Top Ten Books of 2023: Fiction
Рет қаралды 2,960
Күн бұрынTime Stamps:
00:00 Intro
01:01 Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward
01:33 Fishing for the Little Pike by Juhani Karila
02:31 Women Talking by Mariam Toews
03:49 Mrs S by K. Patrick
04:59 Trespassing by Louise Kennedy
06:27 The Death of the Author in Triplicate by Marc Nash
08:51 Human Acts by Han Kang
10:25 Fire Rush by Jaqueiline Crooks
12:19 Blood Red by Gabriella Ponce
13:48 Telephone by Percival Everett
15:20 Study for Obedience by Susan Bernstein
17:49 Collected Works by Lydia Sandgren
20:21 Foster by Claire Keegan
21:49 Boulder by Eva Baltasar
@MarcNash 7 ай бұрын
Thank you so much Brian, had your video on when the Mrs came into the room (it's her birthday today) and we were chatting, when I suddenly realised you were talking about my book! "Fire Rush" makes my list too. All the best for 2024
@melissamybubbles6139 7 ай бұрын
Happy birthday to your wife.
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
Happy Birthday to your Mrs! Thank you Marc. Looking forward to your next.
@eyesonindie 7 ай бұрын
Wonderful list!! Thanks so much for sharing!
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
Thank you for making me aware of two of the books I talked about in this video.
@GemofBooks 7 ай бұрын
Loved hearing about your faves Brian. I added Collected Works to my TBR earlier this year - I hope I can get to it in 2024 😊
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
I hope you can too. I’m obviously a fan.
@EntertheBook 7 ай бұрын
Great reviews! Definitely have Foster on my trb and will add Boulder. Happy New Year!
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
Thanks Kristin. The good news about both those books is that they are really short so they won’t take you long to read.
@anenthusiasticreader 7 ай бұрын
Definitely going to get to Study for Obedience this next month. I'd say you had a great year. Here's to another.
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
It is such an unusual read. I hope you like it. Happy New Year!
@SupposedlyFun 7 ай бұрын
I'm always happy to see Trespasses getting recognized. I got a copy of Telephone this year and look forward to finally catching up on Everett's writing in 2024. And of course, I am a big fan of both Foster and Boulder. Great list! Happy new year!
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
I'm hoping to dive into Everett's back list in a big way this year. The good news is that I think there are quite a few books to dive into. Thanks Greg.
@joshyaks 7 ай бұрын
Brian, the best KZfaq channels I discovered in 2023 were your channel and Rebecca Watson, and I've enjoyed following along with your content this year. Wishing you all the best for 2024!
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
Thank you Josh it has been great interacting with you here and on your channel.
@lindysmagpiereads 7 ай бұрын
Thanks for this! Foster and Study for Obedience made my longer list of bests but didn’t make the top ten. I loved Permafrost and so have been wanting to read Boulder for a long time. I will make it a priority in 2024.
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
Thank you Lindy. I will have to check out Permafrost.
@TKTalksBooks 7 ай бұрын
Excellent list! Several are also in my top ten.
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
Thank you!
@scallydandlingaboutthebook2711 7 ай бұрын
A tremendous list. I have had a tricky end to the year so I haven't thought through mine yet but I think we may have a couple of overlaps. But you have reminded me of some others I want to read.
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
Thank you Roz. I hope you are past the tricky things. I will look forward to your list.
@MsReadsAlot 7 ай бұрын
The only one I have read is Foster and it was lovely. I just wanted to give her a hug. Thank you for sharing your favorites! 🎉
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
Exactly! Thanks Sandy
@fatimamuhammad3425 7 ай бұрын
Women Talking sounds Great, I will read it. Merry Christmas to you 🎄
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
It is a very good, very powerful book. Merry Christmas and all the best for the new year.
@readandre-read 7 ай бұрын
From your list I've read Trespasses, Telephone, Boulder and Foster. Those were all so good! I still have Women Talking and Collected Works on my TBR. The best books always seem like they are the perfect length, whether that is 80 pages or 600. Great list!
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
I hope you like both. I think I lean towards shorter books. Though I do have one or two longer books on my list this year. Particularly on my upcoming non-fiction list.
@EveningReader 7 ай бұрын
I hope to get to Trespasses and Women Talking in 2024. Yes, Foster was so well done. I also read Small Things Like These and am hard pressed to say which one was better--they're both so good. Happy to hear you loved Collected Works because I'm starting January with that one.
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
The hope you like Collected Works. For what it’s worth I think Foster was a little bit better.
@CharlieBrookReads 6 ай бұрын
Sorry late watching this. Mrs S just missed out on my faves too as I just adored it. Loved Study for Obedience too. Also obv Trepasses will be on my faves I just adored it so so much. Great faves Brian ❤
@BookishTexan 6 ай бұрын
Thanks Charlie. No apology is ever necessary.
