I read Barnes & Noble book of the year! January in a Nuttshell

For anyone watching soon after, the first 1 minute and 30 seconds is muted, I apologize. Once I can edit the stream I'll cut that part out.

I heard that Jimmy only reads book 2s. That’s right, he skips book 1.

Did you get rid of the Dudes Talking Manga channel? I wanted to go back and watch your vids but they are gone.

I have read Fourth Wing. It is both good and not good. :D

Someday I will get the Jimmy who does not disparage himself during a video. Be nice to yourself Jimmy.

Thanks Jimmy! Sparrow and James are high on the list. The Sparrow seems like such an interesting counterpart to a book like Semiosis, which is also a first contact story where humans arrive on a new planet with their ideals, and find themselves challenged deeply. Semiosis goes in a very different direction, clearly! Amazing stuff about sentience and trust.

You're in for a treat with Tom Sawyer read by Nick Offerman. I listened to this one three years ago and I thinking about it now I can't stop smiling at the playfulness of his performance and his giggling 😂
Thanks to you and Carlos I dropped my plans for February and got Erasure and James lined up.

“Mordor muskrat mildew bubba kush” is just a phenomenal phrase. I had already added The Sparrow to my list but you would have sold me with those words if you hadn’t already. Fun stream, glad to catch it later. Best wishes to you and your loved ones!

I agree with the criticism of moon witch spider king but still a great solid book

Severance is excellent

You're a good guy, wishing you all the best in this crazy year.

I really want to do Paul Auster's New York Trilogy, this year. I've had him on my shelf since hearing he inspired Metal Gear Solid 2 (so 20 years ago???) since it's so short. All three are not even 400 pages. Also I finished roughly 1,400 pages of Stephen Donaldson since December and Jimmy you have to check him out. I haven't even touched Thomas Covenant yet but the first volume of his Gap sci-fi series and the "duology" of Mordan'ts Need (really just one novel split in two chunks, the second literally starts with Chapter 28) have all been really good. 

Brian Durfee mentioned reading Mordant's Need along with MST as a teen and them being favorites of his and I can see why. It was overall pretty excellent and the first book is like if you spent 600 pages in the Hayholt, there was only about 25 pages of action max in the entire book, but also an almost GRRM amount of scheming and hidden layers going on around. I think he's pretty genius at melding the fantasy aspect of the book with his mostly singular POV character and themes: she's a woman from New York transported to this fantasy world who can not only not fight but at first can barely put a sentence together because she has the sort of depression/issues where she both wants to be invisible but thinks she's going to fade away. All of the magic is based on mirrors, called Imagery, so it connects perfectly and to survive she has to learn to lie and scheme.

Read Black Leopard and Moon Witch back-to-back this month. I agree with you about the slogginess in Moon Witch, and how the rich tapestry of prose from BLRW was sacrificed for streamlined narrative. Sogolon was the badass heroine I didn’t know I needed. Glad to see this one in your video today!

I didn’t see it im the comments but just wanted to say that Erasure was made into a movie. As you were saying the plot I was like hey thst sounds exactly like that movie we saw… so I checked and yup. It’s called American Fiction and it actually won the Oscar for best adapted screenplay last year! I had no idea when I watched it im theaters that it was based on a novel! You should watch and see how close it follows the movie.

Jimmy hope things get better or improve this year with the work situation. I have James at home and haven’t read it yet, this glowing review has motivated me to read it this month. Btw don’t know if I said thanks for recommending Memory Sorrow and Thorn, I started the series around Christmas and couldn’t stop. Read all three back to back. Tad Williams is such a good writer.

I've been reading a ton of banger stand-alones recently, and because I know reading more stand-alones this year is one of your plans, figured I'd drop a few slam dunks into your comment section:

The Armageddon Rag - GRRM
Mine - Robert McCammon
City of Thieves - David Benioff
True Grit - Charles Portis
The Thicket - Joe Lansdale

All these books slap hard AF.

Children of God isn’t as strong as The Sparrow, but it is a very necessary half of Sandoz’s character arc. It is also tells the full story of Rakhat. Honestly, both books could have been shorter, but I think it’s relatively minor given how emotional resonant they can be. Fantastic exploration of faith. The anthropology aspect of both books is also not talked about enough. That’s the science part that Russell excels at.

Okay I was already excited to check out James, but you've shot it straight to the top of the TBR!! Also really enjoyed hearing your thoughts on Moon Witch Spider King, pretty sure that is not a series for me but I am morbidly curious about it lol.

My favourites of January were Discovery by the one and only JAJ Minton, The Diplomacy of the Knife by CM Caplan and The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa :)

Hope February treats you better than last month did. Sending love 🤍

I had a lot on my plate this month, especially with traveling back to Europe for the spring semester, so I didn’t get through as many books as I did last January. That said, the quality of my reading this month has been exceptional—far surpassing what I experienced last January. We're only a month in, and I already see a few contenders for my top ten list by year’s end. Truly outstanding. There are four, five star reads on my list, Mornings On Horseback, Children of Memory, The Gempei War 1180–85: The Great Samurai Civil War, and the Bull from the Sea. 

