I haven't really read enough! I read lots of spanish books when I was little, but as I got older I really only read English books (unless I can't find a translation!).
I am LOVING these consistent uploads girl, and I love how you have these niche interests that I don't share but I can vibe with the passion cuz I have OTHER niche interests and just ahhhh love it
My “Frida” is definitely Nikola Tesla!!! I’ve been obsessed with him ever since I did a report on him in 10th grade, and then ended up writing my senior research paper about him.
There's a restaurant in Las Vegas called Casa Don Juan that has Frida EVERYWHERE. She's on the menu and they have a whole wall of portraits of her in different art styles. I thought of you. You should definitely make a stop there if you ever make your way out here.
TerrigenCrystal did you know that the blue house Frida was born in, is now a museum and you can see her bed and kitchen and her garden it is in Coyacan Mexico it is open to the public
Whenever I watch someone talk about something they’re passionate about, something they love, something that makes them happy, I get so excited and happy too so this was really fun to watch. Also, Frida is now in the likes of George Orwell for you! Who would have ever thought someone could join the club!!!
I've just recently become obsessed with Zelda Fitzgerald and her life! Whilst everyone knows of F Scott Fitzgerald, I feel like Zelda's become forgotten in history and I find her so fascinating. I love your passion for Frida, I went to the opening of a Frida Kahlo photograph exhibition here in NZ about two years ago and lived for it !
omg thank you so much for this video. I am too obsessed by Frida since I studied one of her paintings in high school and I've always wanted to read books about her so thank you for these amazing recommendations!
I am very into Van Gogh !!! The mystery that is his life is so fascinating to me, currently I’m reading a book of his letters and it’s so tragic yet beautiful,, being an artist myself also gives me a different view of his life and works that I really enjoy, I can relate to his struggles and he’s just such an interesting figure of history!!
If you like Van Gogh I recommend Vincent by Barbara Stok. It's a graphic novel and focuses on his life in France. I gave it to my little sister as a birthday gift since she's very artsy and into Van Gogh and it's such a good read ^^
Seeing someone as passionate about her as myself was so heart warning. I also have a collection of 6 Frida books but I only have 2 that you have so thank you so much for sharing what other Frida books there are to find! Edit: If you want to know the names of the other books I have then please let me know, I'll be happy to share 💕
Hi, Ariel, I wanted to thank you for the recommendation of the Frida Kahlo graphic novel. I have a friend who is a Frida Kahlo fan and did a research project on Frida as part of her degree in Spanish. I gave it to her as a late Christmas present, and she loved it. Watching you expound the glories of Frida is like listening to her. Enjoy the journey. Frida was a remarkable personality.
This is literally me all the time. I hear about something and I try to learn everything I can about that individual or event. I love seeing your enthusiasm about Frida and hearing your recommendations.
I've recently became a die hard Oscar Wilde fan, seeking out the obscurest of books around him. It's a spiral I don't want to leave anytime soon I love learning random new facts about his life! Also I have read a bit of the first graphic novel you mentioned and I am in absolute love with it! I love how it's a conversation between her and death, it adds such a unique take.
As an art history student we research a lot about artists (obbiously) and Frida and Klimt are probably the two find the most interesting so far. You look at the art and they are odd and a little strange but so expressive and complex and beautiful if you want to look more deeply. I honestly never thought i would want to be an art history major, but learning about these people is so interesting, and being an english major also the two majors correlate quite a bit.
Not a historical subject but I feel like Margaret Atwood is doing that for me rn? I’m slowly reading more and more of her books and I love every bit. Oh I had a time when I was pretty obsessed with learning about Van Gogh and I read this illustrated biography of him a few years ago (and it was pretty special because it was my aunt’s copy, who loves to paint). I am super interested in Frida but I’ve never read anything on her except randomly online. You’re heavily swaying me to get that short biography or one of those graphic novels, I gotta say.
I just bought The Diary of Frida Kahlo (an intimate self portrait), completely on a whim! And now you've definitely got me excited to buy the graphic novel too! It looks sooo good! (Also, love that you called her handwriting a font lol)
I love that you’re so into Frida! My little Mexican heart is happy that you made a video just about her and I can’t wait to get some of the books you mentioned! Ahora sólo te falta organizar un viaje a la Casa Azul en CDMX. 😄
Watching your passion and enthusiasm for learning about Frida is so inspiring!! It makes me want to go and read a million book about a subject that I love!
God, I love the way you talk. I love how enthusiastic you are, but it's not an annoying forced enthusiasm. You just have alot of energy and a very distinct way of speaking. Like you're totally you and unapologetic about it. I don't know can't really describe it.
I read Without You, There Is No Us by Suki Kim earlier this year about the same time that I was randomly getting into KPOP so it kind of sparked my interest in North Korea, South Korea and comparisons between the two. I feel like I've found so many amazing books about and from both countries because of that random interest. I love reading deeper like that!
