May was a big month and we are chock full of recommendations over here! Enjoy!
books.
Really Good, Actually by Monica Heisey. I heard a lot of praise for this book and had really high hopes for it and ultimately thought it was…fine? I didn’t find it as world-changing as others seemed to, but it had its moments — some parts were funny, some were uplifting, and others were awkward or super cringe.
Love Marriage by Monica Ali. Ali’s Brick Lane is a forever favorite of mine, and while this doesn’t live up to the former for me it is still a beautiful book. Ali has a way of weaving together stories that intersect race, gender, class, and culture that keeps you coming back for more. At its most basic this story is about Yasmin, a 26-year-old junior doctor in London, but in order to know Yasmin we also must know her parents, her brother, her fiancé, his mother, and all of the ways they intersect.
Happy Place by Emily Henry. This was another with high expectations that didn’t quite hit the mark for me, but again it’s because of how much I love some of Henry’s previous books. I really struggled to relate to Harriet, the main character, which then made the first third of the book somewhat of a slog; it came together better than I thought it would, but I don’t think I’ll reread this one the way I do Book Lovers and Beach Read.
Bonfire by Krysten Ritter. This was the book that made me realize I had read too many books in a row [4] about women in their mid- to late-20s and that perhaps that’s a genre that isn’t for me anymore. Ritter is a fine writer, but the story didn’t feel original to me, I found the narrator quite annoying, and the end was very predictable. The one thing I’ll say is that it was fast — I finished it in four days.
Good For a Girl: A Woman Running in a Man’s World, written and read by Lauren Fleshman. I first heard about Fleshman and this book when she was doing interviews ahead of its release a few months ago, and I was so intrigued by what I heard that I immediately added the audiobook to my Libby queue. Fleshman interweaves her experience as a high school, college, and professional runner with all the ways our sports systems fail girls and women, and the result is moving, insightful, infuriating, and eye-opening. At some point I would like to read a physical copy, because there were many lines I wanted to highlight but couldn’t since I was listening during a road trip. Highly recommend.
We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman. Finally — a book about women in their 40s. And what a beautiful book it is. It’s a story about friendship and all the different ways our lives intertwine and we show up for each other, and it’s also about love, grief, healing, and showing ourselves grace. I am now going to need to read everything Catherine Newman has ever written.
xx book tally to date: 21
all of 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. you can see my full list of 2023 reads here.
tv shows.
I am still in denial that Ted Lasso has ended. Season 3 had its ups and downs, especially in the first half, but man they brought it together beautifully. I love how it ended and as much as I would love this crew in my life forever I hope they stick with their plan of this being the final season. Also once you’ve watched the final episode this video will give you all the feels. streaming on AppleTV+
While dog-sitting one week I decided I would watch Queen Charlotte, the Bridgerton prequel limited series about Queen Charlotte and King George III’s relationship. I thought I would watch one episode a day, but then I got really into it and Sarah was watching in Chicago and there was a group text situation and I wound up watching faster than anticipated. The casting was phenomenal, particularly Charlotte, George, Agatha [Lady Danbury], Brimsley, and Reynolds, and they all did a great job. My main complaint was that there wasn’t enough of George and Charlotte together [especially in episode 5], but as a result we got the “do you love me” scene so perhaps it was worth it. There was definitely some setup happening for future spinoff situations, so I won’t be surprised if and when those are announced. streaming on netflix
podcasts.
The Voice of NYC’s Subways Comes Out as Trans [Death, Sex & Money] — I loved learning this story of the person whose voice I hear on a near-daily basis.
Judy Blume [Fresh Air] — I mean, I feel like she needs no introduction.
Dismantling Anti-Fat Bias [Fresh Air] — great interview with Virginia Sole-Smith about how diet culture hurts everyone.
The Fallout of a Callout [Code Switch] — Hari Kondabolu and Hank Azaria speak together publicly for the first time since Hari made his The Problem With Apu documentary. Great listen.
James Marsden on ‘Jury Duty’ [Fresh Air] — James Marsden has been one of my favorite actors for two decades at this point, and he only seems to be getting better with age.
What’s Your Worth? [Throughline] — all about credit scores: what they are, why they were created, how they are calculated, and what you need to know about your own.
An Anonymous #MeToo Source Goes Public [The Daily] — a really interesting conversation with one of the first people to provide information for the #MeToo movement and how doing so has impacted her life. An “if you only listen to one” recommendation.
How poetry unlocked my superpowers | Keenan Scott II [TED Talks Daily] — how language can illuminate the superhero in all of us. Great listen.
How Parking Explains the World [Fresh Air] — how parking shapes our surroundings and its impact on the availability of affordable housing. Another “if you only listen to one” episode.
Mental Health: The Power of Grandmothers and Community [A Slight Change of Plans] — how Dr. Dixon Chabanda utilized grandmothers as mental health workers in Zimbabwe and what the results were. Fantastic episode.
Germany’s Traumatized Kriegskinder Speak Out [The New Yorker Radio Hour] — conversations with people who were children in Germany during World War 2 as they reckon with what their family involvement was during the Third Reich.
shopping.
Does all the food I ate in Memphis and Little Rock count as “shopping”? :)
articles + other links.
Re-sharing Mona Chalabi’s illustrations depicting Jeff Bezos’ wealth because she just won a Pulitzer Prize! ny times gift link
Deepika Padukone on the cover of Time. time
This feels very true to my thoughts on Queen Charlotte, especially the final paragraph. npr
This year’s Mother’s Day was the first one since Dobbs was overturned. time
This interactive piece on the generation of Asian women named after Connie Chung is fantastic and also made me weepy. ny times gift link
When did we all get so bad at typing? embedded
Great essay on what it’s like to be a Black woman experiencing maternal healthcare in the United States. vogue via cup of jo
Looks like it’s the end of the QR code at restaurants. ny times gift link
How much does your dream NYC future cost? curbed via roxane gay
Great profile on Zarna Garg. the juggernaut gift link
An illustrated history of the Comstock Act and why we need to know about it. audrey hirsch for the audacity
Candace’s full Home is a Window Seat essay. dandelion seeds
Happy June, friends!
xx