Bar of Beauvoir

March Reading Wrap-Up

The beginning of Autumn is here in the southern hemisphere. As the mornings have become crisp, my taste in books has begun to change. I’m putting down the summer beach reads for now and am instead picking up books that are ideal for devouring under a blanket or by the fireplace. Here’s what I read: Classic of the Month: White Nights - Fyodor Dostoevsky A short story takes place over several consecutive nights after a man finds a woman crying alone and becomes besotted with her. It delves into loneliness, isolation and unrequited love. My first foray into Dostoevsky. It took me a minute to get the hang of the way the story was written, but after that, I was in—hook, line and sinker. It was odd and sorrowful, a surreal exploration into loneliness that still holds relevance today. Favourite Read: Kitchen Confidential - Anthony Bourdain A memoir depicting Anthony Bourdain’s journey through the culinary underbelly. Filled with wild stories of chaotic kitchens and memorable characters, we follow Anthony’s tumultuous career in various New York kitchens. If you ever need something to shove you out of your comfort zone and serve as a reminder that life should be exciting, look no further. It felt like a story amongst friends shared over a bottle of wine—if you’ve watched Parts Unknown then I can almost guarantee you will hear his voice narrating as you read. I’ve already lent my copy to a friend and know it will be a book I reread many times in years to come. Wait For It - Mariana Zapata A single aunt juggles a new neighbourhood, two kids she is now the guardian of and a cranky neighbour who becomes increasingly entangled in her already complex life. I really wanted to love this. I have heard endlessly good things about Mariana Zapata's books and how they are filled with yearning. I just didn’t quite get that from Wait For It. I found the characters likeable, but I didn’t feel invested in the story. I liked it, but I wanted to love it. The Poppy War - R. F. Kuang Fang Runin is a war orphan seeking to escape a forced marriage. She studies tirelessly for a national test that would see her study at a prestigious military academy, preparing her for a life of service in the Militia of an empire on the brink of war. R.F. Kuang is at my heartstrings again. I read Babel in January [https://josephinebeauvoir.substack.com/p/january-reading-wrap-up?r=4s9mc9] and knew I had to read her other books. The Poppy War was incredible. The characters are deeply flawed and complex, the narrative is as masterfully crafted as the phenomenal world building. I’ve started the next book in the series The Dragon Republic, and can’t wait to read the rest of the trilogy throughout April. What did you read in March? I’d love to know. Till next time xx Thank you so much for reading! Subscribe for twenty years good luck xoxo This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit josephinebeauvoir.substack.com [https://josephinebeauvoir.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The Misinformation Interlude and Why We Need It

The other week I sat outside basking in the glorious morning sun before it got too scorching hot out, sipping a cup of tea and letting my mind wander—I’d left my phone inside and was too lazy to go back inside and grab it. Within the span of emptying my mug, I had thought up three things I needed answers to and made a mental note to look up when I was back inside. Sitting here now, I can't tell you what those three things were and most certainly forgot to look them up. I tend to do this a lot. I like to think that I’m curious and constantly want to learn new things, but it’s too easy now. Too easy to find the answer, there’s no challenge or mental energy expended—the thrill of new knowledge no longer so satisfying. Last week my footy team was getting decimated to the point I turned the match off at halftime, and my housemate who went for the other team did the same—it was a hard watch. Later that evening, after a few painful minutes of gloating on her end, we carried on, neither of us bothering to look up the final scores. The next morning she calls me on her way to work, rescinding her bragging rights as it turns out my team had made a mighty comeback in the last quarter. We were both in stitches and it helped add an extra shine to a Friday morning. But it also got me thinking, what would have happened had one of us picked up our phones and fact-checked? Sure, I would have gloated, she would have grumbled and that would be that, Friday morning would have been just that little bit gloomier. By finding the answer immediately we stifle conversation and severe connection with the tap of a magnifying glass. We become the dreaded ‘um actually’ person at the dinner table, our demand for instantaneous correctness killing possible conversations, theories or logical assumptions. Searching for an answer on Google—or worse, ChatGPT—has deprived us of rudimentary critical thinking. We are lacking a misinformation interlude. A space between question and answer where our imagination can flourish. Take, for example, a debate with a friend over who directed a film. Rather than looking up the director to either prove you were right or endure your friend’s smug smile at your apparent foolishness, you each argue how the stylistic choices of the film clearly align with each director, getting more passionate as the hand gestures get wilder, fighting your corner with gusto. It should be duly noted that Wes Anderson is obviously excluded from this hypothetical, there would never be a debate if it was his film. You learn some random tidbits about each director, somewhat against your will and the conversation moves on. A short while later—a day, a week perhaps even a month—one of you decides to look up said movie and you finally learn which of you was correct. This provides a natural conversation starter for when you next see one another that you wouldn't have had if the answer had been found in the moment. Embrace the interlude as if it allows for a second act to start, a conversation thread to stretch. Who's it harming if we're misinformed for a short while?—an obvious caveat for serious topics where misinformation is dangerous and harmful. I'm endeavouring to search for answers less and theorise more—ideally not in a conspiratorial way. And if not for anything else, perhaps this will make me better at trivia, I’m deadweight on the team—from now on if anyone asks, I'm blaming Google. Till next time xx Thank you so much for reading! Subscribe for twenty years good luck xoxo This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit josephinebeauvoir.substack.com [https://josephinebeauvoir.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Nokia Nostalgia and Boys of Tommen

