Wow. You have a way of describing books that makes me want to try all of them. And most of these are not books I would pick up or within the genres that I normally read. I'm especially interested in Prairie Fires because I loved those books as a child and they are so nostalgic for me. Is it an easy read? I'm worried that I will get bored at some point and not finish it. I'm not usually one to read biographies or autobiographies.
Thank you so much! I'd never read a full biography before Prairie Fires, so I understand how you feel. It's really smoothly written, so in that sense it's an easy read, but there are definitely passages that get into the nitty-gritty of farming/railroad/other historical facts that contextualize the Ingalls. Overall I think it's a good biography to try to see if you'd like the genre! Just be patient and remember it'll take longer to read than a novel, no matter how much you're enjoying it :)
Love that you picked your favorite and not the 'best'! :) I will definitely read When I Hit You this year, it is on my shelf and waiting for me. If you liked it that much you might want to check out Blue Jewellery by Katharina Winkler. It deals with a similar topic, I read it last year and it was my favorite book of the year.
Signs for lost children sounds like a book I’d spend a lot of time absorbing the subtleties within the writing! Have you read and reviews the Count of Monte Cristo? That book had me piecing together and dissecting the prose and story.
Yay! Glad to see a new video! I'd love to see you go into.depth about the Laura Ingalls Wilder biography! I definitely want to read it! I own Educated but havent read it yet. Im interested in Fire Sermon now too! Thanks & Happy New Year (almost)!
Nice to meet you Jennifer :) You've been on my mind lately, Jenny. I was like: "Jen promised that she'll be making some sort of favorites video on 2018 books. I wonder if it'll drop this or at the beginning of next year." And then I see this video ;) I'm taking ownership of calling you out of the void with my thoughts. It's canon now. I hope 2019 will be a great year for you in all the important aspects be that personal or career-oriented. And that it'll bring a pile of great books obviously. Big hugs xx
140-150 books!! WHAT Really wanna read Educated and When I Hit You. Also ever since I heard you talk about Regarding the Pain of Others the first time I've been super intrigued by it!
Haha about 70 of those books were assigned to me in some form, so I only read about 80 that I chose myself :) Let me know what you think if you end up reading any of these books!
Happy New Year Jennifer and yes I would love a video about the Laura Ingalls Wilder book please. I've never read the books but i did watch the tv series when it was broadcast here in the UK many years ago now and loved it.
I was so happy to see Fire Sermon on your list! I adored it, and Educated too! I haven’t read Prairie Fires yet but Kendra has mentioned it too and it sounds fascinating.
I loved Prairie Fires. I found it so balanced and eye opening. I have a friend who read it and hated the politics, but I found that to be the point. Fraser contextualized Wilder’s story. And isn’t it so fascinating that Wilder lives over one of the most eventful times in American history. My goodness. Okay, I will stop gushing now. 😉 Thanks for sharing your favorite books-have a great New Year!
I'd disagree with your friend in this case too--I came away with the distinct feeling that Fraser did copious research before making any conclusions, meaning that if politics entered the narrative, it was because it was in the primary sources or was a logical conclusion of her findings, not because she was seeking or imposing it. (I'm also curious how this friend would have wanted such a political life to avoid politics in the retelling)
I understand those fears. If it helps, Prairie Fires isn't an exposé of the Ingalls - I admired them even more in some ways after finishing the biography. I try to separate the fictional family, who I love dearly and would still enjoy reading about, from the family that inspired it. The reality doesn't make the fiction any less significant to my life
I'm so glad! I loved both the books and the TV show growing up, and Fraser helped me appreciate them even more (although she's not a fan of the show haha)
Such a great list, Jennifer! This reminded me of my incredible reading experience of When I Hit You - it’s a brilliant book. So great to see a Dickens on here! I’ve only read Oliver Twist, but I really enjoyed it. Ohhh I should read some Robin Hobb. I know a few of my colleagues absolutely adore her (I work in publishing too!). And I own Bodies of Light, so that was nice to hear you mention! Happy new year😊
The Cost of Living has me intrigued. Moving in a quiet and unpretentious way. Also, couldn't agree more about the distinction between the concepts of "best" and "favorite". Comes up often when reviewing books or movies. E.g. rather than argue that Hannah and Her Sisters is Woody Allen's "best" film (not the more critically touted Annie Hall), I sidestep fruitless argument and say HAHS resonated more meaningfully with me.