One of the books about Frida I read last year and really enjoyed was "Frida" by Sébastian Perez and Benjamin Lacombe which is also more like a graphic novel or picture book with really beautiful illustrations throughout. I really recommend it to you :)
I bought “una biografia” by Maria Hesse in Portland at Powell’s city of books :) and i read it... and then I went to her house in Mexico City and saw her paintings and it was so overwhelmingly wonderful 😭
Have you seen the movie Frida? It is about her, obviously, and if you haven't seen it yet, you definitely should, it is so well made and I think you would really enjoy it Ariel!
Dude... last June I did a school project on North Korea, after that.... the sheer number of books... the TED talks... the documentaries... since then whole reading months have consisted exclusively of non-fiction about North Korea. I don't know why, but there's something so fascinating about it that makes me unable to stop consuming everything I can about it. The whole thing has really ignited a love for non-fiction in general; I freaking love learning new things independently, just for me, without school forcing me to. It's actually quite liberating
I have total Friday Kahlo book envy! I LOVE this video. I've read the diary of Frida Kahlo and LOVED it as well. The fact that we were able to see her journal was mind blowing. It took me a LONG time to read because I don't read Spanish and I spent a lot of time reading the English and going back to the scans of the actual diary to see it in context (and in color). I will definitely be picking up some of the other books you featured here. THANK YOU!!!!
Paul Simon has always been a seriously fascinating person to me. Lately I've also become really interested in Stevie Nicks. Your videos about Frida Kahlo are making me so interested in her life, too!
In high school I got really into Sylvia Plath for a while because I did a project on her. The obsession only lasted that year. Lately I’m kinda feeling an obsession with Anne Lister starting. I need to order some books on her soon. It’s great to see someone so passionate about something and it really shines in this video! I know this is your pet obsession but if at some point after grad school you find yourself writing a paper on Frida, I’m sure many of your subscribers would be eager to read it!
my Historical Crush(?) is Sissi! Empress Elizabeth of Austria and Hungary. My obsession started when I was about 9 and I visited Vienna with my family, I think I have at least 7 or 8 books about her by now. I'm not particularly fond of Austrian Imperialism but I find her life and character so fascinating! Tho the movies they made about her really don't do her justice.
I love Frida's journal so rich in color and so beautiful. I agree with you that is hard to read even if you speak Spanish. I am Mexican and I found myself not understanding any of the handwriting.
This might be a little cliché but when Hamilton came out I was completely obsessed and that’s why I have a small section on my bookshelf dedicated to Hamilton the broadway musical as well as the historical figure
I think it's so interesting to hear what people's favourite historical figures/subjects are, because i feel like it says a lot about them. I've always loved history and so I've had a lot of these lol. Reading Percy Jackson when I was younger started my ancient history/mythology obsession, which is something I'm still really into today. When I was younger I also read a TON of books on the Holocaust, especially stories from concentration camp survivors (which, now that I'm thinking about it, is kind of dark for a young-ish kid to be into, but maybe it was good to learn about that stuff early). Now, I'm really getting into the Romanov family (like Anastasia and stuff), as well as Cleopatra, as I'm taking a class on her right now. (this was so long im sorry i just love talking about history ahhhh)
Hey Ariel!! I really recommend you Gerry Souter's Frida biography, which includes poems and letters and most of her paintings in an amazing full-color format. I loved your amazing collection of Frida, so full of passion.
When I thought I couldn't love you more, here you go starting to talk about Frida, one of my favorite artists and people in general. I'm actually getting a tattoo of her soon! :D
I just got into vincent van gogh! I saw loving vincent a few months ago and absolutely loved it! And I've just started reading my second book about him, 'van gogh's ear' by burnadette murphy
Honestly all of your videos are just so wonderful and genuine. It's so lovely seeing you so passionate about Frida! I want to read I Paint My Reality even more now! x
It's so cool that you speak spanish! My first lenguage is Spanish and I always get excited when english speakers know how to speak in it. I find that I got really into biographies when I discovered this uruguayan author called Diego Fisher ( I'm uruguayan too) that writes biographies in the format of novels, so far I've read two about two uruguayan poets, Delmira Agustini and Juana de Ibarbourou. Those books really got me interested in their lives.
I read Frida Kahlo Diary, Frida: The Story of My Life and Frida Kahlo: Una Biografía, so I understand you perfectly! You should check it out FRIDA by Benjamin Lacombe and Sébastien Perez, its just gorgeous.
I have a similar obsession with Sylvia Plath. It's died down a bit since I first got into her, but I still think about The Bell Jar just about everyday. I officially switched it to my number one favorite book last summer, as it was number two for a few years. I have 3 biographies about her, her journals, a few of her poetry collections, The Bell Jar (her only novel), and when I first got into her I read everything I could online about her. I also made artwork (I'm NO artist) having to do with The Bell Jar.
frida kahlo is amazing... her art is beautiful, and her pain is so sad to read about. i have read much about her, but never a book. thank you for the recommendations, i will try to find some of these!
