I finally watched Ted Lasso, and it was even better than everyone had told me! It was the perfect thing to binge watch while I got over a cold and just wanted to feel warm and happy.
Your book recommendation to continue the Ted Lasso vibes - Beartown by Fredrik Backman. Its heartwarming and absorbing, about community and struggle, and of course hockey. :)
Folks are evangelistic about their art, be it literature, music, whatever. If you have a normal to large social network, you will be fairly bombarded by things you ‘have to’ read, a band you ‘have to’ check out, etc. If you also accept that there’s too much out there to consume anyway, I wonder if waiting for recommendations from multiple sources isn’t a worthy way to decide what to enjoy next.
Here’s another source filter. Wouldn’t surprise me if you’re already employing it. Ever be reading a book and a character is visiting another character for the first time, and they are looking around the room taking note of what their host likes to read? If those titles are not a plot component, they are often a clever way for author to acknowledge another author they enjoy or respect. If I’m enjoying the read I take a break to waitlist those new authors in Amazon or Libby. It’s like an omen when those new reading opps appear….while you’re already reading!
Did you like being a star of the show today?? :) And that's actually a great method - a lot of people like to make reading lists off what their favorite characters read in a show or movie, but this is another level to take it! I am going to start noticing this more.
Enjoyed this piece - recommendations make the world go round! I think when you’re so deeply submersed in any media as a real hobby (movies reading or tv) and you have your own constant mental lists of what to get to next recommendations can fall to the wayside. At least that’s how I feel!! On that note - looking forward to hearing what you think of ‘penance’ I have been recommended that a few times but not got round to reading!
Yes agree!! Now that I have this newsletter I have a lot less space for the spontaneous rec, althought I took one last weekend and look where it got me :)
Would also love a tv show book rec - I finished ‘the bear’ a few weeks ago and haven’t recovered. I don’t know how to get that feeling in book form but I want it
Ah this is a great one! I’ve only watched a few episodes of The Bear (perhaps because it causes mild PTSD from my decade in the service industry?), but from what I gather it’s a bit of a dysfunctional family/chosen family & against all odds story? One suggestion is We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange, it has the same wild large extended family drama feel – it isn’t restaurant related in any way, but it’s the same feeling of triumphing together. Writers & Lovers by Lily King, while about a young woman’s creative journey, spends a lot of time with her working in restaurants and the struggles of finding success in and out of that space. The internet also recommends Eat a Peach: A Memoir by David Chang which is probably the closest literal representation of The Bear in book form, but I haven’t read it. Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner might also be close, if not a lot more sentimental.
Haha I totally understand I feel like I have mild PTSD from the bear and I’ve never worked in the service industry. I would recommend you watch more though, it is absolutely brilliant! I never expected to get so emotionally invested with a group of kitchen staff. I would agree with the themes you’ve picked up- dysfunctional family with a lot of high pressure against all odds. Thank you for both We Are the Brennans & Writers and Lovers - they sound like my cup of tea. Eat a peach sounds like it could be a divine timing recommendation as I just ate a peach. I have read Crying in H Mart and I’d agree with that rec! Thanks for doing the leg work on those books - let me know when you’ve finished the bear!
This piece is spot on. Something that can only be described as a primitive “fight or flight” response happens to me every time even someone I trust gives me a recommendation. If I had to drill down, I think my initial (internal) response is something like “are you KIDDING me right now?? I have 23 books on my TBR shelf and 13 on my Kindle (damn you, BookBub, selling all kinds of interesting e-books for $1.99! *shakes fist). I don’t have TIME to read your so-called ah-mayyyy-zing” book. Just leave me TF alone, already!! 😩😤”
Something similar happens with TV series, though less intensely.
Then I cool TF off for a few minutes and realize that my TBR pile isn’t going anywhere and that I may actually enjoy what this person is sharing with me. I don’t always run right out and get it; sometimes I need the same 16 signs from the universe that you got re: Louise Penny. But I too realize at some point that I can loosen my death grip just a bit.
I have tried to cram Schitt’s Creek down the throats of anyone in my vicinity, with mixed success. I think it is one of the GOATs and anyone who doesn’t agree can go for a long walk off a short pier. I was however successful recently in getting my sibkid to watch The Big Bang Theory (another GOAT, along with Seinfeld). Ego restored!
One I just can’t get into? Abbott Elementary. Or Parks and Rec. They both feel like The Office (another GOAT) just in different settings. Not original enough, IMO. (Open to any counterpoints here).
Amy I had to go back and read your About page to make sure you weren't my long lost sibling! Bookbub, death grip, short pier!! I couldn't agree more. I've had mild success with Parks and Rec because some episodes are genuis but I never felt compared to watch the entire series (unlike The Office which I've seen an embarassing amount of times). Our lesson IS to loosen the death grip and our TBRs and let the right recs in.
I finally watched Ted Lasso, and it was even better than everyone had told me! It was the perfect thing to binge watch while I got over a cold and just wanted to feel warm and happy.
The first two seasons of Ted got me through some hard times. Love this!!
Your book recommendation to continue the Ted Lasso vibes - Beartown by Fredrik Backman. Its heartwarming and absorbing, about community and struggle, and of course hockey. :)
Thanks!