What a great list! I loved Prairie Fires for exactly the reasons you mentioned. Plus she had such a long full life and I had no idea. Fire Sermon has stuck with me all year and I can’t wait to see what she writes next. I also loved Educated - I think a lot of people were misguided and went into thinking the wrong things. Equal parts horrifying and emotional.
I picked up Prairie Fires after seeing this video. It was a long book and a very interesting one. I knew nothing of Wilders and I have never read the Little House series, nor seen the tv show. So this was all new to me. I am now going to read the Little House books, at the very least one to see how I like it. Thanks for all the recommendations!
Your videos/reviews are unsurpassed! Such diversity of favorites and succinct overviews. I'm drawn to Deborah Levy's book and Prairie Fires which I never would have considered before watching your video. Educated was on my tops list for 2018 also. Oh and Susan Sontag...her words penetrate the core of my being. I haven't read the one you listed, but now I will. Sure would like to see a video on your Best Books of 2018...any chance?
Thank you so much! I won't be doing a best of 2018 video at this point (my job is kind of insane at the moment and I'm finding it hard to make any videos). But happy 2019 reading to you :)
I want to read Hobb. Want to see more ILPH vids. Since Jan. '12 I've seen a lot of booktubers. U r top 10 and that's saying something. You'll get over the 10K subs mark in '19. For some booktubers, going over 10K changes their channel & their outlook re youtube. That won't happen to you. You're too stable and balanced.
So great to see you before the turn of the year, Jennifer! Always happy to see one of your videos. You have persuaded me to pick up the Armitage-David-Copperfield, of course keeping your warning in mind :-) It is the first time I comment but I have been watching you for quite some time and wanted to tell you that one of your favourite-books-videos was the one that made me aware of there being something like booktube! Thank you for that and for your wonderful videos! Wishing you health and happiness in 2019 and looking forward to seeing more of you then!
Oh man...Prairie Fires is on my shelf and I have gone towards it, but veered another direction so many times. Your review may actually compel me to pick it up in 2019.
Yay!! I’ve been waiting for this video! Several of these books have caught my interest and I can’t wait to pick them up in 2019! I’m always so interested in the books you highly recommend. You have an amazing way of presenting books and making them look so interesting!
Very interesting video as always. I read Educated and I did love it..I really wished it had talked a lot more about becoming educated...which was the title of the book after all. Cambridge must have been like entering a different world, how did she catch up with her education, how did she interact with people as she emerged into an education. These things were only lightly touched on and sometimes I felt the violence of her brother and father became to repetitive..even as I write that I feel bad because it happened to her and it was repetitive but what I mean is I understood that and was really interested in how she got educated. I hope that makes sense. But it was a brilliant book all the same. I do have a love of some Dickens...the characters, well some of them, live in my head. Sometimes I see a certain little house around me..I live not so far from David’s beginnings and it IS Betsys house..to me anyway. Ps sometimes I do see people that seem to have walked out of a dickens novel...I can imagine how he would write about them. It makes me smile to myself
I agree, I was so curious about those things and Westover barely touched on them, especially with her PhD program. And I understand that it's her memoir, and that the family was the focus for her, but I'd love for her to write another memoir at some point with more Cambridge details
Been really looking forward to your list. I’ve not read After You’d Gone, and I love O’Farrell, I shall have to change this. Educated is on so many brilliant people’s lists. I must try and read it again. I wasn’t in the mood last time and I normally love a cult based book. Snap on When I Hit You, my personal Women’s Prize winner too. ‘Being low key turned on for 36 hours is medically unsafe’ just made me CACKLE so much. I must must must read The Cost of Living. That’ll be an early 2019 read for me. Fab video, fab selection.
Pleeeeease do a Prairie Fires video! I just started the book and I’m already blown away. So much to unpack and consider. I’d love to hear your thoughts. If anybody out there reading this is interested in a buddy read please let me know!
So glad to see you are finally doing okay. I caught a bad cold ten days ago and hated it but you being sick all along. Loved your video. I really enjoyed Educated and the second part where she opens her eyes to the world around here and realizes she has a mind of her own. I want to read Levy. I watched the TV series as a kid but thought it was a little bit too much (with my European eyes). You know good values and bad Indians. Of course you can’t blame her for thinking that at the time when they grew with the Manifest Destiny and truly believed in it. I won’t read it but I am happy that as you said you let your heart speak !
Not even through the videos and have ordered 3 books already. Just been too busy working recently and need a couple good reads. Thanks Jennifer - and happy 2019 to you :)
I read David Copperfield this year too! And I agree with you. The characters and warmth are what stuck with me, although I struggle with Dickens’ writing style!
