CITY OF THIEVES Review w/ My Wife! - Family Book Club 

John is this the right place to ask you to take out the trash? (Your subscribers are making me blush. So kind! I had fun!)

Thank you, Amy, for joining the show! Listening to the two of you discuss a book together was so enjoyable. It felt like the kind of discussion that’s had at the kitchen table, and I love that. Also, when does Amy get to choose John’s TBR? That would be fun (and insightful)!😊

so, I never ever watch book review content unless I've read the book...but how could I miss this episode? I couldn't. Love watching The Family Minton rock out a great review and an entirely entertaining dynamic. I hope you both do more videos together!

This was such a compelling read! You hold the record STILL, of discussing books that I love that NO ONE else on booktube talks about. Jonathan Maberry, David Liss, and now City of Thieves.

Please please please have your wife on more often. Your banter and conversation was at another level. Y'all are SO good together!!!

Very lovely to be introduced to «Ma Minton»!😊 0:30 Oh, I can literally can hear the «Inside Out»/Robin Williams-style internal Mini-Johns shout «Red Alert! Red Alert!»! 😂 Back to serious mode: This has really peaked my interest, as the setting is perhaps humanity pushed to its most horrendous point, Grimdark can eat its heart out compared to it! So to find humanity even at that low point, is genuinely existential affirmation of the human spirit!

Just momentarily interrupting my extremely enjoyable time watching this to say how much fun the family dynamic is here! Also, when will you be having Meryl Streep on the channel, John? 😁

This was so much fun. "Siege of Leningrad--five-star siege" cracked me up right out of the gate. I'll have to read this someday, I've put it on my list. For some reason I didn't make the connection that the author was _that_ David Benioff. It'll be interesting to read some of his non-TV/film work.

I started and finished this book yesterday and as a 65 yr old woman I don’t particularly think it’s a ‘man’s’ book. I absolutely loved it and have spent the day promoting it to friends. I don’t look for feminist, racist, sexist, or any other IST books. I look for great stories. And of course my favorite is a gentleman in Moscow. Great show! Just came across it!

I haven't read City of Thieves yet, and heard it was a great read. I had to watch this anyway just to "meet" the wife! Talking Story being a whole family thing? I'm here for it. -Cheers

Wow, what a dream couple!! You know, as well as you carry this show on your own (or you know, with Jakob), I would absolutely love to see your wife on more often. Not because she is 'better' at analysing books than you are (no one beats your insane metaphors and indulgent gushes), but because your two different approaches compliment each other so much. I loved this video and I am totally sold on the book now!! Also, yes your wife deserves to be a bit miffed that it took you so long to read it lol. Always listen to the wifey! 🤣🤩

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to all three of you today! Listening to you all talking over each other and laughing reminds me of dinner time in our house! Great episode, and now I’m adding City of Thieves to my want-to-read list!

Absolutely loved the fact that you brought your wife on for this episode! Her insights were incredibly sharp and added so much depth to the discussion. The fact that it was a conversation made it a lot more lively, to me, at least. Plus, the family banter was a delight. Would love to see this become at least a monthly feature, if her schedule allows. Keep up the great work; it's awesome to see such a fun family collaboration! ...Adding the book to my endless TBR.

What a great pair (and trio), great chemistry on screen and (probably) off - confidant you'll make it to the 20th anniversary!

Hahaha I love that lady Minton is clearly the BOSS! All about the girl power 😊 You clearly adore you lady John and that is to be praised there’s not enough of that kind of emotion sometimes. Nice work lady Minton 👌

You guys are super adorable, You should make a series of videos like this

What a great idea to have your wife on and the banter made me laugh! I also finished this book this morning and wow what a roller-coaster of a book and all the feelings it brings out. What a good book, can't wait for next month's read!

Fantastic episode! I love historical fiction so it was nice to see you finally cover one! looking to see you review more. Fun fact this was one of the books that inspired the last of us video game. It's referenced directly in the sequel. Considering you are using historical fiction as palette cleansers I've dropped some of my favorite historical fiction and history books you should check out. Historical fiction/ history recs: Beowulf: a new verse translation - Seamus Heaney October Sky - Homer Hickman The Chase - Clive Cussler Joan of Arc - Mark Twain The Shadow of the Wind- Carlos ruiz zafon The lost city of z - David Grann Leviathan - Scott Westerfeld The map of time - Felix J palma The greatest knight - Thomas Asbridge Dispatches from Pluto - Richard Grant The deepest south of all - Richard grant Fighting the Flying circus - Eddie V. Rickenbacker Peter the great: his life and world - Robert Massie Johannes Cabal the necromancer - Jonathan L. Howard A voyage long and strange - Tony Horwtiz Abraham Lincoln: Vampire hunter - Seth Grahame-smith The great abraham lincoln pocket watch conspiracy - Jacopo della quercia The Yard - Alex Grecian A higher call - Adam Makos The explorers guild: A passage to Shambhala - Jon Baird and Kevin Costner The American War: a history of the civil war ear - Gallagher The Fifth Beginning - Robert L Kelly To the last man - Jeff Shara Mississippi in Africa - Huffman Gentleman Captain - Davies V-S Day - Allen M. Steele

This is one of my favourite books I read in like 2022 I think. By the way... I totally have a "fake stage voice" too. Your wife is hilarious mate.

