Friday Reads Live - Summer Reads

[00:00:01]Hey, hey, hey. Welcome, welcome.

[00:00:04]It's Friday's live. How are you? Hello, Michelle. Hello, Teresa. Welcome, welcome. Theresa says, "Happy Friday, everyone. Currently reading The Revelation of Dion Daphne by Mara Bro Brock Akil and it's so good." All right. Um, it's giving n 1990s nostalgia throughout while tackling a really tough subject. Okay, that sounds really nice. And Teresa says, "Happy Friday, DD and everyone. I am reading Indigo and score and dungeon crawler Carl. You could include a dungeon dungeon crawler call."

[00:00:48]Uh, hello Curly Q. How are you? I'm so happy you could make it.

[00:00:54]Yeah, it's still hot here. I mean, it's it's a little less hotter today than it has been in the past uh week. So, I ain't complaining, but your girl got to break out a fan. I can't find my fan.

[00:01:06]So, I'm using I'm using this Bernice McFaden anniversary notebook that I got from AOSIC year. This was like in 2020 itself. Um, hello Sher. How are you?

[00:01:24]Happy Friday. Hello Tatiana. Happy Friday.

[00:01:28]Oh, you're reading after lives. Very nice. I have not started yet. Uh, let me tell you what I'm reading. Okay, so first I'm reading get it open now. I'm reading Indigo by the Beverly Jenkins and I am reading The Sport of Kings by CE Morgan and I'm buddy reading this one with Patrice.

[00:01:57]So yeah, I'm just cracked it open. I'm like only like 30 pages in or something.

[00:02:04]So I need to read like another 60 pages I think before we have our check-in. So, I'm going be checking in with that tomorrow. But yeah, that's your girl's reading for the moment.

[00:02:16]All right, let me see what everybody else is in here reading.

[00:02:22]Okay, so um Kurrill, you said I am reading.

[00:02:28]Oh, wait. I miss Tracy. Hey, Tracy.

[00:02:30]Happy Friday. How are you? Uh Krill, you said I am reading the same things. I've been reading for a while. Okay, nothing wrong with that. I did finish the the maid wife and it was just okay. All right. Uh it took a turn I didn't expect, but it wasn't earthshattering.

[00:02:50]Okay, that's fine. Uh Birdie said, "Hello, Birdie." She says, "I'm in the middle of so many books right now. I'm reading The Angel of Indian Lake." Okay.

[00:03:03]The other Bennett Sister and Mansville Park. Oh, you got too. All right. Hello, DL. Welcome. Welcome, DL.

[00:03:14]Says, "Finishing up a meeting."

[00:03:17]Uh, reading No One Knows You're Here, a thriller by Rachel Howel. Oh, that sounds like it could be good. I like the title. Uh, sounds ominous. Uh, Sher said, "Uh, I'm reading Bum Master's House. Burn Master's House Down." And as always, you guys didn't steal me wrong.

[00:03:36]No, that book is that book is fire. I mean, I don't know why more people aren't raving about it. Um, maybe it's just because a lot of people don't want to read it because it it's a it's a slave narrative, but my god, Clay Kane, he did the thing with that one. He did the thing.

[00:03:57]Um, yeah. Hello, Curtis. Happy Friday. How are you? What are you reading? Uh said should uh mad wife. Oh, sorry. Mad wife.

[00:04:10]Okay. I didn't know. Uh wait, let me go back. Mad Wife was the title of the book. Okay. All right. Gotcha.

[00:04:20]Uh Tracy says, "I'm reading Indigo and Black History for Every Day of the Year by David Alogga and Cracked Open When No One Is Watching by Alisa Alysa Cole."

[00:04:34]Yeah, I really really really enjoyed Black History uh for every day of the year. That book is I highly recommend.

[00:04:42]Uh you'll learn some things uh maybe that you about people or events that you don't know you might learn about. I I really enjoyed that one. Uh just wonderful read. I just read a little one every day like that because you know you don't because it's a big book. It's made to read a page a day and it's perfect for that. Uh Tracy said house is topnotch. Yes, it is. That's the creme de creme as we say here in France. Uh hello bola. How are you? Happy Friday girl. Let's see. She says, "Hey Dee. Hey everyone. I'm reading shelter by Georgie." Okay, let me see.

[00:05:24]Gospelinov or Gospon something like um and hello I'm Alola. How are you?

[00:05:35]Happy day. So glad you could make it.

[00:05:38]What are you reading?

[00:05:40]I'm curious curious minds and so uh it's been a fast week. This week just kind of like went really really fast.

[00:05:53]Uh, so now I'm playing catchup because I thought I would have read more of Indigo by now, but it's just been so hot. Hard when it's really, really hot and you don't have air conditioning. So yeah. So I'mma play catchup this weekend and um read a whole lot of Indigo uh so that I can be fully caught up Saturday hopefully. Uh Curtis said, "I'm currently reading The People by Mike Gale." Okay. He's very popular in this chat. Um and also reading uh American.

[00:06:34]Okay.

[00:06:36]Nation and the cost of progress by Wesley Lowry. Okay. Very nice.

[00:06:42]Uh White Lash. Wait.

[00:06:48]Uh American White Lash. Okay. A changing nation and the cost of progress by Wesley Lowry. Lowry Lowry. That's kind of hard to say. Okay.

[00:07:02]Curly said, "Picked all the Lonely People by M Gale." Uh, back up and hope to finish this weekend. So, Curtis, laugh out loud. Yeah, I need to read that one. I need I need to get it though first because I don't have that one. I don't own it. But I need to get something by Mike Gail because he seems to be the business. A lot of people seem to really like his stuff.

[00:07:29]So, I'll have to make that uh a priority um at some point this year. Uh let's see. Bullo said, "Did you see that Mike Gail is releasing a book co-written with his wife?" Okay. I know. I did not know.

[00:07:46]I did not know but that's you know that's great to hear co-writing co really good I mean I feel like co-writing can be really good can also be very difficult so um if to write and kind of fuse their writing their creative writing together why not I mean it's a challenge it's a it's a big uh writing challenge.

[00:08:19]Uh let's see. Tristy said, "Def, if you want to buddy readad All the Lonely People, I'm down with." We could, but I just don't own it yet. So, when I own it, I'll let you know. We could buddy read it together. Uh Raymond said, "Hi all. I'm still reading Crusade for Justice by Ida B. Wells." Very nice. How big is this, Raymond? I'm curious. And how is it reading? Is it like is it like is it reading west or is a little bit too academic or how would you describe it? Um hello Jenna Smith 1593 says I am reading Ken by Tiari Jones. Happy Friday to you too Jenna. Thanks for coming. Uh I still haven't read Kin yet but I'm going to wait to read it with my book club. We're supposed to read it in October I think it is. So, I'm going to I'm going to wait for that.

[00:09:15]They announced it today. Okay. I I I hadn't heard that. Um Curtis said to Curly, "Yay, I just love that book."

[00:09:25]Hello, Rosa. Happy Friday. How are you?

[00:09:28]What are you reading? Uh Loving Me and me me and mine says, "Hey Dee, happy Friday. Happy Friday to you.

[00:09:39]loving me in mine. And what are you reading? Uh, Curlic said, "Yeah, I can see why I just hit a major plot development. I hated to put it down for work." Yeah.

[00:09:52]Yeah, that can also be a problem. Kick, you said that was for you, Curtis.

