5 from Fitch: February 2024
You know those friends you have who always offer great recommendations for books to read, movies to see and places to go? That’s us! Every month, our intrepid writers will share five recommendations based on their current favorite things. Have you read a riveting book lately? Seen a movie or show that deeply affected you? Eaten a new take on an old classic? Check out any interesting art installations? Please drop us a line in the comments!
Chris Noon
🎙️Listening to: “Leading” Episode: Tom Holland
What is it?
Listening to the weekly news podcast “The Rest Is Politics” is as British a way of life as drinking tea or apologizing. (In fact, my friends and family now know it as TRIP). But Brits are gradually discovering that TRIP’s sister program, “Leading,” is the “Frasier” to its “Cheers”: a superior spinoff. The podcast consists of a long-form interview with thought leaders from all walks of life: former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and Israeli author Yuval Noah Harari have all been guests. But a recent episode with Tom Holland (the British historian, not the “Spider-Man” actor) sticks in my mind.
Why I love it.
Holland argues that the West is way more Christian than it thinks. Take socialism: Believing that the poor come first owes more to Methodism than Marx, contends the academic. Human rights? Nearly all social movements harness the power of claiming victim status, reminding us of the ultimate martyr: Jesus. (You couldn’t have played ‘the victim card’ in Ancient Rome, says Holland, because victims weren’t admired, but despised.) Even secularism, which we see as an ideologically neutral check on religious influence, is a principle rooted in the theology of St. Augustine. Perhaps fittingly, the episode was released on Christmas Day.
Dorothy Pomerantz
🎙️ Listening to: “60 Songs That Explain the ‘90s”
What is it?
Now on episode 112 (!), this podcast from music critic Rob Harvilla goes deep into how it felt listening to these songs in the ‘90s and how they influenced Harvilla, the culture and all of us.
Why I love it.
It can take Harvilla as much as a half-hour to get to the song he’s supposed to be talking about but believe me, that’s a good thing. The journey from, say, the funniest moments in “This is Spinal Tap” to a close look at U2’s “One” may seem random, but Harvilla is a brilliant writer and everything always holds together beautifully. I laugh out loud at every episode and you will too. Nostalgia bait? Maybe. But I’m hooked.
Maggie Sieger
⛰️ Exploring: The Mereenie Loop
What is it?
A 200-kilometer section of dirt road through the West MacDonnell Range in Australia.
Why I love it.
It is definitely a road less traveled, through some of the most gorgeous parts of the Australian Outback. There are trails to hike and water holes to swim in along the way. We saw kangaroos, dingos, wild horses and wild camels, as well as the amazing scenery and red dirt that make up the center of Oz. You need a 4-wheel drive vehicle and an extended-range gas tank, along with a travel permit, because the loop crosses Aboriginal land. You also need to bring all the food and water necessary for the trek. Totally worth it.
Dianna Delling
🎙️Listening to: “The New Yorker Fiction”
What is it?
A monthly “reading and conversation” podcast hosted by New Yorker fiction editor Deborah Treisman. In each episode, a writer chooses one short story from the magazine’s archives — something by a different writer — and reads it aloud.
Why I love it.
Great fiction is transformative in print, but listening to stories of this caliber turns out to be another kind of magic. The discussions that follow always deepen my appreciation for the work and for all writers involved. Listening to “Weike Wang Reads Lara Vapnyar” (April 1, 2021) has led me to become a fan of both these amazing writers. “David Sedaris Reads Miranda July” (Nov. 1, 2012) is another classic. There are 201 episodes so far!
Will Palmer
📺 Watching: “The Curse” (2023)
What is it?
A Showtime limited series created by Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie, who also star alongside the magnificent Emma Stone. In the fictional series, the three characters are creating a reality show for HGTV about bringing shiny new eco-friendly homes to a working-class community that didn’t necessarily ask for any of it.
Why I love it.
It’s set and filmed in Española, New Mexico, near where I live, but that only got me watching. What kept me riveted was its utter strangeness — not over-the-top bizarreness, just a fully plausible scenario about a young couple trying to do good, or so they think, while the supernatural creeps into their lives and the laws of physics are abandoned. The subtlety with which it’s done impressed me the most. The show is full-on cringe comedy, can be slow at times and is solidly “not for everyone,” but it’s very clever and never hits you over the head with the questions it raises — about gentrification, appropriation, white privilege, relationships and art.