Here is all the media I consumed last month. Enjoy!
books.
A Heart That Works, written and read by Rob Delaney. I watched Catastrophe, the show Delaney wrote and starred in with Sharon Horgan, around the time this book released last year so it kept popping up as I was googling things about the show. I was finally able to get an audio copy from the library at the beginning of the month and flew through it. In about 3.5 hours Delaney takes the listener on a deeply emotional journey of the birth, cancer diagnosis, and death of his third son, Henry. Hearing him read the story provides an extra level of emotional depth, particularly in the parts where you can hear him holding back his own tears.
The Good Left Undone by Adriana Trigiani. This was a Book of the Month selection from last year that I finally picked up and read. I usually enjoy alternate timelines, but this one felt cluttered. The World War 2-era storyline was really well done, but I struggled to connect with the present-day story, and as many have said in their reviews there were too many characters and side stories to keep straight. There were also moments where Trigiani went hard on describing every little action a character took, and that felt distracting and made the book longer than it needed to be.
The Fall: A Father’s Memoir in 424 Steps by Diogo Mainardi, translated by Margaret Jull Costa. Maggie very generously let me borrow this lovely little book detailing Mainardi’s life after his first son develops cerebral palsy as a result of complications during his birth. This one was particularly personal for me, and I really liked how the story was structured. [unlike the other book links, this one is an amazon affiliate link]
The Circus Train by Amita Parikh. This book requires a little suspension of disbelief, but overall I enjoyed it. I do wish the characters had been a few years older to add a little more credence to the story, but what can you do.
2023 book tally to date: 9
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.
podcasts.
Park life [Monocle 24: The Urbanist] — how planners of green spaces have adapted as our needs have shifted.
Salman Rushdie on Surviving the Fatwa [The New Yorker Radio Hour] — very interesting conversation with Rushdie on his life, his books, the fatwa, and surviving a stabbing last year.
Soccer star Abby Wambach on being good enough [ReThinking] — I could honestly listen to Adam Grant and Abby talk for hours; their camaraderie is great and they are both so smart and insightful.
Episode 59: Bill Russell, King of the Court [This is Love] — Bill Russell was a great human who also excelled at basketball, and I love listening to reminiscences of him.
791: Math or Magic? [This American Life] — the different schools of thought when it comes to finding love, including the story of how Zarna Garg met her husband.
The Ringer: Bill Simmons [How I Built This with Guy Raz] — I have been a fan of Bill Simmons for 20+ years and loved this look back at his career from when he was in undergrad to where he is now.
Sleepless in Seattle [The Rewatchables] — it’s a long listen but I loved it [and listened at 1.75x].
“Prince Harry” Part 1 [Celebrity Book Club with Steven & Lily] — a very hilarious listen if you have the time, along with part 2.
The Legend of the Red Panda: NBA Halftime’s Can’t Miss Act (ENCORE) [ESPN Daily] — Red Panda is a legend when it comes to NBA halftime shows, and I loved listening to her tell her story.
Kenan Thompson: How an Atlanta Kid “Manifested” a Mighty Ducks Role, Starred at Nickelodeon, and Became SNL’s Longest-Running Cast Member [The Great Creators with Guy Raz] — this conversation is an absolute delight. do yourself a favor and give it a listen.
How Bill Russell Transformed College Basketball [ESPN Daily] — great rundown on how Bill Russell became Bill Russell.
The Truth About “The Zone” [Good Sport] — this is a very good episode but truthfully I’ll listen to anything if it includes an interview with a biathlete.
recipes.
Jenny Rosenstrach’s 3-bean chili is one of the easiest, most delicious chili recipes and I love it very much.
shopping.
I finally purchased some wool dryer balls and am a big fan. They’re reusable and also better for your clothes than dryer sheets.
articles + other links.
How much do New Yorkers earn? ny times gift link
This tongue-in-cheek review of Spare is the best one I have read thus far. the guardian via hitha palepu
Great profile of my beloved Rupert Grint. bustle
How the first 5 minutes can shape your gathering. priya parker
The triumph of LaGuardia’s makeover. the atlantic
Paul Mescal, disappointment heartthrob extraordinaire. vulture
Happy March, friends!