilian species that communicates through colour, she's considering if that's how this somewhat anthropomorphised fantasy species in her book is built, how does that influence the way they interact with their living spaces, and art, and so on. I just love her.
Hey, Jensha! Always lovely to see your comments on my videos :) I'd say that The Beginning Place isn't necessary -plot heavy- per say towards the end. I think perhaps a better way for me to describe it could be that the first 2/3 are day to day actions and interpersonal relations depicting the character's inner life and mental state, while the last 1/3 it shifts to mainly the action and events reflecting the inner journey. I could still pick up on Le Guin's intent for the character arcs coming full circle, even if the way it was done wasn't quite what I had hoped for. Still definitely worth the read, I hope you enjoy it! I'd definitely recommend Lavinia (historical fiction stand alone) and The Left Hand of Darkness (part of a larger series but you don't have to have read any of the others to jump in) by Le Guin. She's such a fantastic and introspective storyteller :)
@@paperbackstacksss Thank you for clarifying that and your recommendations. I'm in hospital all this week only *just* staying sane. I've only had 1 and a half meltdowns. I'm so keen to get back home to my own bed.
I really liked the way you explained things, especially since I am going alone.
Thanks so much, glad that you enjoyed!
I am going to be in Budapest Sept. 3rd, 2024, I am older and know I will not be able to walk up too many steps, just wondered why you did not take the Funicular to Budda Castle. or is it a Venticular. I hope it is still working.
The Funicular was in operation while we were there, but there was a massive line for it and we didn't want to wait - I'd recommend trying to get there earlier in the day if you can to avoid the massive line! I'd also recommend looking into the Budapest public transportation apps (one for your tickets and one for the bus/tram/metro schedules and routes), they were super helpful for getting around the city. Hope you have a great trip in September!!
Good luck with your reading choices and to your channel. Happy reading to you!
Thank you, thank you!
It's HOT, LIllian, even in the mountains of western Virginia! 🥵 I think a "heat wave" is defined as several consecutive days that reach 90+ degrees, which makes sense, and that's what we've definitely had! We're supposed to have some relief tomorrow. There's nothing like a good piece of existential literature to ramp a party up to the next level, lol! 🤣🤣🤣 I may have read The Plague when I was in college a few millennia ago as I know I own a copy somewhere. Definitely worth reading as it is an existential classic. 🙂 All this talk of Even Cowgirls Get the Blues makes me laugh because of all the early 90's nostalgia it brings up for me from the film trailer and music video - a hitchhiking Uma Thurman and a motorcycle-riding KD Lang. (KD Lang did the complete soundtrack.) (If you don't know who Uma Thurman and KD Lang are, Lillian, we're fortunate we live in an era when you can easily look them up.) Uma Thurman's star was rising in the early 90's and KD Lang was beginning the downslide of the height of her fame in the U.S. Although KD Lang's popularity in the U.S has long since faded., I'd still argue that she has one of the best voices of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. ruclips.net/video/JahZJ_e2Wd4/видео.html Again, I haven't read the book or seen the film, but my impression is that it's a dark comedy about a drug-fueled road trip. 🤠 Looking forward to your reviews of these books and I hope you and Molly are able to stay cool!
Hey Tammy! Things have finally dropped back down to the 80s/90s for us and I never thought I'd say that I was excited to see 80 degrees but ooh boy when it's been a solid 100-103 for two weeks....ouch! I'll have to check out KD Lang, but Uma Therman I've seen in the Kill Bill movies and Pulp Fiction :) We are definitely staying inside as much as we can and enjoying some frozen treats - I'm sure your black snake friend is living it up right now XD
Of course, Uma Thurman is in the Kill Bill movies and Pulp Fiction. *face palm* It sounds like I should be the one researching her! You know, I like to think of myself as a somewhat knowledgeable film buff, but I've yet to see a Quentin Tarantino film. And yes, I hope my black snake friend, wherever he is now, thoroughly enjoyed the heat wave. I'm sure he welcomed the July heat more than the April snowflakes. 😃
I'm surprised how many reads we have in common. I have Blackouts, The Plague, Lote, a Jean Rhys (After Leaving Mr. MacKenzie), and an Anais Nin (Delta of Venus) on my nightstand right now. I'm in the middle of a Woolf, too (Between the Acts). The Wall and To the Lighthouse are meditative and brilliant in their ways. I'd describe Robbins' books as Good-trip LSD-lit. 😁My faves of his are Still Life With Woodpecker, Jitterbug Perfume and Another Roadside Attraction. I believe there is a film of Even Cowgirls. I'm curious to hear your thoughts on many of these especially the Unreality of Memory. Happy Summer Reading!
