Hump Day Recommendations, March 19, 2025

Watch and listen: “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat.” The partof this Oscar-nominated documentary that’s about the decolonization of African countries in 1960 and the CIA-orchestrated murder of DRC Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba is consistently riveting, if a little simplistic at times. The part of this film that’s about the intersection of African music and American jazz makes this a richly detailed work that’s well worth your time. – Willis

Read: “Punching Above Our Weight: The Canadian Military at War Since 1867.” Named one of Canada’s top 100 books of 2024 by the Hill Times newspaper, this excellent history chronicles 150 years of the Canadian military’s evolution from scrappy militia to modern force. Through vivid photographs and stories, author David A. Borys brings to life key battles like Amiens and Operation Medusa, pivotal figures like Louis Riel and Arthur Currie, and defining political issues like conscription. Borys also examines the challenges of underfunding and living in the shadow of the American elephant – as well as the immense courage Canada showed in fighting for freedom around the world. – Tasha

Read: “The Years,” by Annie Ernaux. Okay, I know I’m a couple of years late to the English translation of Ernaux’s book about France in the decades following World War II. But the Nobel Prize-winning memoir is stylistically audacious — at once intimately revealing and aloof — and an astute look at French culture, politics, history, and feminism in the 20th century. It’s history as lived and observed by one woman, a meditation on how time passes and how we see ourselves within time. – Ellen

Binge: “Borgen.”You’d think I’d get enough political drama by day, but at night I’ve been binging on “Borgen.” This Nordic drama follows the life and career ups and downs of the Danish prime minister and everyone in her orbit — fellow politicians, family, spin doctors, and journalists. Replete with romance, infighting, and plenty of idealism, it’s a great guilty pleasure — and PM Birgitte Nyborg is no DEI hire! Find the show on Netflix, and yes, it’s dubbed. – Tracy