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What to watch, read, listen to, and more.

Culture
Prestige book season has arrived. Here are 11 titles not to miss.Prestige book season has arrived. Here are 11 titles not to miss.
Culture

11 books to read this fall, from a history of music to a novel of millennial precarity.

By Constance Grady
One Good Thing
One Good Thing: The 1970s children’s book that envisions an America overrun by trashOne Good Thing: The 1970s children’s book that envisions an America overrun by trash
One Good Thing

I can’t stop thinking about this silly book about overconsumption and lost history.

By Dina Gachman
One Good Thing
One Good Thing: A documentary about Philly cops’ worst enemy becoming their DAOne Good Thing: A documentary about Philly cops’ worst enemy becoming their DA
One Good Thing

What happens when your prosecutor’s goal is keeping people out of prison?

By Dylan Matthews
Culture
November’s movie calendar is packed. Here are 14 must-sees.November’s movie calendar is packed. Here are 14 must-sees.
Culture

This month has everything: Eternals, murder, tennis, and Princess Di.

By Alissa Wilkinson
One Good Thing
One Good Thing: Kacey Musgraves’s latest album is her messiest — and maybe her bestOne Good Thing: Kacey Musgraves’s latest album is her messiest — and maybe her best
One Good Thing

This album embraces life’s contradictions, even when it’s difficult to do so.

By Emily St. James
Culture
One of this year’s best movies is about its own makingOne of this year’s best movies is about its own making
Culture

The Souvenir: Part II continues its director’s memoir project.

By Alissa Wilkinson
One Good Thing
One Good Thing: Knifepoint Horror, a collection of campfire ghost stories in podcast formOne Good Thing: Knifepoint Horror, a collection of campfire ghost stories in podcast form
Podcast
One Good Thing

A spooky anthology series to listen to over Halloween weekend and on many fall nights to come.

By Aja Romano
One Good Thing
One Good Thing: A book that treats The Real Housewives as an academic textOne Good Thing: A book that treats The Real Housewives as an academic text
One Good Thing

Why be so nasty and so rude when you could read this book about The Real Housewives?

By Gabby Birenbaum
Culture
19 must-see movies from the fall film festivals19 must-see movies from the fall film festivals
Culture

Don’t miss these under-the-radar gems.

By Alissa Wilkinson
One Good Thing
One Good Thing: A YouTube decluttering channel that made my sister and me quit screamingOne Good Thing: A YouTube decluttering channel that made my sister and me quit screaming
One Good Thing

Kay Patterson, the mind behind The Organized Soprano, is a decluttering genius.

By Athena Frost
Culture
Where is the line between life and art?Where is the line between life and art?
Culture

Bergman Island is a delightful anagram of a movie, and one of the best films of the year.

By Alissa Wilkinson
One Good Thing
One Good Thing: Only Murders in the Building plays like a Nora Ephron murder mysteryOne Good Thing: Only Murders in the Building plays like a Nora Ephron murder mystery
One Good Thing

The Hulu TV series stars Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez, and so much fantastic outerwear.

By Constance Grady
One Good Thing
One Good Thing: A campy, colorful martial arts epic to stream after Shang-ChiOne Good Thing: A campy, colorful martial arts epic to stream after Shang-Chi
One Good Thing

Hero, available on HBO Max, is an action-packed film that balances drama with emotion.

By Terry Nguyen
Culture
October’s must-see movies, from delayed blockbusters to arthouse gemsOctober’s must-see movies, from delayed blockbusters to arthouse gems
Culture

From Dune to duels, Wes Anderson to James Bond, October is a huge movie month.

By Alissa Wilkinson
One Good Thing
One Good Thing: A time loop video game that works like a Rube Goldberg machineOne Good Thing: A time loop video game that works like a Rube Goldberg machine
One Good Thing

The Forgotten City, which began life as a Skyrim mod, gives you plenty of room to mess up and do better next time.

By Alanna Okun
One Good Thing
One Good Thing: Reservation Dogs is groundbreaking. It’s also incredibly funny.One Good Thing: Reservation Dogs is groundbreaking. It’s also incredibly funny.
One Good Thing

FX’s series, now available on Hulu, is the rare TV comedy that knows what it is from its first scene.

By Emily St. James
One Good Thing
One Good Thing: I didn’t watch any sports. Then I watched Netflix’s Drive to Survive.One Good Thing: I didn’t watch any sports. Then I watched Netflix’s Drive to Survive.
One Good Thing

Imagine the Real Housewives, if the housewives were driving at 300 kilometers an hour.

By Byrd Pinkerton
Culture
One Good Thing: Lucy Dacus’s latest album is a different kind of ghost storyOne Good Thing: Lucy Dacus’s latest album is a different kind of ghost story
Culture

Home Video captures the tender beauty of queer teens.

By Emily St. James
Culture
Ask a Book Critic: Autumnal books to get you ready for fallAsk a Book Critic: Autumnal books to get you ready for fall
Culture

Vox’s book critic recommends campus novels to set the mood for virtual learning, and more.