Oooh that's so cool!! Great minds read alike? Thanks for the bit of reassurance on Robbin's work - I really didn't know what to expect, but it sounds like a fun time! Hope that you enjoy your summer reads as well! Thanks for watching :)
I also recently hauled a copy of The Wall. I haven't read it yet. When I re-read To the Lighthouse, tears welling up turned into ugly sobbing. Amazing what a difference it made reading it first in my early 20's then in my mid 40's. My reading time has been taken up by more screen time than usual as I've been binge-watching Derry Girls. It's hands down the funniest show I've ever watched.
Revisiting a book at a different point in your life and getting new/more meaning out of it is always a treat :) Happy fall/winter reading, Jensha!
Seems like a city as beautiful as the two characters we got to see experience it.
Thanks, Luke <3
Thank you for sharing this with us!
My pleasure, thanks for watching!!
Move over Samantha Brown and Rick Steves' Europe! Who do we need to talk to get you your own travel show, Lillian? This video is stunning, of course, Lillian. I knew next to nothing about Budapest, so obviously, I've been missing out. I enjoyed your interspersal of author quotes along with your own commentary. And what I particularly love about your travel videos is how you so beautifully and thoughtfully conclude them by commenting about what your trip means to you and what you're carrying forward from it. Thank you for sharing this! ❤
Thank you thank you, Tammy! This one felt really personal, and I ended up agonizing over the editing process (for a month +) because I wanted to "do it justice." Happy with how it came out in the end, and I learned a TON making it, but ooohh boy am I kinda glad it's off my plate and out in the world :)
Gorgeous video! Thanks for allowing us to live vicariously through you for a bit. It sounds like you had an amazing time!
Thanks, M!! It was an amazing time, already itching to go back though :')
I never knew how culturally decorated Budapest is (literally and figuratively). Thank you so much for sharing. 😊 Love it! ❤
Ahhh, thanks Cliff!!
What a stunning place. I've never been to Hungary. To a couple of Hungary's neighbouring countries, yes, but not Hungary. Lovely as always Lillian to see you sharing what you're passionate about, and to see you and your partner being heaps adorable and adoring of one another. It's strange, but I'm nostalgic for the age that you are at now, when I lived abroad and travelled. I wish I had video footage of that time - many a photo, yes (and at the same time, not nearly enough), but no video. You have a very soothing voice for narrating historical/travel content.
Thanks so much Jensha, that means a lot!!
This is an excellent checklist of potential essay collections! Great haul!
Thanks, Heidi!! :)
nice video
Thanks!
It seems criminal to whack a sticker on the front cover of a beautifully embossed hardcover with ink design, doesn't it? For more glossy paperbacks or dust jackets I use eucalyptus oil and the sticker residue comes right off. I know other people use things like rubbing alcohol, Un-Du, Goo Gone, lighter fluid, to name a few but I would be nervous using those on a matte-like more porous hardcover with ink and embossing in case it lifts the ink, plus I tend to use what I already have in the house. You can use a hairdryer if you have one, on a medium heat, which will make the residue under the sticker more cooperative. When peeling, always pull backwards as close to the surface as possible, and not upwards. After carefully removing as much of the sticker as possible, you can use a kneaded/kneadable eraser very gently to get off the rest of the residue. I love the colour palette of that edition of Wide Sargasso Sea. Can you believe I've never read Jane Eyre? The only one on this list I've read is Christmas Days. I have Even Cowgirls get the Blues on my shelf but I haven't read it yet. I've read a few other Tom Robbins though and enjoyed them - Jitterbug Perfume, Half Asleep in Frog Pyjamas, Wild Ducks Flying Backwards. TR is very witty! Jeanette Winterson has a great speaking voice so she's absolutely the right person to narrate her own books. I highly recommend watching on youtube a talk that she did at the Sydney Opera House as part of the Sydney Writers Festival in 2012. You can find it either titled "An Evening with Jeanette Winterson" on the youtube channel The Monthly, or "Jeanette Winterson at Sydney Opera House | Sydney Writers' Festival 2012" on the youtube channel Sydney Writers' Festival. I just started reading a graphic novel, Ink Girls by Marieke Nijkamp. It's set in a fantasy world about a printer's apprentice, publishing, whistle-blowing, it's got queer rep and disability rep, and I'm so here for all of those things. It's amazing how much time it can take to get through certain graphic novels, because I spend so much time looking at all the details of the art/illustrations because it's so immersive.
