"I believe in one day and someday and this perfect moment called Now."
September 2023.
September was a busy month! I had a wedding, a conference, and a grad school reunion, went to the tennis and an improv show, and enjoyed a fancy afternoon tea. It was a great month that took me to 3 different states, and now I am very excited to get deeper into fall. Below are my favorites from the last month.
books.
Homecoming by Kate Morton. More than anything else, this book was 200 pages too long. The plot was interesting, and the last 100 pages were pretty good, but getting there was such a slog. The book-within-a-book dragged to the point where I groaned each time we went back to it, and I didn’t like Jess from the beginning which made me very impatient with her. I had to keep reminding myself she is supposed to be my age and not twenty years younger because that was very much how she came across. Most of the “reveal” was very predictable, and so getting there felt like it took far too long. I finished because I was determined to find out if I was right [I was] and because I wanted additional time with other characters, but this is one I would have been fine not finishing. In reading reviews it sounds like some of Morton’s other books might be of interest to me, but I’m going to need a break first.
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson. I have read and loved both of Woodson’s novels for adults [Another Brooklyn and Red at the Bone] but didn’t realize until recently that she writes primarily for young readers. I picked up Brown Girl Dreaming, her memoir-in-verse, in the spring and flew through it this month. Through her unique voice, Woodson talks about her parents’ divorce, growing up Black during the Civil Rights Movement, what Bushwick was like in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and so much more. It’s a beautiful read, and my copy will soon be on its way to my Wright kids in the hopes they’ll each read and love it as well.
Hope Not Fear: Finding My Way from Refugee to Filmmaker to NHS Hospital Cleaner by Hassan Akkad. This was a Bank Holiday Book Club selection toward the end of 2021, but unfortunately the book was only available in the UK and my copy didn’t arrive in time for me to read it and participate in the discussion. Then between the moving and the books in many boxes in multiple places, it took me over a year and a half to crack it open, but I finally did and it was fantastic. Akkad’s life has been quite incredible, and he shares it not looking for sympathy but to remind us of our shared humanity. Well worth a read. [this link is to amazon because i think it’s only available in the uk]
2023 book tally to date: 36
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.
Maggie was invited to a screening of Flora and Son and invited me along as her plus-one. Not only did I get to enjoy my first experience at the Roxy Cinema, but the movie was also very good. Helmed by the same director as Once and Begin Again and starring Eve Hewson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, it’s a lovely story of family and friendship and forgiveness. in theaters and available to stream on apple tv+
podcasts.
#416 Creating the East Village [The Bowery Boys] — how the East Village came to be known as such, what’s changed, and what’s stayed the same. Also: Veselka!
What Is The Future Of Remote Work? [Consider This] — exactly what the title says.
Passenger Planes Nearly Collide Far More Than You Know* [The Daily] — this one is a little anxiety-inducing but also a very important listen.
A Tragic Fire and Broken Promises in South Africa [The Daily] — this was a story I hadn’t heard and I found it fascinating.
Actually Following Through on DEI with Sameera Kapila* [Work Appropriate] — a very good, very important listen.
Gloria Steinem [Design Matters] — just a lovely conversation between two amazing women.
America’s Top Librarian on the Rise of Book Bans* [The Ezra Klein Show] — the president of the American Library Association on the far-reaching impact of recent book bans and the precedent that is being set.
An Armored Train and a Dangerous New Alliance [The Daily] — the importance of the recent meeting between Kim Jong-un and Vladimir Putin.
1955: The Weather Girls [One Year] — how weather girls transformed the airwaves and how men conspired ~of course~ to push them out.
A Tale of Two Tribal Nations* [Throughline] — the story of how two neighboring tribes have different ownership of their respective reservations.
Greek Life Gone Viral [The Assignment with Audie Cornish] — Audie talks to Anne Helen Petersen about how Greek life has evolved since the pandemic and the rise of #RushTok.
The Rested Brain [Chasing Life] — Sanjay Gupta says napping is good, so I feel very validated.
Your Restaurant Red Flags [The Brian Lehrer Show] — this is a short, very entertaining listen.
The Sunday Read: ‘The Kidnapped Child Who Became a Poet’ [The Daily] — the story of Shane McCrae’s life is fascinating.
America’s First Ladies: Their Changing Role and Influence | Beyond the Scenes* [The Daily Show: Ears Edition] — a very interesting look at how the role of First Lady has evolved over the years and how different women have made it their own.
Kavi Ahuja Moltz: D.S. & Durga Creative Director and CEO [Second Life] — DS & Durga makes some of my favorite perfumes and candles, so it was fun to listen to Kavi share her journey of bringing the company to life.
Why Meetings Suck and How to Fix Them* [ReThinking] — the title says it all.
“Humor, Seriously: Why Humor is a Secret Weapon in Business and Life” [The Next Big Idea Daily] — how incorporating humor into your work can improve your life and change company culture.
*these are my “if you only listen to one” recommendations
recipes.
I made this chana recipe for Maggie and me when we were both in Little Rock and it was very delicious.
articles + other links.
Coco Gauff won the US Open and it was amazing. washington post via roxane gay
A really great profile of Lily Gladstone. vulture via anne helen petersen
Trying out to be a ball person at the US Open. the cut via sarah wood
^ A great follow up to last month’s piece about Bama Rush. culture study
A case for bringing back the ‘90s legal thriller. gq via roxane gay
Aubrey Hirsch on why we need more research on women’s pain. the audacity
^ If you’ve been following the ‘That Guy’ memes on TikTok, this one’s for you. culture study
Glamour’s bridesmaid burnout cover story is great, as are these bridesmaid horror stories. glamour
Some of my favorite Time 100 profiles: Paul Mescal / Mona Chalabi / Xiye Bastida / Angel Reese / Mae Martin / Ronald Acuña Jr / Harmanpreet Kaur. time
The importance and impact of Beyoncé’s birthday show. la times via cup of jo
A bathtub in the kitchen, and other quirky New York apartment things. ny times gift link via cup of jo
A lovely ode to Bombay. afar
xx