The cover trends idea is really interesting! What a haul - love the excitement, and I cannot in any way fault the desire to add to your collection and just keeping the thrill alive 🤩 Good for you, Simon. Hope you’re doing well and enjoying your travels
I’ve had a few weeks at home now which has been lovely, but boy oh boy is the travel on its way in the coming weeks. Am sharing an exciting travel based project on Thursday hopefully… with more in the pipeline.
You are so lucky receiving all those interesting books📚👌I found your reading prompts so fun that I will try to follow them by reading books I own. It will be a reading challenge to read books from my shelves. 🤗
Sometimes I'm So Happy I'm Not Safe on the Streets is a very interesting title. My first thought was that it was about BPD and related to having manic episodes. But when you elaborated on the context, that makes sense as well. I love interesting titles like that!
Absolutely loved The Good Lord Bird and I will eventually read The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store. Placed Pet on my list, I too make a list to take to bookstores but they often do not stock what I wish to have and I have to turn to you know who (but they were a lifesaver in recent history), to have it delivered to me.
If you’re after a more, but sadly not totally, indie option from you know who, Blackwells is great. They’ve been taken over by Waterstones now, which gives me a myriad of feelings but still shipping for free internationally, for now.
I checked my Goodreads and I have read The Monsters of Templeton in 2011! I can't remember what it was about now, but I remember I liked it 😊. My cover was black & white, yours looks so pretty with the added colour.
Hahaha sometimes remembering you liked a book is enough. I bought the black and white one originally back when I got a copy in America years ago. My luggage was too heavy so had to leave it with a friend.
Oooh that’s the plan. Though I like to have a bit of space between the two if I can or the actors end up taking over my own imagined characters too quickly.
"I used to be a tour guide in Highgate Cemetery"...yes Simon, just casually throw that in like it's not the coolest job in the world! 😲I loved Andrew Miller's 'Pure', about the man sent to organise the clearing of Les Innocents cemetery in Paris in the 18th Century. I remember being totally transported to the setting, and almost being able to smell the things he describes.
Hahaha. It was a pretty cool job. I think cos it was such a long time ago I assume everyone knows I did it, or maybe it’s not so relevant. Anyway, it’s a cool place and maybe I’ll go back and do a video. I read Pure, when I had a podcast it was a book club pick. I liked it and Andrew came on and was lovely.
“These Silent Mansions: A Life in Graveyards” has my name all over it. I love cemeteries. I don’t know how I missed it when it was published so thanks for bringing it to my attention. Wishing you a good train journey.🚆
Ha thank you. I’ve done them all now. Well all the ones for the weekend. More coming later this week. He’s on the go go go again it seems. I’m so looking for were to These Silent Mansions.
So many of these sound great. Mr. Chartwell sounds interesting. Thanks for putting that on my radar. Some interesting poetry books too. Yay for Vanishing Monuments. I still need to read it. Just finished Killers of The Flower Moon and would like to read The Wager now. 😊💙
Just read Pet and holy HECK it is so good. You’re in for a treat! Definitely read Killers of the Flower Moon before seeing the film. The book has tension… the film basically tells you what’s going on in the first 15 minutes. Reaaaaally want to read Local Fires.
I always like to read a book before watching the film or TV show. Though it’s a bone of contention at the moment as someone wants to watch the new Jack Reacher and I’ve been saying I’ll read the book first for MONTHS and now I’ve started the WP books so we won’t be watching that or any other adaptations till April at least.
I love them too. Though loved them more before Waterstones took over, only because it meant it had some friendly competition. Now they’re dominating. Anyway… hooray for the six books!
I had the same trepidation about the magpie narrator in The Axeman's Carnival but it won the NZ National book awards for a reason last year, it's excellent. Much like Pet, so many NZ vibes but also universal themes.
