From this list, I've read James, Martyr, Wandering Stars, and Beautyland. Enjoyed all of them. Beautyland is definitely on the "quirky" side if that's not something you gravitate toward. I thought Bertino's previous novel "Parakeet" was even better, but also something that would probably be described as quirky. Martyr! is one of my favorite reads of the year so far, and I'm certain will be one of my favorites at the end of the year as well. My favorite book that wasn't on the list was My Friends by Hisham Matar. Five star, Booker material in my opinion.

I recommend Erasure for your next Percival Everett. I know you love movies, and American Fiction is an adaptation of it. Both were really good.

Headshot is fantastic! The prose is quick, propulsive, and hypnotic. I'm not into boxing either, but I found the writing to be extremely effective at evoking the feeling of the sport, rather than just providing a play-by-play of what's happening. The book also plays with time in a way that, weirdly, reminded me of To The Lighthouse. So, Virginia Woolf with boxing gloves lol

First-time commenter here on any KZfaq channel. I am nearing the end of two personal 5-year journeys: the first is to read all the Pulitzer Prize fiction winners since the year I was born, and the second is to watch every available film to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. I guess you can see how Google led me to your blog and channel over a year ago. I have been more diligent in making progress with the film journey (93%) than with the fiction journey (83%), but I appreciate how both journeys have exposed me to works and auteurs I might not have encountered otherwise, and I appreciate how people like you have helped me navigate. Your recent videos on the Pulitzer have prompted me to become a more active listener of your channel, and so here I am. Anyway, my observation on this video is that, like you, I enjoyed There There by Tommy Orange. In fact, it's one of my top 5 reads of this century. So, I had very high expectations for Wandering Stars. I have to say that those expectations were met with the prequel part of the book. However, I found the sequel part of the book to lose some of the momentum that the first part established. I did enjoy the book, though, and I hope you enjoy it also. You mentioned you probably wouldn't re-read There There beforehand. I agree a total re-read is unnecessary, but you may want to skim the chapters pertaining to Orvil and his grandmothers to reacquaint yourself with their family structure. Also, I found myself wishing I had paid more attention to Orvil's interactions with his brothers since they figure prominently in Stars. I look forward to your reaction after you read it. Finally, I appreciate how when you talk about books you've read, you provide just enough information to help me decide whether to read a book or not. I thank you for your many recommendations. I hope the string continues with Fire Exit. Your enthusiasm for the book and author got me to put a library hold on it before anyone else, and it now awaits my next visit to the library.

Sir Salman Rushdie was interviewed on the NPR program (podcast) Fresh Air. He read a passage from his book (knife) and I was wowed. If one digs through the archives of Fresh Air it's available for a listen. Support your local public radio, and bookstore.

The fiction seems like a really solid list to me. All the ones I’ve read are legitimately great. The Dolly Alderton was a surprise 5 stars for me - I went in with low expectations and it was just very, very well written and warm and heartbreaking. Reading Headshot right now!

I'm waiting to hear Paulette Jiles mentioned, by anyone, on Booktube. I think she is one of the most talented writers of our time, and wonder if anyone at all agrees. Also, Matt Haig has a novel coming out this fall, i am curious if it will be as readable as his previous novels, which i found absolutely mesmerizing.

I really liked Knife. I thought it was so personal and had a lot of vulnerability. Rushdie also adds some humor in the book, which can lighten it up in sections. He reads the audio and I liked hearing it in his voice. It is pretty short. 6 hrs or so.

In the Woods by Tana French was excellent. It’s definitely worth checking out.

I think the only reason why Fire Exit isn't included is because it was released after the list was compiled. I have yet to read it (although my copy is sitting just inches away), but I've heard it is fantastic.

Knife by Rushdie is amazing, I read it over a weekend. Highly recommend!

The Trees is a very different book than James. I loved The Trees (read it three times already), but I had to switch to audio for James after 75 pages as I was kinda getting bored and losing interest (still reading it in short bursts). I'm much more interested in getting to some of his back catalog. I found Knife to be an interesting read. I loved Martyr! As someone who loves novels written by poets (eg. The Love Songs of w.e.b du Bois), I had a very strong emotional reaction to this book. It's wonderful, thought-provoking and heart-breaking.

In the Woods is an excellent start for Tana French. I am like you, don't embrace thrillers, but being of Irish heritage with many trips to Ireland, that is why I read it. I don't tend to do a series either. So I will generally choose those that stand alone.

Read the Searcher first, before The Hunter. Lovely book, not a thriller though.

I agree with waiting to July for mid-year check-ins. I like a. full 6 months too. I just picked up a copy of James and can't wait to read it. I also have a copy of Beautyland and Wandering Stars. Looking forward to them as well. :) All of the nonfiction reads sound really interesting to me too.