I think I'll making reading Dickens a yearly thing - I don't think I could handle more than one of his books in a twelve-month span, but I'd also love to keep exploring his work. We'll see!
Happy New Year! I am so excited to find your channel and to add some of these books to my elusive TBR. I loved the ad hoc reviews that transcribed the feeling these books imprinted on you. I also like the distinction between your favourite (those that will "stay with" you) versus The Best. A great topic of discussion ✨
Very interesting, as always ! Fire Sermon is very intriguing... Btw, I had bought "Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography", do you know that one ? And if so, how would you compare it to this new biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder ?
Very diverse group of books, Jennifer! I had just recently read my first O'Farrell - The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox - and found it very sentimental and very predictable, but hearing you speak of this book made me think maybe I will give her another try.
Thank you, Kay! I think "sentimental and predictable" is a fair assessment of O'Farrell's style (based on the three books I've read by her), so I think it comes down to if the particular sentiment she chooses in each book strikes a chord with you
Btw have you read East of Eden by Steinbeck? You probably have. I just finished reading it for the first time and love it so much. Please let me know if youve ever read/reviewed it. Its now an all time favorite of mine.
No, I haven't read East of Eden, but it's wonderful to hear you loved it! I have to confess, I've read three books by Steinbeck and found them all hopelessly boring. (I'll try EaE at some point--so many people love it to pieces, and say it's better than his other books--but I also don't think you should have to read 4 books by an author to get to one you don't hate ;) )
@@InsertLiteraryPunHere oh wow you mustve read the wrong ones lol. Its really good if you like epic family dramas with philosophy and religious themes running thru it. It was also really long
I can't wait to read more Hobb this year, as I've been told by everyone that the best is still ahead of me. I got Ship of Magic for Christmas and cannot wait to dive in. Glad to see you back around. A delight, as always :D
This is a great selection, I loved Educated and When I Hit You too and I just bought The Cost of Living, so you've made me even more excited to read it now!
I also really enjoyed Prairie Fires, for all the reasons you've highlighted. It would've been one of my favourite books of the year too, were it not for the difference in tone between how the author writes about Laura and Rose. Fraser goes to no pains to hide how much she loves Laura and loathes Rose. Because this book is quite long and so much of it focuses on Rose, I found the difference in tone striking and ultimately distracting.
I agree there was a difference in tone, and your interpretation could be right. I had a slightly different interpretation; I saw that in all other cases Fraser seemed to be letting primary sources and the rest of her research dictate her conclusions, not the other way around, so I gave her the benefit of the doubt and assumed she did the same in Rose's case. Which means sometimes the primary sources continually point to the fact that someone was a genuinely awful person, if an extremely interesting one ;)
You've read some wonderful books this year. I am interested in Educated primarily because you gushed about it. I read Heart Berries this year and it drove me up the wall. So I'm sceptical about picking up another memoir so soon. My favourite book this year was Forster's Maurice and I treasure everything about it! Thank you for sharing the joy of reading and I hope you have a great new year!
Thank you! What was it you hated about Heart Berries? Memoirs are so diverse that it would be a shame to skip them all because you didn't get along with one, unless what you didn't like felt particular to the genre, in which case I'd agree with your skepticism :)
Yes, I would love to hear more about Praire Fires! I adored the Little House books when I was growing up, dislike how people now criticize them using today's standards of what is considered right and wrong. Loved your list of best books, adding the ones I have not read to my TBR! THX.
Right? It makes no sense to me to treat morality like it's a fixed line, and like if a woman raised in the 1870s strayed from our 2019 line it means she had no concept of morality at all. Of course it's really important to discuss/analyze when dehumanization appears in books, as it so clearly does in Little House, but I find the instinct to "cancel" authors strange
The Deborah Levy memoir sounds like it would be a good companion piece to the Rachel Cusk Outline trilogy, of which I've read the first two and am fully invested in finishing and maybe re-reading. I, too, loved Prairie Fires for its ambition and putting the pieces together, though I probably won't ever read the Little House series again because of it.
That's so interesting, because Prairie Fires really made me want to go back and reread the series! Although I do see them as very separate projects. But it's clear that Fraser has so much appreciation both as a biographer and as an ordinary reader for the way the Wilders crafted the books, especially for the poetic simplicity of Laura's writing, that I found it infectious :)
Insert Literary Pun Here Fraser did an amazing job in talking about the evolution and genius of the books. I think I won’t read them because it changed my relationship to the series. I’ve read them so many times and now some of the attachment I had to them is gone.