I hadn’t picked up Mornings on Horseback since middle school, the book that convinced my mom reading wasn’t entirely out of her reach. It tells the story of Teddy Roosevelt’s family—both sides of his ancestry—and his childhood up to his election as Vice President. I expected to enjoy it intellectually, but I didn’t expect to be tearing up over a history book in the middle of Lisbon Airport. One of the key figures is Teddy’s father, Theodore Roosevelt Sr., a dedicated parent who supported four children with severe health issues. A particularly moving scene describes him driving Teddy for hours, night after night, trying to ease his asthma. But it was after Theodore Sr.'s sudden death that really got me. In the Victorian era, when someone died, people would gather on the steps of their home to show support. On the day he passed, groups of unchaperoned, low-class children appeared on the Roosevelt’s steps—standing there for hours. It turned out they were former street kids Theodore Sr. had taken in through his philanthropic programs. They had come to say goodbye.
Yeah... it was a good book.


Children of Memory had big shoes to fill after Children of Time was my book of the year for 2024. Despite some rumors about the sequels not living up to expectations, I found it really enjoyable, though not without a few nitpicks. I wasn't sure the introduction of a new non-human group was necessary, and the ending felt a bit heavy-handed with its theme, especially compared to the more subtle approach of the first book and other works in the genre. That said, it wrapped up the trilogy well—though I'm not sure if it will remain a trilogy.

The Gempei War is part of the Osprey Campaign series, which I picked up because it delves into the conflict in Japanese history immortalized in The Tale of the Heike—an epic I read last October. The war marked the rise of the first Shogun, and this book provided a fantastic overview of that pivotal moment. The Osprey series is great for military history, offering just enough detail to deepen my understanding of the epic without overwhelming me.

Next, I read Mary Renault's second book in her Theseus duology, The Bull from the Sea. I’m thinking of reading one of her books each month this year until I’ve completed her entire catalog. This is only the second of her works I’ve read, and I’ll be very surprised if she doesn’t become one of my favorite authors by the end of the year. While my personal favorite part of the duology remains the first book, The King Must Die, The Bull from the Sea is equally well-crafted. In fact, I’d argue that the characterization and themes become even more fully realized and complex in this second installment, as myth and history blend more seamlessly. This is the story of a man increasingly torn by the weight of the hero’s burden—a man who has carried that mantle for so long, but must eventually confront the moral question of when he can, and should, lay it down.

The last book I read was The Shadow of the Apt, the first in the series, and the only one on my January list that didn’t quite earn five stars. It’s a solid book, but I may not have been in the best frame of mind to judge it fairly, especially after just finishing the Children of Time series. You can tell it's the author's debut—some of the dialogue has a "video game" vibe, and the pacing jumps quickly from one battle to the next. It feels a bit juvenile at times, which isn’t a bad thing, just not for me right now. That said, the story’s concept is intriguing, and I’d be open to continuing the series down the line.

Well hoping for a productive month for all of you and Happy Reading!

Ooh Jimmy I forgot I’ve been meaning to ask you, I finally caught up with ASOIAF last year and I really want to explore some of GRRM’s earlier work. I have Fevre Dream, Dying of the Light and Armageddon Rag lined up. What has your experience with his early work been, especially with the latter two mentioned?

Its not the size of the raffler, it's how its used.

I got a suprising amount read in January, cuz I shunned larger books for the most part:

DC Comics
Batman Universe
Written by Brian Bendis | Art by Nick Derington
- So much fun!

Espionage
James Bond 001: Casino Royale
- Showing its age in places but I'd a good time. I'll be continuing the series if I need a palate cleanser.

Fantasy
Dagger & Coin 1: Dragon's Path
- My favourite start to an Abraham series I've read, tho I was more invested in most of the characters in A Shadow in Summer. This one has a more engaging plot.

Earthsea 5: Tales from Earthsea
Earthsea 6: The Other Wind
- I'm not wild about Fantasy Short Fiction, but its LeGuin, so at worst it was really good but I could've done without most of it. Other Wind was a perfect end to the series, and Firelight was a lovely epilogue.

The Heart of What was Lost / Tad Williams
- Loved it. Can't wait to start Last King of Osten Ard!

Sci-Fi
Southern Reach 1: Annihilation
- Loved it. I will continue the series, but I'm in no rush. Book of the month.

Urban Fantasy
Dresden Files: A Fistful of Warlocks (re-read)
Dresden Files: A Restoration of Faith (re-read)
Dresden Files 1: Storm Front (re-read)
- Did Storm Front on audio, everything else with the eyeballs. While not my absolute favourite, Dresden is consistently the most fun I have with any series. I guess you could call 'em comfort reads as well.