This is crazy because a similar thing happened to me. I just suddenly had an extreme interest in her and I bought the same book! I’m definitely going to check out the other books as well! 😍
Thank you so much for posting these kind of videos. I love to know about other’s interests on booktube that aren’t all hauls, tbrs and review. I love that you are making booktube something that you want it to be rather than letting ‘popular’ troupes get your creativity down. I don’t see anyone else doing what you’re doing and I love it.
I'm writing a children's book on Frida Kahlo for class and stumbled across your video. I love all of this! Thanks for sharing, can't wait to pick up some of the books you mentioned :)
I am completely fascinated by OTMA - the daughters of the last tsar of Russia. They are my jam. And when lockdown is over I fully intend to grow my collection of books about them and russian history
Hiiii!!!! I’m from Mexico and I don’t know if you know it but here in Mexico there are almost in every state paintings of Frida and also there’s Frida’s house still on the ground and it’s now her museum, there are other museums about her but her house is the most famous, wish you can come :)
I've seen this video the day you posted it and I have to say, it's been stuck in my head for the last few days. The way you're so passionate about an iconic figure of the past truly inspired me and it made me want to read some biographies myself. You've just awaken this curiosity in me and now I feel like I really want to find out more about the lives of the people I'm interested in (mostly writers for me) and maybe even try to understand a bit of who they are as a person, and not just how I know them (through their writings). And I'm just curious how I will view their work once I know some of their background and have a somewhat understanding of where they're coming from. It will definitely be a different read, so thank you so much!! :)
This video made my heart so happy! I did end up reading the diary of Frida just before the turn of the year and it was so amazing, I have a few favorite pages marked and I just love having it out on my coffee table to look through the art and the colors every once and a while. I want more Frida books, and after seeing this I have added more to my TBR!
Ariel! I can't believe I missed this video. Frida is such an inspiration and I love all of your recommendations. I already have a few of these, but the graphic novels seem incredible. Thank you for creating this video. ❤
I went through this exact phase (ongoing) a few months ago! I also bought Maria Hesse's illustrated book, thankfully I'm Latina and can also read the Spanish! The illustrations are all you really need though. Also watch the film 'Frida', it's pretty great. :)
1920's gangsters are that for me. More specifically: John Dillinger. I've been interested in them since middle school and haven't stopped. I made my mother in highschool drive four hours out of the way to eat at the Little Bohemia Lodge, where they had a standoff/shoot out. I was in heaven. At the end of your Frida Kahlo journey I highly recommend, if you can, to travel somewhere that she was. It's a crazy experience.
I adore Frida! I've read so many books, watched movies and been to a couple of exhibitions. I can see myself in your enthusiasm about this amazing woman. I adore biographies and i have an obsession for female historical figures, my most read bios are about Queen Victoria, Artemisia Gentileschi and Marie Antoinette.
It's lovely to hear you talk about Frida Kahlo, your passion really shows. I'd say I feel that way about Tove Jansson, a finnish-swedish author and artist who is most famous for her book about the moomin trolls. I love her art, her writing and I'm very fascinated with her life story.
For the last few years this has definitely been me with Lucy Maud Montgomery. I read any biography I can find, and I've read some of her journals, some of her poetry, almost all of her published fiction (just have 2.5 books of short stories to go) and watched a couple documentaries on her. I don't why I'm so fascinated with her and Prince Edward Island (my dream trip/dream retirement place...I'm in Ontario) and the Edwardian time period, but I just am.
Honestly, Friday Kahlo used to really freak me out when I was younger! Of course, that was before I studied art history, but I also think it has a lot to do with the fact that she has a kind of other worldly presence in her self-portraits. Anyhoo, I really enjoyed how excited you are about Frida!
I live about a 15 minute drive from her home (which is super close in a mega city as Mexico City) and I have never been there. It's not something I'm proud of. I love how a seemingly random moment turned into a fully fledged obsession. Also, if you use Telegram (the IM app), there's Frida Kahlo stickers over there!
I feel this exact same way about Vincent Van Gogh. I was so young and so poor when I was younger that I read all my Van Gogh books from the library; otherwise I would probably have about 10 books on him. I love your videos. Thank you so much for making them.