Thanks for the suggestions, Jensha! It feels truly criminal, especially when it's a clothbound book :'( I haven't been brave enough to attempt removing it yet, but perhaps this weekend I'll give it a go. Glad to hear that about Tom Robbins, it felt like a slight gamble since I'd never heard of him prior to picking up the book! I read Jane Eyre in college and enjoyed it, but definitely feel like I could do with a reread - I can't remember if it's a book I genuinely enjoyed on it's own, or I enjoyed getting to pick it apart in class discussions and papers.
Wow, Sub Rosa sounds right up my alley - definitely adding to my TBR!
Definitely putting it on my summer tbr!!
Hey there, Lillian! Your "unhinged" and "stress-induced" fiction book haul is really bringing back some memories for me! I read Wide Sargasso Sea a hundred years ago and I'd forgotten about it's connection to Jane Eyre. I know I have a copy of it somewhere - looks like I'm due for a reread. Ceremony also sounds really familiar to me, although I can't remember when I read it, except that it's been a long time. Whenever I hear someone mention Tom Robbin's Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, it takes me back to 1993 or 1994 when the film version came out - I was in high school. I never saw the film and I haven't read the book, but I do remember the trailer for the film for some reason, probably because it has a memorable title. I see that your sticker has a clear protector on it. If you'd like to remove it, you could try to slowly peel off the protector and hopefully the library barcode sticker will come along with it without damaging your beautiful book cover. If you peel off the protector and the sticker, or parts of the sticker remain and there's a sticky residue, rubbing the spot with some WD-40 on a rag or paper towel might help. And you'll want to do this outside because WD-40 has a strong odor that will dissipate after a while. I've used the WD-40 trick many times to remove sticker residue from library books and textbooks, although I can't speak to what WD-40 might do to a cover like that. Looking forward to your thoughts on everything from your nonfiction and fiction "stress-induced" book hauls!
Oooh, I didn't realize that there'd been a film made of the Tom Robbin's book - sounds like I'll have to check it out after reading it! Thanks for the sticker removal tip! It's a cloth bound book so I'm especially nervous about trying to get the sticker off for fear of it pulling up some of the gorgeous illustration painted on :'( might be brave enough to give it a go eventually! I'm definitely going to need to pack a separate bag to bring all of these books with me to the beach at the end of July!
I really like how you talk about backlist books that I haven't yet heard about. "Ceremony" & "The Confessions of Frannie Langton" sound very interesting! Thanks for sharing.
Aaahhh, thank you!!
Oooh, just added the Jeanette Winterson book to my wish list! Her collection of ghost stories is my favorite short story collection of the year so far.
Oooh, I've been meaning to pick up her ghost story collection ever since reading Christmas days - glad to hear that you enjoyed it!!
Gay New York is excellent. Enjoy!
Great to hear, thanks!!
