I never thought I’d get into reading until I started watching Jack, I always thought my dyslexia held me back. But now I’ve read four books already this year and I’ve loved them all
That harmonious sound is the collective sigh of relief to now have official confirmation that Jack did **not** , in fact, give A Little Life 2 stars. 😄
I had in mind that he gave it 5 stars because I saw it on goodreads and when I saw yesterday's video I was so shocked I had to quickly check again and was soooo relieved haha
Not me. Most of the people whose opinions I respect have given it no more than three stars and refer to it as "torture porn." I am looking forward to the new book, though..
Honestly you're the type of person i'd want with me at my worst moments. You give me this vibe like you don't pity people, you understand them, and to understand someone means you can empathize. You are a special human!
There's this one scene in "Loveless" where the dialogue feels like it's been lifted directly from my brain. As an a-spec person without a-spec friends, it felt really good seeing that other people think about the world the same way I do.
I picked this book because of the ace representation and I just found it so incredibly relatable. I recommended that my mother read it after me because of how well is describes the feeling of being aro/ace in a world wear romance and sex is so prominent
I feel so crushed by that title lol. In seventh grade I wrote a literal 20,000 word beginning/half of a book and titled it “Loveless” glad to know I can no longer use that name lol
The joy and excitement he shows when talking about the books makes me wanna read them all! Every single time I watch one of his videos, my TBR list gets bigger, lol
Books mentioned in this video: 1:08 Hament by Maggie O'Farrell 4:35 Loveless by Alice Oseman 7:02 Open Water by Caleb Azuman Nelson 8:36 No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood 10:54 Piranesi by Susanna Clarke 12:28 The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett 13:30 Before The Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi 15:17 Beautiful World, Where Are You? by Sally Rooney 18:15 The Song of Achilles by Madelline Miller 19:25 A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara 21:40 The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins-Reid 22:47 The Housekeeper and The Professor by Yoko Ogawa
glad to know you enjoyed reading many japanese literature! i would recommend you reading "no longer human" by osamu dazai. it's a book about a boy/man who has always felt alienated in the society and the exploration of human emotion is so beautifully done. it is melancholic and kinda left a gaping hole in my chest ever since i finished it. and i think it might be right up your ally?
@@lizethrivera1084 I read it a long time ago so I might have forgotten something, but suicide attempt is one. it's nothing graphic but there's such a scene. I would also say that it's not too shocking or traumatic but yes it is depressing, so don't expect to have a fun time reading it ^^; but it is still a brilliant japanese classic imo, lots of witty observations and social commentary
my heart is so full seeing Loveless in this list. i do hope a lot more people would pick it up because you recommended it and learn about aromantic asexual people because we get such less representation it's sad :( and Alice Oseman being aroace herself makes the story even more authentic and heartwarming
Literally got my Loveless book recently and cried and cried and cried. After years of being told that being Ace was "All in my head", this book touched my heart like no other.
considering that i loved all of these books, i would highly recommend "When Breath Becomes Air" by Paul Kalanithi. it's an emotional, poignant memoir that explores morality, mortality, ambition, and the concept of human existence, which seems right up your alley :)
Read Song of Achilles because of your recommendation, and how fondly you talked about it in your videos. It is beautifully written, and the history part of it is not scary at all. Around the end I cried like I was getting paid for it, but completely worth it!
What was the crying part? I read it too by his recommendation and was left pretty disappointed, it wasn't bad but I didn't see anything too great about it either...
@@morgianasartre6709 I think what hit hard for me personally was that I knew from the beginning that it would not be a happy end, but was rooting for them all the way to the end anyway. It had a lingering effect on me, but that’s just my experience. The actual crying also took part around the end, when I actually understood the prophecy (don’t want to spoiler it).
@@steve_the_first Thank you for the answer, btw did you leave this same comment several times here? I saw at least one other so asked the same question there too not knowing which has an actual person behind it...
@@morgianasartre6709 No, just this one. I only have this account, and I don’t spam comment sections. I’ll check it out though, thanks for letting me know!
@@morgianasartre6709 Same here - I thoroughly enjoyed the book, but I didn't feel it had nearly as big an impact on me as it did (seemingly) thousands of other people. Maybe I just bigged it up too much in my head 🤷♀️
goshhh I'm looking for a gift book for my crush at the moment and can't make up my mind among Before the coffee gets cold, Tuesday with Morrie, Conversation with friends and the seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo and I found your comment! thanks!
I remember picking up Piranesi about a year ago and just having it sit on my shelf, and now that I’ve read it, I was angry at myself for not reading it sooner.
Me too! I may try a few of these books simply because of his enthusiasm. My fav books are huge, thick & world building. On pretend planets. Sometimes with aliens. And it magic. I want a different world in which I immerse myself. Hiding from reality.
@@parktop Before I know Jack's channel all I read are some very cliche self-help books🤣 All of my favorites now are from his recommendations. I've just bought some very fancy, sci-fi with thick world building and character to read . I really need to get out of this comfort zone and experience more to devolope my own taste.
@@jammienguyen69 personally i go for history, political science, classic litterature or all out fantasy. I also cannot stand slow paced/ minimal plot books. So i only take recomendations on classic litterature from jack, but i dont think it matters. I'd never do the challenges he does either, but these are my favorite videos of his lol.
