Hump day recommendations, Jan. 28, 2025

Read: “How to Say Babylon.” This memoir by Safiya Sinclair recounts her childhood as a girl raised in a strict Rastafarian Jamaican home who, at least initially, strives to become what her father views as the perfect Rastafarian woman. I learned a lot about Rastafarian beliefs while reading this and was surprised that adherents are often looked down upon on the island. The young girl grows and begins to question her father’s beliefs and his way of life. Overcoming abuse and poverty, she ultimately finds her path to higher education, success as a poet, and to life outside Jamaica. If you use Audible, Sinclair herself reads the book, pulling you into her childhood world with her perfect patois pronunciations. – Tracy

Watch: Groundhog’s Day. No, not the Bill Murray movie. But the actual livestream of the Groundhog’s Day ceremony at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Seeing the Groundhog Club’s Inner Circle (a bunch of men in top hats) speak Groundhogese and raise the majestic rodent into the air is well worth waking up early on Sunday morning. Plus, if you don’t, how will you know what season it is? – Riley

Watch: “Black Warrant.” Ever wondered about life inside India’s largest prison? Based on a book of the same name, this Netflix series revolves around stories out of Tihar Jail in Delhi, India, from the 1980s. An unlikely officer, Sunil Gupta takes up a job as a jailer (present-day correctional officer) to handle one encampment of the prison. While everyone around him is corrupt, Gupta is trying to improve the twisted system all while managing relations with his subordinates and his supervisor. Each episode recounts a different tale while the show builds on characters. The kicker: Each episode is based on a true story. – Suhani

Read: “Americans need to party more.” In a very clever article in The Atlantic, author Ellen Cushing offers a prescription for America’s epidemic of loneliness: a good old-fashioned party. It’s not as trite as it seems: Cushing notes that in 2023, only 4.1% of Americans attended or held a social event on an average weekend or holiday, a 25% drop since 2004. This decrease in get-togethers parallels the rise of smartphone use and the decline in mental health. The best part is that reversing it is within our control! So send out the invites, break out the bubbly, and open your home to your friends. Who knew therapy could be so much fun? – Tasha