@SpringboardThought 7 ай бұрын
I really want to get to Marc Nash's book. It's taken me forever to get to anything at all this year. But that is number one. Fire Rush also is on the list somewhere. Great stuff as always.
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
Marc’s book was very good. I hope you do get to read it soon.
@angelacraw2907 7 ай бұрын
Fantastic list. I have read 3 of them and put another 3 on my out of control tbr. I don't buy books and couldn't get death of the Author but it very much intrigues me. I had a go at an earlier book by the same writer on the Libby app and found it very strange and dnf'd it quickly. In no particular order my top 10 are Black Jacabins - CLR James Foster - Claire Keegan Time Regained - Proust Giovanni's Room - Baldwin Washington Black - Esi Edugyan Fictions - Borges The Dubliners - Joyce The Hour of the Star - Lispector Freshwater - Emezi Collected Works - Carol Ann Duffy. Out of about 100 books I had 20 5 stars, 60 4 stars and the rest were 3 stars. Only 2 were 2 and a half stars. This high standard is mainly due to the fantastic quality of suggestions from booktubers like youself. So, thank you for all your content over the last year and a happy new year Brian.
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
That’s a great list. Freshwater was so good, but I liked the death of Vivek Oji even better. I’ve never Janes or Borges. I’m not sure Marc’s book is going to be one that shows up in libraries. Thank you for all your comments and support Angela.
@angelacraw2907 7 ай бұрын
@@BookishTexan Vivek is on my list. I've read a lot wider this year I hope to read all of Emezi's work eventually.
@1book1review 7 ай бұрын
I am bad at piccking favorites and making my own best of list, but so love watching all of them.
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
Despite my general level of disorganization I do like to make book lists almost as much as I like seeing other people’s.
@patricia_ps 7 ай бұрын
Great list of favorites! Collected Works and Foster are in my top 3 this year 😊
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
Nice to hear from someone else who read and loved Collected Works.
@patricia_ps 7 ай бұрын
yes! I was happy to see it here too @@BookishTexan :) It's my number 1 of 2023.
@alldbooks9165 7 ай бұрын
Human Acts is so beautifully told.
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
It is. Thanks Doris
@GoreVidalComicbooks 7 ай бұрын
Good day. While listening to you I thought who has time to watch anything on t.v. or devices with so many interesting contemporary books being published today.? Interesting list. Happy New Year.
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
Thank you. I have been having a great reading month enjoying a few of the recently published books and ignoring the TV as much as possible.
@RovingReader 7 ай бұрын
I was so excited to see this pop up! I think Telephone sounds good and Boulder is a MUST now due to the number of lists it showed up on. It's like last year's Elena Knows.
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
Thanks Karen. Boulder is so good!
@bbbartolo 7 ай бұрын
Fascinating and intriguing that Marc's book made your list! Maybe that's as good a place as any to satisfy my curiosity about his writing. I'm in awe of all you voracious readers as it is. Thanks for your list.
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
Thank you. I thing Death of the Author in triplicate would be a great intro to Marc’s work. It is stylish and funny and full of ideas.
@dsweet_library 7 ай бұрын
I loved several of these: Collected Works and Study for Obedience were in my Top 15 list. I also loved Boulder, Foster, Telephone, Women Talking, and Fire Rush. I own a copy of Human Acts; need to prioritize it.
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
We seem to have read a few of the same books. Human Acts was good. It grew on me over time and I found myself thinking about it often.
@azu_rikka 7 ай бұрын
My 3 top reads of 2023: Gormenghast by Mervin Peake Home by Marilynne Robinson The Neapoletan Quartet by Elena Ferrante Some books on your list interest me as well, I hope my library has them or is willing to aquire them😊
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
I’ve only read one Robinson and neither Peake if Ferrante though I have been meaning to try the latter for some time. Hope you are able to get the books you are interested in through your library.
@patricejones8799 6 ай бұрын
I am more of a nonfiction reader, but I am picking a couple of things for this year. Thank you.
@BookishTexan 6 ай бұрын
Hey Patrice! I have a nonfiction best of list that you might find more interesting.
@KierTheScrivener 7 ай бұрын
I almost picked up Telephone at a thrift store today but decided against it. Great to hear your positive review
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
Thank you Kier.
@ericgeneric135 7 ай бұрын
Great list! Here are the top ten books I've read in 2023: 1. East of Eden (Steinbeck) 2. The Grapes of Wrath (Steinbeck) 3. The Handmaid's Tale (Atwood) 4. How to Say Babylon (Sinclair) 5. The Bee Sting (Murray) 6. King: A Life (Eig) 7. Weep Not, Child (wa Thiong'o) 8. Poverty, by America (Desmond) 9. Buses Are a Comin': Memoir of a Freedom Rider (Person) 10. Pageboy: A Memoir (Page)
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
Thank you! There are several books on your list that I want to get to and some new to me ones that I want to look into.