You are talking about so many interesting books that I've not read. I do own My brilliant friend and hope to get to it this year. Loved listening to you talk about these books :)
Ahhh, so glad you enjoyed! ☺
I'm so interested in reading Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy by Barbara Ehrenreich and Oracles: A Pilgrimage by Catheryn M, Valente. I love your videos you have such a calming vibe. 💛
Ahhh, thanks so much!! ☺
Oooo I love a nonfic haul. I also have Paradise Built in Hell on my shelves but os many of these I hadn't heard of!! Great haul
Thanks, Audrey! :)
OMG, Lillian - i don't know where to start - all of these sound fascinating! You're getting dangerously close to breaking your own rule about no hour-long book hauls, which I'm sure many of us would watch without hesitation. 😁 I look forward to your reviews and thoughts about all these books and I look forward to your upcoming stress-induced fiction haul. 😄 I'm certainly "guilty" of my own stress-induced book buying binges and your wonderful book hauls don't make resisting a good stress-induced book buying binge any easier...😆
thriftbooks is proving to be a more and more dangerous place - may have placed a sneaky little order this afternoon because I (bought so many other books that) I had a free book credit :3c aaand a few other books may have jumped into my basket....
LOL, you go, Lillian! 😆😆😆 Of course, you're making things all the more difficult and dangerous for the rest of us because after we listen to you talk about them, we'll likely be adding whatever you bought to our own TBRs...a very nice problem to have! 😄
Regarding the last book in your haul, Oracles... In case you were wondering, that stunning cover is a painting called The Priestess of Delphi by John Collier. The pic on your screen cut off the bottom of it, which doesn't show the fissure in the earth beneath her feet through which vapours are seeping. It's worth looking at the painting in its entirety. About 20 years ago I had a card print of it on my wall, and a narrow book-sized tote-style bag with that painting on the outside. The "you might like these books because you bought this book" sections are so dangerous! But no regrets, right? I love a genre that straddles essays and memoir and nature writing, so when I fall down one of those rabbit holes, I feel like I've struck gold. I haven't read any of Annie Dillard's work yet. I first heard about her when I read Women Writing Wild last year (that book itself has put so many other books/writers on my wish-list). I'd be interested to see you document your journey through The Artist's Way. The Art of the Personal Essay is a chunky enough brick that can hold the door closed (the door that is hinged while your book haul is not) while you ultimately take a stress-nap on top of your very tall stack of books that is conveniently chin-height. 😅💚💚
I'll definitely have to look into getting a print of the John Collier painting - it's so gorgeous!! A very dangerous section indeed, I've told myself that I'm not allowed to idly browse thriftbooks.com on my lunch breaks, it leads to bookshelf space woes. Honestly, I'm running out of room for new books - might as well start building a bed with them XD
Nooooooo Lillian! Your channel is growing ever more dangerous for me - my TBR list is so long, but dang, so many of these sound intriguing! I've read and really enjoyed most of the Dillard, Solnit, and Sontag books. I'll be eager to hear your reviews! The Ehrenreich and Cameron books have been in my queue for a long time too. Heading over to my library app stat to add more of these to my list! 🙈
Ahhh, sorry (but not entirely sorry) M!!
Stress buying non-fiction is my favorite thing to do! You bough so many great books. Thank you so much for the shoutout, I hope you enjoy Pop Song! 😊
Ahh, thanks Katie!!
I read Gay New York many years ago in a graduate seminar. From what I remember, it's very good and a pioneer study of the topic.
Oohh, great to hear!
Ooh that new Olivia Laing sounds really cool!!
