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At 40, Franz Kafka (1883-1924), who never married and had no children, walked through the park in Berlin when he met a girl who was crying because she had lost her favourite doll. She and Kafka searched for the doll unsuccessfully.
Kafka told her to meet him there the next day and they would come back to look for her.
The next day, when they had not yet found the doll, Kafka gave the girl a letter "written" by the doll saying "please don't cry. I took a trip to see the world. I will write to you about my adventures."
Thus began a story which continued until the end of Kafka's life.
During their meetings, Kafka read the letters of the doll carefully written with adventures and conversations that the girl found adorable.
Finally, Kafka brought back the doll (she bought one) that had returned to Berlin.
"It doesn't look like my doll at all," said the girl.
Kafka handed her another letter in which the doll wrote: "my travels have changed me." the little girl hugged the new doll and brought her happy home.
A year later Kafka died.
Many years later, the now-adult girl found a letter inside the doll. In the tiny letter signed by Kafka it was written:
"Everything you love will probably be lost, but in the end, love will return in another way."

For Toni, I started with Beloved and I have to say, as an aspiring author myself, I was blown away. I don't know very much about what Toni can do, but I know for sure that this woman can write. And boy can she write! A masterclass in writing.

I really like this channel. Finding someone who can recommend and reflect about books that are different from your background and culture, is a breath of fresh air on youtube.

Another one that is good for beginners because it is so riveting and because it moves so fast is The Count of Monte Cristo. 😊 It's long, but so is Dickens, and right now The Count of Monte Cristo seems to be everywhere 🔥 and so you can feel like you're not on your own reading it too. It's a good time to read it. I guess same goes for Homer's Odyssey. And check out the recent Daniel Mendelsohn Odyssey translation. 😊

Thanks so much for the recs, really like the variety of backgrounds these authors have too 😊

Thanks a lot for your recommendations. It is refreshing to get recommendations with a bit more depth than just what happens and how they are written. 🙂
"Emma" is my favourite of Austen's book, it is also on my list of all time favourites (which it is not easy to get on ... ;-) ) "Great Expectations" is waiting on the book shelf for a long time - got me reminded of it ...

Love your videos. Thanks for the great book insights

Always a good day when you drop a video 🤘🏻

Thanks!

Sula...  Sound's fantastic

Thank you very much for the suggestion 🎉

Dr. Moore preached the importance of literacy until his voice went hoarse. Bravo sir!!! ❤

Finally... 'Things Fall Apart' makes a list.

Thank you!

The book text close ups were so satisfying 😍 like ASMR for my eyes

I read Great Expectations and A Tale of Two Cities in high school, books that hooked me on literature for life.

I recommend Around The World In Eighty Days by Jules Verne and The Sorrows Of Young Werther by Goethe to first time classics reader 😏😉📚

I immediately clicked because Things Fall Apart is my favourite novel (that I have read so far). I found it very powerful.

In high school, serialized novels were my favorite. Specifically, A Tale of Two Cities. I remember having a study hall with some other students before lit class, and we started reading the assigned chapters out loud during study hall. Sometimes even on the school stage. These novels shine when read out loud, as they often were at the time.

Thanks for your recommendations. They are outside my typical reading sphere.
Read my first Kazuo Ishiguro on your recommendation.

Great Expectations-Pip went to London looking for success and his values deteriorate and he realizes that his uncle is not rich, but is a good man. He is a role model, but not seen that way by society.