I didn’t think your review would make me emotional but it did… thank you for your reviews and for being so real. I smile when your Books on GIF to shows up on my email and you never disappoint.
I love the James love - makes me more excited to get round to reading it myself. I laughed at the hardback hate because me too... its the sole reason it has taken me this long to ever read James - I was NOT going to read it in hardback 😂 I can't wait to hear what you think of The Nickel Boys, it is SUCH a good book. I read it a few years ago and am very excited to see the film adaptation this week -- I'm a little nervous though because I hope they do the book justice.
Hardbacks are so frustrating! I hate having to wait a year at least to get a paperback. So much more transportable and easier to read. I'm glad you enjoyed the review and I can't wait to see your thoughts on it when you read it.
I have to wait a year for *almost* every book I want to read bc I refuse to do Hardback (I broke the rule for Intermezzo but I wouldn't do it for anyone else really!) I guess it makes us very patient readers..
I almost caved in to buy Dance with Dragons because it was in hardcover for YEARS but I held my nerve and now I have a nice trade paperback. It’s so worth it to wait unless the book is super important to you.
Ooooh, I love books that stick with you long after reading. Thanks for this recommendation! I've been interested in Percival Everett's work for a while.
Wow—I read James last fall and your review brought it back to life, made me emotional, like Sylvia Z., and reminded me that It’s the best and most powerful new book I’ve read in some time.
Your post is also prompting me to start reading right away Nickel Boys. I am a Colson Whitehead near-completionist (like very much his earlier novels, including his elevator and zombie novels, as well as his Harlem crime novels) and bought Nickel Boys, but for some reason have never started it (maybe because it sounds kind of sad). Want to finish it before your review. So, my much appreciated substack book-lovers now have me reading three wonderful novelists at once—Austen, Tolstoy and Whitehead.
Thanks so much as always for the kind word Brian! I can’t wait to read your thoughts about Nickel Boys. I’m also planning to read Anna Karenina, as is the trend, but later this year. Need to give myself proper space for a big book!
So glad you loved James and Donna let you read it first :). I read Huck Finn for the first time in December and have so many mixed thoughts about. I am so glad Percival Everett gave James his dignity for all to see. It will stay with me a long time.
I haven’t read Nickel Boys, I picked it up and put it down as it seems like it will be hard, emotional work, so I am looking forward to your thoughts.
I am trying to read less hardbacks (they are so heavy to carry around). When I was in Ireland a few years ago, I of course snuck into a few book stores. Almost all of their books are published in paperback - apparently the cost of hardbacks is prohibitive over there and they don’t sell. I was so jealous and picked up a couple of books that I never heard of that I didn’t think would be published here in the US.
Thanks, Kate! I do love the fact that most of the books published overseas seem to be paperback. On the rare cases when Donna or I am in London, I always try to stock up on Fitzcarraldo Editions, which are always in paperback while the American version is in hardcover. They are definitely too heavy and bulky for me. We should all just be publishing paperbacks, I think. I'm glad you also enjoyed James. What a book! I'm looking forward to tackling Nickel Boys, but it definitely seems like I'm facing some intense reading ahead.
Great review as always, Mike! James made it on my TBR after seeing it on so many lists at the end of last year, and I loved reading your take on it. Also good to know it's fine to read without Huck Finn—I'm pretty sure I read it years ago, but only have a vague recollection.
I didn’t think your review would make me emotional but it did… thank you for your reviews and for being so real. I smile when your Books on GIF to shows up on my email and you never disappoint.
Thank you so much, Sylvia! I'm so glad you enjoyed the review and BoG!
I love the James love - makes me more excited to get round to reading it myself. I laughed at the hardback hate because me too... its the sole reason it has taken me this long to ever read James - I was NOT going to read it in hardback 😂 I can't wait to hear what you think of The Nickel Boys, it is SUCH a good book. I read it a few years ago and am very excited to see the film adaptation this week -- I'm a little nervous though because I hope they do the book justice.