It does!! I hope that I can get my hands on a UK addition, personally :)
Hi Lillian! Ooo, a new Olivia Laing...I didn't know this existed so thanks for mentioning this, Lillian. And the Body Phobia book looks like something right up my alley... Goodness, Taylor Swift pops up everywhere, doesn't she? 😀 I enjoy savoring books as I read them, as I will that tomato sandwich and sweet tea I'm looking forward to enjoying later this summer. 😀 So, in other words, I like to take it slow with my reading. And I'm glad you are, too, Lillian. I appreciate that you have seasonal TBRs rather than monthly ones. I don't keep any stats about my reading, either online or off, and I don't like to think of myself as some kind of machine reading book after book after book as quickly as I possibly can just to check them off a list. Although I feel like I should probably be reading more and faster so I can unhaul some books that I've had laying around, but then again, is having too many books really a problem? 😀 I have three books going at the moment: Flying my geek flag high here, but I'm almost finished the very first Star Wars novel I've ever read - The Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule, the first book in the Star Wars High Republic series. I don't know what I was expecting from a Star Wars novel, but I love Soule's prose and the ability that reading gives to understand on a deep satisfying level, characters' psychologies and motivations, something that I've only gotten on a superficial level from the movies and TV series. I'm also very pleased and proud to have queer characters included in a Star Wars story, something that hasn't quite yet made it to Star Wars on screen. Knife by Salman Rushdie - this is a memoir about an attempted murder via stabbing Rushdie survived at a literary festival about two years ago. I was in middle school in 1989 when the death threat regarding The Satanic Verses began. Knife is the first book I'm reading by Rushdie and I can tell already, I'll be reading more, including The Satanic Verses. And last but not least, because a certain Booktuber I watch has recommended it so often, I'm about halfway through May Sarton's Journal of a Solitude. 😁 I'm very much enjoying the coziness and contemplative nature of it. I can see why it's comforting for a young aspiring author like you, Lillian, and for someone quickly approaching middle-age like myself. (I believe she states that she's 58 at the time of the writing.) There are many lines/paragraphs in it worthy of annotating, but I really resonate with the moment (so far) when she compares her work as an author to that of her gardener who passes away. She also makes a poignant statement about the inability of funerals to adequately memorialize lives, which I think is true and especially true in regards to the hurried and sparsely attended funerals that were held during COVID. (I understand, of course, why this was necessary, but also how hard it is on loved ones to have "annotated" funerals.)
Love that you're enjoying Journal of a Solitude!! I've had two of Rushdie's books on my shelf for about 10 years now - yikes! He's one of those authors I feel like I will adore but have been waiting for the right "moment" to pick up one of his books. Being a "public" reader as it were, it can feel like trying to walk the line between reading a "comfortable amount" of books (not putting too much pressure on myself to hit a certain goal) and wanting to have new books/material to draw on for the channel, and also just being really excited about the books I have on my shelves and wanting to read so many of them at once. It's definitely a balancing act!
Journal of a Solitude by May Sarton is such a precious book for me, too, as a solitary person going through depression. Mary Oliver's works are deeply comforting in that sense as well. I really enjoyed Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich this year and currently enjoying Secondhand Time: The Last of the Soviets by Svetlana Alexievich. Always waiting for your videos. 💙
Ahhh, thanks so much dear!
- Best book you've read so far this year? Cloud Cuckoo Land (Anthony Doerr), Landmarks (Robert Macfarlane), The Living Mountain (Nan Shepherd). - Best sequel you've read so far this year? N/A - New releases you haven't read yet but want to? I had no idea that Olivia Laing had a new book out, so thanks for putting it on my radar, Lillian :-) - Most anticipated release for the second half of the year? Gliff (Ali Smith) which apparently is the first of two books which are independent but which go together, the second of which is coming out in 2025. As a queer, physically disabled person, I'm also interested in reading Body Phobia which I hadn't heard of, so thanks for mentioning that one too. - Biggest disappointment? hmmm probably The Bookshop (Penelope Fitzgerald). - Biggest surprise? That I was finally able to get my hands on a copy of Infinite Gradation (Anne Michaels) - New favorite author (debut or new to you)? Tarjei Vesaas. Definitely not a new author, and not new to me this year, but I'm currently reading The Boat in the Evening, which is the second book of his I've read. The writing... oh my goodness, it's putting him among my favourite writers. I'm moving slowly through it, feeling all the feelings, re-reading parts, tabbing lots. It's nice to hear you're slowing down and taking your time through reading too, Lillian. I love looking back at my reading year, whether it's displayed on Storygraph or my own documents, not to look at the number of books, but what "kind" of reading year I was having - what themes or authors I found myself leaning into. - Newest fictional crush? N/A for this year. - New favorite character? Struggling to think of an answer for that one too! - Book that made you cry? The Boat in the Evening (Tarjei Vesaas). I'm about two-thirds of the way through and it's made me cry a few times already. Held (Anne Michaels) made me tear up too. - Book that made you happy? Ember and the Ice Dragons (Heather Fawcett) - Most beautiful book you've bought so far this year? The Moth Keeper - a sweet graphic novel with beautiful art and a stunning colour palette that hushed my overtired little heart and mind. And a deluxe pop-up edition of The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery) - What books do you want to read by the end of the year? So, so many. But I would like to read The Winners (Frederik Backman) which is the third and final book in the Beartown series. There are other books I am more immediately excited to read, but I would like to read that one while the other two - which I read last year - are relatively fresh in my mind. I'm actually in the middle of a record number of books, for me. Years ago I sent a friend a photo of the books I was currently reading at the time. In the photo was a stack of books with bookmarks in them. I had added the note "When you stray from book-monogamy". Some time later I sent them an even larger stack of bookmarked books, with the note "Officially declaring myself polybiblioamorous". Just a word that I made up and I love it.