I love how you’re literally glowing, the enormous smile on your face as you’re passionately talking about the books. Thank you for this video, I added new books to my to read list. 🥰
We actually have a book club with the community! It’s on 📚R📚E📚D📚D📚I📚T📚 And the community is just Jack’s name :) It’s also a cool place for us to communicate and post anything from memes to book recommendations. There’s over 600 of us :D
I'm literally so happy that you read Loveless and talk about it on your channel - ace representation and basically just acknowledgement of our existence is still so rare and it just feels like a warm hug to see someone you adore educate themselves and others on the topic :) thank you Jack!
the seven husbands of evelyn hugo and girl in pieces were my absolute FAVES in 2021. they taught me all sorts of lessons and the writing from both of the authors just left me in awe
KIM GIYOUNG is pronounced as Jee-Young. I'm Korean. It is entitled, 내 이름은 김지영. Jiyoung is the first name and Kim is the family name. I remembered I was reading and crying in the library holding this book. It totally reminded of my life as a woman living in S. Korea. I am a mother of three children and work so hard 24/7. I run my own biz as well. We, women need to work a lot harder than men in order to get accepted in S. Korea. So...the thing is that less women only want to marry than they were in the past. They don't even want to bear kids. S. Korea is becoming a kidless country.
I've read The Housekeeper and the Professor three times now, and I cry every single time. I was rooting for it to make your top books of the year. So glad it did. Also very much into the "No plot. Just vibes." I'd wear that shit on a t-shirt, especially when I take plot workshops.
I loved Hamnet so much that when I finished all I wanted was to thank Maggie O'Farrell for her service to the world. I recently read "This must be the place", one of her other books, and it is also brilliant! I can't recommend it enough
finally someone else who is a character > plot kind of person . don't get me wrong I love a good plot but man characters make or break a book I need to be invested in the character's story
You're my comfort RUclipsr. I love your videos so much. You've inspired me to start reading and now I finish almost 1 or 2 books a week. Thank you so much for your books Jack. Hope I can meet you someday ❤
So, I'm currently reading The Song Of Achilles and hearing someone describing it with such love makes me so happy that I can barely hold back tears. I guess this book has already made me so emotional.
I need you to know that it is 2am and I just finished inhaling Piranesi in one sitting and I can't believe how deeply enthralled I was. That was crazy.
The quote from a little life is my favorite book quote of all time. I mean, just so true and so profound. That book and the quote changed my life honestly.
I love how you manage to talk about these books all the time but somehow manage to add something different. I really liked the quote as a sneak peek into what to expect.
My favorite books I read in 2021 were 1. The Color Purple - Alice Walker 2. Crying in H Mart - Michelle Zauner 3. Giovannis Room - James Baldwin 4. Convenience Store Woman - Sayaka Murata 5. The library book - Susan orlean
I'm currently reading A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles and highly recommend it! The prose is exquisite, the characters are memorable, and the premise is fascinating!
Favorite books of the year: 1) The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie 2) Pastoralia by George Saunders 3) Out by Natsuo Kirino 4) The Bookseller of Kabul by Åsne Seierstad 5) The Hole by Pyun Hye-young
Definitely want to recommend Never let me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, the characters are so realistic, relatable and fleshed out, the relationships between them, the writing, the plot are amazing and immersing, not to mention the actual concept and the setting of the story. It's just a masterpiece. Anyone reading this, please give it a go
I have read almost all of these, but seven husbands of evelyn hugo and the song of achilles hust hit me so much harder than the others, but i must say while song of achilles gets you at the end, evelyn hugo is amazing from start to finish, like i cried three times, it was amazingly paced and so interesting, can not recommend enough
I actualy just finished reading Beautiful World, Where Are You about 2 days ago and GOD DAMN. Thank you for bringing this book into my life. I loved the honest, down to earth conversations, the discussions about societal, political and economic problems of our times, finding beauty in the mundane and the importance of relationships. I'm so glad I started my year with this book
I really recommend you reading Carlos Ruiz Zafón, it's the most read author in the Spanish Languaje (like, 15 million copies??) and his aesthetic is immaculate! The best one is "The Shadow of the Wind" (it covers soo many topics related to human interactions, a mystery about a writer and the traditional things that would happen in the 20th century too ^^ its gripping!). However, if you want a shorter one, "Marina" is so cool too. Anyways, thanks for your videos! I practice my English and have a whale of a time haha regards from Spain 👋
Totally agree. This is my number one recommendation since the first time I’ve read this book, quite a few years ago. Glad to see someone else recommend it too.
I agree, The Shadow of the Wind is a top read. The main character in the book, to my mind, is post-Civil War Barcelona. The other three books in the series are also excellent, with the prequel The Angel’s Game being my personal favourite.
I find your comment on fantasy and sci-fi interesting... especially as, for me, it is ALL about humanity (or the lack thereof) that I find interesting. To me, I find an exploration of identity, culture and biology, and its impact on humanity deeply fascinating to read and learn more about through fantasy. So many of our cultures have been defined by those who given themselves the power to define what is human, and what is not (for example, I'm disabled, and I've encountered a lot of people in my life who wouldn't see me as human)-and I find it cathartic in that way to engage with works that ask if it is necessary at all to be human, or be humanlike, to have worth-or to examine how society would be so radically different, or radically the same, if there were just a few factors added in or taken away. But even if I disagree with it, and find it a bit of a frustratingly limited perspective on two very broad genres-it's still interesting to see from the perspective other people who don't like the same thing that draws me to them!
