March was…a month. And that’s all I have to say about it for right now lol.
books.
Late Bloomers by Deepa Varadarajan. This book was such a pleasant surprise. It’s the story of an Indian family in Texas dealing with parents getting divorced after a 36-year marriage and adult children navigating their own personal crossroads, and it was even better than I expected. I always enjoy a book told through differing viewpoints, and in this case it helped me get to know each family member and understand them better. I also love when the ending is left a little open and readers can decide for themselves what happens next. This one is highly recommended and will definitely be on my year-end favorites list.
The Rachel Incident by Caroline O’Donoghue. I can’t decide if I read this at the best or worst time, but either way I couldn’t put it down. I love a good Irish novel, and this one had all the complicated characters, the secrets, the dysfunction that I can’t get enough of. The pacing was good and the writing excellent, and while I was always destined to love it, it was especially cathartic for me to have read last month. Also highly recommended.
A Measure of Belonging: Twenty-One Writers of Color on the New American South, edited by Cinelle Barnes. I found this in one of my boxes of books in my parents’ attic during my visit to Memphis, started it while I was there, and finished it five days later. This anthology of 21 stories by writers of color covers everything from microaggressions to the history of majorettes at HBCUs to what it’s like to move back in with your parents as an adult. I loved how short the stories were, allowing me to read them in short sittings, and I am happy to have a lot of new writers on my to-read list.
The Women by Kristin Hannah. This is the first of Hannah’s books I’ve read since The Nightingale and wow. She is an incredible storyteller and so wonderful at setting a scene. The Women centers around Frankie, a sheltered, idealistic 20-year-old college student from California when her older brother ships out for Vietnam. Wanting to do something, Frankie enlists as a nurse with the Army and soon finds herself in a Vietnam very different to the one being portrayed in the American media, and after two tours she returns to an America divided and a family who doesn’t acknowledge her service or the toil it has taken on her. Hannah covers a part of America’s history we don’t like to talk about with grace, and while I don’t have PTSD it felt like she handled that with respect. This was a fantastic read.
I forgot to mention it last month, but I finished my audio listen-through of the Harry Potter books. Early last fall I started listening to a chapter a night as I fell asleep, and around the third week of February I finished the series. Jim Dale’s narration is so soothing, and because I’ve read the books so many times it’s less for me to hear the content and more for me to have background noise to fall asleep. And it was such a great idea that once I finished I started back over at the beginning and am mid-way through book 2.
2024 book tally to date: 9
all the book links are affiliate links through bookshop.org so if you use them to make a purchase I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, and you will be supporting independent booksellers. for the first half of the year I am supporting Bluestockings, a cooperative bookstore and activist center in NYC. you can see my full list of 2024 reads here.
movies + tv.
I took a break from new media last month, focusing instead on both March Madness tournaments, the start of the Indian Premier League, and rewatches of some old favorites:
I needed a pick-me-up one night and as always Moana came through for me. disney+
same goes for Remember the Titans. disney+
when in doubt, a Brooklyn Nine-Nine rewatch always hits the spot. I started from the beginning and made it to the beginning of season 6. peacock
We’ll return to new-to-me movies and shows this month!
podcasts.
The King of Good Times [Scamfluencers] — this episode covering the rise and fall and against-all-odds survival of Vijay Mallya is just amazing.
Yousef* [This American Life] — this episode featuring snippets of phone calls to a man in Gaza is heartbreaking; if you can handle listening to it, I strongly recommend it.
Why the “Good Enough” Relationship Beats the “Perfect Partner” [The Happiness Lab] — I still can’t decide if my timing in listening to this was perfect or terrible, but either way it has some great advice in it.
Suleika Jaouad [Design Matters] — Suleika is one of my favorite writers of the moment, and this conversation is a gem.
Cillian Murphy, actor [Desert Island Discs] — I didn’t think I could be more obsessed with Cillian Murphy and then this interview proved me wrong.
Novelist Celeste Ng on the Big Power of Little Things [Modern Love] — the story Ng reads made me cry, but it’s worth it. ny times gift link
Rhiannon Giddens - You Louisiana Man [Song Exploder] — one of those episodes that came along at the exact perfect time.