Always a joy to see your videos. Happy New Year 🎉☘️👋🍀. The Pairie Fires? book, really interests me as I'm from a family of 4 girls who were obsessed with Little House on the Pairie. So much so that my Sister Deirdre called one of her daughters Laura.
After watching your previous review of Robin Hobb books, I told my sister-in-law about them as well as I sent her your video as they are right up her alley. She loved them so much she has read every one of them in each series. Thank you!
The video I was waiting for! I've only read two of the books you talked about (Educated and When I Hit You) and I really do agree with your takes on both albeit they aren't really favorites for me. My absolute number one favorite book of the year is The Idiot by Elif Batuman because it's hilariously and luxuriously written and I have never related more to a main character in my life. Also, question for you- how do you justify the representation of indigenous folk in those books? Or Charles Dicken's super controversial opinions on Indian people and genocide when reading those books?
Thank you for a fascinating list! _Prairie Fires_ is on my TBR! I visited the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum and Homes in De Smet, SD this summer, and it was quite fascinating and moving.
Really enjoy your content, out of the books you mentioned, educated is already on my tbr pile , but I might add when I hit you and signs for lost children as your description makes them sound intriguing. Must confess I have yet to dabble in Sarah Moss, but maybe this is the book to start with. Thanks for making cool videos.
David Copperfield is a Dickens I haven’t read yet and I’ve been thinking about picking it up for a while. The idea of 36 hours of Richard Armitage has me sold. I’m willing to risk my health. 😂 When I Hit You is also on my favourites list. I thought it managed to walk the tight line between emotional sincerity and arch literary observance brilliantly. And Signs for Lost Children! YES! For me this is Moss’ best and most completely realised novel. It was so precise and yet so generous. I’ve read it and Bodies of Light a couple of times and adored it even more second time around. I’ll be putting both the Deborah Levy and Prairie Fires on my lists for next year.
There's just something about Moss writing in third person that works so well. I love her first-person work too, but it feels slightly more drawn-out and fuzzy around the edges, whereas her Neo-Victorian novels feel both so airy and so substantial at the same time
David Copperfield - otherwise known as the book where nothing happens. How or what could possibly have turned you on? I had to check it out from the library 4 times. Couldn't get through it...
Right, "nothing" happens in that book except for life :) And Armitage's voice was what I was referring to. But no worries, plenty of other books for you to enjoy, no sense torturing yourself with one that's boring you!
“Being turned on for thirty six hours is medically unsafe”. Hahahaha, couldn’t have said it better myself!
Or just a lot of fun, haha! I loved that line too.
Wow. You have a way of describing books that makes me want to try all of them. And most of these are not books I would pick up or within the genres that I normally read. I'm especially interested in Prairie Fires because I loved those books as a child and they are so nostalgic for me. Is it an easy read? I'm worried that I will get bored at some point and not finish it. I'm not usually one to read biographies or autobiographies.
Thank you so much! I'd never read a full biography before Prairie Fires, so I understand how you feel. It's really smoothly written, so in that sense it's an easy read, but there are definitely passages that get into the nitty-gritty of farming/railroad/other historical facts that contextualize the Ingalls. Overall I think it's a good biography to try to see if you'd like the genre! Just be patient and remember it'll take longer to read than a novel, no matter how much you're enjoying it :)
I just finished Prairie Fires, and I really enjoyed it. It was really eye opening to know the true story of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Great video!
Love that you picked your favorite and not the 'best'! :) I will definitely read When I Hit You this year, it is on my shelf and waiting for me. If you liked it that much you might want to check out Blue Jewellery by Katharina Winkler. It deals with a similar topic, I read it last year and it was my favorite book of the year.
Signs for lost children sounds like a book I’d spend a lot of time absorbing the subtleties within the writing! Have you read and reviews the Count of Monte Cristo? That book had me piecing together and dissecting the prose and story.
Yay! Glad to see a new video! I'd love to see you go into.depth about the Laura Ingalls Wilder biography! I definitely want to read it! I own Educated but havent read it yet. Im interested in Fire Sermon now too! Thanks & Happy New Year (almost)!
Nice to meet you Jennifer :)
You've been on my mind lately, Jenny. I was like: "Jen promised that she'll be making some sort of favorites video on 2018 books. I wonder if it'll drop this or at the beginning of next year." And then I see this video ;)
I'm taking ownership of calling you out of the void with my thoughts. It's canon now.
I hope 2019 will be a great year for you in all the important aspects be that personal or career-oriented.
