The Monthly Media Catchup: Everything I Read, Watched and Listened To | September and October 2020
September and October always tend to be months when I consume less media than usual and probably the months when I read the least. I don’t know why it is but things tend to pick up as we near Christmas and they certainly will this year with lockdown. Nevertheless, there’s some great recommendations in this combined MMC and great is definitely the word, given that I’ve rated almost everything 4 stars. I’m also doing something absolutely no-one asked for: listing my top 10 Glee performances. Enjoy!
books
I wanted to shout about a new initiative, Bookshop.org, that allows you to buy books online simply and affordably from local bookshops. I’ve set up my own page on there, which I’ll be updating with lists of books and the affiliate links I use on my blog will be linked to there from now on. I really recommend you buy your books from there, especially in lockdown and on the run up to Christmas as indie bookshops need your support more than ever.
Rodham by curtis sittenfeld | ★★★★*
The premise of the book hugely appealed to me. It’s a fictional re-telling of Hilary Clinton’s life, imagining what would have happened if she never married Bill Clinton. It’s fast-paced, educational and compassionate and there are a lot of sex scenes, which are incredibly well-written and surprisingly enjoyable. If you’re still feeling feverish post-election and want to remain immersed within the world of US politics, this book is the perfect choice.
The appointment by Katharina volckmer | ★★★★*
This is a sub-100 page novel, something I always enjoy, especially when it’s done as well as this one. It’s a monologue by a young German woman living in the UK directed towards a doctor. It requires a certain level of dark humour as well as the ability to enjoy books with genuinely unlikeable protagonists, but I have both of these things and I loved it. If you enjoy Vladimir Nabokov and/or Ottessa Moshfegh, I think you’d love this novella.
ghosts by dolly alderton | ★★★★*
I’ve had this novel on pre-order for so long I honestly thought the day would never arrive when it landed on my door stop. But it did and it was glorious! I’m such a fan of Dolly’s writing and this book did not disappoint. It’s about a woman in her early 30s who tentatively downloads a dating app, only to enter a serious relationship with the first man she goes out with who subsequently ghosts her. It reads like a thriller in a way I’ve never experienced for a book that deals with relatively light-hearted subject-matter and if you’re a woman whose been on a date in the last 10 years, particularly if you’ve used dating apps, I’m sure you’ll find it painfully and hilariously relatable.
validate me by charly cox | ★★★★*
I rarely read poetry because I tend to perceive it as heavy and a commitment, but whenever I read it I find it to be exactly the opposite. This is certainly the case for Charly Cox’s second poetry collection. I love Charly’s poetry, as well as her prose, as not only is the subject matter relevant and relatable, but so is the style of the writing as it has a beat that feels distinctly modern. I didn’t enjoy this collection as much as her first but I still gobbled it up in a matter of days and I look forward to reading more of her work.
TV
Glee | ★★★★
Like most teens who were secretly into musical theatre, I became obsessed with Glee when I was around 12. I watched the first season religiously over and over again but for some reason I never got round to the rest (I think because I maybe only had the DVD of Season 1 and didn’t know where else to watch it - simpler times). Somehow, in the past year, Glee became the thing I watched when I was hungover or unwell. It’s perhaps the worst choice of programme for when you’re not feeling yourself, as the fucked up characters, odd remixes that never needed to happen and the writers unbelievable ability to get being politically correct so wrong is disconcerting to say the least. But there is something comforting about it and I decided to commit the last few months to finishing it.
The first three seasons were great and then it went downhill from there but I still enjoyed the New York years (less so, when they tried and failed to introduce a new cast). It already feels ridiculously outdated but that’s part of its appeal and as much as I hate to admit it, some of the songs are good.
On that note, here are my 10 favourite glee songs (I’d like to note that these are my personal favourites rather than an objective ranking which I’d do very differently):
I knew Don’t Rain on My Parade would be my number one glee song but I just couldn’t decide whether to go with the original or not. I’ve decided on Santana’s version because 1. it’s objectively better 2. Santana is the best Glee character and 3. this was such an iconic moment in Glee. I genuinely gasped when the director called Santana’s name and I heard the opening of the famous Streisand song and the superzoom onto Rachel’s face is the kind of humour Glee actually does very well. You’ll notice that Santana’s performances make up a lot of my favourites because she’s the best singer and she has the best storyline. I still feel so upset by Naya Riveria’s death but I’m so glad we have all of her incredible performances to look back on.
2. Don’t Rain on My Parade (Rachel)
Rachel’s version has to be my number two because much like Rachel herself, love or hate her, it is the essence of glee. It’s dramatic and sincere and a genuinely brilliant performance.
Whilst many would choose Don’t Stop Believing as their favourite group performance on Glee, this is by far mine. That’s definitely in part down to my soft spot for Quinn, who had the best storyline until everyone went to college and she was largely forgotten (all I can remember about Glee post-MicKinley is that she dated Chase Crawford, which I did enjoy). I think this performance shows the entire cast in their purest states and watching it knowing that so many of them have now passed away makes me cry every time.
Brittany calls this performance ‘simply the greatest moment in show business history’ and I’m inclined to agree. This performance is the best example of Santana’s incredible energy as well as her dancing (see also: River Deep, Mountain High). Also: THE COSTUMES. I’d die for this outfit.
My three favourite characters auditioning for the Glee Club together is of course going to be in my top 10. I love everything about this: the song choice, the simple dancing. If you can ignore Mr Schuster’s weird creepiness during this performance, you’ll love it (you could say that about the whole show, really). The unholy trinity 4eva <3
Not much to say about this one apart from it’s another wholesome group performance from Season 1. Also, those are Kurt’s real vocals at the beginning!!!
7. I Feel The Earth Move/One Hand in My Pocket
I’m a big Carole King fan and I adored this mashup. Plus (SPOLIER ALERT) Santana uses it to propose to Brittany which is the only Glee relationship I can really get behind.
My favourite Britney song and Glee did it so much justice ( I really like Brittany and Santana).
Kurt isn’t my favourite character but I really enjoyed his character growth and this audition was such a great moment for that. It’s actually ridiculous that he wasn’t accepted to NYADA with this audition but he was with Being Alive, which Carmen specifically says she hears a lot here (have some consistency, Glee!)
10. Faithfully/Anyway You Want It/Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’
I’m kind of cheating with this one as this is technically two songs but it was one performance and it’s definitely my favourite competition piece they did on Glee. It’s also one of the best Glee episodes.
If you’re wondering what my least favourite Glee performance is, it’s this fucking monstrosity that Matthew Morrison should be jailed for.
the hook up plan | ★★★★
This French TV series follows 3 women living in Paris navigating their various relationships. It’s a fairly simple premise but it works and it’s one of the few shows I binge-watch. Season two wasn’t as enjoyable as the first series and the lockdown episode was a bit odd but, all in all, I enjoyed it.
film
west side story | ★★★★★
The best film version of a musical ever. That’s all.
old boy | ★★★★
This film was recommended to me based on the fact I enjoyed Parasite and I would say that’s a fairly good reason to watch it if you feel the same way. It’s a Korean revenge film and although it doesn’t have the same quick humour and social commentary as Parasite, it definitely had me on the edge of my seat for the entire film, even if I had to skip one of the last scenes because I’m overly squeamish.
animals | ★★★★
This is a film based on a book I’ve never read about two women living together in Manchester and the struggle one of them experiences when the other enters a serious relationship. The film is set in Ireland and although I would have liked to have seen the familiar streets of Manchester on screen, I’ll never complain about an Irish accent. It’s really well-made, funny, with a great script and some sobering moments. This was my favourite of them between the two female leads and a man one of them is sleeping with:
M: What’s an animal’s primary need?
