Focus!
Here are 10 things I thought were worth sharing this week:
I had a long chat with Jaime Rodríguez de Santiago about creativity, parenting and Don Quixote and a short but sweet interview with Jane Ratcliff on being (not) too weird to be popular. (It’s ironic that those interviews posted this week because Tuesday’s newsletter was all about the “Compare and despair!” that can result from reading too many interviews with artists and writers.)
Music memoirs are my recovery reads after getting burned by bummer books. I’m loving the audiobook of Into The Void, a memoir by Black Sabbath bassist and lyricist Geezer Butler.
“The most important person in the learning process is the learner.” John Holt on the teacher as gardener.
“My biggest fear is the same as my biggest hope: That I am seen.” A four-hour phone call with Erykah Badu.
If you’re looking for some spooky season popcorn fare, Meg and I really enjoyed Kenneth Branagh’s latest Hercule Poirot movie, A Haunting in Venice, based on Agatha Christie’s Hallowe’en Party. (Christie’s autobiography is Meg’s favorite book.)
Ear candy: I’m loving this Pharaoh Sanders reissue.
Stand-up comedy: Jim Gaffigan’s Dark Pale made us laugh and laugh. (I’d somehow never seen one of his specials? “Hot Pockets!”)
Podcast: I really enjoyed this long interview with Trent Reznor, on his early days, Nine Inch Nails, his soundtrack work, and becoming a father. Notice how many deep breaths he takes. Feels like he really opened up.
RIP cartoonist Joe Matt. (Somewhat related reading: James Hollis on the inner state of the average man.)
This week’s assignment is courtesy of artist Tom Sachs: “Always be knolling.”
Thanks for reading! This is a hand-rolled, algorithm-free, completely reader-supported publication. If you’d like to support my work, buy my books, hire me to speak, or become a paid subscriber:
xoxo,
Austin
Thanks for the Pharoah Sanders recommendation! Loving that!
I love Jim Gaffigan! “After hours” and Hot Pockets are forever changed.