I have a whole list of these books on my Goodreads!! For some reason I am incredibly drawn to devastating stories of women and mother-daughter relationships. Would recommend Please Look After Mom, Pieces of My Mother, and a Woman's Story....I haven't read this book yet but this video just pushed it up my tbr list :)
you just made me realize that I'm suffering through the same ordeal of trying to academize (idk if that's a word) reading books when I started reading to understand a larger pov in the first place. I have forgotten what that feels like because I constantly put pressure on myself to find themes and symbolism and analyze every line yada yada from the books I read or "I am not smart enough" which probably explain why I an in a reading slump rn. great video! so glad I subscribed
YES! I went through the exact same thing. It’s so much more enjoyable when you recenter yourself while reading. I also think it’s been really improving my intuition, confidence, and strengthening how I communicate my own opinions to others. Thanks for watching and supporting the channel! 🥹
@@4b6t right? I was also forcing myself to read genres I was not as interested in (eg. non-fiction) because they seem more "intellectual" 🙄 but recently i started the acotar series and went through the first three books in four days and realized why I was in the slump ahaha
Library books for the win! ! Libraries in my country sucks ass even in the best cities of the country , it has books but are below standard, especially when considered how important institutes are. I sometimes look up libraries of different countries on google map and admire how good they are while browsing through gallery.
I’m all for reading slow and truly absorbing the material. Try to annotate, write down your thoughts and opinions. And contemplate after you finish. But sometime I want don’t want to stop to think haha.
Im such a mood reader i take my time with my books but seeing all those goodread 100 book in year challenges made me feel like im lazy and not a reader so thank yout for this beautiful reminder💕
I know the main focus of this video is on how to engage with your books in a meaningful way. But on the topic of the book you discussed: 1.) Harpman was a Belgian born writer, not Dutch, Belgium has 3 main languages (dutch, french and german) while the Netherlands have only 1: Dutch. 2.) I think it's also interesting to look at the author and the context where the author lived in, Harpman was grew up during nazi-regime and had to flee the country. Knowing this will also enrich your interpretation and I just think nothing exists in just a vessel, there's always a broader context whether intentional or not. It's also one of my fave books that's why im so passionate.
Thank you so much for the added context! That was helpful in clarifying the text and Harpman's lived experience. This added context about Harpman definitely changes the way I look at the book overall.
Naturally overtime I have begun to read books that are only written by women. I have started reading introspectively to understand myself and the women in my life better. Even if I can't see myself in the words, I can see my aunt or my grandmother or mother. I can understand better the roles we played in each other's lives, and why certain decisions were made. Why they act in this frustrating way. Why I act this way. It's only been very healing on my end, and I want them to read these books and to know that I understand them better. And even if it's not understanding why, it's understanding them as a woman better. Most of media is created by men or for men, and I'm sick of seeing through the male lens. Men might write something I find interesting or entertaining, but they'll never write something that makes me feel. Honestly I think all women should read only female writings for like a year at least, you know?
Thank you so much for sharing and for the thoughtful comment! I too have accidentally only been reading books written by women (for the most part)-this was completely unintentional but I agree! I find myself drawn to female authors or LGBTQIA / BIPOC authors because their writing and their experiences seem to impact me more. I love your outlook on reading and how it helps give you clarity in your own life and relationships! Couldn’t agree more.
I'm glad I'm not the only one! I prefer reading literature by women (especially when the themes are about female friendships, childhood to adulthood, insecurities, or reflections of the mc) and most of my fav authors are women too. “but they'll never write something that makes me feel.” on point!
Hi Hunter! I love the solitude that comes with picking up a book and sitting down to read it. It feels like an intimate moment or sometimes a casual conversation with the author (or sometimes a bigger community). I feel connected to other people who also pick up books and spend the time reading. Whether I engage in sharing my thoughts with others or consuming fandom merchandise, events, or posts online - it’s all so simple but can be complex when I sit down to think about it. Thank you for sharing how you broke down how you have a discussion with the books you consume. I value writing and reading and this made me feel validated! Your takeaways from this book was awesome to hear. I appreciate the hard work you’ve put into understanding your own thoughts from the book and then being willing to share these golden nuggets with us. You’re the best Hunter!!
Hi my dear friend :) Thank you for the thoughtful comment! Agree! I love how reading can connect communities and make us feel like we're privy to a secret world that only a few others know about. I really connected to the quote I mentioned by RF Kuang about books being explorations of "all the infinite ways one can be human." I'd love to hear about what you're reading currently!
