Five of My Favorite Things

These are five of my favorite things, which have helped make me the cheery misanthrope I am today. This list can also double as a half-assed gift guide for your least favorite friends and family members.

1. Hardcore History: Start with a legendary, world-shaping event, add an engrossing storyteller, and sprinkle in a generous dose of the macabre, and you’ve got one of the best history podcasts of all-time. Host has been going strong for almost twenty years and, like a fine wine, keeps getting better with age. The first episode of his ongoing series covering the rise of Alexander the Great is a banger, and his past work on Genghis Khan, World War I, the Achaemenid-Persian Empire, and the rise of Imperial Japan has permanently penetrated my blood-brain barrier. New podcast episodes are free to download, but you can and should purchase his entire back catalog HERE.
2. The Economist’s Christmas Double Issue: A decade ago, before The Economist’s noticeable rightward drift and its editorial decision to adjudicate every facet of the culture war, I was a huge evangelist for the paper and encouraged everyone to check it out. These days, the regional reporting remains top-notch, but the op-eds are cynical and craven and the organization’s overarching worldview feels much like the British Empire itself: obsolete. Alas, the annual Christmas Double Issue is still a treat, featuring long-form investigations on the weird and wonderful from across the globe and — with apologies to The New Yorker — the best writing anywhere. While I no longer recommend an annual subscription to The Economist, the print version of the Christmas Double Issue should hit magazine racks next week and is always worth a look.
3. If Books Could Kill: You know those horseshit books you see in the airport and at Target, which are written by opportunists and frauds, and are based on pseudoscience, cherry-picked anecdotes, and feelings masquerading as facts? Hint: Gladwell. The hosts of this podcast, Michael Hobbes and Peter Shamshiri, read those dreadful books for us, dig up proper sources and actual facts, and viciously and violently eviscerate them for the good of humanity. This podcast is educational, cathartic, and goddamned hilarious. Highest possible recommendation. Learn more and sign up HERE.
4. FT Edit: The plebe version of The Financial Times includes eight curated stories each weekday. It’s my new favorite source for information and at just $4.99 per month by far the best deal in news. The typical daily round-up includes an eclectic mix of geopolitics, financial markets analysis, and cultural insights and, whether you agree with their center-left editorial takes or not, you can at least rest assured these are serious people attempting serious journalism. I certainly can’t say the same for any U.S.-based newspaper, and don’t get me started on the “independent journalists” operating on this platform. Check out FT Edit and subscribe HERE.
5. Audible: Yes, yes, I know Amazon is the epitome of all evil and we should never support them, but Audible existed long before its subjugation by the House of Bezos and still delivers an excellent user experience. At $14.95 per month, the value prop has always been suspect. But with Spotify bludgeoning into the audiobook space, Amazon has introduced new pricing tiers, bundled Audible with other services (e.g., Amazon Music), and frequently offers incredible deals for new or returning members. For example, right now you can snag three audiobooks for $2.97. After a multi-year hiatus, I re-subscribed in October and have immensely enjoyed listening to Martyr!, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and Lucky Jim. Karla’s Choice, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, Empire of the Sun, The Alchemist, and The Hobbit await.