"Everyone always forgets that Icarus also flew"
October 2023.
October felt very much like a “comfort” month. After a busy September, 3 straight weeks of events and lots of new people, and *everything* going on in the world, I needed a mental break. October was all about easy reads, rewatches of favorite movies, comfort food, and the like. A few podcast recs are heavier, but on the whole they are shorter and a little lighter. Enjoy!
books.
This was another “read the easy books” month, and they were all good in different ways! In addition to the ones listed below I did a quick skim / reread of Get a Life, Chloe Brown because it never fails to delight me.
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld. I picked this up when I was planning to spend a rainy Saturday reading on my couch, and by Sunday evening I had finished it. It’s the first of Curtis Sittenfeld’s books I’ve read since Prep, and it is exactly what I wanted it to be. It was light and fun at times, more serious at others, and above all it flowed so well. I liked both main characters, it was heartfelt without being cheesy, and it has inspired me to get back into the habit of watching SNL again. Also: here’s to normalizing therapy and clear communication and setting boundaries. Great read.
The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman. The fourth installment of the Thursday Murder Club series was perhaps its most heartfelt. I wasn’t prepared for how touched I would be while reading, and at one point I was on the verge of tears while on the L train. The antics and adventures of Joyce, Elizabeth, Ron, and Ibrahim are always entertaining, and this time around they had a deeper poignancy. The first book will always be my favorite because it introduced the series and the characters, but this one ranks as a very close second. I worried at one point that it might be Osman’s way of wrapping up the series, but in the acknowledgments he made sure to note that it will continue. And thank goodness for that.
Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez. My feelings on this one are complicated. I liked both main characters, I liked the letter exchanges, I liked the emphasis on therapy and growth, I liked the banter. On the other hand, there were too many tropes, there was too much repetitive inner monologue, and the build up went on for too long and didn’t pay off [this tends to be my biggest complaint for all of Jimenez’ books]. I feel like I’ve said this for so many books this year, but it needed to be 50-100 pages shorter to move from good to great.
The Only One Left by Riley Sager. If you recall, I read and did not like Sager’s House Across the Lake this summer and because of that I needed a few months before picking this one off my bookshelf. I’m glad I finally got around to it, though, because I really liked it. There were a few parts that felt a little too convenient, and I would have liked maybe one more chapter at the end to add a little nuance, but on the whole I thought it was really good — probably my second favorite of his after The Last Time I Lied.
2023 book tally to date: 40
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 remainder of 2023 I will be supporting Yu & Me Books as they recover from a fire in their building. you can see my full list of 2023 reads here.
movies.
October was a month for rewatches:
felt like rewatching The Firm, glad I did [Netflix]
some Halloween viewings:
Casper [Netflix]
So I Married an Axe Murderer [Max]
Hocus Pocus [Disney+]
spent a Saturday night revisiting When Harry Met Sally and it was perfect [Prime Video]
tv shows.
I finished season 3 of Only Murders in the Building, and I continue to enjoy it. The season started off a little shaky for me and I’ll admit to feeling unsure how it would go, but I should have trusted that it would come together. For me the episodes got better as the season continued, and I flew through the final few episodes. It’s such an odd premise but it works, and I continue to enjoy this show. hulu
podcasts.
Gabfest Reads: Zadie Smith Knows You’re a Fraud [Political Gabfest] — I love an interview with Zadie Smith, and especially when it’s around an upcoming novel of hers.
The Sunday Story: The Life and Death of Elijah McClain [Up First] — the story of who Elijah McClain was, how he died, and what to know about the trials happening around his death.
All My Heroes Were Stolen From Me* [Intersectionality Matters!] — George M. Johnson talks about their memoir, banned books, and the importance of following Toni Morrison’s advice to write the books that don’t already exist.
The Science of Recharging on Weekends and Vacations* [WorkLife with Adam Grant] — it’s not just about having time off, but actually making your time off more restorative. I listened to this after 3 weeks of travel and conferences, and it was exactly the reminder I needed to rest.
Growing Up (with Judy Blume) [You and Me Both with Hillary Clinton] — is there anything better than listening to Hillary Clinton interview Judy Blume? Because I say there is not.
The Big Dig [99% Invisible] — I am forever fascinated by the Big Dig and will listen to any podcast about it because it truly blows my mind.
Is a Good Boss Too Much to Ask For? with Melissa and Johnathan Nightingale [Work Appropriate] — I mean, is it?
Student activists are fighting big coal, and winning [Code Switch] — how local teenagers in south Baltimore are fighting polluters and working toward climate justice for their neighborhoods.
The flight attendants of CHAOS [Planet Money] — this was a fun story about why you shouldn’t mess with unions.
Trapped* [Exposed: Cover-Up at Columbia University] — a new limited series about the recently public case against a doctor at Columbia who harassed and assaulted his patients for years.
Work has changed. Why haven’t resumes? | Nicos Marcou* [TED Talks Daily] — there’s little evidence to show resumes impact application processes, so Marcou offers tips on how we can adapt with the times.
You Ain’t Nothin But a Postmark [99% Invisible] — all about the contest to create a stamp immortalizing Elvis and the ensuing vote to determine the winner.
Roxane Gay Reflects on 10 Years of Opinions [The Assignment with Audie Cornish] — Roxane Gay is currently promoting her new book, and I am soaking up the various interviews she is doing. She’s one of my favorites.
Why the price of Coke didn’t change for 70 years (classic) [Planet Money] — this was a very cool, very fun listen.
Black Power Salute at the 1968 Olympics: A Conversation with John Carlos [ESPN Daily] — Dr. Carlos shares what led to this historic moment, and the impact it had on his life and the world around him after.
What’s Behind Ja Morant’s Off-Court Struggles? [ESPN Daily] — how we got here, and what impact his off-court behavior could have on his long-term career.
How to get the most out of your library [Life Kit] — libraries have so much more than books, and we must protect libraries at all costs. You can use this link to find your local library branch.
Hamas Took Her Son [The Daily] — this is a very difficult listen, but it provides a firsthand account of what’s going on in Israel right now. ny times gift link
How to Create Remote Culture with Chase Warrington [Work Appropriate] — loved this conversation about how you can build a remote work environment without sacrificing office culture.
Greta Lee on ‘Past Lives’ [Fresh Air] — I still need to watch Past Lives, but in the meantime this conversation with star Greta Lee is a great listen.
The joy of learning random things on Wikipedia |
[TED Talks Daily] — a lighthearted listen amongst a lot of serious ones.*these are my “if you only listen to one” recommendations
recipes.
This one-pot tortellini with meat sauce continues to be one of my favorite things to make. ny times gift link
Made this Instant Pot Beef Stew and am very happy with it. damn delicious
articles + other links.
^ Slow runners, unite! running sucks via cup of jo
^ A very important update. the audacity
If you’ve not yet watched / listened to Sam Smith’s Tiny Desk concert, I highly recommend it. youtube
Also this AD home tour with Jon Batiste and Suleika Jaouad. architectural digest
As a child who doesn’t understand or speak either of my parents’ languages [their mother tongues, as we call them in India], I found this article on language attrition very interesting. the atlantic gift link
Great profile of John Grisham. And fun fact: Burke’s was my neighborhood bookstore when I lived in Memphis — my house is a 5-minute walk from there! time
Xochitl Gonzalez on what happened to empathy. the atlantic gift link
An interesting take on evolving adult sibling relationships. gloria via cup of jo
October is DDLJ’s birthday [same exact day as Sarah!], so here is my annual re-share of this writeup of one of my favorite movies. the juggernaut gift link
other posts from me:
Happy November and happy almost Thanksgiving!
xx