L: Food?
T: Sex?
M: Safety.
500 days of summer | ★★
I do this thing where I like to ruin all of the films I liked when I was younger by re-watching them at my current age and cringing about all the things enjoyed about them when I was a teen. BOY, did I do it with this film. I never loved this film when I was younger but I certainly enjoyed it. Now, watching it, the ‘protagonist’ was totally unlikeable to me as he acted like a complete psychopath in the name of love. I’ve added a star because the soundtrack is good (especially at the Karaoke bar) but it isn’t enough to save it.
podcasts
diary she wrote | ★★★★★
This podcast involves a 30-something woman who has kept a diary since she was 9 reading out various entries in order to piece together the story of her life. It’s relatable, funny and sad at times and it’s curated and narrated so cleverly. Fans of Dolly Alderton will enjoy it, for sure.
Individual episodes:
Dating with an online presence | Starting The Conversation
Greta Gerwig on choosing not to be on social media | Ctrl Alt Delete
Audiobooks | Literary Friction
Phoebe Hurst, managing editor, Vice UK | Diary, She Wrote
Dolly Alderton| Off Menu
Claudia Winkleman | Off Menu
articles
Every Glee character ranked from worst to best | The Idiot Box
Found in translation: how brilliant writing from around the world makes it into English | Penguin
Patti Smith: When I Got to 70 I Thought, ‘Wow, that’s a real number’ | Sunday Times Style
Buying Myself Back: When does a model own her own image? | The Cut
The Lagos urban ballet school that won over the world | Guardian Weekly
Liverpool is tired, angry and ready for a fight with Boris Johnson | The Guardian
music
The Monthly Media Catchup: Everything I Read, Watched & Listened To | August 2020
The end of August is always a bittersweet time for me because summer is my favourite time of the year and there are very few things, in practice, that I like about winter. But I also love the start of a new school year, and although this year is the first one I’ve spent out of education, I still have that ‘back-to-school’ feeling and I appreciate the order and structure that comes with it. So whilst I’m sad to be saying goodbye to what was actually one of my most social summers ever, despite coronavirus, I am looking forward to a few more nights in and longer days at my desk (give me 3 weeks - maximum - and I’ll be over it).
Usually, August is a month of relaxation for me, as I go on holiday to escape the world and relax. But this year I’ve been going on UK holidays and visiting friends, in order to re-enter the world and catch up on all the socialising I missed out on during the months we spent in lockdown. With that, I’ve consumed far less culture than normal and I actually have no TV shows or films to report on. I’ve spent barely any time sitting down in front of the TV this month and when I have, I’ve been watching, to my shame, Glee. This started as something I’d watch when I was hungover but I spent so much of my time hungover in July and August compared to normal, that I just decided to start watching it full-time. I still have a couple of seasons to go, though, so I’ll report on that next month, probably.
This month, it’s just books, podcasts, articles and music then. I’ve read less books than usual, but the ones I have read have all been phenomenal. I’ve also become kind of obsessed with Ali Smith’s seasonal quartet… despite never having read any of the books. I’ve ordered Autumn* though and it’s at the top of my to be read list for Autumn, as I’ve been fascinated by all the long reads on Smith’s seasonal quartet coming to a close. I started subscribing to Guardian Weekly this month, so the article section is a little bit Guardian heavy and there are some articles I’m recommending that are print only, but I’d really recommend subscribing as the magazine is great.
I’ve also discovered a podcast which I would easily describe as my favourite podcast ever. Much like July though, I’ve been listening to less podcasts, generally, and more music, although my playlist is a weird one this month. A strange thing happens every August where I start listening to pop music I never normally listen to and that’s been intensified this year by the release of WAP. As well as that, I’ve been loving Mahalia’s album, which is very in-character for me. Rambling introduction aside, here’s the small amount of things I read, watched and listened to this month…
books
Small island by andrea levy | ★★★★*
Small Island was this months’ book club pick (if you didn’t read last month’s MMC, my book club is collaborating with the Women’s Prize to read three past winners of the prize) and it’s one I’ve wanted to read for a while. The novel is concerned with the Windrush Generation and explores the lives of four characters: Hortense who arrives in London from Jamaica in 1948, Gilbert Joseph, a black man who fights for Britain in the war but is treated as a second-class citizen in post-WW2 Britain, Queenie, his white female landlord, and Bernard, Queenie’s husband who she assumes has died in the war.
Levy’s constructions of voice are so impressive. Polyphonic novels like this one rarely create four equally endearing characters, usually one stands out as superior. But I enjoyed every single narrative in this novel and appreciated the depth created around each of the characters. A beautiful novel that could be the definitive lesson, in my opinion, in pacing plot. 4.5 stars.
intimations by zadie smith | ★★★★★*
When I found out Zadie Smith had been writing a collection of essays during lockdown, it felt like the months I spent not being able to leave the house might have been worth it. I’m joking, obviously, but I can’t tell you how much ease Zadie Smith’s non-fiction writing brings me. It’s so comforting to know someone is thinking about the world we’re living in so intelligently and her writing style is everything I aspire to. Although if I could achieve 1/100th of what Zadie Smith achieves when she writes an email, even, I’d be happy. Here’s an excerpt from the book I loved:
But the young man in his twenties is still in peak dreaming season: a thrilling time, an insecure time, even at the best of times. It should be a season of possibility. Economic, romantic, technological, political, existential possibility. Yes, among all the various relativities to be considered, age is the one that can’t be parsed. The style of Cy - the style of all young people - now radically interrupted.
weather by jenny offill | ★★★★*
Jenny Offill is another author I admire. Literature that experiments with form isn’t something I always enjoy, but Offill strikes a balance that it is difficult to strike, that is challenging the reader, whilst also allowing the book to flow in a way that makes it easy to read. Weather, shortlisted for the 2020 Women’s Prize for fiction, explores what it means to live through crisis, namely, an environmental crisis. Lizzie, the protagonist, is a librarian and is navigating a world which we might assume is our current world, but also could be any world in crisis, which makes it a disconcerting read. She’s also navigating her family life, looking after her alcoholic brother, her unsure marriage, her mother and her son.
Like Offill’s novel Dept. of Speculation, Weather’s prose is fragmented and it’s not always completely clear what is taking place. But I think this is an intentional stylistic choice and one that allows you to experience the world of the novel in the same way her characters do: floating through it, acknowledging that things are unsure, but inevitably continuing forwards, soaking up all it offers you. One of my favourite moments from the novel was this:
Young person worry: What if nothing I do matters?
Old person worry: What if everything I do does?
podcasts
Brown girls do it too | ★★★★★
This podcast is everything I could ever want from a podcast and more. The concept is: three brown women who have never met before meet weekly to discuss every single detail of their sex lives, from masturbation, to ‘losing their virginity’ to the appearance of their vaginas. Their aim is to break down taboos around brown women talking about sex. But Poppy, Rubina and Roya are potentially three of the funniest people I’ve ever encountered, so I spent almost the entirety of the 4 hours it took me to listen to Brown Girls Do it Too belly laughing. It’s refreshing how candid they all are in talking about sex and I think everyone could learn so much from listening to it. I would pay so much money for a second season.
individual episodes:
articles
Intimations by Zadie Smith review – a wonderful essayist on the lockdown | The Guardian
Cast Adrift | Guardian Weekly (Print only)
If you’re not terrified about Facebook, you haven’t been paying attention | The Guardian
A Very Long Year: Ali Smith’s Seasons | Guardian Weekly (Print only)
music
The Monthly Media Catchup: Everything I Read, Watched & Listened To | July 2020
Affiliate links are marked with a *
I think every year when it gets to July, half of my conversations with any given people begin with the statement something along the lines with, “I just can’t believe it’s July already! Where does the time go?” But this year, almost all of my conversations feel like they begin with that and not just because it’s an easy form of small talk but because we’ve spent most of 2020 at home, living the same day over and over again. With the opening of bars and restaurants this month, I seem to have temporarily become an extrovert, as the idea of getting out the house is more appealing than it ever has been to me. I’ve been soaking up all the social contact I can get but, with that, have been consuming less culture than usual.
