Cary Watson
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skeletonpalms.bsky.social
Cary Watson
@skeletonpalms.bsky.social
190 followers 220 following 69 posts
I work at the Toronto Public Library and have written a noir thriller/coming-of-age novel called THE SKELETON PALMS about the avarice and cruelty of a group of American billionaires. My YT book review channel is called Reading with Intent. Check it out!
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Reposted by Cary Watson
skeletonpalms.bsky.social
My new vlog review of THE CITY OF DREAMING BOOKS by Walter Moers, a humorous fantasy novel about a world obsessed with books that's a blend of Tim Burton, Italo Calvino, Dr. Seuss, and especially Terry Pratchett. Your protagonist is a dinosaur.
#waltermoers #terrypratchet
youtu.be/YtR2J4PQReU?...
The City of Dreaming Books (2004) by Walter Moers: The German Terry Pratchett? Yes, definitely.
YouTube video by Reading with Intent
youtu.be
January 23, 2026 at 5:12 PM
skeletonpalms.bsky.social
My new vlog review of THE CITY OF DREAMING BOOKS by Walter Moers, a humorous fantasy novel about a world obsessed with books that's a blend of Tim Burton, Italo Calvino, Dr. Seuss, and especially Terry Pratchett. Your protagonist is a dinosaur.
#waltermoers #terrypratchet
youtu.be/YtR2J4PQReU?...
The City of Dreaming Books (2004) by Walter Moers: The German Terry Pratchett? Yes, definitely.
YouTube video by Reading with Intent
youtu.be
January 23, 2026 at 5:12 PM
Reposted by Cary Watson
skeletonpalms.bsky.social
My new VLOG review of THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE by Shirley Jackson. Spoiler alert: it wasn't the classic supernatural tale I'd been hoping for.
#shirleyjackson #horrorfiction #hillhouse
youtu.be/TJIGPiZzY_Y?...
The Haunting of Hill House (1959) by Shirley Jackson: A horror classic that I found...really poor.
YouTube video by Reading with Intent
youtu.be
January 12, 2026 at 3:29 PM
skeletonpalms.bsky.social
My new VLOG review of THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE by Shirley Jackson. Spoiler alert: it wasn't the classic supernatural tale I'd been hoping for.
#shirleyjackson #horrorfiction #hillhouse
youtu.be/TJIGPiZzY_Y?...
The Haunting of Hill House (1959) by Shirley Jackson: A horror classic that I found...really poor.
YouTube video by Reading with Intent
youtu.be
January 12, 2026 at 3:29 PM
Reposted by Cary Watson
skeletonpalms.bsky.social
My VLOG review of SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE by Kurt Vonnegut. An anti-war novel that has mostly stood the test of time.
#bookreview #kurtvonnegut #sciencefiction
youtu.be/oRhz1pHgi5I?...
Slaughterhouse-Five (1969) by Kurt Vonnegut: The fiercely anti-war novel that launched Vonnegut.
YouTube video by Reading with Intent
youtu.be
January 8, 2026 at 3:28 PM
Reposted by Cary Watson
skeletonpalms.bsky.social
My VLOG review of OUTLAW PLANET by M.R. Carey. Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. Carey tries to do way too much and the writing suffers.
#bookreview #sciencefiction #mrcarey
youtu.be/u0p6z8xi9lw?...
Outlaw Planet (2025) by M.R. Carey: The usually excellent Carey disappoints this time. A solid DNF.
YouTube video by Reading with Intent
youtu.be
January 8, 2026 at 3:26 PM
skeletonpalms.bsky.social
My VLOG review of SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE by Kurt Vonnegut. An anti-war novel that has mostly stood the test of time.
#bookreview #kurtvonnegut #sciencefiction
youtu.be/oRhz1pHgi5I?...
Slaughterhouse-Five (1969) by Kurt Vonnegut: The fiercely anti-war novel that launched Vonnegut.
YouTube video by Reading with Intent
youtu.be
January 8, 2026 at 3:28 PM
skeletonpalms.bsky.social
My VLOG review of OUTLAW PLANET by M.R. Carey. Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. Carey tries to do way too much and the writing suffers.
#bookreview #sciencefiction #mrcarey
youtu.be/u0p6z8xi9lw?...