Books mentioned: Clear by Carys Davies Ours by Phillip B. Williams The Night Alphabet by Joelle Taylor The In-Between by Christos Tsiolkas The Diaries of Mr. Lucas by Hugo Greenhalgh Hey, Zoey by Sarah Crossan The Pachinko Parlour by Elisa Shua Dusapin Vladivostok Circus by Elisa Shua Dusapin Pet by Catherine Chidgey The Axeman’s Carnival by Catherine Chidgey Blood Red by Gabriela Ponce The Painter’s Daughters by Emily Howes This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things by Naomi Wood Top Doll by Karen McCarthy Woolf Hot Springs Drive by Lindsay Hunter Shanghailanders by Juli Min Love Me Tender by Constance Debré Play Boy by Constance Debré Night Swimmers by Roisin Maguire A Sign of Her Own by Sarah Marsh Asa: The Girl Who Turned Into a Pair of Chopsticks by Natsuko Imamura Lightborne by Hesse Phillips The Other Princess by Denny S. Bryce The Good Lord Bird by James McBride The Antique Hunters Guide to Murder by C.L. Miller The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff Girlfriends by Emily Zhou Nothing Left to Fear From Hell by Alan Warner The Things We Do To Our Friends by Heather Darwent Dat’s Love by Leonora Brito House Woman by Adorah Nworah The House Next to the Factory by Sonal Kohli Mother’s Instinct by Barbara Abel One Hundred Days by Alice Pung Lori & Joe by Amy Arnold Pleasure Beach by Helen Palmer Mr. Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt Everland by Rebecca Hunt These Silent Mansions by Jean Sprackland Take Me Up the Lighthouse by Dean Wilson Sometimes I’m So Happy I’m Not Safe on the Streets by Dean Wilson Vanishing Monuments by John Elizabeth Stinzi Rapture’s Road by Seán Hewitt Unutterable Visions, Perishable Breath by Otamere Guobadia Greekling by Kostya Tsolakis All the Violet Tiaras by Jean Menzies The Wager by David Grann Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann Local Fires by Joshua Jones Confrontations by Simone Atangana Bekono One of the Good Guys by Araminta Hall The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen
I'd love it if you would do a video recommending books set in the North of England, I'm from Greater Manchester originally, and I get homesick but find it hard to find books set there that aren't crime fiction 😅 You've already got me interested in Pleasure Beach (good ol' Blackpool!), but I'm on a book buying ban at the moment, let's see how long that lasts!
I hope you read the comments. You won't believe this but the The Other Princess sounds like the history of one of my ancestors who was given as a gift to Victoria. Her name was Sarah.
I do indeed read my comments I’m always thrilled to get them. I also always reply 😉 How fascinating about your ancestor, also how shocking. Maybe you need to write her story.
Yowsa what a haul! I was delighted to see the McBride on your wishlist and to send it along (and I could not stop laughing when you couldn’t remember The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store because I know how much you loved it). The Night Swimmers and Mr. Chartwell really sound right up my street. And the click to order Blackwells obsession is real. I have a wish list on my account there and I have to resist ordering all the books on it!!! Not sure how you’ll manage when you are in Oxford and can’t wait to find out!
I think I’ll manage by reminding myself it’s not really an indie anymore. Which kind of breaks my head but facts are facts 💔 That said they still operate like Blackwells did, so for now I’m being a little more lenient. I’m so chuffed I found that Mr Chartwell edition, partly cos it’s gorgeous and partly because I got to share it with everyone… it’s made me wonder if I should do a series of ‘favs from the shelves’ talking about books I haven’t on here. Hmmmm. Maybe.
Hear No Evil by Sarah Smith is an excellent book set in 1817 Scotland by a Scottish writer with a deaf main character. It was very interesting and Sarah Smith researched extensively to write it. Would recommend!
I’ve read The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff and really liked it. It was her first published novel and takes place in her hometown of Cooperstown, NY. (Now I’m in the mood for a reread, but I always have so many things on hand I haven’t read . . . The eternal conundrum.) I feel like her books are all quite different from one another, except for the underlying brilliance of her talent.
I’m intrigued to head back to the start with Groff. I liked Fates and Furies a lot. I feel like with the last two she’s hit some kind of stride/tone that’s good but not as colourful as F&F. I’m hoping Monsters is a vibrant Groff.
I've only just come across your channel, so apologies if you've already read/discussed these books written by poets, but I would recommend 'On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous' by Ocean Vuong, 'Nightcrawling' by Leila Mottley, and 'When I Sing, Mountains Dance' by Irene Solà. ^_^
Welcome to the channel Erik and sooooo sorry I’ve been so tardy in replying. I’m usually much better but work had been A LOT this year. Should ease down from April. I loved Vuong’s novel and am looking forward to more, I think one is in the works. I’ve not read the Mottley, sadly I didn’t like the Sola but I don’t think I was in the right mood for it.