[00:09:58]Okay. So yeah, when you have that's what I don't like is like when you're on a real you're on a roll with the books and then you know and then suddenly either the phone rings and you see somebody you got to or the bell rings or you got to go to work or lunch break is over. Yeah, that that's a tough one.

[00:10:21]Hello Alba. Hola. Hola Alba. Hola. Uh, Alba said, "Finish black liturgies and loved it." Okay. Um, what are you on to next? Uh, Tracy said, "Oh, wait. I'm also reading When Harlem Was in Vogue, uh, by our historian David, Dr. David Leverne Lewis."

[00:10:49]I think I have that book, When Harlem Was in Vogue. I think I have that one.

[00:10:54]Um, Curly Q said, "Oh, the phone wait."

[00:10:58]Well, it depends. Like, the phone will wait if it's anybody else, but not if my mom calls. If my mom calls, I I have to take the call. Um, and she's done that to me a couple times. She's called and I'm like, "It's not the moment to call, you know, and so I've had to stop reading to take her call." And when I take a call from my mom, that call is not no 10-minute call. That's like a one hour call. Okay. But anyway, um Raymond said, "It's fine. I'm about halfway. A lot of what I'm reading right now are reprints." Okay. Ida's travels in England during her anti-ynching campaign. Not academic, but super detailed. Wow, that sounds fascinating.

[00:11:46]That must be a really interesting read.

[00:11:50]Um, well, maybe you could um maybe you could do a um a little like review thing about it when you're done because I think that sounds like something that' be interesting to read.

[00:12:03]Hello, Serendipity. Happy Friday.

[00:12:06]Serendipity says, "I'm still reading the love songs of WB the boys. A little over halfway." Very nice. So, you're working through it. How are you enjoying it?

[00:12:17]Uh Rosa said to Albo liturgies was two years ago. I loved it too. Okay, there you go. Alba said, "Just started immersive reading. Let this radicalize you." Uh, we'll also start the good house. Immersive also. Oh, you going to love the good house, girl.

[00:12:38]That's That's an interesting one. The good house. Uh, loving me and mine says, "I'm currently listening to House of Margins, Paradise SL, I just finished Never Tell a Black Girl to Black Girl yesterday." Okay, well done. Um, Alba said to Rosa, "Oh, Rosa, I'm going to buy it as soon as I can. It was a library loan." Okay. Uh Tracy said, "I'm tempted to read a whole bunch of black history of every day of the year, but I'm I'm trying to just read a page a day."

[00:13:17]If you want to read a couple pages ahead, you can. I mean, the idea is that you're going to read it in the year, you know? So, but I mean, if you feel like you want to read it in the month, then you could. But I just felt like it was a lot of information. So there were there were days where either I knew something about the person, but some of them I knew stuff about the person and then there was stuff in the in the text that I didn't know about the person. So it's good. It's good his book. Uh okay. So Tracy goes the good house. Big up. Yeah, the big the good house was a it was a good read. It was it was a good buddy read. I recommend to buddy read it.

[00:13:57]There's so much to talk about in that book.

[00:14:01]So much to talk about. Um, yeah.

[00:14:05]Um, so wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Amalola said, "I'm reading The Davenports by Crystal Marquee." Is it Marquee or Marqueis? I think it's Marquee. Um, and we'll start after lives by Abdul Saraka.

[00:14:22]Very nice. We're all getting on it. I'll be starting after live during the week.

[00:14:28]Um, probably on Tuesday, something like that. Uh, Tracy said, "Oh, Lord." Uh, Nyla wants to read The Good House.

[00:14:39]Oh, she can read it. It ain't It ain't that It's not scary like that. She can read it. Uh, Amala said to Tracy, "I'm also reading Black History for every every day of this year." Yeah. So, everybody's on that one. I I I I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was definitely a five star for me. Um David, but you know, David Alasoga, he get my coin.

[00:15:03]He can get it. He can get my coin. They like him. Um Billy said, "Hey, happy Friday to you, Billy. How are you? I'm glad you could make it." Um what are you reading?

[00:15:18]Uh yeah, he can get my coin. David Valoga. Um, loving me and mindset. I just picked up Afterlives from the library yesterday, too. Gerna has me in a chokeold. Okay. Um, what did you read uh by Gerna before that you liked? Um, loving me in mine. Amala said, "I did enjoy Indigo a lot, D." Good. I'm glad.

[00:15:43]So come to the live so we can talk about it because you know the great Beverly Jenkins, we all like something that she's written or love something that she's written. So I can't wait to you know to discuss it with everybody. Uh theft. Okay, so you read theft. That's the that's the latest one that just came out if I'm not mistaken. Hello Terry, how are you? Happy Friday. Let's see.

[00:16:10]Terry said happy Friday. I read Chanel Miller's bio, Know My Name. It was powerful and The Revelation of Dion Daphne, uh, by Mara Brock Pakil. It was good, but a lot. Yeah, it seems to be a heavier heavier read. Um, Serendipity said, "It's really good, but there are some tough parts slash themes uh to read in here, like um Oh, yeah. essay, etc. So, I have to take my time." The characters, story, and writing are all really great. Okay, that's good. Uh, Rosa said, "I'm finishing up I have avenged America, Jean Sha Dale, and Hades fight for freedom. It's very scholarly." Okay. But I have learned so much. Okay, very good. Talk about no easy walk to freedom. Woof. Yeah, I know. Um, Tracy said, "Is is the Indigo chat this week?" Oh, next weekend. It's next weekend. Uh, so next weekend is I think is this is the 25th. I think it's the 25th is Saturday or the 26th. I can't remember.

[00:17:22]Uh, Billy said, "I'm struggling. Uh, tired. I've missed y'all. I'm reading Score by Kennedy Ryan and Jane Crowe, The Life of Paulie Murray. I finished Untethered by Angela Jackson Brown." Oh, I'm so sorry you're tired. I hope you can get some rest this weekend, Billy. That would be nice. Um, oh, Tracy went Oh, okay.

[00:17:47]Yeah. So, it looks like everybody is kind of cruising through their reading this summer, which I think is, you know, is good when you can kind of cruise through and, you know, be comfortable with what you're reading. Um, and not feeling so disappointed all the time. Um, but most of all taking your time and reading at the speed that you like, you know, or that you prefer to read. I think that's I feel like that's the best option. Um, Amalo said, "I like the by a uh by Abdul Gerna and Paradise."

[00:18:25]Um, there was a completist challenge I joined a couple of years ago. is where it can be very um Amola, how many books has he written?

[00:18:40]Uh Gerna, I'm I'm I'm curious because I do not know how many books has he written cuz he's very prolific from what I understand to to know. But I know I did see a lot of people were reading Theft when it came out.

[00:19:02]Um, and then I think Afterlive came out in 2022 with it. I think I remember seeing it everywhere when it when it came out. Um, Curtis said, "I have a handful of books by Abdul Zora.

[00:19:16]They that I haven't uh even read yet. I have plans to read a couple of his novels next year. I would definitely want to know how after lies he is."

[00:19:27]Yeah. Yeah. Well, I'll let you know. We gonna let you know because you know we gonna be on it next weekend. Okay. At least 11. Wow. Yeah. Okay. All right.

[00:19:40]All right. That's good to know. Um I'll have to like once I've read Afterlive, then I'll probably try to make some kind of challenge for myself that I can actually read through more of his work.

