Recently read, watched, listened
I have had The Internet of Garbage by Sarah Jeong, sitting on my Kindle (the link takes you to the published version on theverge.com.) for a few weeks now. This is an important read for anyone (this means you) using the internet. Sarah breaks down harassment and its many forms in a way that is alarming and honest, and in a way that is easy to understand so that we can work together to address it.
I’m constantly amazed by how we, as humans, are so self-destructive with ourselves as both individuals and towards one another. We’re better than this. We have the capability and the tools to be better. We’re just choosing not to.
Ugh, another cooking/food/travel show? Here’s what made this four part documentary enjoyable for me: Samin. She is someone I would jump to have a chance to share a meal with. She is funny, and she fully shows that she genuinely enjoys tasting, cooking, and experiencing food. This doesn’t feel scripted or forced. It feels like an extension of her book (of the same name), in that she is just trying to teach us to enjoy food and cooking like she does. It’s easier to do than we think.
The Cristina Martinez episode (Season 5, episode 1) of Chef’s Table is captivating and magnificent . Her story - of herself, her daughter, and her family - combined with her craft (barbacoa) is fascinating, The episode itself was so beautiful, I had to stop down and appreciate it without watching any more episodes for a while.
This is a reminder to ignore all labels of race, immigration status, political affiliation, etc. Pay attention to people, as people. As individuals. Hear their stories and make human choices.
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There’s not a lot that I can write about Anthony Bourdain that others haven’t already written. It’s weird to say (type) this out loud but, I am still having some trouble processing his death. The same with Jonathan Gold’s passing; they both affected me more than I thought any public figure’s would.
One of the things that makes me feel “home” is when I get a local library card. I don’t borrow printed books and materials often, mostly just ebooks. So, over this past weekend, I finally got my library card and promptly started placing holds and building a reading list. The first auto-checkout notification came last night, in the form of Hungry Ghosts, by Anthony Bourdain and Joel Rose.
It was a fun, quick read right before turning in for the night. I kind of like that I also read it (kind of) close to Halloween. I wouldn’t categorize it as “memorable” nor necessarily a “must read”, though I did enjoy it and am happy to have read it. It reminds me of Get Jiro!, another graphic novel by Anthony Bourdain and Joel Rose.
I have written about this series before. There’s not a lot more that I can add to this other than YOU NEED TO START READING THIS SERIES IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY. I just finished and fully enjoyed Monstress, Vol. 3, Written by Marjorie Liu and Illustrated by Sana Takeda.
The depth of both the characters and the world is stunning. The dark material and some added humor make these quick and satisfying reads. I prefer the volumes (versus individual issues) because I get a bigger chunk of the story to feed on.
I cannot imagine anyone other than Sana Takeda’s art accompanying this series. If this is ever animated into a feature film, Sana’s art needs to remain a huge part. The look is epic.