The High Low

In today's episode, we discuss the findings on Sex In Lockdown: Keep Shagging And Carry On; the astounding work that is Michaela Coel's I May Destroy You and in light of JK Rowling's comments last week, some recommendations for understanding the trans experience. We also feature an exclusive extract from the writer Rhik Samadder's memoir about mental health, love and family, I Never Said I Loved You and lots more podcast recs from Dolly. Plus! Ask The High Low is back.

E-mail [email protected]

Tweet@thehighlowshow

Shop thehighlowshop - 100% profits go to charity (Show Racism The Red Card and Women's Aid)

Links

Reading

I Never Said I Loved You, by Rhik Samadder

Amateur: A True Story About What Makes a Man, by Thomas Page McBee

The Gender Games, by Juno Dawson

Consider The Greenland Shark by Katherine Rundell 

https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v42/n09/katherine-rundell/consider-the-greenland-shark?referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.co.uk%2F

Brit-ish by Afua Hirsch

Watching and Listening

Sex In Lockdown: Keep Shagging and Carry On, on Channel 4

I May Destroy You, on BBC iPlayer 

Seahorse, on Vimeo

Laura Marling on Song Exploder

Radio 4’s The Food Programme - Food On Film 

Jerry Seinfeld on WTF 

Afua Hirsch on Fortunately 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss online vs offline behaviour, when it comes to social change; and why historical progress has long relied on the removal of monuments. Also today, tons of podcast recommendations, an homage to Gogglebox and the size 75 shoes made especially for social distancing.

E-mail [email protected]

Tweet @thehighlowshow

Links

Social media

@multiculturalkidsbooks on IG

@diverse_kids_books on IG

@novelallure on IG

Reading

Knights Of bookshop http://knightsof.media

Anti-Racist Baby, by Ibram X. Kendi

Little Leaders: Bold Women In Black History

Superior by Angela Saini

Stolen Legacy by George James

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

You're Silence Will Not Protect you by Audre Lorde

Here For It by R. Eric Thomas

Candice Brathwaite interview by Johanna Thomas-Corr for Observer https://bit.ly/37hGPKa

Bernadine Evaristo on inclusive publishing for British Vogue https://bit.ly/2XOoaCX

Yomi Adegoke on the "pics or it didn't happen approach" for British Vogue https://bit.ly/2znzRac

8 Books by Black authors that aren't about Black pain by Natalie Morris for Metro https://bit.ly/2MLU8Ju

Fighting racism requires more than hashtags by Nesrine Malik for The Guardian https://bit.ly/2BTpoUT

Why You Should Say Black Lives Matter by Bob and Peppermint https://bit.ly/2Ur97g3

The Resilience of Marga Griesbach by Rebecca Traister for New York mag https://bit.ly/3dKzKnY

Watching & Listening

Sabrina Cohen-Hatton on Rangan Chatterjee's podcast, Feel Better, Live More

Ibram X Kendi interview with Brene Brown for Unlocking Us

Celebrity Gogglebox

Days of the Bagnold Summer

Douglas by Hannah Gadsby on Netflix

Fresh Air: Hannah Gadsby

The C Word: Paula Yates

Jay Rayner’s Out To Lunch 

Desert Island Discs: Professor Dame Elizabeth Anionwu

Grounded with Louis Theroux: Miriam Margolyes 

Nick Cave: The Red Hand Files 

Petitions 

Healthcare for black women in the U.K. https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/301079

Paul Stephenson statue https://www.change.org/p/bristol-city-council-replace-the-colston-statue-with-paul-stephenson

Donate to Black Minds Matter https://uk.gofundme.com/f/black-minds-matter-uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s episode is focused on the resources we can access to educate ourselves on racism. These lists are not exhaustive but may provide a starting point. We also interview the creator of Make Motherhood Diverse, Candice Brathwaite, about her searing new book I Am Not Your Baby Mother.

