I really enjoyed Knife too. I listened to it on audio and found Rushdie's voice very relaxing. You two other N-F books sound interesting too. And you've made me think about reading Vanity Fair. But not Les Miserables, that one isn't for me. Since I started watching your channel I've really been reading fewer dudes and enjoying my reading even more because of it.
Hi Britta! So nice to see you on a Wednesday! Thank you so very much for that lovely review of Vanity Faire, I've always wanted to read it, and now I'm encouraged to finally pick it up! Have a wonderful day
A surprise video mid week. Excellent! I wrote a huge assignment on Vanity Fair when at university and have never felt the need to reread although it was such a long time ago. Most years I include Le Mis in those books I would like to read. May get to it this year? I have an excellent book about Palestine written by a journalist John Lyons, from Australia. I had seen him speak at a writers’ festival accompanied by his wife who is a photographer. The book, Balcony over Jerusalem although written in 2017 is still my go to in a bid to better understand the situation in that part of the world. These days see him on the news most evenings. Thanks Britta.
Thank you, I too enjoyed Vanity Fair - I feel it is very underrated. Such a sharp social commentaries and I don't think I want to read again though. I would re-read les miserables ❤ I enjoy your reviews very much.
I love this video. I mostly have read female writers all my life, with my fave male authors usually-not always- being gay authors who mainly write about women or gay males (such as Colm Toibin). Some excellent recommendations here, Britta. Thank you.
Thanks! I read both of the fiction many years ago, and loved both! I recently listened to Knife on audio, read by Rushdie himself, and thought it was very good! It was equal parts moving, information, and surprisingly funny.. Having him bring his ordeal to life and offer his intimate perspective was brilliant.
Thanks for this review Britta and I’m glad the dudes still get a look in! The arc of your reading sounds a bit like mine - 90% dudes in the 80s has gradually and unconsciously changed to only about 30% dudes today. The three books I am reading at the moment for example are all by women - Virginia Woolf, Kate Briggs and Catherine Lacey. I thought Knife was brilliant and it would be one of my top reads of the year. I had previously read his memoir Joseph Anton which I also thought was excellent so I can recommend it to you if you haven’t read it yet.
I read Les Miserables in that 10 pages a day way this past year and loved it! So much history and commentary to reflect on. Vanity Fair has been on my to read list for years, so thanks for the reminder that it's good, too! Do you have another big novel you are planning to read this year?
Yayyy! So glad to see Les Misérables on your faves list. Called those essay parts public service announcements.😂 But I loved it! We had a great time discussing it for the read along I did. I read it from October to mid December.This year I'm going to buddy read in French Notre Dame de Paris (The Hunchback of Notre Dame). I have Vanity Fair on my TBR as well but I have others that I'm excited about so I'll just have to see what I'm in the mood for. Great list!
I read Vanity Fair and Les Miserables in the long ago, my best dude non-fiction was The China Mirage by James Bradley, which also covers Madame Chiang Kai-shek and her sisters well. Best dude fiction, I read Felicia's Journey by the late William Trevor. I have been reading him since 1966, when I purchased The Old Boys with my own earned money from my first summer job. Also, enjoyed James by Percival Everett. Old books read and enjoyed last year, The Shadow Line by Josef/Joseph Conrad and Witch Wood by John Buchan.
These all sound great. Except _Les Mis._ 😂 (Well, I tried the Rushdie and did a quick DNF.) I look forward to your dudes video every year - so much so that when I saw Kim’s video come by today with the title “Duds of 2024” I misread the word as “Dudes”.
Der Ton ist leider immer noch problematisch (metallisches Echo). Rushdie und Thackeray sind no brainer, die beiden anderen Sachbücher klingen spannend (wobei ich denke, dass das Buch über Palästina früher hätte ansetzen müssen, um die Behauptung, dass P immer schon jüdisch gewesen wäre, zu entkräften (tatsächlich war es "immer schon", lange vor den Juden, palästinensisch (und das sind keine Araber) - aber das nur als Fakt, nicht als Argument im aktuellen Streit). Für Hugo kann ich mich nicht erwärmen, habe einen sehr "simplen" Glöckner gelesen, bei dem mir weder der Plot (Vorabendniveau) noch der Sprachstil (wie in Stein gemeißelt, derb) gefallen hat. Solange es noch andere Texte gibt, die mein Interesse anziehen (und da war heute ja wieder etwas dabei), werde ich keinen Hugo mehr lesen (und bevor ich den auf Englisch lese, lerne ich lieber Französisch). Vielen Dank, wie immer, für die wie immer spannende, fundierte Vorstellung der Bücher.
I want to read Big Fiction and I agree with you about Khalidi’s book.
I really enjoyed Knife too. I listened to it on audio and found Rushdie's voice very relaxing.
