Books:
Selected Poems by Langston Hughes
Of course, Hughes is a master of American verse, so it is worth reading for that alone. If you are used to "Instagram poems" I think Hughes is a good place to start if you want more hefty poetry to sink your teeth into, as his poems are relatable and deceptively simplistic. Here is an example of one:
"Advice"
Folks, I'm telling you,
birthing is hard
and dying is mean-
so get yourself
a little loving
in between
Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert
This follow up really drives home many of the points from the first Dune that were easy to miss (like the fact that Paul being a messiah type character is not a good thing!). While the first book feels like a colonialism story, this one stresses the post-colonial nature of the overall work. I found all of that very interesting, though this book is a bit more dry than the first one.
I'm Glad my Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
This is a really powerful memoir, one that I think will continue to be read for years to come. I listened to the audiobook, which I think is the way to go as McCurdy has such a great grasp of the format. It felt raw and authentic.
Movies/shows:
Poor Things
I wrote about this movie already (which you can see here), but I just had to add it to my round up. While I liked Barbie, the feminism in Poor Things is so much better developed that it is, imo, a way better feminist movie for the 2023-2024 season.
Quiet on Set
I think the topic this documentary covers is very needed but the documentary itself (the episodes they have released so far anyway) is honestly hit or miss. It is super interesting and shines a light on the subject and has gotten people talking. They have the very difficult to hear conversation with Drake Bell about his past. However, there are a lot of threads that they drop and never pick back up (such as what happened to Amanda Bynes, how Bell was accused of inappropriate sexual messages with a minor, etc.)
Ponyo
This is such a sweet movie. I am always struck by how the adults believe the children characters in this movie (rather than automatically assuming they are just imagining things, like you often see in American children's entertainment. What exactly are we teaching our children by doing that?).
Paintings/etc.:
Stress (Desplazados) by Yoan Capote
I'll link to the artist's statement here so you can read more about the work. I love it when artists focus on everyday experiences to make a statement.
Self-esteem by Jean-Paul Nsimba Mika (2015)
I really liked something about the bright colors of this piece. Apparently the background is actually made out of fabric (which is so cool!).
The Lunatic of Etretat by Hugues Merle (1871)
What a haunting painting. When I first saw it I couldn't get the woman's face out of my mind! I looked it up and there are multiple ways to look at the painting (either as a grieving woman, a mentally unwell woman, or as a representation of France), but regardless, the impact of the painting is felt.