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Welcome to the Twitterature link-up! For the lowdown, head over here, or try this Cliff Notes version: this is the place to share short, casual reviews of books you’ve been reading.
If you subscribe to the newsletter, you know I told you I’d be trying something a little different with Twitterature this month. Well, here it is–I recorded a video edition to accompany the bloggy version. (Click over to YouTube if you can’t see the video here.)
Let me know what you think in comments!
Here’s what I’ve been reading
Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury
A sci-fi/fantasy about a fireman who hates his job set in the saddest of dystopian settings: a future with NO BOOKS. #cultclassic
Fangirl, Rainbow Rowell
.@rainbowrowell’s latest is my least favorite so far, despite strong characters & a fun peek into the world of fanfic #comingofage #newadult
Please Understand Me II: Temperament, Character, Intelligence, David Keirsey
This blue handbook has been called the Myers Briggs Bible & Personality CliffsNotes. Required reading for #MBTI geeks. #cultclassic
Franny and Zooey, J.D. Salinger
It’s overshadowed by Catcher, but this short work is Salinger’s finest thanks to its snappy dialogue & fitting ending. #cultclassic
 A Million Little Ways: Uncover the Art You Were Made to Live, Emily P. Freeman
Slow to start, builds to awesome. I underlined it to death with a matching green pen. My fave so far from @emilypfreeman. #LiveYourArt
The House at Riverton, Kate Morton
Morton’s still finding her feet in this debut. It’s fine, but her later works are sooo much better. Read The Secret Keeper instead. #pass
Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, Douglas Coupland
This groundbreaking but uneven read has moments of brilliance amid some dragging stories. Coupland gets his generation. #AheadOfItsTime #cultclassic
What have you been reading lately? (And what do you think of the Twitterature video?)
The next Twitterature link-up will be on Friday, November 15.
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This is the fifteenth post in a series, 31 Days of Cult Classics. You can click here to see a list of all the posts, updated everyday in the month of October.
37 comments
Love seeing you on the video! I would love to put some video on my blog. You may just be inspiring me to do it soon!
Anne, love seeing you on video! I had hoped you would give different, expanded reviews of the books, not just a reading of what was in the post. Or maybe the same feedback, but perhaps in a more conversational style. It was still fun hearing you say “hashtag” though 🙂
Noted. 🙂
My husband kept saying I needed to use my hands like Justin Timberlake. 🙂 #hashtag
Hi Anne, I think the idea of Twitterature via video is great, but there were times when the volume dipped too low and you sound nervous/talked really fast. I agree with Amy–a video would be a great place to use a more conversational approach. #greatidea #trytryagain
Love YOUR hashtags! 🙂
The video is so fun, Anne. Like Stacey, I may be inspired to try this at some point!
I haven’t read it yet by I think A Million Little Ways will my favourite Emily Freeman book. I LOVE what I’ve heard and just the concept wakens something inside of me.
I flipped through a friends copy of Please Understand Me and it’s now on my list to add to my shelves.
Quick question about Please Understand Me II – if I’m not an MBTI geek (yet), should I start with “Please Understand Me 1”? Or can I read them in whichever order I get them from the library?
(I think I’ve done one free online test, but I don’t remember the result I got…)
Skip the original and go straight for Please Understand Me II. It’s a thorough update, not a sequel–no need to read both!
Thanks so much! Good to know. (I only searched the library database and the numbers confused me – I thought it was a 2-part book…)
Please Understand Me II is waiting for me at the library. Yay for the reservation system… 🙂
I am hoping to read A Million Little Ways, and agree about House at Riverton. It was fun to read in the midst of Downton Abbey withdraws, but I didn’t absolutely love it or anything.
I agree with these gals… The video aspect is a fun addition, but I would love to hear expanded or less scripted thoughts on the books you’re reviewing!
Wish I would have picked up a Kate Morton for a day at the airport last week…
Noted!
And yeah, Kate Morton is definitely engrossing enough for an airplane.
I LOVED Franny and Zooey. My BFF even named her cats Franny and Zooey. I’m such a MBTI eek that I’ve worn out my copy of Please Understand Me (ISTJ, by the way 😉 I’ve really loved your cult classics series this month.
I love the cat’s names!
Thanks for the heads up on Morton’s later work. The debut novel was so slow I wasn’t sure if it was pursuing another one of her books. Looks like I’ll have to add the next one to my stack.
I’d rate The House at Riverton a 5 but the Secret Keeper a 9. Her books don’t have to be read in order. Give another one a try and tell me what you think!
A Million Little Ways sounds so good! I’ll have to add that to my list.
Anne, you know I love you, but Fahrenheit 451 as a *cult* classic? No way! It’s a classic-classic, for sure. I read it in school in 8th grade, thinking it would be required reading in high school. Of course, the required reading changed that next year, but I’ll never regret reading my first dystopian novel so young. And I’m glad I learned what a dystopian was with Fahrenheit 451, rather than The Hunger Games or anything else modern. Not that I didn’t love The Hunger Games (I do!) but you need to start with the best, ya know?
The cult classic thing is pretty subjective, but I could argue either way. Because it IS taught in high school–which is one of my own criteria for a classic-classic. And I love what you said about The Hunger Games and Fahr 451. 🙂
I love that you shared a video on Twitterature today! (As always, I love reading your book reviews). I have to agree with an earlier comment: I can appreciate why you read the reviews you wrote, but I would have loved to see you in a more conversational, relaxed manner, maybe sharing things you didn’t write in the post. I know I haven’t met you in person, but you seemed kind of terse/not very happy. (Forgive me if I over-stepped in saying this.) I know i haven’t met you in person, but you are just so kind and approachable in general on your blog, and thought you might want to know if the video felt that way. I’m trying to get up the nerve (and the technical chuzpah to learn how to embed the video in my blog) to do a vlog on my blog – I’ve wanted to for some time. Love that you included this with Twitterature – its one of my favorite book linkups! Also enjoying your 31 Days series – thanks Anne!
NOTED. You’re not overstepping! And I’m afraid it totally shows that I was flustered because my previous three takes had unfixable audio/video issues and I was frazzled from dealing with them!
I’m thinking I’ll try it again with a little more rambling.
(I love that you used the word “chutzpah.” 🙂 )
Each month I love the Twitterature link up more and more 🙂 I agree with what a few others said… I’d love to see the video become a regular feature, and I know you’ll be less nervous as you continue to do them. Thanks for hosting this and working on ways to improve/ jazz up!
Thank you! I think I’ll try the video again and add a little more info, a little less scripting. 🙂
Oh, how I look forward to this post each month! Thanks so much for hosting. I liked the video but didn’t think it added anything, so probably wasn’t worth the hassle for you!
I completelty agree about your review of The House at Riverton. I read The Forgotten Garden first and had high expectations for this one. It was good, just not as good. I’m looking forward to reading The Secret Keeper soon. I’m also excited to read Million Little Ways soon too! I just got my copy over the weekend, I’m ready to dive in!
The Secret Keeper was my favorite! Although I know several people who liked The Distant Hours the best. Enjoy your reading–you’ve got good books ahead of you!
I’m reading The House at Riverton right now and like it so far. Looking forward to The Secret Keeper when it is even better.
I felt the same way about The House at Riverton. And after I read Ray Bradbury I was shocked at how memorable and how long that book has stayed with me. While reading it I didn’t think it was making such an impression!