@@hunteriskindacool I’m reading through Haikyuu!! right now! It’s my first sports related manga I’ve read and so far I’m enjoying it. I find it difficult to read lots of words on my phone (aka my e-reader) so I read a lot of graphic novels and juvenile fiction. I get bored quite easily and find it easier to enjoy short books.I jump around in non-fiction occasionally - more recently it’s been neurodivergent titles. It’s been so long since I’ve visited the library! I want to try their new self-checkout system. I do enjoy interacting with the librarians though. Sorry for the ramble ~~ hahaha
I was literally going to make a video on something like this. On how book culture is so fast and wide. Hyping books up. Pumping them out. And how I, am a slow methodical reader. I don’t have a TBR. I don’t have a list of books to check off. I have a book in front of me that I am reading. Engaging with. Savoring it. That is why I read! Love your work! And your insight!
This is the first time I landed on this channel. I love books, but I also love mitski. And almost do the same things as you do after reading a book. And that's why I related so much with your rating system. I never hated any book I read. I picked up books that interested me and ended up falling deeply in love with them. I did not read too many books in my lifetime. Just the harry Potter series and handful during the lockdown. But every book changed something in me, brought something new to my life. I found new perspectives to look at things. There has not been a single video on RU-vid which I related so much with.
I had to skip the bulk because I didn’t want spoilers for this book. It’s on my TBR. But super happy I came across your channel. Following to see more! Love your style and storytelling here.
So sorry for the spoilers! Maybe for the next in depth review I’ll have a section without spoilers, then a section with. I hope you enjoy the book ☺️ thanks for watching and for supporting the channel! I really appreciate it.
@@calebokley6208 sorry about that! There are time stamps in the description box, and unfortunately my final thoughts is the only section that’s spoiler free 🥺
Reading has saved me so many times. And it’s the one thing I can count on when I’m feeling alone. Sometimes it’s easier to read someone’s life and problems and relate to it than actually facing the problems that I have in hand. It’s kind of like my pre workout before working out life head first. So thank you for posting this video and reminding me that it’s okay that I’m taking my time and feeling feelings when reading!!
Absolutely! I feel that reading gives me the language that I need to describe and understand my own experiences :) I love your comparison to pre-work out! Such a good analogy.
I'm definitely shifting from reading widely to reading deeply. I was doing the reading challenge on Goodreads, but I decided to quit it because I don't want to read just to get to a goal; I want to read because I want to deeply engage in what I'm reading. Thanks for this video!
Reading Deeply is soooo important and has been my reading goal for the past couple of years. I think going in with that intention changes the experience so entirely. You put it all sooo wonderfully here. This is a great video!!! your words are sooo appreciated :)
i’m so grateful this video found me , , i’ve been in a reading slump for a while now as i like to analyse the text , highlight parallels and things of that nature , i’ve always took my time with reading yet i’ve noticed it’s took me longer due to kinda making it a chore ? academically in a way too , i’ve told myself that i don’t always have to do this and that sometimes , you can just sit and read for enjoyment , this video reminded me of that and i appreciate it very much :) p.s , i’m totally needing to read this book you’ve been discussing !
Absolutely! I enjoy reading the most when I draw connections from the books I’m reading to my own life. Reading as a form of self discovery ✨ thank you for the thoughtful comment! It means a lot! ps - yes! I hope you enjoy it !
you have such a way of talking, of getting your thoughts across through speech. as you were going through your reflection of the book - what is the author trying to say, how did they communicate, and how did the book make me feel - i couldnt help but reflect on one of my recently read books along with you. those are such helpful questions to ask yourself after a read! i think it makes you carry the story with you for a lot longer. thank you for sharing them xx
Thank you so much!! ❣That is so kind. I'm glad the questions helped you reflect! It's a great way to sharpen intuition and absolutely helps me remember stories longer. Thanks for watching :)
as a new 'woman' who is having trouble navigating life and learning all the things needed to survive, i heavily relate to what you said about feeling anger towards the lack of help and preparation from older people around me. i think this video helped me take my first step towards growth by learning to use reading as a way to gain my own skills instead of looking to other people to pass them to me. you might not have meant it as deeply as this, but i just wanted to share how much this helped me :) thanks so much hunter!
