Some books are for escaping reality, but these books help us get through reality. Thank you!

@ompawar4050

3 жыл бұрын

That Skyrim stat thing becoming 100👍👍👍

@knels5288

3 жыл бұрын

So true!

@aqm5239

3 жыл бұрын

Think that when it comes to fiction, escaping reality (or taking us momentarily out of our own experience) and also showing us something that is undoubtedly real, (even if we don't consciously appreciate how at the time) are two elements that are always necessary. That's the beauty of fiction, it uses the subjective to reach to explore the objective the way that direct or rational speech never really can. I think that's why we can have classics. The lessons or concepts that they touch on are age-old and very common.

@moeball740

3 жыл бұрын

Oh come on, Merphy, you can tell them Count of Monte Cristo deals with someone unjustly accused of something without giving away the story. People unjustly accused of things still happens today, it's relevant.

@kenzasettini1911

3 жыл бұрын

Beautifully said... thank you

Everyone should read The Count of Montecristo.

@annabees

3 жыл бұрын

I hope this becomes the top liked comment XD

@majesticmundanity

3 жыл бұрын

Anna Little so far it is

@rachaelbaker6864

3 жыл бұрын

It’s so good. They made us read it in sophomore year in high school and I couldn’t pronounce half the French words, but my mom and I made it fun and read the whole thing. Always been on my favorites list. Should reread it soon.

@ilan8468

3 жыл бұрын

Does it matter if I read the book in German instead of English?

@ilan8468

3 жыл бұрын

Jonathan Parks Well I didn’t know that. But what I meant: Is there a major difference when you read a book in it’s non original language?

'The Picture of Dorian Gray' is the only book I've read so far where I had to cover up the right-hand page while reading the one on the left, because the scene was so tense and I was so keen on finding out what was about to happen, that I was worried my eyes would skip ahead to the next page before I properly got there. If I can still experience that feeling, then I can't wait for the next book that makes me.

@carlostrump9076

3 жыл бұрын

Me reading IT by Stephen King lol

@kevdawg55

3 жыл бұрын

I have the 1945 movie on my dvr

@moeball740

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Merphy for recommending Dorian Gray. Many Christians consider it blasphemous because author Oscar Wilde was gay. As an older person I can tell you I remember when many bookstores wouldn't even carry it because it was considered inappropriate.

@felicialegg8845

3 жыл бұрын

I love that book! I read it when I was very young and couldn't put it down!

@annemontgomery3890

3 жыл бұрын

I loved this as a teenager and thought he was so wild (hehe) and witty. And I reread it as an adult recently (I'm 35), and the wit was gone, and the story was only darkness. Weird how it can change as you reread it.

It's called a "biography" if it's a book about a person's life written by someone else. It's a "memoir" if the author is also the subject. Memoirs are also autobiographies. The difference between memoir and autobiography is that a memoir is usually a collection of stories and essays featuring snip-its about a person's life, but an autobiography is a more indepth timeline of a person's life.

@cedricwestmoreland

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you I have wondered about the difference for awhile

@amandarosa2492

3 жыл бұрын

It's like you've read my mind and answered my questions. Thanks!!

What I should be doing: reading one of the dozen recommendations from Merphy that will indubitably improve my knowledge as a writer and dreamer. What I'm doing instead: Watching another video of Merphy recommendations.

@Descro382

2 жыл бұрын

Hey, research is still productive lol

Two years ago my friends and I were frustrated with unwanted attention. So my friend and I decided to make a rule that we'd tell people to read our favourite book before they could ask us out. My friend's favourite book is Count of Monte Cristo and her now husband asked her out by buying it and starting to read the thousand and some page book. And it was really cute and it sits on their night table now as newlyweds ❤

@merphynapier42

3 жыл бұрын

I'm in love with this story

@KierTheScrivener

3 жыл бұрын

@@merphynapier42 I thought you'd appreciate it. Seeing your initial thoughts reminded me a lot of her joy and shock and satisfaction of reading it the first time. And reader love is always cute ❤

@sciencystuff2106

3 жыл бұрын

It's nice cause my favorite book/ series is wheel of time😂

@annarehbinder7540

3 жыл бұрын

Ayushi Shukla in that case try appriciate S M Sterling

@desireeskumachan

3 жыл бұрын

I’m going to try and implement this in looking for romantic relationship

The Count of Monte Cristo really is so incredible, I'm glad that someone on booktube has finally talked about it

@ILLRICARDO

3 ай бұрын

I love the book, I was so excited when There was a Japanese anime adaptation of the book which was as equally stunning as the book. It's called Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo

@Tolstoy111

2 ай бұрын

It gets talked about on BookTube all the time it seems.