The culture I have consumed, however, has been great, including some easily binge-able TV series that total less than 10 episodes each (ideal for commitment-phobes like me) and some really interesting books. As seems to be a theme since cinemas have closed, I haven’t watched many films. In fact, I haven’t watched any this month, just a documentary that I enjoyed so much I’ve been thinking ever since I need to watch documentaries more, although that’s yet to happen. I’ve been moving away from podcasts and have started to listening to music more often, so there’s a playlist this month. But I’ve largely been listening to albums that were released during my teenage years (as everything else about my life is reflecting them at the moment): Drake’s Take Care, Frank Ocean’s channel ORANGE and Beyonce’s BEYONCE, which I think I’ve decided is my favourite Beyonce album, although that’s an almost impossible decision.
Preamble over, here is everything I read, watched and listened to during the month of July this year…
BOOKS
When I lived in modern times by linda grant | ★★★*
At the beginning of lockdown, I started a book club with some friends from uni, as well as some people who I know call friends who I had connected with on social media. We met on zoom weekly to discuss what we’d been reading individually as well as a discussion topic that varied each week. As lockdown came to an end, I saw an opportunity for reading groups to get involved with the Women’s Prize initiative #ReadingWomen, a project to encourage people to read previous winners of the Women’s Prize. We were sent three books, Small Islands by Andrea Levy, The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver and this one, When I Lived in Modern Times by Linda Grant.
The idea of this book really appealed to me, so much so that I actually bought it myself earlier in the year (it was actually on my last shopping trip before lockdown began). It follows a young Jewish woman from London who emigrates to the future Israel in 1946. I am shamefully uneducated on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and this book certainly helped to provide some more context on the issues surrounding it, as well as the extra reading I was encouraged to do as a result of reading it. The protagonist is young and self-centred and, as a result, the novel presents the conflict very much from the perspective of a Jewish person. Whilst this was valuable in some ways, as her character certainly both encouraged and discouraged empathy towards the Israeli experience in very nuanced ways, I do think I would have preferred if the novel would have offered a more balanced outlook on the conflict, as there was a noticeable lack of Palestinian voices. Perhaps this is down to my own lack of education, as if I was educated on the subject I could have considered the book and its slightly biased point of view objectively but I do also think that, with it being such a complicated and sensitive issue that so many people lack education on for whatever reason, it’s important to always depict differing experiences when writing about this conflict, fictionally or otherwise.
how do we know we’re doing it right? by pandora Sykes | ★★★★
Pandora Sykes is one of my favourite cultural critics and I read every article she writes, as well as obsessively listening to her podcast, The High Low. So, obviously, I was very excited about her book (I’ve had it on pre-order for over a year). How Do We Know We’re Doing It Right? is a book of essays that tackle subjects that are distinct to the 21st century, perhaps even exclusively the 2010s. From wellness, to fast fashion, to the epidemic of business, the book is wide in its scope but does a great job at picking up on topics that are all somewhat relevant to each other.
What I love about Pandora’s voice, especially in this book, is that she is unconcerned with offering authoritative perspectives on subjects. Whilst I write and read opinion pieces regularly, I often find myself feeling exhausted by them and their mission to offer answers on subjects in 500 words or less, even if what they are writing about requires far more exploration than that. Pandora’s ethos in this book seems to be focussing on asking questions, rather than answering them and in doing so she pokes holes in phenomenons of daily life that have become normalised for most of us, offering nuanced and unique thoughts on topics that are written about regularly. It’s research heavy, which I appreciated, but also manages to be very easy-to-read and I flew through this book in a few days.
lote by shola von reinhold | ★★★★
I think the concept of this novel will either immediately appeal to you or it won’t, but its plot is almost entirely up my street. It follows present-day narrator Mathilda’s fixation with the forgotten black Scottish modernist poet, Hermia Druitt. I wrote my dissertation on an author who was marginalised from the modernist movement and the thing that I find most interesting about the modernist movement is the marginal spaces within it. In academic spaces, I feel like there are constantly discussions about rediscovering the archive and this is largely achieved in these spaces by reading books that were otherwise forgotten. But I think LOTE offers a way to rediscover artists and writers who have otherwise been neglected in a way that feels really modern.
The form of the novel is really interesting, with excerpts from various texts including a book called Black Modernisms that details the lives of various black people who were involved with the modernist movement, which was really educational. Alongside that, it follows Mathilda, who is fixated by the historical group The Bright Young Things and is involved in archival research concerning them in a London museum, when she comes across a photo of Hermia. The rest of the novel takes place in Dun, as Mathilda applies for a residency there as a means of finding somewhere to live and also discovering more about Hermia, who spent a great deal of time in Dun. The residency she is a part of is made up of highly pretentious academic-type people, which made for some hilarious moments in their extremely niche accuracy, but her investigation of Hermia offers fascinating insights about beauty and luxury, particularly how these things can exist and can hold power when we consider them outside of their usual boundaries, that is, within a system of capitalism (this was also something my dissertation was concerned with and something I am fascinated by).
This book is so intensely literary in a way that usually annoys me (e.g. Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway or Joyce’s Portrait of an Artist) but I really enjoyed it here. I think it’s because Von Reinhold writes with so much self-awareness and they are also interested in amplifying marginalised voices rather than the voices of those who already hold power in many ways, as the Woolf and Joyce novels do, in my opinion.
I’d highly recommend this book if it sounds like something that would appeal to you. It was published this year as part of Jacaranda’s Twenty in 2020 initiative, as they become the first publisher to publish 20 titles by 20 Black British writers in one year and there are some other books on the list that I am keen to read, so I’d recommend taking a look at that!
TV
hollywood (Netflix) | ★★★★
Set in post-World War II, you guessed it, Hollywood, this series follows aspiring actors and filmmakers who are trying to make it in the world of show business. It’s a Ryan Murphy series and it received really bad reviews, but I loved every episode and I’m coming to realise that I am a big fan of Ryan Murphy’s work (see also: my next recommendation). Hollywood presents a somewhat utopian vision of the American filmmaking industry, as producers and filmmakers put themselves on the line to create diverse film. It’s not historically accurate but I found it to be very moving, to see what could have come out of self-sacrifice and to see just how powerful diverse representation is in film (I sobbed throughout the entirety of the final episode).
the politician season two (netflix) | ★★★★
This is another Ryan Murphy show with fairly bad reviews but, again, I enjoyed it. I think I might have enjoyed Season Two of The Politician more than season one which is not the general consensus. But I loved the New York setting and its satirised depiction of how American politics and, in particular, American elections work. I loved episode five, which profiled a mother and daughter; the latter was voting for Peyton, the protagonist, and the former, his opponent. This episode does what the show does best, represent current issues in a humorous but reflective way.
the morning show (apple tv) | ★★★★
I saw this show promoted so much at the start of the year but, as I often do, waited a few months to watch it. It tackles issues surrounding the #MeToo movement as the host of America’s most popular morning show is fired as a result of predatory behaviour. It stars Jennifer Anniston and Reese Witherspoon who were really convincing in their roles. I was skeptical about having two such high-profile actors playing alongside each other (especially because I see them, first and foremost when they’re together, as Rachel and her sister) but The Morning Show is really a credit to their acting ability. I thought the series did a great job at exploring the nuances around the #MeToo movement, particularly cancel culture, and how high-profile figures claim to have had everything taken away from them whilst still having, ahem, a mansion in upstate New York and a 10 bedroom apartment in Manhattan.
