“I’m wearing a skirt around my neck.” Before you said that I was thinking how posh and glittery you look and even after you said that I thought of how creative you are! Cheers all around!
In case anyone else wants a summary of the books Leena mentioned: Rereads: 3:17 - ‘Motherhood’ by Sheila Heti 3:18 - ‘Skellig’ by David Almond (?) Fiction (F): 3:33 - ‘The Elegance of the Hedgehog’ by Muriel Barbery 5:37 - ‘Set Me on Fire’ by Ella Risbridger (Poetry) 6:47 - ‘The Reader on the 6.27’ by Jean-Paul Didierlaurent 9:12 - ‘A Portable Paradise’ by Roger Robinson (Poetry) 10:30 - ’84, Charing Cross Road’ by Helene Hanff 12:00 - ‘The Housekeeper and the Professor’ by Yōko Ogawa Nonfiction (NF): 13:03 - ‘We Are the Weather’ by Jonathon Safran Foer 14:20 - ‘Midnight Chicken’ by Ella Risbridger 15:15 - ‘Stop Reading the News’ by Rolf Dobelli 16:42 - ‘Factfulness’ by Hans Rosling, Ola Rosling, and Anna Rosling Rönnlund 18:26 - ‘Outraged’ by Ashley ‘Dotty’ Charles 19:40 - ‘Letters to My Daughter’ by Maya Angelou Honourable Mentions: 20:52 - ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events’ by Lemony Snicket (F) 21:08 - ‘On Writing’ by Stephen King (NF) 21:16 - ‘ayiti’ by Roxanne Gay (F, short stories) 21:21 - ‘How to Be an Antiracist’ by Ibram X. Kendi (NF) 21:34 - ‘Zonal’ by Don Paterson (Poetry) 21:40 - ‘Homie’ by Danez Smith (Poetry)
I opened my storygraph in a separate tab before I started watching this so I could make a note of any that sounded interesting and I just ended up adding *every single book* you mentioned
leena you have genuinely been one of the best content creators on youtube for years, but this year it has just been outstanding. i’ve loved all your videos and they’ve been helpful in making me feel a little less alone! (i always add every one of your book recommendations to my tbr!) just, thank you.
For copy and pasting: *Fiction* (F) 3:33 The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery Set Me on Fire by Ella Risbridger (Poetry) The Reader on the 6.27 by Jean-Paul Didierlaurent Portable Paradise by Roger Robinson (Poetry) Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yōko Ogawa *Non-fiction* (NF) 13:03 We Are the Weather by Jonathon Safran Foer Midnight Chicken by Ella Risbridger Stop Reading the News by Rolf Dobelli Factfulness by Hans Rosling, Ola Rosling, and Anna Rosling Rönnlund Outraged by Ashley ‘Dotty’ Charles Letters to My Daughter’ by Maya Angelou *Honourable Mentions* 20:52 A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket (F) On Writing by Stephen King (NF) Ayiti by Roxanne Gay (F, short stories) How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi (NF) Zonal’ by Don Paterson (Poetry) Homie’ by Danez Smith (Poetry) Thank you Ngaire Wotherspoon for the book titles!
I know you're worried about faux fancying your outfit, but it really does look elegant. Like every aspect works, from the golden undertones of your skin and hair, playing up the eyes and lips, it all looks classy and glowy and pretty; you're pretty lol.
huh, the premise of "the reader on the 6.27" seems eerily similar to bohumil hrabal's "too loud a solitude", another really short book, imo a masterpiece and i really recommend it, hrabal's writing is SO good
I'm absolutely amazed that 4 of the 6 fiction books are in my local library (in a small town in Spain), either in English, or translated into Spanish or Catalán. I'm adding all of them to my TBR, merry Christmas!
You HAVE to read Lanny, it's one of my favourites from this year and it screams Leena: nature, poetry, empathy, childhood, magic, britishness, art... And less than 200 pages!!
I've finished 15 books and stopped reading over 40 books 😅 And not after 10 pages; sometimes after 300 pages. This year if I'm not looking forward picking up the book I will say farewell to it.
i got my mum 'a poem for every feeling' for christmas after remembering u recommended it! i annotated some of the poems for her with my own thoughts and she loves it
I saw the poem "A Portable Paradise" on the tube one day and freakin loved it - then completely forgot to look it up. Added this to my 2021 reading list!! 😍
84 Charing Cross Road is so gooood! I reread it this year and fell in love all over again (and it’s actually nonfiction, which makes it that more lovely) 🥰
I’m always starting like seven books at once and never finishing them all and getting discouraged. I stumbled onto one of your videos the other week and you’ve really inspired me to want to read again! Thank you!