You two other N-F books sound interesting too. And you've made me think about reading Vanity Fair. But not Les Miserables, that one isn't for me.
Since I started watching your channel I've really been reading fewer dudes and enjoying my reading even more because of it.
Hi Britta! So nice to see you on a Wednesday! Thank you so very much for that lovely review of Vanity Faire, I've always wanted to read it, and now I'm encouraged to finally pick it up! Have a wonderful day
A surprise video mid week. Excellent! I wrote a huge assignment on Vanity Fair when at university and have never felt the need to reread although it was such a long time ago. Most years I include Le Mis in those books I would like to read. May get to it this year? I have an excellent book about Palestine written by a journalist John Lyons, from Australia. I had seen him speak at a writers’ festival accompanied by his wife who is a photographer. The book, Balcony over Jerusalem although written in 2017 is still my go to in a bid to better understand
the situation in that part of the world. These days see him on the news most evenings. Thanks Britta.
Thank you, I too enjoyed Vanity Fair - I feel it is very underrated. Such a sharp social commentaries and I don't think I want to read again though. I would re-read les miserables ❤ I enjoy your reviews very much.
I love this video. I mostly have read female writers all my life, with my fave male authors usually-not always- being gay authors who mainly write about women or gay males (such as Colm Toibin). Some excellent recommendations here, Britta. Thank you.
Currently reading Khalidi’s book. Hope more Americans will do the same and stop relying on PR handouts from our government which is what our media do.
Thanks! I read both of the fiction many years ago, and loved both! I recently listened to Knife on audio, read by Rushdie himself, and thought it was very good! It was equal parts moving, information, and surprisingly funny.. Having him bring his ordeal to life and offer his intimate perspective was brilliant.
Thanks for this review Britta and I’m glad the dudes still get a look in! The arc of your reading sounds a bit like mine - 90% dudes in the 80s has gradually and unconsciously changed to only about 30% dudes today. The three books I am reading at the moment for example are all by women - Virginia Woolf, Kate Briggs and Catherine Lacey. I thought Knife was brilliant and it would be one of my top reads of the year. I had previously read his memoir Joseph Anton which I also thought was excellent so I can recommend it to you if you haven’t read it yet.
I read Les Miserables in that 10 pages a day way this past year and loved it! So much history and commentary to reflect on. Vanity Fair has been on my to read list for years, so thanks for the reminder that it's good, too! Do you have another big novel you are planning to read this year?
Yayyy! So glad to see Les Misérables on your faves list. Called those essay parts public service announcements.😂 But I loved it! We had a great time discussing it for the read along I did. I read it from October to mid December.This year I'm going to buddy read in French Notre Dame de Paris (The Hunchback of Notre Dame). I have Vanity Fair on my TBR as well but I have others that I'm excited about so I'll just have to see what I'm in the mood for. Great list!
I will consider Vanity Fair for Victober this year.
I read Vanity Fair and Les Miserables in the long ago, my best dude non-fiction was The China Mirage by James Bradley, which also covers Madame Chiang Kai-shek and her sisters well. Best dude fiction, I read Felicia's Journey by the late William Trevor. I have been reading him since 1966, when I purchased The Old Boys with my own earned money from my first summer job. Also, enjoyed James by Percival Everett. Old books read and enjoyed last year, The Shadow Line by Josef/Joseph Conrad and Witch Wood by John Buchan.
Les Mis is one of the 'big' books I've still to get to.
I like the clin d'oeil cover of the Salman Rushdie book.
These all sound great. Except _Les Mis._ 😂 (Well, I tried the Rushdie and did a quick DNF.) I look forward to your dudes video every year - so much so that when I saw Kim’s video come by today with the title “Duds of 2024” I misread the word as “Dudes”.
Der Ton ist leider immer noch problematisch (metallisches Echo). Rushdie und Thackeray sind no brainer, die beiden anderen Sachbücher klingen spannend (wobei ich denke, dass das Buch über Palästina früher hätte ansetzen müssen, um die Behauptung, dass P immer schon jüdisch gewesen wäre, zu entkräften (tatsächlich war es "immer schon", lange vor den Juden, palästinensisch (und das sind keine Araber) - aber das nur als Fakt, nicht als Argument im aktuellen Streit). Für Hugo kann ich mich nicht erwärmen, habe einen sehr "simplen" Glöckner gelesen, bei dem mir weder der Plot (Vorabendniveau) noch der Sprachstil (wie in Stein gemeißelt, derb) gefallen hat. Solange es noch andere Texte gibt, die mein Interesse anziehen (und da war heute ja wieder etwas dabei), werde ich keinen Hugo mehr lesen (und bevor ich den auf Englisch lese, lerne ich lieber Französisch).
Vielen Dank, wie immer, für die wie immer spannende, fundierte Vorstellung der Bücher.