Thanks for sharing your answers, Jensha! Happy reading :)
Ah, so glad you picked up Lote! It's a great book, and I think you'll enjoy it 😊The Woolf is a beloved classic. Adore all of Ross Gay's books - if you like podcasts, Ten Percent Happier has a good interview. Also adding more essay collections to my TBR based on your recs 🙈🙊
Thanks for the rec, I'm so excited to get to it this summer!! Ha, the problem with having cool booktube friends is that they are constantly expanding your TBR pile XD
I'm glad to see that you're continuing to buy new books, Lillian. Long gone is the book buying ban! Yay! 😀 That's quite the Nabokov quote. I remember reading in college a similar sentiment in Boris Pasternak's Doctor Zhivago. Okay, I'm going to have to pick up "Hand in Hand with Love" - it looks irresistible. One of my favorite sections of Whitman's Leaves of Grass is "The Twenty-Ninth Swimmer" in which a "handsome" woman, presumably Whitman calling himself a woman because he didn't have the language to describe himself as anything else, watches and then participates in swimming in the ocean with twenty-eight male swimmers/bathers. There's certainly a lot from Leaves of Grass that could be included in a queer poetry collection like this, so I'm curious if "The Twenty-Ninth Swimmer" made the cut. And the cover of your Virginia Woolf novel is deceptive - I don't see a lighthouse, but there are waves, so it's understandable why you would mistake it for "The Waves" rather than "To the Lighthouse." 😄
Tammy, would you believe it - I've already gone and bought more....O.O....stressful weeks lead to thriftbooks.com retail therapy :') - so there will be another book haul in the near future! I'm struggling to not underline nearly every dang sentence of the Nabokov book - they're all that good! So looking forwards to picking up Hand in Hand with Love in a few weeks for Pride - I've only ever read snippets of Leaves of Grass, so I'm really curious to see what Whitman got included! Was also so pleased to see one of my faves - Wilfred Owen - got included in the collection! p.s. planted the first round of tomatoes this past weekend, so tomato sandwiches are on the horizon!!
Yes ma'am - tomato sandwich season is on the way! I'm glad you've been able to start getting your tomatoes planted. I haven't had a garden since my dad passed, but I've been able to manage my homegrown tomato addiction with gifts of tomatoes from family and friends. I've been looking into what I can do to grow my own supply. And I've also succumbed to my share of retail therapy lately in planning my summer TBR in an attempt to counteract all the stress that comes with ending another school year. And maybe, perhaps, if the planets align and the tech gods approve, I may discuss my summer TBR on my own booktube channel before long. (fingers crossed). Looking forward to your latest book haul, Lillian! And I wish you the happiest reading possible to help keep all your stress monsters under control. 👾😀
I'll sit back down now and go back to using my inside voice lol. Glad you managed to get your hands on that particular cover/edition of Art Objects! I like the sound of A Plea for Eros and Words Are My Matter. Can you believe I've never read anything - yet - by Ursula K Le Guin? No Time to Spare (also by Le Guin) sounds interesting too.
Ahaha XD Oh Jensha, you're in for such a treat with Le Guin (imo). Everything I've read by her (scifi, fantasy, historical fiction, etc.) has always felt very thoughtful and thought provoking :)
I love that your reading pile is so diverse. Happy reading.
Ahh, thanks so much!! :)
Best wishes with what you choose to read. The only problem with watching other book tube channels is that it only increases the tbr! Happy reading to you.
Haha, thank you - you as well!!
Totally agree that Never Let Me Go is a modern classic and so haunting and gripping, but in a quiet way. Have you read more from Ishiguro??