0:38 - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas 1:59 - The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy 3:25 - Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë 4:50 - How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie 7:21 - The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde 8:34 - Things My Son Needs To Know About The World by Fredrik Backman 10:06 - She Came To Slay by Erica Armstrong Dunbar 11:18 - Pet Sematary by Stephen King 13:50 - And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman 16:15 - Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

@areaakhil7266

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks

@sauron9125

2 жыл бұрын

Very helpful.thanks

@jhanlynpanganiban5887

2 жыл бұрын

ty

@abdirizakdahir8150

2 жыл бұрын

Some people stand for helping others. Thanks for the summary, you saved almost 19 minutes of my time. Thanks again.

@umartangent

2 жыл бұрын

Bro Thanks alot, this was really helpful.

This is my personal list: 1. 1984 (highly relevant to what we are experiencing in the world right now) 2. Anna Karenina (It is not a work of literature, it is a symbolism and definition of life and romance itself) 3. War and Peace (A masterpiece of literature, the equivalent of the Mona Lisa in the world of literature) 4. Great Expectations (It's desert-island kind of book. It makes you cry, but it also makes you laugh, it scares you too and then it makes you feel love and pity and disgust...it's got everything.) 5. A Tale of Two Cities ( The language, if you love the English language, this is it. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...you get the idea.) 6. East of Eden: (Steinbeck, what is there to say about him? His style is raw and throaty, and his characters are little bits of pieces of him.) 7. Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Scarlet (The characters, the mystery, the twists, if you want quality entertainment and love solving mysteries, this is the one for you) 8. Walden: or, Life in the Woods (Henry David Thoreau is the definition of transcendentalism. If you enjoy philosophy and nature, this is it! Pay attention to his message about following your heart and inner light) 9. The War of the Worlds (A highly influential science fiction book by H.G. Wells, along with The Time Machine. It cleared the path for other science fiction novels and cinema) 10. Alice in Wonderland (Carroll’s mastery over sarcasm, nuance and wordplay is understood best by readers with a certain level of maturity, and my appreciation for his writing has only improved over time. Alice has taught me the power of dreams, the strength of my imagination, to question the strange and accept the weird)

@peggyfranzen6159

3 жыл бұрын

" WE", by Eugene Zamyatin

@waynemarkc6862

2 жыл бұрын

Love love this list....

@sreyawilson7251

2 жыл бұрын

Amazing

@ofstarsandmoonlightt

2 жыл бұрын

The first 5 are also on my own list, and I've read Sherlock Holmes, an all time favourite

@ba-gg6jo

2 жыл бұрын

Great choices I would add Cancer Ward, Quiet Flows the Don, The Magic Mountain, Silas Marner, Death of a Penguin, and about another couple of hundred. Thanks for posting your list.

WOW how much I loved wuthering heights. It gets so much hate for being "depressing" and "the characters are horrible people", and like, yes and yes! That's why the book is so amazing! I guess that if you expect it to be a romance and read it as if it's a romance you might hate it. For me, from the very beginning I felt like it was meant to be very VERY dark and twisted. It's a story about obsession, possessiveness, abuse, extremely toxic people and relationships. It starts with semi-insect and ends with ghosts. Fascinating and I love it.

@valeriag9443

2 жыл бұрын

I thought I would hate Wuthering Heights but I still picked it up because a friend recommended it and I’m so glad I did. LITERALLY the only thing I hated about it was the way Joseph talked. There was so much drama and so many strong feelings it was like watching a great show or movie it’s one book I’ll always recommend. Also yeah people hate it because the characters are depressing and horrible people but that’s the way gothic books work AND THATS THE FUN PART

@r.22r

2 жыл бұрын

Wait wuthering heights is hated?! 🤯 i understand how it might be too heavy for some people but its a fantastic piece of fiction

@nicholasschroeder3678

2 жыл бұрын

I tried, I really did. But it's so depressing and all the people are rotten. On top of it, the dialect is brutally hard.