I think it sounds like it could be brilliant. I am heading to Ireland and Northern Ireland a few times in the next few months and need to have literature from them both for those trips!
In addition to how interesting your reviews are... I could listen to your voice all day!! Its just so lovely!!
Awwww that’s really kind of you to say. Thank you!
The cover trends idea is really interesting!
What a haul - love the excitement, and I cannot in any way fault the desire to add to your collection and just keeping the thrill alive 🤩 Good for you, Simon.
Hope you’re doing well and enjoying your travels
I’ve had a few weeks at home now which has been lovely, but boy oh boy is the travel on its way in the coming weeks. Am sharing an exciting travel based project on Thursday hopefully… with more in the pipeline.
I love all Sarah Crossans books. Happy to hear there’ll be a new one
Simon, I hope you have an extra room for all these wonderful books. Such a diverse selection, enjoy!
Oh don’t… I’ve got to sort the shelves and make room next week and I’m mildly dreading it hahaha.
You are so lucky receiving all those interesting books📚👌I found your reading prompts so fun that I will try to follow them by reading books I own. It will be a reading challenge to read books from my shelves. 🤗
Not all of them, lol. I bought more than I was sent. I like to support the bookshops as much as I can too. Hahaha.
Sometimes I'm So Happy I'm Not Safe on the Streets is a very interesting title. My first thought was that it was about BPD and related to having manic episodes. But when you elaborated on the context, that makes sense as well. I love interesting titles like that!
It’s definitely one that draws you to find out more. Plus THAT cover, fans self!
Absolutely loved The Good Lord Bird and I will eventually read The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store. Placed Pet on my list, I too make a list to take to bookstores but they often do not stock what I wish to have and I have to turn to you know who (but they were a lifesaver in recent history), to have it delivered to me.
If you’re after a more, but sadly not totally, indie option from you know who, Blackwells is great. They’ve been taken over by Waterstones now, which gives me a myriad of feelings but still shipping for free internationally, for now.
I checked my Goodreads and I have read The Monsters of Templeton in 2011! I can't remember what it was about now, but I remember I liked it 😊. My cover was black & white, yours looks so pretty with the added colour.
Hahaha sometimes remembering you liked a book is enough. I bought the black and white one originally back when I got a copy in America years ago. My luggage was too heavy so had to leave it with a friend.
I’m so excited that you have The Good Lord Bird! The limited series was fantastic, so I highly recommend you watch that after reading the book.
Oooh that’s the plan. Though I like to have a bit of space between the two if I can or the actors end up taking over my own imagined characters too quickly.
"Oxford could be trouble" 😆Thanks for all the great recommendations! I have added 13 to my TBR. I have read Hot Springs Drive and enjoyed it!
Spoiler alert… Oxford wasn’t trouble as I didn’t stay as long as I originally intended. Saw an amazing library though!
Would love to see a video on cover trends!
When I spot some I’ll definitely do some 😉
I’m impressed with the number and scope of the books hauled in January. Just think only 11 more books-hauls this year.
Hahahaha. Only!!!! They need to be a bit more restricted going forward.
"I used to be a tour guide in Highgate Cemetery"...yes Simon, just casually throw that in like it's not the coolest job in the world! 😲I loved Andrew Miller's 'Pure', about the man sent to organise the clearing of Les Innocents cemetery in Paris in the 18th Century. I remember being totally transported to the setting, and almost being able to smell the things he describes.
Hahaha. It was a pretty cool job. I think cos it was such a long time ago I assume everyone knows I did it, or maybe it’s not so relevant. Anyway, it’s a cool place and maybe I’ll go back and do a video. I read Pure, when I had a podcast it was a book club pick. I liked it and Andrew came on and was lovely.
“These Silent Mansions: A Life in Graveyards” has my name all over it. I love cemeteries. I don’t know how I missed it when it was published so thanks for bringing it to my attention. Wishing you a good train journey.🚆
Ha thank you. I’ve done them all now. Well all the ones for the weekend. More coming later this week. He’s on the go go go again it seems. I’m so looking for were to These Silent Mansions.