[00:19:53]Um like maybe do a year where I read month or something like that.

[00:20:01]Uh, Rosa said, "I also started Afterlives by Gerna. So far, I'm liking it." Uh, oh, Loving Me a Mind said there's 12. Okay. Hello, Walking in the Woods. How are you? Uh, Walking the Woods says, "Hello, I'm on chapter 88 of Lonesome Dove. You go, girl." Um, Amalo says she has 10. Yeah.

[00:20:25]Well, already 10. If you got 10 of his books, girl, you doing good. And I you probably have read at least five of them, I'm sure, because Yeah, you you you on it. Uh oh, which doesn't include the latest.

[00:20:40]Okay. All right. So, you're doing good.

[00:20:43]I This will be my first read of Gerna, so I'm very excited about lives. Um yeah, he's one of those writers that I've always wanted to read. Alongside there's also um Woolly Sanka. I want to read one of his as well. So I'ming one that I had put on my big book summer list to read by Willie Sona. I hope I can get to that one um because I think it it will be a very interesting first read uh from him.

[00:21:18]Okay, Amalola has read seven from the challenge. Well done, girl. Well done.

[00:21:27]That's what I'm talking cuz I like that when I can like literally get through, you know, all of the books by the same author, you know, try to really get through their their library because it gives you a lot of understanding about the writer and shows you like how the writer has, you know, how their writing has changed over time. That's why it's really good to start at the beginning and then kind of work your way through because you can then kind see h how that you know writer has developed and you know their writing style and so yeah I really like that trying to go through all of their work. Um there's still some people that I still need to tie up ends on that I have not tied up ends on yet.

[00:22:14]Uh Walking in the Woods said I'm reading book one in Beverly Jenkins Blessing series. Okay. It's been to hear the names of characters in her historical fiction novels. Oh, okay. Very good.

[00:22:27]Because I know a lot of people are very familiar with her work, uh, Beverly Jenkins. I've only read one of her books. Uh, and I read it during the pandemic. It was the one that she had to come out during the pandemic. I I read that one and I was like, "Wow, this was one this was a really good read." I was really happy with it and I thought, "Wow, this is" and I think it's because I I appreciate the way Jin uh historical fiction and I like how she fuses that with the romance. I think she does a fabulous job of that. It's something that feel is really quite special and yeah, it was Rebel that I read.

[00:23:13]Exactly, Tatiana. And I was like I immediately was pulled into the story. I really liked the main character, the young woman. Um it just there was just something it just pulled me right on in the way she was telling the story. And then I did enjoy reading the historical fiction around, you know, the sexy time. I thought it was just done really, really well. Uh Tracy said, "I've read Four by Gerna, Memory of Departure, Pilgrim's Way, Doy, and Paradise." Okay, y'all. Y'all you got it going on. This will be my first one. And I think what I'll probably do is I might go to his his first novel and work my way back up like that. uh just so I can get a better idea of how his writing has changed over time because um I mean seeing that it's 11 or 12 books I got time but you know that that would be that would be what I would be looking forward to doing.

[00:24:23]So let's talk about summer reads. So what do you guys what would you guys recommend as a summer read? I've specifically said summer read so that people didn't necessarily think beach read summer read like just you know it's summer it's hot out what do you recommend somebody read? Uh Tracy said I've read four Ga. Uh no she said first is Memory of Departure. Okay. Memory of Departure is first. Well that's where I'll start with Gera then um after I finish after lives. Uh, okay. Loving Gayen in uh Gayen in Okay, very nice.

[00:25:08]She gave a little the little the little heart eye.

[00:25:14]So, that's a good thing. Um, so let me know in the chat what kinds of which books would you recommend? I have just one, two, three, four, five, six. I have seven books here um that I think would be great to read in summer uh that I have already read. Uh wait, let's see. Sher said, "I can read anything in summer except a book set in cool or cold weather. I like to save those uh for fall and winter." Okay, so your summer read, it means that it has to warm summer weather for it to work. Let me just see if I got that.

[00:26:01]I think I might have one on this list.

[00:26:06]There's one. I don't remember if it's summer or it's hard to say cuz I don't think you they talk much about in that book.

[00:26:19]There's one that I autumn though.

[00:26:26]At least I think it starts in autumn.

[00:26:28]I'll have to look. Let me see. Uh uh Rosa said to Tracy and Amalola Gerna favorites. Okay. Well, your Ga favorites. Uh Tracy said, "Well, we're doing the Mercy Step in August, so that's a summer read." Look, I guess, but I ain't read it yet, so I don't know if that's really a summer read or not, but we going to try. Um, hey Shay. Shay says she's reading uh Razer Blade Tears. Now, actually, I would say Razer Blade Tears is a summer read.

[00:27:05]That's a summer read for sure.

[00:27:07]Uh and a really good one. Sher said, "Summer reads do not have to have warm weather for me. Just cool or cold weather because that feels too inongruous." Okay, that I'm fine with that. That's cool. Um, let me show you what I've got cuz I've got some out of the ordinary things. So, the first one I have is The Plot Against America by Philip Roth.

[00:27:36]Oh, this one is Oh my god, how long ago was it I read this? I don't even remember.

[00:27:47]Maybe I don't remember how long ago it was I read it. Maybe seven years ago.

[00:27:56]But this one is really this is like really one of the one of the Philip Ross I would actually recommend. It's just so damn good. Um, so the main character is a young telling the story of his family um, living in 1940s US except um, Charles Lindberg becomes the president of the US uh, and he's anti-semitic and This one is so damn good. It's It's not either.

[00:28:42]Uh I think it's like 391 pages, but it reads really fast. And this is like a mass market paperback, so it's kind of on the small side, but this is a really good read because once you start reading, you get completely sucked in and you just you can't stop reading. Okay, let me go back.

[00:29:03]Uh, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Okay. Uh, okay. So, Teresa said, "Razor Blade Tears is my favorite co Cosby book."

[00:29:13]Um, I haven't read I haven't read King of Ashes yet, though. But I really do like Razor Blade Tears as well. It's super super fastpaced and it's like nailbiting good. Um, Tracy said to Rosa, "I have to think on that. I've enjoyed uh the four I've read, but not sure which is a fave. Amalo said, "I read anything at any time of the year." Okay, so you don't discriminate.

[00:29:42]That's cool. Um Terry said, "The summer girlfriend Christina Forest made me want beaches, funnel cake, and ice cream."

[00:29:51]Okay. Uh Shay said, "I'm really enjoying it so far, Teresa." Um, Michelle said to Terry, "Uh, love Christina Forest books.

[00:30:01]They're all summer reads in my opinion."

[00:30:04]Okay. Rosa said, "De plot plot Against America part of a No, it's not a series.

[00:30:10]This is a standalone." It's a standalone. That's why I recommend it because it's a standalone. Real real good though. Um, Loving Me and Mine says, "King of Ashes is so good." Yeah, I need to get to that. I might have to switch up some of my smaller books that I'm reading in between the bigger ones and grab King of Ashes. Um because yeah, look, Shay said, "Love King of Ashes." So there you go.

[00:30:38]I'm sold. I'm going to have to swap some things and read King of Ashes. Read it by now. Anyway, all right. The next one I put on my list, and he talked about this one before, and that's this one, Decent People by Deshawn Charles Winslow.