FILM
everything is copy (Sky) | ★★★★
Nora Ephron is a writer who I turn to when I’m looking for something easy to read, wise words and a good old belly laugh. This documentary tracks her entire life, particularly her career and I found it totally fascinating.
PODCASTS
prose before hoes | ★★★★
If you’ve read one of my Monthly Media Catchups before, you’ll know I love a book podcast. This is a new one that combines alcohol and books, as the hosts, Camilla and Elle, discuss everything they’ve been reading whilst having a drink. As someone who doesn’t necessarily enjoy the taste of alcohol, and largely drinks, like a teenager, to get drunk, I enjoy the books part of the podcast more than the alcohol part. But I have similar reading tastes to the hosts and often am reading the same books they are, which makes for great listening. Also, I love the title of this podcast.
doing it right with pandora sykes | ★★★★
Alongside her book, Pandora started this podcast to explore some of the topics her essays are interested in, interviewing experts in their fields and pop culture figures. I’d highly recommend the episode with Sinéad Burke in particular. She’s an incredible speaker and this episode was so educational on issues surrounding disability.
individual episodes:
ARTICLES
How to Report on Internet Culture and the Teens Who Rule It | NY Times
Eliza Clark: ‘I’m from Newcastle and working class. To publishers, I’m diverse.’ | The Guardian
MuSic
The Monthly Media Catchup: Everything I Read, Watched & Listened To | June 2020
June 2020 is a month that will go down in history as a time when the Black Lives Matter movement gained huge traction after the tragic death of George Floyd on 25th May 2020. I hope it is the start of an even bigger movement that changes the way we think about race and makes real difference to the lives of black people. I have been making more effort than normal this month to read books by black authors, including books that educate me on the black experience in the U.K and the U.S and this is something I’ll be doing for the rest of my life, not just this month, although it feels particularly pressing right now. I shared some books that I have found to be extremely educational on my Instagram page including Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People about Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge, Citizen by Claudia Rankine and Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde, but I thought I’d share some works here by black authors that were not written on the basis of educating their readers on race (although many of them are educational regardless):
Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo (my favourite book)
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
What We Lose by Zinzi Clemmons
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
White Teeth by Zadie Smith
Changing My Mind by Zadie Smith
The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi
There are more recommendations of books by black authors in the books section of this months Monthly Media Catch Up, as well as the usual TV, film, article and music recommendations.
books
brit(ish) by Afua hirsch | ★★★★★
I went to a talk with Afua Hirsch at Manchester Literature Festival in 2018, where she discussed with Nikesh Shukla some of the experiences and topics featured in this book. Afua’s experiences of what it means to be black in Britain really stuck with me, specifically the story of her name, as she spoke about how throughout her life, she resented people mispronouncing it but when she visited her mother’s home, Ghana, realised she too had been mispronouncing it her whole life. In Brit(ish), Afua explores details of her personal life in this way and relates them to the historical experience of black people in Britain. It’s a unique form that is so engaging, moving and it makes the research and history she recounts accessible in a way history books often aren’t.
The fact that it’s taken me so long to read this book makes me stare at piles and piles of my unread books and wonder what other gems are lying there that I’ve been putting off, because this was one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. Afua is such a beautiful writer and is so generous with her personal experiences, stories and family history. I am so thankful to her for writing this book.
It’s a must-read for every British person but especially white British people because it is so educational on Britain’s colonial history. If you’re from Liverpool, I urge you, in particular, to read this book as there are so many shocking details about the city’s black history, from its relationship to the slave trade to the death of Mzee Mohammed and so much more. I think often, and I’m guilty of this myself, Liverpudlians think Liverpool is a city that is totally progressive and innocent because it is so left-wing, but, whether we like it or not, it’s part of a country with a dark colonial past and is by no means exempt from the implications of that.
girl, woman, other by bernadine evaristo | ★★★★★
Some books are ruined by the hype surrounding them, as they inevitably fail to live up to the impossible standards set by booksellers, reviews and their impact on society. But some books are so unique, well-written and timely, that nothing could ever ruin them, not least that everyone is in agreement with regards to their brilliance. Girl, Woman, Other sits in the latter category.
Girl, Woman, Other tells the lives of 12 women who are mostly British and mostly black but vary in their ages, professions and life experiences. For a book that is separated into 12 distinct stories, it flows effortlessly and is absorbing in a way I didn’t think possible for a novel that doesn’t necessarily have a plot. I loved how the stories became interconnected at various points in the book and I also adored the writing style; there are few full stops in the book and too often, stylistic choices like this frustrate me. But this one made sense, as some stories read like poetry and was also made meaningful by the novel’s depiction of how people’s lives and stories inevitably weave together.
i am not your baby mother by candice brathwaite | ★★★★
I am very fussy when it comes to audiobooks, meaning I listen to very few. Generally, they have to be: non-fiction, personal, read by the author and, ideally, I can put a face to the voice or can at least recognise the voice. This one was ideal as I’d followed Candice on Instagram and heard her on a few podcasts. Plus, this is an incredible book and Candice is a brilliant storyteller.
In a similar style to Brit(ish), I Am Not Your Baby Mother is part memoir, part education. Candice recounts her experience as a black mother, as well as providing facts and figures on black motherhood more generally in Britain. The stories Candice tells are moving and shocking, from not being believed by doctors whilst she was life-threateningly ill after giving birth to her first child to making the difficult choice to move out of the city where she was born, London, when she had a son, for fears about knife crime and how it affects black boys and men in the capital.
I’d highly recommend this book, specifically as an audiobook, as well as following Candice on Instagram.
the vanishing half by brit bennett | ★★★
This new release was receiving all the hype on Instagram this month and I totally fell for it. Unfortunately, I think the high expectations I had of this book did tarnish it a little bit, but, nevertheless, I completely understand why so many people love it.
Set between the 1950s-1990s, it follows the lives of Desiree and Stella, mixed race twins who are born in the town of Mallard. Mallard is a town that almost exclusively houses mixed race people and its residents shun dark-skin black people. Desiree and Stella move away from the town when they are young but are separated for the rest of their lives when Stella tries to pass as white, succeeds and starts a new life as such, whilst Desiree continues to identify as black. This part of the novel was the strongest for me, as it explored the intricacies of colourism and allowed the reader insight into Desiree and Stella’s lives and thoughts.
The second part of the novel follows Desiree and Stella’s daughters, which I enjoyed less. The writing was still beautiful and the ideas fascinating, but, for me, the plot became slightly overcomplicated and I yearned for deeper insight into almost all of the characters.
I’d definitely still recommend reading this book as I enjoyed the reading experience on the whole, I just wish it was double the length it is so I could have stayed in its world for longer and got to know the characters better.
the new jim crow by michelle alexander | ★★★★
The final book I read in June is the most academic of them all. The New Jim Crow puts forward the argument that the war on drugs and the system of mass incarceration in America is an intentionally formed new caste system, a reincarnation of Jim Crow. I find it difficult to believe that anyone could read this book and not be convinced by its argument, as it is so well-researched and expansive, covering all elements of the criminal justice system in America and how it affects black people, from stop and search, to the court of law to how rights are drastically restricted for felons.