Loved How to Win Friends and Influence People! My personal takeaway form that book was to act like a Golden Retriever in every situation; greet everyone, every time, like they are the greatest thing in the world- it leaves everyone feeling happier.

@maryclaireyabut9010

3 жыл бұрын

I just finished reading that book today. The biggest takeaway for me was to appreciate and respect one another. It was a wonderful read.

@louannhuber2651

2 жыл бұрын

I loved this book too and have read it several times. My main takeaway was, if, during a conversation someone insists they are right, I let them have it even though I know for a fact they are wrong. Then we move on and the other person feels good about him/her self.,

@slandergames9494

Ай бұрын

I actually finished this a month ago. Learned a few things and definitely reinforced alot of stuff I learned over the years. One of my biggest takeaways though was how people will be far more interested in you if you're interested in them

So, I read "And Every Morning The Way Home Get's Longer and Longer" on your recommendation from a video a while back and let me tell you, that book was the first book in my life that I cried so hard reading. It just hit me towards the end and I ugly cried. That book made me ugly cry and that doesn't happen when I read books. Such a great book though, Short as it may be and even though it got me so hard I would definitely read it again.

@balrajsingh1492

3 жыл бұрын

It was blandddd for me.... I thought it was overrated but now I don't .it's just something that didn't work fr me (because it works for. Soooo many people.

@sciencystuff2106

3 жыл бұрын

@@balrajsingh1492 almost same, I feel emotional throughout the book but didn't cry then I suggested this to my friend and she called me crying and it took her 3 days to get normal.

@Amanda-qt6lc

3 жыл бұрын

I just read a man called ove. At first I was confused why it's so popular. By the end I was in tears.

@christianbjorck816

3 жыл бұрын

@Amanda I really dislike that book, but I am in a minority there. Thought it was too on the nose and didn’t by the moral cookie I was being served. So yeah I was like you when you started, after I had finished it haha.

@shibina

3 жыл бұрын

i’m currently hearing its audiobook and I’m only 20 minutes in and i’m tearing up at how the grandpa forgets his grandson and how the grandpa sees things, it’s really emotional when you have a grandpa who is going through the exact same thing

On Dale Carnegie books, I recommend "How to stop worrying and start living" I keep returning to that book as it is more concerned with communication with one's self. Thanks for the recommendations 🙏

After a week at the cottage, reading and writing. This is arguably the best video to come back to.

My parents and I have a tradition to read books aloud with one another. As a child they always did this for me. Memorably chronicles of narnia, Peter Pan, Stuart Little, and so many others. But during my high school years they wanted to continue reading aloud. We started with the count of monte Cristo, and I cannot begin to articulate my feelings and thoughts on that book. Reading it aloud with people you love is a joy I wish everyone can have, because as you read you can reflect together and gush, and fully take in what the book is offering. I will hopefully read the other books in your list I haven’t already read, but thank you so much for such an insightful list!

@awkwardsity

2 жыл бұрын

When I was a kid my dad would read to me every night before bed. He read me so many books but the one that sticks in my head the most is him reading me the little house on the prairie books. He was so tired after work that sometimes he’d fall asleep in the middle of a page but I’d wake him up and tell him to go to bed and he always had to finish the chapter first. One winter in was particularly cold and it just so happened that “The Long Winter” was the book he was reading at the time. Hearing the wind literally howling while listening to someone describe a cold winter was fantastic.

@TheDrawmaniac

2 жыл бұрын

@@awkwardsity My dad read me those books too!! I was fairly young when he started those, probably 4 or 5. I remember him falling asleep mid sentence as well. He always had a habit of reading ahead, so his brain knew the next few words. Whenever he fell asleep his eyes would close but he would keep speaking the next few words until it turned into gibberish and soft snoring. Memories like these are treasures to keep!

@awkwardsity

2 жыл бұрын

@@TheDrawmaniacsometimes my dad would read ahead too. We were reading the sideways story series once and he read ahead and saw something so funny that he couldn’t finish talking and just laughed for like three minutes. It was great

The boy, the mole, the fox, and the horse was a Christmas present from my mom last year and it makes me cry every time I open it. It's one of the loveliest books I own. It's perfect for anyone in any situation but it was especially helpful for me in transitioning from university to basically the rest of my life

I agree with The Count of Monte Cristo and Wuthering Heights.