I feverishly read The Boys of Tommen series by Chloe Walsh last month—the fever quite literal as I was struck down with a cold. The series has seen staggering success on TikTok with over 170k videos made using #boysoftommen, resulting in it being picked up by a traditional publisher in 2023 [https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/piatkus-bags-six-books-in-walshs-the-boys-of-tommen-series-in-four-way-auction]. The books detail a group of teenagers living in Cork, Ireland in 2005 as they navigate heavy topics such as domestic violence and substance abuse in a gritty portrayal reminiscent of Skins UK. For the unacquainted, Skins was a landmark show for its time, breaking boundaries and giving an insight into late 2000s teens as Facebook was emerging and Nokia still reigned supreme. The series has traversed generations as characters like Effy and Cassie still go viral on TikTok as easily as they did in Tumblr's heyday—Effy Stonem was the quintessential IT girl of the Tumblr grunge era who we all aspired to look like, she may or may not have influenced me into buying a pair of Doc Martens with all the money from my first job. I think their unique ability to unapologetically delve into the teenage psyche has made both Skins and Boys of Tommen so wildly successful. The story’s heart lies with the characters, each so humanely flawed yet endearing, where you can’t help but feel the nostalgia creep in at the tragically relatable mishaps they endure. But perhaps there is more to their popularity than just an addictive character-driven narrative, after all, they are both set in the late 2000s, a time that is actively idolised on social media today. There seems to be a collective movement of yearning for that time of more primitive technology, as became apparent at a music festival I attended last month—Charli XCX was the phenomenal headliner. I’d attended the same festival last year and was struck by the stark difference in crowd behaviour compared to 12 months prior. No longer was my view obstructed by a million smartphones filming a set, instead I was surrounded by vintage film or 2000s digital cameras as people took photos and the few outliers I witnessed filmed with a digital camera—the quality must have been atrocious but I applaud the effort. Albeit there were still a few phones around, but the shift was quite jarring—you could have told me it was 2010, and it would have taken me a while to determine otherwise. Sure, taking pictures on film has been big for years now, but the return of digital cameras is truly something to behold, as the tech giants churn out new phone models with higher and higher quality cameras, the demand grows for the strong flash, high contrast images synonymous with the digital camera. This demand for older tech isn’t limited to photography, as a new trend emerges of people opting for a ‘dumbphone’ as documented in this fantastic piece by Catherine Shannon [https://open.substack.com/pub/catherineshannon/p/do-you-remember-how-life-used-to?r=4s9mc9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web]. The internetless phone is back, as users attempt to self-repair their attention spans and return to a time of limited connectivity. As Becca Law pointed out recently in this piece [https://open.substack.com/pub/beccalaw/p/brain-dead?r=4s9mc9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web] about media velocity, the speed at which we are inhaling content is accelerating, our fatigue is growing and a crash out is imminent—but what will this look like? I’m predicting a late 2000s renaissance. Will we be back to internet as a restricted resource only accessible at home? Maybe. It’s a real possibility with the way tastes are changing. Whether it’s books, shows, cameras or phones, they all trace back to the same era, where being disconnected produced a slight air of mystery and health advice was sourced from the sealed section of a magazine—something probably best left behind this time around. Till next time xx Thank you so much for reading! Subscribe for twenty years good luck xoxo This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit josephinebeauvoir.substack.com [https://josephinebeauvoir.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