I just posted this on another comment about van Gogh so I'm gonna share it here as well. If you like Van Gogh I recommend Vincent by Barbara Stok. It's a graphic novel and focuses on his life in France. I gave it to my little sister as a birthday gift since she's very artsy and into Van Gogh and it's such a good read ^^
I've fallen deep down a rabbit hole of learning about Ancient Britain. I read a novel set in pre-Roman Britain, and ever since then I've been so curious about the time period
Muy pocos mexicanos se acercan a su arte o vida, solo se quedan con la moda del retrato, cuando vengas a México encantada te llevo a la casa donde ella vivió, 'la casa azul'. 💙
I thought of you when I looked through a booksellers buyers guide today and noticed a Frida Kahlo book! It's due to be released in June and is called "Frida Kahlo: Making herself up" by Claire Wilcox, published by V&A (the book is tied to the Frida Kahlo exhibition at the V&A in London on from June 16th to November 4th)
A very interesting video , i have all the books that you have plus others to , Frida Kahlos garden is a nice book to if you are interested in plants and how she made her garden , ive been a fan of her since i first read a book about her when i was 15 in 1978, fortunately my old school had a very good library , i also like Tina Modotti and ive got several books about her to , i hope you enjoy the books that you have yet to read.
I have the “painting my reality” book, and it’s amazing. Definitely would start with that one because it gives you a very open perspective, the whole spectrum if you will. It has historical context, bibliographical context, etc., which is amazing. The only thing i would’ve liked changed would be to have read it in Spanish, which would make the whole experience better. But the language and images are very accurate and quite good. Would absolutely recommend to everyone interested in Frida Kahlo 💕 she’s very interesting, beautiful and creative
Ariel, you’re an amazing booktuber, you get me so hipped up about reading. Me and my bestfriend always watch your videos and discuss them! You’re amazing!
Thank You SO Much, Ariel! I am researching Frida Kahlo for my school's Social Science Fair. She is an amazing woman and such an inspiration. Thank you for this, I ordered her diary yesterday and this helped me look for more things to search for with research and just my personal enjoyment of Frida.
Great video! I have a particular area of history that I have read several books on and own several more--women's history. This ranges from biographies and novels. Since there has been so many books printed about women's history in the last couple of years, I am in heaven! A lot of the stuff I've read is all over the place: queens, authors, mathematicians, spies, soldiers, education activists, actresses, warriors, inventors, and more. I love that there are lots of books that have many quick biographies of women throughout history because you get exposed to some you've read about before and some you never heard anything about before. It's super cool. A good place to start are the books by Rachel Ignotofsky (Women in Science and Women in Sports).
I am late finding your channel, so I am never sure if you see comments 3 years after you originally posted this... BUT I am very obsessed about Frida. From the first time I saw her artwork in a calendar at my friend's house to now (2 decades later) I have tried to absorb as much as I can about this artist. A book you did not mention is Lacuna, by Barbara Kingsolver. Frida is not the main antagonist, but she is very much in the story as well as her other historical relationships she had before and after the blue house. It is an interesting read and a fun fictionalized from truth book. Since I cannot read Spanish, I have not found out about the spina bifida claim. I will have to look into that myself!! I hope this love for Frida continues for you. I have gone on to make my own artwork about Frida, and now includes a sort of shrine in my house to her. I recently just got a tattoo as well! Love your channel, and can't wait to watch your other videos!!
I just love the passion you have. That’s why you are my favorite RUclipsr.
Would you consider making a video about your favorite books in Spanish? 😊
THAT WOULD BE AWESOME! :D
This!!!!
I haven't really read enough! I read lots of spanish books when I was little, but as I got older I really only read English books (unless I can't find a translation!).
I am LOVING these consistent uploads girl, and I love how you have these niche interests that I don't share but I can vibe with the passion cuz I have OTHER niche interests and just ahhhh love it
Thanks you!!!
My “Frida” is definitely Nikola Tesla!!! I’ve been obsessed with him ever since I did a report on him in 10th grade, and then ended up writing my senior research paper about him.
There's a restaurant in Las Vegas called Casa Don Juan that has Frida EVERYWHERE. She's on the menu and they have a whole wall of portraits of her in different art styles. I thought of you. You should definitely make a stop there if you ever make your way out here.
I didn't know that!! I so want to go see it!
There's a few in town and I'm not sure if they all have the same theming, but I can definitely vouch for the one on Sunset Road!
TerrigenCrystal that is so cool
TerrigenCrystal did you know that the blue house Frida was born in, is now a museum and you can see her bed and kitchen and her garden it is in Coyacan Mexico it is open to the public
OMG! I live in Las Vegas and go there all the time! The decor is amazing as is the food. xoxo
You've been uploading so much lately and I love it
I'm doing a month of lots of videos with a big announcement at the end!!!
Whenever I watch someone talk about something they’re passionate about, something they love, something that makes them happy, I get so excited and happy too so this was really fun to watch. Also, Frida is now in the likes of George Orwell for you! Who would have ever thought someone could join the club!!!
I've just recently become obsessed with Zelda Fitzgerald and her life! Whilst everyone knows of F Scott Fitzgerald, I feel like Zelda's become forgotten in history and I find her so fascinating. I love your passion for Frida, I went to the opening of a Frida Kahlo photograph exhibition here in NZ about two years ago and lived for it !
omg thank you so much for this video. I am too obsessed by Frida since I studied one of her paintings in high school and I've always wanted to read books about her so thank you for these amazing recommendations!