[00:30:56]Now, I don't know if this one takes in winter or what. I don't remember. I don't remember that.

[00:31:04]It takes place in 1976.

[00:31:09]Um, still segregated West Mills, North Carolina.

[00:31:15]Um, and then it says, "The people of West Mills on both sides of the canal that serves as the town's color line are in a frenzy of fingerpointing, gossip, and wonder. The crime is the first reported murder in the area in decades, but the white authorities don't seem to have any interest in solving the case."

[00:31:36]This book right here, so good.

[00:31:41]Wonderful, wonderful read this one. You can't go wrong with that one.

[00:31:46]All right, let's see.

[00:31:50]Okay, Loving Me and Mine says it's an HBO series though. What's an HBO series though?

[00:31:57]Let me know because I'm not sure what you're talking about. King of Ashes or this? I I don't know.

[00:32:04]Uh Sher said, "I recently read West Mills. It was really good. The decent people follow the same characters." Not exactly. There's the character that's in West Mills is is um Dot.

[00:32:21]I think it is her name. She makes an appearance in this one, but it's she's like got a small appearance in this one, but all the other characters are new new characters, but in the same town.

[00:32:36]Uh let's see. Tracy said, "Summer on Cape May and Sunset Over Napa Valley by Monica Garner sound like great summer reads. Our oldest daughter bought them for me, so I might try to get to those in August." Okay.

[00:32:56]Yeah, West Mills as well. I could have bought that one out, too. Oh, it's your next read. Oh, you won't be sorry. Not Yeah. Uh, you won't be sorry uh about picking up in West Mills. It's a really good read. Not a funny character in in West Mills, but she makes a light appearance in this one.

[00:33:16]Uh Curtis said, "Decent people was so good. I love the book for sure." There you go. Uh Loving Me and Mind said, "Sorry, the plot against America from 2020.

[00:33:29]Came across that as I was searching for the book to add to my TBR." Okay. Um, Michelle said, "The Supremes at Earls All You Can Eat." Yes. And I was looking for that one and I could not find it. I think I might have it squirreled away somewhere on another bookshelf, but yeah, The Supremes at Earl's All You Can Eat. Fantastic. That would be a great summer read. Um, and I was also about um Sadika Johnson's um book. Oh my god, I can't. Not Yellow White, the other one.

[00:34:05]Uh, I can't think of the title right now. Somebody will know it though. I was thinking of that one as being a good read, summer read as well. Uh, Shar said, "The plot against America is plain in real." Girl, girl, right?

[00:34:23]Girl, you know it. Uh, Shay said, "Adds popping up during the live video is insane." I know. That's the new YouTube thing and I cannot stand it. I don't know how to I don't know what I can do to change that. Um, you know, I'll try and see if I can do anything. But somebody said something about you can make it so you have a split screen when there's publicity. I don't know how to do all that. So, I got to figure that out. Um, House of Eve.

[00:34:56]Yeah, that's it. House of Eve would make a good summer read for sure. Um, Sher said, "I love Supreme Earls. All You Can Eat Too. So much fun and excellent on audio. Um didn't like the sequel nearly as much though. I didn't read the sequel, but I haven't. I haven't read the sequel yet, but I loved um Supremes at Earl's All You Kings. That That was a really good um story. Uh Shay said, "These platforms are going to get every dime." I know. Well, they for the publicity, they don't you just watch it for 10 seconds.

[00:35:31]They're making money off of that. off the publicity.

[00:35:36]Um, Amalola said to Shay, "Thought it was just me. It's crazy. Completely crazy." Uh, Tracy said, "Keeper of lost children." I haven't of lost children, so I don't know. I was talking about um, House of Eve is what I was I was talking about.

[00:35:56]Uh, okay. Let's see. Shay said the popup during live weather event streams too on a lot of platforms. It's so annoying. I know it's extremely annoying.

[00:36:09]Um Milo said I had to get YouTube Premium to get rid of the ads. So much better. Yeah. But how much you got to pay for that? How much you got to pay for that to get rid of them ads? Um Loving Me and Mindset House of Eve was was was good too. Yeah, it was good. Oh yeah, I didn't think about that one. 32 candles. So so so so good.

[00:36:35]That would be a great summer read. 32 candles. Absolutely fantastic read that.

[00:36:41]All right, the next one I pulled like a mule bringing ice cream to the sun. This I think would make a good read because it's super short and the main character is Dr. Mariah Mariah Dilva.

[00:37:01]Uh very interesting character and nice simple you know easy to read short book and from one of my fave publishers is Cassava Republic.

[00:37:15]Definitely do that. And this is the author Sarah Leipo Manika.

[00:37:21]There she is right there.

[00:37:25]Highly recommend this one. Very good.

[00:37:28]All right, let's see.

[00:37:32]Yeah, if you have premium, then you don't see the ads. But like, how much do you guys have to pay to to do premium so you don't see the ads? Because that's the thing for me is like how much are people paying for this? You know, like what how much money is YouTube really making now?

[00:37:54]$15.99 for YouTube Premium, but I paid $8.99 with my student discount. That's a month.

[00:38:02]Oh my god. Oh my god.

[00:38:07]Yaoza.

[00:38:12]Tatiana says, "I just wait to press skip." Yeah, I mean, what what can you do? $15.99 a month. Well, it's actually $8.99 for you. That's a lot of money not to see ads. Damn.

[00:38:25]Um, yes. The Mercy Step is Cassava Republic.

[00:38:31]Yes. Uh, I don't even know. I just know.

[00:38:35]I don't see ads. Well, it's cuz you got premium, girl. You paying that extra money. Tatiana said, "I refuse, girl.

[00:38:41]I'm like you. I refuse." And I deserve that. They do not.

[00:38:47]Um Sher said, "I love Premium, but it is the only streaming service I pay for."

[00:38:53]Okay, well that's different. Covers music, too. I don't watch TV on uh book, Spanish learning, recipes, uh exercise videos, and ambiance videos.

[00:39:05]And well, you you using your you you're paying for it and you using it to the to the fullest, which is makes the most sense.

[00:39:14]Um, Mila says, "Per month?" Yes, but I'm on a YouTube every single day. So, worth it. Okay. Uh, Rosa said, "Me, too."

[00:39:25]Tatiana, I review.

[00:39:30]Raymond said, "Dl got money."

[00:39:36]Oh, Milo said, "It's no more than any other streaming app. Less than Netflix."

[00:39:42]Uh, I don't pay that for Netflix.

[00:39:47]Um, Tracy said, "Listen, I refuse to DL said, "I'll be the last sub. It It'll be the last sub I cancel. I hate ads. I live on YouTube." Yeah, I totally get it. U Michelle said there's a premium light option for $8.99 per month and it gets rid of ads with some exceptions.

[00:40:12]Full premium gets rid of ads completely.

[00:40:15]Yeah. Well, I'm just going to wait to press, you know, you can you can pay you can pass cuz I ain't I ain't nope. I ain't doing that.

[00:40:30]Uh, Rosa said, "Well, if it's the only if it's only Sure, but I but I do but I do Netflix."