@muthulakshmivaratharajan2016

3 жыл бұрын

The count of monte Cristo sounds awesome. It's in my tbr

@peggyfranzen6159

3 жыл бұрын

Those two are classic.🌱

The Yellow Wallpaper, short story but as someone with somewhat similar issues it's surprisingly accurate but also entertaining. I can't even comprehend how many times I've read it and how much it's helped me through the years. For those who don't deal with the issues of the main mistress it can still be interesting and insightful to learn of such a unique problem some people actually have to deal with in life.

@bethmw28

3 жыл бұрын

I listened to this as an audiobook this year... the second it was finished I had to restart it and do it all over again! I think saying I enjoyed it is the wrong word... but it was definitely an experience and one I'm 100% sure I'll repeat several times!

@hoanggiangnguyen5919

Жыл бұрын

i love this book so much

The Picture of Dorian Gray is my favourite book of all time. I'm actually currently writing a paper about it, it's the absolute best, I love it so much

I have barely read any of these books, Merphy, but I am weeping uncontrollably because you are so beautifully expressive about why these touched you so greatly.

I'm with you on Backman. He fast became my favorite author as well. I love how the diversity of his characters feels genuine, as well as his ability to give depth to each of them.

Such a love/hate relationship with Wuthering Heights, hated all the characters but loved the story!! Glad I read it in the end..

You mentioned so many books that would be on my list as well, this video made me truly happy, thank you!

My ten: 1. 1984 2. Pride and Prejudice. 3. Anna Karenina 3. Great Expectations 4. Crime and Punishment 5. Catch-22. 6. The Great Gatsby. 7. Huckleberry Finn. 8. David Copperfield 9. The Hunchback of Notre Dame. 10. The Picture of Dorian Gray. I've read them all more than once. None of them will bore you.

@devlindoesthings

2 жыл бұрын

Saying that the Great Gatsby will bore no one is an objectively incorrect statement. I'm not saying anything about the quality of the book, but I know many people who both hated Great Gatsby or found it dead boring.

@nicholasschroeder3678

2 жыл бұрын

@@devlindoesthings I'm guessing maybe you're not American. It's very American in its message and sensibilities. But I can see someone being bored with. The story's fairly incoherent. It's impressionist. But Fitzgerald really was a fine writer.

@alexandrathiele9109

2 жыл бұрын

Are you German ?

@nicholasschroeder3678

2 жыл бұрын

@@alexandrathiele9109 Parents were

@alexandrathiele9109

2 жыл бұрын

@@nicholasschroeder3678 cool

“Wow, that story was depressing, hated that!!” was EXACTLY my experience reading Wuthering Heights in high school. Looks like I’ll be picking it up again after seeing it through your lense

@petra1995

3 жыл бұрын

I also read it in high school, but I picked it myself because I was pretentious, and I remember liking it a lot 😅

"How to find friends and influence people" was really good. You find that it is incredibly helpful for understanding human dynamics for people who are not naturally socially adept. Sadly, the title, in my opinion, is a huge drawback because people then read it hoping to acquire skills to become more influential and popular which, ironically, is not what the book is really about. Its teachings are not inverted or designed to bolster the individual but rather encourage humility, compassion and empathy. Great to see someone who uses the book as a means of valuing others as opposed to simply acquiring more influence or becoming more popular. Also, the most important lessons I think are on the last few pages.

It makes me so happy to see someone speak about Peter Pan so passionately. It is also my favorite book, and has been since I was young. I love seeing all of your reasons for loving it as much as you do.

Honestly, at this point, I wanna write something before I pass away so that I could leave some sort of mark in this world. Times like this needed a lot more setback for literary inspiration. Thanks for the reco!

@nerd26373

3 жыл бұрын

@@tylerdavis169 Not really, though...how can you be so sure about that?

The horror element isn't the reason I love King. It's the warmth of his voice, his characters, and his wisdom about the world. And I think that shows up most in his later works like 11/22/63, Duma Key, and Lisey's Story. Plus, I think his prose got a lot better. You might like Lisey's Story if you want a book about grief.

