Three recs, non-Barbenheimer edition

A rom-com novel, two (!) hilarious essay collections, my fave current TV show

Happy Friday, kids!

Who’s seen Barbenheimer? I’m not going to bother wasting anyone’s time by recommending either movie, because I hope and assume you’re planning to see both. These two original, non-sequel, non-superhero films made this last weekend the biggest cinema-going weekend in years. As if that weren’t enough reason to celebrate, Barbie was also the biggest opening ever for a film directed by a woman!

On the off chance that I need to try to sell you on either film, I’m going to direct you to the brilliant Anne Helen Petersen’s spoiler-free analysis of how the two movies are in dialogue with one another.

If you’re lukewarm on the idea of Barbie, I’ll add that Greta Gerwig has made two brilliant films as a writer-director (Ladybird and Little Women), which means she has earned the right for you to trust her on this one and give it a try. And if you’re lukewarm on the idea of Oppenheimer, I’ll add that if Christopher Nolan’s obvious skill as a visionary storyteller isn’t enough to sell you, then Cillian Murphy’s captivating, magnetic performance should be.

And if you have already watched both films, what did you think?! (And: which one did you see first?)

I have more (non-Barbenheimer) thoughts that I want to share with you guys, but this week’s recs got a little longer than anticipated, so that will have to wait until the next issue.

Let’s dive in!

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Rec 1
Romantic Comedy (book)

Big thanks to the several of you who recommended I check out Curtis Sittenfeld’s latest novel, because I tore through it in a day and am back to recommend it to those of you who haven’t yet read it.

This book reads like a romcom movie, so if you’ve been craving a smart, fun, addictive romcom, this is what you’ve been looking for. The deal: A cynical (female) SNL writer writes a sketch making fun of her average-looking male colleagues for how they keep dating gorgeous celebrities – only to discover that she maybe has a connection with the super-hot male celeb hosting that week.

The first part of the book, which is set during that week, is probably the best, because it’s so fun to live the behind-the-scenes of SNL through the characters. The banter is sharp and funny, in the way that it is in the best old-school romcoms, and the first-person narration toes the line of being smart and knowing without verging into annoying.

There’s also a whole pandemic component to the latter part of the story that I didn’t see coming – and which I actually thought was a great plot device. Who knew covid could be a good plot device? Even more surprising to me was that, now that we’re a couple years out from 2020, I found it really interesting to see how these characters dealt with the early months of lockdown. I guess that’s where we are now.

Anyway, despite (or maybe because of?) the 2020 flashbacks, this was a delightful escape. It’s smart and well-written, the characters are loads of fun, and I’m not at all surprised that they’ve already announced it’s being adapted into a movie.

Where: Reserve it at your library or order from your non-Amazon bookseller of choice (like Bookshop US or Bookshop UK).*

Rec 2+
Look Alive Out There + How Did You Get This Number (books)

I don’t know how to explain that these books of humorous essays by Sloane Crosley feel to me like companion pieces to Romantic Comedy, but they do. Perhaps because they have similar voices, my brain has somehow decided that the protagonist of Romantic Comedy is a version of Crosley. If you read both, please report back only if you agree with me.

I don’t know how I made it to this point in my life without having read anything by Crosley, who was one of those ubiquitous New York writers when I lived there. Maybe I was being contrary; her debut essay collection, I Was Told There’d Be Cake, won all the awards, and thus seemed a bit overdone and self-satisfied, which in turn made me think it couldn’t possibly be that good. The curse of success.

Anyway, I’m here to say I was wrong. While I’m still on the library waitlist for I Was Told There’d Be Cake, if it’s anything like her two subsequent essay collections, I look forward to cackling to myself for hours.

Crosley seems to delight in making fun of herself, after having gotten herself into all kinds of ridiculous situations – like, for example, trying to go mountain-climbing in Ecuador in sneakers and yoga pants. Or she harbors vendettas against her neighbors for their not-very-neighborly behaviors, without ever actually taking action against them. She is constantly a fish out of water, in a way that is incredibly relatable. She also captures a well-observed version of New York that makes me perpetually homesick, despite the fact that she’s often calling out the most frustrating parts of living there.

If you can get the audiobooks, I highly recommend them. Crosley reads them herself, and she’s like that very clever, funny, and self-deprecating friend that you love catching up with over drinks because she’s always got a crazy story.

Where: Reserve it at your library or order from your non-Amazon bookseller of choice (like Bookshop US or Bookshop UK).*

*(In the name of full transparency, I’ve included affiliate links to Bookshop.org – if you’re going to order from them anyway, please use my link so I can make a little extra cash! If you want to see/order any/all of my book recs, I’ve made lists on Bookshop, too: US version, UK version.)

Rec 3
The Bear (TV)

I’ve lost all sense of proportion as to how big The Bear has gotten outside the industry, so I don’t actually know if any of you still need me to recommend this FX/Hulu/Disney+ (depending upon where you are) show to you. However, it’s my favorite (!!) show right now, and I just finished season 2 on Monday, so I’m talking about it, sorry.

In case you’re currently looking at me like I’m nuts because you’ve somehow never heard of The Bear, it’s a comedy-drama (or, a usually-half-hour drama that makes you sob but also sometimes laugh?) about a Noma-level chef who moves home to Chicago to run the family sandwich shop after his brother commits suicide. So you can see where the sobs come from. But I promise there are plenty of burst-out-laughing moments, too. And, as my mild NYC restaurant PTSD flashbacks suggest, it’s the best depiction I’ve ever seen of the reality of working in a restaurant. (Caveat: I haven’t seen Boiling Point.)

But see, the thing about The Bear is that it’s not really about restaurants at all. It’s about grief, it’s about family, it’s about trauma, it’s about making art, it’s about having dreams you’re willing to fight for, it’s about trying to figure out who you are and where you belong in the world all over again every single day. It just turns out that restaurants might be the world’s best fucking metaphor for all of that. (I even have a theory that it’s about covid, but I’m writing that essay separately.)

And now, here’s the next surprise: The Bear is one of the most hopeful, uplifting, and kind stories I’ve seen in a long time. Every single character is flawed and fucked up, and they make mistakes and hurt themselves and each other. But they also all care so much and they’re all always trying to do better. And they grow and they figure out ways to show each other how much they care. There’s maybe a level of fantasy in how emotionally intelligent they are at times, but it’s hard to call out as unrealistic when you’re crying tears of joy.

Honestly, stories like this one don’t come along every day. Do yourself a favor and watch The Bear. It’s one that stays with you, that grows, that won’t let you forget it.

My last exhortation: Savor it. Don’t binge it in one go, if you can help it. I promise it’s worth it.

Where to watch: FX/Hulu (US), Disney+ (UK)

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That’s all for this week! What are you reading/watching/listening to that I should be aware of? Drop me a line (or comment) to let me know if you check out any of my recs and what you think.

Please spread the word and I’ll see you in a couple weeks!

xo
Kate

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