[00:40:39]Uh, Shay said, "In a minute, everything will only be available as a subscription." That's some Um, in my opinion, that's some If if everything is a subscription, there's going to be some things that are going to go immediately. And I can tell you right now, Facebook would go immediately and I go immediately and I would just keep YouTube. But I would not I would not keep that old janky uh IG as janky as it is. Yeah, I hate it too because I think it's ridiculous. I mean, technically what we should all do is just scrap the whole thing and just go back to not watching TV. But I mean at this day and age it seems like nobody is reading anymore except for the you know selective few in the US. Um which is kind of sad. Most people are watching streaming services and you know doing all that but they're not really beating. So yeah.

[00:41:44]Uh love me and mine is loud. Uh said um BMW already tested having heated seats on a subscription model. Thankfully that fell flat on its face. Corporations are trying us to see how how far they can push it. Yeah, absolutely. Uh that's why you you shouldn't buy into that Like I I really do want IG to try to force everyone to do subscriptions because you know what? I think a bunch of people would leave that app so fast. I don't think they even realize how fast people will leave that app. The app where you subscribe to people and you don't see their you don't see their content. Like come on now. Where they they spend all day shoving other people's content in front of you that you're not subscribed to. girl. They just want an excuse to get people to shut that down. No, nobody People would leave. They would leave.

[00:42:48]Uh, let's see. K said, "I still have cable." Uh, Tatiana say, "I'd go back to being a booktver." There you go. Uh, Sher said, "Subscription models getting more expensive are going to push more people to sail the high seas." Yep.

[00:43:10]Uh, loving me in mind said I could do it.

[00:43:14]I do not have I do not have TV. Exactly.

[00:43:18]Okay. Uh, Tatiana said, "People are paying for it now. Bananas." Well, yeah, if you have too many, if you have too many of the Yeah, it can be a problem. But I think that's why they started trying to consolidate what putting Apple TV with, you know, I don't know, pair them out and putting this one with that one to try to make it so that people will still pay the money, but the price is even higher when they have two of them together. Uh, Rosa said, "I agree, but I like my Netflix and I would miss the polygamous and I'm loving that I could I could ditch IG and Arby." Girl, I know I could I could get you with a heartbeat.

[00:44:03]I definitely could get you with a heartbeat. Um, Serendipity said, "This is why we need libraries, free access."

[00:44:10]And we about to lose that, too. We're about to lose that, too.

[00:44:15]Uh, Tatiana said, "Me too, K. And I have streaming services included in my cable." Uh, Raymond said, "Yeah, subscription service on IG would help those accounts who keep scamming people for money." Oh my god, Shay's Jay's laughing at Raymond. Yeah.

[00:44:34]Now, I feel like I just want an excuse to get people to leave cuz that would be it. If they said, "Oh, you've got to pay a subscription X, Y, and Z." Boom. I'm out. Peace.

[00:44:47]That that account would just die like quickly. Bye.

[00:44:56]There's no way I would pay a subscription for IG.

[00:44:59]All right, the next is this one right here, Artificial Wisdom.

[00:45:06]Now, this book I I I think this is a good summer read because it reads super fast, and it's about an AI that becomes the president of the US. And the second part to this book is coming out in November of this year, but it's quite a it's quite a lot of pages. It's like 418 pages, but it's a really interesting uh way of telling the story because it has like like the the sci-fi part of it, but it's also mixed with the tech technology.

[00:45:49]It's like a mix of technology and sci-fi, and that's what makes it um an interesting read. And it's not like, you know, it's not like overly sci-fiish where it's got all this, you know, weirdness that you can't understand.

[00:46:04]It's very straightforward and it's written. It feels like a movie. Feels like you're watching a movie, but you're reading the book. That's why I put this one. And it's also because this has a different it's a different type of read uh than what about. So that's why I put that one. Artificial wisdom by Thomas R.

[00:46:26]Weaver.

[00:46:28]Um let's see. Okay. K says I pay for Netflix. Same Tati. Raymond is laughing at Shay. Uh, Shay said, "They gonna have to pry Kindle Unlimited from my cold dead hands though."

[00:46:49]Teresa said to Rosa, "Loving the polygamist, too." Yeah, they did a good job on polygamist. Uh, Sher said, "I would so vote for AI for president right now." The other option, laugh out loud.

[00:47:02]And I hate AI. Yeah, I hate AI, too. But if it was either AI or who we got, I probably would have voted to AI too cuz like no.

[00:47:14]Um, let's see.

[00:47:19]Wait.

[00:47:22]Okay. Teresa said to Shay, "Definitely not getting rid of my reading subs and I currently have several."

[00:47:30]Hello, Eric. How are you? What are you reading? Happy Friday. Uh Eric says, "Happy Friday, Dee. Artificial wisdom sounds really compelling and entertaining and I I'd not heard of it before. Thanks." Yeah, no problem. This one came out last year and it was one of my the members of my book club in Normandy that suggested this one and she knew someone who knew the author to our book club and we discussed his his book Artificial Wisdom and that's when he told us yeah there's going to be a second part which we'll be reading in the book club and hopefully we'll get him to come and uh discuss it. So, it's like what happens once this AI becomes president is in the second book. Um, Shay's laughing. Rosa said to Teresa, "So messy. Laugh out loud." Uh, Teresa said, "Just like the book."

[00:48:36]DL said, "I would vote a rotting tomato over who we have." Child, I' I'd vote Kujo. I don't know what we've got now.

[00:48:47]Oh my god. Kujo could get my vote. Uh Tracy said, "I have the book by Weaver, but haven't touched it." Yeah. Okay. So, that's another one. Now, this other one is This one is called Bark Skkins by Annie Poo.

[00:49:05]Now, this one is gonna be for the people that like big books, but this would be a great summer read.

[00:49:13]Come on, y'all. It's got a family tree.

[00:49:16]So good, this one.

[00:49:18]It's got two family trees in it, and it takes place in Nova Scotia, New Zealand, and the United States.

[00:49:29]Um, so so so good. this read. I buddy read it with another booktuber when it came out. This came out a long time ago, I think. So, let me see.

[00:49:41]Uh, this came out in 2016 and such a good read. Two men, they wind up in the new world in Canada and they are meant to be, how do you call that?

[00:50:01]um they're like they're going to wind up being indentured because they have to pay their way for arriving in Canada. And soaps once they arrive, one of them sneaks off in the forest and manages to get away and starts his life somewhere else in Canada. and the other one winds up staying and winds up being indentured and winds up having a different life.

[00:50:32]But this one right here is real good because it takes you on this adventure and you're going to different places. So you're in Canada, then at one point you're in the US and another part you're in New Zealand. It's just really, really good. Now, I know a lot of people know Annie P from um News. I read the Shipping News. I didn't love The Shipping News. Freaking depressing book.

[00:50:59]But this one, I really really enjoyed reading this one quite a lot. And I could see someone this up in summer and then and enjoying it because adventurous and it takes you to different places. Uh let's see.

[00:51:17]Eric says, "I've been meaning to read bars skins for ages and the family tree at the beginning sells it for me every time I'm reading the del of Jenny Fagan." Fagan, I don't ever heard of that one. I have to look that one up.

[00:51:34]But um yeah, I highly recommend Bark Skkins.

[00:51:38]Um, it has some quirky things in there and they're kind of like, but it it's Yeah, it's a really good read. Um, I definitely will will definitely uh reread this one at some point because uh I thoroughly enjoyed it. Yeah, I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

[00:52:01]The family trees in this one are in the back of this. This is the hard cover though. But yeah, highly recommend it.

[00:52:09]Now, let me see. What is this in your reading? The delusions.

[00:52:30]Okay.