[email protected] 

Non-Fiction

Why I Am No Longer Talking To White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

I Am Not Your Baby Mother by Candice Brathwaite

White Fragility by Robin Diangelo

Between The World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

How To Be Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi

The Good Immigrant compiled by Nikesh Shukla

The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

Women Race and Class by Angela Davis

White Rage by Carol Anderson

Brit-ish by Afua Hirsch   

My Name Is Why by Lemn Sissay 

Slay In Your Lane by Elizabeth Uviebinené & Yomi Adegoke

A Burst of Light by Audre Lorde

Don’t Touch My Hair by Emma Dabiri 

Taking Up Space: The Black Girls Manifesto For Change by Chelsea Kwakye & Ore Ogunbiyi 

Me and White Supremacy by Layla F Saad 

Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall

Natives: Race & Class in the Ruins of Empire by Akala

Aint I a Woman: Black Women & Feminism by bell hooks 

Why You Need To Stop Saying “All Lives Matter” by Rachel Elizabeth Cargle for Harper’s Bazaar https://bit.ly/3gG8rgq

Ibram X. Kendi’s reading list for The New York Times https://nyti.ms/3gKL8lH

Fiction

Beloved by Toni Morrison 

The Colour Purple by Alice Walker 

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones 

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi-Adichie

Such A Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Ordinary People by Diana Evans 

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams 

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 

On Beauty and White Teeth by Zadie Smith 

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Citizen: An American Life by Claudia Rankine

Social media

@theconsciouskid

@taranaburke

@galdemzine

@tamikadmallory 

@privtoprog 

@blklivesmatter

Donate

George Floyd’s Memorial Fund 

Black Lives Matter

Black Protest Legal Support UK

Liberty

Stop Hate UK

The Stephen Lawrence Trust 

The Innocence Project 

Show Racism The Red Card 

Black Visions Collective

Mentorship

Routes

Girls Out Loud

Fluid

Kids resources

diversebooks.org

Raising White Kids by Jennifer Harvey 

All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold

Brad Meltzer’s Ordinary People Can Change The World series on Rosa Parks & Harriet Tubman 

A Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Other links

Petition to update GCSE reading list https://bit.ly/2U6foOl

1619 podcast by The NY Times

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Did you know there is a word in German for 'social distancing whilst wearing swimming pool noodles as a hat'? We're sceptical, but charmed.

As the heaviness weighs on many of you, we have a batch of podcasts, books, articles and surprising lockdown stats to cheer and distract you. 

Please do e-mail any questions or issues to [email protected]

Or you can tweet us @thehighlowshow

Shop thehighlowshop.com - 100% of profits go to charity (Women's Aid and NHS Charities urgent cover relief fund)

Links

Book a goat for Zoom (yes) at www.cronkshawfoldfarm.co.uk/goatsonzoom

Volunteer during furlough at www.furlonteer.com

Find @_lockdownstories on Instagram

Reading

Girl, Woman, Other, by Bernadine Evaristo 

Ramble Book: Musings on Childhood, Friendship, Family and 80s Pop Culture, by Adam Buxton, available on audio book now (and in print in September)

Insanity Can Keep You Sane, by Molly Young for The New York Times Mag www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/05/11/magazine/quarantine-insanity.html

Where to start in Joni Mitchell's back catalogue, by Hannah Stevens for The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/may/20/joni-mitchell-where-to-start-in-her-back-catalogue

Listening and watching

Sir Lenny Henry interview with Louis Theroux's Grounded podcast 

Grayson Perry's Art Club, on Channel 4

Gemma Collins: Diva on Lockdown, on ITV Player

Love, Loss and What I Wore by Nora and Delia Ephron https://www.92y.org/love-loss-and-what-i-wore

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's a pot noodle of an episode this week. From our favourite pandemic stories around the globe - selected especially to cheer you up - to a bunch of recommendations, a deep-dive into the way we metabolise information now, and a compulsory dwell on Stanley Tucci.

E-mail: [email protected]

Tweet: @thehighlowshow

Shop: thehighlowshop.com where 100% of profits go to charity (Women's Aid and Covid-19 NHS Urgent Appeal)

Links

Book a Migrateful cookery class at migrateful.org

The Vanishing Half, by Brit Bennett - out 2nd June

Brit Bennett and Emma Cline in conversation for Entertainment Weekly https://ew.com/books/author-interviews/brit-bennett-emma-cline-in-conversation/

Robert Pattinson interview by Zach Baron for GQ, US edition https://www.gq.com/story/robert-pattinson-on-batman-tenet-isolation-june-cover

Lockdown with My Gen Z nieces, by Sathnam Sanghera for The Times magazine https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/sathnam-sanghera-lockdown-with-my-gen-z-nieces-8bcm9qxcx

Dating After Coronavirus, by Nayeema Raza for The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/18/opinion/coronavirus-dating.html

Here’s how time works now by Eli Grober for McSweeney's: https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/heres-how-time-works-now

A Love In Verse: https://www.aloveinverse.com/

Stanley Tucci's Life in Quarantine, for The Atlantic https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2020/05/stanley-tuccis-life-quarantine/611557/

Sinéad Burke interview on Desert Island Discs https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000j7q5

Dissect podcast https://dissectpodcast.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we discuss the surprising lockdown sales boom, an animal fact and a few new pandemic lifestyle theories. Just another episode of The High Low, then.

