Nerdette

Somehow we’re already halfway through 2021! So we thought it’d be the perfect time to revisit two of our favorite segments from the year so far. First up, it’s poet Ross Gay talking about delights! What are they? Why do they matter? And how can attending to them change your life for the better? Then, we listen back to our chat with Jeni Briton Bauer -- yes, *that* Jeni -- the world’s biggest ice cream nerd!

Welcome back to Nerdette Book Club! It's just like a regular book club except you never have to leave your house! This month we're reading 'Version Zero,' the latest from YA powerhouse David Yoon ('Frankly In Love,' 'Super Fake Love Song') and Yoon's first offering for "grown ups." (We're putting that in quotes because at Nerdette, we believe YA is for everyone! But you get what we mean...

We unpack the week that was, including ‘Zola,’ heat waves, and the Delta variant, with Priska Neely and Anna Rubanova. Then, Abby Browde, co-creator of ‘A Thousand Ways,’ tells us what inspired this delightfully strange... play? (You’ll have to listen to the interview for a better description!) AND we hear from the first ever editorial director of the New York Times Games section Everdeen Mason, who says she’s got big plans for crossword land...

We discuss the week that was with the hosts of ‘The Cut’ podcast, Jazmin Aguilera and B.A. Parker. That means, of course, Britney Spears’ latest statement on her conservatorship, the case of the cursing cheerleader, and online dating! Plus, Michael Greyeyes stops by to tell us all the reasons why ‘Rutherford Falls’ should be on your watch list. It’s a pretty great time!

It’s that time again! This month, we discuss Maggie Shipstead’s ‘Great Circle’ with book critic Bethanne Patrick and Kirkus fiction reviewer Laurie Muchnick. We talk about scale, art, and the Arctic. Plus, we hear from some of you!

The sun is shining, the flowers are blooming, and the beaches are packed. Whether you’re working or basking, we have some recommendations for books to read and jams to hang to this summer.

Writers Heather Havrilesky and Daniel Lavery join to unpack the week that was, including FOMO, vaccine incentives, and Simone Biles. We also hear from Dr. Carl Hart, a drug researcher at Columbia University who thinks drugs should be legal again! And last but not least, author Martha Wells tells us about her surprisingly delightful series 'Murderbot Diaries.'

Welcome back to the Nerdette Book Club! It’s just like a regular book club only we never have to know if you actually read the book! This month our pick is ‘Great Circle’ by Maggie Shipstead. At just over 600 pages, it’s a hefty read but SO worth it. The story follows Marian Graves, a 20th century aviatrix who disappears during an attempt at circumnavigating the Earth, and Hadley Baxter, a modern day movie star who ends up playing Marian in a movie...

Relevant links include:

• Why The Ransomware Crisis Suddenly Feels So Relentless (via MIT Technology Review)
• Naomi Osaka And The Power Of ‘Nope’ (via New York Times)
• Viral Video Of Teen Pushing Bear Off Fence (via Instagram user @bakedlikepie)
• “Help Da Bear” Mystikal Freestyle (via YouTube)
• Sex Points by Bat Sheva Marcus
• Nine Nasty Words by John McWhorter
• Nerdette’s Virtual Book Society Event!!! Join us!

This week we checked back in with Dr. Emily Landon, an epidemiologist and infectious disease specialist at the University of Chicago, to get all of your latest COVID questions answered! We talked about the CDC’s new masking guidelines -- which she calls a “mistake” -- how to navigate reopening with unvaccinated kids, and the future of the pandemic. Thanks to everyone who submitted questions this week!