Before the coffee gets cold is one of the most pleasant reading surprises I've had this year. The prose is quite simple (and maybe that's more about the translation), but the personal stories were so moving and so full of love
"A Gentleman in Moscow" by Amor Towles was one of my favourites of 2021 and one I think you will really enjoy - I read it nearly a year ago and I recommend it to anyone who will listen! Also "When all is said" by Anne Griffin. Oh, and "Hamnet" and "The Song of Achilles" (on your recommendations). Thanks for such fab content - the way you review each book so clearly and analytically, in 2021 I was really determined to stop and think about books a lot more, rather than just update my Goodreads account and move onto the next book...
My favorite book in 2021 was Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. I know it's Fantasy and that's not everyones favorite genre but this book was just *chef kiss*. Especially the characters were so human even though they had magical powers and you learn the story of every single one of them. And then about the second book of this series... it just broke my heart...
This book video format is so much better than any of Jack's videos I've seen before, perhaps because he gives time to each book and describes it with more care? I liked it.
Jack would love A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Bachman. It's so warm, heartwarming and feels like a home, honestly. The characters completely captured my heart. My favourite read of 2021.
My favourite was anxious people, also by the same author. I think Backman is amazing at building these real characters that you can relate to. I have read almost every of his books and liked all of them (beartown probably is my 2nd favourite) But anxious people I already read 3 times, even though I just discovered it half a year ago😅
The Count of Montecristo is definitely the best book I've read in 2021, and probably the best book I've ever read. It had it all: complex plot, character development, suspense, plot twists, it made me laugh, cry, hold my breath... It was so good I didn’t want to finish it. A chunky book that requires some effort, but you'll never want to put it down. Absolute masterpiece.
As an AroAce myself. Oh my heart when loveless is in that pile 🥺❤️ And The song of Achilles 🥺🥺 That book shattered me into pieces and I thanked Mz. Miller for it. And call me by your name. Kinda 😌
Yessss! I was hoping you would make a video like this, since you read so many it’s hard to pick out the ones I 100% want to add to my TBR!! And some of you may have heard but we actually created a BOOK CLUB with the community 📚😎 (details in replies)
It’s on 📚R📚E📚D📚D📚I📚T📚 And the community is just Jack’s name :) It’s also a cool place for us to communicate and post anything from memes to book recommendations. Thank you to anyone who joins and we really hope you enjoy it! :D
I read tsoa and Evelyn Hugo in the same week… long story short I was bawling my eyes out most of that time, definitely my favorite reads of 2021 (+ Ninth House)
i tried and tried to get into hamnet last year but it quite literally put me into a reading slump! so many people love it so I was surprised when I didn't! i might have to give it another go this year because I've literally been devouring books so far in 2022 😂😂
My top books where: 1. Call me by your name 2. Song of Achilles 3. The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo 4. The vanishing half. Needless to say by now I trust your judgement on writing Jack, considering that we seem to enjoy the same kinds of books haha.
I absolutely loved before the coffee gets cold , there’s also a sequel for it ( and in my opinion it’s even better than the 1st book ) . It also has the same title except the cover is orange and not blue. I don’t hear much people talking about the sequel , so I’m interested to hear ur opinion about it
My favourite book of the year was undoubtably A Little Life. The writing alone is what stood it out from all others for me. SO excited for To Paradise 🥺 Also a shout out to Trent Dalton - an Australian author who wrote Boy Swallows Universe, All Our Shimmering Skies, and Love Stories - which were tied second.
I swear I’ve never seen your eyes not a glow when you’re talking about any of your favorite books. It is so endearing, delightful, and charming. God I just want to be your best friend
I read The song of Aquiles on October and my heart still hasn't recovered. They way the author describes Aquíles through Patroclo's eyes is so wholesome, but at the same time in a belivable way showing his mistakes. It became my all time favorite book, i would recomend it to everyone. By the way, at the end of the book you can find a glosary (at least my copy has one) PS: I'm not a native English speaker, so please excuse me if you find any grammar mistakes:)
the way that you spelled achilles and pratoclus made me have to read it twice, but yeah i 100% agree, towards the end of the book it makes it look like achilles is correct, when if you look through patroclus's perspective what he did was obviously wrong, there wasnt a glossary at the end of my copy sadly
Also will say this . I deal with major depression. And just to say , and btw it means more than you know , your videos ( having such positive spirit ) , has lifted my attitude. You give people a great and warm perspective ! Keep being you ! Love long and prosper !
My favourite book this year was One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston. It has that sort of “soft fantasy” feel to it where there is a fantastical element but other than that it focuses on real life
Before the coffee gets cold is my favourite book!! No one ever talks about it so when I seen it in your thumb nail I screamed! So happy it’s one of your faves
you reading this little snippet of Hamnet brought tears to my eyes and I cannot tell you if it's solely your voice or the words or a combination of both but ... on the TBR it goes xD
I don't know if you are going to read my comment but I have a reading recommendation for you that I'm almost a 100% sure you will love very much : The Invisible Life of Addie Larue. It is a light fantasy book but trust me the fantasy is not that present. It is mostly a novel about remembering, loneliness, time and art. It is so beautifully written and poetic, it's one of my favorites of all time. I just can't have a day without thinking about it. "What is a person, if not the marks they leave behind?"
I loved that this video didn’t contain too many books. Some of my favourites in there too, but will definitely not pick up A Little Life anytime soon. I know a lot of people love it but I’m just not ready for it (maybe one day).