February Reading Wrap-Up

Although February was the shortest month, I powered through my TBR, polishing off 8 books. This was largely aided by a nasty cold that had me curled up on the couch for a week—but you know, silver linings and all. The Songbird and the Heart of Stone - Carissa Broadbent Brief Synopsis: Mische and Asar venture into the underworld on a journey to resurrect a fallen god. Mische grapples with the morals and teachings of her religion brought into question as she must decide whether to betray her companion or her god. I want to preface this by saying that I love Carissa Broadbent’s books, the Daughter of No Worlds trilogy is incredible. However, this book fell a bit flat for me. I have enjoyed the other two books in the Crowns of Nyaxia series and the accompanying novella Six Scorched Roses which is phenomenal. I liked hearing Mische’s inner monologue after seeing her as a prominent side character in the first two books, enjoying the exploration of religion and how it can be harnessed as a justification for violence. Although this wasn’t my favourite in the series, I look forward to reading any future releases by Broadbent. 1984 - George Orwell Brief Synopsis: 1984 follows Winston Smith as he navigates his dystopian existence in an oppressive totalitarian regime, in which he works for the Ministry of Truth, a government department charged with falsifying and altering all media past and present to align with the propaganda of the party. I committed myself to reading one classic a month in 2025. While I failed miserably in January, I pulled through this month and read 1984. This book was an excellent first foray into the classics. It was a particularly poignant read and felt extremely socially relevant. I won’t go too in-depth on it here, but if you want more of my thoughts on 1984, feel free to check out the essay I wrote: Boys of Tommen Series - Chloe Walsh Brief Synopsis: Set in 2005 Cork, Ireland, the Boys of Tommen series follows a group of teenagers at an elite private school renowned for its rugby team. The series explores themes such as domestic violence, substance abuse and grief in a coming of age story told from many perspectives. I went into this series blind, placing my faith in Booktok—always a questionable move. The risk paid in dividends though, because what an outstanding series this turned out to be, hitting me with all the nostalgia as a teen who grew up with Skins UK and Shameless. The story is gritty, as these teenagers grapple with their trauma, navigating fraught familial relationships and friendship drama. The way these books are so heavily character driven is masterful, as we see the same timeline from different characters’ points of view, giving the narrative a deeper nuance. I have much more to say on this series and am cooking something up as we speak, so keep an eye out for that over the coming weeks. Margo’s Got Money Troubles - Rufi Thorpe Brief Synopsis: Margo winds up pregnant at 19 after an affair with her college English professor. Strapped for cash, Margo begins an OnlyFans and deals with the fallout and prejudice leveled against women in the sex work industry. This book was everything I wanted and more. It was funny and cleverly written, seamlessly switching points of view from first to third with hilarious fourth wall breaks. I adored the pro-wrestler father and how we accompany Margo as she navigates that parental relationship alongside her journey into motherhood. All the characters felt so real, flawed and imperfect. This book was able to cover serious topics like substance abuse, sexism and the stigma around sex work while remaining light-hearted—an impressive feat. My TBR is looking a little sparse, so please feel free to share any suggestions. Till next time xx Thank you so much for reading! Subscribe for twenty years good luck xoxo This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit josephinebeauvoir.substack.com [https://josephinebeauvoir.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