Honestly I think fiction is the best way to look at yourself from another perspective. I had a horrible internet experience a few years back and it left me with a severe amount of self-hatred. So, I happened to be reading a story while dealing with this that already meant a lot to me, but soon the story took a turn, and one of my all-time favorite characters started experiencing very similar things to myself. It helped me understand that I am more than this self-hatred and that I need to leave the toxic environment I was in. I don’t think I could’ve done this otherwise. People claim that fiction “isn’t important to read” but it’s SO important.

@fishbone9159

2 жыл бұрын

May I ask what horrible experience that was?

I have heard so much about "The boy, the mole, the fox and the horse". I like books that you can experience at different levels either as a kid or an adult. A notable mention like this would be "The little Prince". I also like a lot "The Warrior of Ligth's Manual" (that's a literal translation I don't know if that the english name to be honest), some people don't like Paulo Coelho but this was the first book my wife gave me as a gift when we where dating and it has a very special place in my heart. Great video.

You have inspired me to try Backman. Ordered a man called Ove. Should arrive tomorrow. I look forward to diving into it. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings

@Jes1919

Жыл бұрын

very good book

I actually just wanted to make a list of books that I want to read this year and than I saw your video pop up. thank you❤️

I love your take on Pet Semetary! King is my favorite author. Even if one doesn't like him, one has to respect the level of relatability in his stories, and it's a relatability that can change as you age! I find myself relating to different sections of his stories upon reread because I'm older.

Loved that “The Picture of Dorian Gray” made it on this list! Semi-recent subscriber, but this was the first book that I ended reading recently from one of your older recommendation videos (admittedly, I don’t remember which one). It’s such a thought provoking story, and it sparked my return to reading after a long hiatus-so thank you!

Hi Merphy, big THANK YOU for bringing Fredrik Backman into my life. I saw this video today, went to Libby and was able to download the audiobook. Went through it in one session. That was a heavy blow, beautifully wrapped. Now I understand what you mean. Thanks again!

hi merphy! watching your videos has really helped me get into reading classics and branching out from my comfort zone, i read The Picture of Dorian Gray and i LOVED it so much!! but my favorite classic that i’ve read so far is The Scarlet Pimpernel and i don’t know if you’ve read it or not but i would definitely recommend it if you haven’t 😊 also, Peter Pan is my favorite story of all time as well and i love seeing someone else love the story as much as i do

Honestly who become a follower of Merphy in this year but became a big fan of her ( count me in )

@danielpetrone3696

3 жыл бұрын

I have

@Kal_Al_Thor

3 жыл бұрын

I don't agree with her a lot. Regardless I watch her videos.

@ilan8468

3 жыл бұрын

big boss wdym racist

@KianOntong13

3 жыл бұрын

@@bigboss3051 what?

@slenderman8170

3 жыл бұрын

@@bigboss3051 huh!

You're the most chilled out Booktuber that i've seen here so far. I love it here. :)

Love this video - appreciate the perspective that they are not necessarily your favorite reads of all time, but offered important things beyond just entertainment. It would be okay to add to the list and talk about those honorable mentions 😉

The Boy, the mole, the fox and the horse genuinely helps me get through panic attacks! It's incredibly comforting and sweet and gorgeous to look at that my anxiety eases!

I have read The Picture of Dorian Gray and I'm currently reading Wuthering Heights! I've loved both.

Thanks for the suggestions. And the places where you got emotional describing why these books matter to you, it is beautiful.

I love with how much compassion you tali about these books. Loved the video💕💕 and def will give them a try

Omg yes I love these kind of videos!! Also u should do a video where u talk about your fav self-published books! I think it's so cool that you are supporting self published books and that this would be a great way to in courage others to do so as well... I also want to read self published books but I'm not sure which...

@merphynapier42

3 жыл бұрын

I have a couple videos dedicated to that ❤️

Merphyyyyy please watch The Dragon Prince. I know you are not into TV but it would mean a lot if you do a review. I can actually see you liking it. It successfully captures the vibe of Avatar the last airbender. Also just to bait you the voice actor who voices Sokka also voices Callum ( one of the main characters) and there is also a reference of boomerang. 🤗🤗 Loads of lovee

@analyzationm

3 жыл бұрын

Yes!! Thats a really good show, i really hope that we explore the magic systems more deeply in the coming seasons though

@ThePlatinumDragon

3 жыл бұрын

I third this! The dragon prince is so good and it gives off so many Atla feels!