And that it'll bring a pile of great books obviously.
Big hugs xx
140-150 books!! WHAT
Really wanna read Educated and When I Hit You. Also ever since I heard you talk about Regarding the Pain of Others the first time I've been super intrigued by it!
Haha about 70 of those books were assigned to me in some form, so I only read about 80 that I chose myself :) Let me know what you think if you end up reading any of these books!
Happy New Year Jennifer and yes I would love a video about the Laura Ingalls Wilder book please. I've never read the books but i did watch the tv series when it was broadcast here in the UK many years ago now and loved it.
I loved the TV series growing up! Even understanding how much it was shaped to idealize the family and the times, I still love it :)
I would love to hear you talk more about Prairie Fires....
I was so happy to see Fire Sermon on your list! I adored it, and Educated too! I haven’t read Prairie Fires yet but Kendra has mentioned it too and it sounds fascinating.
I loved Prairie Fires. I found it so balanced and eye opening. I have a friend who read it and hated the politics, but I found that to be the point. Fraser contextualized Wilder’s story. And isn’t it so fascinating that Wilder lives over one of the most eventful times in American history. My goodness. Okay, I will stop gushing now. 😉 Thanks for sharing your favorite books-have a great New Year!
I'd disagree with your friend in this case too--I came away with the distinct feeling that Fraser did copious research before making any conclusions, meaning that if politics entered the narrative, it was because it was in the primary sources or was a logical conclusion of her findings, not because she was seeking or imposing it. (I'm also curious how this friend would have wanted such a political life to avoid politics in the retelling)
Prarie Fire scares me. I'm afraid it's going to ruin my opinion of that family that I loved as a child.
I understand those fears. If it helps, Prairie Fires isn't an exposé of the Ingalls - I admired them even more in some ways after finishing the biography. I try to separate the fictional family, who I love dearly and would still enjoy reading about, from the family that inspired it. The reality doesn't make the fiction any less significant to my life
I was a huge Laura Ingalls Wilder fan growing up and I hadn’t heard of Prairie Fires. Definitely adding that to my TBR!
I'm so glad! I loved both the books and the TV show growing up, and Fraser helped me appreciate them even more (although she's not a fan of the show haha)
Such a great list, Jennifer! This reminded me of my incredible reading experience of When I Hit You - it’s a brilliant book. So great to see a Dickens on here! I’ve only read Oliver Twist, but I really enjoyed it. Ohhh I should read some Robin Hobb. I know a few of my colleagues absolutely adore her (I work in publishing too!). And I own Bodies of Light, so that was nice to hear you mention! Happy new year😊
Thank you - happy new year to you too!
Insert Literary Pun Here I just really alway like your favorite cool video very much
The Cost of Living has me intrigued. Moving in a quiet and unpretentious way. Also, couldn't agree more about the distinction between the concepts of "best" and "favorite". Comes up often when reviewing books or movies. E.g. rather than argue that Hannah and Her Sisters is Woody Allen's "best" film (not the more critically touted Annie Hall), I sidestep fruitless argument and say HAHS resonated more meaningfully with me.
What a great list! I loved Prairie Fires for exactly the reasons you mentioned. Plus she had such a long full life and I had no idea. Fire Sermon has stuck with me all year and I can’t wait to see what she writes next. I also loved Educated - I think a lot of people were misguided and went into thinking the wrong things. Equal parts horrifying and emotional.
Everyone is talking about Educated. I'm not really a fan of memoir, but I'm seriously enticed.
I've been getting more and more into memoirs lately, never having been a fan before!
I picked up Prairie Fires after seeing this video. It was a long book and a very interesting one. I knew nothing of Wilders and I have never read the Little House series, nor seen the tv show. So this was all new to me. I am now going to read the Little House books, at the very least one to see how I like it. Thanks for all the recommendations!
“Couldn’t recommend that route enough!” 🤣
Your videos/reviews are unsurpassed! Such diversity of favorites and succinct overviews. I'm drawn to Deborah Levy's book and Prairie Fires which I never would have considered before watching your video. Educated was on my tops list for 2018 also. Oh and Susan Sontag...her words penetrate the core of my being. I haven't read the one you listed, but now I will. Sure would like to see a video on your Best Books of 2018...any chance?