We also ring up Samatha Irby in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to discuss her hilarious new essay collection (a joy for anxiety-ridden times) wow, no thank you. 

E-mail [email protected]

Tweet @thehighlowshow

Shop at www.thehighlowshop.com - 100% of profits go to charity (currently Women's Aid and the COVID-19 NHS Urgent Appeal)

Links

wow, no thank you, by Samantha Irby - out now

I've craved a slower pace of life - and want to make it permanent, a Dear Mariella column for The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/may/10/i-have-craved-a-slower-pace-of-life-and-want-to-make-it-permanent-mariella-frostrup

The lockdown dick margin, by Lauren Bravo for Refinery29 https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/bad-temper-lockdown

The buzz of big cities is losing out to cottagecore, by India Knight for The Sunday Times https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/coronavirus-what-is-the-point-of-cities-with-no-buzz-h532fgnjd

My sister died of coronavirus. She needed care, but her life was not disposable. By Rory Kinnear for The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/may/12/rory-kinnearsister-protect-vulnerable-coronavirus-rory-kinnear

Things need me, by Charles Simic https://www.instagram.com/p/B_-gZk4jkFP/?igshid=cerd2jisw0n4

As isolation drags on, I've found myself wanting to be a friend to myself, by Emma Jane Unsworth for Grazia, issue published May 5th

Tayari Jones on Open Book https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/books-and-authors/id331296649?i=1000474155261

Cate Blanchett on WTF https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/wtf-with-marc-maron-podcast/id329875043?i=1000474214665

Laura Marling on The Adam Buxton podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-adam-buxton-podcast/id1040481893?i=1000474168608

Steve Martin on Fresh Air https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/fresh-air/id214089682?i=1000474020262

Run, on Sky Atlantic and Now TV

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we discuss what your books on your bookshelf say about you, the new lockdown lingo (are you drinking furlough merlot?), whether lockdown telly might have reached its apex, and the concept of heteropessimism.

You can e-mail [email protected] and shop at thehighlowshop.com - 100% of profits go to charity.

Links

Apply here for Penguin's WriteNow scheme: https://www.penguin.co.uk/company/creative-responsibility/writenow.html

If I Had Your Face, by Frances Cha

Culture Call, a podcast by The Financial Times

Louis Theroux on Adam Buxton podcast

A Manual For Heartache: How To Feel Better, by Cathy Rentzenbrink

Exploding the myths behind K-Pop, by Crystal Tai for The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/global/2020/mar/29/behind-k-pops-perfect-smiles-and-dance-routines-are-tales-of-sexism-and-abuse

Marian Keyes interview with The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/feb/28/marian-keyes-books-that-made-me

Indiana Seresin on heteropessimism for The New Inquiry https://thenewinquiry.com/on-heteropessimism/

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Thank you for bearing with us. We weren't able to bring you an episode last week for personal reasons, but we will try and make it up to you today - starting with a BIG apology to Lizzo for saying it wasn't possible to jam on a flute. It bloody well is. Mea culpa.

Today we discuss the micro-trends of lockdown (are you a lockdown cliche?) and a Dolls Polls about what we're all apparently buying. You will never guess the top billing (no - it's not loo roll. Or pasta.) Also today, a new podcast from Louis Theroux, a discussion of the adaptation of Normal People, the wonder that is Quiz and lots more reading, audio reccs and daft stories.