OMG that Evelyn Hugo quote was literally my favorite as well!! Great recs but would love for you to review fanfiction next, because there's genuinely some really amazing writing out there (especially The Life and Times by Jewels 5)
I used to read books. I loved doing it. Suddenly i started to like someone and my personal space and likings shifted. I really missed my old self. But i really hope i start reading books again. Now that he left forever, i want to build myself in a new light and get attached to things that make me real me❤️
The white tiger by Aravind Adiga was my favourite for 2021. The writing is so simple but so effective. It's an amazing social fresco of Indian society, dark humour, fast pace, intense. I was completely hooked by literally 1st page and my reactions most of the time scared my partner 😅
For anyone who liked The Song of Achilles, I would recommend also reading the ancient texts- not only The Iliad, The Odyssey, and The Aeneid, but also the plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides as well as the Trojan War literature by Dictys of Crete and Dares of Phrygia and The Achilleid by Statius
I love how jack reads us a quote from the book as well, cause sometimes i feel like i’ll enjoy a particular book but the way its written is not something i would like, so this really helps you get a better idea of the book
As usual Jack you inspire me to read, to gain that love and affection for a book, to grasp life through any persons eyes in the beauty of their work. This inspires me to read every book I own this year & then treat myself to every single book I do not already own. Jack all I can really say is thank you 😊
My top 5 were probably (not in order, I’m not that decisive): 1. this is how it always is 2. The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo 3. The Song of Achilles 4. Hamnet 5. Betty
I still can’t get over the fact that you read like 3 books a week. Truly living the dream
Wowser, when you break it down like that...
And here I read one book in a week
I never thought I’d get into reading until I started watching Jack, I always thought my dyslexia held me back. But now I’ve read four books already this year and I’ve loved them all
i'm so proud of you! i have a cousin with dyslexia and i know how much of a struggle that can be so really, huge props to you mate!
@@rebellerene Thank you my mate, that means a lot
That's awesome!
Wow that's great! What did you read? :)
Love how you leave out those pesky vowels in your name. I get it.
That harmonious sound is the collective sigh of relief to now have official confirmation that Jack did **not** , in fact, give A Little Life 2 stars. 😄
This!!!
I also panicked in yesterday’s video 😂
I was shocked
I had in mind that he gave it 5 stars because I saw it on goodreads and when I saw yesterday's video I was so shocked I had to quickly check again and was soooo relieved haha
Not me. Most of the people whose opinions I respect have given it no more than three stars and refer to it as "torture porn." I am looking forward to the new book, though..
The “soft fantasy” you’re describing is the definition of magical realism.
Yes, and I do recommend "people in time" of massimo bontempelli, which is considered the Italian manifesto of this stile, soo good
im sure he knows that, hes pretty educated on the matter lmao
jack isn’t shutting up about the number of books he read in 2021- as he should
lemme have my little moment and then i'll move on like next week
@@jack_edwards You are a gracious person.
He is a booktube channel, so I'd say it's pretty common to film a video on all the ones he read and some personal favourites 🙂
@@jack_edwards no worries jack, if i were you i wouldn’t shut up about it either 😭
164 is A LOT, i barely got through 40 books!
@@katys2579 obviously, this was meant to be a harmless comment :)
Honestly you're the type of person i'd want with me at my worst moments. You give me this vibe like you don't pity people, you understand them, and to understand someone means you can empathize. You are a special human!
You're literally the only RUclipsr i trust for recommendations.
agreed my dude
him and Dakota Warren :))
true
Exactly, if Jack liked it it MUST be good.
And uncarley
There's this one scene in "Loveless" where the dialogue feels like it's been lifted directly from my brain. As an a-spec person without a-spec friends, it felt really good seeing that other people think about the world the same way I do.
i adored loveless, so much emotion and deepness and such good representation, it made me feel very understood
I picked this book because of the ace representation and I just found it so incredibly relatable. I recommended that my mother read it after me because of how well is describes the feeling of being aro/ace in a world wear romance and sex is so prominent
I feel so crushed by that title lol. In seventh grade I wrote a literal 20,000 word beginning/half of a book and titled it “Loveless” glad to know I can no longer use that name lol
@@clairew972 ouch haha
I don’t go through comments thinking I might get spoilers when I already know all jack’s favourites from devouring every 2021 video of his
The joy and excitement he shows when talking about the books makes me wanna read them all! Every single time I watch one of his videos, my TBR list gets bigger, lol
same
same
Right? It's like can I just get a line on everything he reads lol
Books mentioned in this video:
1:08 Hament by Maggie O'Farrell
4:35 Loveless by Alice Oseman
7:02 Open Water by Caleb Azuman Nelson
8:36 No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood
10:54 Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
12:28 The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
13:30 Before The Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
15:17 Beautiful World, Where Are You? by Sally Rooney
18:15 The Song of Achilles by Madelline Miller
19:25 A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
21:40 The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins-Reid
22:47 The Housekeeper and The Professor by Yoko Ogawa
Thanks so much
Bless you
Thank you
Thank you
people like you deserve everything in this world
glad to know you enjoyed reading many japanese literature! i would recommend you reading "no longer human" by osamu dazai. it's a book about a boy/man who has always felt alienated in the society and the exploration of human emotion is so beautifully done. it is melancholic and kinda left a gaping hole in my chest ever since i finished it. and i think it might be right up your ally?
I heard it’s really depressing. Are there any tw?
