Hi, I’m Dan and I’m a mature student with the Open University studying English Literature. I’m also a new fan of classical literature and most of my videos will either be me talking about my journey at university or discussing classical literature that I’ve read.
Fab thanks! I'm looking forward to studying this module. I'm stuck between studying classical studies/history/lit. Hoping this A111 module will help me decide which one to chose next. I want to study A112 & A113 lol!
Great minds think alike. For me it was only really between my top 2 for the win as both managed to incorporate a literary feel into a novel that also had a substantial and enjoyable plot
Dan thank you for this overview, really useful. Please keep the videos going, I’m enjoying your reflections on your reading, so well considered and accessible.
I have always been a fan of this prize and what it’s doing! I’ve not read the shortlist for years as it’s always around Women’s Prize season which is my bae. I’m surprised they’re announcing on the same day. Anyway, great set of thoughts. Shame about Tremain, she’s one of my fav authors though I’ve not read that one yet. Also a big Myers fan. I really want to read your four, three and two picks, Hungry Ghosts is my next book club pick. I loved The New Life. What a book!
I’ve bought the shortlist for the Women’s Prize but haven’t got around to reading but will get on to it over the next few months, but if you have any suggestions on where to start, would be much appreciated. I think with Tremain’s Absolutely & Forever I just wanted a bit more as it was quite short and wanted to see what the character did next and see their development more, although the writing was fab. Hungry Ghosts & The New Life are both great reads which have stayed with me long after reading and I think both would be worthy winners, but I did also enjoy In The Upper Country and The House of Doors.
Dan thank you so much for this thoughtful review and ranking of the books! Delighted you found so much to enjoy in this year's Walter Scott Prize shortlist.
This video got suggested to me by RU-vid and I am so glad it did. I’m looking forward to heading back to more of your backlist as new videos come in. Wilkie is brilliant. One of my favs. Those Icelandic bookmarks are ace.
Thank you for such lovely words. I’ve been subscribed to your channel for a while and have enjoyed a number of videos. I’m looking forward to getting my teeth into more Collins in time, although next up on my Classics list is Dickens’ Our Mutual Friend. I do love the bookmarks, may have to get more when I go back next year 🤣
This was a recommended book to me to read for Pride, and it was an enjoyable read indeed. I was hoping subconciously for a fantastical ending, like we would see the beginnings of a change on the perception to the "Inverts" etc., but how it was written feels more authentic. Difficult but authentic and reasonable...
This is exactly how I felt about it. It would have been lovely to have a happier ending and seeing perceptions change and the characters getting their happy ending, but while it missed these, the closing did feel authentic to both the time and the novel itself 😊
At the time of release there were four novels considered Collins’ great works which started with The Woman in White and ended with The Moonstone. Armadale was released after the former, albeit granted that in this day and age most people only know the two you mention
Hi Dan thank you for this video - Weirdly the exact same thing happened to me 😂 I started Natural Sciences but struggled a lot so decided to switch to English Literature and Creative Writing instead. I don't start until October but this was a great introduction to it and what to expect!