[00:52:35]Uh, okay. Loving mind said, "I love books like this." Um, yeah. I I really like this kind of adventurous kinds of books.

[00:52:47]Um, let's see. Teresa said, "Libro FM with Mahogany Books as my independent bookstore to support Audible, Kindle Unlimited, and Book of the Month." Oh, yeah. Book of the Month, too.

[00:53:04]No, I have um what do I have? I just have Audible. I have Everand and that's it.

[00:53:17]I don't have Kindle Unlimited.

[00:53:20]No.

[00:53:22]And I don't have Book of the Month. U Michelle said, "Mr. Lover Man would be another good summer." Yes, Mr. Lover Man would be a fan summer read because oh my goodness, that book is so so so so good. So well written, great dialogue and the main character, he is something else.

[00:53:46]Um yeah, I really I really enjoyed it.

[00:53:49]Now, Mr. Lover Man, I need to read that again. I buddy read it with Patrice, but I I kind of want to reread Mr. Lover Man because it was good.

[00:53:59]Um, Tracy said, "Okay, thanks.

[00:54:03]I used to have book of the month for a little bit." Okay. Eric said, "The Delusions follows a woman who in the afterlife processing people who have recently died." Oo. Okay. It's very witty and funny, but also terrifying because yes, in the afterlife there is still admin. Oh my god, that sounds like it could be interesting. Um, DL said, "I have a lot of subs. Currently, I need them all." Okay. Okay, DL. We not gonna press you on your on your subs, but every ofen I go through and cancel the ones I'm not using. Well, there you go.

[00:54:42]I mean, the thing is is when you have a lot of them, I think you have to keep an eye on how much you're actually spending because it's true, if you're not really using them, then what's the point? What is the point?

[00:54:58]Uh, Eric said, "I agree. Mr. Lover Man is an excellent summer read." Uh, did you want I did not adaptation because I can't get it here in France. That makes me so mad that I can't watch it because I've been wanting to watch the TV adaptation of Mr. Lover Man, but I don't have access to it here sadly. Um, Amalo said, "The God of good looks." Yes, that's another really good one by Briana Macyver. Um is favorite summer read.

[00:55:30]Caribbean definitely is definitely a really good one. And another good summer read is The Book of Night Women by Marlon Jane. But you know, I can't say that enough because you know I love that book. You know, I love that book. Uh Teresa said, "I got rid of Everand the older platform better."

[00:55:52]Uh yeah. Yeah. The God of good looks was real good. And another good one is also um the one that we read last year with Peta and Karen. Um what was it called?

[00:56:08]It was by um what is the lady's name?

[00:56:13]Uh, I'm blanking. I can't think of what her name is. Oh, Passion Tide.

[00:56:22]Passion Tide by um, what is her name?

[00:56:28]Monnique Rocky.

[00:56:30]That was real good, too.

[00:56:34]Uh, DL said Marlon James has a new September. The disappearers.

[00:56:41]Uh, Terry said, "The TV adaptation of Mr. Lover Man most excellent." I know, and I can't watch it.

[00:56:49]Uh, Tracy said, "Barington and Mr. Lover Man was something else." He sure was.

[00:56:55]Um, I would definitely reread that one.

[00:56:58]Um, for sure. I would definitely reread The Book of Night Women for sure. Um, yeah, the the God of good looks. I would definitely listen listen to that one again. I I think I did when I read it I did immersive reading, but I think if I listen I would listen to it a second time. I thoroughly enjoyed that that whole storyline. I thought it was just brilliantly put together. Done really really well. Um the the god of the books. Um well well done. I'm trying to think if there's another Caribbean one that is that I really like. Oh, you know, another one. A good one is Pleasant View.

[00:57:45]Pleasant View by Celeste Mohammed.

[00:57:47]That's another one that would be a good summer read. Now, it's a summer read that's a little tense, but it's still really, really good. Still really good.

[00:57:57]Um, that one.

[00:58:01]Trying to think.

[00:58:05]I knew one that would be a good summer read.

[00:58:13]Oh, was another one I had thought of.

[00:58:16]There's this one as well as another good summer read. It's called Becoming Nigerian, a guide by El Nathan John.

[00:58:24]Okay, this one is also by Cassava Republic, but this one is really good. So, this is on this idea of talking about how do you make you like what is considered a you know a a Nigerian a Nigerian man in particular. And what it does is it goes through like different um themes and it has like a breakdown of what they think makes the typical Nigerian uh man and it is hilarious.

[00:59:12]very very funny, very very well written.

[00:59:15]And this is based off of another book which was a real book which I think I have a copy of somewhere that was becoming Nigerian, the real book. And this is sort of like I guess you could say the more modern version of that old book, but this is just very very funny.

[00:59:35]So like you'll have things like how to worship the Nigerian god um or you'll have and then like under that you'll have the prayer, the loudspeaker, enemies, uh elections, respect, miracles, money.

[00:59:54]Then the next chapter will be how to be a pastor. And it goes through, you know, different things about being a pastor.

[01:00:01]Fly pride. Bless women with your seed.

[01:00:05]Ask people to sew seed. Do not pay tax.

[01:00:08]Remind people never to never ever speak evil against a man of God. Hang out with politicians from time to time. It's a good healing, etc., etc. It's very, very funny, this book, and it's short.

[01:00:26]Let's see. Amalola said, "The God of good looks got me out of my one of and only reading slump a couple of years ago. It holds a special place in my heart. It's summer on the page." It definitely is summer on the page.

[01:00:41]Um Amalo said, "That book of El Nathan John is seriously unserious, but it's hilarious.

[01:00:48]He's accurate on all points he makes.

[01:00:50]It's all real." I know, right? It's because I I read this with Sarah and and so I wanted to read it with somebody who knew the culture and we had funny uh discuss and she was like that's for real, you know. Oh my god.

[01:01:09]So good. I like El N in El Nathan John though. I think he's he's a really he's a really funny uh man and he's he's a really good author.

[01:01:21]Uh Kay said, "I'm going to see Marlon James in September." Oh, he's such a nice man. A little said to Kay, "So jealous. He's coming nowhere near the Texas dumpster." Oh, no.

[01:01:34]Well, maybe you could fly fly out and see him in in the state next door if he's not if he's not away.

[01:01:43]So, those are picked out for summer reads. I tried to pick books that are out of the ordinary.

[01:01:50]Um because you know we got to do that.

[01:01:53]We got to pick out books out. We can't keep recommending the same things all the time. Um Michelle said, "How Stella Got Her Groove Back is a classic summary." Yeah, I didn't love I didn't love that book. I mean, it's good, but I didn't love it.

[01:02:11]I didn't see the TV show either or whatever the movie they made out of it either. But um but I know a lot of people like it. I didn't particularly really love it. But yeah. Um trying to think there were some other ones.

[01:02:27]Um trying to think if there are any other car because the Caribbean ones um but I can't think of the title of it.

[01:02:47]Trying to see.

[01:02:52]There are some other Caribbean ones that are good.

[01:02:57]Um, that would be great for summer.

[01:03:10]Oh, Amalo said, "Fly out with these airline prices. I cancelled a lot of the travel I had planned. Threw off my budget. These prices." Yeah, I just I didn't Yeah, I had forgotten about that, but yeah, I had been hearing about um the price point airplane prices for summer have just gotten crazy and I fear they're going to get crazier.

