Reading, Watching, and Listening, 1
You know what? It’s too damn hot. As I shelter in place in my dark, air conditioned house, I thought I’d share some things I’m reading, watching, and listening to. I realize we’re all on the same internet, but I also know that very few of us see the same stuff, so here you go.
I’m reading…
Rebecca Makkai’s thread on how, as you gain more and more success, your job is to make the table bigger. Someone asked me recently why I make Ladyland and my answer is somewhere in that thread. One look at my bank account would tell you that I’m not very “successful” but I do have a large-ish platform and I try to bring people I believe in to the table.
A new bookstore opened in East Nashville (pictured above) and I cruised by there recently and bought Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley. First of all, buzz by this bookstore. Novelette is open Tues-Sun from 10am-8pm. Secondly, omg, this book. It’s so good.
I’m watching…
I just finished the first season of Slow Horses on Apple TV. Let me tell you, I loved it. Amil Niazi recommended it on Pop Chat and her tv recs don’t miss. If you like British crime dramas, this is for you. It’s also actually very funny.
Okay, let’s get into this. The Staircase. One thing about me, I am going to watch a 13-hour documentary on something that doesn’t personally affect me and everyone else consumed and quit talking about in 2015. Shout-out to Dawn, the only person in my life who asked if I had watched this and then compelled me to, starting with the doc first and then following up with the HBO series. I’ve watched all of it and I have no idea how this woman died. I had lunch with my friend Erica and I asked her if she had seen it and she has not only seen it, homegirl watched it on YouTube, pre-Netflix. She looked me dead in the eye and said, “Owl theory, all the way.” When I finished the documentary, I didn’t think he did it. But when I finished the HBO series, I definitely thought he did it. I’ve listened to every podcast I can find on the subject, some that were recorded in 2012 and 2014 and the general consensus is the husband did it. But everyone, myself included, thinks the owl theory is more believable than her dying by falling down the stairs. Hootie hoo, my bitches.
I’m listening…
Speaking of the book, Nightcrawling, the author Leila Mottley was on The Stacks and it’s such a great episode. They recorded it about a week before the book came out, so I don’t think Leila knew yet that Oprah was going to choose it for the Oprah Book Club. I should also mention that the author is 19. Can you imagine Oprah knowing who you are when you’re 19?
I’m notorious for claiming that I lived in NYC during the height of something, when in fact, the “height” I’m referring to was 30 years long. Regardless, I lived in NYC during the height of Martha Stewart. I worked for (Gloria) Vanderbilt Home Furnishings, so Martha Stewart starting a home line at K-Mart was something we paid attention to. Also, her media company, Omnimedia, was a COVETED job back then. I tried so hard to get a job there. I love early aughts pop culture history, especially when it’s NYC-adjacent, which is why I LOVED this episode of You’re Wrong About where they do a deep dive on Martha Stewart. If you’re my age, you will thoroughly enjoy this episode.
If you liked this, let me know because lord knows my brain is broken and all I’m doing right now is dissociating and watching tv, which I am more than happy to keep writing about.