@@lizethrivera1084 I read it a long time ago so I might have forgotten something, but suicide attempt is one. it's nothing graphic but there's such a scene. I would also say that it's not too shocking or traumatic but yes it is depressing, so don't expect to have a fun time reading it ^^; but it is still a brilliant japanese classic imo, lots of witty observations and social commentary
@@kageyukiaru ok thanks! I think I’ll read it later on then!
@@lizethrivera1084 you're welcome ^^ hope you like it!
I won't even lie I read this because of bungo stray dogs
my heart is so full seeing Loveless in this list. i do hope a lot more people would pick it up because you recommended it and learn about aromantic asexual people because we get such less representation it's sad :( and Alice Oseman being aroace herself makes the story even more authentic and heartwarming
Literally got my Loveless book recently and cried and cried and cried. After years of being told that being Ace was "All in my head", this book touched my heart like no other.
@@leokenella8993 i'm so glad for you!! and no you're 100% valid !! sending lots of love 💜🤍🖤
@@srideepta thank you so much 💜🖤🤍
ikr, i've put it on my to-read list for a while now, hopefully i'll have the time to read it soon !!
I'm going to buy it!
considering that i loved all of these books, i would highly recommend "When Breath Becomes Air" by Paul Kalanithi. it's an emotional, poignant memoir that explores morality, mortality, ambition, and the concept of human existence, which seems right up your alley :)
Yeah , i read that one . Quite good.
LOVED!
I absolutely love this book. It was the first [auto]biography that I read that had me crying
so good
I did not finish "when breath become air"... I haven't found the courage to...
Read Song of Achilles because of your recommendation, and how fondly you talked about it in your videos. It is beautifully written, and the history part of it is not scary at all. Around the end I cried like I was getting paid for it, but completely worth it!
What was the crying part? I read it too by his recommendation and was left pretty disappointed, it wasn't bad but I didn't see anything too great about it either...
@@morgianasartre6709 I think what hit hard for me personally was that I knew from the beginning that it would not be a happy end, but was rooting for them all the way to the end anyway. It had a lingering effect on me, but that’s just my experience. The actual crying also took part around the end, when I actually understood the prophecy (don’t want to spoiler it).
@@steve_the_first Thank you for the answer, btw did you leave this same comment several times here? I saw at least one other so asked the same question there too not knowing which has an actual person behind it...
@@morgianasartre6709 No, just this one. I only have this account, and I don’t spam comment sections. I’ll check it out though, thanks for letting me know!
@@morgianasartre6709 Same here - I thoroughly enjoyed the book, but I didn't feel it had nearly as big an impact on me as it did (seemingly) thousands of other people. Maybe I just bigged it up too much in my head 🤷♀️
Before the Coffee gets Cold really got to me, I even cried a couple of times. Beautiful story. I also think it's a perfect gift-book.
goshhh I'm looking for a gift book for my crush at the moment and can't make up my mind among Before the coffee gets cold, Tuesday with Morrie, Conversation with friends and the seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo and I found your comment! thanks!
You must be the most enthusiastic, smiley, positive bookTuber on RUclips. Totally adorable ☺️
you'd love Noelle Gallagher too!!!
‘No plot, just vibes’ is absolutely my favourite genre!
I’ve read and loved a lot of these books, plus added a few to my tbr 🥰
Please share your favs!
I remember picking up Piranesi about a year ago and just having it sit on my shelf, and now that I’ve read it, I was angry at myself for not reading it sooner.
I want to borrow it from the library but I keep putting it off so thank you for convincing me
Same phenomenon with the Song of Achilles. Put it on the shelf for almost a year and now it’s my favorite book :,)
Ugh I hate when that happens!
Not me ordering half of the list because “Song of Achilles” and “The 7 husbands of Evelyn Hugo” were some of my favorite reads in 2021 as well!
I have the complete opposite taste in books and will likely never read anything Jack recommends but I still watch every single video 😂
Yup me too! I rarely take the actual recommendations, but i keep coming back. His videos are so comforting to me AND they inspire me to keep reading
What kind of book do you read? I am just curious what you think is the opposite of his taste in book.:)
Me too! I may try a few of these books simply because of his enthusiasm. My fav books are huge, thick & world building. On pretend planets. Sometimes with aliens. And it magic. I want a different world in which I immerse myself. Hiding from reality.
@@parktop Before I know Jack's channel all I read are some very cliche self-help books🤣 All of my favorites now are from his recommendations. I've just bought some very fancy, sci-fi with thick world building and character to read . I really need to get out of this comfort zone and experience more to devolope my own taste.
@@jammienguyen69 personally i go for history, political science, classic litterature or all out fantasy. I also cannot stand slow paced/ minimal plot books. So i only take recomendations on classic litterature from jack, but i dont think it matters. I'd never do the challenges he does either, but these are my favorite videos of his lol.
I love how you’re literally glowing, the enormous smile on your face as you’re passionately talking about the books. Thank you for this video, I added new books to my to read list. 🥰
He fills in the void of not being a bookclub.
We actually have a book club with the community!
