Humpday Recommendations 06/20/2023

Watch: "The Offer." If you're a fan of "The Godfather," don't miss this Paramount+ miniseries about how the film got made. You'll catch yourself talking to the TV, saying ohhh this is the scene where the Don says X or Michael does Y and go ahhh that’s why Coppola shot it that way. When you're done, you'll want to watch Part I all over again. — Carlos

Read: “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow,” by Gabrielle Zevin. This beautifully written novel celebrates the power of gaming and friendship — as both help the characters navigate their way through devastating emotional and physical hardships. The title echoes Macbeth's famous line, "Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow," which sees Shakespeare's famous character reflect on the meaninglessness of life, but Zevin's recast offers hope, with endless do-overs, gamer style, and the love of true friendship. — Tracy

Read: “Simple Passion,” by Annie Ernaux (Passion Simple d’Annie Ernaux). Alex and I were both reading this all-consuming novella this week, in English and French, respectively. Set in late 20th century Paris, this work of autofiction recounts an obsessive two-year love affair that takes over every aspect of the narrator's life. You will get trapped inside these pages. Exhibit A: Alex missed his stop on the train while reading this book on his way to work. If you are a French learner like me, I recommend trying the untranslated version. Ernaux is acclaimed for her simple prose and her straightforward vocabulary, making it an attainable challenge for intermediate or advanced French students. – Riley

Build: Weirdly. How did Xi Jinping, arguably the world’s most powerful cultural conservative, react to a controversial state-backed megaproject in Beijing by Rem Koolhaas, arguably the world’s most influential and eccentric architect? This thread — by a great source of cultural tidbits in general — tells the story. Granted, no one is going to miss their stop on the F train over this one, but it’s still a fascinating story about a power-play that would write politics into the Beijing skyline for years to come. – Alex