Thank you so much! I won't be doing a best of 2018 video at this point (my job is kind of insane at the moment and I'm finding it hard to make any videos). But happy 2019 reading to you :)
Wowww!!! Your words are like poetry.... I instantly see that you are very well read 👍🏻 Thanks for this video😘
I want to read Hobb. Want to see more ILPH vids. Since Jan. '12 I've seen a lot of booktubers. U r top 10 and that's saying something. You'll get over the 10K subs mark in '19. For some booktubers, going over 10K changes their channel & their outlook re youtube. That won't happen to you. You're too stable and balanced.
Thank you, I know you watch and support a lot of channels so that means a lot!
So great to see you before the turn of the year, Jennifer! Always happy to see one of your videos. You have persuaded me to pick up the Armitage-David-Copperfield, of course keeping your warning in mind :-) It is the first time I comment but I have been watching you for quite some time and wanted to tell you that one of your favourite-books-videos was the one that made me aware of there being something like booktube! Thank you for that and for your wonderful videos! Wishing you health and happiness in 2019 and looking forward to seeing more of you then!
What a beautiful comment! Thank you--happy 2019 reading, and I hope you also love Dickens on audiobook :)
Oh man...Prairie Fires is on my shelf and I have gone towards it, but veered another direction so many times. Your review may actually compel me to pick it up in 2019.
I would love for that to happen! Hope you enjoy whatever you pick up in 2019
Yay!! I’ve been waiting for this video! Several of these books have caught my interest and I can’t wait to pick them up in 2019! I’m always so interested in the books you highly recommend. You have an amazing way of presenting books and making them look so interesting!
Thank you Alyssa! Good luck with your reading and your channel in 2019 xx
Very interesting video as always. I read Educated and I did love it..I really wished it had talked a lot more about becoming educated...which was the title of the book after all. Cambridge must have been like entering a different world, how did she catch up with her education, how did she interact with people as she emerged into an education. These things were only lightly touched on and sometimes I felt the violence of her brother and father became to repetitive..even as I write that I feel bad because it happened to her and it was repetitive but what I mean is I understood that and was really interested in how she got educated. I hope that makes sense. But it was a brilliant book all the same.
I do have a love of some Dickens...the characters, well some of them, live in my head. Sometimes I see a certain little house around me..I live not so far from David’s beginnings and it IS Betsys house..to me anyway.
Ps sometimes I do see people that seem to have walked out of a dickens novel...I can imagine how he would write about them. It makes me smile to myself
I agree, I was so curious about those things and Westover barely touched on them, especially with her PhD program. And I understand that it's her memoir, and that the family was the focus for her, but I'd love for her to write another memoir at some point with more Cambridge details
Been really looking forward to your list. I’ve not read After You’d Gone, and I love O’Farrell, I shall have to change this. Educated is on so many brilliant people’s lists. I must try and read it again. I wasn’t in the mood last time and I normally love a cult based book. Snap on When I Hit You, my personal Women’s Prize winner too. ‘Being low key turned on for 36 hours is medically unsafe’ just made me CACKLE so much. I must must must read The Cost of Living. That’ll be an early 2019 read for me. Fab video, fab selection.
Thank you Simon :) I hope you love The Cost of Living, I think it's so understated and beautiful
Pleeeeease do a Prairie Fires video! I just started the book and I’m already blown away. So much to unpack and consider. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
If anybody out there reading this is interested in a buddy read please let me know!
So glad to see you are finally doing okay. I caught a bad cold ten days ago and hated it but you being sick all along. Loved your video. I really enjoyed Educated and the second part where she opens her eyes to the world around here and realizes she has a mind of her own. I want to read Levy. I watched the TV series as a kid but thought it was a little bit too much (with my European eyes). You know good values and bad Indians. Of course you can’t blame her for thinking that at the time when they grew with the Manifest Destiny and truly believed in it. I won’t read it but I am happy that as you said you let your heart speak !
Dakota Johnson............
Not going to lie. I shouted 'wooo!' alloud when you said David Copperfield XD
Not even through the videos and have ordered 3 books already. Just been too busy working recently and need a couple good reads. Thanks Jennifer - and happy 2019 to you :)
I read David Copperfield this year too! And I agree with you. The characters and warmth are what stuck with me, although I struggle with Dickens’ writing style!
I think I'll making reading Dickens a yearly thing - I don't think I could handle more than one of his books in a twelve-month span, but I'd also love to keep exploring his work. We'll see!
"Emotionally walloped" got me so I snagged the O'Farrell from the libe.
