Hi Alex, would love to hear you talk more about which authors/books you've added to your tbr because of the novel biography, and the ones you're less excited for now! Nick Cave is the best.
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
I will keep that in mind... could be a fun video topic :)
@TheRdruryk8
3 жыл бұрын
Your review of Fathers and Crows was very good!
@thiadesg
4 жыл бұрын
I was reading The Complete Calvin and Hobbes for March of the Mammoth, but didn't finish it in time because I found out I liked taking my time with it. I'm closing in on the end now (1150 pages out of 1456) and I'm really glad this readathon made me read it.
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
So happy to hear you enjoyed your pick! It looks like you made amazing progress, but I agree that taking your time to enjoy something is the best way to go :)
@mame-musing
4 жыл бұрын
For this segment your channel name should be “Alex’s Big Books”. Your ability to read so much in one month continues to amaze me. I am glad you enjoyed all the books you chose for this year’s March. Your evaluation process is impressively methodical. Being a news junkie, I couldn’t tear myself away from the ever present and ever growing fix available. It has slowed down my fiction consumption. “The Biography of the Novel” sounds like a book I would like to have to dip in and out of as the mood strikes. Your comments make it sound so gossipy and entertaining. Particularly since I have “Atonement” sitting on my shelf just waiting to be read 😅. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about these mammoths.
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
I know what you mean about the news-- there is so much changing every day to keep up with. And for sure, I think The Novel would be be a great book to dip in and out of at leisure. Good luck with Atonement when you get around to it (I liked the ending for the record!!).
@gilliancooke8799
4 жыл бұрын
I finished A Suitable Boy, which at over 1500 pages is definitely the longest thing I've ever read! It's been on my Goodreads to-read shelf since 2016 and I'm trying to read all the books left from then this year, so thanks for the nudge :) Also since Dombey and Son is such a short read at 'only' 878 pages I fitted that one in as well. Thoroughly enjoyed both. Love your channel, especially all the chat about long books!
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks! And that's so nice to hear you enjoyed both your choices. A Suitable Boy is massive-- it's like two mammoths in one!! 😱
@menelvegor
4 жыл бұрын
Absolutely love your channel. I have found some truly amazing books through your videos. Thanks for that! And those are some crazy books you read! Awesome! I read some good books in March as well. Mostly I am concerned with pushing myself as a reader with books I consider intimidating (not necessarily big books, but as you also mentioned, ones that require effort and time). I read four books and a play in March. These were: *Narcissus and Goldmund by Herman Hesse *We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver *To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf *Macbeth *The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen Enjoyed the hell out of them! However, for change's sake, nowadays I am going through all the books in the Hitchhiker's Guide series for the second time. Priceless! Take care!
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the kind words! It sounds like you had an awesome reading month. I've been meaning to reas Hesse for so long-- I need to get around to him soon! I hope you continue picking up great books :)
@Booksandchess
2 жыл бұрын
You have incredible tastes. Each book on this list appeals and even your musical tastes are good!
@estebanmejia3473
4 жыл бұрын
Well, now I'm inspired to read a big book, I'd always been scared of them but now I'm ready to take the challenge. I'll read the copy of infinite jest that's been haunting me for months Great video!, I'm loving your channel and your ability to inspire us with your love for books
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
That is great to hear! I hope you enjoy your experience-- it can be tough but it's usually so rewarding in the end :)
@nikkivenable3700
3 жыл бұрын
The Orenda was so brilliant! It remains on my mind all these years later. It was such an engrossing, well-paced, disturbing read. I know Boyden is a controverisal figure, but I think he's a fantastic author. I'm from the States, but I love Canadian history!
@bigalbooksforever
3 жыл бұрын
Yes Boyden certainly is a controversial figure now! I'm curious what his next move will be...
@nikkivenable3700
3 жыл бұрын
@@bigalbooksforever What is going on with him these days?
@bigalbooksforever
3 жыл бұрын
@@nikkivenable3700 The last thing I remember hearing about is when he wrote an essay for Macleans magazine trying to clear up his identity claims... I don't think it was well received! Apparently his ex-wife released a memoir recently though!
@nikkivenable3700
3 жыл бұрын
@@bigalbooksforever Oh, boy! A memoir, huh? Nothing to see there, I'm sure lol.
@kayjones2533
4 жыл бұрын
Hello Alex, such amazing reviews as always. My copy of The Novel - A Biography arrived today, so I cannot wait to get stuck in! Love your TShirt, I am a huge Nick fan too, cannot wait to see him again when he tours next year. Have a great week x
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
That's exciting-- you are in for a treat! And ahh yes Nick is so electric live! 🤘
@karenbird6727
4 жыл бұрын
I thoroughly enjoy your videos, particularly when you talk about long books.
