I have been feeling like a grumpy, trapped teenager all week. On the podcast, we talk about how mad we are about everything.

Let's just get on to the links, shall we?

The rage and sadness of missing out. "I have no idea which one of us brought the virus into the house, but all six of us left with it. It kept spreading from there." Carvell Wallace on what happens when white people try to tell stories about slavery. On the erasure of Blackness and the beauty of Alek Wek. The American tradition of mustached Black men on a quest for justice. How LeBron James "expanded our conception of excellence and filled it with something bolder, Blacker, richer, fleshier, far more communally dynamic." On the passing of Ronnie Goodman, whose art channeled experiences of houselessness and incarceration. A reporter called every number in Jeffrey Epstein's little black book. Ken Bone and the legend of the undecided voter. The case for climate reparations. Mainstream feminism's coziness with police and punishment. What makes "a people's history"? How Wikipedia has maintained its decent reputation. Why social media makes you feel so old. Influencers are unionizing. An ode to calling the party line. A profile of chef Sohla El-Waylly. Celebrating Chuseok in a pandemic. Translating "LGBTQ". The ideal pandemic drug. Collectively, we are not doing ok. "What happens if what you once used to make sense of things no longer helps you make sense of things?"

This chart appears courtesy of paying members, who each pay a minimum of just $5/year to support my work. I appreciate every penny.

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55 Voices for Democracy is a series of speeches inspired by the 55 BBC radio addresses Thomas Mann delivered from his home in California to thousands of listeners in Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, and the occupied Netherlands and Czechoslovakia between October 1940 and November 1945. "Am I What You’re Looking For?" portraits by photographer Endia Beal of Black women dressed as they would for a job interview. George McCalman on illustrating Black history.

This is me lately.

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The fall issue of Pop Up magazine, featuring stories to watch and things to do. In the beforetimes, Pop Up was an in-person magazine experience with live music and storytellers. I went on tour with them in 2018, and got to know the many talented and hardworking people behind the scenes.

It's bittersweet to link to this digital issue, because most of the staff was laid off this month. The billionaire funder that underwrote Pop Up (and its sister publication, the California Sunday Magazine) decided to pull out in August. The staff union did not find out until October, and is understandably upset to be belatedly bargaining. This fucking sucks. I really admire these laid-off producers and editors, and I'm excited to read and watch the things they go on to make in the future. I'm going to watch this issue and toast to them.

Aminatou and I are doing two virtual book events in Canada this month:
Tonight! LitFest Alberta
Oct 30: Toronto Public Library

And on a related Canadian note, Big Friendship is on super sale at all Canadian ebook retailers until October 19. I'm talking $2.99 CAD!