Thank you so much for sharing! That’s exactly what I meant, and truly how I felt so I’m glad we both are not alone in feeling this way. I definitely had to remind myself that it is everyone’s first time being alive and we are all doing our best to survive in a very harsh world. Wishing you continued peace and growth 😌
I also grew up sheltered in a small town. I'm autistic and grew up bullied and undersocialized, so reading was how I learned as well as entertained myself, and I've been going to libraries for books since I was little. I'm glad to see someone else with a similar story to mine 💓
This video conceptualised and put into words a lot of thoughts that have been swirling in my head around overconsumption and what it means to be a 'reader' in a digital age. I'm looking forward to the direction of your channel and hearing your other perspectives :)
this video is the perfect example of what actually reading is, till now it was hard for me to make people understand that reading a lot and reading deeply are too different things. and i think this is soo perfectly explained. ❤️
As in incoming grad student this is perfect. I agree that social media makes us already determine a book before we read it but I’ve always been slow reader and it’s not because i am a slow reader. It’s because i annotate and think deeply in the books I read. I’m also a writer, so i also study how an author (and fiction as well) write their books to convey a story. I will definitely be adding these questions to my grad school journey🌸also… you’re editing is amazing and I thought you had thousands of subscribers by how nicely you edit with b-roll and all. You deserve more recognition! ☺️
Thank you for the thoughtful comment!! I am *trying* to apply to grad school by the end of this year and I am so nervous. Completely agree with your process! It takes time to digest what we read. Thank you so much for the kind words and support for the channel 🥹 it means a lot. Best of luck to you in your academic career!
Thank you so much for watching 🥹 I am so appreciative. And yes! I used to feel ashamed that I read so slow (lol) but I’m just trying to get the most out of the books that I read.
I rarely comment on videos but this video was exceptional! I loved how you make connections from the book to yourself. That is a great way of thinking/analyzing literature. Anyway I just wanted to leave this comment because I really enjoy how you think about books and are welcoming to new readers. (Especially those like me who are introspective and fell out of love for reading due to the school system). Thank you so so much for sharing this video! ❤
this video opens up a new perspective on reading for me... because when I take notes on my reading... I only do reviews on the book itself but never had i thought to do a review on myself... what I personally have gained and what can I use or relate from what I have read to my life. I love this videoo so much!! Now I am going to put a new section for introspection on my book reviews that i do on notion!! I doo loove the academic exercise of reading but it does lack something equally or actually more important... The humanity of reading.. the nourishment of my soul that I have yet to document.
I loved this book but I literally could not put into words how it made me feel. I've been trying to write down at least 3 takeaways from each book I read because I realized I was flying though too many books and not smelling the roses. I still like to read widely because there are so many books I want to read, but these are great ideas to consider for how I want to make a more detailed reading journal in the future :)
Thank you, thank you so so much for the advice. I'm currently reading Jane Eyre and now, thanks to you, I can understand the author's idea, I can look for the clues in the text. This is absolutely stunning!!!! P.S. I have a feeling that my real book journey is just about to start....thanks a lot❤
Sounds like an amazing book that has really touched you. I loved hearing your thoughts about it. Very insightful and I also agree that everything we consume becomes part of us. ❤
this video made me cry and i didn't know how much i needed to hear your words about the passing of time. as a former mitski lover, that quote alone makes me want to read this book, especially since it's been on my wishlist before clicking on this video. you have a way with words and i'm so glad to have found your corner of the internet
I stumbled upon this video after having finished I Who Have Never Known Men last night, not being able to put it down, and i am so glad. I adore reading, always have, but am tired of booktok and the quick-style content. I love analysing books and annotating and am looking forward to watching your other videos and hearing your thoughts and what i might think of them
I think reading deeply has more overall benefit for not only the reader but the author as well because they are truly being understood through their writing. Thank you for posting and encouraging a deeper understanding.
this was such a great video omg!! imma need more book videos (personally I particularly enjoy these in depth talks about books you read/ you’ve read) 💗💗
Since it's summer break and I got this little time for myself, I make sure to feed my mind with the books I am genuinely interested in! Thanks algorithm for this content! Definitely subscribed!
I randomly came across your channel. And I subscribed right away. You are wonderful! The way you word things effortlessly sums up things that most of us have a hard time saying out loud. 🙏 keep doing you! Xoxo
I came across this video, I only watched the beginning, and I knew I had to read this book... well I just finished it, and its one of the best books Ive ever read in my life. I wanted to thank you because Ive never heard of this book before, and your video was a very nice way of discovering this masterpiece. I watched the full video, and I really enjoyed it, thank you.
