The Reading List: October 17, 2020
Moira
Sometimes, just sometimes, the moral arc of the universe shows its bend toward justice, like in this story of tenants who evicted their craven landlord.
I don’t care that ACB has seven million children.
I love to run but strength training is the bane of my existence. Unfortunately, you’re supposed to do it for bone density and lean muscle mass and other stupid but important shit that’s especially important for women. Sometimes instead of one workout I do many mini workouts. Here are some to try!
I’m a married woman, but I’d still make out with TImothee on a boat. And i’m pretty sure my husband would say to go for it.
Speaking of craven capitalism, Danielle Bernstein is a monster who steals designs and then sues the people she stole from. She is the Trump of influencers.
Shannon
The particular brand of schadenfreude I felt when so many prominent Republicans tested positive for covid also included anger—they clearly thought because they’re rich and white, that covid wouldn’t affect them.
Bravo to Senator Peters of Michigan for speaking out about how his first wife’s abortion affected him. I wish more men would talk about this because truly—it takes two to tango here, folks.
I don’t think I realized how groundbreaking “All That” was when I watched it as a kid back in the day, but it really was pretty amazing.
Rudy Guiliani’s daughter on voting for Biden.
I recently booked a flight to Atlanta for Christmas, despite intense anxiety about plane travel. Good to know I’m not alone in that.
Why arguments against abolition inevitably fail, from the amazing Angela Davis.
Elizabeth
I worked with both Dr. Birx and Irum, and unfortunately, some of the behavior described in this incredible bit of reporting doesn’t shock me at all. I met both of these women at the CDC, and I can’t understand how they so undermined America’s preeminent public health institution.
Earlier in shelter-in-place, I read an article that if you’re a generally anxious person, you only be comfortable watching things you’ve already seen, and in my experience, this holds. One of the shows that I’ve had on repeat is “The West Wing,” and while I don’t think Joe B is actually a Jed B in disguise, I appreciated Alyssa Mastromonaco’s take on the overlap between the reunion special this week and Joe’s Thursday evening town hall.
I have long said that “cheesy sports movie” is my favorite genre of film — I’ve probably even mentioned that in a past Reading List! — and so I adored this oral history of one of my childhood go-tos: “Little Big League.”
I’m a numbers nerd, so I loved this look at early voting returns broken down by every imaginable category.
The Black women behind the Biden/Harris campaign. (and for a fun diversion, a look inside the campaign’s merch machine.)
I truly believe that Jeff Bezos has trasnformed from internet genius into a monopolizing megalomaniac (I know I’m not the only one — there’s a reason we all try to shop at Bookshop!), and no one knows it more than his ex-wife Mackenzie Scott. She received $60B in the divorce (the mind, it boggles), and she’s quietly rewriting the philanthropy game. I’d wholeheartedly recommend this profile if you’re interested in her life now.
To end on something a little more timeless: The Washington Post rounded up the ten best works of journalism of the past ten years. BRB, changing my afternoon plans.
