Hi Trent - thanks for sharing your list - always a pleasure.
Here are my recs from this year:
** Books **
* Exit Stage Left: The Curious Afterlife of Pop Stars - Nick Duerden *
Assorted interviews with 1 hit wonders, and other pop stars whose star faded. Muses on happiness, fulfillment, etc...
(I have a copy I can lend)
*Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow - Gabrielle Zevin *
A love letter to video games. Nice modern voicing. I wind up thinking about some part of this book every month or so...
* Bella: My Life in Food - Annabel Langbein *
A tale going back to the 80s, and talking though her role in culinary evolution since...
*The Watchers - AM Shine *
I don't read much/any horror - so this was a nice slow burn via audiobook with a great Irish narrator. Maybe the book's a little better than the movie?
** Podcasts **
* Off Menu *
Two UK comedians interview guests about their dream menu. I can listen to this somewhat endlessly...
Recommended episodes:
- Ottolenghi
- Victoria Coren-Mitchell
- Sue Perkins
- Joe Dommett
- Lou Sanders
* Are We Pals *
2x Wlg comics riff on friendship.
** Movies
* U Are The Universe (From TerrorFi Film Fest) *
A lovely alone-in-the-universe, end of the world sci fi movie.
* Late Night With The Devil *
A great, authentic feeling take on a 70s talk show. The 2nd act is amazing fun.
* Squaring the Circle *
Doco on all that good 70s rock album art
** TV Shows
* Hacks *
I found the story arc pulled me in for the 3 seasons, and it's a slightly cathartic take on boomer vs. millennial tension.
Old, but gold:
* Fleabag *
One of my favourite TV series.
* Portlandia *
The more you watch, the more you think about the skits when they *keep happening* in real life...
And I see #15 is about the FIRE movement, which is a movement I’m not quite sure about - as it feels unsustainable for society, and retiring early is certainly nuanced - maybe I’ll read it too.
I read ‘Confessions of an ad man’ by Ogilvy over the break - which was an easy read. But I did find it funny that he suggests you go on holiday - but leave your kids with someone else so that you can rest, and read, and write - which felt very 1960s madman (as if I’d on holiday without my kids!!) He does suggest you read a book a day though - so I feel like he would like this list 😉
Excellent, more recommendations! I'm a fan of Grit and did the audiobook version last year to try and squeeze more out of it by "reading" it in a different format.
I'm also not sure about the FIRE movement. I've lurked on a few subreddits and they don't seem like my tribe. I'm going to keep at it though, because there are a lot of interesting stories being shared that have a lot of overlap with what I'm going through.
Best sci-fi books I've read recently were the Peter Watts duology of Blindsight and Echopraxis. Challenging and mind-bending, which is why I still read sci-fi.
Nice one. Here are a few recs that you might enjoy if you haven't read/watched/listend to them already.
Fantasy
Malazan Book of the Fallen - complex fantasy. The start is difficult to get into, but it all connects perfectly.
https://www.goodreads.com/series/49674-malazan
Scifi
The Murder Bot Diaries - https://www.goodreads.com/series/191900-the-murderbot-diaries
The Culture series by Ian M Banks - https://www.goodreads.com/series/49118-culture
Other books
The Origin of a Story - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34466512-origins-of-a-story
Courage to be Disliked - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43306206-the-courage-to-be-disliked
Pegasus: Spy in your pocket - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59808055-pegasus
The Top Five Regrets of the Dying - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13059271-the-top-five-regrets-of-the-dying
Podcasts
Founders - https://open.spotify.com/show/7txiovdzPARhjm18NwMUYj
Sharptech - the best tech podcast that's also fun to listen to ($) - https://sharptech.fm/member
TV Series
Slow Horses - MI5 washouts who still want to be spies. Jackson Lamb is the best character. Also a fantastic book series.
Awesome, have added a bunch of these to my 2025 list. Thanks Suhel.
I did get into Murderbot but have it up after the fourth novella - I found the bot pretty one dimensional 😆
hah, I read them a few years ago but I do recall the first few were better, for sure.
Hi Trent - thanks for sharing your list - always a pleasure.
Here are my recs from this year:
** Books **
* Exit Stage Left: The Curious Afterlife of Pop Stars - Nick Duerden *
Assorted interviews with 1 hit wonders, and other pop stars whose star faded. Muses on happiness, fulfillment, etc...
(I have a copy I can lend)
*Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow - Gabrielle Zevin *
A love letter to video games. Nice modern voicing. I wind up thinking about some part of this book every month or so...
* Bella: My Life in Food - Annabel Langbein *
A tale going back to the 80s, and talking though her role in culinary evolution since...
*The Watchers - AM Shine *
I don't read much/any horror - so this was a nice slow burn via audiobook with a great Irish narrator. Maybe the book's a little better than the movie?
** Podcasts **
* Off Menu *
Two UK comedians interview guests about their dream menu. I can listen to this somewhat endlessly...
Recommended episodes:
- Ottolenghi
- Victoria Coren-Mitchell
- Sue Perkins
- Joe Dommett
- Lou Sanders
* Are We Pals *
2x Wlg comics riff on friendship.
** Movies
* U Are The Universe (From TerrorFi Film Fest) *
A lovely alone-in-the-universe, end of the world sci fi movie.
* Late Night With The Devil *
A great, authentic feeling take on a 70s talk show. The 2nd act is amazing fun.
* Squaring the Circle *
Doco on all that good 70s rock album art
** TV Shows
* Hacks *
I found the story arc pulled me in for the 3 seasons, and it's a slightly cathartic take on boomer vs. millennial tension.
Old, but gold:
* Fleabag *
One of my favourite TV series.
* Portlandia *
The more you watch, the more you think about the skits when they *keep happening* in real life...
* X Files & Outer Limits *
Re-watching these 90s classics
That’s an impressive list Trent.
I own Grit, if you want to borrow it?
And I see #15 is about the FIRE movement, which is a movement I’m not quite sure about - as it feels unsustainable for society, and retiring early is certainly nuanced - maybe I’ll read it too.
I read ‘Confessions of an ad man’ by Ogilvy over the break - which was an easy read. But I did find it funny that he suggests you go on holiday - but leave your kids with someone else so that you can rest, and read, and write - which felt very 1960s madman (as if I’d on holiday without my kids!!) He does suggest you read a book a day though - so I feel like he would like this list 😉
Excellent, more recommendations! I'm a fan of Grit and did the audiobook version last year to try and squeeze more out of it by "reading" it in a different format.
I'm also not sure about the FIRE movement. I've lurked on a few subreddits and they don't seem like my tribe. I'm going to keep at it though, because there are a lot of interesting stories being shared that have a lot of overlap with what I'm going through.
Based on what you've put here:
Worm - A long web serial about super heroes(especially if you like things like dungeon crawler carl) - https://parahumans.wordpress.com/
The wandering Inn is even longer and some volumes are amazing while others drag a bit. https://wanderinginn.com/
I'd second all the murder bot recommendations.
Board Games:
Based on your favourites I'd suggest terraforming mars.
I'm having a great time with Clank Legacy at the moment.
Film:
Godzilla Minus One
I love me some Terrafoeming Mars. Thanks for the other tips!
Love the Bourne movies - all 5 of them. And Dune.
Best sci-fi books I've read recently were the Peter Watts duology of Blindsight and Echopraxis. Challenging and mind-bending, which is why I still read sci-fi.
Sweet, I hadn't heard of the Peter Watts books, I've added them to my list 👍