It also provides fascinating insights on how colourblindness came to be considered as a positive thing and why it is, in fact, a regressive way of considering race. It is research-heavy, which is useful, as I was constantly folding pages to come back to and I feel much more armed with facts and explanations to have discussions about systematic racism in America, especially with those who are skeptical that racism still exists. If you’re looking for the same kind of education, this book is a brilliant place to start. It was by no means and easy read and it took me a while to get through but it was so worthwhile.
tv
Dynasty (Netflix) | ★★★★
I asked for recommendations of TV shows on Instagram at the beginning of the month, tailored to my very specific taste in TV (keywords: women, camp, great clothes, basic). A friend recommended Dynasty, describing the main character as ‘Blair Waldorf on steroids’ which completely sold me on it and is also completely accurate. It follows Fallon Carrington, a young woman who is from an extremely rich family that lives in Atlanta, as she tries to become a successful businesswomen and tackle the kind of problems that crop up in soap operas like this one: sudden deaths, kidnapping and marital affairs. It’s the ultimate easy watching and there’s also a musical episode so, yeah, right up my street.
film
The Social Network (Netflix) | ★★★★
This is one of those films I’ve been meaning to watch for years and have only just got round to now. I am fascinated by the creation of social media and the corruption of Facebook in particular, so I was bound to enjoy this film. It made me want to delete social media more than ever but, alas, I’m still here but hopefully, with a more skeptical lens on the digital world. Also, Jesse Eisenberg was so great as Mark Zuckerberg and I’m kind of glad that I waited so long to watch this film because it means I got to see Zuckerberg fumble in front of AOC before watching it, which made Eisenberg’s portrayal of him as an awkward college student all the more convincing.
Easy A (Netflix) | ★★
I think I’ve definitely watched this film in the past, although I obviously wasn’t particularly impressed with it then either as I have no recollection of the plot. The idea for this film is ok, I guess, but it was ruined for me by the amount of insensitive jokes and remarks. I understand that films are a product of their time but the undertones of racism and misogyny in this film were unnecessarily frequent, to the point where I couldn’t enjoy it at all. Plus, 2010 wasn’t that long ago. The extra star is for Stanley Tucci- he was great.
Fleabag (Amazon Prime) | ★★★★
I managed to watch the original play version of Fleabag on Amazon Prime before it was taken down at the end of June and it was just as brilliant as the show. It’s so impressive that Phoebe Waller-Bridge manages to cultivate the same humour and pathos as she does in a full-scale TV production, whilst sitting alone on stage on a chair and I felt like it gave me even more insight into the character of Fleabag and the show. I’ve only knocked off a star because it just isn’t the same watching theatre online for me. If the conservative government allow for theatres to go under, it’s over for them bitches.
podcasts
Freelancing for journalists | ★★★★
I have been trying to navigate the world of freelance journalism this month with varying levels of success and this podcast has been a great guide. It covers finances, networking and pitching and is being made during the pandemic, so is relevant for the current moment too.
At home with Lily And anna | ★★★★
This podcast is the ultimate easy listening as bloggers Lily and Anna chat about their weeks as well as different discussion topics every week including body image, university and ageing.
individual episodes I enjoyed:
articles
I became a member at Gal-dem this month and have been really enjoying their content, including their newsletter. Some of my favourite articles from Gal-dem and other publications I’ve read this month are included here:
The Life of a Song: ‘I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free’ | Financial Times
Falling Out of Love With Modernist Literature | LitHub
What does self-care look like when you’re black, in the media and can’t switch off? | Gal-dem
How Iceland Beat the Coronavirus | The New Yorker
How to love well, according to Daniel Jones, the editor of Modern Love | Sunday Times Style
Paths of desire: lockdown has lent a new twist to the trails we leave behind | The Guardian
Afua Hirsch On The Crucial Black History Lessons All Schools Should Be Teaching | British Vogue
Haim: ‘Men were like, “Get her off the stage, why is she making those faces?”’ | Independent
‘The waste and excess is more visible’: how coronavirus is shaking up fashion | The Guardian
I fell into the emotional labour trap, then my wife divorced me | Sunday Times Style
music
I didn’t make a playlist this month but I’ve been listening to Pip Millett’s entire discography, Rex Orange County’s latest album, Pony, lots of Destiny’s Child and Beyonce (anyone else become obsessed after rewatching her Glastonbury performance?). Since it Haim’s new album Women in Music, pt.III came out, I’ve been listening to that on repeat too. Oh, and this Spotify playlist:
The Monthly Media Catchup: Everything I Read, Watched & Listened To | May 2020
May was the month that I finally completed my English Literature degree. And how did I celebrate? By reading, of course!
But, seriously, the novelty of being able to read off-syllabus whenever I want is one I’m not sure will ever wear off and it’s been made even more exciting by the UK’s unseasonably warm weather. Waking up, heading straight to the garden with my book and taking breaks inside whenever I got too warm to watch an episode of Sex and The City? Maybe I could get used to this whole lockdown thing…
Books
mr salary by Sally Rooney | ★★★★*
After watching Normal People, I needed another Sally Rooney fix. Luckily, I’d ordered this short story after finishing her first and second novels last year and hadn’t got round to reading it. Mr Salary is about Sukie, who is returning home to Dublin, and her relationship with Nathan, a family friend she moved in with when she was a teenager because of difficulties at home. In typical Rooney fashion, it’s simple but endearing and explores the dynamics of a romantic relationship that is complicated due to external factors. I really enjoyed it and have since ordered two more books from this collection of Faber Stories by other authors, as I love the idea and the beautiful covers.
exciting times by naoise dolan | ★★★★*
Naoise Dolan has been compared to Sally Rooney, largely because she is an Irish millennial writer, I think, but perhaps also because, like Rooney, she writes about romantic relationships so well. Exciting Times follows Ava, who is living as an expat in Hong Kong and teaching English as a foreign language, and her weird living arrangement/relationship with a banker, Julian, as well as her romantic relationship with Edith. It’s witty and hilarious and almost every sentence carries socio-political commentary, but it is done in a way that somehow feels cleverly subtle. The commentary is largely focussed on being Irish and how this affects her experience of being an expat, as she is expected to teach Anglo-English as opposed to Irish-English, as well as the feminist politics of accepting money/housing off a partner, which I found really interesting. I absolutely loved this book and really recommend it. 4.5 stars.
I feel bad about my neck: and other thoughts on being a woman by nora ephron | ★★★*
I picked this collection of essays up on a weekend when I was feeling a bit off and couldn’t really get into any of the books I was trying to read. This one was perfect. These essays were written late in Ephron’s life and they are mostly interested in ageing as a woman. An essay that stands out to me in retrospect was actually about Ephron’s huge, rent-controlled, bougie apartment in New York, however, which provided me with at least a day of dreaming about living there. Like Eprhon’s most well-known novel, Heartburn, this collection of essays didn’t blow me away, but I devoured them in, basically, a day, as they’re such easy reading and can be a real tonic when you’re feeling a bit crap. But I don’t necessarily subscribe to the deification of Ephron, purely because there are other writers whose craft I admire more (see the next review) and I don’t think the topics Ephron discusses are anything revolutionary, although I enjoy how she manages to discuss everything with humour and a certain light-heartedness that really translates to the reader.
changing my mind: occasional essays by zadie smith | ★★★★*
Zadie Smith is my favourite non-fiction writer that I’ve read, even though her fiction, whilst I admire the writing hugely, is not my go-to. The precision, structure and self-awareness in her non-fiction writing is something I can only aspire to and I read and re-read every word in this collection so closely to try and get my head around how she does it. I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s just pure, natural genius.