What a great discussion, who knew that David Benioff had this in him, I would have never known just watching Game of Thrones. I hope your wife joins you again in the future, she’s so well spoken and smart 😄. I've been away for a while, so I'm just now catching up to your videos John. Looking forward to watching you and Jimmy and the Janny Wurts interview

Great episode. Love the chemistry between you and your wife. I've just ordered the book from WOB. Can't wait to read it. 🙂

John, every time you upload a video, my TBR swells & my bank account whimpers. The enjoyment I receive from the videos offsets this predicament, just 😆

Your banter with your family is so funny and put a big smile on my face today. I appreciate the content.

Distinctive dialogue is so important!! Adding to TBR immediately. 😂 this was fun to watch!

I would love to see if Amy would like a high fantasy novel, of course with the most fantastic prose, Robin Hobb or maybe Manda’s Scott’s Boudica ( historical fantasy)? Another re-occurring segment for Talking Story, forget Jack & Diane, now it’s Amy & John.😉

Do another Family Book Night. This was one of your better episodes!

A fount of knowledge, insight, perspective paired with entertaining banter. Gives me incentive to buy the book and read it. The right way to review a book. I happen to have been to their home, and this is exactly how it is between the three. Never a dull moment

Excellent joint book review! And Amy, I do hope your Mother's Day was delightful!

Terrific discussion! Loved getting both of your perspectives on such an interesting book. I’m about 3/4 of the way through the book and it’s been a really good read. Brutal for sure, but has me on the edge of my seat wondering how it will finish.

Whenever I hear a mention of Waiting for Gadot, i immediately think of Home Improvement and Tim Allen saying Gadot. I love plays, but not sure if it's my style, more for things like Phantom of the Opera. I do not have a theatre background, just my dad taking me to plays in nyc. When you said the author's name, I had to do a double-take, I thought he just was good at adaptations, but his own thing, well, not so much. Still not sure if I can forgive him for season 8 yet to read his book, still not happy with George for leaving 2 books in the series unpublished with the wait, unlike others, I hold a grudge. I keep wanting to read it, but then get upset that there's only the GoT ending once I get there. I won't even start a trilogy until the entire set is out, or I have a date for it, confirmed. So instead of starting EotV, I'll do the Nevernight trilogy instead. I did read the first one, but it has been a long time and I've forgotten pretty much everything. Have you read that one? I also need to finish the Illuminae files trilogy he collabed on. It's YA, but it was my first introduction to a full cast audiobook and it was a lot of fun. When you pair the audio with the physical book, chef's kiss. I do picture the characters a bit older though, probably the voice actors, but it's media format. I don't go to YA anymore, but that one won me over. I have a lot to read, so I'm not even sure it'll make it to the tbr pile until I get through some of what I already have. Problems of a slow reader.

I loved this collaboration, and the book sounds very interesting...🤔

I read this book a couple of years ago, it’s fantastic!

Such a wonderful family! Y’all are making me want to read this book now!

Awesome Review. Glad to have seen this Family Book night.

Nice review of this book. I had to look it up on Goodreads and yes, I read it two years ago, gave it 5 stars. Fun dynamics between you two.

Really enjoyed this one! I'm glad you liked CoT as much as Amy and I thought you would! We need family book night more often and to start a petition for a CoT adaptation.

It's weird that David Benioff, the showrunner of Game of Thrones, wrote books like this. But I guess showrunners are writers. It's just funny. He also wrote the 25th hour, which is a movie starring Edward Norton that i liked.

Listening to Jakob jump on that "one of" comment like he wanted to make sure you got in trouble :D Although listening to Amy, I can see where he gets his "not letting you get away with anything" attitude :D "cannabilism..." SPOILER! :D By the way, guys. You need to take a drink every time she adjusts the knight ;) Jakob, I'm surprised you even know how to talk. When did you get a chance to say anything with these two talking to each other? :D There's like no pauses :D

City of Thieves is one of those books that reminds me just how adventurous and strange as fantasy is. I’m quite shocked that Benioff managed to combine whimsy with tragedy in one of the most brutal parts of World War II. It reminded me of something Michael Chabon would write, and I’m quite shocked he didn’t. It has that same combination of whimsy and tragedy that his work has. We didn’t even get a blurb out of him, it’s a disgrace. This is a great book, and I really enjoyed you and your wife’s dynamic. Keep up the good work Uncle!

City of Thieves is really good. This was a surprise to see on your channel. Good stuff.

I very much enjoyed family book night we got to have the dog on next! City of Thieves sounds like a great read

Lonesome Dove is incredible...

Amy-- you and Sestra keep the nonsense in check

I dont get it? My wife doesn't appreciate my musky vibe either.

Hi Amy! Love you miss you! Oh yeah…hi John, I guess.