Indeed. It was great. Thanks
Happy New Year! I am so excited to find your channel and to add some of these books to my elusive TBR. I loved the ad hoc reviews that transcribed the feeling these books imprinted on you. I also like the distinction between your favourite (those that will "stay with" you) versus The Best. A great topic of discussion ✨
Thank you so much! I'll be making a video soon on that idea of "best" vs "favorite" books, so stay tuned if you're interested :)
"...everything should be a veiled Don Quixote reference." Amen to that!
After You'd Gone is a great book.
Very interesting, as always ! Fire Sermon is very intriguing...
Btw, I had bought "Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography", do you know that one ? And if so, how would you compare it to this new biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder ?
Haven't read that annotated version, so I couldn't say. But if the topic of the Ingalls interests you, I'd say Fraser's book is indispensable
Very diverse group of books, Jennifer! I had just recently read my first O'Farrell - The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox - and found it very sentimental and very predictable, but hearing you speak of this book made me think maybe I will give her another try.
Thank you, Kay! I think "sentimental and predictable" is a fair assessment of O'Farrell's style (based on the three books I've read by her), so I think it comes down to if the particular sentiment she chooses in each book strikes a chord with you
Btw have you read East of Eden by Steinbeck? You probably have. I just finished reading it for the first time and love it so much. Please let me know if youve ever read/reviewed it. Its now an all time favorite of mine.
No, I haven't read East of Eden, but it's wonderful to hear you loved it! I have to confess, I've read three books by Steinbeck and found them all hopelessly boring. (I'll try EaE at some point--so many people love it to pieces, and say it's better than his other books--but I also don't think you should have to read 4 books by an author to get to one you don't hate ;) )
@@InsertLiteraryPunHere oh wow you mustve read the wrong ones lol. Its really good if you like epic family dramas with philosophy and religious themes running thru it. It was also really long
I'm definitely picking up some of these soon!
I can't wait to read more Hobb this year, as I've been told by everyone that the best is still ahead of me. I got Ship of Magic for Christmas and cannot wait to dive in. Glad to see you back around. A delight, as always :D
Ugh yes Ship of Magic is GREAT. Happy 2019 reading xxx
This is a great selection, I loved Educated and When I Hit You too and I just bought The Cost of Living, so you've made me even more excited to read it now!
I hope you also love The Cost of Living! I wish I could read it again for the first time somehow haha :)
I also really enjoyed Prairie Fires, for all the reasons you've highlighted. It would've been one of my favourite books of the year too, were it not for the difference in tone between how the author writes about Laura and Rose. Fraser goes to no pains to hide how much she loves Laura and loathes Rose. Because this book is quite long and so much of it focuses on Rose, I found the difference in tone striking and ultimately distracting.
I agree there was a difference in tone, and your interpretation could be right. I had a slightly different interpretation; I saw that in all other cases Fraser seemed to be letting primary sources and the rest of her research dictate her conclusions, not the other way around, so I gave her the benefit of the doubt and assumed she did the same in Rose's case. Which means sometimes the primary sources continually point to the fact that someone was a genuinely awful person, if an extremely interesting one ;)
You've read some wonderful books this year. I am interested in Educated primarily because you gushed about it. I read Heart Berries this year and it drove me up the wall. So I'm sceptical about picking up another memoir so soon. My favourite book this year was Forster's Maurice and I treasure everything about it! Thank you for sharing the joy of reading and I hope you have a great new year!
Thank you! What was it you hated about Heart Berries? Memoirs are so diverse that it would be a shame to skip them all because you didn't get along with one, unless what you didn't like felt particular to the genre, in which case I'd agree with your skepticism :)
Yes, I would love to hear more about Praire Fires! I adored the Little House books when I was growing up, dislike how people now criticize them using today's standards of what is considered right and wrong. Loved your list of best books, adding the ones I have not read to my TBR! THX.
Right? It makes no sense to me to treat morality like it's a fixed line, and like if a woman raised in the 1870s strayed from our 2019 line it means she had no concept of morality at all. Of course it's really important to discuss/analyze when dehumanization appears in books, as it so clearly does in Little House, but I find the instinct to "cancel" authors strange
My ideal forever job lucky lady.
The Deborah Levy memoir sounds like it would be a good companion piece to the Rachel Cusk Outline trilogy, of which I've read the first two and am fully invested in finishing and maybe re-reading. I, too, loved Prairie Fires for its ambition and putting the pieces together, though I probably won't ever read the Little House series again because of it.