It’s on 📚R📚E📚D📚D📚I📚T📚
And the community is just Jack’s name :)
It’s also a cool place for us to communicate and post anything from memes to book recommendations. There’s over 600 of us :D
Jack I would listen to literally any audiobook you narrate I love the way you read the quotes
I'm literally so happy that you read Loveless and talk about it on your channel - ace representation and basically just acknowledgement of our existence is still so rare and it just feels like a warm hug to see someone you adore educate themselves and others on the topic :) thank you Jack!
the seven husbands of evelyn hugo and girl in pieces were my absolute FAVES in 2021. they taught me all sorts of lessons and the writing from both of the authors just left me in awe
KIM GIYOUNG is pronounced as Jee-Young. I'm Korean. It is entitled, 내 이름은 김지영. Jiyoung is the first name and Kim is the family name. I remembered I was reading and crying in the library holding this book. It totally reminded of my life as a woman living in S. Korea. I am a mother of three children and work so hard 24/7. I run my own biz as well. We, women need to work a lot harder than men in order to get accepted in S. Korea. So...the thing is that less women only want to marry than they were in the past. They don't even want to bear kids. S. Korea is becoming a kidless country.
I've read The Housekeeper and the Professor three times now, and I cry every single time. I was rooting for it to make your top books of the year. So glad it did.
Also very much into the "No plot. Just vibes." I'd wear that shit on a t-shirt, especially when I take plot workshops.
I loved Hamnet so much that when I finished all I wanted was to thank Maggie O'Farrell for her service to the world. I recently read "This must be the place", one of her other books, and it is also brilliant! I can't recommend it enough
finally someone else who is a character > plot kind of person . don't get me wrong I love a good plot but man characters make or break a book I need to be invested in the character's story
You're my comfort RUclipsr. I love your videos so much. You've inspired me to start reading and now I finish almost 1 or 2 books a week. Thank you so much for your books Jack. Hope I can meet you someday ❤
as someone who lives in a studio apartment, the precarious tower of books behind jack is honestly such a mood😄
The way all your books are in pristine condition makes me love you even more and I didn't think that could be possible🥰✨
he’s actually likes to dog-ear and write in his books !
@@salma3803 but the condition is still rlly good. He said he doesn't like to break the spines and none of his books have stains or ripped/torn pages
So, I'm currently reading The Song Of Achilles and hearing someone describing it with such love makes me so happy that I can barely hold back tears. I guess this book has already made me so emotional.
It's so good!!!🤧🤧🤧
@@Definitelynotabot4 I’ve finished it and now I’m sobbing like a child.😖
I love Piranesi sooooo much!!!! I’ve never read anything like it before. It truly is a masterpiece.
I need you to know that it is 2am and I just finished inhaling Piranesi in one sitting and I can't believe how deeply enthralled I was. That was crazy.
The quote from a little life is my favorite book quote of all time. I mean, just so true and so profound. That book and the quote changed my life honestly.
I love how you manage to talk about these books all the time but somehow manage to add something different. I really liked the quote as a sneak peek into what to expect.
My favorite books I read in 2021 were
1. The Color Purple - Alice Walker
2. Crying in H Mart - Michelle Zauner
3. Giovannis Room - James Baldwin
4. Convenience Store Woman - Sayaka Murata
5. The library book - Susan orlean
I'm currently reading A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles and highly recommend it! The prose is exquisite, the characters are memorable, and the premise is fascinating!
I LOVE this book. I have a hard copy and bought it on Audible. I have read and listened to it multiple times.
Have you read "A Murmur of Bees"?
Also a huge recommendation from me.
No I haven't but it's going on my TBR list, thank you!!
Love this thread!
My grandma loves that book, she's read it several times!
Can we all just appreciate how good Jacks reading voice is 😍
Favorite books of the year:
1) The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie
2) Pastoralia
by George Saunders
3) Out
by Natsuo Kirino
4) The Bookseller of Kabul
by Åsne Seierstad
5) The Hole by Pyun Hye-young
Fav of the year was The Poppy War trilogy! But to you I would highly recommend I Am, I Am, I Am which is also written by Maggie O’Farrel
Definitely want to recommend Never let me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, the characters are so realistic, relatable and fleshed out, the relationships between them, the writing, the plot are amazing and immersing, not to mention the actual concept and the setting of the story. It's just a masterpiece. Anyone reading this, please give it a go
I love this book and it means a lot to me personally. Absolutely recommend.
I have read almost all of these, but seven husbands of evelyn hugo and the song of achilles hust hit me so much harder than the others, but i must say while song of achilles gets you at the end, evelyn hugo is amazing from start to finish, like i cried three times, it was amazingly paced and so interesting, can not recommend enough
Omg was just reading Hamnet before I clicked on this video! Can confirm it is stunning-lush, poetic language at its best 🥺
I actualy just finished reading Beautiful World, Where Are You about 2 days ago and GOD DAMN. Thank you for bringing this book into my life. I loved the honest, down to earth conversations, the discussions about societal, political and economic problems of our times, finding beauty in the mundane and the importance of relationships. I'm so glad I started my year with this book
your review of no one is talking about this resonated so much with me. i didn’t necessarily enjoy reading it but i can’t stop thinking about it
I really recommend you reading Carlos Ruiz Zafón, it's the most read author in the Spanish Languaje (like, 15 million copies??) and his aesthetic is immaculate! The best one is "The Shadow of the Wind" (it covers soo many topics related to human interactions, a mystery about a writer and the traditional things that would happen in the 20th century too ^^ its gripping!). However, if you want a shorter one, "Marina" is so cool too. Anyways, thanks for your videos! I practice my English and have a whale of a time haha regards from Spain 👋
Totally agree. This is my number one recommendation since the first time I’ve read this book, quite a few years ago. Glad to see someone else recommend it too.