The essays in this collection range from cultural commentary and reviews to personal essays to literary analysis. The only reason I’ve knocked a star off is because, at times, I had no awareness of the topics she wrote about, and I think the intended reader should have had some, and it did also feel that these essays had just been thrown together, rather than carefully curated. If this was a writer who hadn’t perfected her craft, I don’t think I would have enjoyed it at all. But the reason it took me almost 2 months to read is not down to lack of enjoyment but because I just really wanted to sit with and savour every sentence. My favourite essays were ‘Dead Man Laughing’, in which she discusses an almost universal experience, the death of her father, without cliche but in a way that is meaningful and uniquely touching, as well as her essay on ‘Rereading Barthes and Nabokov’. I want to include an excerpt from the latter that I think will resonate with everyone who has studied English Literature:
‘It’s probably for the best that [Nabokov] didn’t live to see the kind of post-Barthes (and post-Foucault) campus criticism that flowered on both sides of the pond during the eighties and nineties. Wild analogy; aggressive reading against the grain and across codes and discourses; a fondness for cultural codes over textual particulars. You remember the sort of thing:
The Trans-gendered Suitor: Refractions of Darcy as Elizabeth’s True Sister in Pride and Prejudice.
Daisy, the Dollar, and Foucault’s Repressive Hypothesis: Portraits of Sexualised Capital in The Great Gatsby
Please Sir, Can I Have Some More: Bulimic Rejections of Self in Oliver Twist.
I’ve written a lot of essays like this. And found it a wonderful thing, to feel so free. The novel was mine to do with as I wished, to read upside down, back to front or in entirely anachronistic terms. That kind of freedom makes writers of readers, liberating us from the passive and authoritarian styles we are taught in school (Hard Times = British education system in Victorian England). When we read instead in an active way we get to reinscribe dusty old novels into our own interests and cocnerns. There is a joy in getting someone to hand us their butterfly so we can spend twenty pages making the case for its being our giraffe.’
Some people call this collection of essays pretentious, and one GoodReads reviewer said Smith seemed like she was ‘trying to be erudite’. But having read and listened to every interview of hers I can get my hands on, I think she really is just very clever and you can’t take that personally - just enjoy and appreciate that we are lucky enough to live during the same time as her. Ok, I’m done! Read Zadie Smith!
kartography by kamila shamsie | ★★★*
I bought this novel after seeing Kamila Shamsie in conversation with Jeanette Winterson way back in 2017, having read Shamsie’s fantastic novel, Home Fire. Kartography is one of her earlier novels, one that I’ve been recommended when I’ve mentioned to people that I love Home Fire and, although I enjoyed it, it didn’t hit quite the same as Home Fire. It’s set in Karachi, the city in Pakistan where Shamsie is from and I think part of the reason I didn’t enjoy it as much as Home Fire is because I’m not aware of the political goings on in Pakistan as much as I am of those in the UK and America, which is no fault of Shamsie’s, only my own. But I also think that this novel is very different to Home Fire, in that, whilst it’s interested in political commentary, it’s centred on a love story, between two young adults, Raheen and Karim, whose parents swapped fiancees before they were born, yet remain best friends. There is a mystery behind this fiancee swap that is eventually revealed at the end of the novel but the main storyline is that of Raheen and Karim and their relationship. It’s definitely worth a read, as Kamsie’s signature wit and humour is there, if not as much in Home Fire, and it is a beautiful portrayal of Shamsie’s home town. I also learnt a lot about Pakistan, its history and its politics, so it was definitely worthwhile, but sometimes I was a little bored with the love story narrative. 3.5 stars.
Trick Mirror by jia tolentino | ★★★★*
I feel as though I’m late to this book, although I’m sure Jia Tolentino would have much to say about the idea of being ‘late to a book’ and how this idea has been constructed by an obsession with keeping up, bred by social media and, inevitably, the capitalist society we live in. I’m sure she’d say it much better than that. This was the first book, alongside Kartography, I read after completing my degree and it has made me so excited about the reading opportunities I have now my ‘reading for fun’ books aren’t limited to those I can read just before bed. This essay collection interrogates what it means to live in the contemporary world, from using social media, to reality TV, to campus sexual assault, to big fancy weddings and so much more. Tolentino has an incredible mind and her voice, skeptical yet thoughtful about the trivial and the serious, is one that I am so glad that exists within journalism. I can’t wait to read more of her work.
TV
sex and the city (SKY) | ★★★★★
I had 3 goals for lockdown: 1. get into tea, 2. watch Sex and the City, 3. learn to do a headstand. I’ve managed the ones that don’t require me to leave my bed and/or pull out a yoga mat. Sex and the City was the PERFECT quarantine watch. It’s essentially a rom-com spread out over 6 seasons with great 90s style (my favourite era for fashion), and commentary on sex, relationships and being a woman that is partly still relevant now and I’m sure was revolutionary when it was created. There are certainly problematic elements and it is a reflection of the time it was made in every way (the good and the bad) but I think as long as we acknowledge the issues it has and educate ourselves to ensure our beliefs are not the same as some of the ones the characters adapt, then we can appreciate the show for what it is. And what it is is a celebration of friendship in the very aspirational context of four women, some of whom barely work, who have lots of money, and make the most of the New York they are living in. Fuck Big, Aidan is ok, but, as usual, Samantha was right in choosing Smith Gerrard. He’s the only man I really like in the series. My favourite moment from the entirety of the 6 seasons is pictured below (Samantha is such a gem):
little fires everywhere (AMazon prime) | ★★★
This is TV series was developed by Reese Witherspoon’s production company, based on a book of the same name. I haven’t read the book, as I prefer this kind of plot-driven narrative in TV format, rather than in a novel, but I was excited about the series anyway, as I loved Big Little Lies. I binged it in two days and I thought the first few episodes were gripping and provided a brilliant commentary on race and class in America. The last couple of episodes, particularly the last one, however, became so far-fetched and disengaged that it’s tainted my memory of the show. It’s definitely worth a watch as the first few episodes live up to my memory of Big Little Lies, the ending, however, does not.
Film
sex and the city 1 and 2 (netflix & amazon prime) | ★★★★
Obviously once I finished watching the series, I watched both of the films. I’ve watched them before but they’re much better when you know the characters and their back stories. They’re not as good as the TV show, because they’ve adopted a kind of Hollywood glamour that the TV show, rightfully, didn’t have and they are also cliched in a way that the TV show generally wasn’t. But it did make me think that every long TV show with a big fan base should follow up with two movies that aren’t quite as good as the show to provide closure for its viewers. Gossip Girl 1 and 2 anyone?
little women (2019) (Amazon Prime) | ★★★★★
I promise I’m not going to rave about Little Women again (you can read my review, which, in short, says I love it so much, here). But I’m including it on this list to provide the very important news that it’s now available to buy on Amazon Prime and I have obviously bought and watched it, and loved it just as much on a third viewing.
mystic pizza (netflix) | ★★★
This was my only Netflix party watch of the month! It’s a classic rom-com featuring Julia Roberts about three sisters who are navigating relationships with different men. It’s nothing revolutionary but definitely a cosy, easy watch. Plus, I’ll watch anything that features Julia Roberts
he’s just not that into you (Netflix) | ★★★
Another easy rom-com! I do feel as though that this film has got the formula for a rom-com down to a tee, but it’s not one that I regularly re-watch and I think it would be more interesting and relevant, like most things, with more diversity.
joan didion: the center will not hold (netflix) | ★★★★
I always knew Joan Didion lived a fascinating life but I didn’t really know what it entailed. This documentary did a great job of filling me in and it was, indeed, fascinating. I’d recommend reading this New Yorker article after watching the documentary.