Reader and Hedgehog I am going to have to read this year I think. And A Portable Paradise. I love The Professor and 84 Charing Cross. Midnight Chicken sounds amazing and one I can buy for Chris but is by proxy for me.
Maya Angelou's Letters to My Daughter is going reet to the top of my reading list. Also, my favourite books this year are Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss, The Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishiguro and Jazz by Toni Morrison
A couple of my favourite reads of the year include: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, When Breath Becomes Air (please keep some tissues near you), and The Way of Kings. I've realized that I haven't ever read a proper book on poetry, so I'm hoping to get to those next year. Also, a side note, you've been one of my favourite finds of 2020. Thank you so much for the content that you've put out! :')
@@sakura9400 ay that's amazing! what're you planning on getting? when I have the chance, I'm planning on getting myself some local poets. I've been wanting to read more from Maya Angelou, or Mary Oliver too!
@@randomindianguy I don't know! I'm thinking Factfulness might be a good one and I definitely want to get a poetry book afyer watching Leena all year, I'll browse the selection they have and if nothing jumps out I'll get one of the ones Leena has recommended 😊
If you are in the UK and have a library card check your library website as many are affiliated with audiobook apps which you can access for free (as well as the digital books and magazines you can borrow of course).
"Midnight Chicken" is possibly my favourite book ever. Everything I've made from that book has been superb and delicious, and a total pleasure to create. Was so lovely to hear it made your list :)
Porcupines to Polar Bears by Jerry Haigh is about a wildlife vet that started his career in Africa and finished it in Northern Canada, written not stupendously but reads like you're having a chat over a beer with Jerry. Along the same lines, no theme here at all, is Highballer by Greg Nolan. The book follows Greg through his adventures in silviculture from being a rookie tree planter in Canada in the 80s (think wild west-maximum risk for maximum reward) until he retires, it is so bonkers and hilarious I read it every year without fail.
Leena always creates such high quality videos! Such an interesting watch, I'd love to grab a coffee with her and pick her brains about more books and the environment!
My TBR has grown out of control since finding your channel!! ... but I wouldn't have it any other way 🤓 thanks for the recs and changing your upload plans this year.
This is my full list, I've read 111 books this year, so I gave myself permission for a top 15 :) 1. The Priory of the Orange Tree - Samantha Shannon 2. Girl, Women, Other - Bernadine Evaristo 3. The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet - Becky Chambers 4. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows 5. Wild - Cheryl Strayed 6. Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel, adaptation by Mariah Marsden, illustrated by Brenna Thummler 7. A Thousand Ships - Natalie Haynes 8. Mr. Loverman - Bernadine Evaristo 9. The Memory Police - Yoko Ogawa 10. The Switch - Beth O'Leary 11. 84, Charing Cross Road - Helene Hanff 12. Spring - Ali Smith 13. The Housekeeper and the Professor - Yoko Ogawa 14. Don't Call Us Dead - Danez Smith 15. On a Sunbeam - Tillie Walden
I'm so glad Roger Robinson is in here. He's been such an incredible part of the poetry community for so, so long and it's great to see him getting recognition.
Yeh picking best books is alot harder this year! I read 155 instead of about 50-60. I read tiny beautiful things based on your recommendations- it was wonderful and the absolute thing I needed to read. As the Elegance of the Hedgehog is originally french, I am gonna try reading it in German (as I want to read more German)- you really sold me on how you spoke about it! Wow I am Swiss and have not heard of this books- Gonna go check it out now.
Depression took my joy of reading books, but you make me inspired starting again. Thank you! 💖 Last year I read Hunger Games again for comfort + new one and one I picked up was The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. Thinking of picking something from your video for my next reading, but any suggestions from anybody are also welcome!
You are wonderfully dangerous Leena - I've paused it at about 16 minutes in and every, SINGLE book you've mentioned I'm highly considering buying online today....God you're good!!
thank you for recommending Stop Reading the News, definitely want to read that!! I've actually stopped reading the news for more than a month now after I just really exhausted with covid and the US elections and shit local politics, I'm feeling a lot calmer now that I just never read the news anymore lol
I have a sheet of paper in front of me called 2021 tbr can be borrowed at the library and you and Ariel Bisset are responseble for most of the list. I have however read the professor and the housekeeper because you recommended it already. It was a wonderful.
