I like these Reads vids as I can listen to them in the kitchen while cooking and don’t have to turn off when my husband comes in. He’s intolerant of anything political.
I posted a comment on YouTube to help the algorithm 😁👍
Very good. You've inspired me to have a go. I've read On the Road and Catch 22 (I think) about a hundred years ago (50 anyway) but the rest are completely new to me. A Cheers Nick.
This reminds me of my first year at university, and the module I took on American post-war literature, a few of your choices were on the core reading list - Catch-22, On The Road and Portnoy's Complaint.
I couldn't fault any of your choices, particularly with it being a list of the greats, rather than necessarily personal favourites.
It's always interesting with these things to see who gets left off. What do you think of Cormac McCarthy and John Updike, Nick? I'm sure you've mentioned Blood Meridian before but I can't recall what you said about it.
One that I'd have on my list of both the objectively greatest post -war US novels and my own favourites would be The Secret History, a novel I've mentioned here before. I'd probably pick something by Salinger too, although probably Franny & Zooey or one of the other novellas/short story collections, rather than Catcher. I wrote my degree dissertation on Salinger's Glass family.
I respect McCarthy but haven't personally got into him. I just don't rate Updike I'm afraid. Salinger definitely could have gone in. I might do a follow up.
Salinger came to mind the other day when Jamie mentioned the Jesus Prayer on your podcast together, because Franny talks about it and the book The Way of a Pilgrim in Franny & Zooey. Probably for that reason, it's always the first prayer that occurs to me when I pray.
I've never quite let go of the hope that at some point the fabled complete Glass family chronicle might be discovered and published. For a few years in my late teens and early twenties I was completely absorbed in Salinger's world, which is probably quite funny considering how slim and few in number his books actually are.
I was looking for something to read. I tend to read sci fi and really enjoyed the CS Lewis Space Trilogy on the back of The Lotus Eaters podcast. Following on from this top ten I think im going to go for The Shards. From the list I've only read Catch 22, so plenty to work through.
I saw a comment about Barthelme - I really like so many of his short stories. I don't really appreciate why he had such a hard-on for Kierkegaard, but I'm not a philosophy student. I'll have to get into that when I've got some headspace. Hope you go in that direction next.
Anyway, nice to get away from politics. I did follow you when you hosted podcasts with Toby Young ( I may have send a harsh comment once because you seemed a bit down on women.)
I also enjoy Frank Skinner's poetry podcast - wouldn't it be great to get you both together. Perhaps he's too mainstream? But poetry would be great too.
Apologies for long comment. Looking forward to more like this.
I'm not sure what it is but watching you talk about literature has caused me to develop a bit of a crush. Perhaps harkening back to some vague fantasy of a university professor - you'll need a pipe and a smoking jacket of course - but it's all there., which i think is fitting for a segment on the great American post war novel. 😘
Exciting household tasks update - tonight this is greatly enlivening me doing the bins and rrcycling.
I like these Reads vids as I can listen to them in the kitchen while cooking and don’t have to turn off when my husband comes in. He’s intolerant of anything political.
I posted a comment on YouTube to help the algorithm 😁👍
Thanks! Glad you like them.
Excellent as always 🫶 can I re stack this?
Thanks. Of course.
Very good. You've inspired me to have a go. I've read On the Road and Catch 22 (I think) about a hundred years ago (50 anyway) but the rest are completely new to me. A Cheers Nick.
PS is there a list somewhere?
That’s great. No list in case people didn’t click the video.
Perhaps hold them longer to camera next time. Just a thought. But I think it's great what your doing.
No.
I didn't have time to jot them down, that's all.
Ha I’ve just had every suggestion on YouTube already. People think they can control you like a video game on their phone.
This reminds me of my first year at university, and the module I took on American post-war literature, a few of your choices were on the core reading list - Catch-22, On The Road and Portnoy's Complaint.
I couldn't fault any of your choices, particularly with it being a list of the greats, rather than necessarily personal favourites.
It's always interesting with these things to see who gets left off. What do you think of Cormac McCarthy and John Updike, Nick? I'm sure you've mentioned Blood Meridian before but I can't recall what you said about it.
One that I'd have on my list of both the objectively greatest post -war US novels and my own favourites would be The Secret History, a novel I've mentioned here before. I'd probably pick something by Salinger too, although probably Franny & Zooey or one of the other novellas/short story collections, rather than Catcher. I wrote my degree dissertation on Salinger's Glass family.
I respect McCarthy but haven't personally got into him. I just don't rate Updike I'm afraid. Salinger definitely could have gone in. I might do a follow up.
Salinger came to mind the other day when Jamie mentioned the Jesus Prayer on your podcast together, because Franny talks about it and the book The Way of a Pilgrim in Franny & Zooey. Probably for that reason, it's always the first prayer that occurs to me when I pray.
I've never quite let go of the hope that at some point the fabled complete Glass family chronicle might be discovered and published. For a few years in my late teens and early twenties I was completely absorbed in Salinger's world, which is probably quite funny considering how slim and few in number his books actually are.
I’m still waiting for submission… I can’t get it yet 🫶
Read the books and everyone will listen to your voice 🤔🫶🫶 x like audio or something
I was looking for something to read. I tend to read sci fi and really enjoyed the CS Lewis Space Trilogy on the back of The Lotus Eaters podcast. Following on from this top ten I think im going to go for The Shards. From the list I've only read Catch 22, so plenty to work through.
I saw a comment about Barthelme - I really like so many of his short stories. I don't really appreciate why he had such a hard-on for Kierkegaard, but I'm not a philosophy student. I'll have to get into that when I've got some headspace. Hope you go in that direction next.
Anyway, nice to get away from politics. I did follow you when you hosted podcasts with Toby Young ( I may have send a harsh comment once because you seemed a bit down on women.)
I also enjoy Frank Skinner's poetry podcast - wouldn't it be great to get you both together. Perhaps he's too mainstream? But poetry would be great too.
Apologies for long comment. Looking forward to more like this.
I'm not sure what it is but watching you talk about literature has caused me to develop a bit of a crush. Perhaps harkening back to some vague fantasy of a university professor - you'll need a pipe and a smoking jacket of course - but it's all there., which i think is fitting for a segment on the great American post war novel. 😘
I should warn you it has quite a few gay sex scenes.
Yes Skinner would never go near me. He dropped Alun Cochrane from his show. He plays the game.
I’m putting this stuff on Nick Reads now in case you haven’t seen it. YouTube https://youtube.com/@nick_reads
Substack https://www.nickreads.com/
Sadly he does play the game. I can't listen to him with that awful woman Emily, but his poetry podcast is decent.
Thanks for the warning. If it works as part of the story I have no problem. Besides, I'm not easily offended 😉
Thanks for the links
Slow down Nick - my “to read” list just exploded
Listening to your list I realise how little I've read. I'm going through the Russians first, still a fair way to go with that!