Podcasts
table manners | ★★★★
This podcast has been recommended to me so much but, for some reason, I’ve resisted it up until now. Actually, I tried to listen to the episode with Haim a couple of months ago but gave up when I realised that making a podcast with 5 people does not work. I’ve finally gotten into Table Manners this month, anyhow, after listening to their recent episode with Florence Pugh. I’ve listened to a few other episodes since then and I really enjoy Jessie and Lenny’s dynamic and I think they do a great job of making their guests comfortable enough to talk openly with them. Other episodes I’ve listened to so far include those with Emilia Clarke (this one was also great), Dolly Alderton and Antoni Porowski.
individual episodes i enjoyed:
Articles
I’ve been reading lots of articles from all my usual sources this month but I’ve also really gotten into Penguin’s features section - see below for my recommendations from Penguin and some of my other favourite publications and sites.
Curtis Sittenfeld interview: what would Hillary have achieved without Bill Clinton? | Sunday Times
Don't worry, I live with all these books: the socially distant joy of reading outside | Penguin
I Don't Know How To Say This But... I Miss Feeling Hot | Man Repeller
A bow and a courtesy: how Jane Austen's age of social distancing reflects our own | Penguin
music
There’s no playlist this month as I’ve pretty much exclusively been listening to Joni Mitchell, but I would really recommend this Guardian article on where to start with Joni Mitchell, as I think she’s the perfect artist to be stuck in your house with, as well as to take along on your daily walks.
you might also like…
The Monthly Media Catchup: Everything I Read, Watched & Listened To | March 2020
Anything marked with a * is an affiliate links.
The world might be ending, but I’m still consuming as much “stuff”, if not more, during this very weird period. I imagine April’s MMC is going to be a mammoth one, as I seem to have just settled into being able to relax and watch films/TV and read for pleasure (and for uni - what is “a degree” again?) Whereas March was mostly spent, for the latter part, trying to navigate what’s going on through long walks and video calls, and for the former, actually being quite busy and doing things in the real world- what a concept!
Despite this, I have managed to read, watch and listen to a decent amount during March and I hope you find something you might like in this blog post to keep you entertained in your home for the coming weeks/months, so staying in becomes less of a challenge to your mental health and more of a challenge to yourself of ‘how much great stuff can I consume during this time?’
Books
All Over Creation by Ruth Ozeki* | ★★★★
The first book I finished for uni this month was this novel. It’s books like these ones that make me thankful for my degree, as I never would have picked All Over Creation up otherwise. It follows a family in Idaho, of which the elderly parents are potato farmers, and their attempts to navigate the growing popularity of genetically modified food. It educated me a great deal on this topic but it’s also a brilliantly gripping story, exploring romantic relationships, race, motherhood, among other topics. Ruth Ozeki is definitely an author I want to read more of.
Women Against men by storm jameson* | ★★★★
As I mentioned in last month’s Monthly Media Catch Up, I’m writing my dissertation on the inter-war writer Storm Jameson, so I’ve been reading more of her work this month. This book is made up of three short novels. The final one, A Day Off (which I reviewed when I first read it last year) is my favourite and was the stimulus for my dissertation on the use of clothing in her literature. It’s a day novel that is so rich as it explores the thoughts of a working-class, Northern woman wandering around London. It’s symbolism is rich and the social commentary is so clever and discrete. The other books in the collection didn’t grip me as much but I still enjoyed them, as I do all of Jameson’s writing.
love in winter by storm Jameson* | ★★★
Another Jameson novel! This one is the sequel to Company Parade, that I discussed last month. It’s particularly concerned with the protagonist’s romantic relationships, which I found boring at times, but still generally enjoyed the novel because all of the characters are well-developed and complicated and, not to sound like a broken record, but her social commentary is so uniquely presented and enjoyable.
my friend anna By rachel deloache williams* | ★★★
This is the only book I read outside of uni this month! I’m glad I chose this one, as it provided an experience of total escapism. A true story written by a friend of Anna Delvey’s, who was convicted of fraud in 2019 after moving to NYC and pretending to be a German heiress to scam socialites (and non-socialites, like Rachel), out of lots of money. Hearing the story from Rachel’s perspective is fascinating, and I loved being sucked in to the New York lifestyle that is a million miles away from my life, and seeing how Anna manipulated it.
Whilst Anna is clearly the perpetrator in this situation and Rachel the victim, I did find that Rachel was too concerned with using this book to exonerate herself from any criticism (i.e. that she used Anna for her money) with constant passages about how hard it was on her, mentally and financially, that added nothing to the story apart from justifying herself. Of course, it’s understandable how difficult this situation would have been for her, but I would have enjoyed more self-awareness in the writing. Although, it was, at times, interesting for it to have been written in this way, as it really made it feel more like a fictional story with complicated, fallible characters.
tv
the bold type (Amazon Prime) | ★★★★★
I haven’t managed to watch anything new on TV this month, simply because I was, at first, busy and, later, too overwhelmed by the news to be absorbed into a new world on screen (I have a much worse attention span when it comes to watching as opposed to reading). So, I’ve been re-watching my favourite TV show, The Bold Type. I first encountered it last summer and it has since become my favourite show. Following the lives of three twenty-somethings working at a Cosmopolitan-esq magazine, it has that easy-to-watch aspirational quality, whilst also being very up-to-date when it comes to socio-political conversations about sex, race, gender, politics and so much more.
film
emma | ★★★★
My final trip to the cinema pre-quarantine was to watch this simply lovely film. I love how many period films based on classic literature with great costuming are being made at the moment, not least because it has made me realise that this niche is my favourite kind of film. Whilst it did not live up to my beloved Little Women, it had the same ‘figgy pudding film’ (i.e. twinkly and cozy) quality that I can easily get lost in. The casting was great (I’ll watch anything that involves Johnny Flynn) and the costumes were inspired!! I’m truly obsessed with the silhouettes of those dresses and I couldn’t care less if they are historically accurate or not.
Four Weddings and a Funeral | ★★★★
One goal of mine during lockdown is to watch all of the film and TV that I should have already watched. I’m not talking The Godfather and The Matrix (I have and will never watch either or any other films of that kind) but films I have never seen but will undoubtedly love. I started with this one that has been on my list for so long and I’m embarrassed to say it took me 21 years to watch. Watching this whilst doing a jigsaw was the best Sunday I’ve had in a while and it definitely lived up to what I expect from a 90s Richard Curtis film.
podcasts
Off Menu | ★★★★
I’d listened to a few episodes of this podcast in the past with guests I already liked but this month I’ve dived into the deep end and have become completely obsessed with it. Comedians James Acaster and Ed Gamble interview guests about their dream meals and whilst this is kind of interesting, it’s the humour that goes with it that makes the podcast so great and such a tonic at the moment. I recently listened to the episode with Catherine Cohen, who I hadn’t heard of beforehand but is absolutely hilarious. So I’d say start with that one, unless there’s another guest who you know of and particularly like.
honourable mentions:
articles
I thought I’d introduce a specific section in the MMC for articles, rather than clumping them together with podcast episodes. But I won’t be doing an individual review for each of them because I’m only mentioning the ones I enjoyed, as I can’t remember the ones I disliked (unless I really hated them, in which case, I might mention it.)
This will reveal that I read the Sunday Times Style in disproportionate amounts, as well as Man Repeller - sometimes The New Yorker, although, apparently, not during the beginning of a global pandemic. Here’s hoping I can get through the big pile of New Yorkers next to my bed during the middle of a global pandemic.