I DNFed Brent Weeks' Black Prism (Lightbringer 1), some alright concepts with mediocre delivery. And I NFNed Fugitive Prince (Wars of Light & Shadow 4), I just wasn't giving it the time it deserved so I'll restart it sometime later.

Also did a fair bit of gaming. After being kinda mixed but still mostly positive on Spider-man 2 in December I replayed Ghost of Tsushima which I finished a few weeks ago and still loved it. Then I restarted and finally beat Bloodborne, I loved it. For whatever reason it just clicked with me on this attempt.

We have reached out to our legal team of Cooter, Kewter, Dewy and Lou at our home office in Marfa TX and they have assured us that the technology that is in many church basements across the country and used regularly on Bingo nights is not under copywrite by the Fantasy Nuttwork. Also as far as any Holy War goes John's official statement is, I will never stand toe to toe with the Friday Night Delight. Although Mr. Pooh says, Bring it on. I also want to state here that JImmy is the GOAT!! 😆😆😆

Just finished Black Lepard Red Wolf. I really enjoyed it and can't wait to read Moon Witch, Spider King.

Really think you’ll enjoy Children of God. It’s a very different story than The Sparrow but the ending has stuck with me. The Runa and Jana’ata are truly alien aliens, which I’ve found to be rare

In January I finished (a rather short list due to (thankfully almost fully receded) pneumonia🤒🤧😅):
«Cort Adeler» by Ole Henrik Gjeruldsen (Historical Biography about the 17th Century Norwegian Sailor & Mercenary turned Highly Decorated & Respected Admiral for the Venetian, Dutch & Danish-Norwegian Navies: For his achievements of multiple acts of courage in combat (including several victories and escapes against superior Turkish Fleets, his skill as a first-rate & hands on cannon commander even after becoming a Fleet Commander, and personally defeating a Ottoman Admiral in hand to hand combat, all verified by multiple sources!) he was made a Venetian Knight of the Order of St. Mark and received a pension (for three generations after him!) rivaling his Venetian Commander in Chief, before returning home to completely reinvent an almost depleted Danish-Norwegian fleet and earning a Noble Title! 😲Clearly, way too over-powered Main Character! 😆)

«Anitra» by Hilde Susan Jægtnes (History Fiction, about an imagined granddaughter of the World Famous Composer Edvard Grieg («In the Hall of the Mountain King», «Morning Mood», «Spring» & «Anitra’s Dance»: IRL his only daughter died in childhood), living in Pre-WW2 Fascist Rome, torn between her creative dreams of creating a Mythological Grand Opera with the support of the totalitarian regime and her love for a female Jewish musician…)
«Hengist» by Sean Poage (Historical Fiction Novella, set during the Anglo-Saxon Invasion of Britain)

«All the Horses on Iceland» by Sarah Tolmie (Historical Fiction/Fantasy Novella about an Medieval Icelander’s Fantastical Journey to Central Asia)

My February TBR/MBR:

«Mannen som bar solen» («The Man Who Carried The Sun») by Kristian Bang Foss (Historical Fiction set in the Nordic Bronze Age)

«Carthage Ascendant» by Mary Gentle (Book of Ash #2, Alt-Historical Military Fiction inspired by the Mercenary Wars of the Renaissance)

«After Rome» by Morgan Llywelyn (Historical Fiction set after the Roman Withdrawal from Britain)

«Alamut» by Vladimir Bartol (Philosophical Historical Fiction, set among the Order of Assassins Sect during the Crusades, with parallels to the growth of Fascism in Bartol’s own 1930s: The main source of inspiration for the «Assassins Creed» games!)

«The Lion & the Sword» by Roberta Cray (90s Fantasy inspired by Alexander the Great’s Conquest of Greece)

Cheers Jimmy!

Oops - I was listed twice on the Patreon pick list. You may remove the Andy Nelson pick, and I’ll just stick with entering my pick as Darth Andy going forward if that’s ok.. I failed on following directions on the form-sorry about that! (I was tempted to just change my name every month and keeping adding slots for myself haha).

Great show again, Jimmy! You are the GOAT.

Yaay for the Patron pick 🎉

Jimmy, I've found or Hatched 29 Shiny Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet!

Great wrap up! I really want to check Marlon James out. Black Leopard Red Wolf and Moon Witch, Spider King always sounds really good to me when I hear people talk about them. I always saw James at Barns and Nobles but didn't know what the hell it was but you made it sound like a must read so I need to fit it somewhere on my tbr.

I read about number of nonfiction this month but still finished a small handful of fiction. Pretty much all rereads from my youth with Ann Rice's Vampire Lestate. The first three stories in the Elric Omnibus Vol 1, and books three and four of David Eddings The Belgariad series. I guess it was a month of nostalgia for me after being worn out by Wind and Truth.