@novelideea 7 ай бұрын
Foster got an honorable mention in my favorites! Completely agree that it is truly beautiful writing.
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
Thanks Deea
@heathereads 7 ай бұрын
BTW I am also listening. I added Human Acts to my wishlist. And Study for Obedience
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
Human Acts is a bit graphic but it is also haunting and beautiful in its way. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. It really grew in my mind after I had finished.
@janethansen9612 7 ай бұрын
I haven't worked my top ten out yet but Collected Works will be in it, I thought it was great and I'm surprised more people haven't spoken about it. I heard of it from Shawn.
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
I heard about it from Shawn as well. It does seem to have missed most booktubers somehow. Maybe it will make a prize list next year (if it’s eligible for any). It’s a shame that more people haven’t read it.
@RSelcov 7 ай бұрын
Like you, most of my favorite reads of the year were not published this year. I have 12 books that I rated 5 stars on Goodreads this year, out of 83. Some of those are individual short stories. We overlap only with Boulder and Trespasses. Most of your others I haven't read. I start Study for Obedience but gave up after 30-40 pages. It felt like that I am not smart enough to deal with it. Maybe I'll give it another go.
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
I do have a tendency to focus on backlist books. You are definitely smart enough for Study for Obedience. It just may not be a book that fits your tastes.
@jayv3264 7 ай бұрын
“Foster” is also one of my favorite 2023 reads. 👍🏻👍🏻
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
It’s just so beautifully evocative and well written.
@jacquiheywood3142 7 ай бұрын
Trespasses and Foster are on my top 5 list as well.
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
Both are so beautifully written and emotionally powerful.
@davidnovakreadspoetry 7 ай бұрын
I didn’t much like _Boulder_ (though it was memorable, which counts for something with me) so I’m glad to hear again your thoughts on the book - to remind me of an angle to the book which I suppose I discounted. (I get my best reads from your channel and that includes books I’m not 100% behind.) I didn’t relate to it.
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
Thanks David. Sometimes a book fits you just right and sometimes a book doesn’t. Boulder was a fit for me, but I can see why it would t be for everyone.
@ellethinks 7 ай бұрын
Ive read Human Acts and Women Talking from this list. I think the Jesmyn Ward book sounds the most interesting to me.
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
It is very good, but I thought very different from her other books in terms of setting and story.
@ttowntrekker5174 6 ай бұрын
Have you read Burial Rites by Hannah Kent yet? Her writing is musical just beautifully written.
@BookishTexan 6 ай бұрын
I have not, but thank you for the recommendation.
@melissamybubbles6139 7 ай бұрын
I haven't read much fiction this year. The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison was my favorite.
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
I had not heard of that one. I’ll try to remember to look into it. Thank you Melissa
@Justine_S 7 ай бұрын
I just love Percival Everett’s work. I just read Erasure this year. Not quite as good as The Trees for me, but still very good. I want to watch the film adaptation, but am also scared. 😬 Looking forward to James being released in 2024. Claire Keegan is a master of the emotional gut punch in a short page count.
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
I’ve only read two of Everett’s books, but I plan on, and am looking forward to, reading his backlist. Keegan is amazing
@jacquelinemcmenamin8204 7 ай бұрын
You probably know my best books of the year already, as I’ve sung one books praise since I finished it in February Deluge by Stephen Markley ☘️👋🍀📕☕️📖🇮🇪📚
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
I have to admit that I have been Intimidated by the length of deluge. But I do mean to read it. Thanks Jacqueline
@annegibson6072 7 ай бұрын
Good morning. It has been suggested that I ask you this question. I have a copy of the Jesmyn Ward book Salvage the Bones. For reasons I am not going into I cannot take people's pets dieing in a novel. Do pets die in this novel?
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
I understand completely. Yes. Pets die in the book.
@myreadinglife8816 7 ай бұрын
I still need to read Claire Keegan. Shame on me. Very excellent list here!
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
The good news is that it won’t take you long to read her books because they’re so short.
@heathereads 7 ай бұрын
Zelda arrived! 🥰
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
The diva has to have her cameo.🤓
@felixarquer7732 7 ай бұрын
Balthazar>Baltasar
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
I missed the first word in my 4th grade spelling bee (frontier) and pretty much gave up after that.
@felixarquer7732 7 ай бұрын
@@BookishTexan Haha, it was perfect English spelling, she just happens to be Catalan.
@pjreads 7 ай бұрын
Women Talking >>>>> Male narrator interjects his opinions, his masculinity, his comments about exposed ankles, uncovered hair, fashionably rolled socks, his, his, his >>>>>
@BookishTexan 7 ай бұрын
This was my complaint about the book when I read it and reviewed it. But for me the relationships and descriptions of the pain and determination of most of the women still made this a top read for me.