Hardbacks are so frustrating! I hate having to wait a year at least to get a paperback. So much more transportable and easier to read. I'm glad you enjoyed the review and I can't wait to see your thoughts on it when you read it.
I have to wait a year for *almost* every book I want to read bc I refuse to do Hardback (I broke the rule for Intermezzo but I wouldn't do it for anyone else really!) I guess it makes us very patient readers..
I almost caved in to buy Dance with Dragons because it was in hardcover for YEARS but I held my nerve and now I have a nice trade paperback. It’s so worth it to wait unless the book is super important to you.
Ooooh, I love books that stick with you long after reading. Thanks for this recommendation! I've been interested in Percival Everett's work for a while.
Thanks, Elizabeth! I hope you check out the book and that you enjoy it, too!
If you like James, you must try The Trees.
Thanks, Kristen! I definitely will!
Wow—I read James last fall and your review brought it back to life, made me emotional, like Sylvia Z., and reminded me that It’s the best and most powerful new book I’ve read in some time.
Your post is also prompting me to start reading right away Nickel Boys. I am a Colson Whitehead near-completionist (like very much his earlier novels, including his elevator and zombie novels, as well as his Harlem crime novels) and bought Nickel Boys, but for some reason have never started it (maybe because it sounds kind of sad). Want to finish it before your review. So, my much appreciated substack book-lovers now have me reading three wonderful novelists at once—Austen, Tolstoy and Whitehead.
Thanks so much as always for the kind word Brian! I can’t wait to read your thoughts about Nickel Boys. I’m also planning to read Anna Karenina, as is the trend, but later this year. Need to give myself proper space for a big book!
I hear ya. I wonder though in reading it with Henry Eliot if I won’t lose something stretching it out over an entire year. But that is how it was first read, parts released in a monthly periodical. On another front, I just recalled that I saw Percival Everett interviewed by Wapo critic Ron Charles. He was hilarious— wonderful sense of humor and quite self-effacing. Here is YouTube video: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=recording+of+everett+percevil+at+politics+and+prose&iax=videos&ia=videos&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D_xUmyxTkxZ4
I’ll check this out. Thanks!
So glad you loved James and Donna let you read it first :). I read Huck Finn for the first time in December and have so many mixed thoughts about. I am so glad Percival Everett gave James his dignity for all to see. It will stay with me a long time.
I haven’t read Nickel Boys, I picked it up and put it down as it seems like it will be hard, emotional work, so I am looking forward to your thoughts.
I am trying to read less hardbacks (they are so heavy to carry around). When I was in Ireland a few years ago, I of course snuck into a few book stores. Almost all of their books are published in paperback - apparently the cost of hardbacks is prohibitive over there and they don’t sell. I was so jealous and picked up a couple of books that I never heard of that I didn’t think would be published here in the US.
Thanks, Kate! I do love the fact that most of the books published overseas seem to be paperback. On the rare cases when Donna or I am in London, I always try to stock up on Fitzcarraldo Editions, which are always in paperback while the American version is in hardcover. They are definitely too heavy and bulky for me. We should all just be publishing paperbacks, I think. I'm glad you also enjoyed James. What a book! I'm looking forward to tackling Nickel Boys, but it definitely seems like I'm facing some intense reading ahead.
Great review as always, Mike! James made it on my TBR after seeing it on so many lists at the end of last year, and I loved reading your take on it. Also good to know it's fine to read without Huck Finn—I'm pretty sure I read it years ago, but only have a vague recollection.
Thanks, Alicia! I'm glad you added James to your TBR. I'd love to read your thoughts about it!
I’ll be sure to share when I do read it!
Looking forward to it!
Good god I loved this book. Great review! I agree with the rating: Magnificent ✨
Thanks, Kolina! What a powerful book!
Honestly! I can't stop thinking about it.
Same!
I too hate hardbacks. You nailed this book review - I appreciate your perspective having not read Huckleberry
Thank you so much, my friend!