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks! I get so excited talking about long books that I feel like I ramble on for too long haha, so that's good to hear 😊
@laracroft1829
4 жыл бұрын
This was so good. Glad you got to five books this month. I truly enjoy watching you talk about long books.
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
Thank you, that is nice to hear! They are the most fun to talk about (:
@KayAmpersand
4 жыл бұрын
I am in awe by how much you managed to read - hat off to you! And I love that you turned the mammoths against each other :) I always judge big books by their enjoyability. If you can't hold my interest for 500+ pages, then you shouldn't have written such a long book! Dumas is definitely up there in enjoyability - it is one of the very few classics I have read I can say this about. The Decameron - did not fit that at all. I haven't heard of Schmidt's The Novel before you but now I will definitely look into it.
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
I like your style of thinking! Life is truly too short to read something super long that isn't enjoyable!
@BookishTexan
4 жыл бұрын
I read the first two volumes of Proust last year and couldnt face it again this year, but now, thanks to you I want to get back to it. Not sure if I'm happy about that :)
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
Haha I feel you! It is so time consuming... but so worth it!!
@Anna-wh1zn
4 жыл бұрын
Great video - love the way you assessed the books. I also love being immersed in a long book that demands your attention but I'm quite sure I couldn't pull off what you did with those five titles. I've ordered a copy of The Novel because you have me so intrigued. I read The Count of Monte Cristo last summer and agree totally with your opinions. It was a great fun adventure and I loved it for that reason. I'm also glad I have it under my belt but it lacked impact. Anyway, congratulations on a very successful March of the Mammoths and thanks for sharing the experience with us.
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
Thanks, it was my pleasure! Being stuck at home for 3 weeks was the only reason I was able to pull off 5 books. Sounds like we share similar thoughts about Monte Cristo 😎
@hilario4724
4 жыл бұрын
loved this!! you’re amazing as always! by the way, i’m gonna need a video on how you write your notes asap!!! they look so good
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
I'll keep that in mind! I don't take notes for most of the books I read, but some of them are just too good not to be recording stuff down!
@ChaoticBibliophile
4 жыл бұрын
Okay, so. You have inspired me to participate in this readathon next year. I always try to read at least one mammoth in March, but the way in which you immersed yourself in these books is fascinating and I want to experience that too. I have stated how much I want to read The Novel on every video you’ve done, but your final review made me want to pick it up right now (which I can’t, but perhaps that’s good for my current TBR haha). I loved your rating system! I will try to get my hands on Swann’s Way soon, because hearing you talk about In Search of Lost Time just makes me want to read the whole series. Thank you for this video!
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
That's great to hear you're interested in getting hardcore with March of the mammoths next year! I find that March is always my most intense reading month of the year, but it usually ends up being one of my most memorable reading months so it's all worth it in the end!! 😊
@lisal2017
4 жыл бұрын
Wow! Your March reading is impressive. Your enthusiasm and analysis makes me want to read several of these books. I started tcmc last year and had to put on hold. I would agree that it isn’t a heavy read and I would also describe the story as fun and outrageous. I’ll get back to it later this year. I have a lot of partial reads right now that I need to wrap up, including the magic mountain. (Started Mann’s book last year as well 🙄)
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
Oh yeah I've been putting off the Magic Mountain for a long time now... not sure why, as I think I'll really like it!! Count of Monte Cristo took me a few weeks to really get into it, but once I was a few hundred pages in I couldn't put it down :)
@TheEstame
4 жыл бұрын
What a brilliant project! Really interesting to watch and you’ve inspired me to pick up another long read after I finish Lonesome Dove 🙂
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
That's great to hear! I'd love to read Lonesome Dove someday :)
@booksimnotreading
4 жыл бұрын
You are such a rock star! I got through David Copperfield, but I wish I could read 5 mammoths in one month!
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
3 weeks at home definitely helped! Glad you finished David Copperfield! :)
@WeirdBookBookClub
4 жыл бұрын
Loved hearing your conclusions on these massive tomes, Alex! I have to say, you've really sparked my interest in Vollmann and that's saying something since I rarely read historical fiction. Also, I meant to say this on your TBR swap with Taylor, but I love how you continue to spread the gospel of Aira--the people need to know!
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
Yes we might have to get an Aira appreciation week going here on Booktube! Vollmann really does his own thing with the historical fiction genre. Plus he usually travels to the places he writes about and gets into ridiculous risky experiences to better inform his writing (such as camping out alone and almost freezing to death in the arctic in preparation for The Rifles). He's nuts!
@WeirdBookBookClub
4 жыл бұрын
@@bigalbooksforever I am fully in support of Aira appreciation week! 7 days, 7 mind-warping novellas!