You might also really enjoy wordsofareader and go through their older videos. Similar to Leena and Ariel but more focus on fiction. Also from NZ I think
Thank you! That's lots to add to my list! 😄 My favourite books this year were: The Travelling Cat Chronicles - Hiro Arikawa The Stationery Shop in Tehran - Marjan Kamali This Green and Pleasant Land - Ayisha Malik Clap When You Land - Elizabeth Acevedo The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
Loved this video!! Thank you for such awesome content ☺️ my tbr is lots longer now. Favourites this year were Rebecca, Girl Woman Other, Normal People, Life After Life, Homegoing, The Vanishing Half, Lanny, This Is Going To Hurt. More skirts as tops and random shit please 😂 xx
Hello from Canada, Leena! 🙋♀️🌸🇨🇦I am a new subscriber. Thank you very much for your booklist. They all sound terrific. 84 Charing Cross Road was a beautiful film. I will definitely read the book this year. You look very elegant in your skirt shawl! 🤩
I also had The Elegance of the Hedgehog on my shelf for a decade before reading it this year. Such a lovely book. And such a lovely list! Thanks for sharing.
I got Midnight Chicken for Christmas so I’m very excited to get into that book. Some favorites of this year include There There, the Overstory, Homegoing and the arc of a scythe series. Dear Martin is also an incredible audiobook. Happy reading time everyone! Stay safe.
As you were talking about The Elegance of the Hedgehog, I realised that I've watched the movie adaptation before (The Hedgehog), but I didn't know about the book. It's also a really beautiful movie though
I'm not nearly as well read as you! But my top books this year were Almost American Girl, and Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows. I'm finishing Wild up now and it may shape up to be my favorite of the year. For audiobooks, people should check up their local libraries. Before the pandemic I signed up for all our services; they have Libby, Hoopla and Overdrive (I'm in the States, so not sure if these are overseas).
5 minutes into the video and I’ve already put a book on hold at my local bookshop! Thanks Leena! Your videos are always a quiet, fun time in the whirlwind that is digital media
We love allll the same books, girl. I just read Places I've Taken My Body by Molly McCully Brown, the first book of essays by a person with a disability that I've ever read, and it was so so good. Just a little recommendash for ya!
Oh amazing, I have The Elegance of the Hedgehog gathering dust here too, as it came from a box of books that were being given away and I didn't know if it would be any good, or what it is about in the first place. Now I'm encouraged to pick it up! I also clapped my hands hearing the honourable mention for Danez Smith's Homie weee
Every one of these is now on my tbr. I just got the Midnight Chicken ebook, planning to spend the afternoon/evening reading it while I cook a nice Christmas dinner for one.
Leena, you are always a delight 💕 I don’t have a set list of 2020 favorites yet but Weathering by Lucy Wood and Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall are definitely up there
yay! i just played this video and put up our tree (its Dec 23 where i am) so thank u for the christmas gift of your fave books and it's finally put me in the christmassy mood i've been hoping for since dec 1!!
Some of the best books I've read this year, and which are at the same time the best I've ever read, are Clap when you land by Elisabeth Acevedo, Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Half of a Yellow Sun also by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and The Leavers by Lisa Ko. What they have in common is exploration of different cultural and class contexts, understanding and searching for a sense of belonging and how secrets can fester and erupt. Loved your video Leena, as always, you are my inspiration and I am looking forward to reading books you recommended. Merry Christmas!
Thanks for this video. Gave me a few things to look into when I’m looking for a read next go around! Currently reading The Alchemist by Kenneth W. Goddard. Love the skirt as a top too! Go chic and glamorous.
Tons of great recommendations here that I can't wait to dig into in 2021! I've definitely had the elegance of the hedgehog on my shelf for around 5 years after picking it up at a thrift shop. Thank you for the polite nudge lol
“On Writing” is one of my favorite books of ALL time. I love it so deeply! Thank you for this video - I just found your channel this month and absolutely love watching. Can’t wait to be a loyal viewer in the new year! Merry Christmas 🎄🎁
Thank you for the ceremony! Two books that made an impression on me this year were The End of Eddy by Édouard Louis and Utopia for Realists by Rutger Bregman.
Thank you!! I’m excited to check out these books. The skirt top looks fabulous! Two children’s series I really delighted in reading this year we’re The Spiderwick Chronicles and Moomin. :) Happy Holidays!
One of my favorite books this year was The Time It Never Rained by Elmer Kelton. It’s an amazing western novel about an old ranch man and the people in his life when their little Texas town goes through a long drought. It deals with depression and the feeling of worthlessness as well as how our relationships change and develop throughout time. All the characters were so well rounded and the writing was *immaculate* Anyhow, I highly suggest.