These Silent Mansions is good. Would also recommend A Tomb With a View: The Stories & Glories of Graveyards by Peter Ross
Ooh thanks for the recommendation. Noted.
You are very welcome, @@SavidgeReads
Oh my I loved The Wager! It’s absolutely wild that it’s a true story! Enjoy ☺️
Really looking forward to it. Meant to read it last month. Oops.
So many of these sound great. Mr. Chartwell sounds interesting. Thanks for putting that on my radar. Some interesting poetry books too. Yay for Vanishing Monuments. I still need to read it. Just finished Killers of The Flower Moon and would like to read The Wager now. 😊💙
I’m very excited for Vanishing Moments. I need to get to that soon. Can’t recommend Mr Chartwell enough. Was sooooo good.
Just read Pet and holy HECK it is so good. You’re in for a treat!
Definitely read Killers of the Flower Moon before seeing the film. The book has tension… the film basically tells you what’s going on in the first 15 minutes.
Reaaaaally want to read Local Fires.
Completely agree with all these comments! Pet ❤ And Killers of the Flower Moon book is excellent but I didn’t get same enjoyment out of the movie.
I always like to read a book before watching the film or TV show. Though it’s a bone of contention at the moment as someone wants to watch the new Jack Reacher and I’ve been saying I’ll read the book first for MONTHS and now I’ve started the WP books so we won’t be watching that or any other adaptations till April at least.
Love love love Catherine Chidgey! As always my never ending TBR has grown significantly watching this book haul 😂😭
I’m hoping I’ll now get into Chidgey. I didn’t like Remote Sympathy much when I read it BUT that could also have been timing. Maybe.
Axemans Carnival won New Zealand's book prize last year. The cover was stunning - although it looks like a different cover for the UK edition.
I shamefully didn’t know about New Zealand having a book prize, thrilled I do now though as is perfect for March’s Savidge Reading Prompt.
❤❤❤. I love blackwells because the are well priced and post to New Zealand. I read 6 books in January, so proud of myself. Hugs from Colleen.😊
I love them too. Though loved them more before Waterstones took over, only because it meant it had some friendly competition. Now they’re dominating. Anyway… hooray for the six books!
I had the same trepidation about the magpie narrator in The Axeman's Carnival but it won the NZ National book awards for a reason last year, it's excellent. Much like Pet, so many NZ vibes but also universal themes.
I didn’t know it had won that prize. I actually hadn’t heard of that prize… which is perfect for March’s Savidge Reading Prompt 😉 Thank you!
Books mentioned:
Clear by Carys Davies
Ours by Phillip B. Williams
The Night Alphabet by Joelle Taylor
The In-Between by Christos Tsiolkas
The Diaries of Mr. Lucas by Hugo Greenhalgh
Hey, Zoey by Sarah Crossan
The Pachinko Parlour by Elisa Shua Dusapin
Vladivostok Circus by Elisa Shua Dusapin
Pet by Catherine Chidgey
The Axeman’s Carnival by Catherine Chidgey
Blood Red by Gabriela Ponce
The Painter’s Daughters by Emily Howes
This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things by Naomi Wood
Top Doll by Karen McCarthy Woolf
Hot Springs Drive by Lindsay Hunter
Shanghailanders by Juli Min
Love Me Tender by Constance Debré
Play Boy by Constance Debré
Night Swimmers by Roisin Maguire
A Sign of Her Own by Sarah Marsh
Asa: The Girl Who Turned Into a Pair of Chopsticks by Natsuko Imamura
Lightborne by Hesse Phillips
The Other Princess by Denny S. Bryce
The Good Lord Bird by James McBride
The Antique Hunters Guide to Murder by C.L. Miller
The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff
Girlfriends by Emily Zhou
Nothing Left to Fear From Hell by Alan Warner
The Things We Do To Our Friends by Heather Darwent
Dat’s Love by Leonora Brito
House Woman by Adorah Nworah
The House Next to the Factory by Sonal Kohli
Mother’s Instinct by Barbara Abel
One Hundred Days by Alice Pung
Lori & Joe by Amy Arnold
Pleasure Beach by Helen Palmer
Mr. Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt
Everland by Rebecca Hunt
These Silent Mansions by Jean Sprackland
Take Me Up the Lighthouse by Dean Wilson
Sometimes I’m So Happy I’m Not Safe on the Streets by Dean Wilson
Vanishing Monuments by John Elizabeth Stinzi
Rapture’s Road by Seán Hewitt
Unutterable Visions, Perishable Breath by Otamere Guobadia
Greekling by Kostya Tsolakis
All the Violet Tiaras by Jean Menzies
The Wager by David Grann
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
Local Fires by Joshua Jones
Confrontations by Simone Atangana Bekono
One of the Good Guys by Araminta Hall
The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen
Hi Judit. Don’t feel you have to do this with videos. It’s very kind of you but I’m not sure many people will be watching this one now. Hahaha.