Thank you so much for the kind words 🥹 I am so glad that you found the book impactful (and honored that you came back to the video afterward). Thank you for watching!
As a college student that wants to do academic research on literature, I'm going to save this video because its really summarize what I think about reading. I love the way you talked about how reading it's personal, not every read needs to be academic but neither needs to be a competition of who reads more books. And I will add this book you mentioned on my list, I dont really care about the spoilers, because the way you talked about it just talked to me, looks like my perspective of womanhood. Thanks for sharing! I think I didn't expressed myself the way I exacly wanted because english it's not my maternal language, sorry 😅🫶🏻
You expressed yourself perfectly ☺ thank you for sharing your thoughts! I appreciate the support and I'm honored that this video resonated with you. Good luck with your studies!
Hello! I am so glad RU-vid decided to put this video of yours on my feed lol. I love the way you express your thoughts, it makes me feel special because I relate to them. I feel like not completely for sure, but in a way, I share the same spot as you. This is how I see reading as well. I can read with joy because I relate to author in some way, even when they tell something I didn't go through at all. We all share some same spot in life as human beings. That is the beauty of human nature and books. Oh I think I talked too much sorry haha. But I really appriciate this video. Thank you! So much love from me. -Selin
Hi Selin! Thank you for the lovely comment :) I'm glad you related to some of my thoughts. I think RF Kuang said it best, that reading/writing allow us to explore "all the infinite ways to be human". Thanks for watching and for supporting the channel! Hope to see you back here soon!
very well made video! I definitely feel like the recent "book community" are focusing much more on quantity over quality while reading. pressuring us to feel the need to consume and buy books for the vanity of it instead of doing it as a way to explore and widen our mind.
Well said! It definitely feels like overconsumption has seeped into the publishing industry-so I completely agree. It’s so important to critically consume rather than mindlessly consume!
I remember in secondary school I would go to the library every week for new books, it was soo easy to read, now, I’ve been obsessed with the same series since 2020 and haven’t finished another book since, idk
Hi, i just discovered your channel, i love the way you talks about books ! i love RF Kuang, Mitski and i definitely want to read this book (especially bc i'm french). i hope i will see you soon for others videos 🩷
I think I am going to read this book. Even though your video was enough to make me realise how distant and ignorant I have become of the women in my life ( my mother and grandmother) I have had similar issues because my father wasn't there with me and I was raised by my grandmother, I somewhat didn't understand her way of thinking. I still don't. Which is why I want to read this book.
Thank you for this video! It really helped me get out of this academic cicle and I’m sure my reading experience will be way more pleasant. Also, loved the book you talked about! I’ll make sure to also check it out🫶
I enjoy reading books too! Although I am not satisfied with the translated editions, I am not proficient enough to read English-edition books on my own. With the help of the web extension Immersive Translate, I can grasp the basic meaning of the passages. I hope I can get closer to these intriguing books.
I’ve only recently realized how important it is to find a good translator when searching through titles! It changes your entire reading experience. I hope the translations are still impactful in your reading experience!
Nice video, thank you. Random thing to point out, but for you video editing, look at adjusting your white balance. Your skin tone here off, it's a bit greeny-yellow. You'll want to add a little magenta to balance out the greens (and maybe blue to counter the yellow; but a nice yellow tone is good tbh, it makes it look sunny).
