Took a trip to Hilton Head, South Carolina last week and I snapped this while waiting for a table at a seafood restaurant, which the locals outside said was the only place locals go for seafood...
My wife Ashley picked up Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War by Erik Larson who wrote Devil in the White City, which is really one of the best literary non-fiction books, potentially of all time, and then I decided to try it after the guy standing next to us at the Italian deli said it was one of the best books he’s read (true story).
This one doesn’t reach the same level, but it was “compelling” (quotes, yes, because the Civil War!) to read and think about while in South Carolina. I don’t read many history books, I can’t remember the last one I read, and I don’t know much about the Civil War either, so I’m lost beyond the main players — like Lincoln, James Buchanan and Jefferson Davis. Even though the book may not be good, in the history book sense, I’m still learning quite a bit from it.
I’m still in The Flamethrowers by Rachel Kushner, and though I was congratulated on a train to Brooklyn for reading “their favorite novel ever” it’s okay to me, though I’m interested enough to read more by her in the future.
Maybe the Carolinas made me nostalgic for postmodern literature (got my MA in Wilmington, NC) so at the local Barnes & Noble I almost purchased Libra by Don DeLillo, a book I’ve tried and failed to read a few times, but then I skipped it because I didn’t want to haul it back, only to buy it back in Brooklyn this past week. I’ll start it soon…
It was colder in Hilton Head than usual, even for February, but the heated indoor pool was nice and these are the magazines I brought along:
Common Good, which is my new favorite Christian magazine and this article on spirituality and tech startups is worth the read, which is an interview with author Carolyn Chen about her book on a similar topic.
Here’s the thesis: Tech workplaces, often romanticized for their extravagant benefits, actually became totalizing — providing for their employees not only material benefits like childcare and high-end cafeterias, but also immaterial benefits historically associated with religion, with church.
When NYMag sends a version of The Cut, I’m not generally as interested, but they had something about the online store Quince which was good, about how it makes dupes and knockoffs of high-fashion brands almost right away.
Still going through this one, even though another has arrived (ah The New Yorker curse/blessing), but there’s a great story about high school marching bands, it’s like the most popular high school activity.
I also bought a copy of Wired from the real-life small magazine store 200 steps away from my office (maybe less) but I didn’t take a photo of it, it has golden urinals on it if you’re interested (my kids were) but the best/saddest article was a story about a “hustle bro” in college who used all his money to try and sell solar panels in Florida on commission, wasting a ton of time in the process, but telling himself positive affirmations from Alex Hermozi every day. He had enough sense to quit and go back to his job, he seems like a smart kid, hope he makes it through this mistake.
Other stuff:
Kinda went on an SNL kick around the 50th anniversary of the show, and the writer’s room doc in the series was great to watch, especially if you like to think about creative freedom vs creative restraints, how they’re in a mad rush to fill 90 minutes and be as funny/topical as possible in a week with a guest host, it’s an interesting dilemma to think about. I’m going to queue up the new Lorne Michaels book as well.
Still watching Severance for better or worse
Running Point on Netflix is a comedy loosely based on the Lakers and I usually watch real basketball and Ashley is usually forced to watch real basketball by proximity, but she’s into this show butI haven’t watched it
We picked Hidden Figures for family movie night because my older daughter is researching that time period for school and she’s also going to read the book. Better movie than I expected.
I’ll be back in your inbox faster next time — keep going.
-Josh