I am very into Van Gogh !!! The mystery that is his life is so fascinating to me, currently I’m reading a book of his letters and it’s so tragic yet beautiful,, being an artist myself also gives me a different view of his life and works that I really enjoy, I can relate to his struggles and he’s just such an interesting figure of history!!
If you like Van Gogh I recommend Vincent by Barbara Stok. It's a graphic novel and focuses on his life in France. I gave it to my little sister as a birthday gift since she's very artsy and into Van Gogh and it's such a good read ^^
LOVE this. You are making a course for yourself and BECOMING a Frida scholar. You are so inspiring.
I love how your face lights up when you are talking about the books, and it's the cutest thing ever. You are literally my fave!
Seeing someone as passionate about her as myself was so heart warning. I also have a collection of 6 Frida books but I only have 2 that you have so thank you so much for sharing what other Frida books there are to find!
Edit: If you want to know the names of the other books I have then please let me know, I'll be happy to share 💕
Hi, Ariel,
I wanted to thank you for the recommendation of the Frida Kahlo graphic novel. I have a friend who is a Frida Kahlo fan and did a research project on Frida as part of her degree in Spanish. I gave it to her as a late Christmas present, and she loved it. Watching you expound the glories of Frida is like listening to her. Enjoy the journey. Frida was a remarkable personality.
This is literally me all the time. I hear about something and I try to learn everything I can about that individual or event. I love seeing your enthusiasm about Frida and hearing your recommendations.
I've recently became a die hard Oscar Wilde fan, seeking out the obscurest of books around him. It's a spiral I don't want to leave anytime soon I love learning random new facts about his life!
Also I have read a bit of the first graphic novel you mentioned and I am in absolute love with it! I love how it's a conversation between her and death, it adds such a unique take.
As an art history student we research a lot about artists (obbiously) and Frida and Klimt are probably the two find the most interesting so far. You look at the art and they are odd and a little strange but so expressive and complex and beautiful if you want to look more deeply. I honestly never thought i would want to be an art history major, but learning about these people is so interesting, and being an english major also the two majors correlate quite a bit.
Not a historical subject but I feel like Margaret Atwood is doing that for me rn? I’m slowly reading more and more of her books and I love every bit.
Oh I had a time when I was pretty obsessed with learning about Van Gogh and I read this illustrated biography of him a few years ago (and it was pretty special because it was my aunt’s copy, who loves to paint).
I am super interested in Frida but I’ve never read anything on her except randomly online. You’re heavily swaying me to get that short biography or one of those graphic novels, I gotta say.
The art in these are so gorgeous! Frida Kahlo is such an amazing artist!
I just bought The Diary of Frida Kahlo (an intimate self portrait), completely on a whim! And now you've definitely got me excited to buy the graphic novel too! It looks sooo good! (Also, love that you called her handwriting a font lol)
I love that you’re so into Frida! My little Mexican heart is happy that you made a video just about her and I can’t wait to get some of the books you mentioned!
Ahora sólo te falta organizar un viaje a la Casa Azul en CDMX. 😄
I read a novel named “Los amantes de Coyoacán” and it tells the story between Frida and Trotsky, it’s really good :)
Watching your passion and enthusiasm for learning about Frida is so inspiring!! It makes me want to go and read a million book about a subject that I love!
God, I love the way you talk. I love how enthusiastic you are, but it's not an annoying forced enthusiasm. You just have alot of energy and a very distinct way of speaking. Like you're totally you and unapologetic about it. I don't know can't really describe it.
I read Without You, There Is No Us by Suki Kim earlier this year about the same time that I was randomly getting into KPOP so it kind of sparked my interest in North Korea, South Korea and comparisons between the two. I feel like I've found so many amazing books about and from both countries because of that random interest. I love reading deeper like that!
One of the books about Frida I read last year and really enjoyed was "Frida" by Sébastian Perez and Benjamin Lacombe which is also more like a graphic novel or picture book with really beautiful illustrations throughout. I really recommend it to you :)
I bought “una biografia” by Maria Hesse in Portland at Powell’s city of books :) and i read it... and then I went to her house in Mexico City and saw her paintings and it was so overwhelmingly wonderful 😭
Sylvia Plath is the figure that I find absolutely fascinating. I love hearing other people talk about these, almost ‘random’ passions!!
Have you seen the movie Frida? It is about her, obviously, and if you haven't seen it yet, you definitely should, it is so well made and I think you would really enjoy it Ariel!