Thank you Leena for all of these wonderful book tips! I noted down just a few on my want-to-read-list, or maybe it's just a want-to-cehck-out-more list for the future, but I appreciate your enthusiasm about them. I read Charington Cross Road in my late teens and loved it, and I think it was then my love of meta-books (books about reading) was born. A favorite is still Ex Libris which I loved when I first read it. I should re-read it now and see if it's still as good.... maybe. But the Hedghog book I didn't quite "get" and now I'm thinking I was too young when I first read it. Maybe I should give it another go now, 20 or so years later? I thought it was fun that you bougth it on a trip, because I remember trying to concentrate on that book on a trip too, on a hot beach somewhere in Greece with my first boyfriend who I think was the owner of said book. :-) Happy New Reading Year! /Hanna in Sweden (read 60 books 2020, so happy about that number!)
loved this! haven't put together my favourites yet... but The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones will definitely be up there! (and the jessica simpson memoir) sian xx
Adding almost all of these to my to read list for 2021! I somewhat fell off the reading wagon in the last quarter of this year after finally getting back on it after a decade at the start of the year. Hoping some of these will inspire me to get reading again. Hope you had a good Christmas.
I did a lot of rereading this year, which always feels very cosy and comforting for me 💕 But best books of 2020 were Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell and Know My Name by Chanel Miller. I usually stick to fiction but when I heard about Know My Name I felt like I owed it to Chanel to read it and it is powerful and beautifully written and I recommend it to anyone who feels like they can read it ✨
On the subject of saving books until the right time to read them, I started reading Trumpet recently after buying it years ago per your recommendation, and I'm glad I waited until now to read it! It's funny how you know when it's the right time for something, I think I wouldn't have appreciated as much if I'd read it before. Also, I got The Housekeeper and the Professor as a present today! Excited to read that, too. So many books! As far as recommended reading for your 2021 tbr, I will never stop recommending Helen Macdonald, so Vesper Flights, her new book, and H is for Hawk! Much love to you, I hope your christmas was good.
[adds each book to TBR list]
We love that obedience !
Same!!!!! (One year later)
“I’m wearing a skirt around my neck.” Before you said that I was thinking how posh and glittery you look and even after you said that I thought of how creative you are! Cheers all around!
Hahah just training for the apocalypse over here, exercising those resource muscles!
"I'm wearing a skirt around my neck." Genius. Icon. Trendsetter. How can we not stan
The colour scheme in this video is just **chefs kiss**.
Of course, my tbr list is now longer...
I regret nothing!
this is incredibly sappy but I feel like I could cry?? seeing other people love books just makes me feel warm and happy and hopeful
Awww
I haven't read a book in over a year, however, I just borrowed 6 books in my Libby app! Thanks for the recommendations
In case anyone else wants a summary of the books Leena mentioned:
Rereads:
3:17 - ‘Motherhood’ by Sheila Heti
3:18 - ‘Skellig’ by David Almond (?)
Fiction (F):
3:33 - ‘The Elegance of the Hedgehog’ by Muriel Barbery
5:37 - ‘Set Me on Fire’ by Ella Risbridger (Poetry)
6:47 - ‘The Reader on the 6.27’ by Jean-Paul Didierlaurent
9:12 - ‘A Portable Paradise’ by Roger Robinson (Poetry)
10:30 - ’84, Charing Cross Road’ by Helene Hanff
12:00 - ‘The Housekeeper and the Professor’ by Yōko Ogawa
Nonfiction (NF):
13:03 - ‘We Are the Weather’ by Jonathon Safran Foer
14:20 - ‘Midnight Chicken’ by Ella Risbridger
15:15 - ‘Stop Reading the News’ by Rolf Dobelli
16:42 - ‘Factfulness’ by Hans Rosling, Ola Rosling, and Anna Rosling Rönnlund
18:26 - ‘Outraged’ by Ashley ‘Dotty’ Charles
19:40 - ‘Letters to My Daughter’ by Maya Angelou
Honourable Mentions:
20:52 - ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events’ by Lemony Snicket (F)
21:08 - ‘On Writing’ by Stephen King (NF)
21:16 - ‘ayiti’ by Roxanne Gay (F, short stories)
21:21 - ‘How to Be an Antiracist’ by Ibram X. Kendi (NF)
21:34 - ‘Zonal’ by Don Paterson (Poetry)
21:40 - ‘Homie’ by Danez Smith (Poetry)
Thank you dude ❤️
Uhmm we’re gonna need a follow up video about “pulping” !!!
WHY DO WE PULP BOOKS WHEN WE COULD DONATE BOOKS????????? As a teacher in a poor school district the idea of any book going to waste makes me so angry.
I think that skirt is not just a skirt anymore cause it looks so amazing this way! Thanks for this wholesome video 💜
hahah it has morphed from caterpillar to butterfly!
Same - I had no idea it was a skirt until you said that lol
I opened my storygraph in a separate tab before I started watching this so I could make a note of any that sounded interesting and I just ended up adding *every single book* you mentioned
😂😂😂excellent work!
