the best books of the 21st century (according to me)

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Recently the New York Times published their list of the best books of the 21st century so far. My immediate reaction was that the list was way too self serious and just generally not fun at all. So, in keeping with lots of other online book folks, here is my list of the best books of the 21st century. I have not read every book released in the 21st century, but i've read the ones that I've read! So it is what it is.

Booktube is a funny funny place but hopefully ya'll pick up what I'm putting down.

Thanks to everyone who subscribed recently. It's been cool having some of my shorts pop off a bit. Making sketches is a lot of fun so expect more of those.

Anyway, thanks for watching!

Best,

Shawn

[blacknbluecollarreader]

Amazing video Sir. Thank you for answering my question!!! I didn't ask it but you answered it in this video. I bought 1Q84 a few months back because I wanted to jump into Murkami's works. However, now I'm going to start with Kafka on the Shore instead as my 1st of his novels. Thanks man!!

[JamesRuchala]

I dont read enough new books to have a meaningful opinion but i enjoyed hearing tours

[BoyThingBlogger]

My List (not in order):
- The Vision by Tom King
- Earthlings by Sayaka Murata
- Tomorrow x3 by Gabrielle Zevine
- Americanah by Chimamanda
- The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
- Panenka by Ronan Hession
- American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
- The Attic Child by Lola Jaye
- Blankets by Craig Thompson
- Fun Home by Alison Bechdel

[prestonr]

I read 1Q84 last summer and fell in love with Murukami’s way of story telling. Love that you included it on your list.

[leighjeffrey]

I agree with you about Station Eleven. It is fantastic! I just ordered all of her other books.

I’m also a Murakami fan. Made it through the Wind-up Bird when it came out, read Hard-Boiled and enjoyed it, but it’s been a while. Im soon going to read Kafka on the Shore.

[Talgikiwi]

I love the way you speak and you have the perfect amount of editing. Loved to hear your thoughts and I subscribed. Can't wait to watch more 😊

[WitchyWhispersASMR]

My list:
1. Tress of the Emerald Sea
2. The Way of kings (stormlight archives series)
3. Lies of Locke Lamora (gentlemen bastards series)
4. ACOTAR
5. Poison wood Bible
6. The Martian
7. Strange the Dreamer
8. Deep Survival
9. Red Rising (series)
10. Zealot
11. The Pillars of the Earth (series)
12. Life of Pi

[camerenisonfire]

My to-read list grows almost ever video I watch from you.

Having another Murakami fan recommend books immediately makes me be like, "oh, this must be good."

I think 1Q84 is the best story & plot of his, but its maybe only my 3rd favorite novel of his. Top 2 being Killing Comendatore and Windup Bird.

[joycejarrard]

I am impressed you got through all 3 parts of The Three Body Problem. My adult son mentioned it, and I read it in order to talk to him about it. I took a bunch of notes. I found it very dry and challenging to get through. Maybe I should watch it in video to find out what happens.

[mildrumpus]

I discovered your channel through this video. Happy Reading! 😎📚👍

[GumbyJumpOff]

I'ma start reading more again. I had a two year period where I read a lot, and before that I read here and there. My favorite books are Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins and Burn Collector (1-9) by Al Burian. I wanna have a top 10 list! It's been too long since all the books I've read for me to do that now.

[moderateowl]

I may be on my own when I say this but I think at least one of the hunger games books should be on a list of best books of the 21st century it is a young adult book I don’t think it takes away from the themes and it handles them fantastically and catching fire is exactly what a sequel should be it follows on the story perfectly and builds onto it amazingly I have read the book at least 5 times and watched the movie more times than I want to admit the series also launched the future dystopian ya books it might not of been the first but it made the genre very popular

[captnsquashypant]

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow was my favorite read of 2023 and Babel is my favorite read of 2024 so far.

[arekkrolak]

First book on your list seems to be one of these that have something to say :) Reading books outside of the English language is almost all the books that I read

[leopercara]

I don't mind the self-importance of the Times' list, but some of those books are straight up awful. Your list is at least interesting.

[TheCompositeKing]

Most of these books are flat out poorly written and fail on so many levels artistically. I don't know if it's quite worse than the NYT list, but definitely not much better, and yet these books are also almost ALL self-important and pretentious in their own ways.