Hi! Really love your channel! I also love Tana French and her novels, so, I figured I’d chime in with my two cents. While In the Woods is probably her best known work, I’m not sure I’d recommend starting there. It is a solid book, but I did not find it as satisfying as her other entries into the Dublin murder squad. It was entertaining. It was fine. However, had I not been on a thriller kick at the time, I’m not sure I would have read any of her other works after reading In the Woods. I think there are multiple places of entry into the series since they follow multiple detectives. I would recommend starting with either her second book, The Likeness, or with her third book, Faithful Place. You will miss nothing by not reading In The Woods. The events of that first book are alluded to in The Likeness, but only to the extent that the aftermath of a breakup is affecting the protagonist. So, if you want an edge of your seat thriller, I’d go with The Likeness. If you want a fantastic “who done it” and “why” that will also absolutely shatter your heart only to piece it back together again, go with Faithful Place. Then again, I’m VERY biased here since Faithful Place is my favorite in the series. Anyway! I hope you give Tana French a shot! :)

I have read all three of the colonial expedition books that you mentioned (The Wide Wide Sea, River of the Gods and The Wager) and thought that The Wide Wide Sea was by far the best of the group. I didn't know much about Captain Cook and thought his story was fascinating - a five star read for me.

I may get to non-fiction here and there but lit fic is my love! Just read Horse, reading James, Kairos and Tin Man. Brotherless Night next. I requested my library to get Fire Exit and they did, although I have a 10 week wait. Meanwhile got Night of the Living Rez. Thanks for the rec!

Thanks fot all your great suggestions and reviewsi went thru the Pulitzer list. It was fascinating. Cheers!!❤

I've been a subscriber for a while, but this is my first time commenting. Jack Edwards and you are some of my few " always watch." Highly recommend Tana French! She's all you could want from an Irish mystery writer because she is one of those great Irish story tellers. Do start with Into the Woods. The books in that series are connected, but loosely, so that "need to read them one after the other" is not really an issue.

Thanks for all the ideas

I actually did love James. His Trees was more inventive perhaps but James so deep. Rushdie is amazing as well.

Good Material was a 5-star read for me. I went in expecting an entertaining British rom-com, and it does kind of start out that way, but by the end I found it quite poignant. It explores how men and women navigate post break-ups in their mid-30s as their social circles slowly dwindle and how one can find fullfillment and personal growth alone. As a single woman about to enter her 30s, it just resonated a lot with me.

I loved James and I also really liked The Hunter but I don't think it stands alone; it is very much a sequel to The Searcher. I have Wandering Stars on my book cart and Beautyland on my library list. The NYT fiction suggestions are usually pretty solid for me.

Headshot is one of my favourite books of the year so far. (I would say I have a passing interest in boxing) There is quite a lot of boxing in it, most of the book is set during a boxing match, kind of like a short-story for each fight, though there is a lot of other content within those chapters. It explores the ways that their characters and their lives affect the way they fight and why they fight which I found really interesting. There's relatively little technical stuff about boxing, more about the psychology of the sport I guess. I thought the first 2/3rds were absolutely excellent, but the ending wobbled a little for me.

I have an ebook of Wandering Stars but haven’t gotten to it yet. I haven’t read any on this list but the ones I want to other than WS are: James, Beautyland, and The Wide wide sea (and now the River of the gods too) maybe Martyr and maybe the Alderton one - it’s been getting a lot of hype but I really don’t read too much romance - I do find them if they are funny to be a huge mood booster so I do enjoy them - especially when my other reads are heavy sad or disturbing topics!!!! And I appreciate them, more so than the thrillers, although since I get a lot of those on audio from publishers, I enjoy them but not as much as I’d like to - usually - every once in a while I’m like oooh this is fun 🤩 but my issue is I’ve got to stop listening to audio (kinda addicted to it) and get to my WALL OF BOOKS. This was my year to really accumulate some non fiction into my reading but I have three I’m knee deep into and just am reading inbetween so much fiction… sigh. I’m excited about my books for this month and I’ll hopefully be starting Our Hideous Progeny before this weekend is over - it has some connections to Mary Shelly - I believe it’s a fictional tale about her niece who goes on an adventure trying to discover a mystery about her aunt Mary Shelly - and I love all things Frankenstein and Shelly. But I digress… now I have 4 more books my trigger finger is trying to order but I already I said I wouldn’t buy books this month bc next month is my birthday month, I’ll be old af and sent in my divorce papers this past week so I’ll definitely want to be buying myself many books for my birthday next month. I may even wrap them up and unwrap them on my bday. My spouse used to buy me books. He tried. But siiiiigh never mind just know your recs will be part of my haul for my happy birthday to me celebration next month 😊😂❤

Dolly Alderton is an author I am intrigued by whenever I see people talk about her books and love the covers, but I am not sure it would be a me-book, so still putting them off. I need a year off just to give all those books in that category a try. There are so many. :D

I’m not planning to read Dolly Alderton’s book but you’ve got to laugh at a book that’s billed as “pee-your-pants funny.” I’m currently loving a new Irish book (2024), “The Coast Road” by debut novelist Alan Murrin. ☘Set in 1994, it’s about women in small-town Donegal before the legalization of divorce.