I did the same! 😊
Smart! I flipped back and forth between this and storytel my audiobook app! :)
same! haha!
And don’t forget Libby if you want FREE audio and e-books
I love Libby! I love the library!
leena you have genuinely been one of the best content creators on youtube for years, but this year it has just been outstanding. i’ve loved all your videos and they’ve been helpful in making me feel a little less alone! (i always add every one of your book recommendations to my tbr!) just, thank you.
completely agree! leena is the best !!
For copy and pasting:
*Fiction* (F) 3:33
The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
Set Me on Fire by Ella Risbridger (Poetry)
The Reader on the 6.27 by Jean-Paul Didierlaurent
Portable Paradise by Roger Robinson (Poetry)
Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yōko Ogawa
*Non-fiction* (NF) 13:03
We Are the Weather by Jonathon Safran Foer
Midnight Chicken by Ella Risbridger
Stop Reading the News by Rolf Dobelli
Factfulness by Hans Rosling, Ola Rosling, and Anna Rosling Rönnlund
Outraged by Ashley ‘Dotty’ Charles
Letters to My Daughter’ by Maya Angelou
*Honourable Mentions* 20:52
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket (F)
On Writing by Stephen King (NF)
Ayiti by Roxanne Gay (F, short stories)
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi (NF)
Zonal’ by Don Paterson (Poetry)
Homie’ by Danez Smith (Poetry)
Thank you Ngaire Wotherspoon for the book titles!
The way you speak about these books, that love towards these stories, is exactly what I needed today. Thank you.
I know you're worried about faux fancying your outfit, but it really does look elegant. Like every aspect works, from the golden undertones of your skin and hair, playing up the eyes and lips, it all looks classy and glowy and pretty; you're pretty lol.
I've been playing the flute for 3 years and let's just say it's been a journey, but it was really rewarding once i learned hedwigs theme
huh, the premise of "the reader on the 6.27" seems eerily similar to bohumil hrabal's "too loud a solitude", another really short book, imo a masterpiece and i really recommend it, hrabal's writing is SO good
I'm absolutely amazed that 4 of the 6 fiction books are in my local library (in a small town in Spain), either in English, or translated into Spanish or Catalán. I'm adding all of them to my TBR, merry Christmas!
You HAVE to read Lanny, it's one of my favourites from this year and it screams Leena: nature, poetry, empathy, childhood, magic, britishness, art... And less than 200 pages!!
Yes! I agree it sounds totally for me. I own it, I PROMISE to read it in 2021 X
Me looking at the un-read books on my shelf: I think i will buy more books
I've finished 15 books and stopped reading over 40 books 😅 And not after 10 pages; sometimes after 300 pages. This year if I'm not looking forward picking up the book I will say farewell to it.
i got my mum 'a poem for every feeling' for christmas after remembering u recommended it! i annotated some of the poems for her with my own thoughts and she loves it
I saw the poem "A Portable Paradise" on the tube one day and freakin loved it - then completely forgot to look it up. Added this to my 2021 reading list!! 😍
84 Charing Cross Road is so gooood! I reread it this year and fell in love all over again (and it’s actually nonfiction, which makes it that more lovely) 🥰
The Housekeeper and the professor was so amazing and I can't thank you enough for talking about it! I would've missed out on such an amazing book.
I’m always starting like seven books at once and never finishing them all and getting discouraged. I stumbled onto one of your videos the other week and you’ve really inspired me to want to read again! Thank you!
THE ELEGANCE OF THE HEDGEHOG YASSSSSS
Reader and Hedgehog I am going to have to read this year I think. And A Portable Paradise. I love The Professor and 84 Charing Cross. Midnight Chicken sounds amazing and one I can buy for Chris but is by proxy for me.
I hadn’t heard of factfulness but that just sounds like the most important read!!
Omg I've read the elegance of the hedgehog when I was 11 and it has built me as a human
Maya Angelou's Letters to My Daughter is going reet to the top of my reading list. Also, my favourite books this year are Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss, The Unconsoled by Kazuo Ishiguro and Jazz by Toni Morrison
A couple of my favourite reads of the year include:
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, When Breath Becomes Air (please keep some tissues near you), and The Way of Kings.
I've realized that I haven't ever read a proper book on poetry, so I'm hoping to get to those next year.
Also, a side note, you've been one of my favourite finds of 2020. Thank you so much for the content that you've put out! :')
I realised too! I got a voucher for my local bookstore for Christmas so I'm going to buy a poetry book
@@sakura9400 ay that's amazing! what're you planning on getting? when I have the chance, I'm planning on getting myself some local poets. I've been wanting to read more from Maya Angelou, or Mary Oliver too!