That’s great to hear. I hope you enjoy the module. For the most part it’s great, near the end I did find it was too broad for my tastes so I’m looking forward to A112 a bit more when I start that in October 😊
Just wanted to say thank you Dan for putting the effort into making these details videos. I was on the fence about enrolling onto A111 but your videos have swayed me. I'm planning on enrolling for either October or early next year, but I've been going through the textbooks and watching your videos as I'm going along. Please do keep it up as it's invaluable to a lot of us, they're great videos
Thank you for the lovely feedback and I’m glad to hear you’re thinking of enrolling. Hope you’re enjoying the material in the textbooks, it’s such a wide module with lots of fascinating topics 😊
I don’t have anything set in stone and at the moment I’m mainly completing it for enjoyment. However, I would like to live abroad in the future so I’ve been considering teaching English and am also currently studying a TEFL qualification just to keep the opportunities open 😊
@@DanUniAndBooksthats very inspirational I am studying a Psychology conversion course with the Open uni at the moment but have a huge love for literature hence I enjoy watching your book reviews Dan, thank you
Thank you 😊 unfortunately I missed out by a few % on my last module, however the OU have now changed their classification rules so under the new rules I would have got a first, but I’m still pretty happy with my 2:1 😊
Hi Dan, just came across your and I’m go grateful for your videos! I’m currently studying my 1st year in psychology, I’ve done well I think considering I havnt studied since college (11 yrs ago) but it’s actually not what I thought it would be and as the module has gone on, my hearts not in it. My tutor has been very contradictory to which has put me off and I’ve not had the best support but I don’t want it to put me off studying as I enjoy it. I’ve decided I want to study something I enjoy and maybe I can take with me to help in a career. Currently I have my own cleaning company and I tried to be a pro mountain biker which didn’t work out but hey ho!I’m scared of choosing the wrong subject again but A111 sounds great and I’m very interested English literature. Could you possibly tell me a little about your experience with the tutors on this course? Like I said, not had the best experience and I’ve lost a little confidence. Sorry the very long message! I just want to get it right this time. Thank you for your time and your videos!
Hi and thank you. I’ve only done A111 so far so only had one tutor. For the most part he was really good, the tutorials I found really helpful and the feedback on assignments was useful in indicating what I could do better going forward. Obviously I can’t say how other tutors would be as there are quite a few for A111. I know it can be disheartening to have a tutor that doesn’t live up to expectations, I had a couple when I did my first degree and it can affect confidence and enthusiasm for sure. In terms of subject matter, I found A111 wonderfully diverse and interesting and it starts at a nice easy pace so that students are able to find their feet with humanities. Hope you continue your OU journey in whichever subject you’re drawn to and for every bad tutor, remember there are 10 tutors who are great and happy to help
Hi Suzanne, I've only completed 2 modules so far but I had a similar experience to you with my psychology tutor. In fact if it had been my first module I probably would have given up. My other tutor however had gone above and beyond to support and encourage, just hope this encourages you a little!
Oh no, so much plot given away....I'd welcome your overview & response to the of 'themes' within the work. Hope your gym work outs provide you with that physical appearance you're after.
I have a lovely independent book store that is not too far from where I live which I’ve used a few times, but I also use Amazon for ease. I don’t have any budget but I have an overall monthly spending limit, which I tend to go over with when buying books 😆
Just read this and loved it. I think it was the right novel at the right time for me, making it almost 5 star. It was spoiled, for me, by the descriptions of modern maternity care being obviously manipulated to suit the story. Often novels could be improved by being edited more, but on this occasion I think it could have benefitted from being longer so we could have been shown aspects of the story instead of it feeling like it has been explained afterwards in a rush to finish. Especially as I felt all three narratives were individually worthy and compelling and I loved the way they entwined with one another. So it was delicious though at times missing a little seasoning, but will remain in my heart I think. It will be interesting to see how this author develops and I await her next novel. Have you read Sarah Waters? Can't remember if I've seen you mention her. Weyward has a feel of Sarah Waters, whose books are all 5 star plus for me. Hard to choose a favourite but I think Fingersmith might just win it by a nose.
