Top10 - Summer, 2021
There has been a drastic Top 10 lapse. I’m sadly and regretfully and fully aware of this. Need I remind you though it’s frigging summer. Give me a break. Half of these are from months ago or something. But that’s fine because the sun is out right? You’ve already got your holiday disappointment out of the way, the kids will be finally back in school for a couple of months and out of your hair until the next lockdown. Things are good. Now go read this and then get yourself some ice cream.
- Vaccines are african technology and actually very old – You should be aware that vaccines were originally (West) African medical techniques dating from before the mid-18th century to prevent small pox.
- Giving up.
- The Worble – I have a very active fantasy life. In terms of skateboarding this means I would totally ride for what is easily the most fun, goofy yet painfully sincere skateboard company to ever exist. And they’re from Vermont somehow. Bless them and all they do.
- Airbourne – True rock power from the vaults
- “Slumberland” (Paul Beatty) – So how many Manbooker Prize authors drag you smiling through a beautiful mess of inside references, music history, jazz and hip hop history all while describing in first person the fall of Communism from the point of view of a black dude? This book. Oh you need another reason? How about this is the only Manbooker Prize author who will spend two pages roughly talking about MC Serch of 3rd Bass in between all that. In my literary fantasy life I’m writing the punk version of this in Yugoslavia. But even in my fantasy life I’m nowhere near as good as pulling a metaphor that will make your head spin with delight as this dude.
- “Spoiled Brats” (Simon Rich) – You know how you buy a book labelled as “humour” that isn’t actually funny? It’s not that at all.
- How we think we know what dinosaurs look like 99% Invisible: Jurassic Art Redux
- Suede Brothers “Ill New You”
- Muesli – I used to hate this stuff. Now that I’ve had the breakfast gun put to my head with my kids, I’ve grown to like it. So should you before the breakfast gun gets put to your head.
- Mythic Quest – If you’re like me and you get AppleTV with a bunch of other stuff and you realise that there’s actually not much on it, you should check out this quite funny series about the absurdity of a game development team.