@@randomindianguy I don't know! I'm thinking Factfulness might be a good one and I definitely want to get a poetry book afyer watching Leena all year, I'll browse the selection they have and if nothing jumps out I'll get one of the ones Leena has recommended 😊
@@sakura9400 I really liked Factfulness. (Although some parts felt a little pretentious. :P) It was a really good read!
@@randomindianguy Ah a little pretention every now and then won't hurt me, I went to art university, I can handle it 😅
If you are in the UK and have a library card check your library website as many are affiliated with audiobook apps which you can access for free (as well as the digital books and magazines you can borrow of course).
"Midnight Chicken" is possibly my favourite book ever. Everything I've made from that book has been superb and delicious, and a total pleasure to create. Was so lovely to hear it made your list :)
Porcupines to Polar Bears by Jerry Haigh is about a wildlife vet that started his career in Africa and finished it in Northern Canada, written not stupendously but reads like you're having a chat over a beer with Jerry. Along the same lines, no theme here at all, is Highballer by Greg Nolan. The book follows Greg through his adventures in silviculture from being a rookie tree planter in Canada in the 80s (think wild west-maximum risk for maximum reward) until he retires, it is so bonkers and hilarious I read it every year without fail.
Leena always creates such high quality videos! Such an interesting watch, I'd love to grab a coffee with her and pick her brains about more books and the environment!
You've talked so much about We are the weather I thought you had read it in 2019. Feels like it's been in my tbr for ages.
My TBR has grown out of control since finding your channel!! ... but I wouldn't have it any other way 🤓 thanks for the recs and changing your upload plans this year.
I love to watch these videos with the storygraph open in another tab and bookshop.org open in another like hmm yes taking notes
84, Charing Cross Road and the Professor and the Housekeeper are also on my favourite list! Most of the others are now in my to-read list haha!
This is my full list, I've read 111 books this year, so I gave myself permission for a top 15 :)
1. The Priory of the Orange Tree - Samantha Shannon
2. Girl, Women, Other - Bernadine Evaristo
3. The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet - Becky Chambers
4. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
5. Wild - Cheryl Strayed
6. Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel, adaptation by Mariah Marsden, illustrated by Brenna Thummler
7. A Thousand Ships - Natalie Haynes
8. Mr. Loverman - Bernadine Evaristo
9. The Memory Police - Yoko Ogawa
10. The Switch - Beth O'Leary
11. 84, Charing Cross Road - Helene Hanff
12. Spring - Ali Smith
13. The Housekeeper and the Professor - Yoko Ogawa
14. Don't Call Us Dead - Danez Smith
15. On a Sunbeam - Tillie Walden
I read Stephen King's on writing years ago. Only book I've read by him. And also loved it. One of my favorite memoirs.
I'm so glad Roger Robinson is in here. He's been such an incredible part of the poetry community for so, so long and it's great to see him getting recognition.
Yeh picking best books is alot harder this year! I read 155 instead of about 50-60. I read tiny beautiful things based on your recommendations- it was wonderful and the absolute thing I needed to read. As the Elegance of the Hedgehog is originally french, I am gonna try reading it in German (as I want to read more German)- you really sold me on how you spoke about it! Wow I am Swiss and have not heard of this books- Gonna go check it out now.
Depression took my joy of reading books, but you make me inspired starting again. Thank you! 💖
Last year I read Hunger Games again for comfort + new one and one I picked up was The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. Thinking of picking something from your video for my next reading, but any suggestions from anybody are also welcome!
is it just me or is leena more beautiful than ever in this video? the makeup, hair, she's just gorgeous 🥺 anyway, time to update my tbr list!
😍😍 Such a fun list, Leena!! I need to check out A Portable Paradise!
Ps. Amazing that you're learning the flute!! I'm a grade 8 flautist 😅
You are wonderfully dangerous Leena - I've paused it at about 16 minutes in and every, SINGLE book you've mentioned I'm highly considering buying online today....God you're good!!
Really enjoyed this video! My reading list is now a lot longer 😂 one of my favourites this year was Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata ☺️
thank you for recommending Stop Reading the News, definitely want to read that!! I've actually stopped reading the news for more than a month now after I just really exhausted with covid and the US elections and shit local politics, I'm feeling a lot calmer now that I just never read the news anymore lol
I have a sheet of paper in front of me called 2021 tbr can be borrowed at the library and you and Ariel Bisset are responseble for most of the list. I have however read the professor and the housekeeper because you recommended it already. It was a wonderful.