Anyhow, here are the articles I read during March, some of them are related to the C-word (how sad that this no longer means Christmas!), most of them aren’t:
Love is Blind’s Jessica and the gendered history of the ‘Hot Mess’ | The Sunday Times Style (Charlotte Edwards)
This meditation mania makes me anxious | The Times (Laura Freeman)
Who’s Still Swiping on the Dating Apps? | Man Repeller (Edith Young)
Should We Still Be Shopping? Leandra and Harling Discuss | Man Repeller (Leandra Medine and Harling Ross)
Verified Strangers | Vogue (Lena Dunham)
Bougie London Literary' Woman’s Lockdown Diary | Vice (Imogen West-Knights)
I’m 27 & Was Hospitalised with Coronavirus | Refinery29 (Jessica Morgan)
The death of Shukri Abdi: ‘She was failed when she was alive and she’s still being failed now’ | Gal-dem (Nimo Omer)
The Best Dressed of 2020 Awards Season, Illustrated | The Mancunion (Alex Bikard)
Social Distancing: This is Not a Snow Day | Medium (Asaf Bitton)
music
This month’s playlist is mostly feel-good songs, old favourites and those I have recently discovered. It includes what would have been Iceland’s Eurovision entry (I now hate it as I’ve listened to it, and learned the dance, 100 times too many), a bop from Dua Lipa’s new album and the best David Bowie song for dancing around your room when you feel like you’re going to implode due to over-exposure to your family/partner/child/self.
you might also like…
My Top 3s of 2018 | Books, Podcasts, Bloggers, Fashion, Beauty & More!
2018 has been a weird one. I’m honestly not sure whether I enjoyed it or not. But what I do know is that I have enjoyed so many things. Reading things, listening to things, wearing things, watching things, seeing things. I’ve consumed so much stuff that I have truly enjoyed and so I thought I would share it in one big post. I’m going to try and restrict myself to a sentence or two on each thing to avoid this being the longest post on my blog, but I love every single thing I’m recommending it so excuse me if I do ramble a little.
I hope you enjoy this blog post and I hope you go and consume all of the things I’m recommending during 2019 because they are SO worth your time.
Books
Stay With Me by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ (This book is equal-parts gripping and moving. I recommend it to everyone I know. In fact, on Friday I recommended it to 3 people in one day and bought it as a gift. Please read this book!)
Normal People by Sally Rooney (Another extremely gripping and moving novel. It’s beautifully written and easy to read- what more can you ask for?)
Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton (I actually listened to this book on audible but it still counts doesn’t it? I love Dolly and everything she creates and this book is no exception.)
Blogs
Shot From The Street (So much creative content. I especially love Lizzy’s use of 35mm film photography.)
The Anna Edit (Anna uploads blog posts so frequently and all of her content is useful and interesting. I honestly don’t know how she keeps coming up with ideas.)
Ropes of Holland (I don’t read Lindsey’s blog as much as the other two I’ve mentioned, but Lindsey has created some amazing content this year, including her post on heartbreak.)
Instagram Accounts
@lucywilliams02 (Lucy’s Instagram will probably always be my favourite. Her wardrobe is to die for, as is her travelling schedule and she documents these things in a really authentic but beautiful way.)
@livpurvis (Liv’s feed is also beautiful, providing me with lots of fashion and travel inspo. But I also love her stories! She’s always chatting away on them and, just like her podcast, they make me feel like I’m talking to a friend.)
@alicecatherine (Alice uploads so much high quality, beautiful style inspiration. I love everything she uploads and I would kill for her vintage collection.)
Podcasts
The High Low (As I have mentioned, I love Dolly Alderton and I probably love and admire Pandora Sykes even more- my boyfriend often pulls me up on how much I mention her. This podcast is reliably insightful and interesting and it keeps me informed as much as it makes me laugh.)
The Fringe Of It (Listening to this podcast comprising Charlotte, of Betty Magazine, and Liv Purvis, of what Olivia Did, feels like a catch up with your best friends. It’s so easy to listen to and always brightens my day, plus the subject matter is usually really interesting.)
Nobody Panic (I would actually go as far to say that Stevie and Tessa, the hosts of this podcasts, have got me through some difficult times. This podcast never fails to make me laugh out loud and reassure me that I’m not failing at life as badly as I sometimes think I am!)
Youtubers
Sunbeamsjess (Jess is forever my favourite YouTuber because the content she creates is based around fashion and books, which are my two favourite things. I can always count on her vlogs, especially her Uni based ones, to cheer me up and she generally just always makes amazing content.)
Samantha Maria (Sammi is another Youtuber whose videos I always watch. I love her vlogs as much as her styling videos and she’s another one who I’ve followed for years so will always feel a little bit of a connection to.)
Emma Hill (I’ve discovered Emma’s YouTube channel, unlike the others, this year and since then, have watched pretty much all of her videos. Her content is so consistent- uploading 3 times a week- and her fashion and styling videos are always genuinely informative.)
Fashion/Styling Pieces
Charles & Keith Ankle Boots (This pair of boots only came into my life in the last month of 2018 but they’re still my number one item because I have found a pair of vegan leather boots that actually feel and look like real leather and don’t rub my feet. Plus they look amazing and are probably now the comfiest shows I own.)
THAT Topshop Satin Midi Skirt (This skirt has actually made me enjoy autumn/winter styling so much more. I have it in the red and the brown which are sadly sold out but there are lots of other colours available.)
ASOS Satchel Bag (This one is a little bit random. But my croc burgundy satchel bag from ASOS has been such a good styling tool for me during the last couple of summer months and during autumn/winter. I love it and it was a bargain.)
Beauty/Skincare
Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser (I love this cleanser so much. It has not improved my skin by any great leaps and bounds but I love how it feels and smells and it’s the perfect non-offensive, easy cleanser for my morning routine. I’m on at least my third bottle and have a backup bottle waiting to go.)
The Ordinary Salicylic Acid (This is another one that I have backups for but, unlike the cleanser, this seriously has transformed my skin. A drop of this on any spots overnight reduces their appearance by at least 80% by the next morning and since putting it all over my face every night, any acne has been reduced so much.)
Too Faced Sweet Peach Eye Shadow Palette (I have loved wearing eyeshadow this year and this has been my go-to palette for everyday and more formal occasions. My favourite shades are Bellini, Puree and Luscious.)
Films
Call Me By Your Name (This film is everything I could ask for. It’s a little bit pretentious but in all the best ways and it never fails to make me feel emotional and inspired.)
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (I couldn’t include a post on 2018 without this film because I just adored it. It’s jam-packed with ABBA songs and without a doubt makes me feel good every time I watch it.)
Ladybird (I’ve watched this film upwards of 5 times this year- for someone who doesn't usually like watching a film more than once, this is A LOT. It’s relatable, hilarious and as easy to watch as much as it is thought-provoking. Plus it has Saoirse Ronan AND Timothee Chalamet starring in it, both of whom I love.)
Music
Rex Orange County (The music of Rex Orange County has soundtracked my year- as my Spotify Wrapped will tell you- and I could never get bored of his wonderful voice and lyrics. From the feel good songs to the ones that make me cry, I love them all.)
Mahalia (Spotify Wrapped will also assure you of my love for Mahalia. Her music always makes me feel like I can take on the world and I can’t wait to hear more from her in 2019.)
Jorja Smith (I’m late to the bandwagon with this one but I’ve fallen in love with Jorja Smith’s lyrics as much as I have with her voice this year.)
I could go on with more and more categories but I’ll stick with these for now. It was so difficult to limit each category to my top 3 but I can assure you that these really are the best of the best. Please do go out and consume some of this stuff, whatever it is you enjoy, because I can’t recommend all of it enough and I know I’ll be enjoying it all in 2019 just as much as I have in 2018.
I’d love to hear about your favourite stuff of 2018! Let me know in the comments or on social media, or link me to your posts/videos discussing your favourite things of 2018 as I’d love to read/watch them.
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