Hello friends,
It’s been a fairly low-key week with the cold front moving through Colorado. Yesterday, as I took my morning walk, tears immediately froze as they slid down my eye-lids. Bitter cold, but beautiful. CU has become a favorite walking place, with students strolling about and knowledge filling the air. If only I could go back to school full-time, just for fun, as a vocation. Wouldn’t that be nice?
On to The Sunday Finds.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning there’s no additional cost to you, but I will receive a commission if you click through and make a purchase. I only post affiliate links to books that I, myself have read, like, and genuinely recommend.
Reads
We The Animals, by Justin Torres (Book review)
A short but profound story on brotherhood, boyhood, hardship, finding one’s place in the world, abuse, poverty, love, and being human. It follows three brothers as they come of age. It’s sometimes hard to read, yet hard to put down. A beautifully written piece of fiction. I don’t know if I’ve ever read a book like this. Justin’s prose is electric, real, and honest. I highly recommend this first-time author.
How Monopoly Became America’s Cruellest Board Game, by Simon Parkin
We’ve all played Monopoly. But did you know that it began as a critique of landlords and that the version we know and love (or hate) was actually stolen from it’s original creator? “What you don’t really realize is that you’re performing this ritualistic introduction to raw, unbridled American-style capitalism. You’re saying, ‘This is how society works. This is how you have fun, and crush other people.’”
10 Ways to Avoid Being Fooled, The Prism
Heuristics are mental shortcuts that allow people to solve problems and make quick judgements. Gurwinder (the author), shares 10 heuristics that he uses to avoid being fooled. I particularly like the first one, Epistemic Humility, that states “Instead of trying to be right, try to be less wrong” (popularized by Charlie Munger).
11 Lessons I Learned While Visiting India & Nepal, by Yung Pueblo
A current favorite author of mine, his two books Clarity and Connection and Lighter are both honest journeys into living a more joyful life. After a 45 day meditation course, he and his wife felt called to travel to India and meditate under the Bodhi Tree, where the Buddha reached Enlightenment. Here he shares his learnings from that trip. His Instagram is also a great place to follow him for daily motivation and insight.
Movies/TV
I loved this series. For those familiar with Yellowstone, this is a prequel to that, which follows the Duttons on their journey across the Oregon Trail. In the face of bandits, Native Americans, thieves, nature, and each other, their quest out West is packed with danger and hardship. But it’s also filled with love, companionship, and strong family bonds. I shed some tears by the end and couldn’t help ruminate on it for days afterward. 10/10.
Anther Yellowstone prequel! Tayler Sheridan (the creator) is turning out Western after Western, all of which are great. This one takes place after the Duttons reach Montana (they never made it to Oregon, for reasons you’ll find out in 1883). You don’t want it to end, and you can’t help but love the characters (Harrison Ford is in it), setting, and dialogue. Very well made. 10/10
Listens
Durante has become a new favorite. Subtle, chill, melodic house. Here are two favorites:
Math of Magic, This American Life (Podcast) - Is finding love a numbers game or is it possible to simply know if someone is ‘the one’ at first sight? This is a particularly good episode (although they’re all excellent).
Nick Offerman — Working With Wood, and the Meaning of Life, On Being (Podcast) - Considered a man’s man. He’s an actor, wood worker, and now published author. A fun conversation on what makes him tick, his favorite author (Wendell Barry, who I need to look into), and consumerism.
Raven Smith, columnist and memoirist, In Writing (Podcast) - Considered the funniest man on Instagram (by whom is unknown, but he is funny!). He talks about his time working as Vogue columnist, his two books, and finding his writing style.
Until next week!
Really enjoyed Yung Pueblo’s piece! Love seeing young, talented authors leading the way on the subject of mental and emotional liberation from suffering!