I agree, The Shadow of the Wind is a top read. The main character in the book, to my mind, is post-Civil War Barcelona. The other three books in the series are also excellent, with the prequel The Angel’s Game being my personal favourite.
love the little inside he does when showing us a part of the book!
I find your comment on fantasy and sci-fi interesting... especially as, for me, it is ALL about humanity (or the lack thereof) that I find interesting. To me, I find an exploration of identity, culture and biology, and its impact on humanity deeply fascinating to read and learn more about through fantasy.
So many of our cultures have been defined by those who given themselves the power to define what is human, and what is not (for example, I'm disabled, and I've encountered a lot of people in my life who wouldn't see me as human)-and I find it cathartic in that way to engage with works that ask if it is necessary at all to be human, or be humanlike, to have worth-or to examine how society would be so radically different, or radically the same, if there were just a few factors added in or taken away.
But even if I disagree with it, and find it a bit of a frustratingly limited perspective on two very broad genres-it's still interesting to see from the perspective other people who don't like the same thing that draws me to them!
Before the coffee gets cold is one of the most pleasant reading surprises I've had this year. The prose is quite simple (and maybe that's more about the translation), but the personal stories were so moving and so full of love
Obsessed with these videos and your recommendations Jack! Please add “Mornings in Jenin” to your 2022 reading list you won’t regret it!
When you take out some exiquite lines from the book, it stimulates my yearning to have it.
*It illustrates prodigiously about the book*
as a mixed person, I RAN to order the vanishing half ( as well as passing from your last video)!!
you are the one to trust for book recs
"A Gentleman in Moscow" by Amor Towles was one of my favourites of 2021 and one I think you will really enjoy - I read it nearly a year ago and I recommend it to anyone who will listen! Also "When all is said" by Anne Griffin. Oh, and "Hamnet" and "The Song of Achilles" (on your recommendations). Thanks for such fab content - the way you review each book so clearly and analytically, in 2021 I was really determined to stop and think about books a lot more, rather than just update my Goodreads account and move onto the next book...
I loved A Gentleman in Moscow, I wasn’t sure whether it would be my type of thing but it ended up being one of my favourites of the year!
I'm in love with the way Jack speaks about books, it makes me want to read literally everything that he recommends
My favorite book in 2021 was Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. I know it's Fantasy and that's not everyones favorite genre but this book was just *chef kiss*. Especially the characters were so human even though they had magical powers and you learn the story of every single one of them. And then about the second book of this series... it just broke my heart...
This book video format is so much better than any of Jack's videos I've seen before, perhaps because he gives time to each book and describes it with more care? I liked it.
Jack would love A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Bachman. It's so warm, heartwarming and feels like a home, honestly. The characters completely captured my heart. My favourite read of 2021.
My favourite was anxious people, also by the same author. I think Backman is amazing at building these real characters that you can relate to. I have read almost every of his books and liked all of them (beartown probably is my 2nd favourite) But anxious people I already read 3 times, even though I just discovered it half a year ago😅
@@Laura-ip3zv have you seen the series on netflix? very close to the book, I loved it.
i could listen to you talking about books for hours honestly your reviews did justice to the books TT
Oh I'm SO here for the Loveless shout-out! I loved that book. The queer friendships within is *chef's kiss*
The Count of Montecristo is definitely the best book I've read in 2021, and probably the best book I've ever read. It had it all: complex plot, character development, suspense, plot twists, it made me laugh, cry, hold my breath... It was so good I didn’t want to finish it. A chunky book that requires some effort, but you'll never want to put it down. Absolute masterpiece.
seeing loveless on this list makes me so happy hehe
As an AroAce myself. Oh my heart when loveless is in that pile 🥺❤️
And The song of Achilles 🥺🥺 That book shattered me into pieces and I thanked Mz. Miller for it.
And call me by your name. Kinda 😌
Yessss! I was hoping you would make a video like this, since you read so many it’s hard to pick out the ones I 100% want to add to my TBR!! And some of you may have heard but we actually created a BOOK CLUB with the community 📚😎 (details in replies)
It’s on 📚R📚E📚D📚D📚I📚T📚
And the community is just Jack’s name :)
It’s also a cool place for us to communicate and post anything from memes to book recommendations.
Thank you to anyone who joins and we really hope you enjoy it! :D
this has become my comfort video.
i read 'before the coffee gets cold' because I saw you read it on GoodReads and oh my GOD it broke me, it was so beautiful! its defo my new fav book
I read tsoa and Evelyn Hugo in the same week… long story short I was bawling my eyes out most of that time, definitely my favorite reads of 2021 (+ Ninth House)
i tried and tried to get into hamnet last year but it quite literally put me into a reading slump! so many people love it so I was surprised when I didn't! i might have to give it another go this year because I've literally been devouring books so far in 2022 😂😂
Jack.. Your channel is dangerous. I literally want to read every book you ever mention.. 0.0
My top books where:
1. Call me by your name
2. Song of Achilles
3. The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo
4. The vanishing half.
Needless to say by now I trust your judgement on writing Jack, considering that we seem to enjoy the same kinds of books haha.
the way jack describes books makes me intrigued in how he analyzed them in his college essays. I need to read one of his essays before I die
I absolutely loved before the coffee gets cold , there’s also a sequel for it ( and in my opinion it’s even better than the 1st book ) . It also has the same title except the cover is orange and not blue. I don’t hear much people talking about the sequel , so I’m interested to hear ur opinion about it
thank you so much! I read the first one a while ago and enjoyed it and didn't know there was a second one until now...
your videos keep pulling me back
You’re keeping me alive with these videos 🙃
I hope you get better soon!
getting over a break up rn and seeing how u did it with running towards books... i feel so validated
My favourite book of the year was undoubtably A Little Life. The writing alone is what stood it out from all others for me. SO excited for To Paradise 🥺
Also a shout out to Trent Dalton - an Australian author who wrote Boy Swallows Universe, All Our Shimmering Skies, and Love Stories - which were tied second.