Outlaw Planet (2025) by M.R. Carey: The usually excellent Carey disappoints this time. A solid DNF.
YouTube video by Reading with Intent
youtu.be
January 8, 2026 at 3:26 PM
Reposted by Cary Watson
skeletonpalms.bsky.social
My vlog review of CLOWN TOWN, Mick Herron's newest Slow Horses spy thriller. Smart and funny as usual, but there's a problem with the plot.
#mickherron #slowhorses #clowntown
youtu.be/qDUhA-bs3qI?...
Clown Town (2025) by Mick Herron: A mostly excellent Slow Horses novel, but there is a defect.
YouTube video by Reading with Intent
youtu.be
December 18, 2025 at 3:22 PM
skeletonpalms.bsky.social
My vlog review of CLOWN TOWN, Mick Herron's newest Slow Horses spy thriller. Smart and funny as usual, but there's a problem with the plot.
#mickherron #slowhorses #clowntown
youtu.be/qDUhA-bs3qI?...
Clown Town (2025) by Mick Herron: A mostly excellent Slow Horses novel, but there is a defect.
YouTube video by Reading with Intent
youtu.be
December 18, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Reposted by Cary Watson
skeletonpalms.bsky.social
My vlog review of THE PIRATES! IN AN ADVENTURE WITH SCIENTISTS by Gideon Defoe. If there's been a funnier novel than this one (and its sequels) written in the last 25 years, please let me know.
@gideondefoe.bsky.social #fiction #humor
youtu.be/xeo2SGAuyBQ?...
The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists (2004): Superlative comic novel.
YouTube video by Reading with Intent
youtu.be
December 9, 2025 at 3:48 PM
skeletonpalms.bsky.social
My vlog review of THE PIRATES! IN AN ADVENTURE WITH SCIENTISTS by Gideon Defoe. If there's been a funnier novel than this one (and its sequels) written in the last 25 years, please let me know.
@gideondefoe.bsky.social #fiction #humor
youtu.be/xeo2SGAuyBQ?...
The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists (2004): Superlative comic novel.
YouTube video by Reading with Intent
youtu.be
December 9, 2025 at 3:48 PM
Reposted by Cary Watson
skeletonpalms.bsky.social
My new vlog review of TWO CHILDREN UNDER THE INDIAN SUN by Jon and Rumer Godden, a fascinating and intensely evocative memoir of life for a British family in India from 1914-18.
#bookreview #india
youtu.be/X4LaVu9SrWQ?...
Two Children Under the Indian Sun (1966) by Jon and Rumer Godden: Brilliant memoir of life in India.
YouTube video by Reading with Intent
youtu.be
November 23, 2025 at 11:34 PM
Reposted by Cary Watson
skeletonpalms.bsky.social
My vlog review of THE SUPREME LIE by Geraldine McCaughrean, one of the very best writers of children's and YA fiction, and, dare I say it, a great writer by any standard.
#geraldinemccaughrean #bookreview #usbornepublishing
youtu.be/vTDc9i_huFM?...
The Supreme Lie (2021) by Geraldine McCaughrean: A top-notch YA novel by the best in the field.
YouTube video by Reading with Intent
youtu.be
November 23, 2025 at 11:31 PM
skeletonpalms.bsky.social
My new vlog review of TWO CHILDREN UNDER THE INDIAN SUN by Jon and Rumer Godden, a fascinating and intensely evocative memoir of life for a British family in India from 1914-18.
#bookreview #india
youtu.be/X4LaVu9SrWQ?...
Two Children Under the Indian Sun (1966) by Jon and Rumer Godden: Brilliant memoir of life in India.
YouTube video by Reading with Intent
youtu.be
November 23, 2025 at 11:34 PM
skeletonpalms.bsky.social
My vlog review of THE SUPREME LIE by Geraldine McCaughrean, one of the very best writers of children's and YA fiction, and, dare I say it, a great writer by any standard.
#geraldinemccaughrean #bookreview #usbornepublishing
youtu.be/vTDc9i_huFM?...
The Supreme Lie (2021) by Geraldine McCaughrean: A top-notch YA novel by the best in the field.
YouTube video by Reading with Intent
youtu.be
November 23, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Reposted by Cary Watson
skeletonpalms.bsky.social
My new VLOG review of ONCE A JAILBIRD by Hans Fallada, a novel about an ex-con's attempts to survive German society in the 1930s. Fallada is one of the great, if neglected, German authors of the last century.