That's so interesting, because Prairie Fires really made me want to go back and reread the series! Although I do see them as very separate projects. But it's clear that Fraser has so much appreciation both as a biographer and as an ordinary reader for the way the Wilders crafted the books, especially for the poetic simplicity of Laura's writing, that I found it infectious :)
Insert Literary Pun Here Fraser did an amazing job in talking about the evolution and genius of the books. I think I won’t read them because it changed my relationship to the series. I’ve read them so many times and now some of the attachment I had to them is gone.
Always a joy to see your videos. Happy New Year 🎉☘️👋🍀. The Pairie Fires? book, really interests me as I'm from a family of 4 girls who were obsessed with Little House on the Pairie. So much so that my Sister Deirdre called one of her daughters Laura.
I was also completely obsessed with them growing up, and with the TV show too, even though they're so different in tone. Happy New Year!
After watching your previous review of Robin Hobb books, I told my sister-in-law about them as well as I sent her your video as they are right up her alley. She loved them so much she has read every one of them in each series. Thank you!
This makes me so happy, thank you! Happy 2019 reading to you and your sister-in-law :)
I like how you’ve described these books!
Thank you, happy New Year!
So enjoy your bookish thoughts. I read a Dickens each year in December and just finished and loved David Copperfield. Simply brilliant.
I think I'd like to read a Dickens every year in October! Any other favorites of his?
@@InsertLiteraryPunHere Bleak House is my current fave. Would highly recommend the audiobook.
I've only heard amazing things about Educated, and you mentioned so many others that are on my radar! great list ^^
The video I was waiting for! I've only read two of the books you talked about (Educated and When I Hit You) and I really do agree with your takes on both albeit they aren't really favorites for me. My absolute number one favorite book of the year is The Idiot by Elif Batuman because it's hilariously and luxuriously written and I have never related more to a main character in my life.
Also, question for you- how do you justify the representation of indigenous folk in those books? Or Charles Dicken's super controversial opinions on Indian people and genocide when reading those books?
Glad to see you again. Love your eloquent book reviews!
Thank you Kristin :) Happy 2019 reading!
Yay! She's back! Wishing you the best for this coming year.
Thank you for a fascinating list! _Prairie Fires_ is on my TBR! I visited the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum and Homes in De Smet, SD this summer, and it was quite fascinating and moving.
Jealous of your trip! I've been out west, but never to the Ingalls' homesteads. Happy 2019
@@InsertLiteraryPunHere I'm just down the road in Minnesota, so not too far.
Really enjoy your content, out of the books you mentioned, educated is already on my tbr pile , but I might add when I hit you and signs for lost children as your description makes them sound intriguing. Must confess I have yet to dabble in Sarah Moss, but maybe this is the book to start with. Thanks for making cool videos.
How did I know PRAIRIE FIRES was you’re number 1??? Love it!
Wonderful that you rated Prairie Fires so highly. I thought it was amazing and so thought provoking.
just added Prairie Fires to my tbr, i am SO interested in reading that!
Yay, so glad to hear that! Happy 2019 reading :)
"Being lowkey turned on for 36 hours is medically unsafe."
I think you're my new favourite person!
I got Prairie Fires for Christmas so particularly looking forward to it Now!
Prairie Fires sounds fascinating I was obsessed with the Little House on the Prairie books as a kid
So happy to see a post from you. I'd love to see an in depth review of Prairie Fires. Thanks so much for your top ten list!
Great to hear from you on this Jennifer some fantastic recommendations for next year, thank you
David Copperfield is a Dickens I haven’t read yet and I’ve been thinking about picking it up for a while. The idea of 36 hours of Richard Armitage has me sold. I’m willing to risk my health. 😂 When I Hit You is also on my favourites list. I thought it managed to walk the tight line between emotional sincerity and arch literary observance brilliantly. And Signs for Lost Children! YES! For me this is Moss’ best and most completely realised novel. It was so precise and yet so generous. I’ve read it and Bodies of Light a couple of times and adored it even more second time around. I’ll be putting both the Deborah Levy and Prairie Fires on my lists for next year.
There's just something about Moss writing in third person that works so well. I love her first-person work too, but it feels slightly more drawn-out and fuzzy around the edges, whereas her Neo-Victorian novels feel both so airy and so substantial at the same time
David Copperfield - otherwise known as the book where nothing happens. How or what could possibly have turned you on? I had to check it out from the library 4 times. Couldn't get through it...
Right, "nothing" happens in that book except for life :) And Armitage's voice was what I was referring to. But no worries, plenty of other books for you to enjoy, no sense torturing yourself with one that's boring you!
@@InsertLiteraryPunHere There are plenty of books that are 'life' driven that are not tedious to red is all I'm saying.
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That's so many books wtf