[01:03:34]Um just because I mean it looks like they're going to be starting up again with this Iran business.

[01:03:45]Um, Michelle says, "Stella wasn't my fave.

[01:03:49]Mama was." Yeah, I love Mama.

[01:03:52]Yeah, definitely Mama was where it was at. Uh, Amalo said to Michelle, "I prefer the movie."

[01:04:00]Uh, and Michelle said she agreed the movie was good. I didn't get a chance to see the movie. Uh, Kurik said hotels are crazy, too. Oh, the hotel prices are crazy, too. I thought it was just the um the plane plane tickets were crazy, but yeah, I have a feeling it's only get crazier before it gets better because um they they're starting up more mess now back in back in um with Iran and all that mess.

[01:04:28]So yeah, it might not be the best moment to fly uh to the to the US or if you're already in the US to fly into another state.

[01:04:40]Yeah, you think it's is crazy price. Um and the thing about it is it's almost like they act like they think like like people get this money.

[01:04:52]Yeah, you gonna get this money. You gonna pay this price. It's Yeah. It's like no ma'am.

[01:04:58]No ma'am Pam. It ain't happening. If people if people can't pay, they're not going to pay. Um Tracy said, "De, have you heard from Jennifer lately? Does she still come for for so lit?" No, she does not come for read anymore. Um I I haven't spoke to her in a long long long long long time.

[01:05:20]I think she goes on to IG every now and then, but I think she took a step back from uh social media because of her boys. She needed to be, you know, more present for her boys and stuff like that. So, she come at some point, but um yeah.

[01:05:41]Uh Alba said, "Small island by Andrea Libby." Yes, apparently that is a very good one. And I have not I feel bad about that.

[01:05:52]Uh yeah, and she's also tired of the internet. Yeah. So, um Yeah. So, we probably won't see her anytime soon. And things aren't getting better. You know, they're getting worse.

[01:06:06]They're not getting better. you know, the the the fact that we have like I was watching this clip that talked about this new article that is out in the Atlantic. And when I heard that 20% of Americans read 80% of the books last year, I'm just like, wait, what? 20%?

[01:06:27]That's not even a lot of people. And they read 80% of the books. What are all the other people doing? And that's a lot of pages to be turning. Um, I don't know what we're going to do, but I feel like we have to be more invested in um in literature than we have to really be invested. Like, we can't afford to play around because now they're going to start, you know, literally taking books off the shelves, closing up libraries, and it's just it's really kind of scary.

[01:07:07]Um Tracy said, "I definitely can relate to that." Amalola.

[01:07:12]Uh Tata said, "Watching TV." Yeah. I mean, um you know, I don't know what we're going to do, but like people have to start read more. People who aren't reading at all need to start reading more because it's it's it's going to affect us our our capability of analyzing things if we if we're not reading anything anymore and we're just I don't know man.

[01:07:42]Tatiana says we are heading into our own version of Fahrenheit 451. Yep. Uh Amalo said I have that that issue of the Atlantic. The article is The Age of Reading by Rose Horowitch. Okay, that's it. Very good. Um, Michelle said, "People would rather have their noses to a screen that in a book." Shaking my head. You know, I don't know. It's just not because they're they're going to get to the point where they're going to just be like, "Tick this box." And, you know, you don't have to read nothing. You don't have to do nothing. We're going to be ticking boxes and losing their jobs and their houses and their first born cuz we got to we got to like and then we also have to be really I hate to say this but we're going to have to step up our reading in the sense of you can't just be reading books on a fifth grade level if you want to maintain a certain sense of capability of reading more complex text and things like that. And one of the things that she said was is like the books that are written today are a lot easier to read than the ones from 20 years ago. And you know, this is something that I don't think we talk about enough is the quality of literature that we read. I'm not about to read and what not to read. All I'm saying is that we have to, you know, if we if we really want to benefit from reading, we have to challenge ourselves during our reading in order for that to happen. You know, us out of our reading.

[01:09:33]Um, Amala said, "Reading shaped the modern mind. It's dis will reshape it is the quote. I totally agree. Yeah, I agree with that.

[01:09:46]Um, yeah, it'll reshape a bit to uh K said, "Listen, as someone who has to write communications for the employee base, I promise you they are not re girl." I know my husband always comes home when he talks about interns, people that come young college students that come to at his um factory and like he'll ask them to write a on something that they've been observing and they cannot write. They cannot write to save their lives.

[01:10:26]Um, Serendipity said to musical Tati, "I reread Fahrenheit 451 a couple ago, and that part in the beginning where Guy Montto's wife has the seashells in her ears is too." I know, right? Uh, Curly said, "Oh, start started to on audio and it just wasn't hitting me.

[01:10:53]Has anyone read girl? I am not reading no Calamity Club. That's the woman who wrote the freaking help who ain't learned nothing from all her fallout from from reading from writing the help.

[01:11:06]Hell to the no I'm not reading no Calamity Club. It ain't happening over here. Um Kick said so scary about heading into Fight 451 but so freaking true. Amala said, "I think also the the quality of the conversations we're having, period."

[01:11:25]Um, Kurlic, you said, "You ain't lying, K."

[01:11:29]You ain't lying, K. Um, Tatiana said, "These folks have brains smoother than an iron bed sheet and thinner." Yeah, you didn't said that right. Uh Raymond said to K right they are not reading or we got dumb dumbed down the wording of text so people can understand.

[01:11:57]Um curlic said a friend works in HR for resident and fellow doctors. She said it's madness what she has to deal with even with their level like basic stuff is hard. U Michelle is laughing at Tatiana. Curlic said, "Got it." I knew it had to be a disconnect because that book ain't it, but groups on Facebook I had are are raving and I'm like, uh, no thanks.

[01:12:30]I'mma pass on that. Uh, K said, Raymond, I try to write on an eighth grade level.

[01:12:37]Uh, Amala said, that's why you have people asking for easier words.

[01:12:43]Yaoza.

[01:12:45]Uh, and Amala said, "And letting people tell them a college education isn't necessary." Here we go. I mean, in one of the one of the videos, I went in the comment section and in the comments section, somebody said that they read the article and one of the things that stuck out to him was the the Harvard the Harvard student had to read um work orange and was trying to get it translated because he thought it was in old English.

[01:13:24]Wow.

[01:13:26]He thought A Clockwork Orange was written old English and so he was trying to find out where he could translate it into regular English.

[01:13:38]My god. Harvard. Now Harvard um Sher said and the people that say college isn't necessary are sending to college said but sending their kids to the best schools. Uh Sher said just like the ones that spread about the COVID vaccinated.

[01:14:04]Yeah, there you go. So, um, that made me laugh though in the comment section when the guy saying that because I was just like, "What are you talking about?" He the the kid thought that A Clockwork Orange was written in old English. My god.

[01:14:22]Um, Amalola said, "The guy going around with the flashcards makes me sad. There are a lot of people who can't read." I know.

[01:14:33]Um, Amalo said, "Or are reading and skipping letters and words." Exactly.

[01:14:40]And we know that for a fact because we hear people on on these platforms talking about, "I I I don't read dialogue or I only read the dialogue or I I don't read all the words." Like, what?

[01:14:54]Um, Kurichu said, "For little or nothing, meanwhile, I'm struggling to help this girl with room.

[01:15:03]Uh, Amalo said, "Don't get me started.

