Links I’ve Clicked This Week

Thought I’d try something new in this space: a round up of the articles, interviews and reviews I’m reading in any given week. Not sure why a feature like this didn’t occur to me sooner, honestly. Between a long commute to and from work, weekends running errands and the odd distraction during the work day, turns out I read quite a lot.

Will do my best to keep it from being all New York Times profiles and movie industry trade articles – apparently I read an awful lot of those. And I promise only to link through to what I actually read; will spare you the dozens of headlines and first paragraphs I skim, just enough to sound like I know what I’m talking about at cocktail parties.

Because, you know, I go to so many cocktail parties.

Breaking my own rule right off the bat, I read two Times profiles both equally interesting. If you’re not a regular listener of Fresh Air, I’m not sure how we know each other because do we have anything in common at all? This profile on Terry Gross offers more insight into the interviewer’s own life than you’d glean from years of her show, such is her mastery of focusing on the subject seated at the other mic. And this profile of Saoirse Ronan paints a charming picture of a talented actress on the rise, whose latest film Brooklyn will only endear her to ever wider audiences, and deservedly so.

I came across this bit about office politics first thing one morning as I lay in bed scrolling aimlessly through social feeds on my phone as I woke up for the day ahead. It was interesting enough to get me to sit up a bit and read through to the end, and insightful enough that I shared it with an actual coworker later that day (who is neither a prick nor an asshole, for the record).

Though more of a listen than a read, this episode of On Being with guest Adam Grant was, as most episodes of this podcast are, a smart, thoughtful conversation about the ways in which we give of ourselves and take of the world around us, and the importance of finding a balance in each. New to On Being? I recommend it.

Way back when, I told myself I’d get back to learning French, picking up where my 4 semesters of beginners classes in college left off. I’ve done sort of OK with Duolingo, though my efforts are admittedly hit or miss. This quirky list of French idioms is actually pretty dang useful, if I may il faut appeler un chat un chat. (Am I saying that right?)

And because you know I’d be lying if I said I didn’t ready any industry articles in a given week (day), I am fascinated by the roll-out of Steve Jobs, an incredibly well-made film that has entirely missed the mark with broad audiences, grossing a paltry $10 million in its recent expansion. Variety‘s Brent Lang dissects the film’s performance, from Sony’s passing on it way back when to how Universal might salvage what’s left.

What have you been reading lately?