Friday Reads | June 8, 2018

This week, I turned to the dark side – reading several books simultaneously.

Read-Along Calendar and Lists:

Read-Along Goodreads group:

Books Read This Week:
A Question of Upbringing – Anthony Powell
Meaty – Samantha Irby
The Wardrobe Mistress – Patrick McGrath

Remaining June Read-Alongs:
Walden – Henry David Thoreau
A Thousand Acres – Jane Smiley
The Lost City of the Monkey God – Douglas Preston

[BaskinginBooks]

I find polarizing books to be really fun to talk about...especially in regards to what different folks perceive and take away from them. Somehow that always makes me want to read more. Have a great weekend!

[curioushmm]

i loved your comments on the samantha irby book in particular and look forward to the final judgement on the 'wardrobe mistress"/

[josmith]

Part of what makes booktube great is the differing opinions about books so I really enjoyed your discussion of Meaty and The Wardrobe Mistress Robert and I’m off to watch your video on the Anthony Powell. I don’t think I’m going to make the Walden readalong, I did pick it up and read a few pages but it’s not for me at the moment BUT I’m definitely joining in for A Thousand Acres!

[JasmineReads]

Oh I always have around three books on the go! It’s the most fun for me. I usually have a mix - typically one lit fic, some other random fiction, and then a poetry or a non-fiction book. That way there’s always something I fancy picking up😊
I’ve heard such good things about Meaty! Interesting to hear your differing opinion.
Great video, Robert😊

[janiceottersberg]

I have tried reading more than one book at a time but if I set one aside in favor of another, I often never go back to it. I guess that means I should DNF it. If I’m loving a book then I’m too immersed in that world to set it aside and I have a richer reading experience. Guess I’ll stay a monogamous reader. I love your channel!!

[brittabohlerthesecondshelf]

Robert, the book-philanderer, three books at a time :-). I'm looking forward to your video on Anthony Powell, because he is one of those writers I could never get into. I can see why people love his books but I'm just not enjoying it. So I'm kinda glad that I'm not alone... (Oh, and Irby's style not for me either.)

[AnimaKim]

I agree with you completely about Samantha Irby. I tried to read "We are Never Meeting in Real Life" and came to the conclusion that it was a generational thing -- for many good-readers, it was a 5* reading but I DNF'd it about half way through. You got it exactly right--trying to hard, not funny and parts were just overly gross. BTW I am a new subscriber to your channel so I'm trying to catch up on your content. I'm really enjoying it.

[readerturnedwriter]

Hahaha the dark side, I love that. I always am in the middle of more than one book at a time and it seems to work for me :) I don't think Meaty would be for me either, although I haven't read a lot of essay collections. It has been interesting to hear your thoughts on it though while reading it.

[BethKnight]

I love David Sedaris! I just started reading his new book, Calypso. Uh oh, Meaty sounds like something I may not like too much. I’ve never read any of her work, so I may have been hasty in purchasing this book! I’ll eventually get around to it and see what I think.

[ingridfitz]

I have tried to curb my multi book habit. FORGET IT! I just can't do one at a time. In a given moment or day my mood calls for a different book, kind of like food tastes or TV shows.

[lindseysbooklife]

Welcome to the dark side, Robert!! (I am so behind on videos because of end of year mahem but I'm going through my backlog now). I'm glad you are enjoying it!

[lindseysbooklife]

Your feelings about Samantha Irby (whose work I've never read) sound similar to my feelings about Roxane Gay. I just cannot get on with her stuff even though I've read 3 separate things by her (and then gave up...).

[SixMinutesForMe]

The dark side is where it’s at! I honestly can’t read one at a time anymore!

[readingwayfarer]

A Thousand Acres and The Lost City of the Monkey God sound great. I just got Evicted from the library waiting list- things take too long here.

250ish pages of tmi 😂. Your thoughts on Meaty are hilarious. It's also interesting how you see something as a take on grief and someone else reads it as magical realism.

[alldbooks]

I tried to read Irby’s 2nd collection and didn’t get along with it. I got bored by the 4th essay. It was just way too focused on her need for/ineptitude with relationships which just didn’t come across as interesting to me personally.

[LiaMahony]

Sassy Robert. This was a great wrap up.

[KendraWinchester]

Welcome to the dark side. It's a great place. You should visit more often. ;)

[LauraFreyReadinginBed]

I've been curious about Samantha Irby too, but will put that curiosity aside, because i cannot stand the whole "tee hee, I cant adult" thing. It's like, no, you choose not to because you think it's cute. And it ain't 😑