A new weekend edition, this time with some of the things we've been watching, listening to, and reading this week.
What We Are Watching
With the 2024 Tour de France coming up shortly, and it possibly more open than in recent years, we've been watching season two of Netflix's Unchained series, a look behind the scenes of last year's race. While we're only one episode in, it shows promise, with more of the drama and strategy among the top riders and less of an obsession with fringe characters–hello, Thibaut Pinot—than last year.
What We Are Reading
I (Paul) make it a habit to re-read my favorite literature regularly, and one of my favorites is James Joyce's The Dead. An exquisite, jewel-like thing, it is among Joyce's greatest works, and arguably among the best short stories (more like a novella, given its length) of all time. The quiet movements throughout are wonderful, as are the descriptions, but the closing scenes are unforgettable. If literature like this cannot affect you, I am saddened for you. You can find it freely available all over, and I would encourage you to get the Penguin classics version, but Andrew Scott's recent Audible reading is also a delight.
What We Are Listening To
David Runciman's terrific series on the great political novels wrapped up this week with a look at Margaret Atwood's great The Handmaid's Tale. A dystopian future about a world of fears about birth rates and female empowerment, it remains eerily prescient in affecting and unexpected ways. The book is a classic, but Runciman's perspective is smart, provocative, and worth listening to, even if you've never read Atwood's 1985 book, or watched the Hulu series made from it.
Have a great week, everyone. And if you ever have any recommendations, send them over.