You might also really enjoy wordsofareader and go through their older videos. Similar to Leena and Ariel but more focus on fiction. Also from NZ I think
Not sure if you've mentioned it, but I think you'd love How to Do Nothing. (also, I bought We Are the Weather because of you)
Thank you! That's lots to add to my list! 😄
My favourite books this year were:
The Travelling Cat Chronicles - Hiro Arikawa
The Stationery Shop in Tehran - Marjan Kamali
This Green and Pleasant Land - Ayisha Malik
Clap When You Land - Elizabeth Acevedo
The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
Loved this video!! Thank you for such awesome content ☺️ my tbr is lots longer now. Favourites this year were Rebecca, Girl Woman Other, Normal People, Life After Life, Homegoing, The Vanishing Half, Lanny, This Is Going To Hurt. More skirts as tops and random shit please 😂 xx
I've read a few Edith Wharton books this year, and am almost finished with The House of Mirth & I think it's my favorite book this year :-)
Hello from Canada, Leena! 🙋♀️🌸🇨🇦I am a new subscriber. Thank you very much for your booklist. They all sound terrific. 84 Charing Cross Road was a beautiful film. I will definitely read the book this year. You look very elegant in your skirt shawl! 🤩
I also had The Elegance of the Hedgehog on my shelf for a decade before reading it this year. Such a lovely book. And such a lovely list! Thanks for sharing.
Added a good few to my tbr or earmarked for gifts for people ❤ my favourites of this year have been handmaids tale, the mercies, and coraline
I got Midnight Chicken for Christmas so I’m very excited to get into that book.
Some favorites of this year include There There, the Overstory, Homegoing and the arc of a scythe series. Dear Martin is also an incredible audiobook.
Happy reading time everyone! Stay safe.
The skirt is now a glorious golden cape. Looking fabulous as usual Leena.
I’ve read 88 books so far but Goodreads says I’ve only read 18!
As you were talking about The Elegance of the Hedgehog, I realised that I've watched the movie adaptation before (The Hedgehog), but I didn't know about the book. It's also a really beautiful movie though
I'm not nearly as well read as you! But my top books this year were Almost American Girl, and Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows. I'm finishing Wild up now and it may shape up to be my favorite of the year. For audiobooks, people should check up their local libraries. Before the pandemic I signed up for all our services; they have Libby, Hoopla and Overdrive (I'm in the States, so not sure if these are overseas).
5 minutes into the video and I’ve already put a book on hold at my local bookshop! Thanks Leena! Your videos are always a quiet, fun time in the whirlwind that is digital media
We love allll the same books, girl. I just read Places I've Taken My Body by Molly McCully Brown, the first book of essays by a person with a disability that I've ever read, and it was so so good. Just a little recommendash for ya!
Oh amazing, I have The Elegance of the Hedgehog gathering dust here too, as it came from a box of books that were being given away and I didn't know if it would be any good, or what it is about in the first place. Now I'm encouraged to pick it up! I also clapped my hands hearing the honourable mention for Danez Smith's Homie weee
This was wonderful, as always.
Some of my favorites of this year are The Vanishing Half, On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous and Wicked.
I'm currently reading the first two of those! I hope to finish before 2021 but I'm a slow reader 😅
Every one of these is now on my tbr.
I just got the Midnight Chicken ebook, planning to spend the afternoon/evening reading it while I cook a nice Christmas dinner for one.
Leena, you are always a delight 💕 I don’t have a set list of 2020 favorites yet but Weathering by Lucy Wood and Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall are definitely up there
Your videos make me so HAPPY
yay! i just played this video and put up our tree (its Dec 23 where i am) so thank u for the christmas gift of your fave books and it's finally put me in the christmassy mood i've been hoping for since dec 1!!
So happy I found you..Lovely recommendations and beautiful presentation 💕
The elegance of the hedgehog is SUCH AN UNDERRATED BOOK
Great list! My favourite fiction book of the year was Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell and non-fiction was Underland by Robert Macfarlane.
Leena - thank you for suggesting THE ELEGANCE OF THE HEDGEHOG and THE READER ON THE 6.27. I profoundly loved them. Favorites.
Yey I'm so glad! 💜
@@leenanorms Now I'm onto MIDNIGHT CHICKEN. Thanks again for your outstanding suggestions. You are so special and so darn smart!
Lovely video! Adding more books to my 2021 TBR.
Thank you so much Leena! Can't wait to read so many if these
Some of the best books I've read this year, and which are at the same time the best I've ever read, are Clap when you land by Elisabeth Acevedo, Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
and Half of a Yellow Sun also by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and The Leavers by Lisa Ko. What they have in common is exploration of different cultural and class contexts, understanding and searching for a sense of belonging and how secrets can fester and erupt. Loved your video Leena, as always, you are my inspiration and I am looking forward to reading books you recommended. Merry Christmas!