George Orwell's Pop Culture Hot Takes

Thank you so much for listening! Subscribe for twenty years good luck xoxo Was George Orwell a time traveller or are we woefully predictable? This question kept running through my mind as I read his novel 1984, [https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61439040-1984] which holds such cultural significance today despite being published over 70 years ago. A brief synopsis for those unfamiliar, 1984 follows Winston Smith as he navigates his dystopian existence in an oppressive totalitarian regime, in which he works for the Ministry of Truth, a government department charged with falsifying and altering all media past and present to align with the propaganda of the party. All party members are subjected to 24/7 surveillance through the use of telescreens in which they are monitored under the watchful eye of the party leader ‘Big Brother.’ The telescreens also serve as a broadcast in which party messaging is spouted at all hours of the day. Beyond the physical surveillance, citizens live in a constant state of paranoia and mistrust in which people are encouraged to report one another for any indiscretion or suspicion no matter how slight—any mannerism outside of complete uniformity could be deemed as a sign of guilt and be reported. This novel has had a tremendous impact on pop culture, especially in the realm of reality television. There is an obvious connection with Big Brother which was mimicked on the reality show [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Brother_(American_TV_series)], bringing Orwell’s depiction of extreme surveillance to life in a fascinating and highly entertaining reality TV experiment. However, in more recent times, The Traitors [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Traitors_(American_TV_series)] has emerged as a new show that centres on Orwell’s musings on groupthink and fearful paranoia. The game show involves a bunch of pseudo-celebrities living in a medieval castle, in which ‘traitors’ are selected and the rest of the contestants become ‘faithfuls’. There is a murder a night and a banishment ceremony in which theories and accusations are flung across a roundtable until one person is voted out and reveals if they are a faithful or a traitor. The first day in the castle is always extremely pleasant as friendships are formed and everyone parrots that they have no idea who a traitor could be. However, this quickly devolves into a mist of suspicion and paranoia reminiscent of the McCarthy era. [https://millercenter.org/the-presidency/educational-resources/age-of-eisenhower/mcarthyism-red-scare] Friends accuse friends, minute facial expressions are determined as surefire signs of guilt and often ‘faithfuls’ are banished. The show presents a fascinating study on how quickly a group of people can succumb to a hive-mind mentality, as we watch on each episode as a fresh smear campaign is concocted against a contestant—often unfounded and woefully incorrect, yet voted out with such conviction of guilt by their fellow ‘faithfuls’—sub ‘faithful’ for comrade and you’ve got an Orwellian dystopia. Coincidentally, Alan Cumming [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Cumming] who is the host of The Traitors US is having a bit of a moment online right now as his rendition of ‘Money’ from the 1993 revival of Cabaret is a trending sound [https://www.tiktok.com/@gentleman.gasmask/video/7462303164839070998?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7468573219218884103] on TikTok. Caberet [https://www.studlife.com/scene/2023/11/01/cabaret-preview-review-and-reflection] is a musical depicting the consequences of inaction, using a glitzy nightclub as the setting in which the characters and audience live in blissful ignorance of the atrocities being committed outside its walls. The warning of wilful ignorance and blatant escapism prevalent in both Cabaret and 1984 can easily be applied to our collective use of social media and doom-scrolling, keeping our minds lulled for fear of catching a peak of what’s happening outside. Every citizen, or at least every citizen important enough to be worth watching, could be kept for twenty-four hours a day under the eyes of the police and in the sound of official propaganda, with all other channels of communication closed. The possibility of enforcing not only complete obedience to the will of the State, but complete uniformity of opinion on all subjects, now existed for the first time. - 1984, George Orwell With our phones permanently glued to our hands, we are primed to receive messaging that infiltrates and sways our worldview, with the internet employing the same techniques of the authoritarian regime in 1984—fear-mongering, rage bait and frenzied hatred to drive the hive mind to a collective opinion. Cancel culture is a prime example of this as we see creators have their careers decimated by the public, where suddenly hate comments become justifiable and any previous niceties or parasocial relationships formed with said creator must be extinguished, promptly replaced with disdain. To end on a truly terrifying note, I highly recommend watching this video by Blonde Politics [https://youtu.be/5RpPTRcz1no?si=DM0TbhIvTEgdNBwj] which discusses Techno-Feudalism. A frightening insight into the Tech billionaire’s intimate ties to the current administration in the US, and how these select few collectively own almost all social media platforms and methods of communication—quite dystopian indeed. Till next time xx This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit josephinebeauvoir.substack.com [https://josephinebeauvoir.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]