I'd love it if you would do a video recommending books set in the North of England, I'm from Greater Manchester originally, and I get homesick but find it hard to find books set there that aren't crime fiction 😅 You've already got me interested in Pleasure Beach (good ol' Blackpool!), but I'm on a book buying ban at the moment, let's see how long that lasts!
Oooooh I’ll see what I can do as I’ve read some absolute northern corkers.
I hope you read the comments. You won't believe this but the The Other Princess sounds like the history of one of my ancestors who was given as a gift to Victoria. Her name was Sarah.
I do indeed read my comments I’m always thrilled to get them. I also always reply 😉 How fascinating about your ancestor, also how shocking. Maybe you need to write her story.
Yowsa what a haul! I was delighted to see the McBride on your wishlist and to send it along (and I could not stop laughing when you couldn’t remember The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store because I know how much you loved it). The Night Swimmers and Mr. Chartwell really sound right up my street. And the click to order Blackwells obsession is real. I have a wish list on my account there and I have to resist ordering all the books on it!!! Not sure how you’ll manage when you are in Oxford and can’t wait to find out!
I think I’ll manage by reminding myself it’s not really an indie anymore. Which kind of breaks my head but facts are facts 💔 That said they still operate like Blackwells did, so for now I’m being a little more lenient. I’m so chuffed I found that Mr Chartwell edition, partly cos it’s gorgeous and partly because I got to share it with everyone… it’s made me wonder if I should do a series of ‘favs from the shelves’ talking about books I haven’t on here. Hmmmm. Maybe.
@@SavidgeReads Love that idea!
A third of the way through Pet. Intriguing.
Ooh good to know. And thanks for sharing your enjoyment of it without any spoilers. Much appreciated.
Hear No Evil by Sarah Smith is an excellent book set in 1817 Scotland by a Scottish writer with a deaf main character. It was very interesting and Sarah Smith researched extensively to write it. Would recommend!
I read that for a prize I was judging last year. Didn’t sadly quite make the long list. Agree was very good.
I’ve read The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff and really liked it. It was her first published novel and takes place in her hometown of Cooperstown, NY. (Now I’m in the mood for a reread, but I always have so many things on hand I haven’t read . . . The eternal conundrum.) I feel like her books are all quite different from one another, except for the underlying brilliance of her talent.
I’m intrigued to head back to the start with Groff. I liked Fates and Furies a lot. I feel like with the last two she’s hit some kind of stride/tone that’s good but not as colourful as F&F. I’m hoping Monsters is a vibrant Groff.
I've only just come across your channel, so apologies if you've already read/discussed these books written by poets, but I would recommend 'On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous' by Ocean Vuong, 'Nightcrawling' by Leila Mottley, and 'When I Sing, Mountains Dance' by Irene Solà. ^_^
Welcome to the channel Erik and sooooo sorry I’ve been so tardy in replying. I’m usually much better but work had been A LOT this year. Should ease down from April. I loved Vuong’s novel and am looking forward to more, I think one is in the works. I’ve not read the Mottley, sadly I didn’t like the Sola but I don’t think I was in the right mood for it.
I really want to read Night Swimmers. I’ve been listening to The Wager on bbc Radio4 ( book of the week)
I think it sounds like it could be brilliant. I am heading to Ireland and Northern Ireland a few times in the next few months and need to have literature from them both for those trips!
RIP my bank account after watching your videos. Good and bad because I know I can 100% trust what you like...but bad because poverty 😂
RIP mine. I bought way more than I was sent. Waaaay more. That said, remember I might not like all of these, they sound me but you never know 🤣