[01:15:06]This topic make it does." Curly Q said, "I can't watch those flashcard videos frustrating me." Yeah. And I don't watch them anymore. I skip them. Um, Curly said, uh, it was typo. Yeah. Okay. Cuz, you know, all it does is it just reinforces how bad it really is. But there's a it's a combination of things that need to change.

[01:15:32]for for there to be improvement. And I just don't think it's going to happen, you know, so easily. We we would need the whole educational system to to make changes in order for, you know, things to to make a a definite change. Um Raymond said, "Bring back popcorn reading." I laugh out loud. Um Kay said, "My grandsons spent the summer with their other grandparents. They about to be sick of me because we reading the rest of the summer. Well, there you go.

[01:16:08]Because when they see, they know for a fact that when kids see their parents reading or their grandparents reading or family members reading, they want to read, too. If everybody just has their nose glued to the TV, it ain't going to happen. They're not going to want to read. Um, Kuriki said, "I was tutoring a student and when I first got him, he routinely would skip words. I said, "No, sir. Apparently, no one ever called him out for it."

[01:16:37]Um, Tracy said, "The Calamity Club is a hard no for me." Yeah, no.

[01:16:43]Um, Mila said, "I also blame the schools for having such a low bar for language and grammar." For sure. Um, Tatiana said, "Popcorn reading used to be my favorite activity." Uh, Gurley Q said, "By by the time I got to the end, he was reading full sentences and not skipping." Yay. That's the way to go.

[01:17:07]Um, Sher said to Amalo, "It's incredibly sad." Yeah, cuz what's incredibly sad is you can see how fast it happened. like this wasn't like over.

[01:17:21]It was like it's like a like a quick slippery slippery slope. Real quick. Um K said, "What is popcorn reading? I'm older than you all." Yeah, I don't know what it is either. Tell us what popcorn reading is cuz I don't know it either.

[01:17:37]K.

[01:17:40]What is popcorn reading? Tatiana.

[01:17:44]Uh okay. Amalo doesn't know what it is either.

[01:17:51]I don't know. I can only imagine. Is it What is it? Would it What would you be doing? Would you be Would you be reading I don't know for limited amount of time and then switch with your reading.

[01:18:06]Uh Curlic said, "I think reading aloud and then calling on the next reader."

[01:18:11]Oh, okay. Y'all call that popcorn reading? I never heard of that before.

[01:18:16]Um Raymond said to K, "We did it in school. Someone would read a passage and then pass it to another person. We would say pop to start where we left off." Okay.

[01:18:31]I I I didn't have this in school, so this is new to me. Um, Sharah said, "I don't know if you guys listen to the young political debaters, Parker or Dean, but the MAGAS that call in our ed education deficiencies on full display.

[01:18:51]I watch Parker sometimes and I just say bless his soul that he has to talk to some of those dumb people that he has to talk to cuz we're talking like this brings back a whole new dumb with the people that he has to discuss with roundroin reading aloud. I don't know round robin.

[01:19:12]What is round robin? Um K said oh r did that. Yeah. No, we never did that either. I mean, you just had to read when the teacher said to read out loud.

[01:19:21]We didn't make it wasn't like fun fun.

[01:19:23]Um, Amalo said, "I didn't go to elementary high school here." Yeah. So, you probably Well, I went there and I don't know the popcorn thing, you know.

[01:19:32]Uh, Sher said, "No critical thinking to be found." Like, I would say not even a thought to be found because th those people are missing, man.

[01:19:45]They're missing a full deck.

[01:19:48]Uh Teresa said, "We did group reading, but we did have a name for it." Okay.

[01:19:56]And the teacher just called on Yeah. Well, that's pretty much how we used to do it as well. We would you would have group reading. They would put you in groups with other students at a similar level and then you would just you would have to read passages out when the when the teacher would say, "Oh, okay.

[01:20:18]Now you have to read Teresa or now you have to read you D or you you know um you didn't have a name for it." Oh yeah.

[01:20:31]Okay. You didn't have a name for it.

[01:20:32]Yeah. Yeah. I know. I never cuz popcorn reading I never heard of. And what is roundroin?

[01:20:39]What is that?

[01:20:42]Round robin reading allowed. I don't know that.

[01:20:47]But you know, it looks like they need to make some of that stuff come back.

[01:20:52]Um, girl said, "I got to run. You guys have a great weekend and a wonderful week. You too. Bye-bye. Thanks for coming. Have a good weekend." Uh I'm a little said I sometimes fear with being online so much original thoughts diminish. Now I feel like original thoughts only diminish when you stop thinking and when you stop questioning things that you see and hear. Um I think that's that when when you stop doing that then that's when you have a um roundroin just means going around the room. Okay. All right.

[01:21:29]I like these clever little names for it because it makes it sound fun.

[01:21:34]Uh Tracy said, "I don't know what popcorn reading is either." Okay, so the popcorn reading explained it before.

[01:21:40]It's the idea of saying, you know, you you would I would read and then I would say um popcorn uh Tatiana and then Tatiana would read and then she would say popcorn Raymond and then Raymond would read. So it's, you know, it's kind of like popping around the room um kind of thing, which I think is, yeah, they they have to think of clever ways and techniques to teach is such a crucial and important uh thing.

[01:22:13]Yeah, I never did that at school either.

[01:22:16]Uh Tracy, I never did that either. Uh Michelle said, "I miss sustained silent reading. Everyone in the class, teachers included, would stop everything and grab a book, magazine, etc. to quietly for 20 minutes. Now, I feel like that is fantastic.

[01:22:34]But this generation can't do that.

[01:22:40]They're incapable of sitting down and reading for 20 to 30 minutes. They can't do that.

[01:22:45]Can't do it. Have a good weekend, Terry.

[01:22:49]Bye-bye.

[01:22:50]They're unable to do silent reading for 20, 30 minutes. They're unable to read full text. Everything has to be shortened and simplified. Vocabulary has to be, you know, super simple.

[01:23:07]Uh or they or they won't they won't be able to do it. So, yeah, we have we have a problem, y'all. you gonna have to really, you know, help the young people that are in our family to and, you know, try to get them to read more. Um, if they're not because it's it's super important. I mean, you can only you can only really mentor the kids that are in your family.

[01:23:34]Um, you have we have to do something.

[01:23:38]It's not looking good, y'all. It's not looking good at all. All right, y'all.

[01:23:42]I'm out cuz it is already 7:30 almost.

[01:23:47]Um, this has been fun.

[01:23:51]Have an excellent weekend. Uh, get a lot of reading done or whatever you're doing this weekend. Have fun. Uh, Raymond said, "I would be so scared for some students when we did popcorn reading. I know some kids got humiliated." Oh my god, why would they humiliate them? Even if you mess up, it's the idea of reading aloud is always a little bit stressful.

[01:24:14]Um, Rosa said, "Well, I have gotten a whole reading list. Thanks everyone.

[01:24:20]Have a fabulous reading weekend." Sarah Dippy said, "I like SSR better, too, because I didn't like class participation." Laugh out loud. But at the end of the day, I think both were helpful. Bye-bye. Loving me and mine.

[01:24:37]Uh, Jenna said, "The generation has a attention span of a flea." Yeah, I was going to say a knack, but a flea will work, too.

[01:24:47]Oh my god. Alrighty. Bye bye y'all.

[01:24:50]Thanks.

[01:24:52]And try everybody. Bye bye.