Dude... last June I did a school project on North Korea, after that.... the sheer number of books... the TED talks... the documentaries... since then whole reading months have consisted exclusively of non-fiction about North Korea. I don't know why, but there's something so fascinating about it that makes me unable to stop consuming everything I can about it. The whole thing has really ignited a love for non-fiction in general; I freaking love learning new things independently, just for me, without school forcing me to. It's actually quite liberating
I have total Friday Kahlo book envy! I LOVE this video. I've read the diary of Frida Kahlo and LOVED it as well. The fact that we were able to see her journal was mind blowing. It took me a LONG time to read because I don't read Spanish and I spent a lot of time reading the English and going back to the scans of the actual diary to see it in context (and in color). I will definitely be picking up some of the other books you featured here. THANK YOU!!!!
Paul Simon has always been a seriously fascinating person to me. Lately I've also become really interested in Stevie Nicks. Your videos about Frida Kahlo are making me so interested in her life, too!
In high school I got really into Sylvia Plath for a while because I did a project on her. The obsession only lasted that year. Lately I’m kinda feeling an obsession with Anne Lister starting. I need to order some books on her soon. It’s great to see someone so passionate about something and it really shines in this video! I know this is your pet obsession but if at some point after grad school you find yourself writing a paper on Frida, I’m sure many of your subscribers would be eager to read it!
I love your love for Frida and your love for these incredible Frida books and your infectious enthusiasm! Thank you so much for sharing! Cheers! 🌺
I'm so glad that someone else loves Frida Khalo as well! I'm actually getting her portrait tattooed on my thigh!
I hate how I’m just seeing this now but I love you so much for this 😭💗I’ve always wanted to read on Frida but didn’t know where to start
I love her journal. And the movie, Selma did an incredible job. Frida’s life seemed so tragic yet full of life beyond her obstacles.
my Historical Crush(?) is Sissi! Empress Elizabeth of Austria and Hungary. My obsession started when I was about 9 and I visited Vienna with my family, I think I have at least 7 or 8 books about her by now. I'm not particularly fond of Austrian Imperialism but I find her life and character so fascinating! Tho the movies they made about her really don't do her justice.
I love Frida's journal so rich in color and so beautiful. I agree with you that is hard to read even if you speak Spanish. I am Mexican and I found myself not understanding any of the handwriting.
This might be a little cliché but when Hamilton came out I was completely obsessed and that’s why I have a small section on my bookshelf dedicated to Hamilton the broadway musical as well as the historical figure
I think it's so interesting to hear what people's favourite historical figures/subjects are, because i feel like it says a lot about them. I've always loved history and so I've had a lot of these lol. Reading Percy Jackson when I was younger started my ancient history/mythology obsession, which is something I'm still really into today. When I was younger I also read a TON of books on the Holocaust, especially stories from concentration camp survivors (which, now that I'm thinking about it, is kind of dark for a young-ish kid to be into, but maybe it was good to learn about that stuff early). Now, I'm really getting into the Romanov family (like Anastasia and stuff), as well as Cleopatra, as I'm taking a class on her right now. (this was so long im sorry i just love talking about history ahhhh)
Love when they happens. Van gogh
My historical figure that I'm oddly obsessed with is Van Gogh. I even own a crop top with Starry Night pattern ❤
Hey Ariel!! I really recommend you Gerry Souter's Frida biography, which includes poems and letters and most of her paintings in an amazing full-color format. I loved your amazing collection of Frida, so full of passion.
When I thought I couldn't love you more, here you go starting to talk about Frida, one of my favorite artists and people in general. I'm actually getting a tattoo of her soon! :D
I just got into vincent van gogh! I saw loving vincent a few months ago and absolutely loved it! And I've just started reading my second book about him, 'van gogh's ear' by burnadette murphy
I randomly decided to learn Japanese and now I have a giant collection of Japanese language books and raw children's manga, so I relate
Honestly all of your videos are just so wonderful and genuine. It's so lovely seeing you so passionate about Frida! I want to read I Paint My Reality even more now! x
It's so cool that you speak spanish! My first lenguage is Spanish and I always get excited when english speakers know how to speak in it. I find that I got really into biographies when I discovered this uruguayan author called Diego Fisher ( I'm uruguayan too) that writes biographies in the format of novels, so far I've read two about two uruguayan poets, Delmira Agustini and Juana de Ibarbourou. Those books really got me interested in their lives.
I have an obsetion with Frida also
You are inspiring me to read about Frida Kahlo!
I read Frida Kahlo Diary, Frida: The Story of My Life and Frida Kahlo: Una Biografía, so I understand you perfectly!
You should check it out FRIDA by Benjamin Lacombe and Sébastien Perez, its just gorgeous.
You’ve started something.... I feel like Frida is about to absorb my life
I have a similar obsession with Sylvia Plath. It's died down a bit since I first got into her, but I still think about The Bell Jar just about everyday. I officially switched it to my number one favorite book last summer, as it was number two for a few years. I have 3 biographies about her, her journals, a few of her poetry collections, The Bell Jar (her only novel), and when I first got into her I read everything I could online about her. I also made artwork (I'm NO artist) having to do with The Bell Jar.