@ThePlatinumDragon

3 жыл бұрын

Also Koh the Facestealer’s voice actor voices a character.

@shreyam9958

3 жыл бұрын

@@analyzationm I was seriously on cloud nine when they announced the 7 season arc. THe FReAkinG SAGA😍😍

@sophiiiiia6363

3 жыл бұрын

Yes! The dragon prince is the best!

Thank you so much Merphy. You really have a wonderful way of bringing the books to life and talking from the heart about why they matter to you. Really beautiful, interesting, and useful video. I'd love to see you and Daniel do a collaboration video reviewing Pet Cemetary.

This video showed up in my recommendations, and I am now a new subscriber! I adore the way you speak about literature and themes

As the Swede, I am ridiculously proud of Fredrick Backman being everywhere on this list😅❤️ I am also amazed by how much you love his language since it’s translated. The translator must’ve done a really good job!

@petra1995

3 жыл бұрын

As a Swede, I hadn't heard about him, but I googled him in the middle of the video because the spelling of his name seemed suspiciously Swedish. I've been wanting to read more in my native language, now I know what to get 😄 Edit: Oh it's THAT author, I just never paid attention to the author's name lol

this is such an amazing list! I've read a few of those books and will definitely check out the rest ^^

As a swede I didn't know Fredrik was so known abroad. But it is so good to know! What might not get across is how well he discribes the swedish soul. I really recommend "Britt-Marie was here" if you havn't read it. Great list!

You know what is beautiful? Seeing someone talk so loving and passionately about such things. When you put your humanity on video like this Merphy it is valuable. Thanks for the recommendations!

Thank you for your picks! I've read three of them, but will have to give the others a look. I'm trying to branch out from my usual genres. Here's my list: 1. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee 2. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 3. The Once And Future King by T.H. White 4. The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis 5. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand 6. Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield 7. The Stand by Stephen King 8. Intensity by Dean Koontz 9. The Hunt For Red October by Tom Clancy 10. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas Two honorable mentions: 11. How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie 12. A Long, Long Way by Sebastian Berry (One of the most beautifully-written books I've ever read and it's about World War I!)

The Count of Monte Cristo is amazing! I love it too! And coming up with a top 10 is very difficult (putting them in order near impossible) but these are high up there to be sure: God's Way of Peace - Horatius Bonar The Brothers Karamazov - Fyodor Dostoevsky The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry - Mildred D. Taylor The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson Much Ado About Nothing - William Shakespeare The Penderwicks on Gardam Street - Jeanne Birdsall

@robertthomasdouglasp6564

3 жыл бұрын

Loved all of these except three I have not heard of, thanks, like your list best.

@eclecticdog2k901

3 жыл бұрын

@@robertthomasdouglasp6564 Wow, thanks! Out of curiosity, which ones are the ones you've read?

Great recommendations! Can’t wait to check out some of these that I’ve never heard of. Thanks for sharing!

Thank so much for your recommendations. I read Letters to the Lost and loved it so much that I ordered the sequel. Right now, I'm reading What to Say Next. Your videos are so helpful and informative. You always have examples and evidence to back up your claims. ❤️❤️📚📚

The prose of Peter Pan are some of my all time favorites! For indispensable reading with deep human themes I always recommend the Earthsea series 💛

I had an abridged kid's version of The Count of Monte Cristo that I loved. It wasn't until I was in my 30's that I came across the unabridged version. I don't think I could have made it through the longer version if I hadn't read the shorter version several times. I love and appreciate the longer version now.

Smiled when you listed Monte Cristo first - epic. I'm going to check out your other recommendations. You seem like a caring person. And can I say, I like your clean-cut look.

Great list. A lot of these are on my tbr. You really sold Wuthering Heights well!

I’d definitely recommend the Big Finish audio drama of The Portrait of Dorian Gray! It actually got me motivated to read the book itself, because I wasn’t interested prior to listening to the drama. The actor for Dorian Gray is Alexander Vlahos, the same guy who played Mordred in BBC’s Merlin and Philippe in Versailles. Big Finish also released five seasons of a series called The Confessions of Dorian Gray - all very fun to listen to! 😊

I was pretty sure "And Every Morning" was going to be on this list. While I don't normally like contemporaries, and probably won't read most of his books, I anticipate coming back to this one many times as my grandparents get older.