A portable paradise is beaut 💕 read it earlier in the year on your recommendation and loved it.
What a lovely Christmas treat !
LOVED!!! Made my day
Thank you very much for exponentially expanding my to-read list with books I wouldn't have found on my own! Everything sounds great
Thanks for this video. Gave me a few things to look into when I’m looking for a read next go around! Currently reading The Alchemist by Kenneth W. Goddard. Love the skirt as a top too! Go chic and glamorous.
Tons of great recommendations here that I can't wait to dig into in 2021! I've definitely had the elegance of the hedgehog on my shelf for around 5 years after picking it up at a thrift shop. Thank you for the polite nudge lol
“On Writing” is one of my favorite books of ALL time. I love it so deeply! Thank you for this video - I just found your channel this month and absolutely love watching. Can’t wait to be a loyal viewer in the new year! Merry Christmas 🎄🎁
I loved reading Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey. It’s a great novel!!
The Elegance of the Hedgehog truly did break me. It’s glorious. 💕
The skirt is just fabulous💛
Thank you for the ceremony! Two books that made an impression on me this year were The End of Eddy by Édouard Louis and Utopia for Realists by Rutger Bregman.
Thank you!! I’m excited to check out these books. The skirt top looks fabulous!
Two children’s series I really delighted in reading this year we’re The Spiderwick Chronicles and Moomin. :) Happy Holidays!
One of my favorite books this year was The Time It Never Rained by Elmer Kelton. It’s an amazing western novel about an old ranch man and the people in his life when their little Texas town goes through a long drought. It deals with depression and the feeling of worthlessness as well as how our relationships change and develop throughout time. All the characters were so well rounded and the writing was *immaculate*
Anyhow, I highly suggest.
I read The Reader on the 6.27 this year and it is also one of my favourite. It crushed me a bit and yet it was hopeful and funny.
Thank you Leena for all of these wonderful book tips! I noted down just a few on my want-to-read-list, or maybe it's just a want-to-cehck-out-more list for the future, but I appreciate your enthusiasm about them. I read Charington Cross Road in my late teens and loved it, and I think it was then my love of meta-books (books about reading) was born. A favorite is still Ex Libris which I loved when I first read it. I should re-read it now and see if it's still as good.... maybe.
But the Hedghog book I didn't quite "get" and now I'm thinking I was too young when I first read it. Maybe I should give it another go now, 20 or so years later? I thought it was fun that you bougth it on a trip, because I remember trying to concentrate on that book on a trip too, on a hot beach somewhere in Greece with my first boyfriend who I think was the owner of said book. :-)
Happy New Reading Year!
/Hanna in Sweden (read 60 books 2020, so happy about that number!)
loved this! haven't put together my favourites yet... but The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones will definitely be up there! (and the jessica simpson memoir) sian xx
Very weird to be watching this 4 days early thanks to the gumption club, but mostly in a good way 😆
Adding almost all of these to my to read list for 2021! I somewhat fell off the reading wagon in the last quarter of this year after finally getting back on it after a decade at the start of the year. Hoping some of these will inspire me to get reading again.
Hope you had a good Christmas.
Merry Christmas! NOONE IS AWAKE YET SO I AM JUST VERY EXCITED WAITING FOR PEOPLE TO WAKE UP SO HI LEENA
Hah I'm also an early Christmas riser, MERRY CHRISTMAS.
@@leenanorms hehe its just on christmas, every other day this week i woke at 2pm, today i just woke up at 8 because CHRISTMAS
Instant subscription. I feel like I can't find the books I want to read, and you might have the key to that almost.
Some of my favorites were Autobiography of Red (Anne Carson) and In the Dream House (Carmen M. Machado) 💕
I did a lot of rereading this year, which always feels very cosy and comforting for me 💕 But best books of 2020 were Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell and Know My Name by Chanel Miller. I usually stick to fiction but when I heard about Know My Name I felt like I owed it to Chanel to read it and it is powerful and beautifully written and I recommend it to anyone who feels like they can read it ✨
On the subject of saving books until the right time to read them, I started reading Trumpet recently after buying it years ago per your recommendation, and I'm glad I waited until now to read it! It's funny how you know when it's the right time for something, I think I wouldn't have appreciated as much if I'd read it before.
Also, I got The Housekeeper and the Professor as a present today! Excited to read that, too. So many books!
As far as recommended reading for your 2021 tbr, I will never stop recommending Helen Macdonald, so Vesper Flights, her new book, and H is for Hawk!
Much love to you, I hope your christmas was good.