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
@@WeirdBookBookClub we need to make this happen 😯
@WeirdBookBookClub
4 жыл бұрын
@@bigalbooksforever Maybe his birthday week next year? (Feb 23) Could be a good warm-up for March of the Mammoths...
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
@@WeirdBookBookClub love it! Plus it's a great excuse to start stockpiling more Aira >:)
@librocubicularist3664
4 жыл бұрын
Well, I'm still reading The Secret History, not much left though. Can't wait to see your April TBR!
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
Oh nice, I hope you enjoy the ending! I'm planning on reading If We Were Villains soon, which sounds super Secret History-esque!
@librocubicularist3664
4 жыл бұрын
@@bigalbooksforever I have it on audio maybe I will add it to my tbr
@BeutyKati
4 жыл бұрын
The Count of Monte Christo was one of my father's favourite books, so I'm super scared of reading it and not liking it in the end. You make it sound fun though, so maybe I'll give it a go.
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
I get that! But I think this is a hard book not to like. I found the plot a lot of fun to follow :)
@actual-spinster
4 жыл бұрын
i always love your videos because the way you talk about books is so expansive, and generous, and interesting. i hadnt heard of fathers and crows but it was fascinating to hear you talk about it! i've read the book of the city of ladies written by christine de pizan which if im not misremembering is somewhat of a writing back to the decameron and how it represents women! anyway i enjoyed that, altho it was a bit tedious. anyway! hope you're as well as you can be!! also will you be updating us on how your 20th century challenge is going at some point? :)
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
Oh thanks for putting that book on my radar! I hadn't heard of it, but just looked it up and it looks interesting. And yes my 20th century project got a bit thrown off by March of the Mammoths and by discovering Proust haha. Progress is slow but steady! I'd still like to make a TBR vid soon! :)
@actual-spinster
4 жыл бұрын
@@bigalbooksforever cool!! i look forward to it!!
@alanshadastrokeanddiedinho2897
4 жыл бұрын
I read Gai-Jin by James Clavell as my March Mammoth. Did finish the book which came in at 1234 pages. Third book in the Asian Saga Series
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
Amazing! 1234 is such a satisfying number of pages! :)
@lindaleehall
4 жыл бұрын
I am getting the impression that I should read my copy of The Orenda before tackling Fathers and Crows. Sounds as though I wouldn't want to bother with it if I had already finished Fathers and Crows.
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
Yes I would recommend reading them in that order. They are very different stylistically though! I read the Orenda a few years ago, but they would be interesting to compare!
@matejadjedovic
4 жыл бұрын
You should give Julia Voznesenskaya's "The Women's Decameron" a shot. It's very good.
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
I will keep it in mind, thanks! :)
@dylansbooknook3544
4 жыл бұрын
To think mammoths are supposed to be extinct. Vollmann has been on my periphery for years but I just haven't worked up the courage to tackle his books. Your scale is similar to mine for ranking books but I find it difficult to determine the right balance. Sometimes I think that enjoyment and pleasure deserve to be rated more heavily than the others; sometimes I think it's important to read "good" books (eat your vegetables). I always find it difficult to find the appropriate balance.
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
Yes mammoths are alive and well here! Vollmann is tough to get into but I can totally see why people get obsessed with him. He is really doing his own thing which makes him compelling to read! And I know what you mean about the vegetable balance! I think that's typically why I like reading a few things at a time so I can switch around between tougher books and ones that are more "fun" reads
@haroldniver
4 жыл бұрын
I appreciated hearing your thoughts on all of these but had something of an issue with you taking points away from something on the enjoyability scale for being challenging and then giving it those same points back on the endurance scale for the same reason. That doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Otherwise it was super! Keep up the great work!
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
Fair enough! The whole ranking system was a very spur-of-the-moment idea, so yes, there probably could have been a better way to do it 🙃
@tosheatower
4 жыл бұрын
So, your first video I ever found was the books for people who don't like valentine's day... and I bought the book Troll via your recommendation... read it in one night... WTF did I just read?? Please tell me you felt there was some subplot to this book that I just wasn't smart enough to grasp because the actual plot was so HUH???
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
Oh my goodness, I'm sorry you experienced the weirdness that is Troll! I think I walked away from that one pretty bewildered as well. It's been a long time since I read it so I forget a lot of the details, except for the sheer ridiculousness of it all 🙈
@annakarlien1952
4 жыл бұрын
I am so confused that you're not an English major? 😂
@bigalbooksforever
4 жыл бұрын
Haha! It's never too late I guess... maybe I'll go back when I'm retired 🤓
@tosheatower
4 жыл бұрын
You need to read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. It's a mammoth and one of the best literary works ever, and with a very relevant social and economic message.
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