I am alright, glad you’re alright. That haircut is a bit of alright too. Lovely to have you back! Sorry I’m a bit tardy! How exciting about the Treasure Island commission. Congrats 🎉
What a treat and a delight to behold your gorgeous face in a video once again! And with a fresh cut 💇🏼♀️ I’m glad you had a nice lil snack of a book with Heartburn!
@@doomantidote just bought The Prince and Other Writings by Niccolo Machiavelli. Also I bought Mrs. Dalloway bec I saw it from one of your vlogs (the traveling vlog you did, if my memory serves me well). I can’t wait to get them delivered! Thanks for expanding my tbr! All the best, Ben :)
Glad to have you back. Catching up on your videos. I haven’t read Treasure island since I was 8 or 9. Must do a reread soon. Same with The Hobbit. Heartburn is on my shelf. Love Huck. 💙 Looking forward to your thoughts on Tar Baby. Just finished it for my reading project with AJ. 😊
Congratulations on your commissions 🎉. The Hobbit, Huck Finn, and The Count are giving you a taste of going off into the unfamiliar and meeting people out of your comfort zone as Jim did in Treasure Island. The Hobbit was written for Tolkien’s four sons. Things get real in The Return of the King.
Glad to see a new video from you and hear about your most recent reads! Skin of Nocturnal Apple sounds like a very interesting book for the present. And I’m looking forward to hearing what you think of the rest of the Lord of the Rings books! Thanks for another wonderful, thoughtful wrap up ☺️
Here he is! Looking fabulous, new hair... With After Sappho I got two thirds of the way through then thought is the rest just more of the same? So that spoiled it a bit for me.
Reading slump ideas that have helped me 1. Audio… your reading while doing something else and allows your eyeballs to relax 2. Light? reading. You’ve been reading big times and heavy topics. Time to rest your book brain with crime fiction/romance/ comedic writing. Ask any of your subscribers for suggestions. I finished a great book last night on audio and I’m recommending it to everyone Friendship Point by Alice Elliott Dark 🍀👋☘️☕️📚📖📕
Nice wrap up Ben, and great hair - very smart sir! Congrats on the commission, that's ace 😀 Do keep us posted on details of the production, I should be heading down to the south west in the summer so if I'm in the area when it's on I'll try and see it. I'm going to check out the Lavery version too - just recently signed up for a subscription to National Theatre at Home so can stream that production online and drool over the gorgeous stage design! Glad you enjoyed The Hobbit, it's one of my favourites - will look forward to hearing what you think of Lord of the Rings.
Thanks Alex! I'm really looking forward to reading lotr finally. There's bits in Laverys production I have no idea how they stage so it would be fascinating to watch it
Ah you turned up at last! Like the proverbial.....prodical son/sun. Nice to have some good book chat again. Strangely I am nearly through After Sappho too and really liked it at the beginning but it is getting too much the same. But enjoyable .
Ben, that haircut is truly spectacular -- I'm jealous! And congrats on the commission. I've done a couple of adaptations and really enjoyed the process. Always interesting to hear a non-American take on Huck Finn. If you ever want an interesting but very brutal companion piece, try Finn by Jon Clinch. Cheers!
Exciting that you're commissioned to do the adaptation. Sounds exciting. Sad that I don't live I've also been in a reading slump. I'm slowly making my way out. I'm reading *Pachinko* and I'm loving it, so that helps. I've read Huck Finn and I hated it. Even if I place it in the time... I couldn't stand it. I also found it boring. It dragged. Some books just don't stand the test of time. Hope you find some good books to read and beat the slump. PS. like your hair. :)
It's an easy book to hate! And I agree there were bits that dragged. Didn't really like the a lot of the middle section. I'll have a look at pachinko, might get me out too! Thanks 😊
Congratulations on the commission! You may have heard that Percival Everett's next book, James, is a retelling of Huckleberry Finn from Jim's perspective. I can't wait.
I agree that The Prince is definitely a bit of a drag, but Macchiavelli was a very interesting character. There is a BBC documentary (available on RU-vid) which I would recommend to watch instead.
Thank you for making this video. So happy for you regarding Treasure Island adaptation. Have your heard of Treasure Island!!! by Sara Levine? I want to read TI just so I can read Levine’s book! I have always loved The Hobbit but read only the first book of the LOR trilogy. Not motivated to continue. Ephron book based on Ephron’s marriage to Carl Bernstein of All The President’s Men fame. But you probably know that. Huckleberry Finn another fave, despite non-PC language. Trying to remember, but isn’t Jim a better person by far than Huck? If so, does this redeem the book? Love the haircut. Break a leg with TI!
Jim is definitely portrayed in a way that is surprising for the time and you can argue his innocence and attitude make him a far likable character than Huck. I'm interested in hearing there's going to be a novel based on his perspective coming out soon. And thank you re treasure island! I'm excited!