Hey Merphy, thanks for the recommendations! Gonna pick up Dorian Grey soon because of it and I am intrigued by the Swedish author you mentioned. My top 10 would be something like: - Brothers Karamazov - Pilgrim's Progress - Ana Karenina - Count of Montecristo - The Odyssey - The Hobbit - Anne of Green Gables - Crime and Punishment - Jane Eyre - The Catcher in the Rye

Thanks for the great suggestions. Added these to my Kindle!

My personal list: 1. 1984 2. Brave New World 3. Fahrenheit 451 4. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn 5. Norse Mythology (Gaiman) 6. Night 7. The Hobbit 8. Lord of the Flies 9. Where the Sidewalk Ends 10. philip k dick short story collections

@obsoletelobster9258

3 жыл бұрын

replay by ken grimwood is also very good and underrated

@ariellelionessofYah

3 жыл бұрын

Fahrenheit 451 is one of my favorite books ever. I re read it at least once a year. Also Night. I met Elie Wiesel a few years before he died and our brief connection was a moment in time that felt like a lifetime. He was a beautiful human being and I will never forget our brief moment in time together. He held my hand almost the entire 5 minutes we spoke. Literally the most genuine human being I’ve ever met💙

@sohammmmmm1637

3 жыл бұрын

Lot of dystopia you got there fella

@mmt6567

3 жыл бұрын

I haven't read a single one from your list - which should i begin with?

@HansLandaNaranja

3 жыл бұрын

You should add some non english literature to your list. Like The Idiot from Dostoevsky Les Miserables from Hugo 100 Years of Solitude from Marquez Faust from Goethe .... Reading from foreign writers might change your world view. Many of them have another view on the world or way to express themselves.

I love Stephen King’s books (I’ve read roughly 12 of them so far) and can safely say that “Pet Semetary” is my favorite one as well. I absolutely love it! I don’t even have children and it’s still hard to read without getting emotional.

Thanks for the great suggestions. I just started Things my son needs to know about the world while waiting for my first born to arrive and so far its great! Also, Le comte de Montrecristo was one of my favorite when I was young! Alexandre Dumas definitely knew how to keep his readers entertained long before the invention of binge watching!

I just found your channel and I'm loving there's Top 10! ❤️

Pet Semetary scared the fool out of me when I first read it in my teens --but not for the whole things coming back from the dead part (which is scary, mind you). What stands out in this book and may be the best thing he's written is the sequence of Gabe running toward the highway and the horror of Lewis as he tries to stop the inevitable. That scene has imprinted on me and chills me to this day. I re-read this one a couple of years ago after becoming a dad and it's even scarier now.

My list (which is not finished yet!) would include The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, and The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas. All of these books I keep returning to and have had the biggest impact on my life.

You uploaded this at the perfect time! I just got on break at work

First time coming across your channel. I really enjoyed this video. Added a few books to read to my list. Thank you for sharing.

I'm reading Wuthering Heights for my English Literature class this year! I'm looking forward to reading it now :D

@lakshanasaoirse48

Жыл бұрын

Oh are you studying English Literature??

@nessaaaaaaa7

Жыл бұрын

@@lakshanasaoirse48 no im just a high school student 😅 i love english lit but i wont be majoring in it

The first time I read "A Monster Calls" I was unprepared for the amount of emotions it evoked in me. It was a time in my life where I struggled with my father's mental illness, because it came on gradually but then suddenly took a drastic turn to the worse, and I didn't know how to deal with it, or even if I actually believed him. He had been a great father and a good man all my life, but now he was scared and angry all the time and he said some awful things to me. But reading that book made me realize that the illness was not him, and my feelings towards that illness did not nullify my love for my father. And that thinking something horrible is not the same as acting on it, and I really needed that right then. So I ugly cried, and I recommend that book to everyone dealing with heavyweight illnesses. Whether it is you or your loved one, just read it, and let go of your guilt ❤️

This was such a lovely video.

Such a great channel with thought provoking content. Thank you!

I think I've cried at least once with every Fredrick Backman story I've read. Far and away my favorite author and a true study on how to write in a way that makes readers feel and feel deeply.

