Mid-Week Links: 6 Nov 2024

Literary non-fiction and pop-culture

Holla! Welcome to the middle of the week. The US election results are still coming in as I send you this email, but how are we feeling otherwise?

I’ve decided (after some feedback from you wonderful folks) to bring my Sunday recommendations into the mid-week drop.

A reminder that this link round-up will go behind a paywall shortly, likely in the new year (inshallah). Plenty of time to subscribe - but of course, the Sunday newsletter will remain available for all. Right, let’s get into it!

Read:

• Pankaj Mishra on ‘The Last Days of Mankind’. This hit me hard. He writes about how “each one of the assumptions that underpinned western policymaking and journalism for nearly three decades lie shattered.” This means “we live in a world where the future of democracy is not assured even in Europe and America, let alone India,” but editors and writers in western media institutions are not mentally prepared. Powerful stuff.

• A thoughtful review of a new book on ‘the right to oblivion.’ “When people think of privacy,” the author writes, “they are likely to think of the protection of one’s personal data and information. But…that definition makes a dangerous assumption, namely that humans could be wholly reduced to a set of descriptions or records.” I love anything that makes us think differently about privacy and surveillance and this book sounds like an intriguing read.

• One of the most haunting reflections on the men who raped Gisèle Pelicot by the inimitable writer,

  Musa Okwonga
  . He says: “If there is a crisis of masculinity, then this is it, right here: that someone else has to suffer for my feelings of inadequacy as a man, and they must suffer terribly, because that is the only way that I will purge them.”

• On the emotional poverty of gay men, a powerful piece by a dear friend.

• Understanding is dangerous: a long read from eight years ago with some interesting theories on the challenge of understanding or choosing not to understand the political opposition. Not sure it’s perfect, but started lots of thoughts for me.

• Opportunity: Want to join the board of the Edinburgh International Book Festival? Or the staff, in development? Applications are open now.

Watch: The Franchise

I’ve found a new show, and I’m obsessed. The Franchise (HBO/Sky/NowTV) is a behind-the-scenes style half hour comedy series on the making of a marvel-esque type film through the perspective of a First AD. This is for everyone who works in or is adjacent to the incomprehensible and unbelievable world of screen production, or fans of absurd workplace comedy. Get into it! This interview with lead actor Himesh Patel is also a lovely accompanying read.

Listen: The Polyester Podcast

A feminist pop-culture podcast, ‘dissecting the #discourse’ weekly. It’s a new addition to my regular podcast carousel - quite chatty, but with often decent or intriguing analysis. Let me know what you think !

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How do you feel about the chunkier / fuller format? Do you prefer all in one email, or just a lean links roundup in the middle of the week and the recommends at the end of the newsletter on Sunday?

Until next Sunday, inshallah!

Yassmin