By Constance Grady
Culture
Kick off the fall movie season with September’s 7 buzziest filmsKick off the fall movie season with September’s 7 buzziest films
Culture

From ballet to poker, televangelists to Tony winners, here are the movies worth streaming or seeing on the big screen.

By Alissa Wilkinson
Culture
One Good Thing: This Chinese dance show is the only thing I care aboutOne Good Thing: This Chinese dance show is the only thing I care about
Culture

Street Dance of China makes a compelling argument that what the world needs now is a giant global dance-off.

By Aja Romano
One Good Thing
One Good Thing: An unsung drama of the 2010s you should stream right nowOne Good Thing: An unsung drama of the 2010s you should stream right now
One Good Thing

The hacker drama Mr. Robot was so much more than Rami Malek’s incredible star performance.

By Emily St. James
One Good Thing
One Good Thing: A rom-com that celebrates the joy of easy watchingOne Good Thing: A rom-com that celebrates the joy of easy watching
One Good Thing

Netflix’s Someone Great is a forgotten film that just works, all tropes aside.

By Beatrice Forman
One Good Thing
One Good Thing: A family drama that takes the deaf audience seriouslyOne Good Thing: A family drama that takes the deaf audience seriously
One Good Thing

CODA is a big-hearted crowdpleaser about a teen, her dreams, and her family.

By Alissa Wilkinson
Culture
Ask a Book Critic: Help me love reading againAsk a Book Critic: Help me love reading again
Culture

Our book critic recommends books to get out of a reading rut and more.

By Constance Grady
Culture
The power and peril of documentaries in a skeptical cultureThe power and peril of documentaries in a skeptical culture
Culture

The new documentary The Viewing Booth asks if images are losing their power.

By Alissa Wilkinson
Culture
August’s most exciting moviesAugust’s most exciting movies
Culture

From The Suicide Squad and Candyman to Cryptozoo and CODA.

By Alissa Wilkinson
One Good Thing
One Good Thing: Clear eyes, full hearts, please watch Friday Night Lights on NetflixOne Good Thing: Clear eyes, full hearts, please watch Friday Night Lights on Netflix
One Good Thing

The drama about a high school football team might be the best teen show of all time.

By Emily St. James
One Good Thing
One Good Thing: A true crime book about the problems with true crime booksOne Good Thing: A true crime book about the problems with true crime books
One Good Thing

We Keep the Dead Close explores a murder at Harvard and the stories we tell about crime.

By Emily St. James
Culture
Ask a book critic: What’s a good summer read with a Wonder Years feel?Ask a book critic: What’s a good summer read with a Wonder Years feel?
Culture

Our book critic recommends good summer reading and more.

By Constance Grady
Culture
The 25 best movies of 2021 (so far)The 25 best movies of 2021 (so far)
Culture

The year is half over. Here’s how to catch up.

By Alissa Wilkinson
Culture
Movies like Summer of Soul can reclaim America’s important buried historyMovies like Summer of Soul can reclaim America’s important buried history
Culture

Lost history comes to vibrant life in Questlove’s new documentary, and it’s a total blast to watch.

By Alissa Wilkinson
Culture
Here’s your July movie checklistHere’s your July movie checklist
Culture

A dozen movies to get excited about this month.

By Alissa Wilkinson
One Good Thing
One Good Thing: A podcast that proves all heists are a little bit gayOne Good Thing: A podcast that proves all heists are a little bit gay
One Good Thing

Hot White Heist tells a story of found family wrapped around a raunchy caper.

By Alex Abad-Santos
One Good Thing
One Good Thing: These dark detective novels are really about ethics and hopeOne Good Thing: These dark detective novels are really about ethics and hope
One Good Thing

Can fiction about police be healing in 2021? Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache books make a very good case.

By Aja Romano
Culture
One Good Thing: A very funny show about girlboss feminismOne Good Thing: A very funny show about girlboss feminism
Culture

AppleTV+’s Mythic Quest is one of TV’s sneakiest comedies, funny and tragic all at once.

By Emily St. James
Culture
The long-awaited In the Heights movie is electrifying and perfectly timedThe long-awaited In the Heights movie is electrifying and perfectly timed
Culture

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway hit is now poised to be the movie of the summer.

By Alissa Wilkinson
One Good Thing
One Good Thing: HBO Max’s Hacks features the amazing Jean Smart as an aging comedy legendOne Good Thing: HBO Max’s Hacks features the amazing Jean Smart as an aging comedy legend
One Good Thing

That’s probably all you need to know to watch this new series.

By Emily St. James
One Good Thing
One Good Thing: The gorgeous horror movie St. Maud finds religious ecstasy in self-destructionOne Good Thing: The gorgeous horror movie St. Maud finds religious ecstasy in self-destruction
One Good Thing

A surprisingly apt post-pandemic horror film, St. Maud reminds us that hell is other people.

By Aja Romano
One Good Thing
One Good Thing: A Zoom experience that will still be fun post-pandemicOne Good Thing: A Zoom experience that will still be fun post-pandemic
One Good Thing

A mysterious, immersive theater show provides a fresh way to connect with far-flung friends.

By Alissa Wilkinson