The Hacienda and Vampires of El Norte are SO good!!! I did enjoy Mexican Gothic, but I think these are even better (the romances are 🔥)
Vampires of El Norte just looks so enticing!! I gotta read it
Folks are evangelistic about their art, be it literature, music, whatever. If you have a normal to large social network, you will be fairly bombarded by things you ‘have to’ read, a band you ‘have to’ check out, etc. If you also accept that there’s too much out there to consume anyway, I wonder if waiting for recommendations from multiple sources isn’t a worthy way to decide what to enjoy next.
Here’s another source filter. Wouldn’t surprise me if you’re already employing it. Ever be reading a book and a character is visiting another character for the first time, and they are looking around the room taking note of what their host likes to read? If those titles are not a plot component, they are often a clever way for author to acknowledge another author they enjoy or respect. If I’m enjoying the read I take a break to waitlist those new authors in Amazon or Libby. It’s like an omen when those new reading opps appear….while you’re already reading!
Did you like being a star of the show today?? :) And that's actually a great method - a lot of people like to make reading lists off what their favorite characters read in a show or movie, but this is another level to take it! I am going to start noticing this more.
Aw shucks. Kidding aside I’m still processing that we have similar (aka excellent) tastes. You had me at Tana French.
My friend, may I recommend this: https://notesfromthreepines.substack.com/
Well now that I have learned my lesson I will surely check this out immediately rather than in 5-7 business years :)
Enjoyed this piece - recommendations make the world go round! I think when you’re so deeply submersed in any media as a real hobby (movies reading or tv) and you have your own constant mental lists of what to get to next recommendations can fall to the wayside. At least that’s how I feel!! On that note - looking forward to hearing what you think of ‘penance’ I have been recommended that a few times but not got round to reading!
Yes agree!! Now that I have this newsletter I have a lot less space for the spontaneous rec, althought I took one last weekend and look where it got me :)
Would also love a tv show book rec - I finished ‘the bear’ a few weeks ago and haven’t recovered. I don’t know how to get that feeling in book form but I want it
Ah this is a great one! I’ve only watched a few episodes of The Bear (perhaps because it causes mild PTSD from my decade in the service industry?), but from what I gather it’s a bit of a dysfunctional family/chosen family & against all odds story? One suggestion is We Are the Brennans by Tracey Lange, it has the same wild large extended family drama feel – it isn’t restaurant related in any way, but it’s the same feeling of triumphing together. Writers & Lovers by Lily King, while about a young woman’s creative journey, spends a lot of time with her working in restaurants and the struggles of finding success in and out of that space. The internet also recommends Eat a Peach: A Memoir by David Chang which is probably the closest literal representation of The Bear in book form, but I haven’t read it. Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner might also be close, if not a lot more sentimental.
Haha I totally understand I feel like I have mild PTSD from the bear and I’ve never worked in the service industry. I would recommend you watch more though, it is absolutely brilliant! I never expected to get so emotionally invested with a group of kitchen staff. I would agree with the themes you’ve picked up- dysfunctional family with a lot of high pressure against all odds. Thank you for both We Are the Brennans & Writers and Lovers - they sound like my cup of tea. Eat a peach sounds like it could be a divine timing recommendation as I just ate a peach. I have read Crying in H Mart and I’d agree with that rec! Thanks for doing the leg work on those books - let me know when you’ve finished the bear!
This piece is spot on. Something that can only be described as a primitive “fight or flight” response happens to me every time even someone I trust gives me a recommendation. If I had to drill down, I think my initial (internal) response is something like “are you KIDDING me right now?? I have 23 books on my TBR shelf and 13 on my Kindle (damn you, BookBub, selling all kinds of interesting e-books for $1.99! *shakes fist). I don’t have TIME to read your so-called ah-mayyyy-zing” book. Just leave me TF alone, already!! 😩😤”
Something similar happens with TV series, though less intensely.
Then I cool TF off for a few minutes and realize that my TBR pile isn’t going anywhere and that I may actually enjoy what this person is sharing with me. I don’t always run right out and get it; sometimes I need the same 16 signs from the universe that you got re: Louise Penny. But I too realize at some point that I can loosen my death grip just a bit.
I have tried to cram Schitt’s Creek down the throats of anyone in my vicinity, with mixed success. I think it is one of the GOATs and anyone who doesn’t agree can go for a long walk off a short pier. I was however successful recently in getting my sibkid to watch The Big Bang Theory (another GOAT, along with Seinfeld). Ego restored!
One I just can’t get into? Abbott Elementary. Or Parks and Rec. They both feel like The Office (another GOAT) just in different settings. Not original enough, IMO. (Open to any counterpoints here).
Amy I had to go back and read your About page to make sure you weren't my long lost sibling! Bookbub, death grip, short pier!! I couldn't agree more. I've had mild success with Parks and Rec because some episodes are genuis but I never felt compared to watch the entire series (unlike The Office which I've seen an embarassing amount of times). Our lesson IS to loosen the death grip and our TBRs and let the right recs in.
Ha! Birds of a feather.... 🐦