I started The Obscene Bird of Night and my hold on Cloud Atlas from the library should come through within the next five days, so I guess I'll be back to reading more challenging fiction in February.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts! Looking forward to your next upload. Also, You would definitely beat Jon in a boxing match because he is old:)

I’ve read almost every book Paul Auster wrote, except this one - he’s definitely a top 5 author ever for me - and you REALLY need to read more. Read the NY Trilogy if you like, but keep in mind it’s his first success and not very representative of most of his work. My faves are “Moon Palace,” “The Music of Chance” and “Leviathan.”

Moon Witch Spider King I liked most of it, but I had forgotten much of what happened in book one, and once MWSK arrived at that point in time when tracker's journey began I was so out of the story and didn't fully grasp what was going on and lost interest. And with James's writing taking so much energy to read I couldn't finish the book.

Great month! I can totally sympathise with your reasons for DNF'ing Of Darkness and Light. I really fell in love with that series last year but completely because I was looking for that cosy tropey fantasy style at the time. It's definitely super derivative and Cahill's prose especially is full of lots of redundancies and he goes really hard on the repetitive descriptions. Despite loving most of the series, the first novella The Fall is probably the worst book I read last year—it's so abysmally written. But aside from that the series just feels like a warm blanket for me.

Been meaning to read Everett for ages and I watched American Fiction last year and loved it which convinced me to finally buy Erasure. Might read it this year! Love having a novel in a novel, I was doing the same thing in my manuscript before it got too unwieldy.

Oh, and my reading month was pretty good!

Tad Williams - The Dragonbone Chair (had a very good time with it but perhaps feel I read it too late in life to fall in love with it—will continue the series regardless)

Juan Emar - Ten (translated my Megan McDowell—a surrealist short fiction collection. The first story was brilliant, the rest ranged from fine to tedious).

Jeff Vandermeer - Authority (a reread that confirmed for me that Yes, I am just weird that I don't think Annihilation is great but think Authority is a million times better, just a perfect level of thematic cohesion and I love the conspiracy and espionage atmosphere).

Heinrich von Kleist - Michael Kohlhaas (translated by Michael Hofmann—a great super short historical novel)

N.J. Campbell - Found Audio (a very cool weird literary fiction novel)

aaaand Homer's The Iliad (translated by Emily Wilson—just a breathtaking achievement. An instant all-time favourite.)

Thanks for another great show Jimmy. Don’t mean to flatter but I always feel super encouraged to keep reading when I hear you talk about it. I also feel like I learn how to articulate how I felt about books by listening to you, so I appreciate you doing these every month!

I’ve actually only read Gene Wolfe’s short fiction and it’s been a great experience. Also, not sure if you take non-Patreon considerations, but Going After Cacciato is a banger and a novel Steven Erikson mentions as an inspiration for what he calls “cyclical writing”. Plus it’s only like 350 pages. Love the channel man.

The Sparrow is my favorite book of all time. Book two on its own is not as good, but it’s fantastic in conversation with book one. So much to discuss, and I’m excited to hear your thoughts when you get to it.

Had some bangers this month:
-War and Peace by Tolstoy
-Nocturnes by Kazuo Ishiguro
-Lunar Park by Bret Easton Ellis
-Light in August by William Faulkner
-The Templars by Dan Jones (non fic)
-The Wilful Princess and the Piebald Prince by Robin Hobb
-Currently reading Solenoid by Carterescu (?)

Faulkner and Tolstoy are hard to beat. Loved being back in Hobb's world. Ellis I'll continue with. Only 2 Ishiguros left. Dan Jones writes quality narrative non fic. Solenoid is delightful so far.

Im excited to get to The Sparrow, seems divisive...I typically love those! And after watching Carlos and your review, Im definitely getting to James at some point. Huckleberry Finn is one of my favorites. Im all about different perspectives and societal takes on that story, so much can be said and examined with a modern twist. Twain would greatly appreciate expanding on his idea in our times for sure. Thanks for another video on a chill Friday night, Jimmy!

The pov for book three of the dark star trilogy has to be the child like don't you think so?

Here for the algo. Your channel is comforting to watch when life is stressful. Also I subscribe to anyone who's a huge fitz chivalry fan like me 🐺

As someone who showed up after the stream, Im starting a campaign to keep the missing audio in the beginning...it was great 🤣...and just in case you do cut it, my comment will be proof that it did in fact exist 😎

Love your face Jimmy ❤
Kelsey, I've said it before and it's still true - you may not be the face of the channel, but you're certainly it's heart 👑
"New year, new [you]" We loved the old you, so know, that trying things to raise your overall happiness and enjoyment, makes us really proud of you too.

Keep turning those pages Jimmy 😘