I swear I’ve never seen your eyes not a glow when you’re talking about any of your favorite books. It is so endearing, delightful, and charming. God I just want to be your best friend
I read The song of Aquiles on October and my heart still hasn't recovered. They way the author describes Aquíles through Patroclo's eyes is so wholesome, but at the same time in a belivable way showing his mistakes. It became my all time favorite book, i would recomend it to everyone.
By the way, at the end of the book you can find a glosary (at least my copy has one)
PS: I'm not a native English speaker, so please excuse me if you find any grammar mistakes:)
the way that you spelled achilles and pratoclus made me have to read it twice, but yeah i 100% agree, towards the end of the book it makes it look like achilles is correct, when if you look through patroclus's perspective what he did was obviously wrong, there wasnt a glossary at the end of my copy sadly
@@seaof_stars sorry, i read it in Spanish and that is how it is spelled in the copy I read
@@seaof_stars that's how they're called in spanish
@@florenciacea2738 oh yeah nah its okay it just confused me for a bit
Also will say this . I deal with major depression. And just to say , and btw it means more than you know , your videos ( having such positive spirit ) , has lifted my attitude. You give people a great and warm perspective ! Keep being you ! Love long and prosper !
My favourite book this year was One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston. It has that sort of “soft fantasy” feel to it where there is a fantastical element but other than that it focuses on real life
Yesss i picked it up at the bookstore earlier this year and i enjoyed it a lot! Not my favourite but it deserves more recognition
I just started reading Open Water after seeing your IG story, I'm loving it so far.
And Jack, I hope you have a nice day, also please stay hydrated.
Ay I'm glad you liked Piranesi so much!! That was almost a one-sitting read for me. Also, you would definitely like Miller's other book, Circe.
Before the coffee gets cold is my favourite book!! No one ever talks about it so when I seen it in your thumb nail I screamed! So happy it’s one of your faves
That sally rooney quote you shared actually made me jaw drop, ordering that book asap
you reading this little snippet of Hamnet brought tears to my eyes and I cannot tell you if it's solely your voice or the words or a combination of both but ... on the TBR it goes xD
I don't know if you are going to read my comment but I have a reading recommendation for you that I'm almost a 100% sure you will love very much : The Invisible Life of Addie Larue.
It is a light fantasy book but trust me the fantasy is not that present. It is mostly a novel about remembering, loneliness, time and art. It is so beautifully written and poetic, it's one of my favorites of all time. I just can't have a day without thinking about it.
"What is a person, if not the marks they leave behind?"
he's going to upload a "Reading booktok books part 2" soon and that book is one of them. He posted it on his Instagram story
@@annikab.5366 oh great thank you so much for telling me ! I can't wait now !
his descriptions are so eloquent and addictive omg
I loved that this video didn’t contain too many books. Some of my favourites in there too, but will definitely not pick up A Little Life anytime soon. I know a lot of people love it but I’m just not ready for it (maybe one day).
OMG that Evelyn Hugo quote was literally my favorite as well!! Great recs but would love for you to review fanfiction next, because there's genuinely some really amazing writing out there (especially The Life and Times by Jewels 5)
I used to read books. I loved doing it. Suddenly i started to like someone and my personal space and likings shifted. I really missed my old self. But i really hope i start reading books again. Now that he left forever, i want to build myself in a new light and get attached to things that make me real me❤️
I highly recommend Name of the Wind! The writing is spectacular and full of nuance :) Big brain details while still being accessible!
The white tiger by Aravind Adiga was my favourite for 2021. The writing is so simple but so effective. It's an amazing social fresco of Indian society, dark humour, fast pace, intense. I was completely hooked by literally 1st page and my reactions most of the time scared my partner 😅
Loved that you used quotes to show your appreciation of the books. ❤️
For anyone who liked The Song of Achilles, I would recommend also reading the ancient texts- not only The Iliad, The Odyssey, and The Aeneid, but also the plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides as well as the Trojan War literature by Dictys of Crete and Dares of Phrygia and The Achilleid by Statius
Don't forget the Argonautika by Apollonius Rhodius and Ovidius's Metamorphoses! My copies are in shreds from the number of times I read them 😍
@@MB-bp8ek THe Argonautica is definitely underrated !
I love how jack reads us a quote from the book as well, cause sometimes i feel like i’ll enjoy a particular book but the way its written is not something i would like, so this really helps you get a better idea of the book
"The Pull of the Stars" by Emma Donoghue is definitely one of my favourite reads of 2021. I couldn't put it down
As usual Jack you inspire me to read, to gain that love and affection for a book, to grasp life through any persons eyes in the beauty of their work. This inspires me to read every book I own this year & then treat myself to every single book I do not already own.
Jack all I can really say is thank you 😊
My top 5 were probably (not in order, I’m not that decisive):
1. this is how it always is
2. The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo
3. The Song of Achilles
4. Hamnet
5. Betty