If you’re on the lookout for great shows, books, movies, and other memorable cultural experiences, why not let our staff recommend you something? This week, our crew shares their latest sources for riveting stories, eye-catching fashion, and helpful objects for navigating everyday life.
The Moth: Great Expectations
Loving The Moth right now. While I’ve been listening for years, I had yet to attend a live performance. The Moth: Great Expectations presented: Michael Fischer, Nancy French, Ronnie Karam, Tiq Milan, and Dr. Sybil Jordan Hampton. Fischer broke my heart, French made me laugh out loud— really loud— Karam reminded me to be myself, Milan reminded me that your self is the person you create. Dr. Sybil Jordan Hampton was part of the second class of Black students to attend Little Rock Central High School, and her reflections on the 20-year reunion in 1982 reminded me that planting roses in cement is a very, very hard job, and we’re not nearly done tending those roses. —Laura des Enfants, Publisher
The Philosophy of Modern Song by Bob Dylan
There’s a treat on every page of this audaciously authored commentary on an eclectic range of famous and obscure songs, songwriters, and singers. Each short essay reverberates with Dylan’s raspy voice in our ears — lyrics without music packed with knowledge, instinct and presumption. Dylan commands what to feel when listening to songs like “Take Me From This Garden of Evil” by Jimmy Wages (recorded by Sun Records, 1956— unreleased): “…you’re in limbo, and you’re shouting at anyone who’ll listen, to take you out of this garden of evil. Get you away from the gangsters and psychopaths in this menagerie of wimps and yellow-bellies.” Dylan is Socrates, and we are Play-Doh in Dylan’s hands. He is the philosopher and we submit to his wisdom. He resurrects the forgotten and lauds the legends. He writes sacredly about Roy Orbison’s “Blue Bayou” and respectfully of Ricky Nelson’s “Poor Little Fool.” Dylan explains the difference between a spectacular song and a spectacular record (no spoiler here— just read it to find out). The book’s retroish design is full of Dylanesque juxtapositions of image/word/idea. Kudos to Coco Shinomiya, who designed the book. —Steven Heller, Editor-at-Large
MARNI for UNIQLO
It’s very rare for me to be a hypebeast, but sometimes high-low fashion collaborations are worth the excitement, and I’m pretty in love with the clothes I grabbed from MARNI’s fall/winter collection for UNIQLO. There’s a lot of funky abstract art textures and vibrant colors that run the gamut from wild, carefree Kandinsky-esque vibes to more put-together De Stijl looks. I got a HEATTECH set that will, no doubt, make me the cutest runner in my neighborhood this winter. It dropped about this time last week, so unfortunately some great stuff is already gone by now, but if you’re on the lookout for interesting winter clothes, I definitely recommend checking it out. —Sarah Fonder, Managing Editor
Hobonichi Techo Planner
For the past five years I’ve used a Hobonichi Techo Planner to organize my daily schedule, and to say it’s the backbone of my life is not an overstatement. I enjoy carrying my life around with me in a compact physical form that fits right in my hands. There’s just something cathartic about that concept to me. So too is the process of using pen and paper to keep track of my week and daily happenings. Sure, I also maintain a Google Calendar (I’m not a luddite), but having tangible documentation of my schedule has become a clarifying and therapeutic practice for me that I highly recommend! —Charlotte Beach, Feature Writer + Content Editor
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