McMurtry's Lonesome Dove and Fowles' The Magus. So glad you included Wuthering Heights on your list. Its premise, a relationship destroyed by society’s condemnation, inspired me to write a modern-day version set in the West, the lovers being two men. I was on my third or fourth draft when Brokeback Mountain was released. So that was that.

Thank you so much, Merphy, for your heartfelt recomendations

The Count of Monte Cristo is an all time favourite of mine as well. So many great quotes as well 🥰

My sister has been insisting me for a long time to read Wuthering Heights, a classic, a genre which I have prejudiced against to contain only thoughts and actions related to the manner, love, and marriage(which I find boring). Now that you have mentioned it and because of the intriguing story, I am definitely gonna read it. (and also I love your channel so much. Keep up the good work, which needs no mentioning because you are constantly progressing in your content).

@anan-aremere7950

3 жыл бұрын

It's not a love story, it's a hate story

Wuthering heights is the most intense Novel of all times. I love it.

the count does not get enough love! such a gem, and the themes and characters are so strong its so easy to love

What an awesome video! Thanks so much for sharing these books & for so personally touching on why they mean so much to you! xo

Excellent video. You should read The Shining (its different enough from the movie version to enjoy) I’m reading Carrie now and it goes into more character development than the movie (as usual) and another great read.

Hey Merphy! I was wondering if you have read "A Hiding Place". It's the true story about Corrie Ten Boom (written in first person) who ran the underground in her town during the Holocaust. If you enjoy memoirs you will love that one :)

I’m not into reading at all but I’ve been trying to push myself to read bit by bit. I LOVE all your book reviews. Didn’t feel like reading Dorian Gray but the way you “love and love and love” this book...I’ll have to give it a try! ❤️

Fascinating content. Not what I was expecting from the title. Your passion for these books felt very genuine.

Finally someone put Peter Pan in their list, my god it must be one of my favorites books of all time, the final always got me tears and I feel so sad, and it makes me think about how time flies and how hard it is to grow up and that fear that the ones you love end up leaving you, omg so many deep themes, now I want to read it again lol

Great list. For spiritual well-being “The Hidden Words,” can be downloaded free. It contains 153 brief passages revealed by Baha’u’llah in 1858, as he walked the banks of the river Tigris in Baghdad. Direct and straightforward, it holds treasures of meaning that facilitates experiences of inner transformation.

You are fabulous. Keep it up. I expect more videos from you explaining literatures from all over the world. Great work. Love you.

"How to win friends and influence people" is such a gem.

Write that down! Write that down!

I’ve been watching your channel for a couple years now to the extent of where I actually re-watch videos and I always wanted you to do a video about grief. Well books that handle it well or really helped you fiction or non fiction. I could really use it. Feels like I’m hanging on by a string.

Few out your list ive read n i couldn't agree more. Beautiful selections❤ n im impressed how you dig deep into Kings book n found a wonderful concept. Now i have two bucket life.. lol

You look so close to tears for most of this, at least up to the end of the third book and clearly for these to be close to you they’ve affected you and I hope that even if it gets you down, you’ll be okay♥️

The Picture of Dorian Gray is my second favorite book! An amazing story with an infinite amount of layers of meaning that is as scary is as it is absolutely beautiful!

@Definitelynotabot4

3 жыл бұрын

What's ur first?

@Descro382

2 жыл бұрын

Seriously, what's the first?

I’ve read nearly all the books you mentioned, but did find a few to add to my TBR. Thanks for the Video!

I've followed you for yerars and I have always loved your content, but this video, it hit hard. amazing video Merpsh N.

I would put Gone with the Wind on my own personal list... & honestly after your description of The Count of Monte Cristo, it almost sounds like a civil war era female version of that story (thematically at least) Ah! I can’t wait until you read it !!! (no pressure of course lol there are so many books to read !!)

@dreamweaver1603

3 жыл бұрын

Gone With The Wind was my favorite book years ago. It is so well written. The story is amazing. I will admit that I re-read it a couple of years ago and I still love the writing and the story but was disturbed by some of the things in it. You just have to go in to it with the idea that it is from the perspective of a person of that time and know that it’s not how we are today. I always was thankful that I read Roots right before I read GWTW in 8th grade. It gave me perspective from both angles and that is necessary in my opinion.