No matter how “well read” I think I am, every year this list is a reminder that there is so much more out there that I haven’t even heard of until now.

@MJ-in-Canada

3 ай бұрын

Good point, Kurt. I agree with you.

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

It's so true! Just a reminder that there's so much world out there.

@johnclaybaugh9536

2 ай бұрын

According to a study conducted by Google Books, there have been 129,864,880 books published since the invention of Gutenberg's printing press in 1440. I don't think either of us is going to catch up.

I wish the wonderful people at the Booker International would give us a little more time between announcing the long and short lists. I always order all of the long list through my local independent bookstore, One More Page, and the start reading/waiting (I’m located in Virginia, so some years have had to wait for a trip to Cardiff to get copies of books). It looks like there is no information on a publishing date for White Nights. Simpatia comes out on March 26, and Not a River on May 7. The rest should be here in a couple of weeks. They had The Silver Bone so I began it last night (I may read this one in Russian, too). The folks at my bookstore tell me they enjoy my annual big order. If nothing else, it helps keep them afloat. This book list is by far my favorite!

I’m waiting for “Lost on Me” by Veronica Raimo to get to the top of my library holds list. I started reading “The House on Via Gemito” but I wasn’t in the mood for a book with a volcanic-tempered character so I’ve DNF’d it for now. I’m sure it’s a very good book though, and I might pick it up again at another time. If I’m not mistaken, Gemito is pronounced with a soft “G” (like the word gemstone) with the emphasis on the first syllable, i.e. “GEM-ee-toe”.😊 Thanks for this reaction video.

@Rodja.

3 ай бұрын

You are correct :)

The International Booker is always one of my favorites because I’m guaranteed to be surprised in the best way. I’ve read Kairos (loved it) and own Crooked Plow but I’m so excited for the two Italian books on the list.

I'm don't know where you live, but booklover that you are, I encourage you to take a trip to Powells in downtown Portland. I believe it's one of the largest, if not the largest, in the US. It takes up an entire city block, with multiple floors. It's simple, very organized and relaxed. There is a small cafe onsite. Downtown Portland is also appealing, with many turn of the century buildings and nearby town square. It's very easy to spend an entire day there!

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

I’ve never been to Portland and I would love to go-especially since Powell’s is there! It’s the biggest item on my bookstore bucket list. I do have a tshirt from Powell’s but only because a friend bought it for me when he was there.

I read 5 of the long-list. I read Crooked Plow, that I liked a lot since it gives us a good depiction of epxlotation in a plantation and the violence around women. I also read Undiscoverd that i finished this morning but I have mixed feelings with the book. Another that i read The house on via Gemito that it revolves around toxic maculinity and the importancy of art. Kairos that has a very interesting beginning. And by far teh book that I love is The details is so intimate and very captivated tale about the details lomked with the end of a relationship

I’ve just finished Undiscovered which was a thought provoking read. The impact of colonialism through the generations is particularly well handled. It’s also merged with an interesting depiction of polyamory as the author lives with her husband and her younger female lover. I liked it a lot rather than loved it but I’m still thinking about it so may have a more lasting impact! I’m now mid way through the Kadare and will be moving onto the House on Via Gemito. Thanks for the video and overview of the list. I think it’s very good this year!

As a Swede, The Details (Detaljerna) is so-so. It’s a little too ~big city, young love and pretentiousness~ for me. Anyway, I enjoyed the video. Have a nice day!

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

Thanks for the feedback. Enjoy your day as well!

I read a fair bit of translated fiction but there are still loads of authors I don't know on this list. Kurkov, Almada and Kadare are the only ones I have read a previous book by but all three were impressive. Simpatia sounds like it was made for you. Undiscovered really appeals to me. But I agree Via Gemito might be the most inviting.