E-mail [email protected]

Tweet @thehighlowshow

Shop online at www.thehighlowshop.com - 100% of profits go to charity (currently Women's Aid and the NHS Charities Covid-19 Urgent Appeal)

Links

booksinstations.co.uk

Breathing Lessons, by Anne Tyler

The Wonder Spot, by Melissa Banks

Grounded, by Louis Theroux for BBC Radio 4

Sentimental Garbage: Eat Pray Love https://sentimentalgarbage.substack.com/p/eat-pray-love-with-abigail-bergstrom-cdf

Tash Demetriou on The Adam Buxton Podcast https://play.acast.com/s/adambuxton/d71a3ce3-6de0-4707-8ddb-3d5e8f1b4ea7

Difficult To Buy For, by Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff for Tortoise https://members.tortoisemedia.com/2020/04/15/letters-from-lockdown-charlie-brinkhurst-cuff-transcript/content.html

My dad said I wasn't black enough. At least, I know what he meant, by Raven Smith for The Observer https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/apr/26/my-dad-said-i-wasnt-black-enough-at-last-i-know-what-he-meant

Quiz on ITV Player

Normal People on BBC iPlayer

All or Nothing at All on BBC

What Kinda Music, by Tom Misch

Sentimental Garbage: Eat Pray Love https://sentimentalgarbage.substack.com/p/eat-pray-love-with-abigail-bergstrom-cdf

Tash Demetriou on The Adam Buxton Podcast https://play.acast.com/s/adambuxton/d71a3ce3-6de0-4707-8ddb-3d5e8f1b4ea7

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Week 4 of lockdown and we hope all you cats and kittens are doing okay. Sorry - blame Carole Baskin. We've been watching Tiger King and eesh, do we feel icky. We discuss why that is and why streamed content is becoming increasingly crass. What does the flatpacking of problematic people into entertainment, reveal about us?

Also today, Dolly interviews the YA and contemporary novelist, Holly Bourne, about her new book, Pretending. They discuss sexual violence, the cultural expectations of sex and romance and why porn is doing women a disservice. And we discuss some podcasts that will help us all navigate what Brene Brown calls "the collective weary".

E-mail [email protected]

Tweet @thehighlowshow 

Reading

House of Glass by Hadley Freeman

Pretending, by Holly Bourne

Sense and Sensibility: The Screenplay and Diaries, by Emma Thompson

Coming Undone, by Terri White, out July and avail online for pre-order

Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones

Watching & Listening

Alain de Botton on How To Fail with Elizabeth Day https://howtofail.podbean.com/e/how-to-fail-alain-de-botton/

Unlocking Us, with Brene Brown https://brenebrown.com/podcast/brene-on-comparative-suffering-the-50-50-myth-and-settling-the-ball/

Save Me Too, on Sky Atlantic

Tiger King, on Netflix

Nothing Like A Dame, available to buy or rent on Amazon prime 

Song For Our Daughter by Laura Marling

Retro Sweat - the 80s aerobics class online https://www.instagram.com/retrosweat/?hl=en

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's been a rough few weeks so we thought we'd bring you an extra episode for the long Easter weekend. Lots more culture reccs and more thoughts on lockdown life (with a belated shout out to Madonna's Instagram page.)

We've also bought back Ask The High Low! You can e-mail us with your question at [email protected] and we will be answering a few every week.

You can shop our merchandise at www.thehighlowshop.com and 100% of profits go to charity - 10% to Women's Aid and 90% to the NHS Charities Urgent Appeal for COVID-19.

Watching 

Little Women - available on Amazon Prime on 11th May

Cheer, Love is Blind, Sex Education and Don't Fuck With Cats, and Marriage Story - all on Netflix

Listening to

Guys We Fucked on Luminary https://luminarypodcasts.com/listen/corinne-fisher-and-krystyna-hutchinson-465/guys-we-f-d-luminary-exclusive/drunk-v-day-special-he-used-your-duvet-as-a-diaphragm/d5dfed7c-f10c-41ed-bbb3-03c5573f8a35

Greta Gerwig on Scriptnotes https://johnaugust.com/2020/the-one-with-greta-gerwig

Pandemic at the Disco playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3dW4ddgwOxj4q7XVvbOa7w?si=o15nzeS0QVKzf_tFxJTd_w

Reading

Your Voice in My Head, by Emma Forrest - out now

Exciting Times, by Naoise Dolan - out April 16th and available now for pre-order 

Scenes of a Graphic Nature, by Caroline O'Donoghue - out 18th June and available now for pre-order 

Glorious Rock Bottom, by Bryony Gordon - *new publication date* 6th August and available now for pre-order

Hadley Freeman on the death of FOMO, for The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/apr/04/bye-bye-fomo-now-the-party-is-being-zoomed-to-my-laptop

Ann Patchett interviews Reese Witherspoon, for Vanity Fair https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2020/03/the-book-of-reese

Mark Seal interviews James Stunt, for Vanity Fair https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2020/02/the-prince-charles-art-forgeries-royal-scandal

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