Paul Secor > Recent Status Updates

Looking at my Goodreads colleagues' Years in Reading, I've been struck (in addition to the wonderful array of titles to be found there) by the vast collection of wonderful cover designs. Kudos to the artists who created them.

For the past couple of days, when I look at a book title and scroll down to Friends and Following, I get a message: "No one you know has read this book", even though that's not the case. Has anyone else had this problem?

Can anyone recommend a good YouTube Book Vlog reviewer? I'd like to find a vlogger who reviews interesting books. If a vlogger is entertaining, that's an added plus, but interesting books are the primary deal for me.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

General query - If you had the opportunity to meet any two living authors, which would you choose (and why)?
My choices would be Penelope Lively and Percival Everett. I have the feeling that both are extremely intelligent and interesting people, and I can't imagine that I'd be bored during any time I spent with them. Whether they might be bored by me is another story.

Edith Pearlman, a wonderful writer, passed away on January 1, 2023. She's no longer with us, but her books live om and I urge you to read them.
Here are two that are well worth your time and attention:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9...

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Artist/author Jean-Jacques Sempé died on August 11th, 2022.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/11/ar...
He was one of my favorite artists and left a trove of wonderful drawings that will probably live on for as long as people look at art works.

I do not like the new GR Ratings and Reviews format at all. And I don't think that it's simply a matter of becoming accustomed to something new. I think that it's just poorly designed.

Slow going - not because of the writing, but because I sympathize with the character of Jeanie and I 'm wondering if she'll ever catch a break.

Michael Apted died on January 7, 2021. He was a film director and I think he'll be best remembered for his "Up" series. In 1964, he filmed a group of 7 year old children for a series on British TV. The series became an ongoing project. Every seven years, Apted filmed the children into their adulthood. The last installment was 63 Up in 2019.
It's probably my favorite documentary series. Thank you, Michael Apted.

"My mother's scheme of things admitted to much finer distinctions than were allowed by the sociologists. She'd talk about people being 'better class', 'well-off', 'nicely spoken', 'refined', 'educated', 'genuine', 'ordinary' and - the ultimate condemnation - 'common'.

"Every family has a secret, and the secret is that it's not like other families."

"My mother's scheme of things admitted to much finer distinctions than were allowed by the sociologists. She'd talk about people being 'better class', 'well-off', 'nicely spoken', 'refined', 'educated', 'genuine', 'ordinary' and - the ultimate condemnation - 'common'.