Episode 572: Derek Thompson [Longform] — I love Derek Thompson’s writing and podcast, so of course listening to this brought me a lot of joy.
GENEROSITY: How Simple Acts of Kindness Can Change the World* [The Next Big Idea] — an interview with Chris Anderson, head of TED, on the importance of infectious generosity.
The Caitlin Clark Phenomenon [The Daily] — I am loving all the attention women’s college basketball has received this season, and a lot of it has been due to Caitlin Clark. This episode gives you the info on how she got her start and what comes next. ny times gift link
The Impossible Return of USC’s Aaliyah Gayles* [ESPN Daily] — two years ago Aaliyah Gayles was recovering after being shot 18 times and wondering if she would be able to play basketball again; this year she contributed to the USC’s women’s team that earned a 1-seed in the March Madness tournament. It’s an incredible story.
The Deep Conflict Between our Work and Parenting Ideals* [The Ezra Klein Show] — I don’t have kids, but even I know the US is terrible when it comes to parental leave and creating parent-friendly working environments. This conversation is a great look at how other wealthy countries approach policies around working parents. ny times gift link
Autism Pleasantville [99% Invisible] — what could happen if we designed for autism.
*my “if you only listen to one” recommendations
shopping.
I needed a pick-me-up at the beginning of the month so I cashed in some Delta Skymiles and bought myself a ticket to Memphis. And unbeknownst to me, Sarah schemed with Corrinne and Dillard to surprise me over one of the weekends I was there. I needed those 12 days of being back home, of good food and being pampered by my mother, and I got back to New York nearly ready to sort out my life again.
I finally got a tv! Yes, that’s right, nearly 8 months after moving into my apartment I finally walked myself to the appliance store in Astoria and picked out a television. I had never actually bought one before, always inheriting them from roommates, so it was nerve-wracking and also exciting. I got a good deal on a Samsung QLED, and he is now mounted in my living room. It’s been a game-changer, especially for watching the aforementioned basketball and cricket. full disclosure: this was a belated Christmas present from my parents that I took a few extra months to cash in on
Amber Share’s Subpar Parks jigsaw puzzle is finally back in stock so of course I ordered one for myself and it arrives this week!
articles + other links.
Diane Farr on the importance of age parity on screen. entertainment weekly via kate mcculley
^ this one is very important. aubrey hirsch for the audacity
^ loved reading this interview about the importance of friendships. culture study
A teacher in South Carolina was reprimanded last year for teaching Between the World and Me, but she sought to teach it again this year to ensure her students can learn from diverse perspectives. washington post via alexa
Why some of us don’t have one true calling. ted talks
^ “Generosity is not a loan to repay or a debt to settle.” Great post from
. grantedThe endangered languages of New York. This one is long but it’s so interesting and I promise it’s worth it. ny times gift link
A very interesting piece about the South Korean women choosing to not have children. bbc via design mom
I will forever be obsessed with this story of the $1 billion donation that will make Einstein College of Medicine tuition-free. ny times gift link
Charlie Warzel on the hell that can be cloud-based storage. the atlantic gift link
^ Ryan Gosling’s performance of “I’m Just Ken” at the Oscars was one of the best things I’ve ever seen. youtube
Kelly Dawson on navigating encounters and friendships with disabled people. cup of jo
Charlie Warzel on why flying is weird right now. As he says, “The vibes are off.” the atlantic gift link
Great profile of Ayo Edebiri. vogue via roxane gay
How DNA tests are uncovering the prevalence of incest. the atlantic gift link
This is a lovely story of a retired professor teaching Afghan women in California how to drive. ny times gift link via anne helen petersen
What Coach Dawn Staley means for South Carolina’s Black fans. andscape via roxane gay
Steve Inskeep on America’s long history of secret adoption. the atlantic gift link
This profile of Cecile Richards. the cut
If you’ve ever eaten and loved a South Indian meal, you’ll enjoy this read. mold via sarah thankam mathews
*I only recently learned the Atlantic gift links expire, so my apologies if that happens to you and next recap I’ll add those links just before posting so hopefully it won’t impact your reading
other things I wrote:
Bangalore recap
New Mexico road trip, including
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
White Sands National Park
March photos
Happy April!
xx