Good reaction, I agree it’s a strong list. I think I read somewhere The River is the last of a trilogy, Brickmakers was the second book. I’ll try to do most of the long list but Crooked, Details , The House and Simpatia are going to be read first. I’m not sure if these were eligible but I was hoping for The Delivery by Margarita Garcia Robayo TR Megan McDowell The Remains Margo Glantz TR Ellen Jones Mild Vertigo Mieko Kanai Tr Polly Barton and Mr Kato Plays Family Milena Michiko Flasar TR Caroline Froh. ( good fit since you liked AMan Called Ove)

Thanks, Greg (and Teddy🐶)🌷I’m definitely going to read Lost on me and The House in Via Gemito. Kairos and A Dictator Calls will most probably be next. For the rest I’m going to wait for booktubers’ and other reviews. Totally agree with you: this is a great longlist!😍📚

I'm looking forward to hearing more about these. On first pass, Silver Bone, The House on Via Gemito, Lost on Me and The Details all sound very interesting!

Love seeing Starnone on this list. He’s one of my faves for sure!

Is Teddy an Airedale terrier? I also like to use some of the book prizes to try and find something different and not too mainstream or ‘pop’. Ordered ‘White Nights’, ‘Lost on Me’ (apparently quite funny), ‘The House in Via Gemito’ and ‘The Silver Bone’ as a wild card. There are some others I fancy too, but I already have so much TBR!😅

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

Teddy is a Welsh Terrier. They look so much like small Airedales that he is constantly mistaken for one. I can relate to the TBR problem!

I normally avoid all dog books & movies because they inevitably rip my heart out, but the dog on the cover of Simpatía looks a lot like my heart-dog Boojum who passed on a decade ago, so maybe I’ll be brave and try it out. I’m also very intrigued by The Silver Bone & Undiscovered. Since I’m new to literary reading and still exploring what stories and which authors resonate with me, I hope to slowly whittle through the whole list (and other prize lists) this year. So many books, but it’s super fun to discover treasures that I never would’ve explored even just a year ago. Thank you for feeding my new addiction. 😉 …And Hi to Joel & scritches to Teddy.

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

I'm hoping the dog rescue angle will minimize the potential trauma, but it's hard to say. It's a solid list with lots of avenues of interest. Teddy and Joel say hello back!

I am prioritizing the Selva Almada and the Jenny Erpenbeck and Domenico Starnone and The Details.

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

I liked the Almada I have read.

@ReinReads

3 ай бұрын

Brickmakers was quite good and I enjoyed The Wind That Lays Waste even more. I’ve been preparing myself mentally to read Dead Girls. Not a River was on my radar before making this list. Now I’m debating buying it if i can’t convince by library to get a copy.

It’s a bummer that they can’t give longer notices for the long list so that libraries could get copies. I found three at my library today and one being considered to order.

I tweeted last night about my gratitude for my overwhelming TBR pile as I’m very underwhelmed by both the Women’s Prize and International Booker longlists. Neither list generates any excitement for me. I will be following both prizes and keeping an ear out for books that are being highly recommended by multiple people, but right now, it looks like I’ll be peeping through the window on both.

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

Lucky break for you!

The Details was one of my best reads last year (in Norwegian). I highly recommend it, and would love to hear your thoughts.

I'm really happy that more people are rediscovering Latinamerican literature!! Also, I'm happy that for the first time a Venezuelan author reaches this prestugious list ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

What an interesting list. I read Kairos and lost on Me. I have holds on the Kirov, Starnone, and The Crooked Plow. Several others aren’t available, but they all sound good. It’s my favorite literary prize right now.

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

It's definitely a consistently interesting prize.

A small tip on pronunciation for the Italian book by Domenico Starnone. The name of the street is GEmito with emphasis on the first syllable 🙂 I’m really looking forward to diving into the long list. I plan to read The House on Via Gemito first 🎉

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

Thanks for the tip. I hope you like it!

Very interesting list, pondering whether I have the time to read the entire thing.

Coincidentally I also had my library purchase “Boulder” last year. And I have just requested a copy of “Crooked Plow” from the library.

That was most helpful

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

I'm glad!

I am not actively following lists, but get to see a lot about it through booktube. I also find all the books on this list appealing in some way. Most tempting to me are Simpatìa, The house on via Gemito and Lost on me (yes, I also adore books that explore family trauma😊).

