The Loneliest Race offers a glimpse into the revived Golden Globe Race— the solo, sailboat race around the world. This film captures the sport and competition of the gruelling 9-month journey the sailors undertake.
This is worth 45 minutes of your time.
by Leslie Jamison
A thoughtful read on addiction, alcoholism, recovery, relationships, and literature. The author weaves their personal recovery story—messy relationships and all—into a broader exploration of how drinking and addiction have been portrayed in literature across time. By drawing from a range of works, from classics and masterpieces to popular fiction and non-fiction, Jamison crafts a compelling look at addiction and the many ways recovery can take shape.
I’ve rated it four starts on my five-point scale— meaning, it is worth a recommendation to others but I’m unlikely to re-read it again. I will say that the content doesn’t feel entirely unique in its approach, and I suspect similar insights could be found elsewhere.
I’m glad I picked it up and stuck with it. As someone who hasn’t read many literary masterpieces or even much of the pop-culture canon, I appreciated the exposure to titles I might explore in the future given the personal connection I feel to the topic.
Twitter has always been annoying for a bunch of reasons for a very long time, and now with the furcation between Twitter, Threads, Bluesky, and Mastodon, it feels dumber than ever out there. Discord feels like trying to whittle a beautiful piece of wood with a chainsaw. I’d rather bleach my brain than have Slack open.
By Mark Anderson
History. Sports. Civics. Politics. Weather. Terrorism.
Boom Town has it all.
At first glance, this strange mix of topics shouldn’t work together, but somehow, it does. Sam Anderson crafts a fast-paced and engaging narrative of Oklahoma City, weaving together seemingly unrelated threads of the city's history and development into a cohesive and compelling story.
From its attempt to become the test city for daily supersonic jet flights, to the destruction of its urban core in the name of urban renewal, and its collective response to the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing 1, I was surprised by just how deep and rich OKC’s history is— especially considering the city itself was essentially built from nothing. What caught me off guard, not knowing much about the book or its author beforehand, was the emphasis on the founding, development, and cultural integration of the Oklahoma City Thunder NBA team. Anderson uses the Thunder’s story as a recurring thread, tying together the various aspects of the book. Normally, I don’t gravitate toward sports writing, but this worked for me.
This was a highly enjoyable read. In many ways, it reminded me of Smoketown (2018) by Mark Whitaker, which explores Pittsburgh’s history with a particular focus on Black culture.
The concept of place has always intrigued me, and I’m drawn to fresh perspectives on it. While I don’t actively seek out books that dive deep into the history of places I’ve never visited, I often feel compelled to pick them up when I come across them. I’m glad I picked up Boom Town.
For most of the book, perhaps 80% of it, the 1995 bombing isn’t mentioned at all. Given how much the narrative jumps between past and present, I started to wonder if Anderson had deliberately left it out, perhaps to avoid casting a shadow over the city's story. How wrong I was. Just as I had that thought, the book shifts gears for a series of chapters that explore the bombing and its lasting impact. Rather than something to be hidden, the event is central to OKC’s identity, serving as a catalyst for civic pride and community resilience.
You shouldn't finish every book you start. Abandoning a book is not an admission of failure—it's a sign of wisdom. You've decided to let go of sunk costs. The purpose of reading is to be entertained and informed. If a book doesn't bring joy or insight, it's time to move on.