#hansfallada #germany #jennywilliams
youtu.be/_lojPYgN2xc?...
Once a Jailbird (1934) by Hans Fallada: A remorseless look at an ex-con's struggles in Germany.
YouTube video by Reading with Intent
youtu.be
November 6, 2025 at 3:36 PM
skeletonpalms.bsky.social
My new VLOG review of ONCE A JAILBIRD by Hans Fallada, a novel about an ex-con's attempts to survive German society in the 1930s. Fallada is one of the great, if neglected, German authors of the last century.
#hansfallada #germany #jennywilliams
youtu.be/_lojPYgN2xc?...
Once a Jailbird (1934) by Hans Fallada: A remorseless look at an ex-con's struggles in Germany.
YouTube video by Reading with Intent
youtu.be
November 6, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Reposted by Cary Watson
juliusgoat.bsky.social
I wrote about a new Nazi party that seeks to criminalize all human virtue, and how that means that human virtue is the greatest weapon against the new Nazi project.

www.the-reframe.com/the-crime-of...
The Crime of Human Virtue
Sometimes it really is as simple as good vs. evil. This is one of those times. Human virtue is our great crime against the fascist project; it's also our great weapon against it.
www.the-reframe.com
October 12, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Reposted by Cary Watson
skeletonpalms.bsky.social
My vlog review of THERE'S NO TURNING BACK by Alba de Cespedes, an unsparing look at the circumscribed lives of young women in 1930s Italy.
#Italian #italianfiction #albadecespedes
youtu.be/vDGZAJ_yYyI?...
There's No Turning Back (1938) by Alba de Cespedes: Unsparing look at young women's lives in Italy.
YouTube video by Reading with Intent
youtu.be
October 11, 2025 at 6:10 PM
skeletonpalms.bsky.social
My vlog review of THERE'S NO TURNING BACK by Alba de Cespedes, an unsparing look at the circumscribed lives of young women in 1930s Italy.
#Italian #italianfiction #albadecespedes
youtu.be/vDGZAJ_yYyI?...
There's No Turning Back (1938) by Alba de Cespedes: Unsparing look at young women's lives in Italy.
YouTube video by Reading with Intent
youtu.be
October 11, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Reposted by Cary Watson
skeletonpalms.bsky.social
My vlog review of MIAOW by Benito Perez Caldos, a darkly humorous study of a Spanish family struggling to get by in Madrid in the 19th century.
youtu.be/G9nrkjpF1uk?...
Miaow (1888) by Benito Perez Caldos: Dark comedy about a struggling family in Madrid.
YouTube video by Reading with Intent
youtu.be
September 26, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Reposted by Cary Watson
skeletonpalms.bsky.social
A vlog review of ON THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MILITARY INCOMPETENCE by Norman Dixon. Although Dixon focuses on the military minds, his analysis also applies to minds on the far right. Want to better understand MAGA supporters and Trump? Start here.
youtu.be/ZzHs12F304I?...
On the Psychology of Military Incompetence (1976) by Norman Dixon: Brilliant look at fascist minds
YouTube video by Reading with Intent
youtu.be
September 26, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Reposted by Cary Watson
skeletonpalms.bsky.social
My vlog review of DAYS WITHOUT END (2016) by Sebastian Barry. Two young Irish immigrants fleeing the Great Famine find even more suffering and violence in America. Outstanding prose takes the edge off the many scenes of violence and suffering.
youtu.be/rWAIQMhMAC8?...
Days Without End (2016) by Sebastian Barry: A violent & poetic journey through 19th century America
YouTube video by Reading with Intent
youtu.be
September 26, 2025 at 4:58 PM
skeletonpalms.bsky.social
My vlog review of DAYS WITHOUT END (2016) by Sebastian Barry. Two young Irish immigrants fleeing the Great Famine find even more suffering and violence in America. Outstanding prose takes the edge off the many scenes of violence and suffering.
youtu.be/rWAIQMhMAC8?...
Days Without End (2016) by Sebastian Barry: A violent & poetic journey through 19th century America
YouTube video by Reading with Intent
youtu.be
September 26, 2025 at 4:58 PM