Comme beaucoup j'ai grandi dans la lecture, je lisais énormément et vite, et ait fini par abandonner l'activité vers le début de l'adolescence. J'ai, comme toi, appris très récemment à apprécier à nouveau la lecture. J'essayais déjà depuis quelques temps mais ayant beaucoup changé entre mon enfance et maintenant (né dans la fin des années 90 aussi) j'ai observé que ma lecture d'enfant était certes très rapide mais très superficielle, je ne retenais pas grand chose, alors j'ai souhaité en tant qu'adulte reprendre la lecture en prenant mon temps, mais le processus était trop ennuyeux, je me dispersais et perdais intérêt. Puis l'été dernier j'ai voulu lire un de mes passages préférés de mon livre préféré à une personne que j'apprécie, ça lui a plu (à la fois le passage et le fait que je lui lise), et j'ai continué à lui envoyer des messages vocaux de moi lui lisant des passages, voir même des petits livres en entier. Malheureusement on s'est un peu éloignés mais j'ai appris pendant cette période que j'appréciais énormément faire la lecture, pas seulement lire, mais lire pour quelqu'un, lire pour les autres, à voix haute. J'ai donc créé un compte twitch, un compte youtube (celui-ci) et je me suis mit à lire à voix haute, en direct, et à poster les lectures sur youtube, pour me donner l'impression de faire la lecture à quelqu'un et qu'accessoirement ça puisse servir à quelqu'un d'intéressé par une lecture audio de ce que je lis. J'ai commencé ça en octobre et je compte 66 lectures d'une heure en moyenne, je suis à mon 6ème livre, et je me retrouve beaucoup dans ta vidéo, dans l'aspect introspectif d'un côté mais aussi dans l'aspect relâchement, de prendre son temps. Lire à voix haute oblige à lire à rythme de parole, même plus lentement en général, ça oblige aussi à prendre des intonations différentes, selon le ton du discours ou le caractère du personnage, et ce jeu en dit sur moi, sur comment je m'exprime, ma diction, mon rythme, ma manière d'interpréter les phrases, etc. Tout ce processus m'a permis d'un côté d'améliorer mon expression à l'oral, mais aussi de m'ouvrir à un aspect théâtral de la lecture, et me force à peser chaque phrase, chaque mot, même si toute cette démarche peut parfois faire perdre le sens de ce qu'on lit et nous tirer dans une lecture automatique, la plupart du temps ça me permet au contraire de mieux mémoriser, car chaque passage est davantage vécu que s'il n'était lu que dans ma tête, et je trouve que ça correspond bien à ta démarche et ce que tu promeus. Je partage ça ici parce que je n'ai pas vraiment de lecteurs ou de gens intéressés par la lecture dans mon entourage, et je me dis que ça peut servir à quelqu'un qui, comme moi, serait tombé sur cette vidéo par hasard et n'aurait pas encore considéré la possibilité de lire à voix haute, ça peut être une solution, pour soi mais aussi pour connecter avec d'autres personnes :) Merci pour ta vidéo, j'espère que la traduction ne dénaturera pas trop le sens de mon discours si tu ne parles pas français, et je pense que j'irai lire le livre dont tu parles dans cette vidéo, je ne suis pas une femme mais les thématiques du livre et la manière dont tu en parle m'intéressent beaucoup !
Thank you so much for sharing! It has been a while since I read out loud but your comment makes me realize that there's a different kind of enjoyment and interaction with the text when you take the time to read it both to yourself or to someone else. This could definitely be an avenue for those looking to reignite their love for reading! I'll definitely be checking out your channel :)
Reading out loud opens a whole new way of interacting with the media for sure, especially enhancing the bonds you make with the story and the people you read to. It's a shame it has a reputation of being an adult-toddler/child activity when it's such a sweet and caring activity as a whole, and i really make a bridge between the dynamic you encourage in reading, which is taking the time to feel things, as slow as they can or need to be, and a similar dynamic i strive to keep in my relationships ; which is taking the time to take some time with your loved ones, if that makes sense. Not to jump between activities and boredom, but rather link those poles with intermediate occupations, varying in intensity, depending on the time and the energy you have at the moment, reading out loud being one of my favorites
Thanks Hunter… you raised an interesting point from the book. Why do you think women have such a unique relationship to their body and reproductive system?
@@NWong Probably because our worth, or even our personhood as women, has been reduced down to our reproductive system both historically and to this very day.
@@hunteriskindacool Ah I see... makes sense. That does seem to be the default historically. And women have had to prove that they're more than that. Do you think that's changed at all in the modern West?
I can't read, I'm overwhelmed by media. I simply not reading but I really hope to get back to reading. Mostly I was reading Christian book, I have some favorite read. Can you help me to start reading again.
Thank you for this video, it has really been eye opening, showing that I have definelty not been reading deeply. I plan to implement these questions into my free reading. Also, do you have any book recomendations? I know you did a video on what you would read as an english lit major, but what about just regular free reading?
I’m so glad! I’ve been learning a lot about myself by reading this way~ I’m finishing the last book of the Poppy War Trilogy and it has been so amazing and gut wrenching all at the same time! RF Kuang is easily one of my favorite authors so highly recommend that series if you’re in the mood for dark fantasy but be sure to read the trigger warnings prior! If you’re in more of a science fiction mood, I also have a video up about How High We Go in the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu! But if you’re in a lit-fic mood, maybe Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami! Happy reading ✨