I like the books that you are picking up
ME TOO :D
I read the Herrera biography last year and while it is very long it's definitely worth it.
Thanks for all the recommendations x
That's so good to hear! I'm so looking forward to it.
frida kahlo is amazing... her art is beautiful, and her pain is so sad to read about. i have read much about her, but never a book. thank you for the recommendations, i will try to find some of these!
This is crazy because a similar thing happened to me. I just suddenly had an extreme interest in her and I bought the same book! I’m definitely going to check out the other books as well! 😍
Thank you so much for posting these kind of videos. I love to know about other’s interests on booktube that aren’t all hauls, tbrs and review. I love that you are making booktube something that you want it to be rather than letting ‘popular’ troupes get your creativity down. I don’t see anyone else doing what you’re doing and I love it.
I'm writing a children's book on Frida Kahlo for class and stumbled across your video. I love all of this! Thanks for sharing, can't wait to pick up some of the books you mentioned :)
I am completely fascinated by OTMA - the daughters of the last tsar of Russia. They are my jam. And when lockdown is over I fully intend to grow my collection of books about them and russian history
Hiiii!!!! I’m from Mexico and I don’t know if you know it but here in Mexico there are almost in every state paintings of Frida and also there’s Frida’s house still on the ground and it’s now her museum, there are other museums about her but her house is the most famous, wish you can come :)
I've seen this video the day you posted it and I have to say, it's been stuck in my head for the last few days. The way you're so passionate about an iconic figure of the past truly inspired me and it made me want to read some biographies myself. You've just awaken this curiosity in me and now I feel like I really want to find out more about the lives of the people I'm interested in (mostly writers for me) and maybe even try to understand a bit of who they are as a person, and not just how I know them (through their writings). And I'm just curious how I will view their work once I know some of their background and have a somewhat understanding of where they're coming from. It will definitely be a different read, so thank you so much!! :)
ha it’s funny because i first was interested in her too after reading her wikipedia page in spanish class and wow she’s fascinating
There was a short bio of Frida in a collection I read and found her really interesting
This video made my heart so happy! I did end up reading the diary of Frida just before the turn of the year and it was so amazing, I have a few favorite pages marked and I just love having it out on my coffee table to look through the art and the colors every once and a while. I want more Frida books, and after seeing this I have added more to my TBR!
Hello! She is amazing. Her life story is just incredible. Thanks for sharing!
Gonna have to check out the spanish biography! Looks really, really beautiful
Ariel! I can't believe I missed this video. Frida is such an inspiration and I love all of your recommendations. I already have a few of these, but the graphic novels seem incredible. Thank you for creating this video. ❤
I went through this exact phase (ongoing) a few months ago! I also bought Maria Hesse's illustrated book, thankfully I'm Latina and can also read the Spanish! The illustrations are all you really need though. Also watch the film 'Frida', it's pretty great. :)
1920's gangsters are that for me. More specifically: John Dillinger. I've been interested in them since middle school and haven't stopped. I made my mother in highschool drive four hours out of the way to eat at the Little Bohemia Lodge, where they had a standoff/shoot out. I was in heaven. At the end of your Frida Kahlo journey I highly recommend, if you can, to travel somewhere that she was. It's a crazy experience.
I love how interested you are in learning about her. If you stop making you tube videos I guess I'll be really sad. you are my 80% of you tube time.
I love your passion & enthusiasm. I’ve just started my Frida journey and you’ve been a great guide!! Just the advice l needed. Thanks :)
I adore Frida! I've read so many books, watched movies and been to a couple of exhibitions. I can see myself in your enthusiasm about this amazing woman. I adore biographies and i have an obsession for female historical figures, my most read bios are about Queen Victoria, Artemisia Gentileschi and Marie Antoinette.
It's lovely to hear you talk about Frida Kahlo, your passion really shows. I'd say I feel that way about Tove Jansson, a finnish-swedish author and artist who is most famous for her book about the moomin trolls. I love her art, her writing and I'm very fascinated with her life story.
Hi. I'm a huge fan of the moomins. Could you recommend any books about her and her art
For the last few years this has definitely been me with Lucy Maud Montgomery. I read any biography I can find, and I've read some of her journals, some of her poetry, almost all of her published fiction (just have 2.5 books of short stories to go) and watched a couple documentaries on her. I don't why I'm so fascinated with her and Prince Edward Island (my dream trip/dream retirement place...I'm in Ontario) and the Edwardian time period, but I just am.
Honestly, Friday Kahlo used to really freak me out when I was younger! Of course, that was before I studied art history, but I also think it has a lot to do with the fact that she has a kind of other worldly presence in her self-portraits. Anyhoo, I really enjoyed how excited you are about Frida!
Not gonna lie, I totally thought about you when Frida showed up in Coco
I don't really know about Frida, but I absolutely LOVE Abigail Adams! Her life and family and beliefs are so fascinating to me.