I'm planning to do a dedicated review of it, there's so much to chew on and dig into with that one! It was my first Ishiguro, but definitely have my eye on some of his other books to pick up later this year hopefully :)
Great books! You reminded me that I have In the Garden of Beasts on my Kindle and I should get to it!
Ahhh, thank you!! Hope you enjoy it, I found it to be really eye opening :)
I like that you started off this video with a little Becky Chambers love. She is such a champ. Her 4-book Wayfarers series is wonderful, starting with book 1 The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet. So much diversity and representation in those books, and a nice break from the doom of the world. I've read everything of hers so far - her 2-book series, her 4-book series, and her standalone novella. She is great to listen to/watch in interview format too if you get the chance. It was my birthday yesterday and I received several books - from others, and from myself. I hope your cold hits the road soon, Lillian!
Happy belated birthday, Jensha!! I hope it was whimsical and peaceful as you had planned for it to be :) I hope I do too, it's been lingering for over two weeks at this point :''( I have the second Monk and Robot audiobook out from my library, lined up for a listen in the coming weeks!
Ah, the lovely distractions of spring, birdsong (no need to apologize for that - I think it's lovely), loud mowing 😄, and very opinionated cats...As I am catless, I can fortunately leave Butterscotch at work when he becomes too opinionated with me, as he often does. 😀 Very nice book reviews, Lillian.
Does your work have a resident cat?
Hi Jensha! No, unfortunately my work does not have a resident cat - I wish we did! I'm a high school librarian. "Butterscotch" is a piece of taxidermy - a boar's head hanging on our school library wall. He was donated to our school principal earlier in the school year and my principal thought it would be funny for our library to be Butterscotch's permanent home. Some of our students named him "Butterscotch" due to the brown flecks in his otherwise black hair. I've infused him with a lot of personality and used him for various reading promotions - he even made an appearance in our senior school play! He also, when the mood strikes, will write occasional emails to faculty/staff, although I have no idea how he does this since he's just a head, and he won't say. 😄 He's originally from Quebec, Canada, so he "speaks" French, predominantly. 😄 Although having a dead boar's head in the school library may sound morbid and gruesome, our students, faculty/staff, and I have become very fond of him. (And yes, Lillian knows who Butterscotch is as I've posted about him before.) I also have two male whitetail deer heads hanging on the wall in my school library, affectionately known as "Boris" and "Buster." My school is in located in a very rural area in western Virginia, USA. Many of our students actually do rely on hunting for food, so anything I can do to bring students into the library, I'll do. Butterscotch, Boris and Buster have worked wonders in helping me build relationships with students who otherwise wouldn't venture into a school library. Thanks for asking, Jensha! I enjoy reading your posts!
@@purplepumpkin6894 I love the mischief you have Butterscotch get up to. I'm sure the students will have fond memories and stories to tell in years to come, perhaps when asked about their own history of how they got into reading. :)
Oh, I hope so, Jensha! I would love it if our students in the future talked about how their crazy librarian's (me) mounted boar's and deer heads got them into reading or added a bit of whimsy and fun to their day! 😁
@@purplepumpkin6894 Their little library sounds anything but boring (boar pun) hehe.
I loved this video and will be looking for most of the books you mentioned.
Oooh, lovely! I hope you enjoy them :)
I’m reading Jill Lenore’s essay collection The Deadline and it’s great! I love essay collections.
That collection looks amazing, definitely adding it to my list!!
I think you'd like False Cause by Adam Domby. It's a history of the development of the lost cause in North Carolina. It's smartly done.
Oooh, thanks for the recommendation!! I'll definitely be checking that one out ☺
Oh, this is a great tag theme! I was excited to see you mention the Dear America diary series - I loved those books when I was a kiddo too. Hear My Sorrow and A Coal Miner's Bride were my favorites. Adding Necessary Trouble to my TBR. Love the little bloopers reel at the end! ☺️
I remember reading both of those from my library's Dear America collection!! Such powerful and eye -opening stories - very grateful to have come cross the series when I was a kiddo ☺ M, I feel like you and I have so many book overlaps from our growing up - Dear America, Vampire Hunter D, Reading Lolita in Tehran, Tamora Pierce 🤯 Would love to see you try this tag if you have any interest in it!