Have Mrs Quinn’s Rise on my top ten list for the year so far. I need a few more cinnamon bun books

Awesome video - just stumbled on your superb channel. If you ever need mystery/crime/thriller recs please ask. Look forward to binging your backlog!

Don’t miss Beautyland. I understand your hesitation. But I think you’ll love it.

Hi Greg, you might try Wounded by Percival Everett…lesser known but I think you would appreciate it.

Everyone Who Is Gone is Here is a book I would live to read.

Loved Beautyland.

I'm curious, are the NY Times just recommend books written in English? The other two writers who are foreigners on this list (Tana French/Irish and S. Rushdie/Indian) both write in English. It's like there are no more books except English ones, not one translation It's just a thought, and also I'm genuinely asking 🙂 Good job with the video/reaction, Greg!

So many people had recommended this Tana French book but I abandoned it after 50 pages. I would far rather have the more interesting thriller writer Nicci French. Alexandra Fuller books are great but do try Cocktail Hour under the Tree of Forgetfullness first.

He was speaking at the Chautauqua Institute.

Martyr! is my favourite book of the year so far (out of 38 reads in 2024). Definitely don't wait too long to read it, and an fyi that it also fits into pride month if you want to get to it quicker.

The Thursday Murder Club books might bridge the murder mystery/cinnamon bun gap. Four elderly people in an English retirement village solving cold cases as a hobby, very fun. The first one was a 4 star for me, and the second one was a 5.

I loved the characters in James so much more than in Huck but the pacing felt a bit off. I was just the opposite of you. I found the beginning quite slow and then grew more interested as things started to speed up.

I read more nonfiction than fiction I want to read The Wide Wide Sea, Left For Dead, River of Gods and The Counterfeit Countess.

I got through about half of Beautyland. I would say despite its alien messenger setup it's a pretty conventional coming-of-age story. I don't really enjoy reliving the cringe of middle school life, so it wasn't for me, but there's a part of me that's still curious to come back to it.

Hi Greg, I think the pronunciation of “ Fi” is pronounced as it would be in the Marine Corps motto “ Semperfidelisl “ Aka Semper Fi. Always faithful.

Wait, what is the current state of the mystery genre that you’re struggling with? I’m curious about your take on how it’s changed.

The Wager was a good book. Not life-changing, or anything. Very twisted and disturbing in some scenes but not so much that they come back to mind.

For the last one, it's pronounced "Fee" although...my brain still wants to say it like "Fie" even though I know it's wrong :P

I’m half way through Wandering Stars and I just don’t think I can finish it. I never give up on a book, but I’m gonna have to. I loved There,There! But this one,meh…

Friends who have read Good Material did not like it. I doubt I'll try it. I borrowed Beautyland from my library. It was a DNF for me. I wasn't in the right mood for it. Others may enjoy it though.

I've read two Tana French novels, but IMO she is really not good at endings. I won't read her again. Knife sounds like a must. Don't Let's Go was so harsh I couldn't finish it. Great writing, though.

Martyr is def an lgbtq book. The b in particular.. Perfect for pride. And a very good book.

I recently finished Good Material. I wouldn't call it "snappy funny." It felt more "British funny," like back in the day when I watched 4 Weddings and a Funeral and that one with Hugh Grant they always watch at Christmas and wondered why those were marketed as comedies. Based on the pink and yellow color scheme of the cover you know right away what age group is the target readership. Londoners struggling with careers and singles vs. young families will relate. I thought since the blurbs said the guy was a stand up comedian that there would be stand up-level comedy, but no. He is a schlimazel rather cluelessly going through a breakup. The hat trick that Alderton pulls off is to make the guy so likeable that things I would normally find irritating as a reader don't make me want to dnf it. I wouldn't quite call it "cinnamon bun" read, though (and btw, Greg, watching your videos has exponentially increased the number of times I've thought about cinnamon buns!) Even though expectations for comedy might be dashed, and even though it's definitely sounds like a woman writing a male narrator, she does such a good job with the first-person character development that the book won me over and I was willing to hear her out to the end (when we finally get to hear narration from the girlfriend who initiated the breakup, who up to that point I didn't really like). Martyr! was recently added to my tbr after seeing it mentioned in a Gunpowder Fiction and Plot video. I see the yellow cover (as in Yellowface and Butter) as a trend and a signal to a hoped-for demographic, as that color was "assigned" to the post-millennial ("millennial pink") generation. (I've also seen a trend for simple, bright color blocking made digitally, and while it's easy to understand the branding advantages of how that shows up so well in little thumbnails on smartphones, I do miss "real" cover art). I agree with you about boxing. To me it's a fundamental human right now to be hit by other people, so why anyone does it for fun, or has fun watching people do it, is beyond me. Plus I just have no interest in sports, so any novel based on sports had better be amazing to convince me to consider reading it.

You're a bit of a literary elitist, but nice video. Informative and entertaining.

Percival Everett books are not “grounded and realistic” so … 🧐

Beautyland isn't for you I think. Quirky musings on humanity from an alien outsider's perspective. Pretty cutesy all things considered (didn't work much for me either)