I live about a 15 minute drive from her home (which is super close in a mega city as Mexico City) and I have never been there. It's not something I'm proud of. I love how a seemingly random moment turned into a fully fledged obsession. Also, if you use Telegram (the IM app), there's Frida Kahlo stickers over there!
I feel this exact same way about Vincent Van Gogh. I was so young and so poor when I was younger that I read all my Van Gogh books from the library; otherwise I would probably have about 10 books on him. I love your videos. Thank you so much for making them.
I just posted this on another comment about van Gogh so I'm gonna share it here as well. If you like Van Gogh I recommend Vincent by Barbara Stok. It's a graphic novel and focuses on his life in France. I gave it to my little sister as a birthday gift since she's very artsy and into Van Gogh and it's such a good read ^^
Another Vincent book is starry night van Gogh at the asylum
Frida - Jonah Winter is a children's picture book with great art that I will recommend.
Ooo, thanks! I'll look into it!!
Yes I got that way with F Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald in college and read ALL the things.
I hope I find someone/something I have this much passion to learn more about! Thanks for sharing.
I've fallen deep down a rabbit hole of learning about Ancient Britain. I read a novel set in pre-Roman Britain, and ever since then I've been so curious about the time period
I’ve become increasingly interested in Ernst Hemingway since visiting his house in Key West last year.
Muy pocos mexicanos se acercan a su arte o vida, solo se quedan con la moda del retrato, cuando vengas a México encantada te llevo a la casa donde ella vivió, 'la casa azul'. 💙
You should come to Mexico and visit Frida's Blue House, which is now a museum. I would love to say hello to you!
Mine is Virginia Woolf and I have no idea why! But I am fascinated by her.
Recently I really got into the biography of Arthur Rimbaud :)
I thought of you when I looked through a booksellers buyers guide today and noticed a Frida Kahlo book! It's due to be released in June and is called "Frida Kahlo: Making herself up" by Claire Wilcox, published by V&A (the book is tied to the Frida Kahlo exhibition at the V&A in London on from June 16th to November 4th)
I read the first book and absolutely LOVED it. I’m so ready for more frida books!!!
A very interesting video , i have all the books that you have plus others to , Frida Kahlos garden is a nice book to if you are interested in plants and how she made her garden , ive been a fan of her since i first read a book about her when i was 15 in 1978, fortunately my old school had a very good library , i also like Tina Modotti and ive got several books about her to , i hope you enjoy the books that you have yet to read.
Just watched, and now I need more Frida in my life! Loved it!
Thanks to your video I just bought the autobiography of Frida Kahlo, thank you soo much 🙏
I have the “painting my reality” book, and it’s amazing. Definitely would start with that one because it gives you a very open perspective, the whole spectrum if you will. It has historical context, bibliographical context, etc., which is amazing. The only thing i would’ve liked changed would be to have read it in Spanish, which would make the whole experience better. But the language and images are very accurate and quite good. Would absolutely recommend to everyone interested in Frida Kahlo 💕 she’s very interesting, beautiful and creative
Ariel, you’re an amazing booktuber, you get me so hipped up about reading. Me and my bestfriend always watch your videos and discuss them! You’re amazing!
I love Frida Kahlo, and some of these books I have not heard about, so I am adding them to my list.....now! Subscribed!!
Thank You SO Much, Ariel! I am researching Frida Kahlo for my school's Social Science Fair. She is an amazing woman and such an inspiration. Thank you for this, I ordered her diary yesterday and this helped me look for more things to search for with research and just my personal enjoyment of Frida.
Great video! I have a particular area of history that I have read several books on and own several more--women's history. This ranges from biographies and novels. Since there has been so many books printed about women's history in the last couple of years, I am in heaven! A lot of the stuff I've read is all over the place: queens, authors, mathematicians, spies, soldiers, education activists, actresses, warriors, inventors, and more. I love that there are lots of books that have many quick biographies of women throughout history because you get exposed to some you've read about before and some you never heard anything about before. It's super cool. A good place to start are the books by Rachel Ignotofsky (Women in Science and Women in Sports).
I am late finding your channel, so I am never sure if you see comments 3 years after you originally posted this... BUT I am very obsessed about Frida. From the first time I saw her artwork in a calendar at my friend's house to now (2 decades later) I have tried to absorb as much as I can about this artist. A book you did not mention is Lacuna, by Barbara Kingsolver. Frida is not the main antagonist, but she is very much in the story as well as her other historical relationships she had before and after the blue house. It is an interesting read and a fun fictionalized from truth book. Since I cannot read Spanish, I have not found out about the spina bifida claim. I will have to look into that myself!! I hope this love for Frida continues for you. I have gone on to make my own artwork about Frida, and now includes a sort of shrine in my house to her. I recently just got a tattoo as well! Love your channel, and can't wait to watch your other videos!!