PopaHALLics #104 "Good Books & Bad Guys"
Still looking for a good summer read? We got you covered with a warm, spooky coming of age story, a murderous thriller, a memoir about family and addiction, and a collection of hopeful climate change-themed short stories. Or you can watch Bill Hader, Chris Hemsworth, and Emily Blunt kill people. Yes, even that nice Emily Blunt.
Books:
- "The Last Catastrophe: Stories," by Allegra Hyde. This collection of stories speculates about how mankind might grapple with climate change, from a RV caravan crossing the country until the fuel runs out to, well, zombies.
- "The Saturday Night Ghost Club," by Craig Davidson. In this bittersweet coming-of-age novel, a group of misfit kids and an eccentric adult set out to investigate local ghost stories, and discover way more than they bargained for.
- "Stray: A Memoir," by Stephanie Danter. The bestselling author of "Sweetbitter" writes about" growing up in a family shattered by lies and addiction, and (her) attempts to find a life beyond the limits of her past."
- "One by One," by Ruth Ware. In this suspense thriller reminiscent of Agatha Christie's "Ten Little Indians," an avalanche traps a group of tech types in a Swiss chalet—with a killer among them.
Streaming:
- "Barry," HBO Max. A hit man (Barry Hader) wants to become an actor in this acclaimed dark comedy. Henry Winkler and Stephen Root also play memorable characters in the show, which wrapped up this year after four seasons.
- "The English," Prime. In this revisionist Western, a limited series, a Pawnee ex-scout (Chaske Spencer) trying to make his way home teams up with an Englishwoman (Emily Blunt) bent on revenge.
- "Extraction," Netflix. A black market mercenary (Chris Hemsworth, a long way from Thor here) is enlisted to rescue the kidnapped son of an international drug lord in this action thriller. If you like it, there's already "Extraction 2!"
- "High Desert," Apple +. In this erratic comedy/mystery series, a woman (Patricia Arquette) grappling with her mother's death and her ongoing substance abuse talks her way into working for a struggling PI (Brad Garrett).
Let's Dance!
With tunes from Subwoolfer, Fatboy Slim, and more, PopaHALLics #Playlist 104 will make you move. And answer the question of why you should give that wolf a banana.