I agree that the Birth at the end was a little unbelievable. I guess the author was trying to manipulate it to suit the narrative of Kate rediscovering her roots and giving herself to nature, but still a little rushed. I also agree that the end felt rushed after building up these women’s stories, but for what it was I still enjoyed mostly 😊 I haven’t heard of Sarah Waters but thanks for the recommendation will have to check her titles out 😊
@@DanUniAndBooks Forgot to mention, did your edition have the flip book crows, I loved this little extra touch. Been thinking some more about how reading is affected by what a reader brings with them. There are things, like maternity, that I have personal experience of which make it difficult to suspend my disbelief of aspects of this narrative. However I have read lots about forensics and police procedure yet can read past reality errors of that type in novels. I hadn't considered this idea before. Bringing me back to the fact that now in my late 40's I am re reding a lot of books that I read when I was late teens/early 20's. Can I still suspend my disbelief as much as I could when I had little life experience. Books that have been defined as classics (not just due to their age) surely should still be great, though maybe different. Then there's the psychology thing (I forget what it's called) about one's personality being shaped by the books you read/ music you listened to etc as a late teen to add into the mix. Interesting, well it is to me anyway. Bit of a train of thought dump. Currently re reading Dracula in real time. Loved the story but thought it was badly written first time around, so finding it surprisingly good this time in real time, so far ( it is written in diary entries from 3rd May to 6th November ) Also just starting Night Shadows by Eva Bjorg AEgisdottir, the third in the Forbidden Iceland series.
@@wendy-bookworm yes my copy had the crows at the top that looked like they were flying if you flipped the pages, lovely little touch. I don’t tend to mind when a plot goes a little awry from reality, but if it strays too far into the ridiculous then I sometimes get irritated by it 🤣 I’m looking forward to starting the Forbidden Iceland series and I still need to get around to Dracula. May save that for Halloween time 🤣
I read TWWLN. I loved it. It was long but I couldn't put it down. I read it in a month. I'm reading the Barchester series. I do not like long books of over 600 pages but his books seem to go quickly.
It was definitely a page turner, loved his use of satire and found the characters truly awful but in a loving way 🤣 I’ve got the Barsetshire chronicles on my bookshelf waiting to be read, will hopefully start with The Warden soon 😊
I really enjoy your Wrap Ups and reading plans. I haven't read many Victorian novels but thought I might check out Collins. I read a few pages of Armadale from the Amazon free sample but his prose seems very thick, especially for a newcomer to Victorian literature. Maybe I'm being too ambitious by starting there. Would you recommend another Collins as maybe a better introduction to his work?
Thank you. I’ve only read one other Collins which was The Dead Secret. The prose may still be a little thick (but nowhere near Armadale) but I do think The Dead Secret is an easier read, it’s a much smaller book and the plot is fairly straightforward to follow. Other people highly rate The Woman in White, but I haven’t read this yet so I can’t comment on the prose.
It’s a literary experience that’s extremely enjoyable… I still want The New Life to nab the Walter Scott prize but I wouldn’t be upset if Cuddy wins it either
I've been watching you for a while and really enjoy your channel, love your discussionon the classics. This was a great video, love your fascination with Iceland, my home 😊. The recommendation above, Eva Björg Ægisdóttir's book is excellent, she is fast becoming my favourite crime author.
Thanks for the recommendation, I’m gonna check out her books. Crime thriller set in Iceland sounds like something I would love. I only went to Iceland for the first time 2 years ago but have been 4 times since and I’m in love with the whole island. The beautiful scenery and wonderful people makes me want to live there someday. 😊
Sounds great, thanks for putting it on my radar. Think I returned to the closet 20 years ago when I got married, just as you came out. It's almost embarrassing to say to my children's generation that I did something so foolish as things are so different now for teenagers.
We all have our own stories to tell and reasons for them, I was lucky as I didn’t have anything to lose and started working at a place with a number of LGBT people that helped me through it. However, I do recommend this book as while it portrays issues in the Victorian period, some of the stuff raised could very well be relevant to todays climate 😊
Very cool book collection! 😍 I also really love Viking/Medieval time but haven’t read nearly enough on it. I would love to see a video more on your pagan books & just anything about that you’d want to share (it’s always interested me though I admit I do not have much knowledge on the subject!). New to your channel here, I’ll look back at your other vids maybe you’ve already covered these things! ❤
Thanks for watching. I definitely need to do some videos on the Viking/paganism books at some point. Just need to get around to reading or re-reading them and finding time to do so 😊
Love this video. I know you've got quite a TBR already but after watching this I thought you might like the nordic noir genre. Eva Bjorg Aegisdottir's The Creak On The Stairs is the first in an Icelandic series, at the cosy end of the scale. Then there is Stieg Larsson's superb Millennium Trilogy. I've just bought Weyward this week, looking forward to reading that, love the cover. Though my own TBR is big so much to choose from, so much to look forward to. I donated most of my books to Oxfam and then regretted it so have been re buying read books and buying new books for the past year. Not getting much new stuff read as I re read things like Jane Eyre that I first read when I was about 20 - still great decades later. I am currently reading The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins, 1800's historical fiction.