This list will help me learn about books for my read around the world project. A few are already on my round-to-it list for when the book buying ban is over or I receive gift cards. I see you are wearing a t-shirt from my local independent bookstore. Do come to Portland and see it. It is huge. The "City of books" is no exaggeration. Are you and Joel taking an empty suitcase to fill with books to bring home?

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

I would LOVE to get to Portland someday--especially for Powell's. I have a lot of bookstores on our to-do list for Ireland and Scotland, so I'll have to do my best to budget both cash and suitcase space!

Great video as always Greg. The International Booker is my favourite book prize. I have discovered some of my lifetime reading loves from the longlists, though oddly enough, seldom never am overly impressed by the winner. As far as this year's longlist is concerned, I just purchased The House on Via Gemito and The Silver Bone. I hadn't heard of Kurkov prior to this year's long list but while researching, I saw another title by the same author Grey Bees which was described as a Ukrainian Vonnegut, and how could I resist that?

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

Ukrainian Vonnegut really does pique one's interest.

@user-yg6ft1iu1i

3 ай бұрын

Grey Bees was so good

I loved Crooked Plow. It has sold more than one million copies in Brazil and has been published in more than 20 countries. I

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

That's impressive.

I stumbled upon The Silver Bone today at my library and so far, so good. This is my first read by an Ukranian author. We own Kairos and I have ordered Not a River. Interested in Crooked Plow, also.

This longlist sounds really good. I am interested in reading most of these books.

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

Me too!

This is an interesting list. I haven’t read any but quite a few are being added to my Want to Read list including Not a River, Lost on Me, A Dictator Calls and The Details.

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

It really is an interesting list.

As I understand it, Domenico Starnone is also Elena Ferrante, so looking forward to that one

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

That's so cool!

The more I look at this list, the more interested I am. I picked up the Kurkov already. Not expecting it to be a hard-hitting contender, but it's well centered within my spheres of interest. Simpatia, with its movie-buff dog-lover, is tempting as well, though I wonder if the historical/political aspect would zoom over my head (also the race to build a dog shelter to fulfill the terms of a will sounds a little 'light'). The Details, situated in a fever dream, sounds like an interesting experience, though maybe not an experience I'm ready for at the moment; I'd also be interested to see what Kadare does with his material. Starnone sounds like a big contender.

I read Crooked Plow last year and thought it was excellent. There are a few others on this list that I would like to get to. My library has a copy of Undiscovered so I will probably try that one first.

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

That's a good way to start!

This looks like a really gpod list!

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

It does!

I'm reading simpatica first, sounds good.

When introducing translated books, could you mention what language it is translated from? I would greatly appreciate it if you could.

Well, clearly Teddy has made his choice! 🐶📚

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

When Teddy speaks, everyone listens. 😆

My favorite long list

@ReinReads

3 ай бұрын

Lost on Me is on audiobook through my library, will be listening to it this weekend.

@ReinReads

3 ай бұрын

The Details is also on audiobook through my library. Looks like a double header this weekend as I start prepping the garden.

I have to read Simpatia! I hope it doesn't break my heart.

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

I'm hoping that the rescue angle will minimize that danger... but it's hard to tell.

I’ve read 5 of the list so far and none were very memorable. Jente Posthuma’s “What I’d rather not think about” is okay, while All my puny sorrows was brilliant.

@AnnNovella

3 ай бұрын

Btw Elena Ferrante is Domenico Starnone

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

Really??? Wow!

@AnnNovella

3 ай бұрын

@@SupposedlyFun Yup.

Colonialism and its legacy seems to be a theme cropping up in several prizes this year.

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

It does--and I'm kind of into that.

Is it possible that people are poking you about reviewing books you haven't read BECAUSE of your PSA? 🤔

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

No, they only comment when I DON'T include the PSA! Every time I forget to say it there's an angry comment almost immediately.

@peaseblossom4252

3 ай бұрын

People being people-y. 🙄

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

@@peaseblossom4252 Amen!

@judybrown1624

3 ай бұрын

@@SupposedlyFun interesting. What is wrong with people?

@SupposedlyFun

3 ай бұрын

@@judybrown1624 🤷‍♂