Long Wknd Books, TV, Music
Hey friends,
It’s a long weekend for many of you, and I hope that you’re finding time to rest, recover, and rejuvenate in whatever ways you need! If you’re feeling the winter blues or experiencing a love day hangover, tune into our latest podcast Quiet Company for a quick, calm session to help you restore some energy.
Welcome to Hard Copy, the free comfort newsy for cozy weekends! Here, we unwind with curated book recommendations, original columns, playlists and music worth listening to, and the best in film and television. If podcasts are more your jam, you can listen to our podcast, Your Weekly Breakdown. It's silly and smart, and you're invited!
A short and sweet for you today as I battle with household illnesses and the general flurry of life. Fear not! As always, I have a tightly edited set of recos for you brilliant, busy women to enjoy below. I should tell you though, that the book recommendations this week are BY FAR the best trio of books I have had the pleasure of recommending to you in a newsy, so scroll on for those!
Also, a bit of hope: 33 days until Spring.
Be well,
Your Recommendations
📺 Watch
While I was hesitant to get started on The Recruit, I finally caved and now must suggest you watch it too! It’s really fun, well-written, and brought to life by the director of The Bourne Identity. Warning: you’ll be hooked, and beware because season 2 is out now, too. (Netflix)
Everything that’s wrong with the wellness industry: Apple Cider Vinegar takes a blistering (fictionalized!) look at the true story about an influencer faking cancer and scamming her audience. Highly entertaining and still has me thinking about how we are easily fooled into using ‘wellness influencer’ and ‘expert’ synonymously. (Netflix)
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is here! It’s big on fan service, Renée is lovely as always, and I’m forever seated for Leo Woodall, who got his break in The White Lotus. (In theatres)
On that note: The White Lotus Season 3 kicks off tomorrow night on HBO!
🎧 Listen
Alert!! New Wilco album!! And it does not disappoint. In fact, it's better than I could have ever imagined or hoped for, taking us on a sprawling adventure of glorious rock and roll. Predicting this will be one of the top 5 albums for all of 2025.
Sharon Van Etten's latest is the latest proof that the multi-hyphenate can do whatever the hell she wants, and her sheer talent and creative force will make it very special.
For those wrapped up in the lovey-dovey vibes, enjoy our latest playlist Hard Copy in Love. It's soothing, sensual, and unconventional as ever. Toggle through to our profile to explore all of our playlists made just for you!
📚 Read
Elizabeth Ellen's latest fiction release, American Thighs, follows a former child star whose Hollywood dream dissipated when she was impregnated by a veteran actor. Fifteen years after his death, she abandons her family and pretends to be a sixteen-year-old in a frantic attempt to regain the youth she lost.
Victorian Psycho follows a governess at a gloomy estate who finds herself tempted to murder her young charges. A24 has already bought the film rights and attached Margaret Qualley and Thomasin McKenzie to the project, so you should get a head start before it hits theatres.
A new release by Josephine Baker, the famed dancer-turned-WWII spy? You read that correctly: Baker's memoir, Fearless and Free, initially composed in French in 1949, is being published in English for the first time, courtesy of translators Anam Zafar and Sophie R. Lewis. Baker shares revelations about navigating stardom in the Roaring 20s, carrying out secret missions despite her celebrity, and eventually becoming a Civil Rights activist in the States.
Key Takeaways from our friends on the interwebs
Tech + Work
In 2020, Thomson Reuters filed an unprecedented AI copyright lawsuit against the legal AI startup Ross Intelligence. Last week, a judge ruled in Thomson Reuters’ favour, finding that the company’s copyright was indeed infringed by Ross Intelligence’s actions.The big takeaway here is that Reuters won this case against the AI company on grounds they violated fair use—the judge found the AI company was guilty because, in using copyrighted works to generate its output, it “meant to compete... by developing a market substitute.” (Wired)
In not shocking news, using AI tools like ChatGPT can reduce our critical thinking skills. Oddly, the research findings come from Microsoft, who are a sizable backer of OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT. (Microsoft)
How about we not normalize grind culture? While I’m sure head honchos, investors, and efficiency horn dogs will adore the headline that DOGE workers are hitting 120 hour weeks, the reality is that most of us aren’t 20 years old and on some concoction of uppers. You can love your work, love to work, and also not do it to the point that it kills you. (BI)
Women
Not new news but a great reminder for those who may be lagging on fitness goals, or lacking the motivation they need to keep going hard at the gym: physically fit women, even if they begin mid-life onward, are ~90% less likely to develop dementia. Shania Twain voice: Let’s go girls! (American Academy of Neurology)
Reality TV personality Georgia Harrison is fronting a two-part series where she investigates the issue of deepfakes and image-based sexual abuse. She says she continues to struggle with how the sexually explicit video of her that her former partner released remains available online. I will for sure be watching this! (BBC)
In an effort to comply with executive orders regarding DEI, NASA has been ordered to remove anything about ‘women in leadership’ from its websites. (404Media)
Culture
Warner Bros. is streaming full movies for free on YouTube. It’s a strange assortment of obscure oddities, cult classics, and outright flops — but hey, it’s free. Titles include Michael Collins, Waiting for Guffman, The Mission, and Deathtrap. (The Verge)
Friday’s “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert” boasted an epic lineup, with memorable solo performances and one-time-only collaborations: Bonnie Raitt and Chris Martin! Arcade Fire, David Byrne, St. Vincent and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band! Post Malone and Nirvana!!!! The concert was only one element of what has become an enormous celebration of the show’s 50 years in existence, leading up to Sunday’s SNL50: The Anniversary Special, live from Studio 8H. (AP)
And!! Chicken Shop Date host and entertainer Amelia Dimoldenberg will be hosting the Red Carpet Livestream for the SNL50: The Anniversary Special. Amelia is taking flight, and I love it because she’s been at it for so, so long and really deserves these career wins. (THR)