Thanks for watching and thanks for the recommendations. There’s quite a few there that sound really interesting so I’ll be looking them up for sure, love the sound of Nordic noir. Will also check out the Sara Collins as I do enjoy fiction set in the 1800s 😊
Good to get to know more about you and your reading habits! I found it a bit hard to get into the first part of Cuddy as well but came to love it as time progressed and more characters were introduced. The Chronicles of Barsetshire series is wonderful - The Warden can be a bit dry at times but is ultimately great especially towards the end in a London section. I still have a couple more books from that series to read. Hope you enjoy! 📚
Thank you. I’m really enjoying Cuddy now and even on reflection enjoyed the first section, although whilst reading found it a little jarring switching between different types of prose. I’ve heard on a few videos The Warden can be a bit dry so I’m fully prepared to keep with it in the hopes of better things to come further on in the series 😆
Meryl Streep played in the French Leftenants Woman I think it was a double one where we seen them out of cast but could be mixing it up with another of her films but you should like it. I'm jealous about Tgimas Pain lol. I managed to get a good hawl of academic books from charity shops last week
I LOVED David Copperfield. I've only read a few other Dickens, but if that's his meh, bring it on! Great selection of books. Good luck with the Lyric Poems (I don't like the poetry of that time period either). I'd recommend Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Anne Radcliffe's The Romance of the Forest. I like both the previous books better than Dorian Gray (current read) as far as gothics go. Dorian Gray is dark, but not gothic enough for me. He's lost the romantic period vibe. Happy reading!
Thank you 😊 hopefully David Copperfield will be a nice surprise then. I have Frankenstein on my shelf ready to read at some point but thanks for the recommendation of The Romance of the Forest, will add it to my list 😊
I picked up a hard back copy in a charity shop recently of The wispering Muse by Laura Purcell. I've not read her books before. Sound interesting though. Some fab purchases you have made ❤
Wow that is some book haul, I am so excited for you to be reading these books for the first time🙃. If you like gothic The Yellow Wallpaper and Dorian Grey are first class. Have you read Frankenstein? I count it as one of my favourites, though haven't read it for decades and can't even remember which version I read. I am excited to do a re read of them this year and see my thoughts on the differences and if it's still a favourite. i dropped by after seeing Katie mention you, think I need to get her book also 🤗
I’ve got the 1818 version of Frankenstein on my shelf waiting to be read, think I’ll wait until near Halloween for that but I’m also excited to read The Yellow Wallpaper and Dorian Grey 😊
I've just finished reading Mary Barton. What hit me from the beginning of the book (among other things troughout the story) was that this misunderstanding and gap between poor people and wealthy people that leads to anger, violence, suffer, resentment, etc is still so relevant today.
Will do, I’m planning to read the whole chronicles in order, just didn’t include the warden in this vid as I bought it last year and included it in the video at the start of the year 😊
Hello, new subscriber from books and things. Have you read Fifteen wild Decembers by Karen Powell? A historical novel about the Bronte Family , told through the eyes of Emily. Definitely worth a read ❤. Great vlog.
Hi, thank you and welcome. No I haven’t read that but thanks for the recommendation, I’ll add that to my list of books to purchase as it sounds right up my street 😊
